In Emei, start by obtaining golden attributes.

Chapter 281 Jinshui in the Eastern Suburbs: Awaiting Your Meeting with the Antidote

May, Baijiang Prefecture.

The bluestone pavement of the main road in the city was scorching hot from the sun, and its surface even had a thin layer of oily sheen.

The cicadas chirped louder and louder among the treetops.

Many of the pedestrians on the street were covered in sweat.

On the main street in the west of the city, Gu Shaoan, Zhou Zhiruo, and Yang Yan walked slowly.

Today, Gu Shaoan was still dressed in a dark blue outfit, which made him appear even more solemn and dignified under the scorching sunlight.

Zhou Zhiruo and Yang Yan changed into elegant light blue dresses, which accentuated their graceful figures.

Although their faces were concealed by straw hats and veils, the three of them still attracted the attention of passersby with their bearing and slender figures.

Unlike usual, Gu Shaoan was now wearing a dark, jade-like thumb ring on his left thumb.

It was many years ago when Gu Shaoan first met Yang Tie that Yang Tie gave him the Xuanmo thumb ring as a way of repaying Gu Shaoan for saving him.

As they walked, Yang Yan led the way while explaining the situation inside Baijiang Prefecture to Zhou Zhiruo and Gu Shaoan, who were visiting for the first time.

Through Yang Yan's explanation, the two also learned that the Jianghu force that controlled Baijiang Prefecture was a second-rate force called the Divine Fist Sect.

Although they cannot be considered a prestigious sect, they are far stronger than the Demonic Sect.

Under the influence of the Divine Fist Sect, Baijiang Prefecture has been relatively stable in recent years.

However, unlike Jiading Prefecture and other areas under the Emei Sect's sphere of influence, which strictly regulates various forces in the martial arts world, there are quite a few forces from all walks of life.

In addition, Baijiang Prefecture has long been known as a vital transportation hub between land and water in Jiangnan, with convenient transportation.

Caravans came and went in an endless stream.

Therefore, within Baijiang Prefecture, those who run escort agencies have no shortage of business.

Before long, led by Yang Yan, the three of them entered the gate of Yang Family Escort Agency in the west of the city.

Two burly men and a man who looked to be in his fifties were stationed at the entrance of the security escort agency.

When the older man saw Gu Shaoan and his two companions approaching, he stepped forward and said, "I am Zhao Shanhe from the Yang Family Escort Agency. Are you guests looking to transport goods?"

In response to the man's words, Yang Yan took off her straw hat and smiled sweetly, saying, "Uncle Zhao, it's me."

Upon seeing Yang Yan's true face, Zhao Shanhe was taken aback at first, then said with a delighted expression, "Miss."

Gu Shaoan and Zhou Zhiruo, who were on the side, also took off their bamboo hats one after another.

Yang Yan introduced, "These are my senior brothers from the Emei Sect, Gu Shaoan and Zhou Zhiruo."

"Gu Shaoan?"

Upon hearing Yang Yan's introduction, Zhao Shanhe's eyes flashed, and he suddenly turned to look at Gu Shaoan beside him.

"Greetings, Uncle Zhao."

Those who work as镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) live on the edge of their lives.

It speaks of "making friends from all corners of the world and traveling with a shrewd and adaptable approach."

They are among the most well-informed.

As for the Emei Sect, Gu Shaoan's name had been on my lips for more than half a year.

Zhao Shanhe naturally knew that Gu Shaoan in front of him was a top figure in the entire martial arts world, so how could he dare to offend him?
Upon seeing Gu Shaoan's bow, Zhao Shanhe's heart tightened and he quickly bowed, saying, "Oh, no, no, I'm just a bodyguard, how can I accept such a courtesy from Young Master Gu?"

Seeing Zhao Shanhe's restrained demeanor, Yang Yan asked with a smile, "Uncle Zhao, where is my father? Is he at the manor?"

Zhao Shanhe nodded and said, "Yes, I will take you there right away, Miss."

As he spoke, Zhao Shanhe quickly turned to one of the men at the door and instructed, "Go and inform the head镖师 (chief镖师, a kind of bodyguard/escort) that the young lady has returned."

After the guard left, Zhao Shanhe led the way and welcomed Gu Shaoan and the other two into the Yang Family Escort Agency.

As Yang Yan stated, the Yang Family Escort Agency was not large in scale, and its area was far smaller than those famous escort agencies in the martial arts world.

The courtyard layout is compact, and you can see from one end to the other at a glance. There are several courtyards in total, and you are currently in the front courtyard.

Although it lacked a sense of grandeur, the entire escort agency exuded a clean, efficient, and vibrant atmosphere.

The bluestone pavement in the courtyard was swept exceptionally clean. Although it wasn't as shiny as the main street outside the gate, which was baked by the scorching sun, there were few debris and fallen leaves.

Several old locust and camphor trees stretched out their branches, casting precious shade in the courtyard, which dispelled much of the heat and restlessness outside.

