-----------------------------------------------Chang'an, Daming Palace.--------------------------------------
The pinnacle of power in the world, where all corners of the land pay tribute.Every brick and tile here is steeped in eight hundred years of hardship and bloodshed.
Inside Changle Palace, a woman dressed in bright yellow palace robes with her hair styled in a high bun sat upon the Phoenix Couch.
She was about forty years old, well-maintained, and her features still showed traces of her peerless beauty from youth, though a few fine lines at the corners of her eyes and her calm, waveless gaze revealed the passage of time.
She was the current Empress Dowager, Lady Liu.
"Mother Empress, your son has recently acquired several excellent Duan Inkstones and has specially come to present them to you." Below the couch, a young man wearing a Prince's Python Robe stood bowing. His features were seven parts similar to the Empress Dowager's, but with added softness.
The Empress Dowager did not look at the valuable inkstones presented by the palace attendant, merely taking a light sip of tea."You are thoughtful."
"If Mother Empress likes them, your son will go and find more."
"There is no need."The Empress Dowager set down her teacup with a light sound.
"This Empress is currently devoted to Buddhist rites and chanting scriptures; I no longer need these things.As for you, you spend all day either cockfighting and dog racing, or collecting these useless trinkets. Have you made any progress?"
The smile on the young man's face froze, immediately replaced by a look of grievance. "Mother Empress, you know that your son..."
"Your son what?" the Empress Dowager interrupted him. "Just because you are now an idle Prince, without power or influence, you can abandon yourself to depravity?"
"Your son dares not!"
Inside the palace hall, the atmosphere became somewhat stagnant.The Old Eunuch standing attendant beside them kept his eyes on his nose, his nose on his heart, not daring to breathe loudly.
After a long time, The Empress Dowager finally sighed faintly. "Stand up." She waved her hand, signaling the palace attendant to take the inkstones away.
"This Empress is not blaming you." Her voice softened slightly. "It's just... seeing you like this, my heart is uneasy. Back then... if it weren't for him, why would you be in this state? You were born the Crown Prince, and the empire of Great Tang should have been yours."
"Mother Empress... please be careful with your words."
"Careful with my words?" The Empress Dowager suddenly laughed. "At this point, is there anything this Empress cannot say? This Empress endured hardships to raise him, teaching him to read and write... I ask myself, I have done my utmost duty to him. But how has he repaid this Empress?"
The young man remained silent, not responding.Naturally, he was resentful.But now that things had come to this, what was the use of saying anything?
"Forget it..." The harshness in the Empress Dowager's eyes gradually receded, leaving only exhaustion.
"You may withdraw."
"Your son... takes his leave. "Watching his retreating figure disappear outside the palace gate, she waved her hand, signaling the palace maids and attendants inside the hall to withdraw.
Only she remained in the spacious palace hall."Come in." She spoke lightly toward an empty corner.
A shadow slowly appeared. "Mistress."
"Speak."
"Jiang Xun's daughter, Jiang Yuechu, is not only alive, but now... has become a member of the Longyou Circuit Demon Suppression Division."
"Hmm?" The Empress Dowager raised her eyes, a flicker of surprise passing through them.
"How could this be? What about Pei Changqing, who was escorting her?"
"Pei Changqing and the Demon Suppression Guards squad under his command have all disappeared. The Longyou Circuit Head Office sent people to investigate and reported that they... encountered a Great Demon."
"Encountered a Great Demon?" The Empress Dowager sneered. "Pei Changqing is a Martial Artist of the Hearing The String Realm, and his squad are elite members of the Demon Suppression Division. Even if they met a Bone Resonance Great Demon, they wouldn't disappear without sending back a single message."
"This matter... is certainly suspicious." The Empress Dowager stroked her chin.
"The Demon Suppression Division seems to still be investigating, but according to reports from our people, the Longyou Circuit Head Office did not make a big fuss about this incident. Instead... they directly recruited that Jiang Yuechu into the Xuan Battalion."
The Empress Dowager frowned.
Strange.
