Invincibility starts when I see the BOSS health bar.

Chapter 934 Deep Changes in the Imperial Palace
"The position of hall master has become vacant..."

A thought flashed through my mind uncontrollably.

"Captain Feng Hanhai has been making frequent moves these days, and his influence is expanding rapidly. He is now widely recognized as the most promising candidate to be promoted to hall master..."

The captain's mind raced: "Perhaps... after reporting this earth-shattering event, I should find a way to have a private conversation with Captain Feng."

In this moment of power transition and turbulent undercurrents.

For ordinary people to survive, or even thrive, they must learn to assess the situation and find their footing amidst turbulent times.

Only by being both ruthless and meticulous can one find a glimmer of hope in this cruel world.

After the captain sped all the way to the Underworld of Fools, he immediately reported the news up the chain of command.

Soon, the captain's direct subordinate, upon receiving the news, immediately went to the quiet room where Lord Ya Qingli handled official business and reported the information.

"Clap!"

The delicate celadon teacup in Ya Qingli's hand was crushed to pieces the moment she heard the news, her fingers unconsciously tightening.

The scalding tea mixed with shards of broken porcelain splashed all over her hands and face, but she was completely unaware.

He suddenly raised his head, his usually cool and calm face filled with extreme astonishment and disbelief, his voice trembling slightly.

"What did you say? Qianjin Xun... is dead??"

Ya Qingli could not believe this fact at all.

Or rather, she never imagined that the arrogant, powerful, and formidable Master Qian, whom even she found troublesome and fearful, would fall so easily and silently.

The more untamable a person is, the more it indicates that they possess abilities that are beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Master Qian is a typical example of this type of person.

Even though Ya Qingli usually had many grievances against Master Qian, finding him arrogant and unruly, when faced with truly troublesome matters that required a powerful figure to handle, her first instinct was often to hand them over to Master Qian.

The reason is as simple as it gets.

Among the many hall masters who were promoted more or less because of their background, connections, or seniority, Hall Master Qian also had a strong background to secure his position, but he possessed absolutely genuine skills!
That formidable strength, enough to threaten even Ya Qingli, was something that most of the other hall masters, who were like good-for-nothings, did not possess.

Entrusting important matters to those incompetent leaders will only lead to a mess.

As for handing it over to Master Qian, even if he is dissatisfied and at odds with me, at least he can rely on his ability and strength to handle things cleanly, efficiently, and impeccably.

In a sense, Ya Qingli felt that there was an extremely subtle and indescribable relationship between her and Master Qian.

She even occasionally thought that if they weren't at the center of the power struggle in this Foolish Underworld, and if their respective forces weren't subtly opposed, given her appreciation for Master Qian's abilities, perhaps... what they would have developed between them would have been more of a mutual respect and goodwill, rather than the growing hostility they have now.

Perhaps it is true that "when a person dies, it's like a lamp going out."

The moment Ya Qingli confirmed the news of Qian Tangzhu's death, all the resentment, dissatisfaction, and even hidden hostility she had been harboring towards him vanished without a trace, like snow under the sun.

Instead, there was deep regret and a heavy sigh.

The memories of past confrontations and mutual obstruction seem to have been veiled by a blurry gauze, becoming less real.

What flashed through my mind were the reliability and strength shown by the other side when we faced a powerful enemy together. Those blurry images of fighting side by side now seemed to have a touch of illusory "beauty".

"Has the body... been confirmed as the correct one?"

Ya Qingli's voice was icy cold, as if it could freeze the air.

However, the head of the Tian family standing opposite her had an almost dismissive and nonchalant expression on his face, seemingly unconcerned about the lord's fury.

The reason is simple: this Master Tian's background is also incredibly profound.

Ya Qingli could slam her fist on the table and glare at him, and she could put pressure on him, but she absolutely could not touch him in the slightest, otherwise there would be endless trouble!

Therefore, Master Tian felt emboldened and fearless.

However, even after Qian Tangzhu's death, Tian Tangzhu felt a lingering fear.

This crazy woman usually throws all sorts of hot potatoes out the door, but who knows what kind of deadly task she's assigned to Qianjin Xun this time, which has gotten her into serious trouble!

He suppressed his inner turmoil, nodded, and spoke in a deliberately calm tone.

