The Drinking Horse River water was murky.
Yue Huaiyuan, holding his black-gold spear, slowly swam back, utilizing the buoyancy of the water.
The massive black flood Dragon's corpse floated silently in the water, its Dragon blood still gushing out, staining a large area of the Drinking Horse River.
It's dead.
It's really dead.
This Great General of Yu Hang looked at the scene before him, his gaze finally settling on the silver-white figure.
The young girl held a dark, heavy long saber, her figure slender, appearing exceptionally small before the mountain-like corpse.
Yet, such a tiny body contained the immense power to slay a Dragon.
Yue Huaiyuan felt no joy in his heart; instead, an indescribable bitterness welled up.
If... if the older generation of the Great Tang had been a bit more resolute.
Why would a seventeen-year-old Little Girl have to bear such a heavy burden?
He sighed deeply in his heart and put away his long spear.
He swam to Jiang Yuechu's side, pointed to the murky water surface above, and then to the huge black flood Dragon's corpse beside them.
Then, he waved his hand.
His gaze was grave, carrying a hint of warning.
The meaning was clear.
Although this beast was dead, its corpse was a huge problem.
Absolutely do not entertain the thought of taking this corpse to the imperial court for merit.
It would be best to destroy the evidence, as if it had simply vanished.
Jiang Yuechu understood the look.
Not only did she not feel wronged, but a hint of a smile flashed in her eyes.
Just as I wished.
Jiang Yuechu nodded slightly, indicating that she understood.
Then.
Under Yue Huaiyuan's astonished gaze.
The young girl slowly parted her red lips and, facing the massive Dragon corpse, took a fierce inhale.
Buzz—!!!
The strange warm current in her abdomen instantly began to rotate.
In the blink of an eye.
The colossal mountain of flesh that had filled their vision vanished without a trace.
The riverbed was empty, with only the churning mud and sand remaining, proving that a colossal creature had indeed lain there moments ago.
"???"
Yue Huaiyuan's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
Such a massive flood Dragon, just like that... gone?!
What kind of Demonic Art is this?!
Jiang Yuechu paid no attention to the old general's ghost-like expression, merely patting her stomach with satisfaction.
Within the Sumeru space in her abdomen, the black flood Dragon's corpse lay quietly, even the dark blue precious saber was stored inside.
It was truly convenient to the extreme.
From now on, if she encountered the corpse of a Demon that she couldn't absorb immediately, she wouldn't have to worry.
At once.
She kicked off with her feet, her body shooting up like a swimming fish, heading towards the surface... Splash—!
Two figures broke through the water one after another.
By this time, the rain had stopped, the dark clouds had dispersed, and a cold moon hung in the sky, casting down its clear light.
The two climbed onto the riverbank.
Yue Huaiyuan didn't bother to wipe the water from his body, rushing a few steps to Jiang Yuechu's front.
"Inspector Jiang?!"
He circled the young girl twice, his tone full of doubt and surprise.
"Where... where is that beast's corpse?"
Although he knew that some Martial Arts and Divine Abilities were bizarre and unpredictable, the sight of an entire flood Dragon vanishing into thin air truly exceeded his decades of understanding.
Jiang Yuechu wrung out her soaked sleeve, her expression calm.
"Just a small trick."
"My Spiritual Seal is special; it forms its own space and can contain all things."
"Didn't the General just signal me to destroy the evidence?"
"I thought the riverbed wasn't safe, and if the scouts from the Drinking Horse River found any remnants, it would also be trouble, so I simply put it away."
Spiritual Seal?
Yue Huaiyuan was startled.
Then he suddenly understood.
That's right.
These Spiritual Seals, sought by Martial Artists from heaven and earth, were all strange and wondrous in their own ways.
Since some could summon wind and rain, and others could gain copper skin and iron bones.
Such a method seemed perfectly reasonable, didn't it?
"So that's it... so that's it..."
Yue Huaiyuan muttered to himself, his gaze towards Jiang Yuechu becoming even stranger.
If he hadn't seen wrong, just now in the water, the one tiger and one bear behind the young girl were incredibly powerful in battle.
Now, even a travel bag was saved.
This Spiritual Seal, it was truly... practical.
After a brief moment of shock, a look of relief quickly appeared on his face.
"This is good too..."
He began to put on his heavy black iron armor piece by piece again, his movements nimble, but his mouth didn't stop.
"Lord Jiang, this matter is known to heaven and earth, and to you and me."
"As for that Xie Tinglan kid... he is Commander Lu's Personal Disciple, so he naturally understands the stakes involved. Although the Drinking Horse River is strong, it is separated by the vast East Sea. As long as we keep the news sealed, it will take at least a month or two for those beasts from overseas to detect any anomaly here."
"By the time they send scouts, cross the sea, and then figure out all the twists and turns..."
Having fastened the last armor strap, Yue Huaiyuan picked up his black-gold long spear.
"It will be at least half a year from now."
Half a year.
For ordinary people, it was merely the harvest of two seasons of crops.
But for this rapidly changing chaotic world, and for Jiang Yuechu, who possessed the hundred demons compendium.
Half a year was enough for too many things to happen.
"Half a year..."
Jiang Yuechu gently stroked the hilt of her saber.
If she were given half a year, then if people from the Drinking Horse River truly came seeking revenge... it would be hard to say who was the hunter and who was the hunted.
"Let's go."
Jiang Yuechu mounted her Horses Name.
Although Horses Name had been utterly exhausted earlier, it seemed to sense the terrifying aura of the great Demon dissipating and regained some spirit, snorting and creating clouds with its hooves.
Yue Huaiyuan hoisted the large spear onto his shoulder and walked alongside the horse.
"The rain has stopped, but the wind is even colder."
"The west lake vinegar fish wasn't finished, what a pity. But if we go back now, have the cook reheat it, and warm two pots of yellow wine, it'll be just right to dispel this chill."
Hearing this, Jiang Yuechu's small face stiffened, and she turned her head to say seriously: "General Yue."
"What is it?"
"You and I have no past grievances, no recent enmity, and today we just teamed up to slay a Demon, so we can be considered comrades-in-arms... why do you want to harm me?"
"..."
...They walked back for about ten miles.
From afar, they saw Xie Tinglan leading more than ten Demon Suppression Guardss, anxiously pacing at the crossroads.
Seeing the two figures, one white and one black, emerge from the darkness, Xie Tinglan's body trembled, and he quickly spurred his horse forward.
"Lord Jiang! General Yue!"
Xie Tinglan's gaze kept darting behind the two, seemingly searching for something.
"Where... where is that beast?"
Yue Huaiyuan said expressionlessly: "It ran away."
"Ran... ran away?"
"That was a great Demon at Perfection in the Ink-Dipping Realm, and a water-dwelling Demon at that. If it was determined to run, could we have stopped it?"
Yue Huaiyuan lied confidently: "But that beast isn't doing well either. It took a saber strike from Lord Jiang and a spear thrust from me; even if it's not dead, it's lost a layer of skin. It was probably scared out of its wits and fled back to its East Sea home."
Xie Tinglan was a smart man.
He immediately understood the other party's meaning.
Ran away?
It's more like there's not even a speck left.
But he didn't ask anything, merely took a deep breath.
"Since the Demon has retreated, that is Yu Hang's good fortune."
"It's late and the dew is heavy. Both adults are exhausted from the fierce battle, so it's best to return to the city and rest as soon as possible."