In Emei, start by obtaining golden attributes.

Chapter 254 This world and the martial arts world have always lacked a master (Third update)

As the two looked up, they saw a tiny black dot hovering at an astonishing speed high in the clear blue sky.

"Wow!"

A few breaths later, a sharp, short, piercing whistle tore through the sky.

As the shadowy figure drew closer, Gu Shaoan looked closely and realized that what was rapidly descending was none other than a fierce-looking eagle.

Huang Xuemei, who also noticed the falcon in the sky, quickly said, "Don't worry, it's a Soul-Chasing Falcon that my Tianlong Sect has tamed using secret methods. It can track the persistent fragrance of Qinan on my zither case."

While speaking, Huang Xuemei suddenly raised her hand and put it in her mouth, blowing out a few whistles.

As soon as the sound was uttered, the eagle that had been circling in the air swooped down.

When the falcon was still several feet above the ground, its gray-brown wings flapped with a "whoosh," creating a strong gust of wind, and then it landed steadily and precisely on top of the heavy, old zither case on Huang Xuemei's back, as if returning to its nest.

The sharp eagle claws hooked onto the carved protrusions of the violin case, and its massive body instantly became as steady as a rock.

Gu Shaoan's gaze fell on the falcon's talons, where he saw a slender bamboo tube, about an inch long and very smooth, tightly wrapped around the talons covered with thick keratinous scales.

"I wonder if I'll ever be able to draw one of these special raptors that can be used for communication in the future."

In the Emei Sect, carrier pigeons are used for communication.

The distance and speed of each message transmission are limited.

Once outside the territory of the Emei Sect, sending messages via these carrier pigeons would be even more troublesome.

Where can one compare to the messenger falcon of the Heavenly Dragon Gate?

Huang Xuemei removed the bamboo tube from the falcon and crushed it with a slight squeeze of her fingertips, revealing the wrapped paper strip inside.

However, when Huang Xuemei opened the note and glanced at it, her previously calm expression suddenly changed.

"My messenger sent word that my master's injuries have worsened and he may not be able to hold on for much longer. Could you please come with me to Shannan Prefecture first?"

Gu Shaoan asked, "Shannan Prefecture, which is next to Xinyang Prefecture?"

Huang Xuemei nodded and said, "That's right! It's a small town about fifty miles outside of Shannan Prefecture."

After a moment's thought, Gu Shaoan said, "That's fine, but when we pass through the territory of the Emei Sect, I need to stay at the camp for a while to send the message back to Emei."

Shannan Prefecture and Xinyang Prefecture are both located in the southwest of the Great Wei Kingdom, and are only a thousand miles away from the Emei Sect, which is not particularly far.

However, it's impossible for the Emei Sect to host a banquet for people from all directions, as it's impossible for the martial arts forces from various prefectures to arrive at Emei the day after the banquet.

Normally, when hosting a banquet, the martial arts forces hosting the banquet need to send invitations to various prefectures and cities several months or even half a year in advance.

Even if Gu Shaoan rushed back to the Emei Sect immediately, he would still need to wait for someone from the Emei Sect to deliver the invitation.

Now that something has happened, Gu Shaoan first sent a message from a disciple of the Emei Sect to Emei, instructing Abbess Miejue and Abbess Juechen, among others, to prepare invitations for sending out.

Upon hearing Gu Shaoan's words, Huang Xuemei said gratefully, "Thank you!"

Gu Shaoan said calmly, "The patient is the priority. Let's get back to the inn, retrieve our belongings, prepare some dry rations, and then set off!"

"it is good!"

Having decided on their next destination, the two did not delay any longer and used their lightness skills to move towards the direction of the capital.

Half an hour later.

After leaving the capital city gates, the two men carrying their bundles quickly headed southwest.

at the same time.

It is located in the northern suburbs of the capital.

Within the villa, a waterside pavilion overlooks the lake, where a gentle breeze stirs the weeping willows, creating ripples on the water.

A large, comfortable bamboo deck chair lies across the lake.

A man dressed in a plain-colored robe leaned back in a chair in an extremely languid and relaxed posture.

Her full head of silver hair cascaded down her neck and the back of the chair like a snow waterfall, reflecting an almost inhumanly cold luster in the blazing afternoon sun.

A smooth, unadorned, plain silver mask covered his entire face perfectly, revealing only a section of his slightly hard-edged chin.

At this moment, the white-haired man casually rested his right hand on the armrest of the recliner, his fingers long and strong.

And in his hands he held a very eye-catching fishing rod.

The fishing rod is less than seven feet long, seemingly slender, yet it exudes a restrained and profound charm.

