In Emei, start by obtaining golden attributes.

Chapter 239 At Your Fingertips for a Year

The next day.

early morning.

Today, Gu Shaoan was still wearing a long robe in gold and white, with the Emei Sect emblem embroidered on the chest.

However, a bundle was hanging on Gu Shaoan's shoulder.

When he stepped out of the house, he looked up and saw that Abbess Miejue, Zhou Zhiruo, Yang Yan, and Mei Jiangxue were already waiting in the courtyard.

Approaching Abbess Miejue, Gu Shaoan bowed and said, "Master."

Abbess Miejue nodded first, then asked, "This time when you go to the capital, are you planning to go to the Eastern Depot or the Dragon Guard Manor?"

Originally, the Wei Kingdom's supervisory offices and the Eastern Depot were responsible for overseeing the court.

However, with the establishment of the Dragon Guard Manor, the Supervisory Department was also incorporated into the Dragon Guard Manor.

The matter of promoting the status of martial arts sects naturally shifted to the current Eastern Depot and Dragon Guard Manor.

Without hesitation, Gu Shaoan replied, "The Miss Shangguan I met in Linhai Town a few years ago was from the Hulong Manor. So, after I arrived in the capital, I thought of asking the Hulong Manor to handle the matter of my Emei Sect's promotion."

Abbess Miejue nodded and said, "Very well. The Eastern Depot has not had a good reputation since its establishment, and with the growing power of the Eastern Depot in recent years, its reputation has become even more infamous. It is said that Cao Zhengchun of the Eastern Depot is recruiting experts everywhere. If you go to the Eastern Depot, I'm afraid you will inevitably encounter some trouble."

"The shady dealings Zhu Wushi has done have not yet been exposed. On the surface, he still needs to maintain his loyalty and righteousness, and his actions should not be as extreme as those of the Eastern Depot. In comparison, the Dragon Guard Manor is more suitable."

At this point, Abbess Miejue smiled and said, "With your current strength, I don't need to worry as much as before, but the world is a dangerous place, and we still need to be careful in everything we do."

Faced with Abbess Miejue's instructions, Gu Shaoan listened quietly as always.

After pausing his somewhat rambling speech, Gu Shaoan finally replied, "Master, rest assured, even if I encounter any problems, I will weigh the pros and cons carefully before taking any action."

"Yes! I am naturally at ease with your actions."

After speaking with Abbess Miejue, Gu Shaoan gave instructions to Zhou Zhiruo, Yang Yan, and Mei Jiangxue before leaving amidst their farewells.

After Gu Shaoan left, Abbess Miejue turned her head and glanced at Zhou Zhiruo, Yang Yan, and Mei Jiangxue.

After a moment's thought, Abbess Miejue said, "Jiangxue, pack your things and come with me. Zhiruo and Yan'er, you two should cultivate in the back mountain for a while and strive to reach the fourth level of the 'Emei Nine Yang True Scripture' as soon as possible. Then, take the Bodhi Linglong Pill to break through to the Qi Condensation Formation stage."

Originally, Abbess Miejue wanted Zhou Zhiruo and Yang Yan to handle the aftermath of the Beggars' Sect and Chang Le Sect together.

But one can imagine that the two women are currently in a state of intense cultivation, holding their breath.

Moreover, both of them have now reached the fourth level of the "Emei Nine Yang True Scripture". Rather than wasting time dealing with trivial matters such as the Beggar Clan and Chang Le Sect, cultivation is more important.

If the two of them were to come down the mountain this time, it would inevitably affect the two women.

The three nodded in response to Abbess Miejue's instructions.

Mei Jiangxue turned around and used her lightness skill to enter her room to start packing her luggage.

Looking at the entrance to the back mountain, Yang Yan took a deep breath and used her lightness skill to head towards the bamboo forest again.

Zhou Zhiruo went to the cliff, the place where Gu Shaoan often practiced.

Two hours later, the sun was high overhead.

