As an All-Round Master "wearing many hats," Jiang Beiran had to go out during the day to trigger options, then fiddle with pills, Formation Techniques, Forging, and other "undertakings" at night. Many times, he simply lacked the time to go down the mountain and gather rare materials that were difficult to obtain within the various sects.
So, left with no choice, Jiang Beiran carefully selected several outstanding "Errand Boys."
Wu Qingce was the first person Jiang Beiran chose. First, this Hero Second Generation had once fought him head-on, making him one of the rare few who knew a small part of Jiang Beiran's true strength.
Second, in the year since that incident, Wu Qingce had indeed kept his mouth shut and never revealed Jiang Beiran's strength to anyone.
Of course, the most important point was that when Jiang Beiran had prepared to "subdue" him, the system had not presented any dangerous options. That meant revealing part of his strength to Wu Qingce would not bring about any danger.
Thus, having unknowingly passed layer after layer of tests, Wu Qingce was invited by Jiang Beiran to the Back Mountain for an in-depth talk. Wu Qingce had already held an inexplicable admiration for Jiang Beiran and considered him a Senior Brother worthy of trust, so after just a few words, he agreed to Jiang Beiran's terms.
Those terms were that Jiang Beiran would provide him with all sorts of weapons, pills, Formation Techniques, Gu Poison, and so on. In return, Wu Qingce would run errands for him.
"Senior Brother... you almost really knocked me out just now." Wu Qingce said as he rubbed medicinal wine over the two huge bumps on his head.
Jiang Beiran shot him a sidelong glance. "If I didn't beat you until it hurt, would you remember?"
"I was wrong. I won't barge into the grand Formation Technique Senior Brother set up again."
"You!" Jiang Beiran raised his hand as if to hit him again, but when he saw those two bright-red bumps, he held back. "Do you think I'm angry because you barged into my Formation Technique? I'm angry because I taught you so many times, yet you still made every mistake you shouldn't have. First of all, what did you do after smelling that strange scent?"
"Held my breath," Wu Qingce answered.
"Sigh, if I truly wanted to knock intruders down with Sleeping Mist, do you think I'd let it give off a scent?"
"Ah..." Wu Qingce froze, then asked, "So Senior Brother's purpose in letting me smell it was to make me hold my breath?"
"What else? Sleeping incense is a petty trick in the eyes of many Experts. Once their bodies feel unwell, they have all sorts of ways to expel it. But if they are deliberately allowed to smell it, they'll choose to hold their breath directly, just like you did. Although a Mystic Practitioner would be fine even without breathing for an hour, constantly taking in no oxygen... that is, constantly not breathing, would gradually dull your mind, causing you to lose your usual reason and judgment.
"In the end, you'd become as foolish as you were just now. Even knowing you could no longer leave the Formation Technique, you still insisted on forcing your way through."
"So that was it..." Wu Qingce suddenly understood. When he had been unable to leave the Formation Technique just now, he really had gotten carried away. Without thinking much, he charged in again. Looking back now, it really had felt as though he were possessed.
"'So that was it,' my ass...!" Unable to restrain himself, Jiang Beiran wanted to strike again, but in the end, he forced himself to calm down first.
Don't get angry, don't get angry. I chose him, I chose him.
No wonder Jiang Beiran was so angry. He had repeatedly reminded Wu Qingce that he was to blow the flute upon arriving and not enter the Formation Technique himself, because it was dangerous inside. The Eight Directions Asura Formation from earlier was entirely a killing Formation Technique, designed specifically for uninvited guests attempting to force their way through. Had Jiang Beiran not arrived in time, his Number One Underling would have become the first Ghost Under Formation. Who would he complain to then?
After letting out a long breath, Jiang Beiran changed the subject. "What did you come to see me for this time?"
Seeing that his Senior Brother had finally spared him this time, Wu Qingce hurriedly replied, "I won the championship in this JB District Sect Disciple Tournament, so I came especially to bring Senior Brother the good news."
Jiang Beiran understood as soon as he heard that. No wonder this kid had suddenly gotten so full of himself. As the name implied, the JB District Sect Disciple Tournament was a contest among Young Disciples of the various major sects. Anyone under twenty could participate. Whoever took first place in the tournament would be the undisputed Number One Person among the Young Disciples.
"So that's why you dared to barge into the Formation Technique?"
Wu Qingce immediately put away his proud expression. "I mainly wanted Senior Brother to see my progress too. On the way here, I read through the Positive Negative Four Symbols Formation several times and gained quite a few insights, so I..."
"Forget it. Winning the championship is good news, so I won't lecture you further. But remember this next time: the moment you are most pleased with yourself is also when you are most likely to stumble and fall. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Qingce will remember it well."
Nodding in satisfaction, Jiang Beiran looked at the Number One Person among JB District's Young Disciples before him and could not help sighing inwardly.
The Returning Heart Sect is all carried by me after all.
Jiang Beiran naturally knew Wu Qingce's strength better than anyone. After a year of "cooperation," Jiang Beiran had gradually begun to truly regard him as his junior brother. He would often give him pills that strengthened his body or increased his Cultivation Power, and occasionally act as his sparring partner, pointing out his shortcomings in battle.
Yet he had never expected that his teaching would directly produce a "Number One Person of JB District."
"Oh, right, there's one more matter. The Birch Leaf Forest Senior Brother has been having me visit recently has changed. A rank-two Thunder Pattern Zhen suddenly moved in."
Jiang Beiran paused at those words, then nodded. "Good. Keep watching and see whether any more Exotic Beasts move in. If three or more appear, notify me immediately."
"Yes." After agreeing, Wu Qingce hesitated for a moment before asking, "Senior Brother, may I ask what you are planning?"
"What, is there something?" Given the long-standing tacit understanding between them, Wu Qingce generally did not ask many questions about Jiang Beiran's instructions. He simply carried them out.
"Yes." Wu Qingce cupped his hands toward Jiang Beiran. "My cultivation has increased greatly recently, so I want to challenge a rank-two Exotic Beast and break through to Mystic Master in one stroke."
Oh? He's finally close to breaking through? Fine. When I go to Birch Leaf Forest, I'll take you with me and back you up.
"Thank you, Senior Brother!" Wu Qingce said happily as he cupped his hands.
As they spoke, the two had already arrived at Jiang Beiran's "Secret Base" on the Back Mountain.
Generally speaking, a Registered Disciple like Jiang Beiran could never possess a Cultivation Ground on the Back Mountain. But Jiang Beiran had used his superb Chess Skill, along with his frequent help in resolving a few "minor troubles" for the Hall Master, to open a back door for himself.
"Every time I come to this Purple Bamboo Forest, it feels more comfortable than the last. Senior Brother, how exactly do you grow these bamboo stalks?"
Wu Qingce still remembered that when he had first brought these purple bamboos here, each one had been less than two meters tall at most. Yet now, every stalk nearly reached the sky, blocking out the heavens and covering the earth.
"Don't ask what you shouldn't. Come drink tea."
Before you continue