Invincibility starts when I see the BOSS health bar.

Chapter 1037 Decision
Based on her assessment of the current situation, Lulu knew that unless there was something extremely important that needed to be told to him in person, Fang Yu, given his personality and his impression of the Absolute Clan, would never have taken the initiative to come looking for her.

Recalling the Crown Prince's previous investigation mission, she immediately had a clear guess in her mind: Fang Yu's trip must have brought key results!
This was undoubtedly a powerful helping hand to her, who was in a predicament of being questioned by the two elders!
Lulu leaned closer to Fang Yu, almost touching his ear, and whispered with barely concealed urgency and anticipation, "Young Master Diao, is... the matter settled?"

Her breathing was slightly rapid, revealing her inner turmoil.

Fang Yu nodded slightly, his gaze calmly sweeping over the two elderly men in the courtyard, whose auras were deep and who were staring intently at him. Then, he glanced at the health bars above their heads, which were much higher than Elder Yan Jin's. He immediately understood their identities: two experts at the Sixth Soul Realm, the newly arrived elders of the Absolute Clan.

After a moment's thought, out of basic courtesy, he politely cupped his hands in greeting, his tone neither humble nor arrogant: "The Absolute Sect is truly full of talented people. Every time I come, it seems I can meet new masters and seniors."

Lulu immediately understood, her smile widening like a spring breeze bringing flowers to bloom. She enthusiastically acted as the introducer, her tone carrying a subtle hint of admiration: "Young Master Diao, let me introduce you. This is Elder Yingding, in charge of the sect's shadowy executions. This is Elder Jielu, in charge of the sect's laws and regulations. Both are highly respected and exceptionally powerful seniors of our sect."

She then turned to the two elders whose expressions were still not very good, and her tone became a little lighter, "Elders, this is Young Master Diao Deyi, who has a close working relationship with my Juemen and is a very important friend and partner of ours in the capital. Moreover," she paused deliberately and emphasized her tone, "Young Master Diao has a very close personal relationship with Elder Yan Jin and is highly regarded by Elder Yan Jin."

The phrase "close personal relationship" was like a pebble thrown into an ancient well, stirring ripples in the hearts of the two elders.

A distinct look of surprise flashed across their eyes, and they exchanged a glance, both seeing disbelief in each other's eyes.

Elder Yan Jin's explosive temper and aloofness were well-known within the sect. He always kept to himself, was arrogant, and rarely made close friends with others, let alone had a "close personal relationship" with a young man of unknown origin from the capital.

This forced them to re-evaluate the young man before them.

This young man looks young and has an ordinary face, but he has an upright posture, a deep and restrained aura, and deep and calm eyes. Standing there, he has an air of profound and majestic strength, which is obviously far more than he appears to be.

The Discipline Elder stared at Fang Yu with piercing eyes and a scrutinizing gaze. He spoke in a deep voice, though his tone was slightly gentler than when he spoke to Lulu earlier: "Does Young Master Diao know where Elder Yan Jin is now?"

He tried to find a breakthrough from Fang Yu.

Fang Yu shook his head frankly, his expression unchanged: "This junior does not know. Elder Yan Jin's whereabouts are elusive. He is the only one who can search for people, and few people know his whereabouts."

"Ah."

The Discipline Elder didn't ask any more questions. He exchanged a meaningful glance with the Shadow Cauldron Elder, clearly not fully believing Fang Yu's words, but also finding no reason to press further.

Elder Yingding's sinister gaze lingered on Fang Yu for a moment, as if trying to see through him, but in the end he only nodded slightly.

The Discipline Elder then said, "In that case, let us rest first. Lulu, please arrange the meeting with Yan Jin as soon as possible."

After saying that, the two left the courtyard without lingering, without even glancing at Lulu, and followed the two respectful disciples of the Absolute Sect.

Once the two figures had completely disappeared outside the courtyard gate, the oppressive atmosphere dissipated.

Fang Yu then turned to Lulu, raising an eyebrow slightly, his tone carrying a clear hint of amusement and probing: "Didn't you tell them that I killed Elder Huxin?"

He was curious how Lulu would conceal this fact, which was enough to ruin her plans, from the elder she relied on.

Upon hearing this, Lulu's eyes curved into beautiful crescent moons, her smile as sweet as the most harmless girl next door, yet revealing a chilling coldness and scheming in her bones. She scolded him reproachfully, as if Fang Yu were telling an absurd joke: "Young Master Diao, what are you saying? Elder Huxin sacrificed himself for the sect's mission, unfortunately dying at the hands of vicious demons. This is common knowledge, and the evidence is conclusive. What does this have to do with you, Young Master Diao, who stepped forward to help him? Don't try to take responsibility for yourself."