The Demon Suppression Division has always been extremely protective of its own.Now that an entire squad of Demon Suppression Division members disappeared without explanation, it was already a great stroke of luck that Jiang Yuechu, the only survivor, wasn't arrested and interrogated thoroughly with all Eighteen Cruel Tortures.Yet, not only was she fine, but she even joined the Demon Suppression Division?
For the Demon Suppression Division to drop the pursuit of revenge for their comrades' tragic deaths and make an exception to recruit her... this girl must be somewhat unusual.
Speaking of Jiang Yuechu, she naturally had an impression of her.
Raised in the inner chambers, rarely leaving the house, her greatest hobbies were usually reading poetry and painting.
Her personality was timid and obedient, blushing even when meeting strangers.There were rumors around several houses that she may even have crooked tastes.
How did such a weak woman, incapable of tying up a chicken, survive that certain death situation?
What did she rely on to make the Demon Suppression Division look at her differently? Moreover, her abilities could not have been achieved overnight.
This girl probably knew something long ago and has been enduring it secretly.The Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes and suddenly smiled.
"What a troublesome young girl. Jiang Yuechu,such endurance.what exactly is she planning?"
---------------------------------------------------------------Ganzhou.--------------------------------------------------------------------
On the official road, eight Red-Eyed Colts stirred up dust as they galloped rapidly.The Red-Eyed Colts are demonic horses specially bred by the Demon Suppression Division, renowned for their speed.
Even so, it took a full three days to travel from Liangzhou Prefecture to Zhangye, Ganzhou.Three days without rest, traveling day and night.
Even though the men of the Demon Suppression Division were all strong and robust, signs of fatigue were visible on their faces.
Liu Chen pulled on the reins, took out his waterskin from his embrace, and took a long drink. He turned his head, his gaze unconsciously falling upon the figure at the end of the line.
The wind and sand were intense, making it hard to open one's eyes.
The young woman's black clothes and red-patterned tight-fitting outfit made her figure appear even more slender, as if a stronger wind could blow her away.Yet, she sat steadily on the horseback, her posture straight as a spear, one hand holding the reins, the other resting casually on the hilt of the saber at her waist.
The wind and sand swept across her fair face, leaving no trace, but instead lifted a few strands of messy hair, revealing a smooth forehead.
"Cough..." Liu Chen cleared his throat, deliberately falling back a few positions to ride alongside Jiang Yuechu.
"Are you getting used to it?" After all, this was her first mission. Traveling day and night like this was tough even for veterans of the Demon Suppression Division. Let alone a young woman but he suddenly remembered that this seemingly frail body had killed a Ming Gu Great Demon with a single punch.
Asking that question was truly redundant... for a moment, he felt a little embarrassed.
Jiang Yuechu replied indifferently, "It's alright."Her attitude was neither warm nor cold.
Liu Chen nodded, not taking offense, already accustomed to her demeanor.The team continued forward.
In the silence, Jiang Yuechu suddenly spoke."What happened to the one who drew his saber that day in Jincheng County?" The few men who had been focused on the journey subconsciously slowed their horses and strained their ears.
Liu Chen turned his head in surprise. He hadn't expected Jiang Yuechu to proactively ask about someone else. "Are you talking about... Lord Xu?"
"Mhm." The surprise on Liu Chen's face was quickly replaced by a hint of sadness.
"He's crippled." Crippled.Two simple words, yet they spoke volumes. "His Meridians were completely severed, his Qi and blood withered. The best medicine in The Department was used, and his life was saved, but his cultivation... Lord Wei visited him several times, hoping he would stay at the Dusi to work as a scribe and live out the rest of his life peacefully."
"But he refused." Liu Chen let out a bitter laugh.
"A few days ago, he submitted his resignation and returned to his hometown." The atmosphere within the team grew increasingly heavy.Even Tiger Zhao looked filled with regret at this moment.
Xu Nian was considered a noteworthy figure in the Longyou Circuit Demon Suppression Division. He entered the Hearing the String in his twenties, broke through to Bone Resonance at forty, and with his *Prison Suppression Saber* technique, he slew countless Demons and saved countless common people.
But even a figure like him ended up in this state due to a moment of carelessness.