In Emei, start by obtaining golden attributes.

Chapter 110 Your subordinate, Sang San Niang, greets the Sect Leader.
Half an hour later, the three horses galloped off towards Datong Prefecture.

Only after the three horses and the three figures on them had disappeared on the horizon did the two figures turn around and slip into the Hengshan Sect.

The back mountain of the Hengshan School.

At this moment, Yue Buqun was sitting under a tree, holding a branch in his hand.

As Yue Buqun drew and sketched with the twig in his hand, a map appeared on the ordinary muddy ground in front of him.

If any disciples of the Songshan Sect were here, they would immediately recognize that the map depicted there was indeed a topographical map of the Songshan Sect.

Moreover, the map that Yue Buqun drew with these tree branches and mud was surprisingly detailed.

In addition to Mount Song, where the Songshan Sect is located, the paths leading up the mountain and the locations of hidden sentries are all clearly marked.

Just then, a series of footsteps suddenly came from outside.

Upon hearing the sound, Yue Buqun, realizing something was wrong, instinctively raised his left hand, gathering his Purple Cloud True Qi in his palm, intending to use the true qi in conjunction with his palm force to erase the map drawn in front of him.

But the next moment, as a familiar voice entered his ears, Yue Buqun's guard instantly dissipated, and his true energy slowly returned to his body.

A few moments later, Ning Zhongze led Yue Lingshan, Linghu Chong, and the others into the courtyard.

Even now, their faces still looked somewhat pale.

Clearly, they were still not recovered from what had happened outside the main hall of the Hengshan Sect half an hour earlier.

Upon entering the courtyard, Ning Zhongze saw Yue Buqun sitting under a tree. She told Linghu Chong to take Yue Lingshan and the others back to their rooms to rest first, and then walked up to Yue Buqun alone.

Yue Buqun allowed Ning Zhongze to step forward and see the map of the Songshan Sect that he had just drawn.

Regardless of what will happen in the future, Yue Buqun has never hidden anything from his junior sister, who has been with him since childhood and is now the mother of his child.

After glancing at the map of the Songshan Sect in front of Yue Buqun, Ning Zhongze sat down next to him.

"Has Senior Brother already discussed the plan to attack the Songshan Sect with the other sect leaders?"

Yue Buqun shook his head and said, "It hasn't been discussed yet, but this matter may be the only chance for my Huashan Qi Sect to rise. No matter what, I must make this happen."

Looking at Yue Buqun beside her, Ning Zhongze felt a pang of heartache.

Only she, the woman who stayed by Yue Buqun's side, knew how Yue Buqun had been living all these years.

The Huashan Qi Sect has been weak for years, and its rise has always been difficult.

As if things weren't bad enough, it just kept raining all night and then the boat was delayed by a headwind.

Because of the Huashan Sect's previous strength, the Songshan Sect's fear of the Huashan Sect far exceeded that of the other three sects.

Over the years, they have been suppressed openly and covertly by the Songshan Sect, making it extremely difficult to develop or even make a living.

If it were anyone else, they would have long ago abandoned the name "Huashan Sect" and joined another force, or even gone elsewhere to start their own sect.

With his mastery of internal energy and martial arts skills, Yue Buqun, who has returned to the innate state, must be living a comfortable life now, with many disciples.

Not only did Yue Buqun persevere all these years, but he also used the name "Gentleman Sword" to ensure that the name "Mount Hua" could continue, preventing it from being forgotten by outsiders.

It's easy to imagine how much effort was put in.

Taking Yue Buqun's hand, Ning Zhongze said in a gentle yet firm tone, "I have always believed that the Huashan Sect will be able to regain its glory in your hands, Senior Brother."

Looking at Ning Zhongze encouraging him, Yue Buqun felt a surge of warmth in his heart, and his conviction in his heart also became even stronger.

After calming himself down, Yue Buqun looked at Ning Zhongze and asked, "Why don't you take Shan'er and the others out for a walk to relax?"

Originally, Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze only wanted to use the succession of the Hengshan Sect leader to broaden the horizons of Yue Lingshan and several disciples.

Who would have thought that I would encounter something like the Songshan Sect?

They were too nervous at the time, but when it was all over and they saw the corpses of Zuo Lengchan and the others, Yue Lingshan and Linghu Chong couldn't bear it and their faces turned pale.

Ning Zhongze said, "On the way back just now, I heard from the disciples of Hengshan Sect that Abbess Miejue's esteemed disciple left Hengshan Sect with two very beautiful Emei female disciples."

Yue Buqun asked in astonishment, "Only the three of them left?"

Ning Zhongze nodded and said, "It seems like he's carrying a bundle, which doesn't mean he's just heading to Datong Prefecture. Perhaps there's something else going on."

