In Emei, start by obtaining golden attributes.

Chapter 197 Don't stop, say more, I love to hear it

Looking at Bai Zhenshan's tense expression, Gu Shaoan lightly flicked his right sleeve.

A sharp whistling sound flashed, and three copper coins were embedded an inch into the necks of the three men.

At the very moment the copper coin embedded itself in his neck, the remaining force also released Bai Zhenshan's voice from its confinement.

Bai Zhenshan felt a sudden loosening of his neck.

Unlike Bai Zhenshan, the two people beside him slumped their heads and fainted.

Clearly, the three copper coins that Gu Shaoan threw contained different amounts of force.

Before Bai Zhenshan could relax, Gu Shaoan's voice rang out.

"What's the deal with the Giant Sword Sect, the Four Seas Hall, and the Meishan Family that you just mentioned, allied with?"

As a powerful force in the martial arts world of the Great Wei Kingdom, the Emei Sect naturally also had records about various martial arts forces within the Great Wei Kingdom.

As early as his first year in Emei, Gu Shaoan had already read through all the recorded materials in the library inside the gate.

Therefore, they are also aware of the situation of sects and factions such as the Meishan Family.

The Meishan family is a second-rate power in the Beixuan Tianshan area.

It has been established for more than 300 years and is renowned throughout the world for its chivalry. Although it is only a second-rate power, it has extensive connections and has a deep friendship with most major sects and righteous figures in the martial arts world.

Even ordinary people who make a living on the outlaw trails give way when the Meishan family is mentioned.

Besides the patriarch Mei Changqing, who is a master of Qi Condensation, there are several other elders in the sect whose internal energy cultivation has reached the Qi Condensation stage.

Its foundation is even comparable to that of the Emei Sect 22 years ago, before the upheavals on the shores of Taihu Lake.

The two types of hidden weapons inside the gate, plum blossom needles and flying wind needles, are quite famous.

Even Abbess Juechen had mentioned the Meishan family to Gu Shaoan, clearly indicating that she knew people from the Meishan family.

The Four Seas Hall, on the other hand, was a sect established decades ago. Its leader, Fu Tianlong, had already reached the Qi Condensation Realm more than a decade ago, and his Four Seas Palm Technique was as powerful and unstoppable as the ocean waves.

There were also several elders who had returned to the Innate Realm within the sect.

They are considered a second-rate force, on par with the Songshan Sect.

As for the Giant Sword Sect, it was the worst.

Decades ago, it wasn't much stronger than the Huashan Qi Sect, where Yue Buqun belonged.

The sect leader, Helian Yu, was only at the level of a late-stage Innate Realm cultivator.

For decades, the sect has relied on the Meishan family for support, which has allowed it to continue and grow stronger.

Logically speaking, even if the Four Seas Hall and the Giant Sword Sect joined forces, they should not be a match for the Meishan Family.

Gu Shaoan had just clearly heard that the Giant Sword Sect, the Ghost Hand Gang, and the Four Seas Hall had actually wiped out the entire Meishan Family.

Only one orphaned girl escaped.

This was something that piqued Gu Shaoan's curiosity.

Upon hearing this, Bai Zhenshan hesitated.

Gu Shaoan raised his hand again.

A sharp whistling sound rang out again, followed by a flash of yellow light.

Bai Zhenshan felt a gentle breeze brush past his ear, and then the sharp-faced man beside him slumped softly onto the table.

Fresh blood quickly gushed from the pierced temple of the sharp-faced man, spreading across the table.

Upon seeing this, Bai Zhenshan was shocked. Without waiting for Gu Shaoan to speak again, he hurriedly replied, "The Meishan Family knew that we had joined forces with the Sihai Hall and the Giant Sword Sect to secretly kidnap people and search for rare treasures. They wanted to join forces with the government to take action against us, so the gang leader led us to wipe out the Meishan Family."

Gu Shaoan asked, "What's the name of your Ghost Hand Gang's leader? What's his strength?"

Bai Zhenshan spoke fluently, "The gang leader's name is Xu Xiong, and he has already reached the level of returning to the innate realm."

Gu Shaoan asked, "The Meishan family's strength is top-notch among second-rate forces. As far as I know, the Meishan family has seven martial artists who have reached the Qi Condensation stage. Do you think I would believe such a stupid statement, that the Four Seas Hall, the Giant Sword Sect, and your Ghost Hand Gang could destroy the Meishan family?"

