Invincibility starts when I see the BOSS health bar.

Chapter 996 Deep Courtyard
A secluded courtyard.

Deep in the courtyard, a few rays of the setting sun pierced through the sparse branches and leaves, casting dappled light and shadow on the bluestone slabs, adding a touch of desolation and tension to the tranquil courtyard.

Lulu sat upright on a stone bench in the courtyard, her slender fingers plucking the strings of her zither. The melody "Pure Heart and Universal Benevolence Mantra" should have been calming and soothing, but at this moment, due to her restless mind, it subtly revealed a hint of anxiety and disorder.

The music flowed like water in the silence, yet it seemed unable to bear the heavy thoughts and unease in the heart of the player.

Elder Yan Jin stood quietly to one side, his wide robe sleeves hanging down, his face as calm as still water. Although he was not proficient in music, he was not entirely oblivious to people's expressions.

The subtle tremors and occasional rapid glissando in the piano music were like invisible threads, conveying the turbulent waves in Lulu's heart.

Elder Yan Jin understood.

Lulu died once at Fang Yu's hands!

She is about to face the man who once took her life again. Even though Lulu has so-called "incrimination" and hostages, the shadow of death probably still lingers in her heart. How can she truly be calm under such pressure?

After all, when they last met, Lulu never imagined that Fang Yu would dare to take her life!

Youthful arrogance is no joke; whatever the consequences, let the sword in your hand decide!
Although Elder Yan Jin was preoccupied with the thought that something terrible had happened at the time, now that he has come to his senses, he has carefully considered the matter.

That youthful arrogance is exactly what he lacks now. Who wasn't a child prodigy once? It's just that now he has to accept that he's getting old.

Although Elder Yan Jin has been slacking off within the Absolute Sect, everyone knows the real situation. He's simply past his prime; his strength and aptitude are stuck at a certain point, neither rising nor falling. Add to that his age, and it's no easy feat for him to regain his former glory.

Looking at Lulu, although she must not be calm inside, she still dares to sit here and wait for someone. This courage is something that many people simply cannot have.

Thinking of this, Elder Yan Jin couldn't help but feel a subtle sense of admiration.

If it were him, having just been killed by someone's own hands, and then having to cooperate with the murderer who killed him the next day, he wouldn't do such a humiliating thing even if he were killed again.

But Lulu was willing to do it, and even took the initiative to seek cooperation with Diao Deyi, her mortal enemy!

This courage and forbearance are truly extraordinary; he is destined for great things.

However… he pondered to himself that Lulu's willingness to lower herself and even feign compliance with Fang Yu was probably not as simple as personal grudges or matters of the mortal family.

The imperial court must have exerted unimaginable pressure to force her to take this risky move.

As the last note slowly dissipated into the air, the lingering melody only amplified the desolation of the courtyard.

Lulu raised her eyes and looked at Elder Yan Jin, forcing a slight smile at the corners of her lips: "Elder, what do you think of this piece?"

His voice carried a barely perceptible dryness and a hint of hesitation.

"Lulu's piano skills are superb, this piece... is very elegant." Elder Yan Jin nodded slightly, his words carrying a touch of his usual, slightly distant, polite flattery.

Lulu didn't care about the perfunctory evaluation. She stood up, walked slowly closer, looked directly at Elder Yan Jin, and her tone suddenly became soft, even with a rare vulnerability and dependence: "Elder Yan Jin, now that the great capital city is empty, Elder Hu Xin is gone, and I am all alone, walking on thin ice. The only one I can look up to and rely on is you."

She lowered her head slightly, adopting an extremely humble posture, a stark contrast to her usual shrewdness, competence, and sharp edge.

Elder Yan Jin frowned slightly.

Lulu's show of weakness is not her true nature; it seems she has truly been pushed to the limit, and the situation is far more critical than she appears.

He looked around the somewhat empty courtyard. In the past, there were several capable subordinates running around, but now it was deserted.

The Juemen sect's top forces in the capital have indeed been severely weakened by the death of Elder Huxin and the departure of Fang Yu, leaving very few capable people.

Even a skilled cook can't cook without rice. No matter how many schemes and tricks Lulu has, she has no one to rely on. What can she do?
He said in a deep voice, "My heart is solely devoted to the Juemen Sect. As long as it is something that serves the Juemen Sect, I will do my utmost without hesitation."

This statement can be considered a partial agreement, indicating her stance and bottom line: she was only concerned with the overall situation of the sect, and not completely obeyed Lulu's personal orders.

