Invincibility starts when I see the BOSS health bar.

Chapter 963 Smoke of War
For the true high-ranking elders of the Absolute Sect, Lulu's role was very clear—she was merely a "representative" of the sect in the capital, a "living signboard" authorized by the sect leader to handle external presentations and communication. Her value lay in the convenience and symbolic significance brought about by her identity.

However, ensuring that this "reputation" remains intact, assisting her in completing her work in the capital, and ensuring her safety during the mission are precisely the core responsibilities of the accompanying elders, such as Yan Jin and Hu Xin.

Now, this "reputation" is shattered, shattered so thoroughly and so embarrassingly. Regardless of the specific process or who is responsible, Yan Jin and Hu Xin, as elders of the Juemen sect who were present or would be present, cannot escape blame!
Elder Huxin walked unhurriedly to Elder Yanjin. His smiling eyes calmly met Elder Yanjin's face, which still held traces of anger and suspicion.

"Lulu," Elder Huxin's tone remained casual, tinged with just the right amount of curiosity, "How did she die? It seems she just passed away. The murderer... have you caught them?"

His gentle smile and calm tone formed a chilling contrast with the bloody facts contained in his words.

Elder Yan Jin's heart sank. He knew this man all too well. Beneath that seemingly harmless and gentle exterior lay a heart of extreme coldness! When Elder Hu Xin killed, he was always nonchalant, his hand flashing as the blade fell without a second thought!
His folding fan, inscribed with the words "Protect the Trust," had been stained with the blood of countless adversaries! At this moment, this seemingly casual question carried a chilling scrutiny and invisible pressure that permeated the air as if it were a tangible reality.

"……No."

Elder Yan Jin's voice was deep, with a hint of barely perceptible hesitation, slowly spreading through the deathly silence.

He remained silent for several breaths, his gaze seemingly drawn by invisible chains, fixed heavily and unwaveringly on Lulu's cold, broken body.

The scene was shocking.

The head lay shattered on the ground, the dark red blood from the wound already congealed, presenting an ominous purplish-black hue.

The remaining limbs were twisted, the clothes were torn and stained with dust and blood, and the body lay limp and lifeless on the ground.

From any angle, and in any way, this body is completely devoid of life, cold and stiff, and has no connection whatsoever with the word "living thing".

A heavy cloud of doubt swirled in Elder Yan Jin's mind.

Fang Yu's resolute statement, "Lulu is not dead," echoed repeatedly in his mind, yet it formed an extremely sharp and irreconcilable contradiction with the undeniably dead corpse before him.

He simply couldn't understand where Fang Yu had come to such an absurd conclusion. What were his bases and considerations? Where did this certainty come from?

Just as Elder Yan Jin was deep in thought, Elder Hu Xin moved.

The seemingly elegant folding fan in his hand snapped shut with a crisp "whoosh," the ribs striking each other with a clear, ringing sound.

He narrowed his long, sharp eyes slightly, his gaze like poisoned silver needles, sweeping over the chaotic traces of the battle in the courtyard—shattered bricks, broken walls, crisscrossing craters in the ground, and scorch marks left by the burning energy.

"Heh, that's interesting." Elder Huxin's voice carried a hint of amusement, but also a chilling probing. "With Elder Yanjin's abilities, how could someone kill someone right under your nose and escape unscathed? This assassin is quite skilled."

He paused, his gaze sweeping casually over Elder Yan Jin's slightly disheveled robes, a half-smile playing on his lips. "Could it be... that some ignorant force dares to target our Jue Clan in this very capital?"

The residual energy fluctuations at the scene and the glaringly fresh aura of death emanating from Lulu's corpse clearly pointed to one fact: Elder Yan Jin had just experienced a fierce chase.

He returned empty-handed, his expression grave, the answer self-evident—he had failed, unable to capture or kill the murderer.

Elder Huxin subconsciously believed that it was Elder Yanjin's lack of strength that allowed the murderer to escape.

After all, this colleague had long given up on advancing in martial arts, and his strength was among the lowest of the elders.

However, the moment this thought arose, Elder Huxin's sharp and experienced eyes caught a deeper detail.

His sharp gaze pierced through the chaos in the front yard and instantly locked onto the unfamiliar young figure in the back courtyard.

