"Option One: Directly refuse Shi Fenglan. Reward: Spirit Snake Treasure Scripture (Mysterious Grade, Mid Tier)" "Option Two: Politely refuse Shi Fenglan. Reward: Star Formation Illusion Manual (Yellow Grade, Low Tier)" "Option Three: Accept the gift. Reward: Random Basic Skill Point +1" 'Hmm!?'
Looking at the three options before him, Jiang Beiran couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. 'Something's not right...' Having interacted with the System for so long, Jiang Beiran knew that avoidance was always its top priority when presenting options.
Yet now, for the second time, it hadn't given him a way out. Jiang Beiran still remembered the last time the System had "broken the pattern" like this—he'd nearly fallen into a massive pit. Now, clearly, another big pit was waiting for him.
'It must be related to that mess with the Hidden Moon Sect...' But last time, the System had ultimately allowed him to skirt around that pit, so Jiang Beiran believed he could do the same this time. 'Right, as long as I'm careful enough.'
Choosing the third option, Jiang Beiran cupped his hands toward Shi Fenglan and said, "If Hall Master Shi is willing to bestow some protective treasures upon this disciple, I would be endlessly grateful."
Seeing Jiang Beiran's reaction, Yu Manwen was both surprised and surprised—first surprised that Jiang Beiran actually had the nerve to ask for treasures outright, and then surprised that Jiang Beiran would have the nerve to ask for treasures outright. 'What an unfathomable disciple...' Meanwhile, Shi Fenglan's lips curled into a grin upon hearing that Jiang Beiran actually had a request.
"Hehe! Little Beiran, you want protective magical treasures, do you~?"
Shi Fenglan hopped down from her chair and rubbed her hands excitedly.
"Then you'll have to make this Hall Master happy first."
"Ahem!"
Yu Manwen coughed heavily upon seeing Shi Fenglan's unbecoming behavior. Shivering slightly, Shi Fenglan composed herself and said, "How about this—if you can teach me more fun gambling games, I'll give you a nice treasure." Jiang Beiran nodded.
"Very well, it's settled then."
[Option task completed. Reward: Carving +1] "Great!
Come on, come on, watch Iron Beggar dominate the field! Give me another..." Just as Shi Fenglan was about to roll the dice, she caught Yu Manwen's sharp gaze.
"Hehe, just this one, just this one."
Though Yu Manwen knew this "Wandering Heroes" game wasn't gambling, she had to keep playing the strict enforcer—that way, Shi Fenglan would remain convinced it was gambling.
"Last one."
Yu Manwen raised a single finger, then pointed it at Jiang Beiran.
"And you, Jiang Beiran, no more corrupting our Hall Master."
"Yes, this disciple understands."
Jiang Beiran cupped his hands respectfully, but as soon as he finished speaking, he subtly winked at Shi Fenglan, sending her into a fit of giggles. Returning to his small room in the Blue Heart Hall that night, Jiang Beiran first retrieved the heart technique manual his senior brother had given him from his Universe Ring.
He'd been too exhausted the previous night and had gone straight to sleep without reading it.
"True Origin Heavenly Pivot Technique..."
Muttering the name written on the manual, Jiang Beiran slowly turned to the first page. After spending roughly the time it took an incense stick to burn, Jiang Beiran had mostly grasped the contents of the manual and discovered that the heart technique described within was the complete opposite of the Heart Returning Technique.
The Heart Returning Technique primarily focused on absorbing spiritual energy from all things and converting it into profound energy to nourish the body. The True Origin Heavenly Pivot Technique, however, emphasized rigorous physical training—forging the body to the point where it could absorb spiritual energy on its own, even generate it independently. 'To think such a heart technique exists...'
Across the vast Mysterious Dragon Continent, sects large and small flourished. Regardless of their influence or strength, every founder of a sect had created their own heart techniques or martial arts to some degree. Taken together, this could be described as a hundred flowers blooming—or more bluntly, a chaotic stew.
Some heart techniques seemed harmless at first but could sever one's meridians with prolonged practice. Others were even more insidious, divided into nine layers where the first layer was the most powerful, growing progressively weaker with each subsequent layer.
Thus, even if someone stumbled upon a secret manual after leaping off a cliff, many wouldn't dare practice it, fearing the previous owner of the cave had died from cultivating it. But Jiang Beiran trusted his senior brother completely. He was confident the heart technique given to him had been verified by others and was safe to practice.
'Senior brother went to such lengths... To find a heart technique completely opposite to the Heart Returning Technique—did he think that since the Heart Returning Technique didn't suit me, its polar opposite might help me achieve a breakthrough...' Closing the manual, Jiang Beiran returned the True Origin Heavenly Pivot Technique to his Universe Ring, feeling a warmth in his chest.
Next, he pulled out a wooden board from under his bed and began contemplating what new "gambling method" to design. Thunk Just as Jiang Beiran was forming the rough outline of a "new gambling game," a crisp impact sounded against his wooden door—not a knock, but someone tossing a small pebble at it.
The only person who would do this was Lin Yuyan. Setting the board aside, Jiang Beiran went to open the door.
"Good evening, Senior Brother. Forgive my intrusion."
The moment the door opened, Lin Yuyan immediately used secret voice transmission to address Jiang Beiran. Hearing this, Jiang Beiran nodded toward the slope opposite his door. In the darkness, Lin Yuyan strained to make out the familiar face of her long-unseen senior brother, barely restraining herself from losing composure.
These past days had been incredibly frustrating for her. The Blue Heart Hall had inexplicably entered some cooperative development with the Water Mirror Hall, turning the normally quiet hall into a bustling place that made it impossible for her to sneak in as usual to... greet her senior brother.
When she finally managed to slip in during the quieter evenings, she found her senior brother consistently absent. After some thought, she realized the reason—her senior brother naturally detested crowded, noisy places, so he must have sought refuge elsewhere. This realization saddened Lin Yuyan, but also brought some relief.
After all, the female disciples of the Water Mirror Hall were renowned throughout the sect. If those little hussies discovered a flawless gentleman like her senior brother—tall and graceful, dignified and talented, peerlessly handsome—wouldn't they go mad trying to steal him from her?
"Haah..."
Suppressing the joy of finally seeing her senior brother, Lin Yuyan continued via transmission: "Might... might I ask where Senior Brother has been residing recently?" Jiang Beiran shook his head from inside the doorway.
Understanding that her senior brother didn't wish to answer, Lin Yuyan sighed inwardly before asking, "Then is Senior Brother aware of the Hidden Moon Sect's Young Heroes Tournament?" 'So this has already become hot news throughout the sect.' Internally sighing, Jiang Beiran nodded at Lin Yuyan.
"It's like this... I've been nominated by our Hall Master as a representative disciple. Not only must I compete in martial arts, but also in calligraphy. Thus, I have an... no, I earnestly wish to seek Senior Brother's guidance. Would that be possible?"
The moment Lin Yuyan finished speaking, three options appeared before Jiang Beiran.
[Option One: Directly refuse Lin Yuyan. Reward: Purification Divine Art (Mysterious Grade, Mid Tier)] [Option Two: Say you need time to consider. Reward: Falling Maple Sword Manual (Yellow Grade, Low Tier)] [Option Three: "What can you offer in return?" Random Basic Attribute Point +1]