The sky had not yet brightened; only a hazy, bluish-gray light filtered through the window paper.
Jiang Yuechu awoke.
She opened her eyes, gazing at the unfamiliar rafters and listening to the faint sound of roosters crowing outside the courtyard.
It took a moment before she fully regained her senses.
"It's not a dream." She sat up, the quilt sliding from her shoulders, revealing her slender collarbones.
The chill of the morning hit her, making her completely alert.
She threw back the quilt and got out of bed.
After changing her clothes, she found a cloth strip and swiftly tied her long hair into a high ponytail behind her head.
She grabbed her horizontal saber and pushed the door open.
A creaking sound.
A young maid stood in the courtyard, seemingly having waited for a long time.
Seeing her emerge, the maid quickly bowed, "Miss."
Soon after, she brought over a basin of water.
Jiang Yuechu walked to the basin, cupped a handful of water, and carelessly splashed it onto her face.
The water was neither cold nor hot, just right.
The maid then handed her a willow branch and a small jar of green salt from a nearby tray.
Jiang Yuechu looked at the items, momentarily stunned.
Ancient people used this willow branch to clean their teeth.
One end would be chewed until frayed into fine bristles, dipped in salt, and used to brush the teeth.
She took it and tried it, imitating the motions she recalled from her memory.
A bitter, woody taste mixed with salt spread through her mouth; the feeling was truly unpleasant.
"Forget it. I'll have to get used to it sooner or later. "She muttered this internally, just as she tossed the willow branch back into the basin.
However, footsteps sounded from outside the courtyard gate.
Chen Qingyuan stood outside the door and waved his hand at the maid.
Seeing this, the maid acted as if granted a great pardon, bowed respectfully, and quickly retreated, carrying the copper basin.
Only the two of them remained in the courtyard.
Chen Qingyuan stepped forward, cupped his hands, and asked, "My Lord, did you rest well last night?"
"It was alright."Jiang Yuechu's reply was brief, sparing words like gold.
She picked up the cloth towel nearby and wiped the water droplets from her face.
Although Chen Qingyuan had not interacted with Jiang Yuechu for long, he had generally figured out the temperament of this Lord from the Demon Suppression Division.
While her attitude was somewhat cold, he detected no sign of dissatisfaction, which allowed him to breathe a slight sigh of relief."My Lord, I already went to the County Office last night."
Jiang Yuechu paused her wiping motion, looked up at him, and waited silently for him to continue.
Seeing this, Chen Qingyuan dared not keep her waiting and quickly continued, "Regarding the matter of Shangpan Village, I have reported to the County Magistrate, stating only that our Flying Eagle Sect was lucky enough to have fought desperately and exterminated that group of Wolf Demons, though we lost many brothers..."
He secretly glanced at Jiang Yuechu's expression.
Seeing that she remained unperturbed, he felt slightly relieved.It was true that she was cold on the outside but warm on the inside.
But if someone were to really push their luck and assume that people from the Demon Suppression Division were easygoing, they must truly be tired of living.
Jiang Yuechu tossed the cloth towel back into the copper basin and gave Chen Qingyuan a silent thumbs up.
He gets it.
She stretched, and her joints emitted a series of faint crackling sounds.One night of rest was enough.
She casually picked up the Demon Suppression Division clothes she had changed out of, which were wrapped in a cloth bundle nearby.
This place was not suitable for a long stay.Setting aside the fact that the Jiang Family case was suspicious in every detail, her current fake identity would not withstand close scrutiny.
Seeing Jiang Yuechu pick up the bundle, looking ready to leave at any moment, Chen Qingyuan was stunned.
"My Lord, are you leaving already?"
Jiang Yuechu nodded.
"I have official duties; I cannot delay." She paused, remembering something from last night.
"There is one more thing."
Chen Qingyuan was startled and quickly said, "Please speak, My Lord!"
Jiang Yuechu turned around, the morning breeze stirring the few strands of hair on her forehead."Do you... have any books here concerning the Martial Dao?"
"...Huh?"Chen Qingyuan was bewildered.
Was this Lord asking for the ultimate Martial Skills of his Flying Eagle Sect?
But what ultimate art did the Flying Eagle Sect have?!
Let alone comparing them to the methods used by the Demon Suppression Division, even within the Jianghu of the Longyou Circuit, they were merely low-grade, practical techniques.
This Lord looked quite young.
Could it be that she had only recently joined the Demon Suppression Division and wanted to collect some folk martial arts for reference?
Chen Qingyuan's mind raced with countless thoughts, but he dared not show any of it on his face, only becoming more respectful.
"My Lord must be joking... The shallow skills of my Flying Eagle Sect are merely methods for strengthening the body and defending against enemies; how could they enter your Dharma Eye?"
He carefully chose his words, afraid of saying anything wrong.
"In my sect, we do have a few generations-old manuals for fist and saber techniques. One is the *Thirteen Eagle Claws*, which is the Foundation of our sect, focusing on speed, accuracy, and ruthlessness—striking like lightning at the enemy's vital points..."
"There is also the *Wind-Facing Saber Technique*, a remnant piece that our Ancestral Master acquired from a traveling merchant years ago. It only has three sparse forms, lacking any subtle variations, relying entirely on brute force. It is still somewhat useful when fighting for one's life."
As he spoke, Chen Qingyuan's old face flushed slightly. He felt embarrassed himself.
What kind of garbage was this?