Gu Shaoan, who was in Jiading Prefecture, was wearing a bamboo hat with a white veil hanging down from the edge of the hat until it landed on his shoulders.

Since entering the city, Gu Shaoan has not taken off the bamboo hat on his head.

It's not that it's impossible, but rather that it's inconvenient.

After ten years of providing free medical consultations, Gu Shaoan's reputation in Jiading Prefecture has become quite well-known.

Whether they were ordinary people or high-ranking officials, everyone in the city had been treated by Gu Shaoan to some extent within the past ten years.

As early as the end of Gu Shaoan's first year of free medical consultations, every time he entered Jiading Prefecture again, many people who had been cured by Gu Shaoan would come with gifts.

It could be ordinary rice and flour, or some farm crops.

This also led to the fact that when Gu Shaoan came to Jiading Prefecture to provide free medical treatment, he needed the help of the Emei disciples stationed in the city to transport the things sent by the people of the city back to the mountain gate.

When Gu Shaoan was sixteen, he even received a patchwork garment.

When Gu Shaoan gave it to Abbess Miejue, Abbess Miejue's face was almost constantly smiling for a month.

Thinking of some funny things that happened in the past, Gu Shaoan couldn't help but smile.

After buying some dry food and several kinds of medicines that were missing from the mountain medicine storehouse in the city, Gu Shaoan went out from the west gate and then used his lightness skill to travel.

As the sun set, at a post station two hundred miles west of Jiading Prefecture, Gu Shaoan's graceful and agile figure slowed down, and he walked towards the post station at a normal pace, preparing to rest for the night.

As Gu Shaoan approached, the servants in the post station immediately rushed to greet him.

"Are you here for a stay or a meal, sir?"

"I need both. Prepare some simple food, and also a superior room with a good view and a quiet one."

As he spoke, Gu Shaoan tossed a one-tael silver coin to the waiter.

The post station was built by the imperial court. Apart from the court officials who only needed to keep a public account, other guests who wanted to stay or eat had to pay money. Moreover, in this suburb, the cost was comparable to that of some fine restaurants.

"Okay~"

Upon receiving the silver, the waiter quickly bowed and ushered Gu Shaoan into the post station.

As he stepped into the lobby on the first floor, Gu Shaoan's eyes subconsciously swept around his surroundings.

When their gazes met those of the person by the window, Gu Shaoan paused.

The person sitting by the window was Huang Xuemei, who had just left Mount Emei a few days earlier.

Meeting Gu Shaoan's gaze, Huang Xuemei gently raised her wine glass and gestured to him.

Seeing this, Gu Shaoan waved to the waiter and then walked towards Huang Xuemei.

Removing the bamboo hat from his head, Gu Shaoan looked at Huang Xuemei opposite him and asked, "Miss Huang, were you waiting for me on purpose?"

Huang Xuemei placed the wine glass she had just poured in in front of Gu Shaoan and said, "I am going to Emei this time to repay the kindness you showed me ten years ago, but what happened on Mount Emei before doesn't count."

Upon hearing Huang Xuemei's words, Gu Shaoan picked up his wine glass. After bringing the glass close to his lips and sniffing it to make sure the wine was safe, he took a small sip.

He immediately replied, "If it were just for this matter, Miss Huang wouldn't need to go to such lengths."

Upon hearing this, Huang Xuemei put down her wine glass and looked calmly at Gu Shaoan: "Although I am a woman, I also know the principle of 'repaying kindness'."

The tone wasn't harsh, but there was a resolute determination in the words.

Gu Shaoan couldn't help but chuckle at this and asked, "Then how does Miss Huang plan to repay this kindness?"

Huang Xuemei said, "I will let you serve me for a year as a way of repaying your kindness." Upon hearing this, Gu Shaoan raised his chin slightly, seemingly not expecting Huang Xuemei to repay his kindness in this way.

