Jiang She approached the shack of the Old Daoist calmly. Leaving Red River Hill was impossible beforehand thanks to the Old Daoist but know that she had received the inheritance of an immortal she was determined to leave.

"I refuse to let a single Old Daoist stop me from leaving Red River Hill!"

"That's right disciple! Onward!"

"I'm afraid I can't allow you to leave." The Old Daoist calmly walked out of the shack, gleaming sword in hand.

"Interesting... Although this old man has lost his cultivation... He's still quite strong I must say." Her master sighed. "You are not his opponent disciple."

"What shall we do master?"

"There's no use discussing with that pathetic spirit you found." The Old Daoist said. "If you can defeat me in battle, you'll be free to leave the hill! We start on the count of three!"

"Fine!" Jiang She shouted with a passionate spirit. "Get ready old man!"

"On the count of three run the other direction." Her master whispered. "You are no match for him."

"But master-

"This is no joking matter disciple! He intends to disperse your cultivation."

"Three!" Jiang She felt the pressure in the atmosphere increase.

"Two!" It was as if... The Old Daoist was absorbing the Qi around them!

"One!" Jiang She bolted in the opposite direction of the shack!

"Foolish!" The Old Daoist sneered.

"Use the Nine Nether Steps!" Her master shouted.

"You don't have to remind me master!"

Jiang She burst forward with an incredible speed. Every step she took was filled with incredible vigor.

"So the little one learned some techniques didn't she!" The Old Daoist did not lose to the young girl in speed but was actually catching up.

"Master! What do we do!" The girl shouted tearfully. "He's catching up!"

"Stop panicking disciple! Her master roared. "Burn your essence!"

Jiang She was at a loss momentarily but steeled herself. She burst forward with even greater speed. She felt her Qi circulate furiously throughout her meridians.

"Master my meridians are cracking! They're actually cracking!" She whimpered. "What do we do!"

"We're leaving him behind! Hurry Disciple! Burn more!" Her master shouted.

"The Old Daoist suddenly halted.

"Master he stopped!" Jiang She said.

"It may be a ploy! Keep on running!"

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"Yes master!"

The Old Daoist watched the girl run far off into the distance.

"There's no stopping that girl is there." He sighed, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. "She truly is your daughter I suppose."

"It was only after an hour of running did Jiang She stop. She fell to her knees panting.

She peeked from the corner of her eyes that her once black hair was now gray. She felt blood pour from her nose.

But it mattered little to the young girl. She had finally escaped her life long prison. She wobbled to her feet shakily.

"Keep on walking young one." Her master gently said uncharacteristically. "It's no good to fall asleep on the road."

"Yes master."

And so the girl walked for hours under the blazing sun.

"Wait. Turn right." Her master whispered.

"Yes master."

After half an hour into the woods the girl came across a clear spring. She jumped in without a moments hesitation.

Jiang She washed off the previous days grime and dirt. She also inspected her reflection carefully in the spring.

She never considered herself a vain girl but she felt that it was just too unfitting for a young girl in the prime of her life to have gray hairs, and a whole head to boot.

She put her thoughts to the side and focused on minimizing the damage done to her meridians. Her meridian lines were damaged not to the point of no return but it was clear she would need external help to recover.

"Master... What do we do now?"

"Worry not disciple. The damage can be fixed." Her master said nonchalantly. "I'll need a spiritual fruit... any fruit above the mortal grade should be enough."

"Mortal grade?"

"Spiritual fruits are graded in tiers." He explained gently. "Mortal Grade, Earth Grade, and Heavenly Grade."

"Are Earth Grade fruits hard to find master?" Jiang She asked.

"Back in my prime Earth Grade fruits were quite common." He mused. "It's a different case now. I'm afraid the mortal world has degraded far too much."

"The revival of the Nine Nethers Serpent Sect can come later." Her master said regretfully. "Your new task is to increase your strength. Break through the Foundation Establishment by next month or you can forget about inheriting my sect."

"Yes master." She sighed, thinking to herself silently. "Who else would want to inherit a dusty, old, dead sect from a geezer like you."

"Young girl... er disciple." He murmured. "I can find numerous of other willing candidates..."

"Whatever you say master."

After cleaning up and stabilizing her meridians she left the spring with a passionate spirit. A genus such as herself couldn't let small setbacks such as this set her back. She wouldn't stop until the whole world knew her name.

She was no longer a nameless girl trapped in a well. She was Jiang She! Inheritor of the Nine Nether Serpent Sect!