Bai Zhenshan hurriedly said, "I am telling the truth. With just the Four Seas Hall, the Giant Sword Sect and our Ghost Hand Gang, we really have no way to deal with the Meishan Family. But before we dealt with the Meishan Family that day, the gang leader found three experts who had condensed their Qi into Yuan from somewhere."

“These three are extremely strong, none of them are inferior to Mei Changqing, the former patriarch of the Meishan family.”

"It was thanks to the help of these three that we were able to defeat Mei Changqing and many other experts from the Meishan family."

Gu Santong, standing to the side, said with a puzzled look, "It's quite interesting that a mere cultivator who has returned to the Innate Realm can summon three Qi Condensation Realm martial artists."

After pondering for a moment, Gu Shaoan asked, "Do you know the identities of these three Qi Condensation Realm Martial Artists?"

Bai Zhenshan responded, "I don't know. Those three men were all dressed in black and their faces were covered, so we couldn't see their faces. In fact, after they killed Mei Changqing's men, the gang leader even ordered us to burn the bodies of those three men who had killed them. Moreover, the gang leader showed great respect to these three men, so we didn't dare to ask any more questions."

Gu Shaoan pondered for a moment, then asked, "What is the relationship between your Ghost Hand Gang and the Four Seas Hall?"

Bai Zhenshan said, "It's a cooperative relationship. On weekdays, the people, rare treasures, and precious medicines that Sihaitang secretly kidnaps are handed over to us. We take the people back to the manor and lock them up. Once we have enough, we administer the drugs and transport the people away."

"Where in the manor are you hiding the people you kidnapped?"

"Inside the basement of the West Wing Tavern, there are six more brothers guarding the area in the shadows."

Are all the members of the Ghost Hand Gang here? How many are there in total?

After answering Gu Shaoan's question again, Bai Zhenshan hurriedly said before Gu Shaoan could speak again, "Hero, I have told you everything I know. I am just trying to make a living. I do whatever the gang leader tells me to do. If you have any complaints, please go directly to our gang leader and deputy gang leader. They are in the backyard."

Gu Shaoan raised an eyebrow: "Vice Chief?"

"The deputy leader's name is Liu Zhihong. Although he doesn't know martial arts, he is the leader's strategist. Usually, the leader and the deputy leader discuss everything."

"If you, sir, will not abandon me, I can lead the way. I only ask that you spare my life afterward. I promise to pack my things and leave immediately, and never do anything bad again."

Gu Shaoan glanced at Bai Zhenshan, then knocked him unconscious again with a copper coin before waking up the remaining person.

Once he confirmed that their answers matched, Gu Shaoan used a copper coin to pierce their foreheads.

Gu Santong looked at Gu Shaoan and said, "You're really wary, kid. Every time you interrogate someone, you have to have two people check your testimony."

Gu Shaoan glanced at Gu Santong and then said calmly, "Better safe than sorry. There are plenty of cunning people in this world who will deliberately spread false information."

"It's always better to be a little more careful when dealing with these people."

People's hearts are hidden behind their skin; even among close friends, you may not know what they are really like behind their backs.

Not to mention this kind of interrogation technique.

What if one day you encounter someone with a hardened heart who is resistant to Gu Shaoan's methods and wants to dig a pit for him?
This is why the rules of the Emei Sect never allow its disciples to presume to help in the event of a fight.

Instead, we need to figure out the situation first.

We'll discuss punishing the wicked and eliminating evil once the evidence is conclusive.

What if you act rashly without understanding the situation, and your good intentions backfire, turning you into someone else's target?
Gu Shaoan wouldn't be foolish enough to readily believe what the enemy said.

Gu Santong paused, as if thinking of his own experiences, and then sighed, "That's true! When you're traveling the world, if you're not careful, you'll never know how someone will play you to death."

You can never truly understand how chilling the wickedness of the human heart can be without experiencing it yourself.

After shaking his head, Gu Santong changed the subject and said, "It's one thing to hide one's identity by wearing black clothes and a mask, but to even burn the corpse is another. It's one thing to be so afraid of having one's martial arts style revealed, but judging from the tone of that Xu Wenrui earlier, it seems that he can also order the Sihai Hall around at will."

