In Emei, start by obtaining golden attributes.

Chapter 198 If Yama wants someone dead at midnight, he can keep them alive until dawn.

"When?"

Seeing Gu Santong sitting by the bedside, chin in hand and looking on with a gossipy expression, Xu Xiong and Liu Zhihong inside the room jumped up from their seats like startled birds.

Seeing the panicked expressions on their faces, Gu Santong sighed.

"Alright, we can't eavesdrop from the corner anymore, we'll have to be more open from now on."

Immediately, Gu Santong turned to look at Gu Shaoan, while simultaneously surging his true energy.

"Kid, I haven't lifted a finger all night. I'll leave these two to you later."

In response to Gu Santong's request, Gu Shaoan nodded slightly.

He glanced at the two people inside the room out of the corner of his eye, then turned and walked toward the door next to him.

When he was still three steps away from the door, a powerful force suddenly burst forth from in front of Gu Shaoan.

The originally closed door was violently flung open and rushed into the room by the force of the impact.

Feeling the strong wind rushing towards them, not to mention Liu Zhihong, who had no martial arts skills, even Xu Xiong, whose internal energy cultivation had reached the level of returning to the innate realm, couldn't help but show a look of horror on his face.

The hand that had been slipped into the sleeve froze for a moment.

After entering the house, Gu Santong pulled Su Xin to sit down on the armchair next to him.

Gu Shaoan walked towards Xu Xiong without saying a word.

Seeing this, Xu Xiong glanced at Gu Santong and Su Xin, then focused his gaze on Gu Shaoan, who was continuing to walk towards him, and tried to soften his tone as much as possible.

"My name is Xu Xiong. What brings you three here so late at night?"

However, in the face of Xu Xiong's words, Gu Shaoan continued walking, Gu Santong yawned with a hint of boredom, and Su Xin quietly watched Xu Xiong without responding at all.

This scene made Xu Xiong's heart sink.

The fact that these people could suddenly appear at their doorstep, with the smell of blood wafting into the house, was enough to show that they were enemies, not friends.

It's not scary if the visitors are hostile or not friendly; it doesn't matter if they are enemies or not friends.
What's most worrying is the silence of Gu Shaoan and the others.

Because silence means there is no room for conversation or negotiation.

For a moment, Xu Xiong's left hand, which was tucked into his sleeve, continued to gently retract inward.

At the table, Gu Shaoan had already picked up the account books that Xu Xiong and Liu Zhihong had previously looked through.

The ledger clearly records the time, location, number of people the Ghost Hand Gang abducted, and the rare treasures they obtained.

Moreover, the ledger also categorized the kidnapped women and children into different classes based on their appearance and physical attributes.

It even records how women and children of the lowest social classes were treated.

The most outrageous thing was undoubtedly the record of harvesting and killing animals in one of the ledgers.

The Ghost Hand Gang's placenta was actually cultivated directly using these women as soil.

After only glancing at it briefly, Gu Shaoan closed the ledger. When he looked at Xu Xiong and Liu Zhihong, the murderous intent in his eyes was almost tangible.

Seemingly sensing the murderous intent in Gu Shaoan's eyes, Xu Xiong pulled his fingers even further into his sleeve.

Just then, Liu Zhihong, who had just gotten up and retreated to the desk, froze and then collapsed to the ground with a thud.

Almost the instant Liu Zhihong collapsed to the ground, a sword sheath wrapped in coarse black cloth appeared on Xu Xiong's left shoulder.

The moment the unsheathed sword landed on Xu Xiong's shoulder, Xu Xiong felt a surge of powerful true energy and energy rush into several acupoints in his body, directly sealing his true energy.

At the same time, Xu Xiong felt as if he were carrying not a long sword, but a boulder weighing a thousand pounds on his shoulder.

The heavy force pressed down on Xu Xiong's shoulder, causing him to suddenly slump, and his arm and left hand went numb.

This caused Xu Xiong to drop what he had just taken out of his sleeve and was holding onto it, making it difficult to grasp.

Gu Shaoan glanced at the things that had fallen to the ground.

It turned out to be an exquisite, flat, round silver box, smaller than the palm of an ordinary woman's hand.

When Gu Shaoan saw the silver box on the ground, his gaze narrowed slightly.

Gu Shaoan was very familiar with the things on the ground.

Tang Clan hidden weapons.

