Many times, people think they have grasped their destiny, but in reality, destiny has grasped them.
"Jiang Yuechu, daughter of Jiang Xun?"
As soon as these words were spoken, Jiang Yuechu was stunned. She had considered the possibility of her identity being exposed, but she hadn't expected it to happen in this way.
Damn!
Damn!
Damn!
In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through her mind.
Run?
How to run?
This is the Bureau Office of the Demon-Suppressing Bureau, and she can't even get out of bed right now.
Kill to silence?
Even in her prime, the middle-aged man before her seemed even more unfathomable than the Resonating Bone Stage pig demon.
Play dumb?
"Sir, what are you talking about? I don't understand..."
This would not only treat the other party as a fool but also make herself seem foolish.
In a flash of lightning, the suffocating terror was forcibly suppressed by her. She lifted her eyes, looked at that scholarly face, and her heart unexpectedly calmed down.
Thinking carefully, her body's previous owner was a prisoner personally escorted by the Demon-Suppressing Bureau. From the capital to Longyou, the documents, files, and registers clearly recorded her name, origin, and possibly even her portrait.
As long as she needed to slay demons and the Demon-Suppressing Bureau existed, they would inevitably meet; it was only a matter of time.
Understanding this, Jiang Yuechu felt inexplicably relieved. It was like a criminal hiding every day, suddenly caught, perhaps feeling a sense of relief.
She didn't answer Wei He's question, just silently looked at him. This reaction made a trace of surprise flash in Wei He's eyes.
Wei Qing, standing beside, looked at his brother and then at the silent girl on the bed, full of confusion.
"Brother, do you... know each other?"
Wei He shook his head, "Not really... Qing'er, you should leave first."
Not really?
Wei Qing felt puzzled. She knew her brother's temperament best. Her brother, apart from official duties, was always practicing his blade, sparing with words, rarely smiling. Even the dogs in the house avoided him due to his heavy aura.
But from the moment he instructed her to personally care for this girl, Wei Qing felt something was off. Not only did he have her personally care for her, but the medicines used were all rare treasures from the Bureau's storeroom—snow ginseng, yellow essence...
These items were not easily used even for severely injured officers. Yet now, they were being lavishly used on a girl of unknown origin.
Could it be... this girl was a romantic debt her brother owed outside?
Wei Qing quickly shook her head, dismissing the absurd thought. Her brother was like a block of wood; what did he know about romance?
While her thoughts ran wild, she obediently responded, bowed, and left, gently closing the door behind her.
In the room, only Jiang Yuechu and Wei He remained. Silence fell.
Wei He didn't speak, and neither did Jiang Yuechu.
After a long while, Wei He finally spoke slowly, "Half a month ago, Pei Changqing led a team of Demon Suppression Guards from Liangzhou. Until now, they have suddenly lost contact, their fate unknown."
"Only you survived..."
At this point, further explanations were futile. She slowly raised her head, meeting Wei He's gaze.
"What do you want?"
Wei He looked at her straightforward demeanor and instead smiled.
"What do I want?"
"Jiang Yuechu, you are a fugitive, meant to be exiled to the border. Escaping adds to your crime, not to mention the suspicion of harming the Demon-Suppressing Bureau's people, punishable by death according to the law."
"However..."
Wei He shifted his tone.
"You killed a Resonating Bone Demon, saving Xu Nian, Liu Chen, and seven other Demon Suppression Guards. This is a great merit."
He tapped his knee with two fingers.
"Merit offsets fault, your life is spared."
Jiang Yuechu didn't speak, just stared at him.
She didn't believe there was such a good thing in the world. Would the Demon-Suppressing Bureau let go of a fugitive who might have killed their colleague just because she made a contribution?
Wei He finally revealed his purpose.
"I'm curious about your strange abilities, but I can also ignore them."
He stood up, walked to the window, and stood with his back to Jiang Yuechu.
"Now, you have two choices."
"First, I send you back to the capital. Your strange abilities and Pei Changqing's death will be thoroughly investigated by the Ministry of Justice, Dali Temple, and the Imperial City Division."
"Rest assured, no one dares to use private punishment on a prisoner of the Demon-Suppressing Bureau."
