I Just Won't Play By The Book
I Just Won't Play By The Book - Chapter 12: Here Comes a Big One After the Small One Had Just L

Contemplating the lesson that he had learned while ignoring the pain, Jiang Beiran analyzed the quest again and found that the most likely time for him to have completed it would have been when Wang Yu'an first came to him. If he had not been so naive as to think that teaching the latter some moves to pick up girls would have fixed the issue, he could have done something that suited Wang Yu'an's fancy as he had with Lin Jiuge.

The other thing was that Jiang Beiran found that he still underestimated how low the cultivators in this world could stoop, attempting to kill a fellow disciple just to court a girl. They were simply a world away from him, a modern man, in terms of his values and respect for the law.

Of course, in addition to the conclusions he came to after the incident, Jiang Beiran's deepest insight was…

Cherish life and stay away from beautiful Sisters!

He didn't want to ever encounter a situation where even the easiest option gave an item of Yellow Grade Middle Tier again. Wasn't it nice to slowly save up attribute points!?

Putting away the memories, Jiang Beiran took a step forward and entered the Pavilion of Blue Heart.

…

At night, in the Order of Water Mirror, next to Fuxian Lake.

A mellow tune played on a pipa sounded from the water's surface. The sound seemed coarse and deep at one time, while a moment later it sounded melodious and fluent, yet crisp and clear. Even later, it sounded incredibly melancholy and sorrowful, but the several types of sounds seemed so harmonious when they blended together.

"Who is the person who has dared to aggravate my Jin'er?" someone asked.

Seeing the visitor, Liu Zijin hastily put down the pipa and got up to bow, saying, "Law Protector Yu."

In the darkness, Yu Manwen nodded. "Jin'er, you are playing the pipa better and better. However, because you are playing it so well, it is easier for people to hear your emotions from the sound it makes. Now tell me, who is the one that has dared to bully my most lovely disciple of the Order of Water Mirror?"

After hearing this, Liu Zijin shook her head hurriedly and replied softly, "No… no one is bullying Jin'er."

After hearing this, Yu Manwen spoke in a sad tone, saying, "Alas! My little Jin'er has grown up in the end. She is not telling me when she has something on her mind anymore."

"I did not! Law Protector, there really isn't anyone bullying me, it's just…" she started to say.

"Just what?" Yu Manwen took advantage of the momentum to pursue the question.

"It's just that I met someone whom I found interesting," she replied.

"Oh? And who is it?" Yu Manwen became interested at once.

"Oops! I… I remembered I haven't done my homework for today. Goodbye, Law Protector!" Liu Zijin said. She then picked the pipa up and ran away as if she was fleeing something.

Watching Liu Zijin quickly disappear into the darkness, the corners of Yu Manwen's mouth curled slightly. She was very curious about the person Liu Zijin had said she was interested in.

"Hmm… as the Law Protector of the Order, I shouldn't interfere too much with the little secrets in the disciples' hearts. However, I'm just afraid that the cute little disciples in our Order might be cheated. It's better to check it out," she said.

The next day, after asking around, Yu Manwen quickly found out that Liu Zijin had gone to the Order of Blue Heart the day before. She learned the name Jiang Beiran from Fang Qiuyao.

"Jiang Beiran…" Softly reading the name out loud once, Yu Manwen's expression showed a trace of confusion. ‘It doesn't ring a bell at all,' she thought.

She had assumed that the person who could make Jin'er so concerned had to be one of the elite disciples of the sect who had achieved fame and success at a young age, but she really had no recollection of this Jiang Beiran.

Curious, Yu Manwen went to the Order of Law Enforcement, which was responsible for managing the disciples' records.

"Law Protector Yu? What brings you here today?" In the Order of Law Enforcement, a man of short stature looked at Yu Manwen and greeted her.

"So, you are the one on duty today, Old Lu? Then it makes things easy. I'm here to view a disciple's records," she answered.

