The sky had not yet brightened, only a layer of hazy blue-gray light seeped through the window paper.

Jiang Yuechu awoke.

She opened her eyes, looking at the unfamiliar beams of the room, listening to the faint crowing of roosters from outside the courtyard.

After a moment, she came to her senses.

"It wasn't a dream."

She sat up, the quilt slipping from her shoulders, revealing her slender collarbones.

The morning chill hit, and she was fully awake.

She lifted the quilt and got out of bed.

After changing her clothes, she found a cloth band and neatly tied her long hair into a high ponytail at the back of her head.

She took her horizontal blade and pushed the door open.

With a creak.

A young maid stood in the courtyard, seemingly waiting for a long time.

Seeing her come out, the maid quickly bowed, "Miss."

Soon, she brought over a basin of water.

Jiang Yuechu walked to the basin, scooped up a handful of water, and randomly splashed it on her face.

The water was neither cold nor hot, just right.

The maid then handed over a willow twig and a small jar of green salt from a tray beside her.

Jiang Yuechu looked at the items, momentarily stunned.

In ancient times, people used willow twigs to clean their teeth.

One end was chewed until it frayed, dipped in salt, and used to brush teeth.

She took it, trying it as she remembered.

A bitter wooden taste mixed with salt spread in her mouth, not a pleasant sensation.

"Never mind, I'll have to get used to it sooner or later."

She muttered to herself, just as she tossed the willow twig back into the basin.

Outside the courtyard, footsteps approached.

Chen Qingyuan stood at the gate, waving to the maid.

Seeing this, the maid, as if granted amnesty, bowed and quickly retreated with the copper basin.

Only the two of them remained in the courtyard.

Chen Qingyuan stepped forward, cupping his fists, "My lady, did you rest well last night?"

"It was alright."

Jiang Yuechu's reply was brief, sparing with words.

She picked up the cloth towel beside her and wiped the water droplets from her face.

Although Chen Qingyuan hadn't interacted with Jiang Yuechu for long, he had roughly figured out the temperament of this Demon-Suppressing Bureau officer.

Her demeanor was cold, but he didn't detect any dissatisfaction, which eased his mind a bit.

"My lady, I went to the county office last night."

Jiang Yuechu paused her wiping, looked up at him, and waited for him to continue without speaking.

Seeing this, Chen Qingyuan dared not keep her in suspense and quickly continued, "Regarding the matter of Shangpan Village, I have already reported to the county magistrate, claiming that our Soaring Eagle Sect was fortunate enough to risk our lives to eliminate the pack of wolf demons, losing many brothers in the process..."

He sneaked a glance at Jiang Yuechu's expression, seeing her still calm and unruffled, he relaxed a bit.

She was indeed cold on the outside but warm on the inside.

But if anyone dared to take advantage of the Demon-Suppressing Bureau's leniency, they were truly courting death.

Jiang Yuechu tossed the cloth towel back into the copper basin, mentally giving Chen Qingyuan a thumbs up.

He was on the right track.

She stretched lazily, her joints emitting a series of subtle popping sounds.

A night's rest was enough.

She casually picked up the bundle containing her Demon-Suppressing Bureau attire, wrapped in cloth, from the side.

This place was not suitable for a long stay.

Not to mention the strange case involving the Jiang family, even this fake identity couldn't withstand scrutiny.

Seeing Jiang Yuechu pick up her bundle, ready to leave at any moment, Chen Qingyuan was taken aback.

"My lady, are you leaving already?"

Jiang Yuechu nodded, "I have official duties, can't delay."

She paused, recalling last night's matter.

"One more thing."

Chen Qingyuan was startled, quickly saying, "Please, my lady!"

Jiang Yuechu turned around, the morning breeze lifting a few strands of hair on her forehead.

"Do you have any books on martial arts here?"

"...Huh?"

Chen Qingyuan was dumbfounded.

It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from "pawread.com".

Was this lady asking for the Soaring Eagle Sect's martial arts secrets?

But the Soaring Eagle Sect had no such secrets!

Not to mention compared to the Demon-Suppressing Bureau's methods, even in the Longyou Circuit's martial world, they were just unrefined farming techniques.

This lady seemed young, could she have just joined the Demon-Suppressing Bureau and wanted to collect some folk martial arts for reference?

Chen Qingyuan's mind raced, but he dared not show any of it on his face, only becoming more respectful.

"My lady jests... Our Soaring Eagle Sect's basic skills are merely for health and self-defense, not worthy of your attention."

He carefully chose his words, afraid of saying something wrong.

"In our sect, we do have a few inherited manuals, one being the 'Thirteen Soaring Eagle Talons,' which is our foundation, emphasizing speed, precision, and ruthlessness, striking like lightning, targeting the enemy's vital points..."

"And another, the 'Wind-Embracing Blade Technique,' is a fragment our founder exchanged from a traveling merchant in his early years, with only three moves, lacking any intricate changes, relying solely on brute force, useful in life-and-death struggles."

Saying this, Chen Qingyuan's old face turned a bit red.

He felt embarrassed himself.

