In Emei, start by obtaining golden attributes.

Chapter 256 Mr. Six Fingers
Faced with Huang Xuemei's assertive attitude, the four people who were just about to step forward to stop her froze and quickly stepped back with their heads down.

Huang Xuemei turned to Gu Shaoan and then used her lightness skill to rush into the mountain path ahead.

The two moved swiftly, as fast as the wind.

Along the way, the mountain road became increasingly steep and treacherous, with jagged rocks and shady trees on both sides.

Although Gu Shaoan did not deliberately explore, the faint sounds of breathing and the rustling of clothes could be heard constantly coming from the dark corners and dense canopies on both sides of the mountain path where light could not penetrate.

Clearly, the entire mountain road leading to the summit was already under tight, covert surveillance.

These latent auras, whether calm, sharp, or concealed, are numerous.

The two continued without stopping, and in no time at all, the steep mountain climbed to its end.

After emerging from the last dense patch of forest, the view suddenly opened up.

Compared to the steep mountain road, the terrain at the top of the mountain is relatively flat, and a large number of buildings are laid out according to the mountain's shape, connected one after another.

These buildings lack the grand and imposing appearance of the major schools with their flying eaves and gilded splendor. They are mostly constructed of bluestone or bamboo and wood, with a simple and elegant style.

The upturned eaves are nestled among lush, century-old trees, and the houses are scattered in a well-organized manner. A gravel path meanders through the area, creating a tranquil atmosphere that feels like a return to nature away from the hustle and bustle of the world.

After lingering briefly around the area, Huang Xuemei didn't stop and led Gu Shaoan straight towards the back mountain.

Before long, a quieter, secluded courtyard, almost entirely surrounded by tall, ancient pines, came into view; this was the Back Mountain Villa.

Compared to the previous houses, this place is much quieter and more elegant, with birdsong echoing through the secluded mountains, making it seem almost deserted.

The two moved like the wind, and in an instant they were already near the fence of a secluded courtyard deep inside the villa.

The gate to the courtyard was open, and the courtyard was paved with blue bricks and was very clean.

An elderly man dressed in gray cloth, with a slightly hunched posture, was holding an ordinary bamboo broom and sweeping away the occasional fallen pine needles and withered leaves in the yard with unhurried and unusually steady movements.

The moment Gu Shaoan and Huang Xuemei stepped into the courtyard, their breath startling the falling leaves.

The old man sweeping the floor seemed to sense something. His withered right hand, gripping the broom, tightened almost imperceptibly. Almost at the same time, an extremely restrained yet powerful and profound surge of true energy, like an undercurrent lurking underground, suddenly flashed out from the old man's body and disappeared.

The old man slowly raised his face, which was etched with the lines of time.

His cloudy eyes held scrutiny and wariness, but when his gaze fell upon Huang Xuemei, the sharpness in the old man's eyes vanished instantly, and his tense body relaxed.

He put down the broom, quickly stepped forward, bowed slightly, and spoke in a respectful yet powerful voice:
"Young Master, you're finally back!"

Looking at the old man before her, Huang Xuemei's usually cold expression softened, revealing a gentleness typically reserved for those close to her. She nodded in acknowledgment.

"Uncle Li."

Then, she turned and pointed at Gu Shaoan.

"This is Young Master Gu, a friend of mine. He is proficient in traditional Chinese medicine and has superb medical skills. Xuemei specially invited him back so that he could heal my master's injuries."

Upon hearing this, Gu Shaoan nodded to the old man.

"I've met the old man."

The gray-robed old man, referred to as "Uncle Li," fixed his gaze on Gu Shaoan instantly.

After a moment's thought, he nodded gently.

There was still a hint of scrutiny and wariness in his eyes.

Huang Xuemei had no time for pleasantries and cut straight to the point, her tone filled with barely concealed urgency: "Where is Master? How is he these days?"

Upon hearing this, Uncle Li's face grew even more worried. "The situation is not good, but fortunately, Young Master, you have returned in time."

As he spoke, the old man turned and led the two toward the most secluded and largest bamboo and wood house in the center of the courtyard.

The swaying bamboo shadows in the courtyard added to the tranquility, but could not conceal the solemnity of the waiting.

Uncle Li walked to the closed door, took a deep breath, tried to keep his voice steady, and knocked twice on the door with his fingers.

"Sect Leader, the Young Sect Leader is back!"

The silence inside the door lasted only a brief moment before a response came.

"come in!"

His voice was low, hoarse, and dry, carrying an indescribable weariness and despondency, as if speaking had exhausted all his strength.
Uncle Li gently pushed open the heavy wooden door and stepped into the house, followed by Huang Xuemei and Gu Shaoan who also crossed the threshold one after the other.

The room was spacious but the furnishings were extremely simple, consisting of only a couch, a small table, and a few bamboo chairs.

Right in the center of the house, on the smooth, flat bluestone floor, an old man sat cross-legged.

The old man was extremely thin, his gray and brittle hair was simply tied back, revealing the back of his neck, which was so thin that the outline of his bones was almost visible.

