By the Bailu River, the wind and rain were gloomy.
Jiang Yuechu stood silently in the rain, allowing the Saber Intent to rampage through her Sea of Consciousness, finally flowing into the depths of her memory like a hundred rivers returning to the sea.
Within her Dantian, the ink-patterned Golden Core hummed and vibrated.
A wisp of True Qi surged along her Meridians without any obstruction, flowing out of her body.
"Saber Aura…"
Is this the biggest difference of Ink Dot Realm martial arts?
Before reaching the Ink Dot Realm, no matter how vigorous one's Qi and blood, or how abundant one's True Qi, one could not escape the limitations of a mortal body.
But once one reaches the Ink Dot Realm, True Qi transforms into an aura, which can leave the body to kill.
Taking a person's head from a hundred paces away is no longer an empty boast.
"Good stuff."
Jiang Yuechu praised.
With a thought, her panel appeared.
The two thousand seven hundred years of Dao Cultivation gained from slaying the White Salamander were all poured in.
[Consumed four hundred years of Dao Cultivation, White Tiger Geng Metal Blade has been raised to Proficient level]
[Consumed five hundred twenty years of Dao Cultivation, White Tiger Geng Metal Blade has been raised to Minor Achievement level]
[Consumed six hundred eighty years of Dao Cultivation, White Tiger Geng Metal Blade has been raised to Major Achievement level]
In an instant.
One thousand six hundred years of Dao Cultivation instantly evaporated.
Jiang Yuechu felt a sharp pain in her mind, experiencing for the first time a feeling that her body couldn't handle it.
She took a deep breath, suppressing the discomfort.
Even with her Yin Method Heaven Bestowal talent, which is highly compatible with saber techniques, she still felt somewhat powerless in the face of such profound Ink Dot Realm martial arts.
Over a thousand years of Dao Cultivation still remained.
Should she add more?
Following this increasing pattern, pushing from Major Achievement to Perfection would likely require at least seven or eight hundred, or even a thousand years of Dao Cultivation.
And to reach the Supreme Realm… Jiang Yuechu shook her head.
Nevermind.
Every bit of improvement counts.
Just add it first.
She continued to pour it in.
[Consumed eight hundred seventy years of Dao Cultivation, White Tiger Geng Metal Blade has been raised to Perfection level]
[Dao Cultivation: six hundred ten years]
Opening her eyes again, her entire aura changed instantly.
If someone were nearby, they would likely feel a tremor in their heart just from a glance.
The White Tiger Geng Metal Blade at the Perfection Realm, combined with her current four-pattern Ink Dot Realm cultivation, plus all those miscellaneous Divine Abilities.
In this Region East of the River, as long as she didn't encounter a Seed Lotus Great Demon, she should be able to walk unhindered… Thinking of this, Jiang Yuechu tidied her rain-soaked temples and let out a soft cry.
"Gee-up."
Yunbo neighed, clouds forming under its hooves, and galloped towards the City of Danyang… On the Danyang City walls.
Although the rain had stopped, the wind grew stronger.
Wang Shuixiang, with several Demon Suppression Guardss, had been waiting at the City gate.
Although he knew Jiang Yuechu's strength was astonishing, that White Lord was still a half-aquatic Great Demon. Hiding at the bottom of the river, how could ordinary Martial Artists of the same Realm be his match?
Just as everyone was feeling uneasy.
The crisp sound of hooves pierced through the rain, approaching from afar.
Wang Shuixiang's body trembled suddenly.
She's here!
In the hazy world, a white figure broke through the wind and rain, arriving at the City like an arrow shot from a bow.
Yunbo was magnificent, its four hooves stepping on the water without leaving a trace.
On horseback, the Silver Robe girl had a cold expression, her large cloak fluttering in the wind, showing no signs of having fought a Great Demon.
Whoa—
Jiang Yuechu reined in her horse, stopping at the City gate. Wang Shuixiang disregarded everything else, taking three steps as two, arriving before her horse, his gaze somewhat doubtfully scanning the girl.
"Your Excellency?"
Why did she return so quickly?
Less than half an hour had passed.
Even slaughtering a pig requires de-hairing and bleeding.
Let alone slaying a Demon?
Could it be that the beast was too formidable, and Your Excellency temporarily avoided its edge, returning to plan for the long term?
