In Emei, start by obtaining golden attributes.

Chapter 291 This water is unusually deep.

Half an hour later, in an inn north of Jinzhou City, after Zhou Zhiruo and Yang Yan reviewed their previous battle with Wuhen Gongzi, Yang Yan sighed.

“Master Zhang said that when you were in the Qi Condensation stage, your strength was already comparable to that of an ordinary first-rate expert. But even if my senior sister and I joined forces, we still couldn’t beat that Wuhen Gongzi. The difference is too great!”

Hearing Yang Yan's words, Zhou Zhiruo smiled and handed the water glass to Yang Yan.

“Junior Brother’s comprehension is extraordinary. When he was condensing Qi into Yuan, his mastery of martial arts in all aspects was already higher than ours now. In addition, with the Emei Sword Manual, how can we compare?”

Yang Yan took the water glass and said somewhat dejectedly, "I've even created the 'Meteor Eighteen Lotus Steps,' and I've even touched the level of 'momentum.' My lightness skill is even higher than my senior brother's when he was in the Qi Condensation Realm."

Gu Shaoan shook his head and said, "You only have one advantage, but that one advantage is not enough to defeat Young Master Wuhen. On the other hand, Young Master Wuhen is better than you in every aspect except for his lightness skill. So you can't compare."

An ordinary martial artist who has condensed Qi into Yuan would be almost powerless against Young Master Wuhen.

It's quite remarkable that Yang Yan and Zhou Zhiruo, working together, were able to fight Wuhen Gongzi for dozens of rounds, ultimately forcing him to use "a shower of flowers and coins."

After talking with the two women for a while and pointing out some issues they had encountered when fighting against the Unmarked Young Master, Gu Shaoan got up and went to the room opposite.

After a quick wash, Gu Shaoan walked to the window, raised his head slightly, and looked at the moon, which resembled a silver plate in the sky.

Despite decades of accumulation, the seemingly aloof Iron-Blooded Marquis has a wealth of capable subordinates.

Besides the Unmarked Young Master, there is also Yagyu Tajima-no-kami, nicknamed "The Killing God's Blade," whose internal energy cultivation has reached the level of Condensing Yuan into Gang, and who is at Zhu Wuji's beck and call.

Furthermore, Zhu Wushi considered Wan Sanqian, the richest merchant in the Great Wei Kingdom, to be his close friend.

His 13,000 bodyguards, the Four Ghosts of Xiangxi, were proficient in the "Phantom Shadow Divine Skill." This skill combined defense with offense; anyone entangled by it would vanish without a trace, regardless of their technique. It was truly a unique skill in the martial arts world.

At this time, Zhu Wushi and Wan Sanqian had not yet broken off their relationship.

If Zhu Wushi gets into trouble, he can persuade Wan Sanqian to send the Four Ghosts of Xiangxi to help Zhu Wushi.

In retrospect, the reason Cao Zhengchun was able to survive under Zhu Wushi for so long was entirely because Zhu Wushi did not intend to kill him.

Otherwise, even if Zhu Wushi didn't take the initiative, the few experts he could previously mobilize would have been enough to take care of Cao Zhengchun.

At that moment, a thought flashed through Gu Shaoan's mind.

"I wonder what Zhu Wushi would think if he knew that the status, strength, and even the establishment of the Dragon Guard Manor he had acquired over the past twenty years were all secretly designed and promoted by others?"

As he pondered the matter more deeply, a serious expression suddenly appeared on Gu Shaoan's face.

One force, not counting Zhu Wushi, has two other behind-the-scenes manipulators.

This water is unusually deep.

"We still need to find a way to condense the Three Flowers and step into the Celestial Realm as soon as possible. At the very least, we need to have the ability to deal with those three Celestial Realm experts in the imperial court, otherwise, the limitations will be too great."

23.

Jiading Prefecture.

On a late summer afternoon, sunlight filtered through the old, leafy locust tree in the courtyard, casting dappled shadows on the bluestone slabs. A gentle breeze carried the fresh scent of grass and earth, along with a touch of lingering languor from the oppressive heat.

The courtyard was quiet, with only a few unknown insects chirping softly in the grass at the corner of the wall.

Sun Baifa stood in the center of the courtyard.

After glancing up at the ancient tree in the sky, Sun Baifa's thin body showed no signs of muscle bulging; instead, an invisible, overwhelming "intention" rose from the depths of his hunched spine.

A deep, resonant hum resounded, and visible pale blue energy suddenly surged forth from his entire body.

When the withered right hand holding the pipe was raised, the countless locust leaves that had been falling in the wind throughout the courtyard seemed to be gently stirred by an invisible force.

A few breaths later, as Sun Baifa swung his pipe, the "Heavenly Secret Staff Technique" was also unleashed in his hands.

