Invincibility starts when I see the BOSS health bar.

Chapter 957 After the War
The desperate roar of the Bone Shattered Bow Demon before its death was like a sharp cone, piercing Fang Yu's mind.

Fang Yu had previously trusted Lulu to some extent; at least on the surface, the two sides had cooperated. He never expected Lulu to go to such lengths, even sending a demon to deal with him in order to clear her name!
Originally, the relationship between the two sides was in a delicate state. Even if there were problems, Fang Yu kept them to himself in order to obtain missions from Senior Sister Lulu and continue to kill demons smoothly under her protection.

but now……

Deep within Fang Yu's eyes, a cold light, like a tangible blade, flashed and disappeared in an instant! His killing intent was chilling!
"Lulu, you've dug your own grave!"

The reason we were patient in the past was because our fists weren't strong enough.

Now?

Fang Yu clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within his body.

"Just Lulu? Ha..."

If Lulu didn't hold the key to certain "access points" and have some useful value, Fang Yu wouldn't bother dealing with her at all!
Back when he was on the mission to the main family, he had already sensed the malice hidden deep within Lulu. He was all too familiar with that kind of betrayal and ruthlessness.
Now, this completely dead skeleton of the bow demon is the most blatant proof!

"court death."

Two cold words, like poisoned ice shards, were squeezed out from between Fang Yu's tightly pursed lips.

He looked up, his gaze passing over the chaotic street before him, as if piercing through the buildings, and fixing on the direction of the dye house.

Since you're so heartless, don't blame me for being ruthless in return.

Some things can be done secretly or indirectly, but once discovered, there should be consequences.

Fang Yu originally planned to return to the Ouyang residence, but said he would discuss everything tomorrow.

But now, he has changed his mind!

Return to the Ouyang residence? No!

Fang Yu turned around abruptly and reversed direction without hesitation!

A blood-red afterimage, carrying an lingering, fierce killing intent, sped swiftly towards the place it had come from—the dye house where Lulu was entrenched—like lightning!

His figure flashed and he left quickly, as swift as a ghost, but he was still caught by some sharp-eyed people outside the smoke and dust.

"who?!"

"The figure from just now..."

"It seems the powerful one has already left."

Although it was moving too fast to see clearly, at least someone noticed it.

The being that fought and ultimately triumphed over the terrifying skeletal monster at the eye of the storm has departed!
This means that the ravaged battlefield has become safe.

This also gave many people the courage to approach that area.

"Be careful, everyone."

"The strong have left, but that doesn't mean there's nothing good left. If we clean up the battlefield a bit, everyone might get rich."

The bolder ones approached the area, forming several small teams, and almost all of them spotted each other at the same time.

They were all people who made their way in the capital, and cleaning up the battlefield was actually a very lucrative business, with many people doing it, so they were essentially in the same circle.

Some people frowned, assessed their strength, and silently began to retreat.

Some people, however, remained where they were, observing from the sidelines.

Only those with formidable strength continue to advance without a care in the world.

This was a tacit understanding between them, and one of the reasons why they were able to survive in the capital.

However, this time, they encountered an unexpected situation.

"Lord Qian!"

"My lord, please wait! This place is dangerous! Your subordinate is willing to scout ahead for you!"

Suddenly, a group of people came running from behind them. The leader was dressed in fine clothes and rode a spirited horse, and he looked like someone who was not to be trifled with.

"There's someone ahead!"

"Everyone get out of here!"

"Lord Qian of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion is here! Get out of the way at once! If you hurt Lord Qian, your whole family will be beheaded!"

The shouts of those peasants terrified the crowd in front, causing their faces to change drastically.

Tianji Pavilion?!

They exchanged a glance and then all ran away as fast as they could.

To survive in a tight spot, one needs keen eyesight.

After the first group dispersed, the second group had just approached the area.

Leading the group was none other than Qian Wu, who was smug and self-satisfied with his new identity!
Qian Wu rushed over upon hearing the news. Seeing everyone's reaction, he was quite satisfied, especially with the figure that had just left so quickly...

For some reason, the figure's posture... inexplicably stirred up a strange sense of familiarity in his heart?

"Hmm?" Qian Wu frowned, trying to catch the fleeting thought.

"impossible!"

He immediately shook his head violently, banishing the absurd idea from his mind.

"How could that kid have such skills? Such strength? Absolutely impossible!"

That guy doesn't have that kind of strength...