Jiang Yuechu's heart sank instantly.
Return to the capital?
Her father's case was already suspicious, and her current strength was barely at String-Attuned Perfection. If sent back, it would be a matter of life and death.
Wei He turned around, "It's simple."
"Our Demon-Suppressing Bureau doesn't care about your background or past, only your skills."
"Join the Demon-Suppressing Bureau."
"From now on, your matters, including the Jiang family's case, will be written off, and no one will pursue you."
"You slay demons for the Bureau, and the Bureau provides you protection."
"What do you say?"
Jiang Yuechu's expression turned strange.
Was there even a choice?
A fugitive without registration or travel permits, in a world plagued by demons and strict government, could hardly survive.
But joining the Demon-Suppressing Bureau not only solved the registration issue but also allowed her to slay demons and improve her skills legitimately.
Was there such a good thing in the world?
Wei He didn't know her thoughts. Seeing her strange expression, he thought she was frightened by the proposal to join the Bureau.
It was understandable. Martial artists were as numerous as fish in the river, but few were willing to join the Demon-Suppressing Bureau. Talented individuals were even rarer.
Why? Fear of death.
Joining the Bureau meant a life with demons, licking blood off blades, living precariously. Most would rather join a major sect, serve a wealthy family, or seek a military career, all more stable than the Bureau.
Though the Bureau's salary and benefits were unmatched in the Great Tang, what use was wealth if one lost their life?
But he couldn't have imagined the girl before him was not normal.
Wei He had prepared a speech, ready to threaten with the consequences of being sent back to the capital, then entice with the Bureau's benefits—salary, merits, martial arts, divine weapons... all within reach if capable.
He even planned to reveal some details of the Jiang family's case if she hesitated, making her realize the Bureau was her only refuge.
But before he could speak, he heard the girl on the bed softly utter a word.
"Okay."
Her decisiveness left Wei He momentarily speechless.
"...What did you say?"
Jiang Yuechu raised her eyes and calmly repeated.
"I choose to join the Demon-Suppressing Bureau."
"..."
"Ahem..."
Wei He cleared his throat, covering his slight surprise, "Since you agreed, from today, you are a Demon Suppression Guard of the Longyou Circuit's Demon-Suppressing Bureau."
"Demon Suppression Guard?"
"A 9th-Rank Demon Suppression Guard, the lowest rank in our Bureau, with a monthly salary of five taels, three stones of rice, ten pounds of meat, and issued a standard horizontal blade, made of black iron, sharp enough to cut hair, with two sets of clothes and a waist badge."
"Injury is compensated, death is honored, and family can attend the Bureau's school without tuition."
For some reason, he patiently explained, "Technically, you could be an 8th-Rank Captain for slaying a Resonating Bone Demon and having innate abilities. But even I started as a Demon Suppression Guard, rising through merits. Colleagues don't like seeing someone rise too quickly, you understand?"
Jiang Yuechu didn't mind.
A 9th-Rank Demon Suppression Guard, though the lowest, was still an official. In her memory, a 7th-Rank county magistrate was like a local emperor.
As a fugitive, becoming a 9th-Rank official, especially in the Demon-Suppressing Bureau, wasn't a loss.
And a monthly salary of five taels was decent. In the capital, a regular family of five spent about two taels a month.
This was just the basic salary; there were evidently other earnings.
"Thank you for the guidance, sir."
Seeing her response, a trace of satisfaction flashed in Wei He's eyes.
"Your qi and blood are depleted, though sustained by spiritual medicine, the foundation is damaged. Recovery will take time. Rest here for a few days."
"Once healed, I'll have someone take you to your post."
"Thank you, sir."
"No need to thank me. You serve the Bureau, and the Bureau won't mistreat you..."
He paused, seemingly contemplating, then spoke again.
"Your father Jiang Xun's case is complex, far beyond ordinary court politics."
"This case is like a deep whirlpool. With your current strength, investigating it is like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, courting death."
"Act according to your means, measure your strength. To fell a towering tree, first sharpen your axe."
"Do you understand?"
Jiang Yuechu lowered her eyes, her long lashes hiding her emotions, and nodded obediently.