At the same time, he keenly sensed that the most intense and core traces of the battle remaining in the entire courtyard, their energy source and destructive trajectory, all faintly pointed to this young man!
In other words, Elder Yan Jin wasn't chasing some "mysterious assassin" just now, but was engaged in a fierce battle with the young man in front of him!
"Step aside!"

Elder Huxin's voice suddenly turned cold, carrying an unquestionable commanding tone.

Without any hesitation, he shoved Elder Yan Jin aside, the force of which caught Elder Yan Jin off guard and caused him to stumble. Elder Hu Xin, on the other hand, strode across the ruins like a gust of cold wind, stopping instantly in front of Fang Yu. The two were so close that they could almost feel each other's breath.

"Young man," Elder Huxin sized Fang Yu up, his eyes sharp as knives, as if he wanted to dissect Fang Yu from the inside out, "You look unfamiliar. State your name, what's your background?"

Fang Yu frowned, an invisible pressure bearing down on him like a mountain. He forced himself to remain calm, the alarming number above the other person's head clearly appearing in his vision:

[Zhou Huxin: 46322/46322.]

A staggering 46,000+ points of health! This is far beyond Elder Yan Jin, a mere "gatekeeper" barely stepping into the Six Souls Realm, nor can it be compared to Qian Jinxun, a peak-level Soul Intelligence Realm cultivator. This is a true, deeply rooted Six Souls Realm expert! An old monster capable of unleashing a bloodbath in the martial world!

Fang Yu took a deep breath of the cold air, suppressing the tremor in his heart, and clasped his hands in a deep voice, saying, "I am Diao Deyi. I am currently working for the Juemen."

"He's the helper we invited, and his skills are quite impressive!" Elder Yan Jin steadied himself and quickly called out from behind, trying to help Fang Yu out of the predicament. "I originally planned to take him back to the Juemen Sect after things in the capital were settled, and introduce him to my sect." His tone was urgent, and his intention was clear: to cover up Fang Yu's identity and bring him under his wing. However…

"So you are Diao Deyi."

The Elder's voice carried the expected chill, yet a cold smile played on his lips. He not only knew of Fang Yu's existence, but also knew the secret of his identity!

"Lulu specifically mentioned you in her letter to me. That elusive masked man in the capital is none other than you, Diao Deyi. However..." Elder Huxin's tone abruptly shifted, his voice laced with biting sarcasm, his gaze piercing Elder Yan Jin behind him like an icy spike, "As far as I know, Lulu should have already dealt with this 'hidden danger' before I arrived in the capital. Isn't that right, Elder Yan Jin?" His final question, though not loud, was like a poisoned icy needle stabbing at Elder Yan Jin, the smile in his eyes chillingly cold, devoid of any warmth.

Fang Yu's heart sank suddenly, as if he had fallen into an ice cave, and his face instantly turned ashen.

So that's how it is! Lulu had already been in contact with this new elder of the Absolute Clan! Their "death" had already been decided!

Previously, they only suspected Lulu's murderous intent, but now Elder Huxin's words are irrefutable proof!

If Fang Yu had any doubts before about whether Lulu truly intended to kill him, those doubts had now vanished, leaving only overwhelming rage and chilling killing intent—he only wanted to find Lulu's true identity and hide her away, and then crush her completely once again!
Elder Yan Jin was clearly caught off guard by this sudden information. He looked stunned and subconsciously turned to look at Lulu's headless corpse, then at Elder Hu Xin's all-knowing eyes, his brows furrowing.

After a moment's deliberation, he took a deep breath and his tone hardened: "Elder Protector! Diao Deyi is now my man! He is still of great use to the Juemen in the capital! Whatever Lulu said in her previous correspondence with you is no longer valid now that she is 'dead'! From now on, all Juemen's actions in the capital will be directed and commanded by me, Yan Jin!"

Upon hearing this, Elder Huxin let out a low, sarcastic laugh: "Oh? On what grounds?"

He raised his withered finger and pointed precisely at Lulu's gruesome corpse. "Just because Lulu is dead? Elder Yan Jin, don't forget, we are both elders of the Absolute Clan! The rules stipulate that our authority is equal, and the final decision isn't up to you alone! Besides..."

His tone shifted abruptly, his gaze locking onto Fang Yu like a venomous snake, his killing intent now undisguised. "Lulu just died tragically at the hands of 'someone,' her body barely cold! For both reason and duty, shouldn't we, the two elders, seek justice for her blood debt?"