He secretly told himself that he must have been traumatized by the bloody scene and was having a hallucination.

Setting aside these trivial thoughts, Qian Wu looked at the group of guards around him, all dressed in uniform—these were his personal guards, personally assigned to him by Lord Yuwen Wuji after his "promotion"! A sense of smug vanity welled up within him. After all, who could have imagined? Lord Yuwen Wuji, the ninth adopted son of the dignified Pavilion Master of Tianji Pavilion, had actually taken a liking to him, Qian Wu, this "rough gem," bestowing upon him the glittering title of "adopted son's subordinate"!
Thinking of this, Qian Wu felt even more smug, but then a sense of inappropriate apprehension welled up within him:

"Could it be that Lord Yuwen Wuji's recruitment standards are so lenient? Even someone like me... uh, is acceptable to him?"

He knows his own limitations perfectly well.

If it weren't for Jiang Yong's silver tongue, which could talk the dead back to life... he wouldn't even have had the chance to get close to serving under Master Yuwen Wuji!

All my previous hopes and efforts were subconsciously driven by a humble thought: if I could become a trusted subordinate of Master Yuwen Wuji, it would be an incredible stroke of luck!
Has this incredible wealth really fallen right into my lap?

"Lord Yuwen Wuji! I am deeply grateful for your kindness and support. I would gladly go through fire and water, even at the cost of my life!"

He silently swore an oath in his heart, his chest heaving with excitement.

This trust is his lifeblood!

Everything about him now!
He had to prove to Master Yuwen Wuji that recruiting him, Qian Wu, was definitely not a misjudgment!
His new responsibility is clear and prestigious: recruiting talented individuals!
This was precisely the first priority personally assigned by Lord Yuwen Wuji!

Unlike the stagnant, predetermined power structure within the imperial court, where interests have already been divided up.

What Qian Wu wants to do is to sift through and discover those buried "true talents" outside the high walls of the imperial court—in the vast turbulent world of martial arts and the bustling streets! He wants to gather them under the wings of Master Yuwen Wuji and make them a new force that can be driven and commanded!

Once this power was bestowed upon him, its influence far exceeded his imagination!
As a result, his status in the Qian family rose accordingly, and the elders who had once looked down on him now greeted him with more smiles and "respect." Qian Wu was extremely pleased with this feeling of being respected.

Although… “Jiang Yong’s tongue is indeed sharp enough to win over Lord Yuwen Wuji,”

Otherwise, there would have been no opportunity... But Qian Wu quickly and subconsciously downplayed this achievement.

"However, it's still because I worked hard enough and had enough skills! This future is ultimately something I earned myself!"

He became even more convinced of this.

His sudden rise in status was like strong liquor that clouded his mind.

The Miss Jijin he once longed for now seems to have become... less appealing in his eyes? At most, he might take her as a concubine?

His gaze had long since moved beyond the Qian family's small pond, setting his sights on new targets with greater "value" and "potential"—this would require time to cultivate, but everything was in the planning stages.

"Life's journey is a series of ascents, each step a leap to the next. Now, I am a person on that staircase!"

He stood tall, full of confidence.

The first task assigned by Master Yuwen Wuji was to recruit talent!
Right before him was a ready-made, powerful target! The departing figure who had defeated the Great White Bone Demon! If he could recruit him, wouldn't that be a resounding success from the start? Qian Wu's heart burned with excitement!
"Go! Find out immediately! Who was that person? What kind of person is he? What is his strength? Find out everything clearly!" He waved his hand and gave the order with great enthusiasm.

On what grounds? On what grounds are you recruiting them?
Qian Wu was not worried at all.

If he reveals his identity—a direct subordinate of Master Yuwen Wuji, willing to provide a path to the heavens… could anyone in this world resist the temptation of joining the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion?! Could anyone refuse a ticket to the true pinnacle of power in the Great Xia Dynasty?
Impossible! There is no such person!
"Yes! Yes!" Several guards quickly responded, bracing themselves to squeeze into the still chaotic and talking crowd, and began to try to find out information.

The result was disheartening. The chaos came and went too quickly, leaving behind only a scene of devastation, countless confused testimonies, and lingering, shaken descriptions.

No one could say for sure what the person who did it looked like or what their exact origins were.

"A bunch of useless idiots! Keep investigating! Search thoroughly! Don't let any clue slip by!"

