I Got Promoted?

I Got Promoted? How were the remaining realms supposed to be advanced?

Could it be... that she had to train them herself, one stroke at a time?

At that thought, Jiang Yuechu's face instantly darkened.

What kind of joke was this?

What had she relied on to get where she was today?

Talent? Hard work?

Neither!

She had relied on cheats!

And now her golden finger was telling her that the cheats were finished, and she had to walk the rest of the road herself?

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Just as she was about to curse that unreliable Hundred Demons Compendium in her heart—

At that moment.

Beneath the line of text reading [Tiger Roar Demon Suppression Blade (Mastery)] on the panel, a brand-new line of tiny words slowly appeared.

[Host has reached the Bone Resonance Realm. Dao Cultivation may be expended to directly infuse martial arts and raise their realm.]

"..."

Jiang Yuechu froze.

That was possible too?

But then she noticed how much Dao Cultivation she had left.

[Remaining Dao Cultivation: Thirteen Years.]

"..."

Raising [Tiger Mountain God] to [Natural Perfection] had cost four hundred and seven years.

Now, she had only a pitiful thirteen years left.

Forget improving anything—she probably would not even hear a peep from it.

Still...

Depressed as she was, the appearance of this new function had undoubtedly opened a brand-new door for her.

It meant that from now on, she had another way to grow stronger.

She no longer had to rely solely on recording demons to gain new abilities.

She could completely focus her Dao Cultivation in one direction and pile it up to the very peak!

Take the Tiger Roar Demon Suppression Blade, for instance. If she could raise it to the supreme realm, how terrifying would its power become?

And beyond the supreme realm—what lay there?

Thought after thought flashed through her mind, setting Jiang Yuechu's heart ablaze.

Poor was poor, then.

As long as she could kill demons, there would always be Dao Cultivation.

She forcibly suppressed the urge to immediately go outside, find a demon, and test her blade. Her gaze fell upon the last thirteen years of Dao Cultivation.

It was not much, but it could not be wasted.

"Infuse the Tiger Roar Demon Suppression Blade."

Even a mosquito was still meat.

Buzz—

At the movement of her will, those thirteen years of Dao Cultivation vanished in an instant.

Nothing happened.

Just as expected.

Jiang Yuechu sighed, though she was not surprised.

Forget it.

Such an enormous improvement was already enough to satisfy her.

She exhaled a breath of stale air and cast all the messy thoughts from her mind.

Since things had come to this, she might as well sleep first.

Summer in Longyou Circuit was vicious beyond reason.

The yellow sand was baked scorching hot beneath the sun.

Whenever the wind blew, it plastered a faceful of it onto you.

For several days in a row, Jiang Yuechu did not step outside the courtyard gate even once.

For the past few days, aside from eating, she had done nothing but sleep.

With nothing else to do, she simply drew her saber and began practicing forms in the courtyard.

After all, no matter how small a mosquito's leg was, it was still meat.

She was already in the Bone Resonance Realm, and with a talent like [Tiger Dharma Heaven-Bestowed], practicing a little would surely bring some improvement.

Yet reality dealt her a vicious slap across the face.

Jiang Yuechu stopped moving and stood in the courtyard, breathing lightly, her expression somewhat grim.

If you can't find the book by searching its title, try searching for the author—it may simply have been renamed!

She made a rough calculation.

Even with the boost from [Tiger Dharma Heaven-Bestowed], taking this blade technique from "Proficient" to "Minor Achievement" would likely require decades of tireless effort without sleep or rest.

Decades...

"Fuck..."

Jiang Yuechu could not help muttering a curse.

So without cheats, I'm just worthless at martial arts?

Just then.

Knock, knock, knock.

Someone knocked on the courtyard gate.

"Miss Jiang, are you there?"

It was Liu Chen's voice.

Jiang Yuechu sheathed her saber and went over to pull open the gate.