"No problem. Just tell me which disciple has drawn you to personally check his records, Law Protector Yu. I will find it for you immediately," Old Lu said.

"The disciple is named Jiang Beiran."

"Jiang Beiran?" Lu Kangping clearly showed a surprised expression for a moment.

"Do you know him, Old Lu?" Seeing that Lu Kangping seemed very surprised, Yu Manwen pursued the question.

"I don't actually know him, but Law Protector Xu also came to me once to view this disciple's records," he replied.

"Xu Wenjing of the Order of Ink and Language?" Yu Manwen asked.

"That's right." Lu Kangping nodded. "I remember it was around last year. He also came specifically to check the records of this Jiang Beiran."

‘Quite interesting…' Now Yu Manwen's curiosity was even more piqued. She urged Lu Kangping on repeatedly, saying, "Then, Old Lu, hurry and bring this disciple's records for me to see."

"Alright. Wait a moment." Lu Kangping turned around and went into the archives after he finished speaking.

After about ten minutes, Lu Kangping came out with Jiang Beiran's records and handed them to Yu Manwen.

After thanking him, Yu Manwen opened Jiang Beiran's records and began to read them carefully.

"This is too…"

After reading all the information in the records, Yu Manwen found that this Jiang Beiran was not even an ordinary disciple, yet had been a named disciple for five whole years. How unmotivated he must be.

But the records had a special highlight. That was, in that whole five years, when Jiang Beiran served as an Iron Seal for new disciples, they had never failed their trial quests.

To be fair, many Iron Seals in the Sect could do this. After all, the trials given to new disciples descending the mountain were not too difficult, and the ability of the Iron Seal was only tested when a relatively large change in circumstance was to occur occasionally.

So, it was not hard for a capable Iron Seal to never fail. But as a named disciple considered to be among the least capable, Jiang Beiran could also do it…

‘It's rather strange… Rationally speaking, Order Master Zhang should not be so clueless. Why would he just let such an interesting little fellow be a named disciple?' Yu Manwen wondered to herself.

Watching Yu Manwen's expression change non-stop, Lu Kangping, who was beside her, laughed. "At that time, Law Protector Xu was also full of confusion when he looked at the records. That's why I had a particularly deep impression of this Jiang Beiran," he said.

‘Has Xu Wenjing gotten a head start?' she thought.

Immediately returning the records to Lu Kangping, Yu Manwen waved her hand and said, "Thanks, Old Lu. I'll treat you to a meal next time."

After saying that, she left the Order of Law Enforcement.

Looking at Jiang Beiran's records in his hand, Lu Kangping smiled and shook his head, lamenting that Law Protector Yu's reaction was exactly the same as Law Protector Xu's.

…

‘Alas, today's yield is not very good. I surprisingly only triggered the options five times. It seemed that I have to find time to descend the mountain for a trial. It's getting difficult to profit off the Sect of Returning Hearts,' Jiang Beiran thought to himself.

In the evening, Jiang Beiran, who had completed his daily patrol of the mountain, returned to the Order of Blue Heart. However, just as he walked over to his hut, he saw a lady of distinguished appearance standing at the door.

‘How is it that here comes a big one after the small one has just left…? These two days have seen too much hustle and bustle,' he thought.

Quietly taking two steps back, Jiang Beiran was just thinking of pretending that he had not returned, when he heard a mellow and melodious voice shout, "Jiang Beiran, where are you going?"

Jiang Beiran's footsteps stopped when he heard this, and he turned around to bow. "I have suddenly figured out the solution to the final phase of a game of Go, so I want to go back to the Go pavilion."

"Is that so? Why do I feel that you are trying to escape after seeing me?" Yu Manwen asked while walking towards Jiang Beiran.

"How could that be? You've misunderstood," Jiang Beiran said as he smiled and bowed again.

"Lying without even blushing a little; you have very good mental strength." After saying that, Yu Manwen smiled and asked, "Do you know who I am?"