Returning to the courtyard.
Since she had to go to Chang'an, and there was no knowing when she would return, she naturally had to take what was necessary.
But when she really started to pack, she discovered that she didn't seem to have much to organize.
A few changes of clothes, wrapped up in a bundle.
The remaining banknotes and loose silver were kept close to her body.
Apart from that, there really wasn't anything else.
Jiang Yuechu held that shriveled little bundle, standing in the empty bedroom, feeling somewhat dazed for a moment.
All alone, without a care in the world.
It sounded nice to call it carefree, but to put it bluntly...
"What is going on... Could it be that after becoming a woman, my personality has become so sentimental?"
Jiang Yuechu laughed at herself and shook her head.
In her previous life, she had traveled far from home, drifting alone, hadn't she lived like that for many years?
There was nothing to overthink.
After pondering for a while, she suddenly thought of something.
Since being promoted to Sixth-Rank Langjiang, her benefits had risen accordingly.
Usually busy with killing demons, she had no time to cook.
Two months had passed.
The rice and grain in this courtyard were piling up more and more.
"This..."
Jiang Yuechu looked at the room full of good things, feeling conflicted.
If she were going away for ten days or half a month, it would be fine.
But Wei He's words carried the implication of 'don't come back'.
If she truly stepped into the Dianmo Realm.
This trip to Chang'an would likely take some time.
If she left these things here, when she returned, the rice would be fine, but what about the meat?
She couldn't turn it all into cured meat...
Jiang Yuechu gritted her teeth.
Wasting food was a sin that would get one struck by lightning.
Sell it?
She couldn't find a way.
Besides, she was too lazy to sell it.
Then she would just give it away.
Jiang Yuechu leaned against the door frame, thinking through everyone she knew.
But after thinking it over, it seemed there really wasn't anyone to give it to.
"I've stayed in this Region for so long, and I don't even have a friend to give things to..."
She shook her head and was about to harden her heart and close the door, out of sight, out of mind.
In her mind, three faces suddenly flashed by.
...
Xuan Battalion.
The sun had just climbed onto the treetops.
Perhaps because they had lost everything.
In the courtyard, Chen Tong was shirtless, grunting as he practiced something.
No Abstinence was sprawled on a reclining chair, a tattered straw hat covering his face, sunning his belly, snoring away.
As for Liu Ke, he sat by the stone table, holding a book, reading intently.
The years were quiet and good.
Until—
Bang!
A loud noise.
The originally ajar courtyard gate was kicked open by someone, half of the door panel wobbling.
"Who?!"
Chen Tong's hand shook with fright, the stone lock almost crashing onto his feet.
No Abstinence jumped straight up from the reclining chair.
"What's wrong? What's wrong?"
The dust settled.
A slender figure strode in.
"Jiang... Lord Jiang?"
Chen Tong widened his eyes, looking at the two sacks that were almost burying someone, "What is this..."
Jiang Yuechu didn't speak.
Walking to the middle of the courtyard, she shook her shoulders.
Boom!
The two sacks crashed heavily to the ground.
The bags opened, and the contents rolled out.
Bright white polished rice, oily pork, and those few jars of mud-sealed aged wine.
"This..."
No Abstinence sniffed, his eyes went straight instantly, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, "This, this, this... where did you go to rob?"
"This is for you."
"For... for us?"
Chen Tong was a bit dazed, "My Lord, it's not a holiday, what is this about?"
Jiang Yuechu waved her hand, too lazy to explain, "I'm leaving for a while, might not be back for some time, and I can't take it with me anyway, so just take it."
Liu Ke asked in confusion, "Where is my Lord going?"
"Chang'an."
"..."
"My Lord, is this trip for... the Martial Temple?"
Jiang Yuechu didn't deny it, nodding her head.
Chen Tong sighed endlessly.
Chang'an was under the Emperor's feet, a place where Dragon Qi gathered.
Going to Chang'an.
A rough man like him... he had thought about it, but just thinking about it made him feel inexplicably restless.
After a long while.
No Abstinence finally came to his senses, gave a dry laugh, breaking the silence.
"As expected of Lord Jiang, this trip, I'm afraid you will truly become a Dragon."
Jiang Yuechu's expression was calm, not accepting the compliment.
Her gaze swept over the three of them.
She and these three could not be considered life-and-death friends; even the word 'friend' felt a bit forced.
But over these past few months, these few faces were the ones she found slightly more pleasing to the eye.
"Alright, I'm leaving. I hope that when I return, the three of you are still alive."
The cold voice drifted away in the wind.
...
Chen Tong sat on the stone stool, looking at the empty courtyard gate, feeling inexplicably melancholy.