"A person who has returned to the Innate Realm can command martial artists in the Four Seas Hall who have condensed Qi into Yuan. This Ghost Hand Gang doesn't seem so simple!"

Gu Shaoan did not respond.

Four years ago, after dealing with the Ghost Hand Gang, Gu Shaoan only considered them an ordinary human trafficking gang.

But now, based on the information we have gathered today, this Ghost Hand Gang is clearly different from ordinary human trafficking gangs.

For a moment, Gu Shaoan's mind was churning with thoughts, and the names of various martial arts factions flashed through his mind one after another. But after pondering for a while without any results, Gu Shaoan exhaled a breath of stale air.

I suppressed the jumble of thoughts in my mind.

After all, the person in charge of the Ghost Hand Gang is still around.

After dealing with everyone else around him, Gu Shaoan naturally had plenty of ways to make them obediently confess.

The night is deep and everything is silent.

Deep in the backyard of Sihai Winery, in a secluded study, a dozen lanterns hang on the walls, along with four lanterns on either side of the desk, illuminating the entire study as if it were daytime.

Behind the heavy wooden desk, Xu Xiong was frowning as he carefully examined the account books in front of him.

He was in his early fifties, of medium build, and not particularly burly or imposing; rather, he was rather lean.

His complexion was a pale yellow, the kind that comes from years of lack of sunlight and a lack of vitality.

He was wearing a plain dark blue long gown, and looked more like a meticulous accountant than a powerful gang leader.

Only those hands, with their large, calloused knuckles resting on the corners of the ledger pages, and those eyes, sharp as a hawk's and laced with a hint of ferocity, that occasionally swept across the room in the dim light, revealed a murderous aura unlike that of ordinary people.

Xu Xiong lowered his gaze to the ledger, and the more he looked, the deeper his brows furrowed.

Inside the house, there was another middle-aged man dressed as a scholar, also holding an account book.

His expression was no better than Xu Xiong's, with his brows also furrowed.

This man was Xu Xiong's confidant, and his name was Liu Zhihong.

He has been by Xu Xiong's side for over twenty years.

Even Xu Wenrui wouldn't dare to be too presumptuous in front of him on ordinary days.

A moment later, Xu Xiong let out a suppressed and muffled sigh.

"We've only managed to gather 20% of the goods and manpower so far. At this rate, how will we be able to reach the required number in three months?"

When he murmured, Xu Xiong's voice was hoarse, a result of anxiety and restlessness.

He rubbed his throbbing temples vigorously.

These days have been really tough.

After years of exploitation, the decent women with even a little bit of beauty in the surrounding towns have been almost completely depleted, leaving only women of ordinary appearance.

As for those precious medicinal herbs and rare treasures, they are becoming increasingly difficult to find, as if they have been sifted through a sieve.

"Ah~"

Xu Xiong sighed again, closed the heavy and rough ledger, and looked at Liu Zhihong, saying, "If we ask the other outposts to speed up their operations, can we find a way to gather all the goods for this shipment?"

Liu Zhihong shook his head and said, "Even if the message is issued now and the brothers at those strongholds are forced to work and capture enough hostages, it will be difficult to transport them to Gushan City in such a short time."

Xu Xiong frowned and said, "Other places are too far away, but what about the Ming Cult's strongholds?"

"If we travel by water, two months should be enough."

Liu Zhihong sighed and said, "It would have been fine before, but a few months ago we received news that the six major sects had already wiped out the Ming Cult."

"Since the Ming Cult was destroyed last year, there has been constant infighting among the various forces around it, making the areas within the Ming Cult's territory chaotic and inconvenient for the brothers in the strongholds to manage."

"Old Dog Chu sent word that the imperial court has intervened, so we can only tell the brothers to keep quiet for now and see how things go next year."

After a pause, Liu Zhihong continued, "Moreover, even if we let Old Dog Chu's side capture the hostage, it wouldn't be enough time to transport the hostage over in more than two months. Don't forget, since the route from Linhai Town was shut down four years ago, our new route now passes through the Nujiao Gang."

"In the past two years, because of that Lang Fanyun, the people we had bribed before were killed by the Nujiao Gang. We don't dare to bribe others casually anymore. If we travel by water, we can only take a detour, which takes even longer."

