After being reborn, all I want to do is run away.

Chapter 54 Green Bamboo Residence

"Is this the Inner Sect's Hall of Affairs?" Shen Xu asked Feng Yun beside him, looking at the bustling wooden building.

"Yes! This is the Inner Sect's Hall of Affairs. Can you let me go now?" A hint of resentment flashed in Feng Yun's eyes.

"Remember, you still owe me fifty Qi-Nourishing Pills." After saying that, Shen Xu walked straight towards the building in front of him.

After Shen Xu left, Feng Yun clenched his fists as he watched Shen Xu's retreating figure. He was determined to make this man kneel before him and vomit up all his Qi-Nourishing Pills, to let him know just how miserable the consequences would be for offending Feng Yun...

Shen Xu entered the Inner Sect Affairs Hall and found it quite spacious, so it wasn't very crowded. His appearance still attracted the attention of many inner sect disciples; an outer sect disciple standing out among a group of inner sect disciples was certainly conspicuous.

"Elder, I'm here to complete the inner sect entry procedures!" Shen Xu said to the elder in charge.

"Put the things on the table, then find a place to wait!" The elder in charge lay on the rocking chair, reading a book, without even glancing at Shen Xu.

Shen Xu frowned upon seeing this scene, which reminded him of the deacon's hall in Blood Valley. Although he was very unhappy, who knew how long this elder would make him wait?

"Elder, this is a small token of my appreciation." Shen Xu took out the envelope Elder Yan had given him and placed it on the table, then put a porcelain bottle containing one hundred Qi-Nourishing Pills on top of it.

"He's somewhat sensible." The elder put down his book, sat up, put the porcelain bottle into his robes, and began to look through Shen Xu's information.

"Shen Xu, you're the top disciple of the outer sect this year! Why didn't you say so sooner?" The elder in charge immediately sat up straight and took the porcelain bottle out again, returning it to Shen Xu.

"Since it's given to the elder, it belongs to the elder. I just hope the elder can complete the formalities for me quickly." Shen Xu returned the porcelain bottle; after all, it wasn't his Qi-Nourishing Pill.

"No problem, no problem! But isn't there anyone to pick you up? Why do you have to come in person?" The elder in charge asked, somewhat puzzled, after taking the porcelain bottle.

"I don't know that either."

"It's alright, someone will probably come looking for you soon. I'll get it done for you first, you can find a place to wait for a while," the elder said solicitously.

"Then thank you, Elder!"

"It's nothing, it's nothing, it's what I should do." The elder in charge had a smile on his face.

"They really are arrogant at first but humble later," Shen Xu couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

After some time, the elder in charge handed a disciple's nameplate to Shen Xu.

"The formalities have all been completed for you. This is your disciple's nameplate. With it, you can go to the Inner Affairs Hall to collect some necessary items, such as a sword and clothes."

And most importantly, with this plaque you can choose a place to stay at Qingzhu Residence. This is very important, so please choose carefully.” The elder in charge instructed solemnly.

"Thank you, Elder. I will be careful."

“Since no one is looking for you right now, I’ll find someone to take you to Green Bamboo Residence!” the elder suggested.

"Thank you for your trouble, Elder!" Shen Xu bowed and said, thinking that the money had not been wasted.

"Zhuang Wen, take Shen Xu to handle the next steps!" the elder said to a young man in black robes beside him.

"Alright, Elder, you can rest assured to entrust Junior Brother Shen to me! I will definitely arrange everything perfectly for him," Zhuang Wen assured him with a smile.

"Junior Brother Shen, are you really the number one in the outer sect?" Zhuang Wen asked curiously after leaving the hall of affairs.

"Don't I look like that?"

"Haha, that's not what I meant! It's just that everyone says the top five disciples of the outer sect will be accepted as disciples by the elders, right? Junior Brother Shen, you've been here for so long, and I haven't seen any of the elders' disciples come looking for you, so I'm a little curious."