She spoke as if it were the obvious truth.

Fang Yu couldn't help but roll his eyes, feeling speechless and... a little impressed by the woman's thick skin and ability to lie through her teeth.

To achieve her goals, she is truly capable of twisting anything, turning black into white, and trampling on face and truth without hesitation.

Working with such a person is like dancing on a knife's edge.

"Let's go, lead the way."

Fang Yu stopped dwelling on this topic that was destined to have no answer, composed himself, and said coldly.

He didn't want to waste his time here.

"of course."

Lulu smiled radiantly, as if all the arguments and unpleasantness from just moments ago had never happened. She turned gracefully, her skirt tracing an arc, leading Fang Yu toward the more secluded depths of the dye house.

It was still that hidden secret room.

The phantom of Lord Jing reappeared, but this time, the phantom seemed less solid than before, swaying slightly, showing its owner's unease and busyness.

He made Fang Yu and Lulu wait quietly in the secret room for a moment. The pressure from the silence accumulated in the small space before he finally spoke, his voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible irritation: "Speak, the results of the investigation."

He didn't even bother with small talk.

Without the slightest hesitation, Fang Yu directly and frankly revealed the information provided by Gao Meng without any embellishment: "It is Liu Wenjing, a Grand Scholar of the Daoist Academy. According to reliable intelligence, Gao Meng of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion has a very close relationship with this person, and their relationship is extraordinary."

He also had his own considerations in making this move.

On the one hand, completing Lord Jing's task and obtaining the key materials to revive Second Sister is the primary objective.

On the other hand, Gao Meng also knew that the intelligence would be leaked. Given her intelligence and relationship with Liu Wenjing, she would naturally try to remind Liu Wenjing to take precautions.

If Liu Wenjing didn't even have this much awareness and ability to deal with crises, these demons wouldn't have survived until now; it was only a matter of time before they were discovered.

"It's actually him?!"

Lord Jing's illusory figure suddenly fluctuated violently, its light flickering erratically, and its voice was filled with undisguised astonishment, even carrying a hint of...panic?
This is truly a case of "getting caught in the crossfire of gossip"—after investigating and investigating, they actually traced it back to someone who might be closely related to them!
His face instantly turned ashen, and images flashed through his mind.

His adopted daughter, Jing Hanxiu, has indeed been getting quite close to the elegant and erudite scholar Liu Wenjing lately. The two often "bump into" each other at poetry gatherings and academies, discussing poetry and literature, appreciating calligraphy and painting, and having very pleasant conversations. Hanxiu has even mentioned Liu Wenjing's talent and wit to him several times...

Could it be... that Liu Wenjing's deliberate approach to Hanxiu is for ulterior motives?

Is he trying to use his relationship with Hanxiu to find out his background, movements, or even deeper secrets?
The thought of this terrible possibility, the thought that Hanxiu, whom he regarded as his own daughter, might be used or fall into danger, made Lord Jing feel a chill run down her spine and straight to the top of her head. Waves of fear surged over her like an icy tide, instantly permeating her limbs and bones.

He must confirm and act immediately!

"understood……"

Lord Jing's voice carried an undisguised urgency and absent-mindedness, and the illusory figure began to shake violently and become blurry, as if it would dissipate in the next instant. "If there's nothing else, I'll go take care of it first..." He was clearly extremely anxious.

"My lord!" Fang Yu spoke up at the opportune moment, his voice steady yet firm, like a rock, reminding him, "Regarding the rewards for this mission, those materials that were promised before..."

This is the most important objective of his trip, and he must not fail to achieve it.

Lord Jing forcibly suppressed the turmoil in his heart and the urge to immediately investigate Liu Wenjing. His tone regained some of its usual authority, but his speaking speed was noticeably faster: "Don't worry, I won't shortchange you on anything I promised. Lulu,"

He turned to Lulu, who was standing respectfully beside the phantom, and said, "You are in charge of preparing everything and handing it over to Diao Deyi as soon as possible."

"Yes."

Lulu bowed and accepted the order with a humble demeanor.

The phantom disappeared without another word, and the stone wall returned to its original state, leaving only Fang Yu and Lulu in the secret chamber.

Lulu raised her head and looked at Fang Yu, a meaningful smile on her face, a smile that seemed to indicate an alliance had been formed: "Young Master Diao, from now on, we are truly in the same boat. From now on, we must both do our best in whatever Lord Jing asks of us."

