Invincibility starts when I see the BOSS health bar.

Chapter 1025 Excitement
Zuo Lü observed the situation on the spot. She was also getting a little bored staying at the Ouyang residence, so it would be best if she could have a chance to go out.

Fang Yu waved his hand: "It's nothing serious. I ran into a troublemaker, we fought for a bit, and it's all over now."

Seeing that he had no intention of going into details, the others wisely refrained from asking any further questions.

Just then, Zhuge Shi came over again.

She seemed to have temporarily suppressed her personal emotions, letting the pressure of the task take over.

She gently tugged at Fang Yu's sleeve, leading him into the shadow of the pillar, and lowered her voice:
“Young Master Diao, forgive my bluntness, but the situation may be more urgent than we imagine. To be honest, the organization has informed me that the remains of the previous Bone Tiger are about to be secretly moved out of the capital! The exact time and route are unknown, but once they leave the city and are out of our sphere of influence, trying to retrieve them will be like looking for a needle in a haystack! We must resolve this matter within the capital before the relocation occurs!”

Looking at the genuine anxiety in her eyes, Fang Yu asked, "Do you know the exact location where the Bone Tiger is hiding?"

Zhuge Shi shook his head helplessly, a sense of frustration appearing on his face.

"The specific hiding place is heavily guarded and frequently changes locations, and it hasn't been fully identified yet. But all the clues—transaction records, tracking traces, and scattered information provided by insiders—ultimately point to the same place: 'The Heart-Binding Brothel'! That's where the Bone Tiger's corpse was last secretly traded and resold. To find the Bone Tiger's corpse, we must start our investigation from the Heart-Binding Brothel; this is currently the most crucial breakthrough!"

When a tree falls, the monkeys scatter; when a wall collapses, everyone pushes it down.

The towering tree that is the Seventh Prince has fallen.

The resulting chain reaction was not a ripple, but a tsunami that relentlessly swept away the massive structure he had built over many years.

In the capital, a place where dragons coil and tigers roam, the wing of any prince is not simply one of dependence, but rather a vast, meticulously woven web of intertwined interests.

The network is entangled with officials at all levels, powerful generals, wealthy merchants, and even people from all walks of life.

They clung to the prince, sucking the sap of power and enjoying the protection of privileges, while also tightly binding their own fate to the prince's rise and fall.

One glory and one glory.

The Seventh Prince has cultivated his power base for many years, and his influence is deeply entrenched, extending to every corner of the capital region. The sheer number of his followers and the complexity of their relationships far exceed what outsiders can imagine.

Now, with the mountain behind them collapsed and the pillar supporting them crumbling, their former glory and privileges have instantly become the most scorching brand and the most conspicuous target.

Panic spread like a plague through every corner of the Seventh Prince's faction.

Those who reacted the fastest and had the keenest sense of smell had already prepared an escape route.

The moment things turned sour, they abandoned their old stronghold without hesitation, using all their resources and connections to frantically seek new patrons and seek refuge with several other powerful princes who were poised to advance further.

They would offer generous "pledges of allegiance" in order to secure a place in the new power structure and perpetuate their family's wealth and their own power.

This is cruel speculation. If you bet right, you might rise to a higher level; if you bet wrong, you will be doomed.

Those who reacted more slowly, or whose status was not high enough, and who could not find a suitable new patron, fell into great panic.

They lived in constant fear, like stray dogs targeted by hunters. They no longer cared about their dignity and tried every means to sell off their possessions, packing up their valuables and dragging their families along, to escape the center of this power vortex that had suddenly become dangerous and unfamiliar.

In the past, relying on the power of the Seventh Prince, they may have acted arrogantly and oppressed their opponents, and the enmity they had made was already as numerous as hairs on a cow and as deep as the ocean.

Now that they have lost their greatest protection, if they do not leave as soon as possible, those enemies lurking in the shadows will surely swarm in, and what awaits them will likely be utter annihilation, leaving them with no place to bury their bodies.

The situation is more complicated for the remaining forces of the Seventh Prince who control the corpse of the previous Bone Tiger.

They made the most pragmatic choice: to treat the bone tiger carcass as merchandise, quickly sell it off through clandestine channels to obtain enough benefits to make them stand tall before their new masters, or to use it as substantial capital for their escape.

For the Nirvana Organization, the core objective of the mission given to Fang Yu was clear and specific: "to retrieve the corpse of the Bone Tiger" so that Fang Yu could smoothly inherit the position of the Bone Tiger.

