I Crashed After Recruiting Students Under My Archrival's Name

[Full manuscript completed and ready. I have something to take care of until the end of the year, so the novel will start in January next year.]

To avenge the massacre of his family, Ji Shiqing cultivated a sinister art that the world could not tolerate.

He got his revenge, but ended up on the Immortal Alliance's wanted list.

The Alliance strictly forbids sinister arts, and anyone who practices them is to be arrested, have their meridians purged, and be thrown into prison.

Worse still, the one tasked with capturing him is none other than the prodigy who was once his rival and fellow student, now the Immortal Alliance's top disciple: Shen Lanjue.

Ji Shiqing doesn't have many years left as it is. If he undergoes a meridian purge, he'll croak on the spot. He absolutely cannot let Shen Lanjue catch him.

So Ji Shiqing faked his death.

With nothing to do after faking his death, and figuring he might as well keep busy, Ji Shiqing took over a dilapidated sect.

The sect had nothing. He had to repair the buildings himself, teach the disciples himself, and deal with a huge debt.

He was the sect leader, the teacher, and the servant, all rolled into one.

After finally recruiting a few disciples, he watched them take one look at the drafty buildings and their frail, sickly sect leader, then turn around and try to run.

In desperation, Ji Shiqing came up with a plan and bluffed, "Don't panic! Shen Lanjue, the Immortal Alliance's top disciple, is a close friend of mine. He'll be here to teach before long!"

Everyone in the martial world knows Shen Lanjue is still searching for Ji Shiqing.

Ji Shiqing doesn't get it. I've been dead for years! The only thing missing is a corpse. Shen Lanjue, is this really necessary?!

When Shen Lanjue actually showed up at his door, Ji Shiqing was scared out of his wits. Fortunately, the other man only asked coldly, "Who dares to use my name to swindle people?"

Ji Shiqing breathed a sigh of relief and got out of trouble by claiming he'd borrowed Shen Lanjue's name to scare off some bandits.

A few days later, however, Ji Shiqing realized he was no longer well enough to teach his disciples.

No one was willing to come teach at the dilapidated sect, so Ji Shiqing had no choice but to resort to a desperate measure.

He went to Shen Lanjue. "Immortal Master Shen, how about a deal? You stay and teach, and I'll tell you... where Pei Liuyu is."

Pei Liuyu was Ji Shiqing's original name.

Shen Lanjue remained cold-faced and gave no answer on the spot.

Ji Shiqing hadn't expected much, but to his surprise, Shen Lanjue really did come up the mountain.

From then on, Ji Shiqing enjoyed the carefree life of a hands-off sect leader. As he watched his disciples dote on Immortal Master Shen, he was delighted to take it easy.

Later, when Ji Shiqing's identity was exposed, he entrusted his disciples to Shen Lanjue and ran away.

Free of debt, free of worries! Free of disciples, especially troublesome ones, and free to enjoy life! Sadly, he didn't even get a full month of freedom before Shen Lanjue came looking for him.

Instead of the interrogation he'd expected, he felt the cold touch of metal around his ankle.

Ji Shiqing stared blankly at the length of black iron chain and looked up.

How was this any different from what he'd imagined?!

What shocked him even more was that his four personal disciples were standing obediently behind Shen Lanjue. Not only did they show no sign of wanting to save their master, their faces practically said, "Well done, Immortal Master Shen!"

Ji Shiqing: "??? Hey, you four little brats, whose disciples are you, anyway?!"

Obsessive top disciple of the Immortal Alliance, gong x carefree, shameless master of faking his death, sickly shou

Theme: Cherish life.