However, unlike the "Heavenly Secret Staff Technique" used by Sun Xiaohong, Sun Baifa's Heavenly Secret Staff Technique is casual and natural, with each move carrying a smooth and natural feeling.

After a dozen or so moves, Sun Baifa casually pointed his pipe forward.

It was neither a thrust nor a block; it was as if a chess player had casually placed a piece on the center point.

However, right along the path left by the copper pipe, three locust leaves that had been swaying wildly in the wind suddenly became straight and sharp as if pierced by an invisible, incredibly precise thread. They shot off like arrows and pierced the tiny gap between the bluestone slabs in front of them, standing upright and motionless.

Immediately afterwards, Sun Baifa lightly spun the pipe with his wrist, and the pipe drew an arc in front of him.

With a soft "whoosh" sound, the air around Sun Baifa seemed to freeze for a moment, and dozens of locust leaves that had been falling into the air suddenly stopped.

Like an insect encased in amber, it was eerily frozen in mid-air.

Sun Baifa's gaunt figure weaved through the swirling fallen leaves and the solidified leaf array, his movements as graceful as Tai Chi push hands, yet as swift as a ghost.

He casually swept his pipe horizontally, without creating any strong wind or energy.

But along the path it swept, the air seemed to be combed by an invisible comb, and the originally disorderly and chaotic fallen leaves were suddenly "combed" apart.

If someone skilled in Go could look down at Sun Baifa's courtyard from a high vantage point, they would surely discover that the intertwined and scattered spiritual energy around Sun Baifa had transformed the entire courtyard into a Go board.

The leaves that fall continuously in the air with the wind are like chess pieces.

Sun Baifa remained firmly in the center position on the chessboard.

A moment later, as Sun Baifa stopped, Sun Xiaohong stepped forward and brought the tea to Sun Baifa.

“Grandpa’s spirits have been getting better and better these days. I’ve rarely seen you actively practicing these days.”

Hearing Sun Xiaohong's words, Sun Baifa chuckled and said, "That little monster's medical skills are indeed remarkable. Although those medicines failed to dispel the power of heaven and earth in my body, they did suppress it temporarily. I don't need to use my own internal energy to suppress it, so it's much easier now."

After taking a puff of his pipe, Sun Baifa paused and muttered, "Judging by the time I look at it, that kid should be back in the next couple of days. I just don't know if he'll go back to the Emei Sect first, or come straight here to treat this old man's illness."

Just as Sun Bai finished speaking, a soft voice entered the courtyard.

"I can distinguish between what is important and what is urgent, but it makes me feel a little uncomfortable that you think of me this way."

Upon hearing the sound, both Sun Baifa and Sun Xiaohong quickly raised their heads.

On the courtyard wall to one side, Gu Shaoan, dressed in a black outfit, held a sword in one hand and had the other behind his back, looking at the two with a smile.

With a light leap, Gu Shaoan's figure flew through the air for several meters like a flying fish before landing diagonally in the courtyard.

As Gu Shaoan approached, Sun Baifa said casually, "I thought you would return to the Emei Sect first." Gu Shaoan smiled and said, "It's still early. I'll help you resolve your internal problems first before returning."

As he spoke, Gu Shaoan walked with Sun Baifa and Sun Xiaohong to the plum blossom table in the courtyard and sat down.

After taking Sun Bai's pulse, Gu Shaoan nodded and said, "Not bad, everything is normal."

Then, Gu Shaoan said to Sun Xiaohong, "Please trouble Miss Sun to decoct a dose of the medicine I brought before, and then mix it into the wooden tub."

"I'll go right away."

Sun Xiaohong nodded and then quickly left.

Half an hour later.

Inside the courtyard, after Sun Baifa's withered body sank into the wooden tub mixed with medicine, Gu Shaoan got up, took out a pill bottle, and threw a golden pill directly into the tub.

The brown water in the wooden bucket turned a vibrant reddish-gold color after the pill was added.

At the very moment the color of the medicine changed, Gu Shaoan opened the wooden box that had just been placed on the table.

Inside the box were rows of pure gold needles.

Furthermore, each gold needle has a thin gold thread at its end.

It was a set of special gold needles that Gu Shaoan had previously obtained through a lottery.

As he swept his right hand across the acupuncture box on the table, the gold needles inside were immediately pulled up by the energy gathered in Gu Shaoan's palm.

As soon as Gu Shaoan moved his right hand, dozens of gold needles rushed into the medicinal water almost simultaneously, landing on Sun Baifa's major acupoints and meridians.

The gold needles pierced Sun Baifa's body, but the gold threads at the ends of these needles remained connected to the acupuncture box.

Gu Shaoan channeled his energy into his fingers, gently plucking the gold threads as if playing a zither. The energy, passing through the gold coins, also caused the gold needles on Sun Baifa's body to tremble slightly.

