Black Bear Spirit

Jiang Yuechu and Liu Chen walked out of the main hall side by side. The sunlight outside was blinding, making it feel as though they had entered another lifetime.

"A Core-Formation Great Demon..." Liu Chen muttered. "If our Longyou Circuit's Commander were still here, how could that damned Core-Formation Great Demon be allowed to run wild outside Jade Gate Pass?"

Commander?

Jiang Yuechu halted.

Liu Chen noticed her reaction. Turning his head and seeing the confusion on her face, he immediately understood.

"A Commander is a third-rank official, overseeing the Demon Suppression Office of an entire circuit. Their authority reaches the heavens."

Liu Chen paused, instinctively glancing around. Only after confirming that no one was nearby did he lower his voice.

"But last year... because of the new emperor's ascension..."

He suddenly stopped there.

"You came from the capital. You should know some things better than I do."

Jiang Yuechu rolled her eyes.

What the hell do I know?!

The previous owner of this body had been nothing but a sheltered young lady, utterly ignorant of court affairs. How could she possibly know?

Since he would not say more, she naturally would not press him.

The current world was no less perilous than her previous one.

Privately discussing imperial authority could get one beheaded!

Seeing her remain silent, Liu Chen took it as tacit agreement and continued, "The new emperor has been on the throne for barely a year. Naturally, the court has been locked in a struggle of dragons and tigers."

"By rights, our Demon Suppression Office should not interfere in matters of imperial succession."

"But we make our living in officialdom. The tree may wish for calm, but the wind will not cease. How could we truly stay out of it?"

"In short, the position of Longyou Commander has remained vacant until now. Affairs both great and small are temporarily handled by General Wei."

That was enough said.

Jiang Yuechu fell silent.

She had also gained a new understanding of imperial power in this world.

The Commander of an entire circuit could simply disappear without a trace...

If she were to sit in that position someday, would she be able to preserve herself?

Liu Chen sighed and patted her shoulder. "People like us at the bottom should stay far away from such matters. Doing our own duty well is better than anything else."

"Mm."

"Alright, enough about that..."

Liu Chen continued, "You've only just become a captain. Though your skills are considerable, the Demon Suppression Office is still a place where merit speaks. Your seniority is too shallow, so you likely will not get any good assignments. This is your first time leading a team alone. Aside from being careful of demons and monsters, remember to watch out for people as well."

"People?"

Liu Chen spread his hands and lowered his voice. "The situation is unstable now, and the new emperor has only just taken the throne. In the martial world, there will always be those who harbor dissatisfaction and refuse to submit to royal rule."

"Not long ago, a deputy general was ambushed and killed by several martial sects working together while he was out on a case."

"If you truly encounter a danger you cannot resolve, do not hesitate. Turn around and run."

"At worst, you'll come back and take a punishment. That's still better than losing your life out there."

That was as good as saying nothing.

If one truly found oneself in a hopeless situation, how many could escape?

Perhaps knowing his words were somewhat redundant, Liu Chen looked a little embarrassed. Still, he continued, "Of course, as long as you don't die without a sound, the office will send someone to avenge you within half a month at most."

"Take that deputy general, for example. After the incident, Lord Wei personally dispatched a thousand elite soldiers from Xuan Camp. In only three days, they slaughtered those sects from top to bottom, leaving them utterly clean."

Compared to the Demon Suppression Office's ruthless methods, Jiang Yuechu quietly became more wary.

She had thought that she only needed to guard against demons, monsters, ghosts, and ghouls. Who would have thought that people of the martial world were even more dangerous than demons?

After parting from Liu Chen, Jiang Yuechu hugged her saber and headed straight back to the barracks where her team was stationed.

Before she even entered the courtyard, she sensed that something was off inside.

The courtyard, which had been a smoky mess yesterday, was strangely quiet today.

The men who had been shouting and drinking around the stone table yesterday were now like quails, each finding a spot in the courtyard and staying put.

The instant Jiang Yuechu appeared at the entrance, everyone froze, then unconsciously straightened up.

