In Emei, start by obtaining golden attributes.

Chapter 504 Shifting the Blame East
As Gu Shaoan and Mei Jiangxue's gazes fell upon Shi Feixuan, Shi Feixuan, after confirming through observation that Wu Mengci and the others from Cihang Jingzhai were unharmed, first lingered briefly on Mei Jiangxue before focusing her attention on Gu Shaoan.

however!
The moment Shi Feixuan's gaze fell upon Gu Shaoan's figure, the sword intent within her body, which had been flowing freely and naturally like breathing, suddenly contracted without warning.

This feeling was like that of a young beast encountering its natural enemy, instantly shrinking into silence, suppressed by an invisible yet vast and powerful pressure, unable to dissipate even the slightest fluctuation.

The sudden change in the sword intent within her body startled Shi Feixuan!
As the current Holy Maiden of the Cihang Jingzhai of the Great Sui Dynasty, Shi Feixuan's knowledge and understanding of swordsmanship far surpassed that of her peers.

She was well aware of Jian Nian's uniqueness and unruliness.

Since Shi Feixuan condensed her sword intent, only when she visited the Song family in Lingnan and faced the world-renowned "Heavenly Blade" Song Que did she feel such a thorough and heart-pounding sense of oppression.

But who is Song Que? He has reached the pinnacle of the third realm of swordsmanship, "Man and Sword as One," and is also recognized by the Great Sui Dynasty as a top expert in the Celestial Realm.

It was only natural that his overwhelming sword intent suppressed her still-developing sword spirit.

"This person looks so young, yet he can make my sword instinctively shrink back in fear, just like the Song family head? Could it be that he has also stepped into the third realm of the Way of War?"

The thought had barely crossed her mind when Shi Feixuan forcibly suppressed it.

Throughout history, those who have reached the second realm of military strategy are extremely rare, and those who have reached the third realm are even fewer.

Within the territory of the Great Sui Dynasty, only Song Que has forged the "Heavenly Blade" reputation by achieving the state of "man and blade as one".

Judging from his appearance and demeanor, the man in front of me is no more than twenty years old. How could he have reached such a legendary level?

In comparison, Shi Feixuan was more inclined to believe that the man in the corner had reached the level of "condensing essence into qi" in his internal energy cultivation. His powerful and unparalleled true qi pressure caused her sword intent to instinctively warn her and restrain itself.

But then, new doubts arose in Shi Feixuan's mind.

As a top power in the Great Sui Kingdom, Cihang Jingzhai has been deeply rooted for hundreds of years. Its intelligence gathering capabilities are in no way inferior to those of the Great Sui Kingdom's Dragon Guard Manor.

Within the Great Sui Dynasty, Shi Feixuan had heard of the physical characteristics and martial arts styles of the most outstanding talents from various powerful families and top sects, even though she had never met them all.

However, in my memory, there was no one who could match the temperament, age, or even the unfathomable indifference of the young man before me.

Just as Shi Feixuan was pondering Gu Shaoan's identity, Wanwan had recovered from her earlier astonishment.

Her eyes darted around, glancing at Gu Shaoan again before refocusing on Shi Feixuan. Her red lips parted slightly, her voice still charming, but tinged with undisguised sarcasm: "For months, you've been clinging to me like a tail. Is Fairy Shi some kind of leech? Aren't you afraid of being annoying by being so clingy?"

Shi Feixuan's thoughts were pulled back to reality by these provocative words.

Her clear gaze met Wanwan's, her voice ethereal and calm: "Senior Sister Wanwan, you are mistaken. If your sect's disciples had not secretly besieged Elder Bai and many of my fellow disciples, putting them in danger, why would Feixuan have followed you all the way?"

In response to the analysis, Wanwan let out a soft, silvery laugh, as if she had heard a funny joke.

But the laughter was full of cold mockery.

"How ridiculous! It was clearly your Cihang Jingzhai disciples who claimed to be righteous, but when they saw people from our Yin Gui Sect, they attacked under the banner of 'eliminating demons and protecting the righteous path.' In the end, they were outmatched and were defeated and captured by our Yin Gui Sect disciples. Now it's our fault?"

She tilted her head slightly, her eyes filled with disdain: "Or is it that Cihang Jingzhai, which claims to be a prestigious and righteous sect, is actually such a bandit?"

Shi Feixuan paused slightly after being rebuked by Wanwan, then shook her head gently, no longer wanting to get into a verbal dispute: "Senior Sister Wanwan is very eloquent, and Feixuan knows she can't win an argument with her."

"However, since Feixuan is here today, I will never allow my senior sister to harm my Cihang Jingzhai disciples in the slightest."

"Heh!" Wanwan's lips curled into a disdainful smile, her eyes instantly turning sharp as knives.

"What? You can't win an argument, so you're resorting to force? Do you think I'm afraid of you?!"

Before she finished speaking, the condensed, almost tangible pink true essence within Wanwan's body suddenly erupted.

