"Cough... So Junior Sister fell for Senior Brother because she saw his hidden strength. Ah, it seems my eyes have failed me."
Wu Qingce lay sprawled on the grass, forcing a bitter smile. Beside him, Jiang Beiran was grimacing as he plucked needles from his own body while imparting wisdom to Wu Qingce about love, concluding with an ancient proverb.
"Junior Brother Wu, there are plenty of fish in the sea."
"There are plenty of fish in the sea... Plenty of fish in the sea? What a profound saying—'there are plenty of fish in the sea'!"
After laughing heartily three times, Wu Qingce struggled to his feet and clasped his fists toward Jiang Beiran.
"Senior Brother's wisdom humbles me. I am utterly impressed!"
He then proceeded to apologize profusely for his earlier recklessness, offering to make amends in any way possible. Seeing the lost lamb return to the fold, Jiang Beiran felt gratified. Patting Wu Qingce on the shoulder, he said, "Sparring between brothers is nothing to apologize for.
However, I do have one request—keep today's events between us. Let it remain our secret." Having realized that the System didn’t always provide choices that guaranteed his safety, Jiang Beiran understood he needed to be even more low-key.
Otherwise, this world’s malice toward him would be overwhelming.
"Senior Brother’s magnanimity truly rivals the rivers and seas. Qingce has learned much."
With that, Wu Qingce swore an oath, vowing never to speak of the matter to anyone else.
"Good. Now lie back down. I’ll help you expel the poison and treat your injuries."
"Senior Brother knows medical arts too!?"
Wu Qingce exclaimed in shock.
"A little, just a little," Jiang Beiran replied as he opened a small leather pouch and withdrew a golden needle.
But just as he located the acupuncture point and prepared to insert the needle, Wu Qingce suddenly bellowed, "Senior Brother, watch out!" The next moment, Jiang Beiran felt himself yanked violently downward as a searing pain erupted in his chest.
"Senior Brother!? Senior Brother!? Hold on!"
"Who dares ambush us!? Show yourself and fight me like a man!"
These were the last words Jiang Beiran heard before darkness swallowed him. When he awoke again, he found himself in a room thick with the scent of medicinal herbs. He soon pieced together part of what had happened.
First, the arrow that had struck him had been poisoned. If not for Wu Qingce rushing him to the Clear Heart Hall in time, he might have already met his end. Second, the Punishment Hall had dispatched investigators to look into the matter, assuring him the truth would soon come to light.
But Jiang Beiran knew better. Promises of "the truth coming to light" were just empty comforts. Though he had only been in the Heart Returning Sect for a year, he had already heard of dozens of cases where disciples were ambushed—and those were just the ones he knew about.
There was no helping it. In an era without fingerprints, surveillance, or detectives, the cost of crime was far too low.
As Jiang Beiran mulled over who might have targeted him, the System suddenly displayed his Yellow-Grade, Low-Tier mission again, now marked with: [Wu Qingce (✓)] [Lin Jiuge (✓)] After a moment’s thought, he realized the checkmarks meant he had successfully neutralized these two’s hostility toward him. That left only one suspect—Wang Yuan.
‘Truly, a man’s face hides his heart!’
He had to admit, Wang Yuan had left an excellent first impression. Outwardly, he was the picture of a refined gentleman. His father was a beloved local official, suggesting a proper upbringing.
And that shy, blushing demeanor whenever he spoke... With all these "halos" surrounding him, Wang Yuan seemed utterly harmless. Before seeing the System’s prompt, Jiang Beiran had even considered whether Lin Jiuge might be the culprit—pretending to support his "newspaper" plan while secretly plotting against him.
‘The one who looks least like a criminal is usually the culprit. How could I forget such a classic trope!?’
Jiang Beiran sighed in frustration, lamenting his own naivety. He also realized that while he was indeed much stronger now than during his time in the mines, the System adjusted the difficulty and rewards based on his current strength. Meaning even a small misstep could still cost him his life.
After thoroughly reflecting, Jiang Beiran began plotting his counterattack. The tables had turned—now, he held the advantage. Thanks to the System’s hint, Wang Yuan’s act as an "innocent virgin" had been wasted.
Unaware that Jiang Beiran had already identified him, Wang Yuan’s guard would be lower. Jiang Beiran was certain the man had already prepared his next act.
‘Next time, I’ll lure him to a secluded spot and run him through with my sword.’
After enduring two hellish months in the mines, Jiang Beiran was no longer soft-hearted. Against someone who wanted him dead, he wouldn’t hesitate to strike first.
‘But what if his father comes seeking revenge…?’
A County Constable in charge of public security—if such a man devoted all his resources to hunting down his son’s killer, it would be an entirely different matter from ordinary law enforcement.
‘So this is the real challenge of this Yellow-Grade, Mid-Tier mission…’
Jiang Beiran spent the next half-month recuperating in bed, using the time to devise countless schemes for outmaneuvering Wang Yuan once he recovered. But just as he was agonizing over the details—to the point of losing hair—the System suddenly notified him one noon that the mission had failed.
‘Failed!?’
Jiang Beiran, who had been contemplating the best way to dispose of a body, was dumbfounded. How did I fail!? Though he had failed his previous two missions, at least he understood why.
This time, he was completely baffled. He hadn’t even crossed swords with Wang Yuan yet—how could he have lost!? It wasn’t until two days later, when Wu Qingce came to visit, that he learned the reason.
Wang Yuan was dead. He had died on his way home, under unknown circumstances.
‘Dead!? Just like that!?’
In that instant, Jiang Beiran’s composure shattered. He had gone to great lengths to neutralize Wu Qingce and Lin Jiuge, been bedridden for half a month thanks to that bastard’s ambush, and even heard from Master Zou of the Clear Heart Hall that the poison he’d been hit with was notoriously difficult to fully purge.
For the next three months, he couldn’t cultivate or engage in strenuous activity—or risk permanent damage. After paying such a steep price, Jiang Beiran had been steeling himself to complete this mission and claim that Yellow-Grade, Mid-Tier reward. And now... this!?
This!?
Beside him, Wu Qingce observed Jiang Beiran’s expression—one of profound grief barely held in check—and couldn’t help but admire his Senior Brother’s depth of feeling. Even though he had only been their Iron Seal once, hearing of Junior Brother Wang’s death had affected him so deeply.
‘Truly, the perfect Senior Brother in my heart!’
(End of Chapter)