A torrential downpour of pear blossom needles.

After a rapid thought flashed through his mind, Gu Shaoan suddenly tightened his grip on the Heaven-Slaying Sword.

In an instant, Xu Xiong felt as if the pressure on his shoulders had increased tenfold.

The immense force, like Mount Tai, pressed down on Xu Xiong, causing his knees to buckle and him to fall heavily to the ground.

"boom"

"click"

As his knees touched the bluestone floor, in addition to the dull sound of the bluestone floor cracking and sinking, there were two crisp sounds of bones breaking.

The shattered kneecaps caused Xu Xiong to shudder in pain, and he opened his mouth to let out a scream.

Before he could even utter a sound, with a slight movement of Gu Shaoan's arm and wrist, the scabbard of the Yitian Sword, which had been pressing on his shoulder, was flung directly into his mouth.

The excruciating pain in his mouth caused Xu Xiong to wince again, but it turned his impending scream into a whimper.

The remaining force sent Xu Xiong flying, slamming him hard into the bookshelf behind him.

Gu Shaoan stepped forward and, after reaching Xu Xiong, asked in a calm tone, "Where did you get these Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needles?"

Faced with Gu Shaoan's question, Xu Xiong covered his mouth with one hand and endured the pain from his knee and mouth, asking, "I have never met you before, and I don't know if I have offended you in any way. Please tell me."

The heavy blow to the mouth made Xu Xiong's voice sound muffled.

Upon hearing this, Gu Shaoan swung his Heaven-Slaying Sword again and struck Xu Xiong's leg.

The sound of bones cracking rang out, causing Xu Xiong's face to contort in pain, and all the muscles in his body to tense up.

This time, however, Xu Xiong dared not utter a sound.

"A person has 206 bones in their body. Except for 36 bones that are vital, the rest, even if broken, will not endanger their life."

"I'll ask, you answer. If you're unwilling to cooperate, I can slowly play along with you."

The soft fear the hard, and the hard fear the ruthless.

Gu Shaoan's domineering attitude and ruthless actions at this moment made Xu Xiong feel even colder.

They quickly replied, "We bought these Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needles."

Upon hearing this, Gu Shaoan said expressionlessly, "Do you think I would believe that?"

The Tang Clan is skilled in making poisons and concealed weapons.

They also own many shops that specialize in selling concealed weapons.

But what they sell are nothing more than ordinary hidden weapons like sleeve darts.

While the Rain of Pear Blossom Needles doesn't even rank in the top ten within the Tang Clan, it is still a unique hidden weapon of the Tang Clan.

Unless there is a special relationship, the Tang Clan would not use a hidden weapon like the Rain of Pear Blossom Needles.

Xu Xiong endured the pain and said, "My life is in your hands, how could I dare to lie? This item was indeed bought from the black market."

"If you really want to investigate, you should go to the Tang Clan and ask who put these Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needles out for sale."

Upon hearing this, Gu Shaoan paused slightly.

This is true.

Over the centuries, in addition to members of the Tang clan, the Tang Clan has also taken in many disciples.

It's not surprising that some people want to sell the Rain of Pear Blossom Needles for money.

The fact that Xu Xiong was able to buy it only shows that the black market channels are somewhat special.

However, Gu Shaoan was not a member of the Tang Clan and had no interest in getting involved in other people's business.

After a moment's thought, Gu Shaoan asked, "I heard from you guys that there are quotas for the people your Ghost Hand Gang kidnaps and the treasures they collect from various places. Does that mean you have someone above you? Who is that person?"

However, Xu Xiong fell silent after voicing this question.

Seeing this, Gu Shaoan raised the Heaven-Slaying Sword in his hand again and struck the other party.

As another bone in his body was shattered, Xu Xiong, though showing pain on his face, still stubbornly endured it.

Seeing Xu Xiong's reaction, Gu Shaoan narrowed his eyes slightly for a moment, but his hands continued to move.

However, as soon as Gu Shaoan broke the third bone in Xu Xiong's leg with the scabbard of the Yitian Sword, Xu Xiong's toughness immediately vanished.

"Wait, wait!"

Gu Santong, who was sitting to the side, rolled his eyes and said, "I thought he would be tough, but he only lasted three hits."

There is no shortage of people in the world who are resilient and strong-willed.