The next instant, Wanwan's figure swayed, leaving only a few blurry afterimages in her original position. Her true form tore through the air like a ghost, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound, and rushed straight towards Shi Feixuan.

"Sizzle—!"

As she quickly closed the distance, Wanwan raised her right hand, and a pink Heavenly Demon Ribbon shot out from her sleeve like a living venomous snake.

The ribbon moved faster than lightning as it pierced the air, aiming straight for Shi Feixuan's vital heart.

Faced with this swift and ruthless attack, Shi Feixuan's clear eyes showed neither sorrow nor joy. She lightly raised her jade hand, tucked the jade flute into her waistband, and then the long sword on her back suddenly emitted a clear and melodious sound of being drawn from its sheath, before being pulled into her hand by Shi Feixuan's sword intent.

The moment the longsword was in her hand, Shi Feixuan held it horizontally in front of her.

With the infusion of true essence and sword intent, the sword suddenly radiated a warm and holy hazy glow.

"Ding."

A clear, melodious sound, yet containing immense power, resounded loudly.

The incomparably sharp tip of the Heavenly Demon Ribbon struck the sword blade with perfect precision.

In an instant, a visible ring of air burst outwards from the point of impact between the sword blade and the Heavenly Demon Ribbon.

The air currents, a mixture of alluring pink essence and sacred purifying radiance, swept through the entire hall like a raging hurricane.

The dust, wood chips, and even scattered fragments of weapons on the ground were violently thrown up by the shockwave, crashing against the walls and pillars with a series of crackling sounds.

Several Yin Gui Sect disciples who were relatively close were forced to retreat repeatedly by the aftershocks of the shockwave, their blood and qi churning.

In the corner, as these waves of energy approached, before Gu Shaoan could even make a move, Mei Jiangxue, who was refilling Gu Shaoan's teacup with tea from the teapot, felt her true energy surge. At the same time, she mobilized the Yin and Yang energies condensed from the "Great Shift of Heaven and Earth" to draw these approaching waves of energy aside, and then silently annihilated them with the Yin and Yang energies.

His posture was casual and nonchalant.

Gu Shaoan, on the other hand, watched this unexpected drama with great interest, like a spectator.

Inside the hall, Shi Feixuan stood as steady as a rock, but the bluestone slab beneath her feet silently sank a few inches, with fine cracks spreading around it.

The blade of her sword gleamed, blocking and dissolving the chilling, bone-piercing, and corrosive true energy contained in the Heavenly Demon Ribbon.

Unable to achieve her goal, Wanwan's eyes flashed with even greater ferocity.

With a flick of her wrist, the taut, spear-like Heavenly Demon Ribbon instantly became as soft as a serpent, tracing a strange arc in the air, bypassing the longsword's defense, and like countless pink venomous snakes, it attacked Shi Feixuan's vital points from all directions and incredibly tricky angles, sometimes lashing, sometimes coiling, sometimes striking.

As the ribbons danced, they created layers of pink illusions, filling the air with a strange and sweet fragrance that captivated the mind, accompanied by the enchanting jingling of golden bells on her ankles, forming a multi-pronged attack!
This is precisely the brilliance of the supreme martial art of the Demonic Sect, the "Heavenly Demonic Technique": it combines illusion and reality, confuses the enemy's five senses, is flexible and ever-changing, and is impossible to defend against!

Shi Feixuan remained calm, like a clear spring in the eye of a storm. She moved slightly, her steps mysterious, as if treading on an invisible lotus platform, nimbly maneuvering within the small space. Every movement was exquisite, narrowly avoiding the ever-present ribbons that entangled and lashed her.

At the same time, the long sword in her hand transformed into a hazy light and shadow, sometimes pointing, sometimes deflecting, sometimes guiding, sometimes blocking, the sword moves seemed to come out of nowhere, with a natural and smooth flow.

"Ding Ding Ding"

A rapid, crisp sound, like raindrops pattering on banana leaves, echoed through the lobby.

Each collision was accompanied by a fierce burst of light and pinkish hues, and the spread of tiny yet clear ripples of air.

In Shi Feixuan's hands, the sword techniques of "Cihang Sword Manual" are ethereal and otherworldly, and with the blessing of a clear sword heart, she is able to anticipate the enemy's moves.

A hazy gleam flashed with the blade, each strike precisely intercepting the crucial point where the ribbon's power flowed, exquisitely skillful.

Wanwan's movements were like a bewitching charm, and the pink Heavenly Demon Ribbon seemed to be an extension of her limbs.

When wielded, its attacks are sometimes like a vast, all-encompassing net, and at other times like a long whip, nimble as a snake, ever-changing.

Each time the ribbon pierced the air, it brought with it a piercing whistle and distorted ripples in the air, the pink true essence light burning like an eerie flame in the darkness.

Combined with the Yin Gui Sect's "Heavenly Demon Great Art," it vividly showcases the martial arts' yin-yang, unpredictable, mind-controlling, and bone-corroding power.

The two figures crisscrossed, shifted, and collided in the center of the lobby.