For others, having a martial artist like Huang Xuemei, who is skilled in sound-based martial arts and whose internal energy cultivation has reached the Qi Condensation stage, by their side would be beneficial and harmless.

But if Gu Shaoan can't solve the problem, Huang Xuemei, with her abilities, is even less capable.

If Huang Xuemei had proposed this method of repaying kindness a few days ago while she was on the mountain, Gu Shaoan might have been able to get her to help Abbess Miejue and the others deal with the problems of the Beggars' Sect and Chang Le Sect.

But now we are already two hundred miles away from Jiading Prefecture, so it would be inappropriate to call Huang Xuemei back.

"Fine! Anyway, nothing much has happened along the way, so I guess I'll just have someone to keep me company and help me pass the time!"

Moreover, Gu Shaoan was also somewhat interested in the unique sound-based martial arts of "Tianlong Eight Sounds".

However, none of the enemies they encountered were skilled in this type of sonic martial arts.

Now that Huang Xuemei is willing to stay by his side, Gu Shaoan also wants to learn about the situation of this sound-based martial arts through Huang Xuemei.

Let's see if we can create our own sound-based martial arts in the future.

The thought flashed through his mind, and Gu Shaoan said, "To say 'command' is a bit of an overstatement. If Miss Huang is not busy, she can accompany me on this journey and we can spar in our spare time."

Upon hearing this, Huang Xuemei's eyes flashed, and she nodded, saying, "Okay!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Huang Xuemei's expression softened and relaxed slightly.

It seemed as if they were worried that Gu Shaoan would refuse.

late at night.

Located in the northern suburbs of Beijing, a villa stands quietly under the night sky.

Deep within the villa, the night breeze swept through the courtyard, rustling the slender, verdant bamboos carefully planted along the bank, creating a soft, whispering sound.

The Mirror Lake, which originally reflected the sky and clouds, has now transformed into a deep, dark jade, spreading out heavily, reflecting only a few scattered stars and a cold, crescent moon.

Nearly a hundred antique-style glass palace lanterns hang under the eaves of the lakeside pavilion, illuminating the pavilion and the surrounding rugged rockeries and carefully trimmed flowers and trees.

The platform extending from the waterside pavilion plunges into the dark, jade-like lake, where a large sandalwood lounge chair is placed by the water, covered with a thick, snow-white velvet carpet.

At that moment, a man was leaning lazily against it.

He wore a loose-fitting, dark silver brocade robe with wide sleeves. The fabric shimmered with an understated yet undeniably luxurious sheen under the dim light, like the folded wings of a raven.

The dark fabric almost blended into the night, making his long, white fingers, resting on the velvet blanket, appear even more striking. His face was covered by a strange, oppressive dark gold mask.

Under the light of the palace lanterns and the moonlight, it gleamed with a dark and deep metallic luster.

The mask was intricately designed, with twisted lines resembling tangled dragons and snakes, or a combination of solidified flames and ferocious feathers, completely obscuring most of his face and forehead, leaving only his mouth, nose, and a clean-lined, slightly cold jawline exposed.

What is most striking is that the man has a head of smooth white hair, yet he doesn't give off any sense of old age.

At this moment, the white-haired man casually rested one hand on the armrest of the recliner, his fingertips unconsciously tapping lightly on the cold sandalwood.

In his other hand, he was holding a thin strip of paper, the edges of which were exceptionally clear under the light of the glass lamp.

About three steps behind the man, another man and a woman stood quietly.

The man was dressed in black, his body hunched over, his aura as restrained as a stone sinking to the bottom of a lake, almost blending into the night. Only his overly respectful posture revealed his presence.

The woman was dressed in a well-tailored black outfit, her face covered by a thin but discreet black veil. Her exposed eyes were as cold as stars in the night, sharp enough to pierce through the darkness.

Both men held their breath and remained motionless, like two statues blending into the night, even their breathing was cautious, as if they were afraid that any sound they made would disturb the white-haired man lying in front of them.