"Confirmed, it was Qianjin Xun. Judging from the fatal wound, he passed away... peacefully, he probably didn't suffer too much before he died."

"serene?"

Ya Qingli's voice suddenly rose, filled with barely suppressed anger.

"Is that the point?! I'm asking you, what exactly happened?! When did our Foolish Underworld fall so low that a hall master like him would be publicly killed in the street?! This is an utter disgrace!!"

Master Tian shrugged indifferently, looking as if it were none of his business.

"Who knows? You'll have to ask yourself, Lord of the Manor. Who knows what kind of shady, deadly mission you assigned him? It looks like he was killed while carrying out the mission you gave him. Don't look at me like that..."

Meeting Ya Qingli's almost fiery gaze, he slowly added, "...I definitely won't take on this matter. Finding out the murderer and giving 'us' a satisfactory explanation is your responsibility as the head of the manor."

He deliberately emphasized the word "we".

"Explain?!"

The veins on Ya Qingli's forehead bulged out instantly!

The anger that had just been forcibly suppressed erupted again like a volcano!

"What do you mean by giving you an explanation?! Qianjin is dead, this is an unexpected accident that no one anticipated! Even I'm still completely clueless! How can this be..."

"This is none of our business!"

Master Tian interrupted her without any politeness, his tone becoming harsh and cold.

“Lord of the Manor, if you still want me to address you respectfully as ‘Lord of the Manor,’ then now, immediately, you must take action! You are a smart man, sir, you should understand what I mean, I don’t need to spell it out any more clearly or harshly, do I?”

Ya Qingli clenched her fists so tightly that her nails almost dug into her palms!

Her face was terribly gloomy, and the aura around her began to fluctuate violently and uncontrollably, a sign that her emotions were about to completely spiral out of control and her power was on the verge of going berserk!

How could she not understand what Master Tian meant?
How could you not understand who "we" represents?

None of these guys sitting in the hall master's position are ones that Ya Qingli can truly afford to offend!

More accurately, it was the immense power they represented that she absolutely could not contend with!
Qianjin is dead.

This not only means that the equally powerful family behind Qian Jinxun will be furious and will confront Ya Qingli, demanding an explanation!
This also means that the forces behind all the other hall masters will question her abilities, her control, and whether she is still qualified to continue serving as the "nanny" because of this incident!

That's right, it's a "nanny"!
To outsiders, the position of the Lord of the Foolish Underworld is incredibly prestigious and powerful. But in the eyes of the true high-ranking officials and those deeply entrenched aristocratic families, it is nothing more than a lowly platform for their own children to gain prestige and accumulate political capital!

What they truly demand of the position of the Palace Master is that he must possess top-tier strength at the Six Souls level, be able to control the situation, and suppress demons and monsters.

Most importantly, we must protect these distinguished young men who come here to "gild their resumes"!

Because there hadn't been any mishaps for so long, because the leaders had grown accustomed to being aloof and far from danger, or perhaps because of the growing troubles brought about by their own increasing demonic transformation...

Ya Qingli had almost forgotten the most original and core terms of the agreement when she first took the position of Lord of the Manor.

Becoming the head of the manor was never meant for her to perform acts of chivalry and eliminate evil!

Her core responsibility is to protect and escort these young masters and ladies who come to the Foolish Underworld to "experience life"!
Now, the person is dead, dead under her "protection"!

Therefore, Ya Qingli is the person primarily responsible! She must bear full responsibility!
In other words, the throne of the manor lord beneath her is now teetering on the brink of collapse and could crumble at any moment!
Even... her head might be lost because of this!
Unless... she can immediately find the murderer and provide an explanation that can quell the anger of all parties.

The weight of this "explanation" will directly determine her fate.

Ya Qingli took a deep breath, the cold air rushing into her lungs, forcibly suppressing the anger and fear churning in her chest.

In a flash, she had figured out all the pros and cons.

Anger solves nothing, and turning against the powerful Master Tian on the spot is an utterly foolish act.

Besides creating more enemies, it will only make the situation more out of control.

She understood that the more devastating the moment, the more important it was to remain calm.

Just as Master Tian's seemingly frivolous but actually ruthless reminder suggested.

