Wind swept yellow sand, withered grass bent low.
Jiang Yuechu reined in her horse and looked back.
The distant figure was already blurry, eventually disappearing into the sky-filling dust.
Withdrawing her gaze, she let out a soft sigh.
The Henan Circuit was currently suffering a severe drought, and demons were taking advantage of the chaos.
If she could stay here, in half a month, she could gain at least several thousand years of Dao Cultivation.
It was a pity.
But after all, the two of them came from the same master.
It was only right for Senior Brother to stay and help.
This arduous task of delivering a package naturally fell to her, the outsider.
Moreover, this trip to Taihu Lake had already yielded a bountiful harvest; one shouldn't be too greedy.
Thinking of this, Jiang Yuechu no longer dwelled on it.
"Hup!"
Yunbo neighed, clouds rising from its four hooves.
One person and one horse transformed into a silver-white streak of light, heading west along the official road... out of Henan Circuit, past Tong Pass, was the territory of Guan Nei Circuit.
Jiang Yuechu traveled alone, resting by night and traveling by day.
In just over ten days.
The majestic imperial capital, dominating Guanzhong and swallowing ten thousand li of Qi, was already faintly visible in the distance.
Seeing the thirty-foot-high blue-gray city walls again, Jiang Yuechu felt a sense of unreality, as if a lifetime had passed.
When she left the capital, it was only early autumn.
Now that she was back, it was almost winter.
The willows by the moat had long shed their leaves, leaving only dry branches lashing the water in the cold wind.
At the city gate.
A bustling crowd formed a long line.
Although Jiang Yuechu's Silver Robe had been damaged in Jiangnan, she was now simply dressed in black close-fitting attire.
But the Yunbo beneath her had already revealed her identity.
The guards at the gate, seeing this, dared not obstruct her in the slightest. They quickly clasped their fists in salute and respectfully let her pass.
Jiang Yuechu did not dismount, merely nodded slightly and rode into the city.
The clamor of human voices rushed over her.
After a brief moment of sensing, she didn't linger and headed straight for the east side of the Imperial City... the Demon Suppression Headquarters.
Twelve black-armored Demon Suppression Guardss stood with halberds, their figures like pines, unmoving.
The leading guard idly counted the fallen leaves on the ground, pondering which wine shop to warm himself in after his shift.
Clip-clop-clop—
A series of crisp hoofbeats broke the dead silence of the long street.
The guard lifted his eyelids, casually glancing over.
This glance, however, made his pupils suddenly constrict.
At the end of the long street, one person and one horse slowly approached.
The horse was pure white, with a single horn on its forehead, and clouds rising from its four hooves, not touching the dust as it walked.
"Yunbo?!"
The guard's heart skipped a beat.
As a doorkeeper of the Demon Suppression Headquarters, he had this much discernment.
This was a mount only Silver-Robed Inspectors were qualified to have!
In the entire General Bureau, the masters who could ride this thing could be counted on two hands.
Which Lord has returned to the capital?
He dared not be negligent, quickly straightened his back, and gave a look to his brothers behind him.
As the person and horse drew closer.
The guard clearly saw the person on horseback.
Dressed in black close-fitting attire, covered in travel dust.
But that wasn't the main point.
The main point was that face.
"This..."
The guard was stunned.
Why did this face look somewhat familiar?
Before he could search his mind for the corresponding name.
The young woman reined in her horse and spoke calmly.
"What, you don't recognize me?"
The guard's body trembled.
"Lord Jiang... Lord Jiang?!"
"It's me."
Jiang Yuechu dismounted, casually handing the reins to a dumbfounded guard nearby.
"Please, take the horse to the stable and feed it some good fodder."
The guard clumsily took the reins.
"Yes... yes! This subordinate obeys!"
Just as she stepped over the threshold.
She ran into a group of people hurrying out.
The person at the head was frowning and instructing someone beside him.
"This batch of supplies must be sent to Jiangnan West Circuit quickly, they're pressing hard..."
"Also, the Henan Circuit side..."
Mid-sentence, he seemed to notice someone blocking his way and impatiently looked up.
"Brigade Commander Jiang? Oh no, Inspector Jiang?!"
This shout immediately drew the attention of everyone around.
Jiang Yuechu stopped, smiling slightly.
"Lord Cui, still well."
Cui Yuan swallowed, sizing her up.
"You... you've returned to the capital?"
"Just arrived."
Cui Yuan immediately leaned closer, lowering his voice to ask:
"That matter at Taihu Lake... is it true?"
These past few days, rumors had been rampant in the capital.
It was said that a newly promoted Silver-Robed Inspector of the General Bureau, Inspector Jiang Yuechu, had slain a Zhonglian Realm demon king with a single saber strike at Taihu Lake in the Region East of the River.
When Cui Yuan first heard this news, he didn't believe it one bit.
What kind of joke was this?
He had personally led her into the Martial Temple, how long had it been?
Slaying a Zhonglian?
Even storytellers wouldn't dare make up such a tale!
But then, the victory report from the Jiangdong Military Commission reached the General Bureau.
He had no choice but to believe it.
Jiang Yuechu's expression was calm; she did not deny it.
"Just good luck."
"Good luck?"
Cui Yuan's mouth twitched.
I also want to be lucky once, why don't I have that fate?
He took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart, and a complex smile appeared on his face.
"Lord Jiang... you are too modest."
"Now, who in the entire General Bureau doesn't know your great name?"
"A seventeen-year-old Silver Robe, slaying a Zhonglian..."
Cui Yuan shook his head, his tone somewhat wistful.
"I remember when you first came to Chang'an, it was This subordinate who led you to the Martial Temple..."
"In the blink of an eye, you are already a major figure capable of handling things on your own."
Jiang Yuechu was not good at such pleasantries, she merely nodded.
"I still need to report back to the Deputy Commander-in-Chief, so I won't chat any longer."
"Oh, oh! Right! Business first!"
Cui Yuan seemed to awaken from a dream, quickly stepping aside to clear the path: "Deputy Commander-in-Chief Zhao is discussing matters in the main hall, please go ahead."
Jiang Yuechu didn't stand on ceremony and stepped in.
Watching the tall, dark-robed figure disappear at the end of the corridor.
Cui Yuan stood in place, unmoving for a long time.
A subordinate beside him carefully leaned in.
"Lord Cui... is this the legendary Inspector Jiang?"
"She looks about the same age as my daughter, does she really have such abilities?"
Cui Yuan snorted coldly, turning his head to glare at his subordinate.
"What do you know? She is His Imperial High—"
He stopped mid-sentence, realizing his slip of the tongue, and quickly coughed. "Alright, alright, go do what you're supposed to do, don't talk too much!"
...Inside the main hall.
Zhao Zhongliu still looked as lazy as ever.
Below, several people were quietly reporting on the situations in various regions.
Most were trivial matters, making the old man somewhat drowsy.
"Report—"
A voice announced from outside the door.
"Silver-Robed Inspector, Jiang Yuechu, has returned to the capital to report!"
Hearing this.
Zhao Zhongliu's half-closed eyes instantly opened, gleaming brightly.
"Let her in."
The few people below also exchanged glances, quickly closing their mouths, their gazes uniformly directed towards the door.
In recent days, this name had been like thunder.
A moment later.
A dark-robed figure stepped over the threshold and strode into the hall.
Without any unnecessary words.
Jiang Yuechu walked to the center of the hall, clasped her fists in a salute, her voice clear and cold.
"This subordinate, Jiang Yuechu, greets the Deputy Commander-in-Chief."