Sun Baifa instantly felt waves of burning heat, like tiny crimson-gold fire snakes, burrowing into his body along the golden needles that had pierced his major acupoints and meridian nodes.

This heat wasn't just burning his skin; it was more like igniting some kind of stagnant, chronic heat deep within his meridians.

"Well……"

A muffled groan, extremely suppressed, escaped from Sun Baifa's throat.

Inside the wooden tub, beneath the rising steam of the crimson-gold medicinal liquid, a faint yet incredibly refined crimson glow began to emanate from his withered, bark-like skin.

Gu Shaoan's expression was calm and composed. His ten fingers moved as if playing a zither, nimbly plucking the dozens of fine gold threads that connected the gold needles.

Each extremely subtle yet perfectly timed flick caused the golden needles deeply embedded in Sun Baifa's body to tremble strangely.

As the silver needles vibrated, the crimson liquid in the bucket seemed to come alive. Its medicinal power was stimulated by Gu Shaoan's internal energy and rushed into Sun Baifa's pores and meridians.

With the combination of the medicinal effects and Gu Shaoan's acupuncture techniques, the power of heaven and earth within Sun Baifa's body was successfully activated.

"Boom... Rumble..."

A faint sound, like thunder rolling through a deep valley, resounded within Sun Baifa's body. The power of heaven and earth that had been stirred up, like an ancient dragon or serpent awakened, began to violently surge and rage within Sun Baifa's meridians.

Wherever it passed, excruciating pain shot through him, causing Sun Baifa's face to turn pale and his body, submerged in the water, to tremble involuntarily.

"Hold it!"

Gu Shaoan's voice was clear and cold, like a rock settling the sea, reaching Sun Baifa's ears with an undeniable power.

At the same time, his movements of plucking the golden threads suddenly accelerated, his ten fingers transforming into a blurry afterimage. The force of his true essence flowing into the needle through the golden threads suddenly intensified, and the frequency also increased to a dazzling level!
"Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!"

The golden threads stretched taut, emitting a strange sound as dense as rain and as trembling as cicada chirps!
However, at that moment, Gu Shaoan maintained the acupuncture technique with his left hand, while his right hand suddenly formed a sword shape with his fingers together.

The moment the internal energy began to circulate within his body, a point of golden light suddenly condensed at Gu Shaoan's fingertips.

It was clearly a sword technique used in place of a finger, employing the phrase "Sword Nine - One Sword Separates Worlds".

At the very moment when the golden light condensed at Gu Shaoan's fingertip and touched Sun Baifa's back, Sun Baifa suddenly felt the power of heaven and earth within his body begin to be stirred.

Sensing the changes within his body, Sun Baifa's eyes widened in surprise.

He stared at Gu Shaoan as if he had seen a ghost.

The reason why he has been unable to control the power of heaven and earth within his body all these years is that, apart from the power of heaven and earth invading Sun Baifa's internal organs and meridians, the main reason is that only a martial artist at the Celestial Realm who has condensed the Three Flowers can mobilize the power of heaven and earth.

Therefore, Sun Baifa was always curious about how Gu Shaoan could possibly extract the power of heaven and earth from his body.

Who would have thought that Gu Shaoan, before even reaching the Celestial Realm and condensing the Three Flowers, would be able to draw upon the power of heaven and earth.

Under the influence of Gu Shaoan's acupuncture and medicine, the power of heaven and earth separated from Sun Baifa's body began to be continuously drawn into Gu Shaoan's right hand.

However, the whole process was incredibly slow, almost like peeling back layers.

During this process, Sun Baifa was drenched in sweat, and his emaciated body seemed to fall apart with every muscle spasm.

He could clearly feel that devastating power being stripped away, combed through, and forcibly driven away from the most minute corners of his body.

Each push was accompanied by excruciating pain, like having one's bones scraped and one's heart ripped out, and an endless feeling of weakness.

The golden-red liquid in the wooden barrel visibly dimmed and became cloudy, a testament to the drastic depletion of its potency.

Time passed slowly amidst the sounds of needles being inserted, Sun Baifa's panting, and the gentle bubbling of the medicine.

Seeing Sun Baifa's pained expression, Sun Xiaohong's face was also filled with anxiety, but looking at Gu Shaoan who was administering acupuncture, Sun Xiaohong dared not make any sudden movements.

A quarter of an hour later, as the last wisp of the power of heaven and earth within Sun Baifa's body was drawn into Gu Shaoan's hand, Gu Shaoan quickly raised his sword finger, which had been resting on Sun Baifa's back. In the reversal of the qi, the power of heaven and earth that Gu Shaoan had just drawn and condensed dissipated like a gentle breeze.

But drops of blood began to drip from Gu Shaoan's fingertips.

"Brother Gu, you're bleeding."

Sun Xiaohong, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but gasp as she watched the blood dripping from Gu Shaoan's fingertips.

(End of this chapter)