But these people are often proud and unyielding. Just like Gu Shaoan's master, Abbess Miejue, or the Seven Heroes of Wudang, including Song Yuanqiao.

Even if they were tortured or subjected to severe interrogation, unless some special methods were used, it would be extremely difficult to force Song Yuanqiao and the others to talk through interrogation or torture.

But how strong could Xu Xiong's character be, given that he was willing to degenerate and do such heinous things?

Xu Xiong gasped for breath, large beads of sweat streaming down his face from the intense pain.

A few breaths later, Xu Xiong raised his head and looked at Gu Shaoan.

"Before you want me to answer your questions, you must promise me one thing: let my son go. If you promise me that, I will tell you everything I know."

Upon hearing this, Gu Shaoan said calmly, "The first person I encountered when I came to this manor was him."

Xu Xiong shuddered, his voice trembling slightly as he asked, "Then, then him?"

Gu Shaoan said slowly, "Just crushing all the bones in his body is a lenient way to die."

"Dead, dead."

Upon hearing what Gu Shaoan said, Xu Xiong lowered his head, as if he couldn't believe it.

Immediately afterwards, Xu Xiong suddenly raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, and glared fiercely at Gu Shaoan.

"why?"

The few words were almost squeezed out by Xu Xiong through gritted teeth.

Gu Shaoan reacted as if he had heard a funny joke.

“When you started doing these things, you should have known that this day would come. Don’t you find your question a little ridiculous?”

However, even after Gu Shaoan uttered those words, Xu Xiong's eyes remained fixed on Gu Shaoan.

She felt not even the slightest bit of regret or self-reproach because of Gu Shaoan's words.

Seeing this, Gu Shaoan said no more.

This world has never lacked born bad seeds and evil people.

In their conduct and actions, they only ever think of themselves; the so-called moral bottom line is nothing but a joke to them.

There's no reasoning with someone like that, and Gu Shaoan was too lazy to even try.

All he wanted to do now was find out the information he needed, and then send Xu Xiong down to reunite with Xu Wenrui and his son.

However, just as Gu Shaoan used his sword sheath to smash another bone in Xu Xiong's body, Xu Xiong suddenly burst into laughter as he looked at Gu Shaoan.

The laughter was both mournful and vicious.

At the same time, a scent suddenly wafted into Gu Shaoan's nose.

Looking at Xu Xiong now, who seemed to have gone mad, blood was already gushing from his mouth.

It was blood, but it wasn't bright red; it was pitch black.

"You killed my son and you think you can get information out of me? Do you think that's possible?"

"Even if I die, you will never find out from me who is behind me."

“If I die, even if you escape to the ends of the earth, there will be no place for you in this world.”

"At that time, whether it's you or everyone around you, the men will be skinned alive and their bones crushed, and the women will be sold to others, suffering a fate worse than death."

Just as Xu Xiong's eyes swept over Gu Shaoan, Gu Santong, and Su Xin with venomous resentment, Gu Shaoan's voice rang out lightly.

"There's something you might not understand: I haven't given you my consent. Even if you want to die, that's a luxury you can only dream of."

With Gu Shaoan's current medical skills, it's no exaggeration to say that as long as Gu Shaoan is willing to use medicine...

If the King of Hell wants someone to die at midnight, he can keep them alive until dawn.

As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Shaoan suddenly raised his right hand, flicked his finger, and a pill instantly shot into Xu Xiong's mouth, which Xu Xiong swallowed subconsciously.

Immediately afterwards, Xu Xiong felt the excruciating pain in his body, which felt as if his internal organs were being churned, rapidly dissipating.

Upon noticing the changes in his body, Xu Xiong's manic expression suddenly froze.

"What did you give me to eat?"

Gu Shaoan glanced down at Xu Xiong and said in a gentle voice, "One pill is just a medicine to cure the poison of the Nine Insects Devouring Heart Pill in your body."

"After all, for someone like you, dying by poison would be too easy for you."

"As for the person behind you, don't worry, you will definitely tell them on your own in a little while."

Gu Shaoan's voice remained very soft.

But when it reached Xu Xiong's ears, it was like a cold wind blowing from the abyss, enough to chill him to the bone, and make him feel cold all over.

Death may be terrifying, but if you grit your teeth and harden your heart, it will pass.

What's even more terrifying is the feeling of being worse than dead.

As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Shaoan suddenly squatted down and quickly tapped Xu Xiong's body several times.