At the gate stood a young man dressed as a clerical official, clutching a stack of case files as he waited anxiously.

When he saw her arrive, he hurried forward.

"Captain Jiang."

He pulled out the top file and offered it to her with both hands.

"This is the assignment for your team."

Jiang Yuechu reached out and accepted it.

The clerk seemed to know that she had just become a captain and was also a woman, so he could not help offering an extra reminder. "Is this Captain Jiang's first time leading a team on an assignment?"

Without waiting for Jiang Yuechu to answer, he continued on his own. "Before setting out, you must take this case file to the stables in the rear courtyard to register and receive Scarlet-eyed Steeds. One rider, one horse—everything is recorded."

"Also, the office has rules. After slaying demons, if you have the strength to spare, try to bring the corpse back intact. The treasury will convert it into merit and reward money according to the demon's rank."

"If that is inconvenient, you must at least take its sinews, bones, head, and other crucial parts as proof of merit."

Jiang Yuechu nodded, her manner equally courteous.

"I understand. Thank you for the reminder."

The clerk said no more. He bowed, then hurried away with the remaining case files.

The courtyard was utterly silent.

Everyone's gaze was fixed upon the case file in Jiang Yuechu's hand.

Most of them were martial-world folk who had joined the Demon Suppression Office only recently. Forget assignments—they had barely even seen any proper demons.

This was their first assignment.

How could they not be curious?

But curiosity was one thing.

The sight of Chen Tong being pinned to the ground like a chick yesterday was still branded into their minds.

Who would dare ask?

Jiang Yuechu paid no attention to their little thoughts. She simply read through the case file in her hand, her eyes racing over ten lines at a glance.

The contents of the file were simple enough.

[Die Prefecture, Hexian County. The local government reports that a black bear has become a spirit on a mountain outside the county seat. It possesses an enormous body and strength enough to split mountains. Recently, it has frequently descended the mountain, setting up an altar in villages below to preach the Dharma. It claims to have comprehended the true essence of Buddhist teachings and can save the people from the suffering of reincarnation.]

[Many foolish men and women have already been bewitched by it, climbing the mountain to make offerings and listen to its scriptures, abandoning all work and production. Its demonic words have deceived the populace, and great unrest is feared.]

[According to reports, this demon is suspected to possess Half-Step Bone-Chiming Realm cultivation.]

Jiang Yuechu's eyelids twitched.

A Black Bear Spirit?

And it was fucking preaching the Dharma?

What kind of joke was this?

Still, Half-Step Bone-Chiming Realm...

Its strength was fairly ordinary.

It seemed this assignment should not be especially dangerous.

She calculated silently, but her expression remained unchanged. Casually, she tossed the case file toward the center of the courtyard.

"Take a look."

The file drifted down onto the stone table.

Everyone exchanged looks. No one dared be the first to step forward and pick it up.

Bujie was the quick-witted one. With a chuckle, he waddled over with his large belly and snatched up the file.

"Let this poor monk do it, let this poor monk do it! This poor monk can read!"

He cleared his throat, unfurled the file with exaggerated solemnity, and began reading it word by word.

When they heard that a black bear had become a spirit and set up an altar to preach the Dharma, suppressed snickering already rose throughout the courtyard.

"Fuck, this blind bear became a spirit and instead of finding a female bear, it ran off to become a monk?"

But when Bujie read out Half-Step Bone-Chiming Realm cultivation, the laughter abruptly died.

Everyone's expressions changed at once.

Half-Step Bone-Chiming Realm!

What did that even mean?

Though Liu Ke and the others present were all Half-Step Bone-Chiming Realm cultivators—

Demonic cultivation was slow, but demons often accumulated strength over decades or centuries. Their foundations were incomparably solid.

At the same realm, the strength of demons was far beyond what martial artists could match.

"Boss... Captain..."

A man stammered, his face pale. "Th-this assignment... could there have been some mistake? We only just..."

Chen Tong, standing by the wall, suddenly shot to his feet and spat viciously.