Hearing what Liu Zhihong said, Xu Xiong felt his anger finally found an outlet and cursed, "Emei Sect! Four years ago, Linhai Town was ruined because of the Emei Sect. The Emei Sect was also involved in the Ming Cult. Those old nuns of the Emei Sect, do they really have nothing better to do than oppose us time and time again?"

Liu Zhihong, standing to the side, remained silent, quietly waiting for Xu Xiong to vent his anger.

A moment later, Xu Xiong, who had sat back down, unconsciously tapped his fingers on the table, making a soft "tap, tap" sound.

"What do we do now? If this continues, we definitely won't be able to deliver the goods, and then we'll both be in trouble."

As he spoke, a woman who always wore a wedding dress appeared in Xu Xiong's mind.

Thinking of that woman's unpredictable and volatile nature, as well as the people and forces behind her.

Thinking back to the punishment he suffered four years ago for failing to deliver the goods on time, the fear that had been suppressed in Xu Xiong's eyes surged up again like a tide, sending a chill down his spine and making him shiver.

After pondering for a while, Liu Zhihong said, "First, we need to find a way to capture Mei Jiangxue again. That girl's status and appearance are beyond the reach of ordinary people. Things are valued for their rarity, and the same applies to people."

"As long as we can capture Mei Jiangxue and hand her over, Madam shouldn't blame us."

Xu Xiong nodded.

“I know that. I’ve already had the people from Sihai Hall and Giant Sword Sect keep an eye on things everywhere. We’ll take action as soon as we find anything.”

Liu Zhihong continued, "Second, we need to find a way to establish new strongholds."

After a pause, Liu Zhihong continued, "Moreover, my suggestion for this stronghold is still to be located in Linhai Town."

Xu Xiong frowned and said, "After what happened four years ago, those women from the Emei Sect are now guarding the area even more strictly. They even have the disciples stationed there take turns guarding it every year. The new stronghold is being built in Linhai Town, so it won't be easy."

Speaking of this, Xu Xiong couldn't help but curse, "A Jianghu force actually resorted to the tactics of the imperial army, it's really damn weird."

Liu Zhihong said, "I know, so we need to be even more careful when we go to Linhai Town. Moreover, the Emei Sect would never expect that we would go back again and secretly establish another stronghold."

At this point, Liu Zhihong sighed.

"After all, the waterway to Linhai Town is extremely important to us."

"Without waterways, it would take at least six months for hostages and goods from other places to be delivered here. There are too many variables, but we have to take this risk."

Listening to Liu Zhihong's analysis, Xu Xiong did not rush to respond, but fell into deep thought.

After a long pause, Xu Xiong suddenly sat up straight, his eyes hardening again. His previous weariness and fear were replaced by a ruthless determination. "Do things the way you say. Remember to be careful and don't let a word get out."

"it is good!"

After discussing the matter, both of them felt a little relieved of their worries.

However, just as Xu Xiong calmed down and was about to pick up the teacup on the table, a unique scent unexpectedly entered his sensitive nostrils.

It wasn't the musty smell of old books that permeated the study, nor the unique aroma of wooden furniture, nor the distinctive smell of burning candles in the room.

Instead, it was a fresh, sweet, rusty smell of blood.

This wisp of breath was extremely faint.

It was as if only a wisp of wind had seeped in through the cracks in the window and door, bringing in just a little bit of breeze.

But for Xu Xiong, who had lived a life of constant danger and was intimately familiar with the smell of blood, this smell was like a thunderclap in the silence.

The moment he sensed something was wrong, the sallow face that had previously only shown anxiety instantly tensed like a rock, and his sharp, hawk-like eyes, as he looked up, suddenly contracted to their limit, just like the most ferocious beast facing a fatal threat.

The moment Xu Xiong looked up, his left hand had already slipped into his sleeve, and his internal energy was circulating.

The next second, as if noticing something, Xu Xiong glanced at the door, paused, and then abruptly pulled back to the window.

At the window, three people were already standing.

Gu Santong had both hands resting on the windowsill, one of which was supporting half of his face, his expression full of great interest.

When his eyes met Xu Xiong's, Gu Santong grinned, revealing his teeth.

"Don't stop, say more, I love to hear it."

　Because it involves some foreshadowing and setup, the writing is rather detailed and slow! Please forgive me!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)