In Emei, start by obtaining golden attributes.

Chapter 177 Kill Only, Don't Save, To Avoid the Seeds of Disaster (Third Update)
Seeing the middle-aged scholar step into the room, the old man, whose face was completely hidden by his cloak, couldn't help but ask, "You didn't leave?"

In response to the old man's words, the middle-aged man stepped forward while fanning himself with a folding fan, and said with a smug smile, "If Elder Qu had endured for another half an hour, I might have really left."

As they were speaking, more than a dozen men in black rushed into the house.

At the same time, the sound of horses' hooves could be heard outside.

Clearly, the sound of horses' hooves earlier was just something Wen Zaixuan had deliberately arranged.

The purpose was to lower Qu Yang's guard inside the house, making him believe that these people had really left.

The sudden turn of events startled everyone else in the room, who had just lain down and were not yet fully asleep, so they stood up again.

The old man stepped forward and shielded Qu Feiyan behind him, then looked at the middle-aged scholar opposite him: "Wen Zaixuan, for the sake of our years of friendship, can't you spare my life and my granddaughter's?"

Upon hearing the old man's words, the middle-aged scholar known as Wen Zaixuan sighed.

"Elder Qu is also aware of how the sect deals with traitors. If I, Wen, really release Elder Qu, what do you think will happen to me when the sect leader finds out?"

As he spoke, Wen Zaixuan glanced at the little girl beside the old man.

"If Elder Qu knows what's good for him, he should return to the Sun Moon Divine Sect with me. If the Sect Leader is magnanimous, he might forgive and forget. In that case, Elder Qu will still be one of the Ten Elders of our Holy Sect, second only to the leader. Why drag your beloved granddaughter into this?"

The old man took a deep breath and asked, "What if I don't want to go back?"

Wen Zaixuan smiled and asked, "Elder Qu, do you think there's still a choice?"

Upon hearing this, the old man said in a deep voice, "We both know the methods of the sect leader. If I go back with you, not only will I not be able to save my own life, but I will also surely lose my granddaughter."

"Since I'm going to die anyway, why don't I take a gamble here? Even if I fail, I might be able to take some people down with me."

As he spoke, the old man's internal energy circulated, and the hood on his head was lifted behind him by the surging energy, revealing his true face.

With his gaze fixed on the old man's face, Gu Shaoan immediately recognized him as one of the people who had been waiting beside Dongfang Bai four years ago.

The old man's identity is naturally beyond question.

Qu Yang, one of the ten elders of the Sun Moon Sect.

Then look at the cute little girl next to the old man.

Gu Shaoan murmured to himself, "Qu Feiyan?"

However, the Sun Moon Sect was extremely far from Huaishan Prefecture, and Gu Shaoan never expected to encounter members of the Sun Moon Sect here.

Just as Gu Shaoan learned the identities of everyone through their conversation, Wen Zaixuan inside the room suddenly chuckled.

"Elder Qu is the head of the Ten Elders, so his strength is beyond doubt. As for me, I am not good at killing and my strength is weak. Not to mention the other Ten Elders, even the other hall masters in the sect are stronger than me."

"Under normal circumstances, given Elder Qu's strength, I, Wen, would naturally be somewhat wary."

"But now Elder Qu is injured and his strength has greatly decreased. In addition, he has a burden by his side."

"Elder Qu, do you really think this outwardly strong but inwardly weak performance can frighten me?"

Qu Yang looked coldly at Wen Zaixuan: "You are welcome to try me and see if I dare to fight you to the death."

Wen Zaixuan paused with his folding fan, his not-so-large eyes fixed on Qu Yang, as if he were thinking, or perhaps he had some concerns.

Snowflakes pattered against the windowpanes of the inn, like countless tiny, urgent whispers.

Wen Zaixuan's folding fan paused in mid-air. His previously narrow gaze suddenly widened, and the smile on his lips, which seemed both mocking and sighing, deepened. He then slammed the folding fan shut with a "whoosh."