She is further emphasizing the intertwined interests of both parties.

Fang Yu looked at her quietly, his gaze sharp as a knife, as if trying to pierce through her ever-changing smiling mask and reach the depths of her heart.

He spoke slowly, his voice low but each word clear: "I only hope that you are not the kind of person who would easily betray your allies at a critical moment because of greater interests or pressure."

Between him and Lulu, there was only ever an exchange of interests, and there was absolutely no trust between them.

Lulu's smile vanished, her expression turning unusually serious, even bordering on solemn. She raised her right hand, as if to swear an oath: "I, Lulu, have always acted with the utmost principle. What I have promised, what I have agreed to cooperate with, I will never renege on as long as the other party does not betray me. Young Master Diao will know this in the future."

She spoke with absolute certainty, but how much of it was genuine is anyone's guess.

"Better so."

Fang Yu said no more. He didn't need empty vows; he only cared about concrete actions.

"Once all the materials are prepared, deliver them directly to the Ouyang residence. You can give them to Ding Hui or to me personally."

"It will definitely be delivered within two days. Even if there are any omissions, I will use all available channels to make up for them, and I will never delay your business, young master."

Lulu assured him that she could also see that Fang Yu valued these materials exceptionally much.

"That's good."

Fang Yu let out a long sigh of relief. His shoulders, which had been taut like a fully drawn bowstring, relaxed slightly with this breath, as if a heavy burden that had been weighing on his heart for a long time had been lifted.

This subtle reaction, in stark contrast to his usual calm and composure, was noticed by Lulu, leaving her slightly surprised and amused.

Although those materials were precious and hard to find, and came in many varieties, with some even being considered rare and priceless treasures, given Fang Yu's demonstrated strength, potential, and the possible forces behind him, it wouldn't be entirely impossible for him to collect them on his own given time. So why was he taking them so seriously, even appearing somewhat... impatient and relieved? This didn't seem like the reaction one would have for simply completing a mission and receiving a reward.

She naturally had no idea, and could never have imagined, that these rare materials were related to whether Diao Ruru could be successfully resurrected, which was one of Fang Yu's deepest obsessions.

Fang Yu would naturally guard such secrets closely and would never mention them to outsiders.

Feeling reassured, Fang Yu turned around and left the secret chamber without lingering.

Watching his departing figure, devoid of any lingering affection, Lulu called out from behind him, her tone regaining its usual charming and relaxed tone: "Come visit often when you have time. If Lord Jing issues any more tasks or has other important matters, I will send someone to the Ouyang residence to find you."

Fang Yu didn't turn around or stop. He simply raised his hand and waved it casually behind him to indicate that he understood. His figure quickly disappeared into the shadows at the corner of the secret passage, as if blending into the darkness.

After Fang Yu had completely left, Lulu's smile gradually faded, replaced by a thoughtful expression.

……

Fang Yu left the dye house but did not return directly to the Ouyang residence.

It was nearly dusk, and the sunset painted the horizon a magnificent crimson, yet tinged with a hint of blood.

He needed some time to sort out his chaotic thoughts and calm his excited emotions.

As he walked through the streets, the surrounding noise seemed to be separated from him by an invisible barrier.

The death of Elder Huxin, the doubts and threats from Elders Jielu and Yingding, Lord Jing's unusual reaction after learning Liu Wenjing's identity, Lulu's unfathomable cunning and unscrupulous behavior...

All of this was like a huge shadow.

He knew full well that cooperating with Lulu and Lady Jing was like playing with fire, walking on the edge of a precipice at every step. But for the sake of his second sister's resurrection materials, he was willing to take the risk.

"Power...we need even greater power..."

Fang Yu clenched his fist, his knuckles turning slightly white.

Only by possessing sufficient power can one protect those they wish to protect and take control of their own destiny in this chaotic world, instead of being discarded at any moment.

Reviving his second sister is the first step; after that, he must improve himself even faster.

He took a detour to make sure no one was following him before quietly returning to the Ouyang residence.

The mansion was brightly lit, yet unusually quiet, with a tense sense of anticipation permeating the air.

He walked straight to the courtyard where Ding Hui was.

Inside the room, Ding Hui was writing furiously at her desk, which was covered with a large number of notes, drawings, and some strange tools.

Hei Ao stood with his arms crossed against the wall, resting with his eyes closed, but as soon as Fang Yu entered, he immediately opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing in them.

(End of this chapter)