His cheeks were deeply sunken, making his cheekbones protrude as steeply as mountain peaks. His skin was a lifeless, waxy yellow, dry and loose, covering his bones.

A strong sense of "running out of fuel" washes over you!

But deep within this withered body, there lingered a faint, extremely weak yet persistent trace of a powerful aura.

What is most striking is the old man's right hand, which has six fingers instead of the usual five.

Gu Shaoan's eyes flashed as his gaze fell on the old man's right hand.

He originally thought that Mr. Six Fingers was just a title or nickname.

Unexpectedly, this person really did have six fingers.

"Master!"

Seeing Mr. Six Fingers sitting cross-legged on the ground, Huang Xuemei hurriedly stepped forward and knelt down beside him.

Mr. Six Fingers slowly opened his eyes, and his cloudy gaze seemed to brighten the moment he saw Huang Xuemei.

"Girl, you're back!"

"came back."

After responding, Huang Xuemei said urgently, "When you left, Master, you were still fine. Why did your injuries relapse in just over half a year?"

Faced with his disciple's concern and reproach, Mr. Six Fingers' sallow face twitched slightly, seemingly in a bitter smile.

"Cough cough..."

Accompanied by two hoarse and hollow coughs, it was as if a broken bellows was making its last gasp.

With each cough, his emaciated body trembled slightly, giving one the feeling of a fragile candle about to be extinguished in a storm.

After catching his breath, he spoke slowly in an even weaker voice, as if it might break at any moment: "You know that I have a chronic illness in my body. For so many years, I have only been forcibly suppressing it. Now, the injury is almost impossible to suppress."

Huang Xuemei quickly said, "This time when I came back, I brought a friend with me. He has profound medical skills and may be able to heal my master's injuries."

As she spoke, Huang Xuemei turned to look at Gu Shaoan beside her.

Mr. Six Fingers, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground, also moved his cloudy gaze to Gu Shaoan.

When Mr. Six Fingers saw Gu Shaoan's face clearly, a hint of doubt suddenly flashed across his face, which had been numb and ashen from exhaustion.

Immediately afterwards, his almost motionless head tilted slightly to the side, and several deep marks appeared on the skin and flesh of his neck.

"Are you the young man who provided free medical care in Jiading Prefecture back then?"

Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Gu Shaoan's deep eyes. He leaned forward slightly, maintaining his respect for his senior, and replied in a steady voice, "Senior has been to Jiading Prefecture?"

Mr. Six Fingers nodded slowly, his voice intermittent and low, like the rubbing of an old wooden door: "Back then, for the sake of Xue Mei, I followed the trail of those traitors in the Tianlong Sect to Jiading Prefecture, where I saw you providing free medical treatment."

"I see."

Gu Shaoan nodded slightly, his doubts resolved.

Then Gu Shaoan stepped forward and knelt down gently in front of Mr. Six Fingers. "Please lend me your hand, senior."

Mr. Six Fingers' cloudy gaze lingered on Gu Shaoan's face for a moment, as if trying to discern something from it.

"Good work!"

After uttering a sentence, Mr. Six Fingers slowly and extremely weakly raised his right hand, which had six fingers.

The wrist was so withered that it was almost just skin and bones, with dark blue veins twisting and turning like withered vines beneath the loose skin.

Gu Shaoan remained calm and placed three fingers on the cun, guan, and chi meridians of the Six-Fingered Master.

The moment his fingertips touched the ground, his clear, deep eyes closed slightly.

Time seemed to stand still during that pulse-taking moment.

Huang Xuemei and the elderly man surnamed Li, who were standing to the side, held their breath and stared nervously at Gu Shaoan's face.

However, at that moment, although Gu Shaoan's face remained expressionless, he suddenly let out a soft "Eh" in his heart.

In Gu Shaoan's perception, Mr. Six Fingers' pulse was dry and withered like a rotten rope, devoid of any life force, faint, scattered, and weak.

The pulse is also the pulse of a critically ill person whose vital energy and blood have been severely depleted due to damage to the five internal organs and six bowels, and whose life force is about to be extinguished.

Upon first contact, it truly appeared as if it were on its last legs, just as rumored.

If other doctors had come to treat him, they would have felt that Mr. Six Fingers' condition was already showing signs of being beyond medical help and beyond saving.

However, Gu Shaoan's medical skills have already reached the master level.

Looking at the whole world, in terms of medical skills alone, Gu Shaoan can be considered one of the top ones.

In Gu Shaoan's perception, the pulse of Mr. Six Fingers at this moment was clearly a disguised illusion.

The actual pulse pattern is not like that.

Judging from the pulse, Gu Shaoan was certain that Mr. Six Fingers did not have a chronic, incurable illness, but only some minor injuries.

A true pulse signifies the decline and aging of a person.

And even in his twilight years, due to his profound skill, his pulse appeared fine and smooth, but in reality it was deep and powerful.

However, the pulse has a quality like a light knife scraping bamboo; although there are pauses and hesitations, it is deep and solid, and is by no means a sign of withered wood.