They had witnessed firsthand how a woman went from a Squad Leader to where she was today.
It's just...
Sigh.
In the end, they were not people of the same path.
Liu Ke stared blankly into the distance.
He knew what this trip meant for Jiang Yuechu.
Core Formation Perfection, entering Chang'an to seek the seal.
Once she crossed over, she would be in the Dianmo Realm.
And they...
Could only remain in this corner of the Region City.
Liu Ke shook his head and said, "Since my Lord left these things, we should take good care of them. We can't have her flying in the sky while we can't even walk steadily on the ground."
Chen Tong paused, then gave a bitter smile.
That was true.
People have their own fates.
Why compare oneself to others.
No Abstinence picked up a jar of wine, broke the mud seal, and took a huge gulp.
Then his eyes became blurred, looking at the square sky above surrounded by high walls.
Chang'an...
The monk hiccuped and laughed.
It's damn far.
...
Half a month later.
Chang'an.
Drizzle fell continuously.
This majestic city of the world was currently shrouded in misty rain.
Inside the golden, magnificent palace, the officials stood in rows.
The young emperor, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe and wearing a crown, sat upright.
Only, the eyes hidden behind the beaded curtain were full of exhaustion.
"Your Majesty! Henan Circuit has suffered a great drought this year, with barren land stretching for a thousand miles and no harvest. The number of refugees has exceeded one hundred thousand and is now surging towards Luoyang. If silver is not allocated for disaster relief, I fear a popular uprising will occur!"
As soon as the voice fell, another person stepped out.
"Your Majesty! Urgent report from the border: the remnants of the Turks are colluding with demons, frequently invading the border recently, and have even slaughtered two border towns. The garrison Commander is requesting reinforcements!"
"Your Majesty! Jiangnan Circuit..."
"..."
Memorials were presented one after another.
Natural disasters, man-made calamities, demon infestations, foreign enemies.
The seemingly powerful Great Tang was actually plagued by internal and external troubles.
The young emperor closed his eyes slightly, his palm on the armrest of the dragon throne slowly tightening.
In fact, he had never felt that being an emperor was a happy thing.
If it weren't for Lonely Moon...
In his mind, a young, delicate face suddenly appeared...
"Enough."
A low shout.
Although not loud, it instantly silenced the noisy palace.
The young emperor slowly opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the officials below.
"All morning, all I have heard is where there is a disaster, where people have died, and where money is needed."
"What? Is there not a single satisfying thing in my Great Tang's vast territory? Is there not even a single piece of good news?!"
The officials trembled all over and knelt to the ground in unison.
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger! We deserve death!"
"Death, death! All day long, it's death! If I really executed all of you, what would you do?!"
"..."
No one dared to speak.
The Old Eunuch looked at the ground dumbly.
He didn't even dare to complain internally, seemingly afraid that the emperor had mind-reading powers.
The emperor rubbed his brow irritably, his eyes full of ferocity.
For a long time.
A low voice sounded.
"Your Majesty, I... do have some good news."
Everyone looked towards the sound.
They saw an old man in a black official robe with red patterns slowly walking out from the military official's ranks.
It was the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the current Demon Suppression Division.
The emperor glanced at him, his expression softening slightly.
"Speak."
The old man took a report from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.
"An extraordinary talent has recently emerged from the Longyou Commandery."
Hearing the words 'Longyou', the emperor's eyelids twitched slightly, and he sat up straight unconsciously.
"This woman is named Jiang Yuechu, only seventeen or eighteen years old, and has already cultivated to Core Formation."
"A few days ago, she even single-handedly killed a Core Formation Great Demon that had been causing chaos on the Qiang River in Jiannan Circuit for many years!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the court was in an uproar.
Those ministers who were originally kneeling on the ground all showed expressions of shock, whispering to each other.
"Seventeen or eighteen? Core Formation?"
"Could it be something made up by the Demon Suppression Division to please His Majesty?"
The emperor also raised his eyebrows, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes.
The Core Formation Realm might not be considered the peak in the court, but that was a Core Formation Realm at seventeen or eighteen!
Such talent was unheard of, even in Chang'an, where prodigies gathered.
"A bit interesting..."
Seeing that the emperor was interested, the old man quickly struck while the iron was hot.
"Not only that."
"After the Commander-in-Chief carefully investigated, he specifically instructed me to pass a message to Your Majesty."
The emperor frowned and said, "What did the Commander-in-Chief say?"
"The Commander-in-Chief said: This woman is gifted, with a resilient Heart-Nature. If carefully cultivated, in time..."
"It is highly likely that she will become the next Lamp Lighting Realm pillar of the nation for our Great Tang!"
---
(End of this volume)