Outside, Liu Chen wore a clean, fitted martial outfit. His complexion had recovered, though there was still a trace of restraint in his expression.

"Team Leader Liu, is something the matter?"

"Lord Xu wants to see you."

Lord Xu?

In Jiang Yuechu's mind, the image of the handsome youth with red lips and white teeth, whom she had seen when first entering the Mysterious Battalion, instantly surfaced.

Judging from everyone's attitude toward him that day, he was surely someone of considerable rank.

But why would someone like that suddenly want to see her?

Seeing the confusion on her face, Liu Chen gave a bitter smile and explained, "Lord Xu is the Lieutenant General of the Longyou Demon Suppression Bureau, overseeing all affairs of the Mysterious Battalion."

"This summons is most likely regarding your promotion."

He paused, then continued, "You killed a Bone Resonance Great Demon. The credit has already been reported, and the Bureau has approved it. You are now an eighth-rank Team Leader."

"By the rules, every newly promoted Team Leader must go see him and receive some instruction. It was the same when I was promoted."

Jiang Yuechu froze.

No, I haven't even received a month's salary yet!

So would this month's pay be calculated according to my former ninth-rank Demon Suppression Guard position, or my current eighth-rank Team Leader position?

She thought about it silently, but she was not foolish enough to ask.

She merely nodded, turned back into the room to retrieve her saber and hang it at her waist, then followed Liu Chen toward the rear hall of the Mysterious Battalion.

Along the way, perhaps afraid that she was nervous—or perhaps simply wanting someone to talk to—Liu Chen took the initiative to introduce Lord Xu to her.

"Lord Xu's full name is Xu Changfeng."

"The Xu Family is a military household of the Capital City. His father is even the current General of the Left Valiant Guard, a high official of Subordinate Second Rank."

As Liu Chen spoke of this, his tone unconsciously carried a hint of envy.

"Lord Xu displayed outstanding talent from childhood. I heard that in his early years, he even received guidance from an expert of the Pure Yang Palace. At only fifteen, he entered the String-Hearing Realm."

"At twenty-one, he was already an expert of the Bone Resonance Realm. Now... now, before even reaching thirty, he is likely already... half a step into the Core Formation Realm."

Half a step into the Core Formation Realm?

Jiang Yuechu halted, hearing this term for the first time.

Presumably, it was the realm after Bone Resonance.

Then she thought of him again.

Not yet thirty, yet half a step into the Core Formation Realm.

With talent like that, he truly counted as a heaven-blessed prodigy—a monster among monsters.

If she did not have the Hundred Demons Compendium with her, she would probably still be struggling bitterly at the threshold of the String-Hearing Realm, unable even to see his taillights.

Comparing people really could piss a person to death.

Liu Chen did not notice what she was thinking and simply continued, "Though Lord Xu is from an aristocratic family, he has none of those spoiled playboy habits. His temperament is simply a little cold. He does not usually enjoy talking or smiling, nor does he like others prying into his family affairs."

"When you meet him later, don't be nervous. Whatever my lord asks, just answer. Remember—don't talk too much."

Jiang Yuechu nodded.

Isn't this just meeting the boss?

Talk less, nod more. Everything the boss says is right. If something goes wrong, I'll take the blame; if there's credit, the boss takes it.

She was naturally well versed in this routine.

As they spoke, they had already arrived at the rear hall of the Mysterious Battalion.

Compared to the barracks where the other Demon Suppression Guards lived outside, this place was clearly much quieter and more elegant.

It was a separate courtyard, paved with blue bricks. Several pots of orchids hung beneath the corridor, and as the breeze passed through, it carried waves of fragrance.

Liu Chen stopped at the courtyard gate and bowed toward the interior.

"My lord, Jiang Yuechu has arrived."

"Come in."

A cool, detached voice came from within the room.

Liu Chen gave Jiang Yuechu a meaningful look, signaling for her to go in alone, while he bowed and stepped aside.

Jiang Yuechu took a deep breath and pushed open the door.