What grudge do you have against me?

Bursting out of the hut, Jiang Beiran's expression jolted. He discovered the rolling black smoke around him had almost completely obscured his vision, leaving him somewhat bewildered. He had initially thought the mine pit had exploded, but now it looked like someone was committing arson on the mountain!?

After a moment's thought, Jiang Beiran quickly ran back into the hut to grab a wet towel. The smoke was simply too thick. If he rashly charged into the black smoke, he feared he'd suffocate before he could even escape the mountain.

Covering his mouth and nose with the wet towel, Jiang Beiran put all other considerations aside and began to rush down the mountain!

Using the rolling black smoke as cover, Jiang Beiran headed downwards. He surprisingly didn't encounter a single overseer along the way.

'Did they all go to fight the fire?'

Although he didn't know why this was happening, it didn't stop Jiang Beiran's mood from improving, his steps growing lighter and quicker. Trusting the simplest option was indeed the right choice; he was finally going to escape this godforsaken place.

However, just as Jiang Beiran broke through the heavily unguarded checkpoints and was nearing the foot of the mountain, a brute carrying a great saber suddenly collided with him head-on.

The brute froze for a moment, then roared, "Mongrel! Trying to escape!?"

'My life is over!'

Staring at the gleaming great saber, Jiang Beiran, who didn't even know how to dodge, could only crouch down with his head in his hands, his heart filled with despair.

One second... two seconds... three seconds passed. After cursing the system for being a scam in his heart several times, Jiang Beiran realized he... hadn't been cut?

Swallowing, Jiang Beiran mustered his courage and looked up. He saw that the brute holding the great saber now had a large hole in his chest. After coughing up several mouthfuls of blood, he collapsed to the ground, his eyes wide.

'He... died!?'

Jiang Beiran wasn't afraid of dead people at all. After all, he had seen far too many in the mine pit over the past two months, and their deaths were all far more gruesome than this.

What surprised him was why a perfectly fine brute would just drop dead like that.

"Little brother, are you alright?"

Just as Jiang Beiran didn't know what to do, a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder, startling him so badly he almost fell to the ground.

"Who!?" Jiang Beiran shouted as he turned his head. He saw a Man in White standing behind him with a smile.

He had black shiny straight hair, slanted sharp sword eyebrows, slender sharp black eyes, thin thin lips, sharp features, and a tall sturdy build that wasn't rough. His entire demeanor exuded a heroic aura.

Simultaneously, three options appeared before Jiang Beiran.

[Option 1: Shout, "Don't come any closer!". Completion Reward: Blazing Fire Dragon's Roar (Yellow Rank High Grade)]

[Option 2: Turn and Continue Rushing Downhill. Completion Reward: Thirteen Section Chain Spear (Yellow Low Grade)]

[Option 3: Shout, "Great Hero, save me". Completion Reward: Random Basic Skill Point +1]

Without any hesitation, Jiang Beiran directly chose option three and exclaimed with great emotion, "Great Hero... save me!"

Paired with his smoke-reddened eyes and the lines of dust-covered tears, Jiang Beiran looked as pitiful as one could possibly be.

The Man in White was stunned by Jiang Beiran's decisive cry for help. After all, he had just killed someone in front of him. In the past, most of the youths he had saved would have been shouting, "Don't kill me, don't kill me," while repeatedly retreating.

That's why he had specifically forced a smile, fearing he might scare Jiang Beiran. But now, it seemed this youth was much braver than he had imagined.

"Alright, I'll take you down the mountain now." With that, the Man in White picked up Jiang Beiran and ran towards the foot of the mountain.

Later, after Jiang Beiran was settled, he slowly learned the whole story.

The Man in White who saved him was named Lu Bogui, a disciple of the Returning Heart Sect. He was leading several junior brothers and sisters down the mountain for a Trial Mission. The mission was to annihilate the Black Mine on Lingmao Peak.

However, because the junior brothers he brought were too arrogant, thinking that those on the mountain were just ordinary people, they didn't notify him, the Iron Seal responsible for leading them. They charged up Lingmao Peak alone. As a result, they were discovered by the Overseers, who immediately activated the Mountain Defense Formation, causing the entire mountain to catch fire.

According to Lu Bogui, this Mountain Defense Formation was very Vicious. Its primary purpose was not to Resist Foreign Enemies but to burn all traces on the mountain to ashes, so that no one could Investigate Anything.

Hearing this, Jiang Beiran couldn't help but feel a Chill Down the Spine. If he had chosen to stay in his room or go to put out the fire, he would probably be 90% Cooked by now.

Following a series of Choose Simplest Option, Jiang Beiran successfully joined the Returning Heart Sect under Lu Bogui's Recommendation, thus finally having a Place to Stay.

Putting Away Memories, Jiang Beiran said with a Sigh, "If it weren't for Senior Apprentice Brother Lu back then, I would have probably died on Lingmao Peak."

Lu Bogui smiled and shook his head, "It's my fault, Senior Apprentice Brother, for bringing up bad memories. I'll Punish Myself with a Drink."

Watching Lu Bogui drain the Cold Spring Wine in front of him, Jiang Beiran picked up the Cloth Bag in front of him and said, "Senior Apprentice Brother, this is really too much of a expense for you."

"Still being Polite with your Senior Apprentice Brother? Do you think you deserve a drink?"

"Yes, I deserve it, I deserve it." Jiang Beiran smiled and also downed a cup of Cold Spring Wine.

"Quick, open it and see if you like it."

"Anything Senior Apprentice Brother gives me, I'll definitely like it." Jiang Beiran said as he opened the Cloth Bag and took out a Round Copper Mirror with a raised center.

"This... is a Heart Protecting Mirror!?" Jiang Beiran exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes, it's just Not High Quality, only a Good Grade one. You can Make Do with it for now. When I go to Lu Family Village next time, I'll see if I can get you a better one."

"Don't say that, Senior Apprentice Brother. A Good Grade Heart Protecting Mirror is already very good. I feel a bit embarrassed to accept it."

After arriving at the Returning Heart Sect, Jiang Beiran realized why the missions he received back then, which rewarded Yellow-grade martial arts or weapons, were so incredibly difficult. It was because in this world called the Profound Dragon Continent, Yellow-grade referred to magical treasures that already possessed Spirituality. They were things ordinary people couldn't even dream of, and some low-level sects even used them as their Sect's Treasure.

When he first learned this knowledge, Jiang Beiran really wanted to drag the system out and ask it what grudge it had against him to try and kill him.

Because the magical treasures of the Heaven Earth Black Yellow grades were too High-End. Not to mention ordinary people couldn't afford them, even Young Disciples of some Major Sects couldn't afford them.

Therefore, below the Heaven Earth Black Yellow grades, there were also weapons and armor crafted by famous makers, ranked from bottom to top as Mortal Grade, Good Grade, High Grade, Excellent Grade, and Ultimate Grade.

And this High Grade was already considered a very good treasure. Among Sect Disciples, giving it as a gift would definitely be considered Generous.

"Don't say that. The reason Senior Apprentice Brother is giving you this Heart Protecting Mirror is also partly out of Gratitude. The Lingering Fragrance Pill you gave me last time had an Excellent Effect. Did you really refine it yourself?"

"Yes." Jiang Beiran nodded, hiding nothing.

"Then Junior Brother, you truly have extraordinary talent. Why don't I introduce you to Velvet Grass Hall? Since you're not interested in practicing martial arts anyway, if you can achieve something in alchemy, your Status might rise faster than mine in the future."