At this moment, there were still a dozen or so relatively young bodyguards practicing in the courtyard.

When Gu Shaoan and his two companions entered, everyone's attention was drawn to them.

After Zhao Shanhe walked around the front yard and entered the front hall, Yang Yan casually asked, "Uncle Zhao, has everything been going smoothly at the escort agency lately?"

"Yan'er"

Before Zhao Shanhe could speak, a voice rang out from outside the front hall.

Upon hearing the sound, Yang Yan quickly turned her head to look.

When she saw Yang Tie, Yang Yan's face lit up with joy and she quickly went to greet him.

Gu Shaoan and Zhou Zhiruo also turned their gazes toward Yang Tie at the door.

However, just as Gu Shaoan's gaze fell on Yang Tie's face, the gentle smile on Gu Shaoan's face suddenly vanished.

"Why did you suddenly come back?"

Perhaps because Zhao Shanhe was present, Yang Yan blushed slightly, then pointed to Gu Shaoan beside her and said, "Master and Senior Uncle Headmaster asked us to invite you, Father, to stay at Emei for a while."

Gu Shaoan and Zhou Zhiruo, who were standing to the side, also stepped forward to greet them.

"Uncle Yang."

Yang Tie's eyes lit up when he saw Gu Shaoan, whom he hadn't seen for nearly ten years.

However, before Yang Tie could continue to examine him, Gu Shaoan suddenly asked, "Uncle Yang, have you been feeling unwell lately?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Yan and Zhou Zhiruo's expressions changed slightly.

Yang Tie also glanced at Gu Shaoan with surprise.

Looking at Yang Yan, who looked nervous, Yang Tie smiled and said, "It's nothing. I just got into a fight with someone while escorting goods a little over a month ago and suffered some internal injuries, but I'm almost healed now."

However, Yang Yan ignored Yang Tie's response and instead asked Gu Shaoan, "Senior brother, what's wrong with my father's health?"

Based on Yang Yan's understanding of Gu Shaoan, if it were just a minor injury, Gu Shaoan, with his calm and composed nature, wouldn't be in such a hurry to speak.

Gu Shaoan nodded and said, "He has been poisoned, but we will only know the specific type of poison after taking his pulse."

Upon hearing this, Yang Yan grabbed Yang Tie's arm without saying a word and forcibly lifted Yang Tie's hand.

Without wasting words, Gu Shaoan placed his hand on Yang Tie's wrist and began to take his pulse.

A few moments later, as Gu Shaoan withdrew his hand, Yang Yan pressed on, "How is it? Is the poison in my father's body serious?"

Gu Shaoan said slowly, "It's not a problem."

Hearing this, Yang Yan finally relaxed.

Yang Tie, on the other hand, was completely bewildered by the situation. "I was just injured, how could I suddenly be poisoned? If I was poisoned, how come Physician Sun at Miaoshoutang couldn't tell?"

Yang Yan said irritably, "How can the medical skills of an ordinary doctor compare to those of my senior brother? Since my senior brother said you were poisoned, he must be right."

Seeing Yang Yan's resolute tone, Yang Tie's expression also became serious.

At this moment, Gu Shaoan reached into his robe and took out a pill bottle.

He picked out one of the pills from the spilled pills and handed it to Yang Tie.

"I would like to trouble Uncle Yang to take this medicine."

After glancing at Yang Yan and then at Gu Shaoan, Yang Tie took the pill without much hesitation and swallowed it.

Before long, Yang Tie felt a burning sensation rising in his abdomen.

Under this heat, Yang Tie's face turned red at a visible speed.

Seeing this, Gu Shaoan moved behind Yang Tie and placed one hand on Yang Tie's back.

The vital energy and internal force surged into Yang Tie's body through his palm.

After a hundred breaths, as Gu Shaoan suddenly exerted force with his palm, a mouthful of blood vomited from Yang Tie's mouth.

Everyone looked down and were surprised to find that the blood Yang Tie vomited was not the normal bright red, but pink.

And a sweet, cloying smell lingered in the air.

After crushing a pill into powder, Gu Shaoan waved his hand and sprinkled it on the blood.

As the blood came into contact with the powder, it turned dark red at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Turning her gaze away from the ground, Zhou Zhiruo asked, "Junior brother, what kind of poison is this?"

Gu Shaoan replied, "This poison is called 'The silkworm spins silk until death,' which is quite rare. After entering the body, the poison will invade the body and gradually erode a person's essence and blood. At first, the poisoned person will only feel that they are tired every day. The longer the poison stays in the body, the more potent it will become."

"Until all energy is drained, poison enters the five internal organs, and the essence and blood are exhausted, one dies, just like a silkworm that dies when the silk is exhausted."

Upon learning of the poison's toxicity, the expressions on their faces changed.

Yang Yan looked at Yang Tie and asked, "Father, have you offended anyone recently? How did you get poisoned?"