"We disciples can't fathom the elders' thoughts; we just need to do our own jobs well," Shen Xu replied.

“Junior Brother Shen is right! I know the layout of Green Bamboo Peak very well. If there is anything you don’t understand, feel free to ask me.”

"So, Senior Brother Zhuang, what should we do first?" Shen Xu asked.

"Let's choose our accommodations first! After all, comfort is very important for cultivation. Each of us inner disciples can be assigned a small courtyard! However, most of the good places have already been chosen by those who arrived earlier, but even so, they are much more comfortable than the small wooden houses on Cuiyun Mountain."

The inner disciples' residences are mostly in Qingzhu Residence, which is also the place with the most empty courtyards. They can be lived in after just a little cleaning.

Upon arrival, first look at the sign next to the main gate. If it's a person's name, it means the courtyard is already occupied. If it's a number, it means you can apply for occupancy. After registering the courtyard in your name at the Inner Affairs Hall, the courtyard you chose will be yours.

"Does Senior Brother Zhuang have any suggestions?" Shen Xu gave Zhuang Wen a porcelain bottle containing fifty Qi-Nourishing Pills.

"Haha, a courtyard! The most important thing is to live comfortably, so of course you should choose one you like. But if I had to give advice, I'd suggest you stay away from people with bad tempers, since you see them every day and it's easy for conflicts to break out." Zhuang Bu took the porcelain bottle and said earnestly, as if he had experienced something.

"Oh, right, there's one more thing I need you to pay attention to. Once you've chosen a place to live and registered it with the Inner Affairs Hall, you can't change it. So choosing a house is a really important thing to do. I wonder what kind of courtyard Junior Brother Shen prefers?"

"It should be quiet, with as few people around as possible," Shen Xu replied.

"I'll show you around when we get there, and we're sure we can find a courtyard like that," Zhuang Wen assured him.

"Thank you very much, Senior Brother Zhuang!"

After some time, when Zhuang Wen led him to the place, Shen Xu finally understood why the place was called Green Bamboo Residence.

Before Shen Xu lay a vast bamboo forest, seemingly boundless. Dense, dark green bamboo intertwined to form a green barrier. A gentle breeze rustled the bamboo leaves, creating a beautiful and moving sound.

Numerous courtyards are partially hidden among the trees, seemingly blending into the surrounding environment, creating an atmosphere of exceptional tranquility and mystery.

"Isn't it beautiful! I was also amazed when I first came here. Let's go in and take a look!" Zhuang Wen said and took the lead into the bamboo forest.

As Shen Xu continued along the road, he was surrounded by dense green bamboo, which blocked out almost all the sunlight. Every now and then, a courtyard would appear before him.

“Almost all the houses in this area are owned; the ones without owners are further in,” Zhuang Wen said.

After making several turns along the way, Zhuang Wen stopped at a courtyard.

"This is the quietest courtyard I know of. There are only a few inhabited courtyards within several miles. I wonder if Junior Brother Shen is satisfied?" Zhuang Wen was clearly very confident in the courtyard he had chosen.

Looking around, Shen Xu saw that the courtyard was surrounded by tall, green bamboo, and there was nothing else around except the bamboo, giving people a sense of being isolated from the world.

Following Zhuang Wen into the courtyard, Shen Xu found it exquisitely furnished. In the center was a small pond, its crystal-clear water reflecting the blue sky, white clouds, and surrounding bamboo groves—a breathtaking sight. Stone benches and tables were placed along the pond, providing places to rest and enjoy the scenery. Several houses also stood in the courtyard, their simple and elegant architecture blending harmoniously with the natural environment.

"Actually, the layout of each courtyard is similar, only the external environment is different. This one is relatively quiet."

However, too much quiet is not a good thing, especially at night when all is quiet and few people can bear that loneliness.

"If you don't like it, Junior Brother Shen, I can take you to see other courtyards," Zhuang Wen suggested.

"This room will do!" Shen Xu said.