"What the hell are you scared of? Isn't it just a blind bear? Back then, I even—"

He had intended to brag about his past achievements, but the moment his eyes met Jiang Yuechu's calm gaze, he forcibly swallowed the rest.

He merely craned his neck and muttered, "Just do it!"

The others looked at one another, still deeply uneasy.

Just then—

"Outrageous!"

"This is simply outrageous!"

Bujie's furious shout startled everyone.

The fat monk's face was full of grief and indignation, as though his heart had been torn apart.

"The Buddhist Order is a place of purity! The Tripitaka and Twelve Divisions are every word a pearl—how can a furred, horned beast be allowed to defile them so wantonly?!"

"No! Today, this poor monk shall act for Heaven and cleanse the Buddhist Order!"

The nearby men were left dumbfounded, nearly forgetting why this fellow had been driven down the mountain in the first place.

Jiang Yuechu could not be bothered to waste words with them. She merely spoke blandly.

"Pack your things. Gather at the rear stables in half an hour."

"Rations, medicine, weapons—prepare everything yourselves. Whoever is late..."

"Can get the hell out on their own."

With that, she said no more and turned to leave.

She left behind a courtyard full of people staring at one another.

Hexian County had earned its name from the convergence of two great rivers there.

With its waterways, the county was fairly prosperous.

The docks bustled with people day after day, while the teahouses and taverns in town were always filled with merchants traveling north and south.

Yet in recent days, the county's atmosphere had become somewhat strange.

Inside a teahouse.

"The wife of Butcher Wang from the west side of town ran off in the middle of the night yesterday, taking every last coin in the house!"

"Ran off? Where to?"

"Where else could she go? Up the mountain!"

"That Bear Demon again..."

At the next table, a middle-aged man dressed as an accountant sighed and set down his teacup. "How many incidents has this been already this month?"

"Exactly."

The man in the short jacket smacked his lips. "Butcher Wang reported it to the authorities first thing this morning. He was crying his heart out in front of the county yamen, saying his wife had been bewitched and that blind bear had muddled her mind!"

"What blind bear? He's Black Bear Master now!"

A young man sitting in the corner could not help cutting in. His face carried a trace of fervor. "Master said that the mortal world is all suffering. Only by taking refuge in the Buddha can one attain great freedom and escape the bitter sea!"

"Pah!"

The accountant glared at him irritably. "What the hell does a brat like you know? A beast thinks it can discuss Buddhist teachings? If it really has such ability, why doesn't it turn stones into gold and give it to the poor people in town?"

"Y-you're slandering Master!"

The young man's face reddened. "How could you ordinary mortals understand Master's divine power? I saw it myself—Master split open mountain rock with one palm! What else could such divine might be but Buddhist Dharma?"

The teahouse immediately erupted into discussion.

"Split open mountain rock... was that real?"

"That blind bear was already immensely strong. Now that it has become a spirit, it's not strange for it to have that ability."

"B-but it can preach scriptures! Those who went up the mountain and returned said that Black Bear Master sat cross-legged on a stone, citing scriptures and classics, speaking with perfect logic. He was even better than the abbot of Guangji Temple in the county!"

"Bullshit!" A peddler who had just entered from outside dropped his carrying pole onto the ground, wiped away his sweat, and began cursing. "I passed below that mountain yesterday. Good lord, the mountain path was packed with people kneeling everywhere, black as crows, every last one of them looking as though they'd lost their souls, kowtowing toward the mountaintop."

"My cousin's wife was among them! Their child was burning with a high fever, yet she ignored him completely. She carried the last of the rice in their house up the mountain, saying it was an offering to Master and would bring blessings!"

"What kind of fucking blessing is that?!"

Hearing this, everyone fell silent.

Life in this world was already difficult.

Longyou was bitterly cold, and natural disasters and human calamities had never ceased.

The common folk did not live easily. It was not necessarily wrong for them to cling to some hope.

But now, that hope had been placed upon a Bear Demon. It was simply too absurd.