Faced with Yang Yan's question, Yang Tie frowned and thought for a while before shaking his head and saying, "As you know, when we run a security escort agency, we inevitably offend some enemies as we travel all over the country. If someone really wants to use poison to harm people, I can't prevent it."

Just then, Gu Shaoan spoke up: "Uncle Yang is doing well now. Judging from the toxicity in his body, he should have been poisoned no more than five days ago."

"Uncle Yang, has anything happened in these past five days that would make you suspicious?"

Upon hearing Gu Shaoan mention the "five-day" time limit, Yang Tie seemed to remember something and said, "If I had to say something, there is one thing."

"Five days ago at noon, a man wearing a golden mask suddenly came over with a box of gold weighing a hundred taels and said he wanted to entrust it to someone for delivery."

"However, the details of the entrustment were not explained in detail. They only said that it would take five to ten days to tell us the specific details of the entrustment."

Yang Yan asked, "Where is the box containing the gold?"

Without hesitation, Yang Tie got up and quickly headed towards the backyard.

Before long, he returned to the front hall with a brown wooden box.

As the wooden box was opened, ten ingots of gold, each weighing ten taels, came into view.

At the same time, a breath of air entered Gu Shaoan's nose.

Seeing this, Gu Shaoan swept his long sleeves over and immediately closed the box.

"The poison is hidden in this box. Once the box is opened, the poison will enter the body."

"The one who poisoned the vessel must be the one carrying the dart."

Yang Tie frowned and said, "Although I have offended some people over the years while working as a镖师 (bodyguard/escort), most of them are just ordinary people in the martial arts world or other colleagues. If they wanted to deal with me, they would not need to go through all this trouble."

Yang Tie wasn't the only one who was puzzled at this moment.

Even Yang Yan and the others had thought of this.

Using a hundred taels of gold as bait, along with a special poison called "the silkworm spins silk until death," just to deal with a mere镖师 (bodyguard/escort) like Yang Tie, who is only at the Acquired Realm, seems like overkill.

"Five days ago, we were near Xifeng Mountain, trying to get to Baijiang Prefecture. If we traveled quickly, it would take five days; if we traveled slowly, it would take about ten days."

"It could take five days or ten days. The enemy isn't targeting my father; they're more likely after us."

Just as Yang Yan finished speaking, a hurried sound came from the front hall.

Gu Shaoan and the others looked up and saw that the person who came was the bodyguard who had been guarding the door earlier.

In his hands, he was also carefully holding an object.

The object reflected a dazzling golden light under the intense sunlight streaming in from the doorway!

"Chief镖头 (镖头 is a term used to describe a镖师, a kind of镖师, often referring to镖头 Zhao, the head镖师)."

Upon entering the front hall, the visitor hurriedly said, "I don't know where this invitation came from, but it was nailed to the door of the escort agency."

All eyes immediately focused on his palm.

It was a small but extremely heavy invitation.

It was less of an invitation and more of a thin, solid gold book.

The entire cover and title page, along with the ribbon, are made of thick, solid gold.

The edges are meticulously polished to be rounded and smooth, and the whole body flows with a bright and pure golden light, like melting sunlight.

Yang Yan circulated his true energy, covered his hands, and took the invitation. With a flick of his finger, he fastened the hinge, which was also made of pure gold, and gently opened it.

The gold-colored inner pages are devoid of any superfluous patterns or decorations.

Only one line of text was deeply engraved into the gold page, the handwriting elegant yet carrying a unique metallic coldness and a chilling, murderous aura!
"At the first quarter of the hour of You (5-7 PM), at Jinshui in the eastern suburbs, I await your meeting with the antidote."

If people were still speculating before, the appearance of this pure gold invitation now undoubtedly indicates that the person who secretly poisoned him was indeed targeting Gu Shaoan.

Yang Yan shifted her gaze from Jin Jian to Gu Shaoan's face, her voice clear and icy: "Jinshui River is the largest waterway in the east of Baijiang Prefecture. Its terrain is complex, with reeds growing everywhere, making it easy to set up an ambush."

"They're using my father as bait to lure you there, senior brother. They're up to no good; don't fall for it."

Gu Shaoan closed the cold, heavy gold letter, the pure gold pages making a soft "snap" sound as they closed.

His face remained largely expressionless, his deep eyes fixed on the scorching sun outside the hall, his mind deep in thought.

He wore a golden mask and spent lavishly, paving the way with money.

Perhaps Gu Shaoan couldn't guess the other party's identity at first.

But as the saying goes, "the silkworm spins silk until its death," and Gu Shaoan knew that there were definitely no more than five people in the world who knew how to concoct such a poison.

Coupled with this extravagant style of doing things, Gu Shaoan vaguely guessed the identity of the person behind this incident.

After thinking for a moment, Gu Shaoan said, "Since you've named names like this and included Uncle Yang in your scheme, then I have no reason not to go."

"Perfect timing, I also want to see what this person is really up to."

(End of this chapter)