Anyone with extensive knowledge of wood would recognize that the fishing rod in the man's hand was made from a single piece of rare "seven-section star-patterned ironwood".

This type of wood grows only on the humid and hot cliffs of southern Xinjiang. The heartwood has natural seven-star silver patterns, and the wood is as hard as iron but as light and tough as bamboo.

What's most remarkable is its texture, which is like warm jade; every inch of it is worth its weight in gold.

Behind the man, a woman dressed in a black dress and with her face covered by a black veil stood silently.

In the waterside pavilion, which was only ten steps apart from the two, several guards were still standing solemnly.

Each one of them wore a mask.

Just by standing there, a chilling aura emanated from the group.

In the middle of these guards, on the smooth, mirror-like bluestone ground, a slender figure was kneeling.

If Gu Shaoan were here at this moment, he would definitely recognize at a glance that the person kneeling here is none other than Lin Xian'er.

At this moment, Lin Xian'er lowered her head, her smooth black hair covering most of her pale face, revealing only her smooth but bloodless forehead and jaw.

The gauze dress that should have looked beautiful now seemed to have lost its color, clinging tightly to her slender body as she knelt stiffly.

She still tried her best to maintain a captivating figure, and that deep-rooted, pitiful charm did not completely fade away even in this situation.

But her trembling eyelashes and her tightly pressed lips, devoid of color, silently told of how long she had been kneeling in punishment, and how her fragile body was nearing its limit.

This made Lin Xian'er look like a snowflake about to be crushed, swaying silently in the biting cold wind.

Time flowed by slowly in the stagnant air, with only the soft rustling of willow leaves in the wind and the gentle murmur of the lake's ripples.

After a long while, the white-haired man, who was leaning back in his chair and seemed completely absorbed in fishing, moved slightly.

With an extremely casual and gentle lift of his arm holding the luxurious fishing rod, the silver fishing hook at the end floated to the surface of the lake.

"Whoosh!"

As soon as a whooshing sound rang out, whether intentionally or by coincidence, the fishing hook tied to the fishing line traced a path through the air before heading towards the kneeling Lin Xian'er.

The next second, Lin Xian'er, who was kneeling on the ground, trembled violently.

But then, Lin Xian'er's thin silk skirt on her left calf was instantly soaked with a glaring crimson stain.

At the site of the bleeding, the silver fishing hook had pierced through her skirt and embedded itself in the skin of her calf.

The pain struck, and fine beads of sweat immediately covered her pale forehead and jaw.

But Lin Xian'er bit her lower lip hard, swallowing back the painful groan. She took a deep breath, enduring the excruciating pain, and with trembling fingers, carefully pulled out the barbed fishhook that was deeply embedded in her flesh, bit by bit.

After the fishhook was removed, blood trickled down her slender calves.

But Lin Xian'er did not hesitate at all, and did not even cover her wound.

She quickly tore off a corner of the cleanest, softest fabric from the inside of her sleeve and carefully and swiftly wiped the blood-stained steel fishhook, her movements carrying a sense of humility.

Until the little hook was wiped until it was shiny and new, with no trace of blood left.

Immediately afterwards, Lin Xian'er, supporting her aching and numb left leg, moved forward two steps while still kneeling, then held the fishhook above her head and bent her waist deeply.

Throughout the entire process, Lin Xian'er did not dare to raise her head; only her slightly trembling body revealed the fear in her heart.

"Whoosh!"

Just then, the woman behind the white-haired man suddenly raised her hand, bent her five fingers, and used a special force to suck the fishhook into her hand.

After rebaiting the hook, the white-haired man on the deck chair swung his fishing rod again, casting the hook back into the lake.

Lin Xian'er, on the other hand, retreated back to the kneeling position she had been in.

Suddenly, a figure swiftly flashed into the waterside pavilion, knelt on one knee, and said, "Reporting to the Great Dragon Chief, news has come from the Dragon Guard Manor."

As he spoke, the man held a bamboo slip above his head.

The white-haired man seemed not to hear, his eyes still gently closed.

The woman behind the white-haired man stepped forward, grabbed the bamboo tube, and pulled out the slip of paper inside.

A few breaths later, the woman's internal energy surged.

"Young Master, the recruitment efforts of the Iron-Blooded Marquis have also failed."

Upon hearing this, the white-haired man opened his eyes.

Immediately afterwards, a casual voice suddenly rang out from under the white-haired man's mask.

"Alright, no need to kneel anymore. After all, judging from the information, this Gu Shaoan is actually a bit wicked. With your plain looks, you might be able to seduce ordinary people in the martial arts world, but it's normal that you can't work against this guy."

