Jiang Yuechu turned her head, following the sound.
She saw the young man who spoke, dressed in dark Xuan-colored attire, with a handsome face, though at the moment his brows were slightly furrowed, and his eyes held a hint of surprise.
"Lord Gu?"
Jiang Yuechu was somewhat surprised.
She hadn't expected to run into this old acquaintance right at the General Bureau' entrance in the vast Chang'an City.
The black-cloaked old man riding at the very front heard the commotion and reined in his horse to look back.
His gaze fell on the golden lion on Jiang Yuechu's shoulder, and he spoke, "You're the Jiang girl from the Longyou Commandery?"
Gu Changge quickly introduced, "Reporting to Deputy Commander, this is Miss Jiang Yuechu. She was the one who killed the Qiang River Dragon King."
The old man nodded slightly, but didn't say much else.
"Since we've met by chance, don't just stand there, let's go together."
With that said.
Without waiting for Jiang Yuechu's reaction, the old man squeezed his horse's belly with his legs.
"Hup—!"
The warhorse beneath him neighed, charging out like an arrow released from a bowstring.
The several people accompanying him dared not delay and quickly whipped their horses to follow.
Jiang Yuechu stood in place, holding her Red-Eyed Colt, her face full of bewilderment.
What does that mean?
Who is this old man?
Such imposing official authority... While she was still dazed, Gu Changge, who had fallen behind, rode up beside her, speaking quickly.
"Miss Jiang, since it's the Deputy Commander's intention, don't ask any more questions."
"It's an emergency; I'll explain in detail on the way."
Jiang Yuechu frowned, pointing to the large gate behind her.
"But I'm still waiting for someone..."
She had sent someone in to report; if she left now, wouldn't she be standing up Assistant General Cui?
Gu Changge was somewhat exasperated, waving his hand, "We can talk about it when we get back! It won't be too late to talk about it when we return! Quickly, mount up!"
With that, he said no more, shook his reins, and chased after the main group ahead.
"…"
Jiang Yuechu sighed.
What kind of situation was this?
She turned to look at the several men guarding the gate, speaking with a hint of apology:
"Excuse me, Big Brother, if General Cui comes out later, please tell him for me."
"Alright..."
Jiang Yuechu no longer hesitated and flipped onto her horse.
"Hup!"
The Red-Eyed Colt galloped, transforming into a streak of red and black light, chasing after the rolling dust at the end of the long street.
In just a moment.
On the long street, only the few guards watching the gate remained, looking at each other in dismay.
After a while.
The guard who had gone in to report earlier emerged from the gate in a hurry, leading a middle-aged man dressed in civilian clothes.
"Where is she?"
...Beyond Chunming Gate was a wide, straight official road, leading directly to the heartland of Guanzhong.
Ancient trees towered on both sides, their branches and leaves appearing even more verdant and deep after the autumn rain.
Horse hooves splashed through accumulated water, kicking up mud.
A line of more than ten riders, like a raging storm, startled the birds in the roadside forest, sending them scattering.
Gu Changge and Jiang Yuechu rode side by side, at the rear of the team.
Jiang Yuechu slightly tilted her head, finally unable to resist asking, "Lord Gu, where are we going in such a hurry?"
Gu Changge lowered his voice, a hint of helplessness on his face.
"Jingyang."
"Jingyang?"
Jiang Yuechu searched her mind.
That would be where Xianyang was in her previous life... It wasn't far from Chang'an; with the Red-Eyed Colt's speed, it would only take half a day.
"As you know, Chang'an is at the Emperor's feet, where Dragon Qi gathers."
"Ordinary Demons, let alone entering the city, would be so suppressed by the Dragon Qi that they could barely breathe if they even approached this capital region, losing nine-tenths of their cultivation."
"So..."
Gu Changge sighed, "There aren't actually many people stationed at the General Bureau."
"Most Martial Artists above the Ink Dot Realm have been dispatched to the surrounding provinces, either to guard passes or to patrol the four directions."
"Those remaining at the General Bureau, besides a few Deputy Commanders-in-Chief and Demon Suppressing Envoys, are mostly civil officials handling documents, and some ordinary Demon Suppression Guardss... As for other aristocratic families and major sects, they are unwilling to get too involved in these Demon-extermination affairs..."
Jiang Yuechu understood.
This was the so-called 'darkness under the lamp'.
The safest place, yet its defenses were the most lax.
If something really happened and the important figures weren't around, it would indeed be a struggle.
"Then this time..."
Jiang Yuechu's gaze fell on the figure at the very front.
"Our luck is bad this time."
Gu Changge shook his head, "The Deputy Commanders-in-Chief all happen to be out of the capital, and the Commander-in-Chief, along with the Right Demon Suppressing Envoy and Left Demon Suppressing Envoy, have gone to Jiangnan. Now only this Deputy Commander is in charge."
"Just half an hour ago, an urgent report came from Jingyang County."
"The Gui Jin Demon King, for some unknown reason, learned that the General Bureau was undefended and dared to slaughter three villages under Jingyang County's jurisdiction."
"Gui Jin Demon King?"
Jiang Yuechu's brows rose.
The resentment she felt from being inexplicably pressed into service vanished instantly upon hearing the words 'Demon King'.
A Demon King.
If she slew it, how much Dao Cultivation would she gain?
Three thousand years?
Or five thousand years?
"How strong is that beast?" Jiang Yuechu asked directly.
Gu Changge's expression was solemn as he said in a deep voice, "To dare to call itself a Demon King, its strength must be at least above the Ink Dot Realm. And to dare to be so brazen right under Chang'an's nose... its power is probably more than just a Zhonglian Realm Cultivator."
Upon hearing this, the fervor in Jiang Yuechu's eyes cooled slightly.
Above Ink Dot Realm.
Even higher.
While she was confident, she wasn't so arrogant as to think that a Perfected Core Formation cultivator like herself could directly confront a Demon of that caliber.
That old man looked rather imposing and was a Deputy Commander-in-Chief, so he must be a master.
But why drag her along?
Was it just to watch the old man show off?
As if sensing her confusion, Gu Changge looked left and right, confirming that the old man wasn't paying attention to them, then leaned in closer and lowered his voice, "We really can't get involved in battles of that level, but the Gui Jin Demon King isn't alone..."
"It has several Demon spawn under its command. Although their strength isn't as great as the old Demon's, they have all reached the Core Formation Realm."
A hint of helplessness appeared on Gu Changge's face, "These little beasts are the most cunning; if they see the situation is unfavorable, they will certainly scatter and flee."
Hearing this, Jiang Yuechu licked her somewhat dry lips, "So, the Demon King goes to the Deputy Commander, and the smaller ones go to us?"
Gu Changge nodded, seeing the girl's appearance—she probably hadn't even had a sip of water since arriving in Chang'an before being summoned for this task—he felt even more apologetic... "Miss Jiang, I'm truly sorry. The Deputy Commander-in-Chief didn't intend to make things difficult for you; it's just... there really aren't enough capable hands in the capital..."
Jiang Yuechu waved her hand, a look of righteous indignation on her face.
"Lord Gu, you're being too formal."
"As a member of the Demon Suppression Division, slaying Demons and eradicating evil is my duty. How can it be called trouble?"
Her grand words left Gu Changge stunned, and a sense of admiration rose in his heart.
Look.
This is awareness!
This is vision!
No wonder she achieved so much at such a young age; this Heart-Nature alone surpassed countless Prodigies in the capital.