Liangzhou Prefecture, Demon Suppression Bureau.
The Commandery Government Office stood in the north of the city, with black-tiled roofs, tall walls, and brass wind chimes hanging from the eaves.
The wind and sand blew past year-round, making the chimes toll dully.
Liangzhou Prefecture Demon-Suppressing Regional Command
Rear Hall.
A massive sand table occupied most of the hall, depicting the mountains and rivers of the entire Longyou Circuit in meticulous detail.
Wei He stood before it with his hands behind his back, his expression unreadable.
Several other men in black uniforms embroidered with red patterns stood in the hall. They were all powerful figures in the Demon Suppression Bureau, and every one of them looked solemn.
"The garrison at Yumen Pass said they saw a mountain come alive, grow legs, and run off."
A General of the Guard with a short beard on his chin spoke gravely, a hint of absurdity in his voice.
Another man frowned. "A mountain grew legs and ran off? Was the sandstorm so bad they saw things?"
Wei He didn't look up. His voice was calm. "What else?"
The short-bearded General of the Guard continued, "Also, the Black River near Zhangye flowed backward for three days. Dead fish filled the river, and the stench carried for a hundred miles."
The atmosphere in the hall grew heavy.
In this day and age, demons ran rampant and strange events were common.
But lately, something seemed faintly amiss.
At last, someone couldn't hold back and steered the conversation toward another matter.
"General, about Captain Xu..."
The moment he said this, the hall fell silent.
Xu Nian was a martial artist in the Bone Resonance Realm. In a place like Longyou, she was already considered a formidable fighter.
And yet, someone like her had been carried back just a few days ago.
"She won't die."
Wei He finally raised his head. His face remained expressionless. "But her meridians are completely shattered, and her qi and blood are depleted. Even if she can be saved, her cultivation is ruined."
"Hiss—"
A chorus of sharp breaths filled the hall.
A Bone Resonance Realm expert, ruined just like that?
"Was that demon really so powerful?"
The short-bearded General of the Guard sighed. "Demons with supernatural abilities are indeed difficult to deal with. Back then, the demon in Hexi could speak and manipulate illusions. It cost the Demon Suppression Bureau fifteen captains and more than three hundred brothers."
"The demon in Jincheng County could control the blood mist and turn it to its advantage. Such an ability is unheard of. Captain Xu's defeat was no disgrace."
"If not for..."
He stopped halfway, and the others all thought of the same thing. Their gazes converged on a pale young man in the corner.
Liu Chen.
He had also been badly injured in that bloody battle. Standing here now, he could barely keep his balance.
Wei He's gaze fell on him too.
"Liu Chen, was there also a woman among those who returned with you?"
Liu Chen's heart tightened. He hurriedly bowed. "Yes, General."
"Tell me carefully: just how did that Pig Demon die?"
Liu Chen drew a deep breath, as if recalling a scene that had overturned everything he knew. Even now, a trace of terror remained in his eyes.
"Reporting to you, General... I... I don't know what kind of technique it was."
His voice was hoarse.
"When that woman struck, her blade came down like a tiger, with a bloody phantom following behind her. Her swordsmanship was incredibly fierce, but even so, she only managed to wound the Pig Demon."
"What truly dealt the fatal blow... was what happened at the end..."
Liu Chen's Adam's apple bobbed as he searched for the right words.
"In the end, crimson tiger markings appeared on her body. Her black hair turned completely blood-red, and her eyes... her eyes became vertical pupils... Her murderous aura was even more terrifying than the Pig Demon's!"
"One punch."
"With just one punch, she pierced the Pig Demon's chest."
"..."
The others' expressions were a sight to behold.
"Unheard of! What kind of unorthodox art was that?!"
"Could she have been a demon in disguise?" another man immediately chimed in. "If she had such abilities, why didn't she act sooner? Why wait until Captain Xu and the others were completely spent?"
The hall erupted in discussion and speculation.
Liu Chen opened his mouth, wanting to offer an explanation, but he didn't know where to begin.
Yes. Why?
At the time, he too had been stunned by that murderous aura.
But afterward, the woman had collapsed from exhaustion and lost consciousness. They had brought her back to Liangzhou Prefecture and treated her all along the way. She was clearly human, with only depleted qi and blood and not the slightest trace of demonic aura.
"That's enough."
Wei He's voice rang out again, and the hall fell silent at once.
He asked nothing further, merely issuing an order. "Pass it down: the matter in Jincheng County ends here. All the Imperial Guards sent to investigate are to withdraw immediately."
"General?!"
Everyone was shocked.
"Her identity has yet to be established..."
"I have made my decision."
Wei He waved a hand, giving them no chance to press him further.
"You may all leave."
The others exchanged glances. In the end, none dared defy him. They bowed and filed out.
Soon, Wei He was the only one left in the rear hall.
He stared at the sand table in silence for a long time.
"The Jiang Family..."
The medicine was bitter.
Jiang Yuechu scrunched up her face. She felt she had never tasted anything so awful in her life.
"Good medicine tastes bitter."
A soft chuckle came from beside her. Wei Qing wiped the medicinal residue from the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief, her movements gentle.
"This was brewed with Snow Ginseng and century-old Polygonatum. Your qi and blood are far too depleted. Ordinary medicines won't help."
Snow Ginseng? Polygonatum?
Jiang Yuechu's heart gave a little jolt.
They sounded expensive.
Even if she'd done the Demon Suppression Bureau a service by slaying a demon, was there any need to be so generous?
Or was it that...
The Demon Suppression Bureau was loaded?
She discreetly sized up the woman before her.
Wei Qing looked to be about twenty-three or twenty-four. She wore a simple, elegant white dress, with gentle features and a faint medicinal fragrance about her.
"Miss Wei, I just realized I forgot to ask. This place is..."
Wei Qing blinked and smiled. "Naturally, it's the rear courtyard of the Demon Suppression Bureau."
Jiang Yuechu drew in a sharp breath.
She was someone who had only managed to survive after killing members of the Demon Suppression Bureau. Now she was right in their den. What difference was there between this and a husky falling into a wolf's den?
If her identity was exposed, she'd probably be stewed on the spot with Snow Ginseng and Polygonatum.
"Thank you for telling me."
She forced a smile. "May I ask... where are the officials who brought me back? I... I haven't yet thanked them for saving my life."
Wei Qing smiled. "They're busy with official duties, so don't worry about them. Just focus on recovering. My elder brother instructed us to take good care of you."
Elder brother?
Jiang Yuechu seized on that word.
She was just about to fish around for information about what sort of person the other woman's elder brother was.
Creak—
A middle-aged man in dark robes walked in.
He wasn't especially burly, and his face was refined, but the aura around him made him impossible to underestimate.
Wei Qing rose and bowed gracefully to him.
"Elder brother."
Wei He's gaze didn't linger on his younger sister. Instead, it went straight to the pale face on the bed.
He said nothing, simply looking at her.
Under his stare, Jiang Yuechu felt her whole body prickle and her scalp go numb.
It felt as though she'd been stripped naked and examined from head to toe, inside and out.
After a long while,
Wei He finally spoke. "Jiang Xun's daughter, Jiang Yuechu?"
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