His voice was flat and emotionless, as if he were simply stating a trivial matter.

The moment the sound reached her ears, Lin Xian'er's body stiffened, and a look of shock, as if she had survived a calamity, appeared on her pale face.

"Xian'er, thank you, Great Dragon Head."

After saying this, Lin Xian'er struggled to her feet and then carefully retreated step by step.

After Lin Xian'er left, the white-haired man known as "Big Dragon Head" chuckled and said, "Interesting. He doesn't want women, and power can't attract him either."

"The Emei Sect has produced a stubborn fellow who won't listen to reason."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the white-haired man coughed again from behind his mask.

The woman beside him quickly reached into her bosom and took out the elixir bottle.

However, before the woman could open the elixir bottle, the white-haired man waved his hand.

The woman then turned to the guards and said, "You may leave now!"

"Yes!"

After the guards left, the white-haired man's coughing gradually subsided.

The woman picked up the teacup and held it to the man's lips. After the man took a sip, she glanced at the bright red stain on the teacup and her eyes widened.

"Young Master's illness is getting worse. I've heard that Gu Shaoan is a highly skilled physician. Perhaps I could disguise myself and ask him to come and diagnose Young Master?"

Upon hearing what the woman said, the man paused slightly.

"Your suggestion is not bad."

The woman had initially thought the white-haired man would refuse.

Unexpectedly, the white-haired man gave this answer.

After a moment of surprise, the woman asked with delight, "Young master, you agree?"

The white-haired man chuckled and said, "Anyway, we're just idling around. Zhu Wushi and Cao Zhengchun have been fighting each other more and more fiercely lately, so there's no need to keep an eye on them."

"I'll take this opportunity to relax and also visit this Gu Shaoan."

"Having lived all these years, this is the first time I've seen such an interesting person. He can remain unmoved when a beauty like Lin Xian'er throws herself into his arms, and he can also remain completely unmoved when Zhu Wushi tries to recruit him."

As he spoke, the white-haired man turned his head, his eyes beneath the mask sweeping over the bright red stain on the teacup, a glint in his eyes.

After taking a deep breath, the white-haired man said in a deep voice, "In my current condition, I can only hold on for three more years at most. You will personally oversee the rest and make sure nothing goes wrong."

The woman nodded first, then paused and said, "But Zhang Sanfeng of the Wudang Sect is the number one martial artist. Wouldn't it be too risky for us to do this?"

The white-haired man chuckled and said, "You don't actually think that Zhu Wushi can drain Zhang Sanfeng's power, do you?"

Upon hearing this, the woman couldn't help but pause in surprise and asked, "Young Master's goal isn't to help Zhu Wushi break through to the Celestial Realm?"

The white-haired man shook his head and said, "Zhu Wushi is trying to break through to the Celestial Realm, but that guy said that even though they are both in the Celestial Realm, Zhang Sanfeng's strength has already reached an extremely terrifying level."

"If you want to kill Master Zhang, you must first be prepared to die."

"If Zhu Wushi is to break through to the Celestial Realm, we still have to rely on that Celestial Realm person in the palace who has been bribed by Zhu Wushi."

"As for Zhang Sanfeng, it's just a pretext to give him a suitable reason to go to the Great Yuan Kingdom and completely throw the martial arts world of the two countries into chaos."

Finally, the white-haired man continued, "Cihang Jingzhai, you should send someone to warn that old woman Yan Jing'an. She has too many schemes. If she dares to continue causing trouble for Shaolin, don't blame me for not showing any mercy."

"The servant understands."

The white-haired man nodded first, then asked, "What's the situation with Bai Xiaosheng?"

The woman replied, "According to the timeline, Master Bai should have just arrived in the Great Sui Kingdom. If there are no unforeseen circumstances, he should be able to return to the Great Wei Kingdom with the 'Longevity Manual' by the end of the year."

After thinking for a moment, the woman asked, "But since you already have an internal energy cultivation method, why do you need the 'Longevity Manual'?"

After pondering for a moment, the white-haired man said, "I heard from Bai Xiaosheng that this 'Longevity Manual' has some unique features, containing a special method that can refine essence, energy, and spirit."

"It may be useless to ordinary people, but it is of great benefit to me."

In response, the woman said, "This servant will definitely have someone keep an eye on Mr. Bai's situation."

The white-haired man nodded, then looked at the lake.

Looking at the ripples on the lake, the white-haired man murmured softly, "This martial world has been in chaos for too long, and this world has been divided for too long."

"Since this world and the martial arts world are always lacking a master."

"Then I will be the leader."

(End of this chapter)