Hearing that Elder Yan Jin did not directly refuse, and even vaguely expressed his support, Lulu felt a little relieved and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

She did regret her previous haste and rashness.

Elder Huxin was a key figure she carefully selected to rebuild her team in the capital, to counterbalance or even replace Elder Yanjin. With his seniority and prestige, he was capable of suppressing Elder Yanjin and even marginalizing him, thus allowing her to firmly control the power of the Juemen in the capital.

Unfortunately, man proposes, God disposes. Elder Huxin not only failed to become the sharpest weapon in her hands, but even broke and fell into Fang Yu's hands. In addition, the matter was exposed and Fang Yu left in a huff. She was instantly left all alone, and all her grand plans vanished in an instant.

To make matters worse, the pressure from Lord Jing suddenly increased, with harsh words and a deadline for results, forcing her to take a risk, put aside her hatred, and actively seek cooperation with Fang Yu.

Otherwise, according to her original plan and personality, her next meeting with Fang Yu would inevitably be a fight to the death, a situation that could only be washed away with blood.

Either she lies in a pool of blood, or Fang Yu becomes a cold corpse.

Just as she was pondering this, a subordinate hurriedly ran from the corridor, looking respectful, and whispered a few words in Lulu's ear.

Lulu's expression remained unchanged; she merely nodded slightly and gave a knowing look. Her subordinate quickly bowed and withdrew silently.

During this period, she did secretly cultivate some confidants, but these people were weak, inexperienced, and unfit for important tasks.

The reason why they urgently needed a powerful external aid like Fang Yu was precisely because they had no one else available to help them.

She was unwilling to give up; given enough time, she was confident she could weave a tight new web. However, what she lacked most right now was precisely time.

The imperial court won't give her that time.

Just then, two figures appeared at the end of the corridor, one silent and with a gloomy expression.

The other one walked along casually and lazily, as if he were just taking a leisurely stroll.

It was Fang Yu and Hei Ao.

Fang Yu casually put his hands in his sleeves and swaggered into the courtyard. His gaze swept over the crowd before finally settling on Lulu with a hint of scrutiny and amusement.

The moment their eyes met, Lulu's heart skipped a beat!
The excruciating pain of the cold sword piercing her chest, the chill of her rapidly draining life force, and the suffocating feeling surged over her like a tidal wave, almost drowning her!
The color drained from her face in an instant. Although she tried her best to control herself and quickly regained her composure with her strong willpower, her subconsciously clenched hands, with white knuckles and slight trembling, could not completely hide the instinctive fear in that moment.

At such close range, Fang Yu's sharp gaze, as well as Elder Yan Jin who had been watching Lulu's reactions, clearly captured her fleeting yet incredibly real loss of composure.

Elder Yan Jin sighed silently, shifted his feet slightly, and seemingly naturally stood closer to Lulu.

This subtle action silently conveyed an attitude.

At least for this moment, in front of Fang Yu, he was on Lulu's side, which gave her an extra bit of confidence.

Fang Yu's lips curled into a playful, slightly mocking smile. So afraid? Or... is this another carefully orchestrated tactic to gain sympathy by feigning weakness?

He couldn't feel any affection for Lulu at all. This woman's scheming was as deep as the sea, full of tricks, and one could easily fall into her trap if one wasn't careful.

He walked straight over, ignoring the tense atmosphere, and sat down unceremoniously in the spot where Lulu had just been. He even picked up the teacup she had left by the piano, which still had some body heat and lip prints on it, and took a sip, his behavior deliberately provocative.

"Aren't you afraid it's poisonous?" Lulu's face regained its impeccable smile, but the smile didn't reach her eyes, as if she were wearing an exquisite mask.

Fang Yu put down his teacup, his smile cold and his voice sharp: "Do you want to die again?"

The moment they met, the atmosphere was tense and volatile, as if the air itself had frozen.

Elder Yan Jin quickly stepped forward and stood between the two to smooth things over: "Diao Deyi, don't do this. Lulu is still safe and sound, which is good for everyone. Moreover, she has solemnly promised that as long as we continue to cooperate, all past grievances can be forgiven."

Fang Yu raised an eyebrow, his tone laced with disdain and arrogance: "When have I ever feared the Juemen's pursuit? From the moment she sent someone to assassinate me, she should have been prepared to be killed by me. Life and death are in the hands of fate, success and failure are in the hands of heaven, isn't that right?"

"Young Master Diao, you have quite a temper." Lulu's voice was soft, yet it contained a sharp edge as she tried to remain calm. "I've already died once by your sword, and even though I was lucky enough to escape with my life, I still don't have this much temper."