What kind of nonsense was this?

The more he thought, the more guilty he felt, quickly adding, "These crude things are truly... truly unworthy of the grand stage. If you don't mind, I'll fetch them for you to have a look..."

"......"

Jiang Yuechu looked at him, feeling a headache.

She slowly shook her head.

"I'm not asking for those."

Chen Qingyuan was once again confused, completely baffled.

Not asking for martial arts secrets? Then what?

Jiang Yuechu felt her head throb.

She didn't know the vast differences between the realms.

And that was the most critical issue.

Like a peerless warrior with dragon-slaying skills, yet knowing nothing about what a dragon looks like or its habits.

But she couldn't say that outright.

She couldn't just tell Chen Qingyuan: Brother, I'm laying it out, I'm actually a newbie, can you explain it to me from the beginning?

Saying that would be no different from admitting her Demon-Suppressing Bureau identity was fake.

She rubbed her temples, thought for a while, then said, "Lately, I've felt on the verge of breaking through."

Chen Qingyuan's body shook, his pupils dilating slightly.

Breaking through?!

This lady seemed no older than twenty, yet her cultivation was already unfathomable, and she was about to break through again?!

This was the foundation of the Demon-Suppressing Bureau?

Truly beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.

Jiang Yuechu ignored his shock and continued speaking.

"However, my foundation was built too quickly, there might be oversights. A towering building rises from the ground, if the foundation is unstable, the higher it rises, the faster it collapses."

She lifted her eyes, looking calmly at Chen Qingyuan.

"I need some basic martial arts principles to compare with my own, to identify and fill gaps. Do you understand?"

"......"

Chen Qingyuan's face was full of realization.

So that's it!

This lady was preparing for a breakthrough!

And she was doing it by returning to the basics, tracing back to the source!

Ordinary martial artists, once they obtained more advanced martial arts, would discard the basics like old shoes.

Only those truly aspiring to reach the pinnacle would value their foundation so much!

"Understood! I understand!"

"Please wait a moment! I'll... I'll go fetch it right away!"

He quickly apologized and ran out of the courtyard.

Jiang Yuechu wasn't in a hurry, she just leaned against the corridor pillar, arms crossed, closing her eyes to rest.

Before long.

Hurried footsteps approached again from afar.

Chen Qingyuan returned, holding a thin book in his hands.

On it, four characters were written in regular script.

"Martial Arts Correct Explanation."

Chen Qingyuan offered the book with both hands, his breath still uneven.

"My lady, do you think... this will suffice?"

Jiang Yuechu opened her eyes, reaching out to take it.

She didn't open it immediately, just weighed it in her hand, her gaze falling on Chen Qingyuan.

Chen Qingyuan quickly explained, "My lady, this book was compiled by the Great Tang's Ministry of War and the Imperial Academy, used as an introductory text for military officers and martial artists."

"It details from the Mortal Stage to the String-Attuned Stage, and then to the Resonating Bone Stage, including characteristics of each stage, methods of circulating qi and blood, and even some basic demon identification techniques."

"This isn't anything rare, it's just that I was dull earlier and didn't realize this was what you needed..."

Jiang Yuechu nodded in satisfaction.

A beginner's guide!

And damn it, issued by the court!

"Thank you."

Chen Qingyuan quickly waved his hand, "You're too kind, my lady. It's our honor to serve you."

He hesitated for a moment, finally unable to resist asking tentatively, "Did you come this time for... the matter in Jincheng County?"

Jincheng County?

What Jincheng County?

Three question marks appeared above Jiang Yuechu's head, but her face remained the same icy, inscrutable expression, only giving Chen Qingyuan a faint glance without speaking.

That glance made Chen Qingyuan's heart skip a beat, a layer of cold sweat instantly forming on his back.

Damn!

He was out of his mind!

What was his status to inquire about the Demon-Suppressing Bureau's major cases?

The Demon-Suppressing Bureau's investigations were always top secret.

Not to mention a small sect leader like him, even the county magistrate of Guangwu County had to be respectful and not ask a single word when meeting someone from the Demon-Suppressing Bureau.

It's rumored that the Demon-Suppressing Bureau, when obstructed during an investigation, could act first and report later.

If he had touched this lady's nerve and was cut down on the spot, he'd have nowhere to cry.

"I was being nosy! I was being nosy!"

Chen Qingyuan was so frightened his face turned pale, quickly bowing to apologize, explaining rapidly.

"Forgive me, my lady! I had no intention of prying! It's just... just that Jincheng County is less than a hundred miles from our Guangwu County."

"Half a month ago, six villages under Jincheng County were slaughtered overnight, not a chicken or dog left! Now, people from Jincheng County are fleeing everywhere, many have come to our Guangwu County, inside and outside the city, people are in a panic, all discussing this, saying it's only a matter of time before someone from the Demon-Suppressing Bureau comes to investigate."

"I... I only asked because of this, with no other intention!"

He finished in one breath, cold sweat dripping from his forehead, keeping his head down, not daring to meet Jiang Yuechu's eyes.

---

Proofreader: Peter Pan