The crisp sound of the fan ribs closing together was exceptionally clear during the intervals between howling wind and snow.

A hint of helplessness even appeared on his face as he spoke to Qu Yang, who looked as if facing a formidable enemy: "Very well! I am only following orders. I have no prior grudges with Elder Qu. Elder Qu still has considerable strength. If we were to fight to the death, this place would be destroyed, which is not what I wish for."

"Since Elder Qu is so resolute, I have no choice but to give up. I'll take my leave now, that's all."

As he finished speaking, Wen Zaixuan clasped his hands in a gesture of respect.

However, just as his waist slumped slightly, his head was about to lower, and his flowing hair obscured his eyes...

"Chucky!"

Several subtle, almost indistinguishable sharp sounds, almost blending into the wind and snow, shot out without warning from his sleeves, which were not fully closed, and from the gaps in his folding fan, which had just been closed.

A dozen long needles, gleaming with an almost transparent dark light, shot towards Qu Yang like the forked tongue of a venomous snake in the dim, flickering firelight, their trajectory treacherous.

Faced with Wen Zaixuan's sudden sneak attack, Qu Yang's beard bristled with rage, and his withered body unleashed astonishing power in the moment of life and death, his low roar like muffled thunder.

He gathered his inner energy in his hands, and withered hands swiftly struck out, hastily deflecting several long needles that were about to strike him, before abruptly flicking off his cloak.

The remaining needles were swept away by the cloak as the strong wind swept them away.

One of the poisoned needles flew diagonally into a campfire, instantly causing a green flame to rise from it.

The flames alone were enough to show that the long needles were coated with poison.

Just as Qu Yang had blocked all the poison needles, Wen Zaixuan, who had been in the middle of the room, rushed in front of Qu Yang.

At this moment, Wen Zaixuan's humility vanished, leaving only a chilling killing intent.

At some point, sharp blades had sprung out from the tip of the folding fan on his right hand. The closed fan now resembled a dagger, silently stabbing towards Qu Yang's chest.

Upon seeing this, Qu Yang quickly raised his elbow and thrust it forward from the side, pushing Wen Zaixuan's folding fan to one side. Then, he suddenly straightened his elbow and lashed out at Wen Zaixuan's right cheek with the back of his hand like a whip.

Seemingly surprised by Qu Yang's quick reaction, Wen Zaixuan couldn't help but frown.

He lightly touched the ground with his foot and leaned back, just enough for Qu Yang's right palm to pass an inch in front of his nose.

Upon seeing this, Qu Yang stepped forward, retracting his right hand while simultaneously slamming his left hand into Wen Zaixuan's chest.

Upon seeing this, Wen Zaixuan quickly flipped over, kicking Qu Yang's hand with his right foot. Then, he slapped the ground with his palm, using the force to spring up suddenly. His folding fan opened with a "whoosh," and sharp blades slashed in an arc towards Qu Yang's eyes.

The other hand reached for Qu Yang's genitals.

Their moves are insidious and vicious, almost entirely low-class techniques.

But as Wen Zaixuan said before, Qu Yang, as the head of the ten elders of the Sun Moon Sect, even in his current state of obvious serious injury, showed a strength that was no less than his.

Upon realizing this, Wen Zaixuan cursed inwardly, his icy voice exploding like a poisoned icicle.

"Move! Take down that little girl!"

The previous blockade was merely a formality. Upon receiving the order, the dozen or so disciples of the Sun Moon Sect, who had been waiting in ambush, pounced on Qu Feiyan, who had been forced back to the corner and whose face was pale.

Those merchants and travelers huddled in the corner, trembling with fear, couldn't even gasp in their throats. All they could see were figures crisscrossing, flashes of blood, and a pervasive atmosphere of murderous intent!
Seeing this, Qu Feiyan quickly took a few steps back, trying to create some distance.