Fang Yu was too lazy to engage in any more pointless arguments with her, so he cut straight to the point, his gaze sharp as a knife: "Where is Zuo Lü?"

"Miss Zuo Lü is in a very safe place, eating and drinking well, and has not been neglected in the slightest."

Lulu spoke with certainty, trying to control the pace.

"As long as Young Master Diao is willing to accompany me to meet someone, regardless of whether this cooperation ultimately succeeds or fails, Miss Zuo Lü will release you immediately afterwards, ensuring you are unharmed. If Young Master Diao has no intention of cooperating, then from now on, we will go our separate ways in the capital, each minding our own business."

She paused, then added, her tone slightly tense, "Of course, all of this is on the premise that you, Young Master Diao, can keep your promise and not seek revenge today."

Fang Yu frowned: "So, this meeting to discuss cooperation was the idea of ​​the person behind you, not your own?"

"Yes."

Lulu answered decisively, but a strong sense of displeasure and humiliation involuntarily swept through her heart.

This feeling of being completely controlled, losing control, and being reduced to a mere mouthpiece was truly unpleasant. But she also knew that her previous poor performance and failure to fulfill the tasks assigned by the court meant that her temporary loss of influence was entirely her own fault.

Fang Yu remained silent for a moment, then turned his sharp gaze to Elder Yan Jin beside him, his expression questioning.

Elder Yan Jin nodded slightly to him, almost imperceptibly.

Fang Yu then suppressed his urge to act immediately and said in a deep voice, "Words are not enough. Take me to see Zuo Lü first. I want to see for myself that she is safe and sound."

Lulu chuckled softly, "Is Young Master Diao afraid I'll break my promise? But how could I not be afraid?"

Fang Yu raised an eyebrow: "You're afraid?"

"Afraid."

Lulu nodded seriously.

"I fear that once Young Master Diao sees Miss Zuo Lü unharmed, he will kill me on the spot to vent his displeasure."

"You do have some self-awareness," Fang Yu mocked, making no attempt to conceal his killing intent.

Lulu sighed.

"Why is Young Master Diao pressing us so hard? Everything is in the past, isn't it?"

Fang Yu was so angry at these words that he almost laughed.

What a great line: everything is in the past.

So, you weren't the one who got assassinated before?

If I hadn't survived that wave, wouldn't I be living in your casual conversations now?

Just as Fang Yu's temper was about to flare up, he felt Elder Yan Jin's burning gaze.

"Diao Deyi, give me some face."

Elder Yan Jin spoke up, and Fang Yu could only sigh helplessly and say no more.

Out of respect for Elder Yan Jin, he temporarily suppressed his murderous intent that was about to erupt.

In addition, he was indeed very interested in the mysterious figure behind Lulu who had the power to "legally" kill demons in the mansions of powerful people in the capital without being held accountable.

This person possesses such immense power and influence in the imperial court; his position and authority must be extraordinary. Meeting him might reveal some of the truth.

Seeing Elder Yan Jin's help, Lulu finally breathed a sigh of relief. Being with a capricious guy like Fang Yu was indeed quite stressful.

After calming down, Lulu clapped her hands gently.

Soon, Zuo Lü, accompanied by two guards, walked out from the other side of the corridor.

She looked to be in good health, dressed neatly, and showed no signs of being mistreated or tortured.

Hei Ao, who had been standing nearby anxiously, immediately went to greet him, his concern evident as he looked him up and down.

However, Zuo Lü's gaze quickly bypassed Hei Ao and landed directly on Fang Yu. Her eyes shone with a bright and complex light, even carrying an indescribable, almost joyful certainty: "Diao Deyi! I knew you would come to save me!"

Her tone carried a hint of "I knew it," as if this calamity was something she had deliberately orchestrated to test whether Fang Yu would come for her.

Fang Yu was slightly taken aback, a hint of doubt flashing through his mind.

He knew Zuo Lü; she wasn't the kind of person who would be so cunning as to risk her own safety. Her reaction at this moment seemed a bit strange, as if there was something more to her words.

But he didn't delve into it immediately. He simply stepped forward, patted her shoulder reassuringly, and said in an unquestionable tone, "It's good that you're alright. We'll talk about the details later. You and Hei Ao should go back to the Ouyang residence and wait for me."

"Um!"

Watching the interaction between the two, Hei Ao, who was standing to the side, hesitated, unable to say what he was going to say.

(End of this chapter)