The most urgent task is to immediately and thoroughly investigate the truth behind the death of Qian Tangzhu's daughter, Jin Xun, and find the murderer who dared to defy the law!

This not only concerns the reputation of the Foolish Underworld, but also directly relates to the life and death of Ya Qingli!

Thinking of this, Ya Qingli forcibly suppressed all her emotions, and her pretty face, covered with faintly visible demonic scales, became as still as a frozen lake.

She turned to Hall Master Tian, ​​her voice as cold as a knife, carrying the unquestionable authority of a prefect: "Pass on my orders!"

Each word was like an ice bead falling to the ground.

"In the name of my Lord, I hereby command all hall masters, regardless of their location or mission, to immediately drop everything and return to the headquarters of the Foolish Underworld as quickly as possible! There shall be no delay!"

The death of Master Qian is like a boulder thrown into a deep pool; the ripples it creates cannot be concealed for long.

The news will spread throughout the capital like a plague sooner or later.

But Ya Qingli needs time, even if it's just a little more time!
They would keep it a secret from the lower-level members of the Foolish Underworld and from various external forces for as long as possible.

Exposing her too early would only attract more watchful eyes and invisible pressure, hindering her investigation.

Although Hall Master Tian lacked genuine respect for Ya Qingli and could treat her with disdain, he had to obey the orders issued by the Lord of the Manor in his official capacity.

This is the rule, and also the bottom line required by the forces behind him to maintain a respectable image.

Unless something major happens, the head of the manor, Ya Qingli, should at least be treated as a "person" in name only.

"Yes—" Master Tian drawled out his words, his tone carrying a profound meaning, the lingering tone filled with mockery and schadenfreude.

He casually cupped his hands in greeting, said nothing more, and quickly turned and left the quiet room.

The heavy door closed, shutting out the noise from the outside world, and also shutting out the repulsive figure of Master Tian.

Ya Qingli's tense nerves did not relax as a result.

In the empty room, only the sound of her rapid heartbeat echoed.

Intense anxiety and heavy pressure gripped her like an invisible giant hand choking her.

She couldn't help but lower her head and unconsciously gnaw on her thumbnail with her teeth, the soft "crunching" sound particularly clear in the silence.

Even more chilling was that the pale blue scales that had been faintly visible on the edges of her cheeks were now spreading and protruding uncontrollably, as if propelled by an invisible force, shimmering with a cold, hard light, revealing the turbulent waves churning within her heart.

……

Meanwhile, deep within the palace, in a seemingly peaceful side hall that was in fact like an exquisite prison.

Qingyao, who had been lying quietly on the soft couch, suddenly opened her tightly closed eyes!

An indescribable sense of excitement pierced through the layers of restrictions and was clearly transmitted to his eerie senses.

He sat up almost as if ejected, his movements swift and silent.

"Squeak-"

Almost the instant he stood up, the tightly closed carved wooden door, a symbol of his house arrest, was gently pushed open from the outside.

"Tread, step, step..."

The steady, familiar footsteps approached from afar, and soon, a slender figure appeared in the light and shadow at the doorway.

"Lord Shanyan."

Qingyao's voice was calm, but a barely perceptible urgency flashed deep in her eyes.

He was not surprised by the visit of this mysterious and unpredictable fox demon.

Since being placed under house arrest in this secluded palace, apart from the occasional messages from the mountain swallows, he has not seen anyone else, let alone the high-ranking humans who "invited" him into the palace.

This state of being deliberately forgotten made him feel like a trapped beast, growing more and more anxious each day.

Especially after learning that Diao Deyi was in dire straits in the capital, even facing a life-threatening situation, the restlessness of being imprisoned turned into an excruciating torment.

He rushed forward, intending to ask Shan Yan about the arrangements she had mentioned earlier to help him with his short trip.

"Shh-"

Before he could speak, Shan Yan raised a slender finger and placed it to her lips, making a shushing gesture.

A playful smile played in her alluring fox-like eyes as she clapped her hands lightly.

Two crisp "snap" sounds echoed in the quiet hall.

Immediately following was a short, stout middle-aged man with a round belly, dressed in brocade robes.

Like a rolling ball of flesh, it jogged in from outside the door, covered in sweat.

(End of this chapter)