The pink phantom constantly collides and annihilates, stirring up layers of energy ripples in the air, making the entire hall appear bizarre and surreal.

For a time, the two were evenly matched, with neither able to gain the upper hand!
Mei Jiangxue, standing to the side, couldn't help but look more solemn.

Laymen watch the spectacle, experts watch the details.

Mei Jiangxue's internal energy cultivation has now reached the level of Qi Condensation. Her martial arts instructor, Abbess Wujue, is also a Qi Condensation martial artist with rich combat experience.

In the past, when everyone was busy, Zhou Zhiruo and Yang Yan would often instruct Mei Jiangxue in martial arts.

He also received guidance from Gu Santong and Zhang Sanfeng.

Not to mention that recently, Mei Jiangxue has been receiving hands-on instruction from Gu Shaoan.

Although he has not yet reached the first realm of swordsmanship, the moves in the "Emei Sword Manual" have already reached the level of "transforming form into meaning".

He was only one step away from reaching the first realm of swordsmanship.

His understanding of martial arts is definitely not inferior to that of disciples like Shi Feixuan and Wanwan.

Therefore, from Mei Jiangxue's current perspective, both Wanwan and Shi Feixuan have already reached the level of mastering martial arts from form to meaning.

If it were a few months ago, before she had received training from Gu Shaoan, Mei Jiangxue's strength would have been inferior to Wanwan and Shi Feixuan, even if they were at the same level of internal energy cultivation.

This made Mei Jiangxue sigh that the two women truly deserve to be called the pride of the younger generation of the Great Sui Kingdom.

Half an hour later, seeing that the two women were still unable to determine who was superior, the two martial artists from the Yin Gui Sect who had returned to the Innate Realm exchanged glances. One of them, who was holding a long sword, shouted, "Attack together!"

As soon as they finished speaking, the two Yin Gui Sect members who had returned to the Innate Realm immediately set off for Wu Mengci and the others.

Clearly, they wanted to take advantage of Shi Feixuan being held back by Wanwan to redeem themselves by capturing Wu Mengci and the other members of Cihang Jingzhai.

The other Yin Gui sect members quickly followed suit.

Upon seeing this, Wu Mengci and other disciples of Cihang Jingzhai's expressions changed drastically.

Even before, when facing the followers of the Yin Gui Sect, Wu Mengci and other disciples of Cihang Jingzhai could only rely on Wu Mengci to lead the sword formation to break through.

But now Wu Mengci has been injured by Wanwan and her strength has been greatly reduced. How can she withstand the Yin Gui Sect members now?
Shi Feixuan, who was standing to the side, had obviously noticed the actions of the Yin Gui Sect members. Her expression hardened slightly, and she wanted to rush to their aid immediately.

If Shi Feixuan could sense something was wrong immediately, how could Wanwan in front of her not know?

Just as Shi Feixuan took a step forward, Wanwan's Heavenly Demon Ribbon, carrying countless afterimages, attacked Shi Feixuan.

"Didn't you like to stick to me? Now that I let you stick to me, you're not happy anymore?"

Faced with Wanwan's attack, Shi Feixuan had no choice but to raise her sword again to defend herself.

Without Shi Feixuan's help, Wu Mengci's heart sank.

His mind raced, and then a thought struck him, and he immediately said, "Retreat."

Upon hearing Wu Mengci's words, the disciples of Cihang Jingzhai immediately became wary and quickly retreated.

And the direction they moved was none other than the corner where Gu Shaoan and Mei Jiangxue were.

Noticing the actions of Cihang Jingzhai and the others, Mei Jiangxue's expression darkened slightly.

"As members of a prestigious and upright family, they actually tried to implicate the innocent in their affairs. The Cihang Jingzhai of the Great Sui Kingdom is indeed the same kind of scoundrel as the Cihang Jingzhai of the Great Wei Kingdom."

How could she not see that Cihang Jingzhai was clearly trying to shift the blame to her and Gu Shaoan, forcing them to take action?

Because of what Qin Mengyao and Yan Jing'an did, Mei Jiangxue and the entire Emei Sect already disliked the Cihang Jingzhai sect.

Now that she understood Wu Mengci and the others' intentions, Mei Jiangxue's eyes flashed with murderous intent as she looked at their retreating figures.

Then Mei Jiangxue turned her head to look at Gu Shaoan beside her: "Senior brother?"

Gu Shaoan continued to hold his teacup, sipping his tea slowly and deliberately.

In response to Mei Jiangxue's question, Gu Shaoan said gently, "Didn't I say before? You'll be in charge of handling all the daily trivial matters that we encounter in the Great Sui Kingdom. Just do what you think is best."

Finally, Gu Shaoan paused and added, "The sect teaches its disciples not to bully the weak or do evil, but it has never instilled in them the fallacy that 'suffering a loss is a blessing.'"

Upon hearing this, Mei Jiangxue's eyes lit up.

When he looked at the Cihang Jingzhai disciples who had their backs to him, the cold light in his eyes was no longer suppressed.

(End of this chapter)