Under the Qiang River, at the bottom.
Inside a bottomless cave.
Crunch... crunch... The massive White Flood Dragon was coiled in the center of the cave, tearing at a bloody corpse.
It swallowed the last bits of flesh, extended its massive tongue, and licked the blood from the corner of its mouth.
It's still not enough.
This meager blood meal is merely a drop in the bucket for its injuries.
The White Flood Dragon raised its head, a flicker of irritation passing through its cold, vertical pupils.
News has reached here from the clan: Xu'er is dead, and the culprit is in the Region.
Rage surged in its heart, but what followed was a wave of powerlessness.
The injuries are healing too slowly... I must recover most of them before the end of the year.
Otherwise, if the murderer manages to escape, where would I find vengeance?
It seems I must eat more.
The White Flood Dragon pondered silently.
It's just... that old thing Guan Youlong... It hesitated slightly.
I previously promised him I would only consume two people per month.
Now, I would be the one breaking the rule first.
Never mind.
The White Flood Dragon flicked its tail, stirring up an undercurrent.
I should at least inform him.
At worst, when he returns having taken his revenge, I'll eat one less person per month to cover this year's deficit.
I figure an old geezer who is about to kick the bucket wouldn't dare say much... As Gu Changge's voice faded, Guan Youlong seemed to have the last shred of his vitality drained away.
He staggered back two steps, the iron chains on his body clanging, and leaned heavily against the wall behind him, preventing himself from collapsing.
Four hundred and twelve people... It wasn't that he didn't know how many people had died over the past seventeen years.
But he didn't dare calculate it, nor was he willing to.
He only remembered slaying three hundred and seventy-two Demons, and the blood he had shed for the Demon Suppression Division.
He thought that these merits and these scars were enough to justify exchanging them for a few more years of lingering existence.
But when that number was spoken aloud by another person in such a cold tone.
His pathetic pride was instantly shattered.
Gu Changge looked at his dejected appearance, took a deep breath, and waved his hand, "Forget it. What good is talking about this now..."
"Let me ask you, where does that beast usually stay now?"
"You've guarded this place for seventeen years. Don't tell me you don't know."
"..."
Guan Youlong raised his head, full of desolation and mockery, and actually started to laugh softly.
"Heh... even if I knew, what difference would it make?"
His gaze swept over the crowd, "Although this old man is aged, my eyesight is still sharp."
"Among the few of you, I doubt anyone is at the Ink Dot Realm, right?"
Before his voice had faded.
The man beside Gu Changge had already shouted sternly, "Cut the nonsense! If we tell you to speak, then speak!"
He gave a miserable laugh, "Back then, the Dusi of the Region and the Jiannan Circuit joined forces, dispatching seventeen Core Formation experts to encircle and suppress that beast, but what was the result?"
"The result was two Core Formation experts lost, yet that beast still managed to escape back into the depths of the Qiang River!"
"The Qiang River spans a thousand li, with water depths of a hundred zhang, and its cave waterways are complex and interwoven. Even an Immortal would find it impossible to drag it out of this water!"
"What's more, it belongs to the White Flood Dragon Clan and is inherently a powerful water Demon. In this river, even someone in the Ink Dot Realm might not fare well!"
He looked at Gu Changge and sneered, "Otherwise, when it was severely injured back then, why didn't this old man personally slay it? I may be old, but I'm not stupid! If you few go down there, you'll only be filling its stomach."
Gu Changge frowned deeply.
Guan Youlong's words were indeed true.
Although he was following the orders of the General Bureau to investigate this matter, he only had two Core Formation Realm experts under his command.
He himself was only in the Late Core Formation Stage.
"So what?" the man behind Gu Changge retorted stubbornly, "Are we supposed to be afraid of it? At worst, we can transfer people from the Jiannan Provincial Command right now!"
Guan Youlong merely sneered and said nothing more.
Transfer people?
Easier said than done.
What is the current situation of the Jiannan Provincial Command?
Commander Zhao is suppressing the most difficult major Demons within the Dao, and is already stretched thin with Clones.
The remaining Generals also have their own important duties.
How could they spare the time to come and suppress a mere Core Formation Demon.
Gu Changge took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his scattered thoughts.
He turned to look at Jiang Yuechu, his face showing some apology.
"Miss Jiang, it seems this matter requires careful long-term planning."
Jiang Yuechu was also feeling somewhat frustrated.
She nodded in response, but inwardly, she had lost most of her patience.
Gu Changge waved his hand, "Take this old geezer away and keep him under strict guard!"
"Yes!"
The two men answered and dragged the dejected Guan Youlong away, retreating outside.
For a moment, only Gu Changge and Jiang Yuechu remained in the room.
Gu Changge sighed and said, "How about this: I will send a message back to the General Bureau. I expect that soon, brothers who are skilled in water combat will come to assist us."
"When they arrive, we will surely be able to turn that beast's lair upside down."
Jiang Yuechu raised her eyes and looked at him.
"How long will that take?"
"Well..."
Gu Changge was taken aback by the question. "The General Bureau is far from here. A round trip will take at least a month."
"One month..."
That is too long.
The issue now isn't whether or not I can kill the Demon.
If she could truly find that beast, she was confident she had a good chance of slaying it alone.
But now... the damn Demon is nowhere to be found, so what should they do.
Just at this moment.
A wave of extremely dense Demonic Qi approached the stockade from the direction of the riverbank.
The two exchanged glances, both seeing a trace of surprise in the other's eyes... Outside the stockade.
The river wind blew, and the water vapor misted the air.
A handsome young man in a white robe, hands clasped behind his back, walked steadily and unhurriedly from the riverbank.
He wore a gentle smile and didn't look like a Demon; he looked more like a Young Master from a wealthy family out sightseeing.
However, the few Demon Suppression Guardss stationed at the stockade entrance instantly turned pale upon seeing the newcomer clearly.
"Brothers, long time no see."
The white-robed youth walked up to the gate, smiling as he cupped his hands in greeting.
The Demon Suppression Guardss' lips trembled, and they dared not speak.
The youth didn't mind. He just peered inside and asked, somewhat confused, "Is Brother Guan inside? Why is it so quiet today?"
"Lord... Lord Guan, he..."
A young Demon Suppression Guards mustered his courage and tried to say something.
But the words caught in his throat, scared back by the youth's gentle gaze.
"Never mind, never mind."
The youth waved his hand, completely unconcerned, "I suppose he's hiding in the room again. This old fellow is getting lazier the older he gets. I told him long ago that when you get older, you should move around more... Sigh..."
He sighed, shook his head, and his face was full of helplessness.
"I'll just go in and find him myself."
Having said that, he simply walked into the stockade right in front of everyone.
His demeanor and expression suggested he was entering an uninhabited place.
Clearly, this wasn't his first time visiting.