"Do you think I'm right, Diao Deyi?" Elder Huxin's voice was like a death knell, aimed directly at Fang Yu.

Fang Yu had a private relationship with Elder Yan Jin and was unwilling to completely break ties with him, so he tolerated him at every turn. But this did not mean that he would be afraid of a suddenly appearing, aggressive old monster! If it really came down to a life-or-death situation, he was willing to risk his life and might just fight to the death!
"I killed Lulu!" Fang Yu's voice was resolute, without the slightest hesitation. "She sent the demon Qian Wu to assassinate me first! I'm here today only to seek justice from her! Moreover," he changed the subject, his sharp gaze sweeping over Lulu's corpse, "based on my observation and judgment, Lulu's true form... is definitely not dead! Elder Huxin, if you believe me, let me leave now. If you insist on not believing me..." A cold smile curled at the corner of Fang Yu's lips, "then there's nothing I can do!"

"What a convenient excuse!"

Elder Huxin's voice suddenly rose, filled with a furious rage!

His withered fingers nervously rubbed the seemingly ordinary but actually deadly iron-boned fan in his hand.

Unlike Elder Yan Jin, Elder Hu Xin, despite being an elder, has never truly slacked off in his martial arts training. His daily arduous practice has made him far stronger than Yan Jin, firmly placing him among the core elders of the Absolute Sect.

In the eyes of the younger generation of the Juemen, Yan Jin was just a "gatekeeper" who barely held the title of elder and had no ambition, while Hu Xin was an insurmountable and awe-inspiring mountain!

At this moment, Fang Yu's contemptuous attitude ignited the mountain's fury! The iron fan in his hand, dormant for so long, yearned to drink blood once more!

"That reminds me of something,"

Elder Huxin's voice suddenly lowered again, carrying a terrifying calm that seemed to be brewing a storm, and he even squeezed out a twisted smile on his face, "You just said that Lulu sent someone to assassinate you? As far as I know, besides Elder Yan Jin, the only person she seems to have who can be trusted is her disciple Qian Wu, who arrived half a day earlier than me."

He paced slowly, his gaze fixed on Fang Yu like a hawk's. "But when I arrived in the capital, my unruly disciple, Qian Wu, didn't wait for me at the gate as promised... How strange..."

The chill in his smile almost froze the air. "Could it be that my good-for-nothing disciple has already been... killed by you, brat?"

The last sentence, though a question, carries an undeniable, chilling murderous intent!
Elder Yan Jin's mind was filled with alarm bells!
He had tried his best to mediate and quell the conflict. Elder Huxin's words were tantamount to tearing away the last fig leaf! He knew things were going badly and was about to shout a stern rebuke when Fang Yu's voice, filled with naked provocation, rang out like a powder keg being lit: "Oh? So that demon Qian Wu, whose bones are as brittle as paper, is your disciple?"

Fang Yu's lips curled into a malicious smile, his voice loud and clear, each word piercing the heart, "That's right, I killed him! His bones were too weak to withstand a beating, I broke him to pieces! The miserable state he was in before he died, tsk tsk, he even seemed to be crying out 'Master, save me,' he was so pitiful! What?"

Fang Yu tilted his head slightly, his eyes filled with undisguised provocation, "You, as his master, are going to stand up for this demonic disciple...?"

"boom--!!!"

The moment the words fell, a terrifying killing intent, enough to freeze the soul, erupted from Elder Huxin like a tangible cold wave! Elder Yan Jin's expression changed drastically, and only one thought remained in his mind: It's over!

Sure enough, when he looked up, he saw that Elder Huxin's once calm face was now completely distorted, as ferocious as a demon! His hand holding the iron fan trembled violently with extreme anger, the veins on the back of his hand bulging and knotting, as if it might burst at any moment! That seemingly elegant iron-bone fan now radiated a chilling and ferocious light in his hand!
"What did you say!!!"

A piercing roar, like that of a wounded beast, shattered the deathly silence of the courtyard!

The figure of Elder Huxin blurred instantly, as fast as a black lightning bolt tearing through the night sky!

The iron fan in his hand was no longer an elegant object, but a weapon capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks. With a piercing shriek and carrying the fury of his life's cultivation, it slammed down on Fang Yu's face with utterly unpretentious and brutal force!

(End of this chapter)