This is precisely because internal martial arts masters use their profound skills to control qi and blood and suppress pulse.

Judging from the pulse alone, he should have no problem living for another ten years.

It's definitely not like it's running out of fuel and the lamp is burning out.

In other words, Mr. Six Fingers' current situation is an act.

He had figured out what was going on with Mr. Six Fingers, but Gu Shaoan didn't show it on his face.

Ten breaths later, Gu Shaoan slowly removed his hand from Mr. Six Fingers' wrist.

Huang Xuemei, who was standing nearby, immediately asked, "How is it?"

When asked by Huang Xuemei, Gu Shaoan looked thoughtful and said, "Senior's situation is a bit troublesome, and I need to study it further."

As he spoke, Gu Shaoan reached into his robes, took out a small black elixir bottle, and poured out a pink pill.

"This medicine was prepared by me using special ingredients. After taking it, it can nourish your meridians and relieve your discomfort."

After receiving the medicine, Huang Xuemei immediately offered it to Mr. Six Fingers' mouth.

As the medicine approached, Mr. Six Fingers hesitated for a moment.

He glanced at Gu Shaoan, then at Huang Xuemei, and opened his mouth to let Huang Xuemei feed him the pill.

A moment later, feeling a gentle medicinal power coursing through his meridians, a smile appeared on Mr. Six Fingers' withered face.

"It has some effect, thank you for your help, young friend."

Gu Shaoan smiled and said, "You're too kind, senior. Since I'm entrusted by Miss Huang, I will do my best to heal you. However, your old injuries are too severe and you have too much fatigue. I need to think about how to treat you properly."

Mr. Six Fingers seemed to have really improved his spirits. He waved his hand and said, "It is already a great help to have this medicine from you to relieve my pain temporarily. My injury should be able to last for another month or so. You don't need to feel too much pressure."

Gu Shaoan nodded and didn't say anything more.

His gaze swept over Mr. Six Fingers' eye sockets and nostrils.

After noticing the pinkish tinge around his eyes and nostrils, which appeared as a result of poisoning, Gu Shaoan stood up and took two steps back.

As for the true situation inside Mr. Six Fingers' body, Gu Shaoan did not reveal it on the spot.

As Gu Shaoan stood up, Mr. Six Fingers said to the old man surnamed Li, "Changbai, please take this young friend to Tingyu Pavilion to rest for a while."

The old man surnamed Li nodded, then turned to Gu Shaoan and gestured, "Young master, please follow me."

Gu Shaoan nodded slightly, clasped his hands in greeting to Mr. Six Fingers, and then followed the old man outside.

Once he was sure the footsteps had left the courtyard, Mr. Six Fingers first circulated his own internal energy, surrounding himself and Huang Xuemei, before asking Huang Xuemei, "Did you find the medicine I asked you to find this time you came down the mountain?"

When asked by Mr. Six Fingers, Huang Xuemei nodded, then put the violin case she was carrying on her back on the ground. After opening the case, she took out a herb from a hidden compartment inside.

"Master, look, is this the Heavenly Heart Grass?"

Mr. Six Fingers glanced at Huang Xuemei's hand, his eyes flashing with excitement.

He immediately circulated his internal energy and transmitted his voice to Huang Xuemei, saying, "That's right! It is indeed Heavenly Heart Grass. With this Heavenly Heart Grass, plus the remaining medicines, we can refine another Heavenly Dragon Pill."

Before Huang Xuemei could respond, Mr. Six Fingers asked, "How is your cultivation of the Heavenly Dragon Heart Method progressing?"

Huang Xuemei responded, "Four months ago, I successfully advanced to the sixth level of the Heavenly Dragon Heart Method."

A glint of light flashed in Mr. Six Fingers' cloudy eyes: "You've already reached the sixth level, good! Once this Heavenly Dragon Pill is refined, the ten years of cultivation within it will be enough to allow your Heavenly Dragon Heart Method to advance to the seventh level. Afterward, I will use a special cultivation method to cleanse the sharpness in your Heavenly Dragon True Essence, and your cultivation will no longer be a problem."

"By then, even if I am gone, the Heavenly Dragon Sect will still have a successor."

Hearing Mr. Six Fingers' words, Huang Xuemei said, "Master, my friend Xuemei has excellent medical skills and may be able to heal your injuries. Why are you so pessimistic?"

Mr. Six Fingers shook his head and said, "I know my own situation. I am now at my wit's end, and all my skills are starting to dissipate."

"The longer it drags on, the more of my power will be lost. If things get worse, it will only make matters worse. If I don't help you deal with the problem of your true essence now, it will be troublesome to deal with the problems you encounter later. Who will be able to deal with those enemies?"

"You don't need to say anything more. I will prepare the Heavenly Dragon Pill in a moment. Come over at 9 PM tonight."

"Remember, you must not tell anyone about this, to prevent any unforeseen circumstances."

Seeing Mr. Six Fingers' firm attitude, Huang Xuemei sighed inwardly and could only nod in agreement.

　The next chapter will be a little late! If you can't wait, you can read it tomorrow!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)