After ascending the mountain, Jiang Beiran quickly learned the contents of his trial from the Daoist.
"Beiran, cultivation is a path that requires endurance and perseverance. Mining is the best way to temper these qualities. As long as you persist and pass the Mountain Guardian's test, this humble Daoist will return to bring you into the sect."
With these words and leaving behind a highly motivated Jiang Beiran, the black-robed Daoist turned and descended the mountain. Master, I will work my hardest to repay your kindness in recognizing my potential! Swearing this silently in his heart, Jiang Beiran followed a Mountain Guardian into the mine.
However, such lofty ambitions were completely extinguished by the second day—for a very simple reason: mining was just too exhausting! Before his transmigration, Jiang Beiran had been nothing more than an ordinary second-year middle school student who had barely attended any physical education classes. His physical constitution could only be described as pitifully weak.
Even after crossing over, his body hadn’t improved much. Combined with the lack of proper nutrition, he was practically skin and bones. Without any training, early the next morning, Jiang Beiran was taken by two Mountain Guardians to a mine shaft.
After being introduced to a few taciturn fellow miners, the guardians handed him a basket and a pickaxe, telling him to work hard. In Jiang Beiran’s imagination, mining should have been like in video games—just a few clang clang clang strikes against an ore vein, and that would be it.
But in reality, the stench, stifling heat, darkness, and cramped conditions of the mine shaft left him completely stunned. Having only been in middle school not long ago, how could he have ever experienced anything like this? Yet the two Mountain Guardians clearly had no intention of giving him time to mentally prepare.
They simply pushed him into the narrow, wooden-supported tunnel known as the "burrow path." Because the "burrow path" varied in height, Jiang Beiran sometimes had to walk upright, sometimes crouch, and at times even roll on his back like a beetle. By the time he reached the mining site, his stamina was practically drained.
There was no time to rest. The moment he arrived, the two Mountain Guardians urged him to start mining. As the saying goes, watching others carry a load makes it seem effortless.
Back when he’d seen workers swinging pickaxes on TV, Jiang Beiran had always wondered—how hard could it really be? But in reality, after just a dozen or so swings, his throat burned as if on fire, and his arms felt as if they were filled with lead, too heavy to lift.
Hah… hah…
Gasping for breath, Jiang Beiran leaned on the pickaxe, desperately trying to inhale some fresh air. But the mine shaft only carried a suffocating, gas-like odor that made him increasingly dizzy.
"Who said you could rest? Do you still want to pass the trial?"
Just as Jiang Beiran was on the verge of passing out, one of the Mountain Guardians stepped forward and shoved him. Hearing the word "trial," Jiang Beiran mustered another burst of determination, wanting to push forward—but his arms simply refused to lift.
Sigh!
I’m truly useless. I’m sorry, Master. This disciple has disappointed you.
After berating himself inwardly, Jiang Beiran shook his head and said, "I… I really can’t dig anymore."
"You’ve barely swung a few times and you’re already done? With this attitude, you still want to join the sect?"
"I… I’m useless. I’ll go apologize to the Daoist. I’ve let him down. I’m sorry."
Jiang Beiran sighed deeply, lamenting how the protagonists in the novels he’d read could all summon incredible willpower for the sake of cultivation. Why was he so weak? And this damn System didn’t even bother helping him.
Just as Jiang Beiran was about to accept his failure with resignation, a sharp pain suddenly shot through his abdomen.
"Damn it! You’re truly trash. The last few who came in here struggled for months just for a chance to enter that damn sect. And here you are, giving up on the first day!"
As he spoke, the Mountain Guardian kicked Jiang Beiran again. The two kicks left Jiang Beiran dazed. His head spun, his ears rang, and a sense of foreboding surged in his heart.
Before he could even process it, the Mountain Guardian grabbed him by the hair and roared, "Listen up, you waste! Did you really think you were some heaven-blessed talent destined to join a sect and rise above others? Let me tell you—you’re nothing but trash!
Now get your ass up and mine properly. If you can’t, I’ll kill you right here.
Understood!?"
Jiang Beiran shook his head frantically.
"I want to see my master! I want to see my master!"
"Your master? Hahahaha!"
The Mountain Guardian burst into maniacal laughter before asking, "What’s your master’s name?"
"My master is… my master is…"
Jiang Beiran froze. Over the past two days, the Daoist had never told him his name, and he had never thought to ask.
"My… my master is a Daoist from the Blazing Fire Sect! He brought me here yesterday. I want to see him! I want to see him!"
"Hahahaha!"
The Mountain Guardian laughed even harder before delivering another kick to Jiang Beiran’s stomach.
"The Blazing Fire Sect? Keep dreaming! I’ll give you two choices now—either get up and keep mining, or stay down and let me kick you to death. You’ve got three seconds."
As soon as the Mountain Guardian finished speaking, three options appeared before Jiang Beiran.
[Option 1: Remain lying down. Reward: Green Lotus Secret Manual (Earth Grade, Low Tier)] [Option 2: Beg to be released down the mountain. Reward: Earthfire Technique (Mysterious Grade, High Tier)] [Option 3: Get up and continue mining. Reward: Random Basic Attribute Point +1] "2!"
While Jiang Beiran was still reading the options, the Mountain Guardian had already counted to two and kicked him in the stomach again. At that moment, Jiang Beiran had an epiphany! He realized that the content of these options didn’t matter—only the rewards did.
The better the reward, the more dangerous the option! Judging by the force of that last kick, Jiang Beiran fully believed the man was capable of kicking him to death. If he stayed down, he would surely die.
So, just before the Mountain Guardian could shout "3," Jiang Beiran immediately chose the third option and, driven by sheer survival instinct, forced himself to stand.
"Good! See, you still have some strength left. If you don’t want to die, start digging now! Understood!?"
Though his entire body trembled, Jiang Beiran raised the pickaxe with all his might and struck down—just to stay alive.
[Option task completed. Reward: Constitution +1] Staring at the floating system notification and the faint surge of strength in his body, Jiang Beiran froze.
It’s completed just like that? Previously, when he had chosen [Beg the Daoist to Take Me as a Disciple], the reward hadn’t been given immediately—it had turned into a mission. But this time, simply following the option’s instructions had granted him the reward right away.
The sheer difference in difficulty left him utterly dumbfounded.
"What are you spacing out for now!?"
At the furious roar of the Mountain Guardian—no, the overseer—Jiang Beiran hurriedly raised his pickaxe and resumed striking.
(End of Chapter)