As for how to take the opportunity to purge, annex, divide, and strike at the vast and chaotic remnants left by the Seventh Prince, and how to seize the greatest benefit for the organization in this power reshuffle, that is something that the organization's top management needs to plan and strategize carefully from a macro-strategic perspective.

This has little to do with Zhuge Shi or Fang Yu, who is currently in the "peripheral assessment" stage.

Therefore, Zhuge Shi only hoped that Fang Yu could take immediate action and go to Pinxinfang. If things continued to drag on, things might change, the intelligence might become inaccurate, and it would be even more difficult to find the whereabouts of the Bone Tiger's corpse.

but……

"Zhuge Shi, you go ahead and investigate the situation at Pinxinfang. Be discreet and find out what's going on there. I'll meet you later after I've finished what I need to do."

This was Fang Yu's reply, which left Zhuge Shi slightly disappointed.

However, what Fang Yu was really thinking about was to go see Gao Meng first and deal with the Jue Men's mission, which concerned whether his second sister could be resurrected. In his mind, that priority even exceeded the test of the Nirvana Organization. Moreover, the matter with Gao Meng would be easier to resolve, while finding the whereabouts of the Bone Tiger was not something that could be done in a short time.

At this moment, Zhuge Shi's smile froze, her red lips trembled slightly, and a hint of undisguised frustration flashed in her eyes.

She didn't understand why Fang Yu didn't act with her immediately when the mission was so urgent and the Bone Tiger could be moved at any moment.
What could be more important than the organization's mission?
But she ultimately swallowed her question.

Nodding vigorously, Zhuge Shi said in a low voice, "Alright, I understand. I'll go scout ahead and find out the situation. Young Master Diao... come and meet me as soon as possible."

Without another word, the two set off again to leave the Ouyang residence.

Hei Ao, Linghu Xiang, and Zuo Lü stood at the door, watching them leave with different expressions.

Hei Ao stood with his arms crossed, his face expressionless, but his gaze lingered on Fang Yu's back for a moment, lost in thought.

Zuo Lü then whispered, "Not long ago, I had a vague suspicion that the royal family in the capital might be connected to your Hei family. Why don't you ask Diao Deyi to help investigate? He seems to be doing quite well in the capital, playing both sides."

Hei Ao shook his head slightly. There were some things he could verify himself, but letting Fang Yu do them would put Fang Yu at risk, which was not Hei Ao's style.

……

On the other side, Fang Yu and Zhuge Shi parted ways at a bustling crossroads. Without the slightest hesitation, he moved like a ghost, deftly blending into the dense crowd. Following the address Gao Meng had whispered to him earlier, he swiftly traversed the crisscrossing streets and alleys. His steps seemed ordinary, but his speed far exceeded that of ordinary people, like a slippery fish weaving through the veins of the capital.

The meeting place Gao Meng mentioned was not the gloomy, secluded dark room or abandoned mansion that one might imagine, but rather an elegant teahouse located on the edge of a bustling main street, a quiet oasis amidst the hustle and bustle.

The teahouse is named "Qingyin Pavilion". Although its facade is not particularly grand, it has its own quiet and elegant charm.

Stepping inside, the faint scent of sandalwood mingles with the aroma of tea, soothing the soul. And one can faintly hear the gentle strains of a zither coming from the back room.

There weren't many guests in the lobby, just a few here and there. Most of them were seemingly leisurely literati, either chatting in hushed tones or enjoying tea and reading alone. There were also a few well-dressed and composed businessmen.

Fang Yu ignored the waiter's enthusiastic greeting, glanced at the lobby, and went straight up the carved wooden staircase to the second floor.

The second floor is quieter, with private rooms separated by bamboo curtains.

He walked to the innermost quiet private room by the window, and without knocking, he lifted the curtain and entered.

The private room was simply and elegantly furnished, with a table and four chairs, and a traditional Chinese ink painting of a landscape with a profound artistic conception hanging on the wall.

Gao Meng was indeed already waiting there.

She had changed her clothes, putting on an elegant moon-white dress. Her hair was neatly combed and secured with a simple jade hairpin. Her face was carefully made up, washing away the dishevelment after the battle, and lightly powdered to conceal her unnatural paleness.

At this moment, she was gracefully holding a white porcelain teacup, sipping the emerald green tea inside, her gaze fixed on the bustling street scene outside the window. She seemed relaxed and at ease, as if the thrilling and deadly life-or-death struggle that had just taken place not long ago was merely a trivial matter in the afternoon.