"I will remember your teachings, sir."
In summary: your father's case is too complicated, you're too weak now, don't go seeking death.
"Good that you understand."
He said no more, turning to leave.
At the door, he paused.
"By the way, Pei Changqing's ancestral home is Guangwu, so he has returned to his roots."
Jiang Yuechu froze on the bed.
She understood his meaning.
He wasn't unaware that for the Bureau, uncovering the cause of Pei Changqing's death was easy.
She had an identity, a backing, and could slay demons legitimately.
Her thoughts stirred, and an ancient scroll unfolded in her mind.
[Host: Jiang Yuechu]
[Stage: String-Attuned Perfection]
[Martial Arts: Fierce Tiger Quick Blade (Supreme), Qingya Reflection (Supreme), Blood Feast Technique (Perfection)]
[Dao Practice: 120 years]
[Recorded Demons: Tiger Mountain God (Enlightened), Green-faced Gentleman (Dyed Red), Zhu Yan (Shadowed)]
[Innate Abilities: Heaven-Bestowed Yin Dharma, Tiger Fiend Blood Boil, Wolf Travels a Thousand Miles]
[Demonization: Tiger Mountain God]
Slaying the Resonating Bone Stage pig demon gained her 350 years of Dao practice.
But recording the shadow cost 230 years.
The consumption was absurd.
However...
Jiang Yuechu's gaze fell on the martial arts section.
Besides the two supreme martial arts, Fierce Tiger Quick Blade and Qingya Reflection, there was a new technique she hadn't seen before.
[Blood Feast Technique (Perfection)]
What was this?
With a thought, a smaller annotation appeared below the text.
[Blood Feast Technique (Perfection): Devouring demon flesh greatly enhances refining efficiency, converting it to one's qi and blood, strengthening the foundation. This technique has no rank, born from the Zhu Yan bloodline, granted as a gift upon recording Zhu Yan.]
Jiang Yuechu was initially puzzled, then realized.
No wonder...
Outside Jincheng County, after slaying the two pig demons, she had roasted and eaten their flesh.
Demon flesh was highly nourishing. Ordinary martial artists could strengthen their qi and blood by consuming it.
But without a specific refining technique, impurities would also invade the body, reducing efficiency.
Previously, when she consumed the two pig demons, her strength increased, but much essence was lost due to the lack of a refining method.
Now, reaching String-Attuned Perfection, the technique must have instinctively converted the accumulated unrefined demon flesh essence into pure qi and blood, breaking through.
Thinking of this, she felt even more delighted.
Everyone avoided demons, but she increasingly relied on them.
The Blood Feast Technique, though not aiding direct combat, was more valuable than the demonization ability!
As long as there were enough demons to kill and consume...
Resonating Bone?
Even beyond Resonating Bone!
The future was promising!
"Hehehe..."
Jiang Yuechu lay on the bed, unable to suppress her laughter.
Creak.
The door opened gently.
Wei Qing entered with a bowl of steaming porridge, pausing at the sight of Jiang Yuechu laughing alone on the bed.
"What... are you laughing at?"
"Nothing." Jiang Yuechu quickly composed herself, "Just happy to serve the Demon-Suppressing Bureau."
Wei Qing: "..."
I believe you.
She placed the porridge on the bedside table, rolling her eyes, "Drink it quickly, it's freshly made with deer antler and goji berries, good for qi and blood."
Jiang Yuechu sat up, took the bowl, and the aroma whetted her appetite.
"Oh, my brother asked me to give you this."
Wei Qing said, taking out a neatly folded set of clothes and a palm-sized wooden badge.
The clothes were the Bureau's iconic black and red uniform, the fabric much better than the one she had scavenged from a corpse.
The badge was slightly heavy, its material unknown.
One side bore the words "Demon Suppression," the other her name.
Jiang Yuechu.
"This is your waist badge, exempting you from all inspections within the Great Tang, allowing free passage through cities."
Wei Qing explained, "The clothes are your size, try them on."
Jiang Yuechu held the badge, her heart a mix of emotions.
After all the struggles, fear, and bloodshed, this was what she had been striving for.
Yet holding it in her hand felt surreal.