But before she could get far, she crashed into the wall, her eyes filled with fear.

Seeing Wen Zaixuan's shamelessness in sending disciples of the Sun Moon Sect to deal with Qu Feiyan, Qu Yang, concerned, couldn't help but look towards Qu Feiyan.

Capturing this moment of Qu Yang, Wen Zaixuan formed his left palm, the palm slightly tinged with a bluish-black color, and pressed it towards Qu Yang's chest.

Upon noticing the movement, Qu Yang's heart sank. He forced himself to take a deep breath and slightly turned his body to the side.

"Pfft!" A dull thud rang out, and Qu Yang's body shuddered violently. He coughed up a mouthful of blood, and his whole body was like a withered tree that had been hit by a giant hammer. He staggered back several steps and crashed into the cold wall before coming to a stop. His face turned ashen.

Before Qu Yang could recover, Wen Zaixuan lunged forward, pressing the blade of his folding fan directly against Qu Yang's neck.

At the same time, two disciples of the Sun Moon Sect had firmly grasped Qu Feiyan's thin arms and dragged her away from the corner.

Qu Feiyan winced in pain from the twisted handcuffs, but stubbornly bit her lower lip to keep from crying out.

"You shameless bastard, surnamed Wen."

Looking at Wen Zaixuan in front of him, Qu Yang felt a little blood trickle from the corner of his mouth again and couldn't help but curse.

After pressing Qu Yang's acupoints and sealing his power, and after the other Sun Moon Sect disciples tied Qu Yang's hands behind his back, Wen Zaixuan took a step back.

He brushed a trace of blood from his pale hand onto his robe sleeve, a smug yet cold smile curving his lips: "All's fair in war, Elder Qu. Have you forgotten who we are? When did the Sun Moon Divine Sect become a reputable sect that values ​​honesty and propriety? Isn't being despicable and shameless the most basic requirement for members of the Sun Moon Divine Sect?"

"As for you, so stubborn and gullible, could it be that you've been spending too much time with those hypocritical fools from the Hengshan Sect, and your brain has become muddled?"

His words were sarcastic, mercilessly piercing through Qu Yang's last defenses.

With the situation under control, Wen Zaixuan relaxed.

A disciple of the Sun Moon Cult stepped forward and asked, "Elder, what should be done with the rest?"

Wen Zaixuan's gaze casually swept over the figures trembling with fear, then he smiled slightly, his demeanor returning to its previous polite and courteous state.

"Our actions, entering your room twice, have truly disturbed your peaceful sleep. As members of the Demonic Sect, although we are not bound by formalities, we still have to offer this small apology."

"How about we escort them to a place where they won't be disturbed and let them rest? This would be our Holy Church's way of apologizing."

His voice even carried a touch of the rhythm unique to scholars, yet the words he uttered instantly froze everyone's blood!
"Do not--!"

"don't want--"

"Spare my life!"

Upon hearing this, the passersby were so frightened that they knelt on the ground and begged for mercy.

Qu Feiyan, who had been restrained, rang out in a clear, childlike voice: "You've already captured Grandpa and me, and these people haven't done anything wrong. Why are you hurting them? You're a bad person!"

He seemed surprised that such a young girl would have the courage to say these things to him.

Wen Zaixuan was taken aback at first, then burst into laughter as if he had heard an extremely funny joke, filling the entire room with laughter.

After a while, Wen Zaixuan, whose laughter had subsided, turned his head to look at Qu Feiyan, his cruel smile deepening.

“Bad guy? Little girl, remember, the Sun Moon Cult is a demonic cult. As an elder, I am certainly not a good person.”

"As for your grandfather? Heh, the innocent blood on his hands is probably no less than mine. Does he really think that by colluding with the Hengshan Sect, he can turn from black to white?"

He was too lazy to waste any more words, and simply waved lazily at the black-clad men who had already drawn their weapons and were eyeing him menacingly.