The next second, Xu Xiong's consciousness was overwhelmed by the pain surging around his body.

Overwhelmed by excruciating pain, Xu Xiong's face turned bluish-gray in just a few breaths, covered in sweat and oil. His muscles convulsed and twitched uncontrollably due to the intense pain, making his entire face look ferocious and distorted.

Time, in Xu Xiong's perception, seemed to have slowed down a hundred times.

Every minute, every second became incredibly torturous and agonizing for him.

Seeing Xu Xiong's current state, Gu Santong's eyelids twitched.

"Is the Emei Sect really a legitimate and righteous sect? This kid's methods are comparable to those of the demonic sects!"

After thinking for a moment, Gu Santong curiously raised his hand and used his true essence to draw the account books that Gu Shaoan had been looking at into his hand.

A moment later, Gu Santong tightened his grip with his five fingers, and the account book in his hand became somewhat deformed.

When Gu Santong looked at Xu Xiong again, his eyes flashed with a chilling light.

"On the other hand, this kid's methods are a bit too gentle."

After glancing at the unconscious Liu Zhihong beside him, Gu Santong gave Su Xin some instructions and then dragged Liu Zhihong out the door like a dead dog.

After closing the door, she imitated Gu Shaoan, grabbing Liu Zhihong's neck with one hand and crushing Liu Zhihong's bones inch by inch with her right.

In just a short fifteen minutes, amidst this seemingly endless torment, Xu Xiong could no longer bear it and began to beg for mercy.

"I'll talk, I'll talk, kill me, kill me!"

Subsequently, through Xu Xiong's explanation, Gu Shaoan also learned that each delivery by the Ghost Hand Gang was handled by a middle-aged woman named "Madam Crimson Moon".

Furthermore, the people of Sihaitang were also established by the forces behind this Lady Chiyue.

The purpose was to secretly help the Ghost Hand Gang collect "goods" more effectively.

The three Qi Condensation Realm martial artists who previously dealt with the Meishan family were also people sent by the forces behind Lady Chiyue.

Xu Xiong, however, did not know which faction Lady Crimson Moon was backed by.

All that is known is that Lady Red Moon always comes from the direction of the East Sea.

After Xu Xiong explained all this, Gu Santong, who had previously dragged Liu Zhihong away, also returned to his room.

The two compared the results of the interrogation and found that Liu Zhihong's and Xu Xiong's testimonies were basically the same.

Then, he raised his foot and stepped on their chests. As their chests caved in, both men coughed up a mouthful of blood mixed with their internal organs and fell silent.

Gu Santong seemed somewhat dissatisfied and said, "After all that trouble, it turns out these two guys are just pawns. They don't even know the identities or backgrounds of the people who come to pick up the goods each time."

As he spoke, Gu Santong turned to look at Gu Shaoan.

Noticing Gu Shaoan's thoughtful expression, Gu Santong asked, "Kid, what have you thought of?"

In response to Gu Santong's question, Gu Shaoan nodded slightly.

"I once heard by chance that there was a place called Bat Island in the East China Sea. It is said that on Bat Island, as long as you can afford the price, you can have all kinds of secret martial arts, rare treasures and beautiful women."

"If I'm not mistaken, the Ghost Hand Gang's superior is probably this Bat Island."

Gu Shaoan left his words unsaid, seemingly guessing, but in reality, he had basically confirmed that the Ghost Hand Gang's superior was Bat Island in the East China Sea.

Only Bat Island could have such a need, and would actively seek to cultivate human trafficking forces like the Ghost Hand Gang.

Hearing what Gu Shaoan said, Gu Santong frowned and said, "Power in the sea? That's troublesome."

Gu Shaoan let out a soft breath, his voice becoming more serious: "This is indeed a bit tricky."

Others may not know, but Gu Shaoan is well aware of it.

The brothel on Bat Island was not founded by any other unknown figure in the martial arts world.

The founder was the owner of Wuzheng Manor, one of the top powers in the Great Wei Dynasty, known as the "Number One Family in the Martial World," and was originally from Dongyuan.

　Some big shots have misunderstood. Jianghu (martial arts world) forces are categorized into third-rate, second-rate, first-rate, and top-rate forces! Wudang is a top-rate force because of Zhang Sanfeng! Later in the story, the clear division of forces will be discussed further!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)