The two led their horses and found a sheltered, recessed rock wall.
The terrain here was slightly higher, allowing them to overlook the winding, narrow ancient path below.
Several dead sour jujube trees grew askew in the rock crevices, providing perfect cover.
The mountain wind howled, mixed with a hint of undried rain.
Jiang Yuechu leaned against the rock wall, reaching out to brush off the water droplets on her body.
Gu Changge stood to the side, his gaze a little unfocused, occasionally stealing glances at the girl beside him.
The girl's profile was cool and clear, her nose bridge high. Several strands of loose hair were disheveled by the wind, clinging to her fair cheeks.
Even in this desolate ambush location, she was captivating.
"Cough..."
Gu Changge lightly coughed, making conversation, "Miss Jiang, how do you find Chang'an after just arriving?"
Jiang Yuechu's gaze remained fixed on the mountain pass to the north, not turning her head.
"Big."
"And what else?"
"Things seem quite expensive..."
Gu Changge froze, then chuckled wryly.
"Indeed, rice is expensive in Chang'an, making it difficult to live here."
"However, with your abilities, if you wanted to settle down in Chang'an, it wouldn't be hard."
"General Bureau has always been generous with talented individuals. Even just a leisurely position, with monthly salary and various allowances, would be enough to buy a small courtyard in the capital."
"Lord Gu, you jest."
Jiang Yuechu said indifferently, "I merely had good luck; how dare I aspire to high office and generous emoluments?"
"Luck is also a kind of strength."
Gu Changge sighed, then changed the subject, his expression turning a little strange.
"Oh, right, Miss Jiang."
"Hm?"
"Later, if those demon cubs come, you'll need to be mentally prepared."
Jiang Yuechu raised an eyebrow, "What? Are they hard to kill?"
"It's not that they're hard to kill..."
Gu Changge scratched his head, his expression difficult to describe.
"This Gui Jin Demon King's true form is a mountain goat."
"A goat?"
Jiang Yuechu was startled.
In her mind, she subconsciously pictured those docile, bleating herbivorous livestock.
"Do not underestimate this beast."
Gu Changge's expression was solemn, "Among the ancient constellations, there is a place for the Ghost Gold Sheep."
"Although this Demon King has a sheep's body, its nature is brutal, and it enjoys eating human hearts."
"Furthermore..."
"This beast is extremely skilled at bewitching people, loving to wear human skin and feign a benevolent appearance, mingling among the common folk."
"Most of its cubs are also mountain goats and wild sheep that have become spirits."
Jiang Yuechu nodded thoughtfully.
She had heard of wolves in sheep's clothing. This was her first time seeing a sheep in human skin.
Just as they were speaking.
Buzz—!
The demon-seeking plate in Gu Changge's arms suddenly trembled slightly.
Both their expressions simultaneously turned serious.
Gu Changge quickly pulled out the compass.
"They're here!"
Jiang Yuechu did not look at the compass.
Her gaze pierced through the layers of rubble, locking onto the dim mountain pass.
After a long while.
Several figures were stumbling and running.
They looked like a few ragged refugees, old and young, supporting each other, their faces filled with terror.
One old man, carrying a large cloth bag, ran while looking back, as if something was chasing him.
Gu Changge's brows were tightly furrowed, and he hesitated.
"Are they common folk?"
Although he knew these beasts were skilled at disguise, now that they were right in front of him, for a moment, he truly couldn't distinguish between real and fake.
If they were truly common folk... if he rashly attacked, he would not only harm the innocent, but if the true Prodigy happened to witness this scene, they would undoubtedly flee.
Although he didn't expect to achieve any great merit this time, he also didn't want the merit he had almost grasped to fly away... "Miss Jiang, look..."
Before he finished speaking.
Gu Changge only felt a blur before his eyes.
The black figure that had been leaning against the rock wall beside him had already vanished.
Only a faint, lingering cold fragrance remained.
A dark figure, like a falcon pouncing on a rabbit, leaped down from the several-zhang high rock wall.
The few fleeing common folk seemed to be stunned by this sudden turn of events, freezing in place.
Jiang Yuechu was expressionless, and a red mist flashed in her clear, cold eyes.
Clang—!!!
The long saber was unsheathed.
Her entire body's Qi and blood surged like a rushing river, all pouring into the slender blade.
Golden light shone brightly, like the rising sun.
Golden Lion Overlord Saber!
Roar—!!!
A deafening lion's roar echoed through the sky!
There was no probing.
Her first move was a killing blow!
The few common folk below were clearly stunned by this sudden turn of events.
Where did this madwoman come from?
She didn't even ask a question, just came up and started chopping?!
"Damn!"
The eyes of the old man leading the group, carrying the cloth bag, instantly turned crimson.
Since they couldn't pretend anymore, they wouldn't!
Rip—!
A grating sound of tearing cloth rang out.
Several human skins were actually ripped apart from the inside.
Black fur sprouted, muscles bulged.
In the blink of an eye.
Several thin disaster victims actually grew against the wind, transforming into four or five upright monsters, two to three meters tall.
They had sheep heads and human bodies, with hooves and claws like hooks.
Especially the leading Sheep Demon, whose physique was the most robust, with two spiraling, curved black horns on its head, faintly glinting with cold light.
"You courting death!"
The Sheep Demon was enraged.
It had intended to rely on its human skin disguise, but who would have thought this woman would be so unreasonable!
Seeing the horizontal saber already above its head.
The Sheep Demon did not retreat but advanced, its hooves fiercely stomping the ground.
With a low growl, it actually lowered its head, its huge black horns smashing horizontally towards the girl.
However.
Seeing that the girl did not retreat, the Sheep Demon became even more furious.
Its pair of sheep horns, tempered a thousand times, were as hard as adamantine; how could mere mortal iron compare?
Since you're looking for death yourself, don't blame this old goat for being ruthless!
Clang—!!!
A massive clang of metal echoed through the valley.
The next second.
As the Sheep Demon had expected, the horizontal saber shattered inch by inch, turning into countless fragments.
"Gagaga~"
The Sheep Demon felt a slight tingling on its scalp. Seeing the opponent's weapon destroyed, it immediately let out a strange laugh.
"Without your saber, how will you..."
Before its words fell.
The girl had already thrown down the saber hilt, her body twisting in mid-air in an extremely bizarre manner, like a boneless spirit snake.
Using the Reflection force (recoil force) from the shattering blade, she spun around.
Her left hand drew a circle, her right hand formed a palm.
The originally fierce and dominant Qi instantly became unfathomable, with Yin and Yang energies flowing in her palm.
Accumulate power.
Release power.
Yin-Yang Horizontal Hand!
Boom—!!!
This palm struck the Sheep Demon directly in the face.
Its huge body was sent flying like a soccer ball.
Whoosh—
The entire sheep flew backward, tumbling wildly along the ancient path strewn with rubble.
It rolled for dozens of turns.
Until it crashed into a huge rock, finally coming to a stop.
"Meeh..."
The Sheep Demon struggled to get up, one of its black horns broken off.
Its elongated sheep face was directly twisted to the base of its neck, its jaw dislocated, and its tongue hanging out.