But Fang Yu could see her health bar, so how could he not know the extent of her injuries? After taking down several thousand health points, Gao Meng was actually quite badly injured.

Even disregarding the health bar, Fang Yu immediately noticed upon entering that Gao Meng's originally solid and restrained aura was now noticeably weak and somewhat disordered.

Despite his best efforts to conceal it, his deliberately slowed breathing and the barely perceptible tremor in his fingertips as he held the teacup could not escape his notice.

The makeup on her face couldn't hide the weariness deep in her eyes and the dullness caused by blood deficiency.

"How's the injury?"

Fang Yu sat down on the pear wood chair opposite her and asked, feigning concern.

His tone was flat and emotionless, revealing little concern; it sounded more like a necessary confirmation based on the current situation, so calm it was almost cold.

Gao Meng slowly put down her teacup, the porcelain making a slight "clattering" sound as it touched the wooden table.

She raised her eyes to look at Fang Yu, forcing a smile that seemed forced and dry: "Thank you for your concern, Young Master Diao."

Instead of putting on a brave face, she chose to be honest, which may also be a negotiation strategy: "Actually... I was hurt quite badly."

She took a soft breath, which seemed to aggravate her internal injuries, and a flash of pain crossed her brows.

Is this how you show weakness? Fang Yu raised an eyebrow slightly.

"In our previous encounter, Young Master Diao's attacks were fierce and deadly, a style of fighting that was entirely desperate."

Gao Meng continued, her words carrying a hint of barely perceptible complaint and helplessness, "I have to hide my true strength and background, and protect my vital organs to avoid irreversible damage. Inevitably, I am constrained. My internal organs have been displaced by your fierce energy, and several major meridians have also suffered some hidden injuries, causing stagnation of qi and blood."

As she spoke, she pressed her palm very gently against the area under her right rib, which was clearly the most severely injured part of her body. Even through her clothes, one could almost feel the swelling and pain inside.

“However,” she changed the subject, her tone becoming slightly more relaxed as she tried to demonstrate her recovery ability and value, “I have already used the best medicine I carry with me. The medicine has taken effect and temporarily suppressed the injury, easing the pain considerably, and I can move around without much difficulty. But to fully recover, dispel the blood stasis, and regulate my qi, I’m afraid I will need some time to recuperate quietly.”

Her frankness not only explained her grievances but also subtly pointed out her previous "tolerance" and "sacrifice," attempting to gain some understanding from Fang Yu, or rather, to add some leverage to the subsequent negotiations, implying that she was not worthless or without sincerity.

"Ah."

Fang Yu gave a noncommittal response, neither expressing any remorse for his previous harshness nor pressing for further details about her injuries.

His main concern was clearly not this.

He completely ignored Gao Meng's polite "Thank you for your concern, Young Master Diao."

Seeing this, Gao Meng knew that the small talk and feigned weakness had to end.

She took a deep breath, her expression quickly becoming serious. She decided to deliver more impactful information to demonstrate her sincerity and push the cooperation into a substantive phase: "Young Master Diao, let's not beat around the bush. To be honest, the Demon Capital Envoy... has actually established a deeper cooperative relationship with us. It's not simply about exploitation, but rather a kind of... alliance."

Gao Meng paused slightly and carefully observed Fang Yu's reaction.

Seeing that the other party remained expressionless, with eyes as deep as an ancient well, without the slightest ripple, he felt a little more at ease and continued to reveal the more crucial secret: "And I am a demon, wearing human skin, obeying the orders of the demon high command, and have been lurking in the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, acting on orders."

After saying these words, she was not as calm as she appeared; she was still somewhat uneasy.

Although she judged that Fang Yu and the Demon Envoy must be connected, directly revealing her demon identity would be enough to provoke the most intense reaction from any human martial artist.

However, to her surprise, Fang Yu's face did not show the slightest ripple after hearing this information. His eyes were frighteningly calm, as if he had only heard the most ordinary statement such as "The weather is nice today" or "The tea has gone cold".

There was no surprise, no doubt, not even a hint of emotional fluctuation.

He... knew all along that I was a demon?!

The people cooperating with the demons weren't all demons; there were also greedy humans. Gao Meng had initially tried to mislead Fang Yu by presenting herself as a human, but after careful consideration, she decided to reveal her demon identity. She hadn't expected such a calm reaction from him.

Immediately, Gao Meng realized what was happening, and a huge sense of relief and subtle excitement welled up inside her.

(End of this chapter)