The chilling glint of the blade suddenly shone in the dim firelight, like a wave of death surging in the abyss of despair.

Several men in black stepped out, steel knives raised in their hands, and strode quickly toward the merchants inside the house and the passersby kneeling and begging for mercy.

"Ah~"

However, at that moment, in the corner of the post station, beside the campfire that seemed to have been forgotten by everyone and had only been burning quietly, Gu Shaoan, leaning against the wall, suddenly let out a long and clear sigh.

The sigh was neither loud nor intense; it was like a drop of cold water, silencing everyone in the room.

Even the Sun Moon Cult disciples who were charging forward with murderous intent and raised their swords all stopped in their tracks, their gazes turning to Gu Shaoan, who was leaning against the wall, along with Wen Zaixuan's.

Standing up from the ground, Gu Shaoan spoke in a calm tone tinged with a hint of helplessness.

"Your dogfighting drama originally had nothing to do with me, and I had no interest in meddling in the affairs of your Sun Moon Cult. But you insist on pushing your luck. Since you don't want to leave, then don't leave today."

Upon hearing Gu Shaoan's words, Wen Zaixuan slowly turned around to look at Gu Shaoan.

After his gaze lingered briefly on the longsword in Gu Shaoan's left hand, he said mockingly, "Judging from your voice, you shouldn't be very old, but you've got quite the nerve. I wonder if your strength matches your bravado."

After speaking, Wen Zixuan casually waved his left hand forward as a gesture.

The next second, apart from those who had restrained Qu Yang and Qu Feiyan, the rest of the Sun Moon Sect disciples all raised their long knives and walked menacingly toward Gu Shaoan.

"Ah!"

Facing the dozen or so menacing disciples of the Sun Moon Cult, Gu Shaoan chuckled lightly.

He then lightly stomped his right foot, and pieces of red-hot charcoal immediately rose from the exploding fire.

Gu Shaoan gently turned his right wrist, then swayed it like a willow catkin, his palm facing forward.

The next second, chunks of charcoal that had just been airborne shot out like firecrackers under a burst of energy, piercing through the bodies of the Sun Moon Cult disciples who were wielding knives with overwhelming force, accompanied by screams of agony.

"Ok!"

Upon seeing Gu Shaoan's move, Wen Zaixuan's playful expression froze completely, as if frozen by the cold wind blowing outside.

"Hiss hiss hiss hiss."

The next second, a sound like something piercing through a human body rang out.

As four streams of blood appeared before their eyes, the four Sun Moon Cult disciples who had just been standing next to Qu Feiyan and Qu Yang collapsed to the ground.

At this moment, the folding fan that Wen Zaixuan was slowly waving in his hand froze completely, and his eyes shrank to pinpoints. A chill instantly shot up his spine and straight to the top of his head.

Before Wen Zaixuan could react, a long, slender, fair hand had already silently gripped his neck.

As the five fingers exerted force, Wen Zaixuan immediately felt as if his neck was being squeezed by a terrifying force of thousands of pounds, and his face instantly turned red.

Fear surged up from the bottom of his heart at that moment, and the discomfort in his throat and the fear in his heart left Wen Zaixuan speechless.

But the instinct for survival compelled Wen Zaixuan to try and speak, managing to utter a sound from his constantly squeezed throat.

"Misunderstanding, misunderstanding, I, I am an elder of the Sun Moon Cult."

In response to Wen Zaixuan's words, Gu Shaoan's calm voice slowly rang in Wen Zaixuan's ears.

"so what?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Shaoan exerted a slight force with his right hand.

With a "click," Wen Zaixuan's eyes widened, his body trembled suddenly, and then gradually went limp.

Emei Sect Rules

If any Emei disciple encounters evil or violence while outside, and the evidence is conclusive,

Kill but do not save, lest the seeds of disaster be sown.

　Phew, it's 2:30, finally done! Sorry for the lateness!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)