The scene at the edge of their vision was distorted by the rising heat haze.
The expressions on everyone's faces were as strange as could be.
Their gazes darted back and forth between the young girl standing with her blade, and the shattered Demon corpse on the ground.
Officer Shi even frantically looked around.
He seemed to be trying to find the shadow of another peerless master in this vast Gobi Desert.
Otherwise, all of this was simply too unbelievable!
This was a Core Formation Great Demon!
Even if the Great General himself came, he would probably have to put in some effort.
How could it have died here so silently?
And died at the hands of a Little Girl who looked no older than seventeen or eighteen?
Could it be... this Demon was already severely injured, and this young girl just took advantage of the situation?
Very likely!
Thinking of this, he breathed a sigh of relief.
As for Jiang Yuechu also being in the Core Formation Realm... hah.
What a joke.
If this Little Girl was truly in the Core Formation Realm, he, Shi, would immediately kneel and call her 'mother'.
Wei He silently dismounted, walked to the shattered ape Demon's corpse without a word.
He squatted down, extended two fingers, first probing the fatal wound in the corpse's throat, then picking up a bit of blood-stained sand and sniffing it lightly at his nose.
Very fresh.
Clearly, it hadn't been dead long... He slowly stood up, turned his head, and his gaze fell upon Jiang Yuechu's face.
"You killed it?"
Jiang Yuechu cupped her fists and said, "By luck."
...
By luck?
These two words plunged the scene into silence.
Wei He didn't speak, just frowned and carefully scrutinized the young girl before him.
After a long while.
He finally spoke slowly.
"You've entered Core Formation?"
"Yes."
"When did this happen?"
"Just yesterday."
Jiang Yuechu thought for a moment, then casually said, "I suddenly had a feeling at night, so I naturally broke through the Realm."
...
Even though Wei He had seen countless storms in his life, the corner of his mouth couldn't help but twitch violently at this moment.
To speak so casually, it was as if Core Formation was nothing important.
There were so many martial artists in the world, yet those who could break through from Bone Resonance and form a Core in their entire lives were as rare as Phoenix feathers.
How many people were trapped at this step, eventually their Qi and blood declining, dying with regret.
But for her, it was as casual as a post-meal stroll?
However, even having entered Core Formation, it would be by no means easy to kill this old ape.
Wei He was filled with emotion.
How many more surprises would the young girl before him bring?
The two spoke with such ease.
But to the ears of the surrounding Brigade Commanders, it was like a thunderclap from the Nine Heavens.
Killing a Core Formation Great Demon was certainly shocking, but there could be many reasons for it.
Perhaps the Demon was already severely injured, perhaps it was careless and underestimated its opponent, perhaps... the Demon was unlucky and fell to its death after taking a few steps... But to enter Core Formation, that was an entirely different matter!
This was a genuine Realm!
A Core Formation Realm cultivator at seventeen or eighteen years old?!
Who the hell would believe that if it were told?!
Officer Shi's rugged face, moreover, visibly turned a pig-liver color.
"Eh, Officer Shi, why is your face so red?"
"It's too hot! I'm suffering from heatstroke, can't I?!"
...The battle ended before it even began.
However, since they had come, they couldn't return empty-handed.
Wei He's army was stationed at Yumen Pass for three days.
Using Yumen Pass as the center, they swept the vicinity several times, scattered and annihilated a few small, insignificant Demons, which was better than nothing.
Jiang Yuechu, on the other hand, had a rare period of leisure.
She wasn't assigned any tasks, but was politely "invited" back into Yumen Pass by Wei He.
Firstly, single-handedly killing a Core Formation Great Demon was an immense achievement, unmatched by anyone in the Demon Suppression Division.
To let her compete with those small fry for spoils would be a bit unreasonable.
After all, the brothers under him couldn't have made the trip for nothing.
They all need achievements to earn their meals~
As for the second reason... This day.
The temporary main hall of the Ducal Manor.
Jiang Yuechu silently walked in.
"My Lord."
Wei He had his back to her, facing a huge map of the Region.
Hearing her, he merely raised a hand and pointed to a chair nearby.
"Sit."
Jiang Yuechu sat down as instructed.
The hall was quiet, with only the faint rustling sound of Wei He's vermillion brush circling points on the map.
After a long while.
Wei He finally put down his brush, turned around, and sat in the main seat.
He didn't speak immediately, but picked up the tea on the table, gently blew on it, his gaze fixed on Jiang Yuechu's face.
"For killing the Core Formation Great Demon this time, you deserve the greatest credit."
"But your credit is too great."
"So great that I don't know how to reward you."
Jiang Yuechu didn't speak, just listened quietly.
Wei He continued, "The ordinary position of Brigade Commander is already beneath you, but anything higher would be a Deputy General leading a camp, and currently, the three Xuanhuang camps in the Region already have Deputy Generals in place; there are truly no vacancies."
"Moreover..."
He paused, a hint of complexity flashing in his eyes, "You are too young."
A Core Formation Realm cultivator at seventeen or eighteen years old.
If this news reached Chang'an, who knows what kind of storm it would stir up.
And how many eyes in Chang'an would then fixate on her.
Whether it would be a blessing or a curse was yet unknown.
"So, I want to hear your thoughts."
Wei He leaned forward slightly, "What do you want?"
"Anything?"
Jiang Yuechu looked up and asked back.
Wei He nodded.
"As long as our Demon Suppression Division can afford it."
...
Jiang Yuechu lowered her head, deep in thought.
What did she want?
Wealth?
Now that she was in the Core Formation Realm, acquiring gold and silver was incredibly simple.
To waste this achievement for such things would be too foolish.
A government position?
But thinking of what happened at Yumen Pass this time, she felt a headache.
She really wasn't cut out to be an official.
Moreover, what good was it to be a high-ranking official?
That Commander of Liangzhou Prefecture, wasn't he immensely powerful?
He still disappeared just like that.
What good was being an official?!
It still came down to speaking with one's fists.
As for martial arts Secret Manuals... she now possessed a vast amount of Dao Cultivation, and there was a Demon eagerly awaiting to be nurtured; the profundity of the hundred demons compendium was far more practical than the Demon Suppression Division's martial arts library.
What did she lack?
Recalling the past, she lacked everything.
She lacked a stable identity, a reason that would allow her to slay Demons without restraint.
But these, she had already obtained the moment she joined the Demon Suppression Division.
Then what else did she want?
Countless thoughts flashed through Jiang Yuechu's mind, only to be rejected one by one.
She suddenly felt a bit lost.
Just then.
A thought, without warning, quietly emerged from the depths of her heart.
Jiang Yuechu slowly looked up.
"My Lord."
Wei He picked up his teacup, about to drink, and paused at her words.
"What is it?"
"Do you still remember what you told me before I joined the Demon Suppression Division?"
Wei He's brows furrowed slightly.
"What words?"
"Judge your virtue before you act, measure your strength before you proceed; if you wish to fell a towering tree, you must first sharpen your axe."
"Now that I am in the Core Formation Realm, I wonder... can you tell me the inside story of my father, Jiang Xun's case?"