The more he thought about it, the more guilty he felt, so he quickly added, "These vulgar items truly... cannot be presented in a dignified manner. If My Lord does not mind them, I will fetch them immediately for your inspection..."
Jiang Yuechu looked at his demeanor and felt a headache coming on.
She slowly shook her head.
"I don't need these." Chen Qingyuan was stunned again, completely confused.
If not Martial Skill Secret Manuals, what did she want?
Jiang Yuechu simply felt a headache.
She didn't know what kind of vast, fundamental differences existed between the Realms.
This was the most critical issue.
It was like a peerless expert holding the skill to slay a Dragon, yet knowing nothing about what a Dragon looked like or what its habits were.
But she couldn't say this outright.
She couldn't very well say to Chen Qingyuan, "Brother, I'll be frank, I'm actually a novice. Can you explain everything to me from the beginning?"
If she said that, How was that different from directly admitting that her Demon Suppression Division identity was fake?
She rubbed her temples, thought for a moment, and then said, "Recently, I have a faint feeling that I am about to break through a Realm."
Chen Qingyuan trembled all over, his pupils dilating slightly.Breaking a Realm?!
This Lord looked barely twenty years old, yet her cultivation was already unfathomable, and now she was about to break through another Realm?!
Was this the profound heritage of the Demon Suppression Division?
Sure enough, this was beyond what common mortals like them could fathom.
Jiang Yuechu ignored his shock and continued speaking to herself.
"It's just that my Foundation was built too quickly, and I fear there may be oversights. A skyscraper starts on flat ground; if the Foundation is unstable, the higher the building rises, the faster it will collapse." She raised her eyes and looked calmly at Chen Qingyuan.
"I need some of the most rudimentary martial arts outlines to compare against myself and fill in any gaps. Do you understand?"
Chen Qingyuan's face was filled with realization.
So that was it!
This Lord was actually preparing to break through a Realm! And she was using a method of returning to simplicity and tracing back to the Origin!
Which ordinary martial artist wouldn't discard their basics like worn-out shoes once they obtained a more profound martial art?Only those who truly hoped to reach the peak would place such importance on their Foundation!
"I understand! I completely understand! Please wait a moment, My Lord! I... I will go fetch it right now!" He quickly apologized, turned, and ran out of the courtyard.
Jiang Yuechu was not in a hurry; she simply crossed her arms, leaned against a porch column, and closed her eyes to rest her mind.
Not long after.
A flurry of hurried footsteps once again approached from afar.
Chen Qingyuan returned, holding a thin volume in his hands.
Four characters were written on it in standard script.
*The True Interpretation of Martial Dao*.
Chen Qingyuan presented the book with both hands, his breathing still uneven.
"My Lord, please see... is this item suitable?"
Jiang Yuechu opened her eyes and reached out to take it.
She didn't open it immediately; she just weighed it in her hand, her gaze fixed on Chen Qingyuan.
Chen Qingyuan quickly explained, "My Lord, this book was compiled jointly by the Ministry of War and the Imperial Academy of our Great Tang, intended as introductory reading for military officers and martial artists of the Jianghu. It elaborates in detail on the Realms from Mortal Realm to Hearing the String, and then to Bone Resonance Realm, including the characteristics of each Realm, methods for circulating Qi and blood, and even some rudimentary methods for identifying Demons."
He wiped nervous seat from his forehead and continued to explain.
"This is not a rare item, but I was slow-witted earlier and didn't realize this was what My Lord needed..."
A beginner's guide! And it was issued by the Imperial Court!
"Thank you." Jiang Yuechu nodded in satisfaction.
"My Lord, you speak too highly. It is our honor to be of service to you." Chen Qingyuan quickly waved his hands.
He hesitated for a moment, but ultimately couldn't resist, and tentatively asked,
"Did My Lord come here for the matter concerning... Jincheng County?"
Jincheng County?
What Jincheng County?
Three question marks appeared above Jiang Yuechu's head, but her face maintained its thousand-year-old icy demeanor.
She merely glanced indifferently at Chen Qingyuan without speaking.
That single glance made Chen Qingyuan's heart skip a beat, and a layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on his back.
Damn it!I must have lost my mind!
Who was he to dare inquire about a major case handled by the Demon Suppression Division?
Cases handled by the Demon Suppression Division were always top secret.
Let alone him, a minor Sect Leader in the Jianghu, even the County Magistrate of Guangwu County had to be respectful and dare not ask a single extra word when meeting someone from the Demon Suppression Division.
Rumor had it that outside the capital, the Demon Suppression Division could execute anyone who obstructed their investigation first and report later.
If his question happened to offend this Lord and she cleaved him in half right then and there, he would have nowhere to cry.
"I spoke out of turn! I spoke out of turn!" Chen Qingyuan's face turned pale with fright.
He quickly bowed to apologize and explained at a rapid pace.
"My Lord, please forgive me! I absolutely did not mean to pry! It's just that... Jincheng County is only about a hundred li away from my Guangwu County.Half a month ago, six villages under Jincheng County were completely massacred overnight, leaving no one alive—not even chickens or dogs! Now, the people from Jincheng County are fleeing everywhere, and many have escaped to our Guangwu County. Panic is spreading inside and outside the City, and everyone is discussing this matter, saying that a Lord from the Demon Suppression Division would surely come to investigate sooner or later."
"I... I only dared to ask because of this, with absolutely no ulterior motive!"After finishing in one breath, cold sweat was already pouring down his forehead.
He kept his head bowed, daring not to meet Jiang Yuechu's eyes again.