Niknak, do you actually fly?
Set in stone rules are sometimes appropriate, but only rarely. In this case turning back may well be appropriate, it all depends on the circumstance.
If you have a high performance machine and a relatively strong headwind, then turning back may well be appropriate. Though I did it in a C150 after the engine started playing up. Oddly enough, the fact I'm posting here and didn't end up in an AAIB report shows that "rules" don't always apply in emergencies.
Sometimes you need to use your brain rather than some rule written for different circumstances.