The entire platform was quiet, with only the rustling of the wind through the bamboo, the gentle lapping of the lake waves against the stone shore in the distance, and the occasional soft crackling of the wicks of the glazed palace lanterns on the eaves, which only served to accentuate the unsettling silence.

A moment later, the white-haired man's thin lips, which held a faint smile, finally moved. A very soft whisper, filled with undisguised amusement and interest, rippled clearly across the tranquil surface like a pebble thrown into a still lake:

"Interesting. He's only in his early twenties, yet he has already reached the level of Condensing Qi into Qi. Even a top-tier master like the Demon Master Pang Ban is no match for him, and Pang Ban severed one of his arms."

"To have such strength at such a young age, the Emei Sect has indeed produced a peerless genius."

"With such talent, if we give this boy some more time, perhaps a second Zhang Sanfeng will emerge in our Great Wei."

Upon hearing this, the man in black behind him bowed and said, "This boy injured Pang Ban, affecting the master's plans. Should we give him a warning?"

In response, the white-haired man said nonchalantly, "Pang Ban went to Emei and was injured by the Emei Sect. That's because Pang Ban was not skilled enough. What does it have to do with us? We have no grudges with the Emei Sect. The Emei Sect has produced a prodigy. Why are we shouting and killing? Don't make us seem as vulgar as those demonic forces."

Upon hearing the white-haired man's words, the man in black immediately bowed and replied, "Your subordinate knows his mistake."

The white-haired man's slender fingers gently tapped on the armrest of the recliner.

After a moment, the white-haired man spoke up: "However, Pang Ban is indeed part of the plan. His strength was already a bit lacking before, and now he has lost an arm. With such strength, how can he face the number one martial artist a few years from now?"

At this point, the white-haired man pondered for a moment before speaking, "Go, have someone deal with the furnace they've been eyeing and send it to Pang Ban so he can cultivate the 'Dao Heart Demon Seed Technique'."

As for this Gu Shaoan

The white-haired man pondered for a moment before speaking, "With such talent and strength, he can be considered a notable figure. Let's send someone to test the waters."

"I obey my orders."

The man in black behind him immediately agreed, then turned and quickly left.

The white-haired man's gaze swept over the slip of paper he was holding in his hand once more.

After glancing at the name "Gu Shaoan," the white-haired man chuckled and tossed the thin piece of paper in his hand into the lake as lightly as a feather.

Just then, the white-haired man suddenly couldn't help but cough.

The cough was initially weak, but the more you coughed, the louder it became.

The woman in the tight-fitting clothes behind him quickly took out a pill bottle from her bosom, poured out a pill and put it in her mouth. Then she lifted her veil, picked up the cup next to her, took a sip of water, and quickly knelt in front of the white-haired man, feeding him the pill with her mouth.

After taking the pill, the white-haired man's violent cough subsided immediately.

The woman in the tight-fitting clothes then stood up and took two steps back.

After adjusting himself to a more comfortable lying position, the white-haired man asked, "How is the situation on Zhu Wushi's side?"

The woman in tight-fitting clothes behind him replied, "For the past year or so, Zhu Wushi has devoted all his attention to the forces behind the Ghost Hand Gang and the Giant Sword Sect. In this year, ninety percent of the forces that Bat Island supported in the Great Wei Kingdom to do things for them have been eliminated by Zhu Wushi."

"If it weren't for the emperor in the palace issuing an imperial edict to summon Zhu Wushi back, Zhu Wushi might have already found out about Bat Island."

The white-haired man chuckled softly: "I never expected that this ambitious and ruthless Marquis would actually be such a romantic. How rare!"

Then, as if he had thought of something, the white-haired man gently raised his head and looked up at the sky. His eyes, hidden behind his mask, narrowed slightly, and a chilling glint flashed in his eyes.

　My cold is getting better. I should be fine after another day of IV drips tomorrow. I've written a lot of things these past two days, please forgive me!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)