Thinking this, Wang Shuixiang's heart sank, but he dared not show it, quickly forcing a smile: "The rain makes the road slippery, did Your Excellency forget something? If anything is missing, This subordinate will immediately send someone to fetch it…"
Jiang Yuechu looked down at him, glancing.
"It's dead."
"D-dead?"
Wang Shuixiang subconsciously looked behind the girl, but saw nothing.
"Then… where's the corpse?"
Logically, after slaying such a Great Demon, one should bring back the corpse, both to reassure the people and as proof for claiming merit.
"It sank into the river."
Jiang Yuechu's expression remained unchanged.
"That beast was too big and troublesome to carry. I found it too smelly, so I kicked it into the muddy bottom of the river."
"If you want it, go fish it out yourself with your men."
"…"
Wang Shuixiang's mouth twitched.
But recalling the god-like methods displayed in front of the ruined temple just now.
Since Your Excellency said it's dead, then it's dead.
Moreover, as an Inspector, she wouldn't bother to tease a mere Brigade Commander with such matters.
"Your Excellency's Divine Might is unparalleled…"
As he spoke, he was about to kneel and kowtow again.
"That's enough."
Jiang Yuechu interrupted his movement.
"I'm about to set off for Suzhou Prefecture. Since it's on the way, I'll escort you for a while."
Upon hearing this.
Wang Shuixiang suddenly looked up, his single eye filled with disbelief, followed by ecstasy.
Currently, the situation in Region East of the River was chaotic. From Danyang to Suzhou, hundreds of miles of road, countless Demons and monsters lurked.
For their crippled forces to escort the heavily injured general to Suzhou for medical treatment was nothing short of a fool's dream.
But if there was a Silver Robe Inspector who could casually slay an Ink Dot Realm Great Demon presiding… "Your Excellency… is this true?!"
Jiang Yuechu glanced at him, saying faintly:
"What? You don't want to go?"
"I do! I do! A hundred times over!"
"This subordinate will go arrange it immediately!"
"Half an hour… No! A quarter of an hour! We will be ready to depart within a quarter of an hour!"
…From Danyang, heading southeast for over a hundred li, was Wujun.
People often said that the beauty of Jiangnan, Wujun claimed seven parts.
Here, waterways were dense and rivers crisscrossed. Even country bumpkins could hum a few tunes sung in soft Wunong dialect.
After the rain, the official road was less muddy, and the bluestone paved path stretched from beneath their feet, leading directly to the majestic prefectural City.
Jiang Yuechu sat upright on her horse, her hand on the saber hilt, her gaze sweeping the surroundings.
Along this journey, since leaving the Danyang territory, she had initially encountered a few ignorant minor Demons.
But the closer they got to Wujun, the quieter the surroundings became.
Let alone fully developed Demons, even ordinary minor Demons had vanished without a trace.
Wind rustled the rice waves, and egrets flew low.
It was so peaceful it felt unreal.
"Your Excellency."
Behind her, Wang Shuixiang spurred his horse forward a couple of steps, his expression now showing a hint of relief.
"Ten more li ahead, and we'll be at Suzhou Prefecture City."
Jiang Yuechu nodded slightly, retracting her gaze.
"It's quite clean around here."
Compared to the dire situation in Danyang, surrounded by Demons, there wasn't a trace of Demonic Qi here.
Wang Shuixiang grinned, his single eye filled with reverence, as he cupped his hands towards the prefectural City in the distance.
"That's natural."
"Of the nineteen prefectures in Region East of the River, any can be chaotic, but only Suzhou Prefecture cannot."
"Because our Commander-in-Chief of the Jiangdong Military Commission is stationed here."
Jiang Yuechu pondered.
Seed Lotus Realm.
After the Ink Dot Realm, one shatters the Golden Core and transforms it into a Dao Lotus. When the flower blooms, one sees the true self, not only greatly increasing one's lifespan but also granting an endless supply of True Qi.
With such a figure presiding, Demons and monsters would avoid a hundred-li radius.
Even Ink Dot Realm Great Demons wouldn't dare to act wildly under his nose.
Wang Shuixiang's tone carried a hint of pride, but it quickly dimmed.
"It's just a pity…"
"The Commander is tied up by the Lotus Cultivation Demon King, unable to spare a Clone. Otherwise, how could the situation in Region East of the River have reached this poin