Chapter 14 This Guardian Has Already Seen Through Your Thoughts

'This script is all wrong!!!' Jiang Beiran was dumbfounded. He had clearly chosen the simplest option three!

So how did he still end up falling into this pit? From the moment he recognized that the visitor was Guardian Yu Manwen from the Water Mirror Hall, Jiang Beiran knew this must be another consequence of that Liu Zijin incident yesterday. He had assumed the system options would continue helping him navigate this crisis.

Never did he expect things would circle back around. After all, becoming Liu Zijin's Iron Seal had been an Earth Grade, Mid Tier option! 'No, no, the script must not have reached its final page yet.

The system wouldn't screw me over this badly.' Hearing Jiang Beiran's sudden strong reaction, Yu Manwen's phoenix eyes narrowed as she demanded, "What? Are you unwilling?"

Just as Jiang Beiran was about to respond, three options appeared before his eyes: [Option 1: "Many thanks for Guardian Yu's trust, but this disciple currently has urgent matters keeping him in the Blue Heart Hall."

Reward: Dragon-Severing Break (Mysterious Grade, High Tier)] [Option 2: "It's not that this disciple is unwilling, but recently I've gained new insights about blocking moves from chess manuals, so I wish to remain on the mountain and play more games with the Lecture Hall to fully comprehend them."

Reward: Lotus Mystic Technique (Yellow Grade, Low Tier)] [Option 3: "Of course not, this disciple is simply overwhelmed by your favor." Reward: Random Basic Skill Point +1] 'It really is pushing me into the pit!!'

Though Jiang Beiran had lived with this system for five years now and could generally analyze the reasoning behind its options, there were still times like this when the choices left him completely baffled.

After quickly analyzing the three options: - Choosing one meant that if he dismissed Guardian Yu too casually, the Mysterious Grade High Tier reward indicated substantial future troubles would arise. - Option two suggested that providing clear reasoning would fare better than a casual dismissal, but still carried some risk. - But what confused Jiang Beiran most was that agreeing to become Liu Zijin's Iron Seal was actually the best choice, when just yesterday...

Remembering yesterday's events, a flash of insight struck Jiang Beiran. The reason yesterday's option to become Liu Zijin's Iron Seal offered an Earth Grade Mid Tier reward wasn't because her trial was particularly difficult, but because choosing to help her would have drawn trouble from that Senior Brother Kong who appeared out of nowhere.

That Senior Brother Kong was likely the true reason for the Earth Grade reward. 'So if I agree with Guardian Yu now, there must be some factor that would prevent Senior Brother Kong from resenting me?'

Having roughly analyzed the situation, Jiang Beiran chose option three, clasping his hands toward Guardian Yu as he said, "Of course not, this disciple is simply overwhelmed by your favor."

[Option mission completed. Reward: Music +1] The reason Jiang Beiran analyzed the options so carefully this time instead of mechanically choosing the simplest one as usual was because past experiences taught him that whenever Earth Grade reward options appeared, he needed to proceed with extreme caution in subsequent choices.

Otherwise, situations like the Junior Sister incident could occur where even the simplest option didn't offer attribute points as rewards. That was the outcome he least wanted to see!

"Hmm~" Yu Manwen nodded in satisfaction.

"Then this matter is settled. The day after tomorrow I'll bring my hall's disciples to find you."

"Yes, this disciple respectfully follows the Guardian's decree."

Seeing Jiang Beiran agree so readily pleased Yu Manwen greatly. After all, she knew Liu Zijin's bad mood last night must have stemmed from being rejected before. So she had worried Jiang Beiran might refuse this assignment and offer flimsy excuses to dismiss her.

Had that happened, she would have needed to find ways to motivate him properly. But judging from his behavior, this disciple clearly respected her authority as Guardian. Combined with her earlier pity for Jiang Beiran, Yu Manwen found herself viewing him more favorably by the minute.

"Beiran, I see you're skilled in both music and literary arts. Since you're from the Blue Heart Hall, your chess skills must be excellent too?"

"You flatter me, Guardian. This disciple has merely dabbled slightly—far from mastery."

"No need for modesty. I understand your thinking—since you can't make breakthroughs in cultivation, you want to achieve success in other fields, right?"

Seeing Yu Manwen's expression of having seen through him, Jiang Beiran played along: "The Guardian's vision is truly sharp, seeing through this disciple's petty thoughts."

"Haha, Beiran, you really know how to talk. This doesn't require sharp vision—any observant person could tell."

Yu Manwen gently patted Jiang Beiran's shoulder, her watery eyes encouraging him warmly: "Actually, you shouldn't despair about cultivation so soon. This Guardian has heard of many experts who faced difficulties during early Qi Refining, but after breaking through their bottlenecks, they soared to become regional powerhouses."

"Many thanks for the Guardian's encouragement. This disciple will remember it well."

"Good. I tell you this hoping you won't devote all your time to refined arts. Spend more time practicing the Heart Returning Technique. If you encounter difficulties, come find me—I'll teach you properly."

'This...'

Jiang Beiran hesitated about whether to thank her. After all, within the Heart Returning Sect, boundaries between halls were quite distinct. For a Blue Heart Hall disciple to seek guidance from a Water Mirror Hall Guardian would embarrass many Blue Heart Hall elders if word got out.

Seeming to notice Jiang Beiran's hesitation, Yu Manwen smiled and asked, "Tell this Guardian honestly—has Zhang Heqing ever tested your cultivation?" Jiang Beiran shook his head: "Hall Master never has, but Sword Guardian Feng tested me once."

"What did he say?"

Jiang Beiran smiled in reply: "Sword Guardian Feng said everyone has their own strengths, and one achieves twice the results with half the effort by focusing on what they're good at. This disciple found his words quite reasonable, so—" "That bullsh—cough."

Yu Manwen cleared her throat and shook her head: "No wonder you've remained a recorded disciple in Blue Heart Hall for five years. It seems Feng Yulong represented the hall elders in testing you, then wrote off your cultivation path entirely."

"Sword Guardian Feng meant well. After all, at that time I'd spent three years—" "Ah~" Yu Manwen cut him off.

"While Sword Guardian Feng's words hold truth, they're not entirely correct. You're only twenty—I've heard of people who didn't break through to Mysterious Practitioner until thirty yet still became regional overlords. Trust me, you still have plenty of chances."

Not letting Jiang Beiran respond, she continued: "If you truly wish to cultivate seriously, just come find me. I'll handle any consequences—at worst I can simply transfer you to my Water Mirror Hall. I doubt your Hall Master Zhang would object."

Jiang Beiran quickly waved his hands: "Actually, several hall managers have been quite kind to me. It's just that I'm currently more interested in the Way of Chess, so—" "Enough." Yu Manwen shook her head at him.

"I know these are just your protective colors. That lost look in your eyes when mentioning cultivation doesn't lie—you're using chess study to numb yourself, aren't you?"

Seeing Yu Manwen's expression of having seen through him again, Jiang Beiran desperately wanted to shout: "I'm not!

I don't!"

(End of Chapter)