Qian Wu was somewhat embarrassed and shouted angrily! This was his first task as a new official, a testament to his loyalty! It concerned Yuwen Wuji's first impression of him! He absolutely could not afford to fail!
"Yes, sir!" The subordinates hurriedly accepted the order and dispersed again, but each of them had a troubled look on their faces, knowing full well that this was probably a waste of effort.

Right now!

"Everyone, make way! This is a case being investigated by the Underworld! All bystanders, get out of the way immediately!!"

Several stern shouts and heavy footsteps clattering in armor came from the end of the street. A team of officers from the Foolish Underworld, dressed in blue constable uniforms and exuding a sharp aura, were rushing over to deal with the incident!
Qian Wu raised an eyebrow, his eyes instantly sharpening, and an unprecedented aura of authority emanated from him.

He whirled around, facing the direction from which the messengers from the underworld had come, puffed out his chest, and responded loudly with an unprecedented, almost arrogant, air of authority. His voice echoed clearly in the chaotic street:

"The Heavenly Secrets Pavilion is on official business! You fools from the Underworld, halt!"

boom!
This sound was like a thunderclap in the bustling city street!
Tianji Pavilion?!

That person just now... was actually... a big shot from the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion?!
All the onlookers—commoners, merchants, wandering knights, even Qian Wu's men who were trying to gather information, and the newly arrived officials from the Foolish Underworld—felt as if an invisible rope had been tightened around their necks! The noisy scene instantly fell silent!
All eyes, filled with shock, awe, and disbelief, were focused on the proud figure who called himself "Tianji Pavilion"!

While the Foolish Underworld governs ordinary public order and wields considerable influence among the people, it is ultimately merely a subordinate agency of the Shuntian Prefecture! But what is the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion? It is a truly powerful entity that wields the Empire's hidden authority, a lofty and unparalleled presence! It is one of the Eight Families, on par with, or even subtly superior to, the Shuntian Prefecture! Ordinary people would never even glimpse its threshold in their entire lives!
In the distance, the group of officials from the Foolish Underworld who had been rushing towards them with great momentum suddenly stopped in their tracks! The official expression on the face of the leading squad leader froze instantly! A hint of surprise and immense pressure flashed in his eyes! His colleagues behind him exchanged glances, completely silent!

Does this involve the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion?

Does this involve government offices at this level?

No one dared to get involved easily! Even if they weren't direct superiors or subordinates, even if they could inquire about security procedures, they didn't dare to even entertain the thought of questioning the power of the "Tianji Pavilion"!

A higher-ranking official can have absolute power, especially one from the highest level! Who would dare to provoke such a conflict? If it were to escalate into a departmental conflict… the consequences would be far beyond what these low-ranking constables could bear!

Seeing that the troops from the Foolish Underworld were frozen in place, unable to advance or retreat, and showed no intention of getting any closer.

"Humph."

Qian Wu snorted with satisfaction, a cold smile of complete control curling at the corner of his lips.

"That's more like it! A government office of a certain caliber should do things in a manner befitting its status! Don't overstep your bounds!"

This feeling... this feeling of looking down on all living beings! It's wonderful!

Qian Wu straightened his back, feeling the gazes that came from all directions—gazes of awe, fear, or shock.

Power! This is power!!
Simply uttering a name, merely representing a single entity, was enough to frighten away even the most revered officials, leaving them too afraid to approach! It terrified hundreds of ordinary people into silence!
This feeling! This feeling of being looked up to and revered by everyone!

This was absolutely the pinnacle of his life so far!
Compared to the past decades of humble life in the Qian family, where he had to endure hardship, scheme, and suffer scorn in order to gain a little recognition... now, simply because he has climbed onto the powerful tree of Master Yuwen Wuji, simply because he has obtained a status, all these enviable things—family status, massive resources, and women that were once out of reach—now seem to be within his grasp! No longer an unattainable dream!

"Lord Yuwen Wuji...Lord Yuwen Wuji!" Qian Wu shouted devoutly in his heart, his blood boiling with excitement.

"You are the benefactor in my life, my savior!! From this day forward, my life belongs to you!! I will give my life for you!!!" A near-fanatical and blind loyalty and gratitude instantly filled his soul! He even felt that the stranger, Master Yuwen Wuji, had not given him a future, but... a new life!
Of course, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of people like Qian Wu under the magnet of power in the capital. Countless "lucky ones" eager to rise to the top are frantically flocking to the gates of powerful figures from all sides...

……

(End of this chapter)