At this point, Ning Zhongze couldn't help but sigh, "That young hero Gu is about the same age as Chong'er and Shan'er. I didn't expect him to have such superb strength. If such a disciple could be a member of our Huashan Sect, how wonderful it would be. Senior brother, you wouldn't have to work so hard in the future."

Listening to Ning Zhongze's words, Yue Buqun couldn't help but think of the strength and demeanor that Gu Shaoan had displayed today.

After thinking for a moment, Yue Buqun shook his head again.

"Everything is predestined, and nothing is up to us. Perhaps my Huashan Qi Sect is not fortunate enough to have it!"

But the more someone lacks something, the more they will want to get it.

Despite saying that, Yue Buqun couldn't help but compare his disciples with Gu Shaoan.

The more I think about it, the more upset I feel.

After a long while, remembering that Ning Zhongze was still by his side, Yue Buqun could only slowly look up at the sky.

This gave the gentleman swordsman a lingering sense of melancholy.

After leaving Hengshan, Zhou Zhiruo and Yang Yan felt as if they had unloaded a heavy burden. The mountain wind whistled past their ears, blowing away those invisible constraints, giving them a sense of freedom and boundless joy.

Although Zhou Zhiruo was not as outgoing as Yang Yan, her exquisitely beautiful eyes and brows exuded an unprecedented ease.

As he rode, Gu Shaoan took in the two women's reactions, a faint smile playing on his lips.

However, none of them were the type to be playful and cause trouble.

After leaving the Hengshan Sect, the three traveled westward and finally arrived at Dengfeng Prefecture, which was only about 20 miles away from the Songshan Sect, on the seventh day.

Upon entering this renowned city nestled against Mount Song, a bustling heatwave, unlike the tranquility of Mount Heng, immediately hits you.

The streets were wide and paved with smooth bluestone slabs, and merchants, porters, and peddlers came and went in an endless stream.

Shops lined both sides of the street, with banners waving and the rich aroma of spices wafting from the shops.

Although it was past noon and not the morning market, it still looked bustling.

The three men led their horses into the city, ignoring the strange looks cast at them by the passersby, and looked around as they went.

Upon arriving at a restaurant in the city called "Dengyunlou".

After handing the horse over to the attentive waiter, I went up to the second floor of the restaurant and chose a window seat with a good view.

The sun was shining brightly, and the afterglow bathed the streets and alleys of Dengfeng Prefecture in a golden hue.

Looking down at the street below, Yang Yan muttered, "I thought that since the Songshan Sect was so domineering, the nearby Dengfeng Prefecture couldn't be any better. I didn't expect that Dengfeng Prefecture, which is near the Songshan Sect, would be so prosperous."

Gu Shaoan put away the medicine packet, then picked up the tested tea, took a sip, and replied, "The Songshan Sect wouldn't do something so foolish."

Amid their curiosity, Gu Shaoan looked in the direction of the Songshan Sect: "Zuo Lengchan is indeed domineering and ruthless in his actions, but he is by no means a reckless man without foresight. On the contrary, his talent and skill are outstanding among men."

Zhou Zhiruo and Yang Yan both looked at him, waiting for what he would say next.

Knowing that the two had misunderstood each other, Gu Shaoan explained: "After the Sun Moon Sect and the Five Mountains Sword Sect suffered heavy losses, the Five Mountains Sword Sect was almost completely wiped out. Even the martial arts inheritance was lost by most of them, leaving only a few martial arts. Even if the strength of each sect is considered a third-rate force, it cannot be considered top-notch. Otherwise, the five sects would not have joined forces to form the Five Mountains Sword Alliance."

"To be able to develop the once-declining Songshan Sect into its current powerful force, which makes the other four Yue Sects almost unable to breathe, is by no means something that can be done by brute force alone. It is enough to show Zuo Lengchan's ability to coordinate. Looking at the entire martial arts world, he is definitely not bad."

"Such a person understands the consequences of draining the pond to catch all the fish. How could he possibly disrupt Dengfeng Prefecture, where the Songshan Sect has taken root and considers it its foundation?"

At this point, Gu Shaoan shook his head.

"Unfortunately, Zuo Lengchan's vision was completely confined by the four words 'Five Mountains Sword Sect,' and he poured all his ambition and methods into this small Five Mountains Alliance. His thoughts and ideas were nothing more than to annex the four mountains and be the only one to be supreme among the five mountains."

"But he never imagined that his achievements and strength, which might allow him to dominate forces like the Huashan Qi Sect and Hengshan Sect, would be nothing but a joke in front of truly powerful sects."

"It was this narrow-mindedness and self-imposed isolation, coupled with the immense arrogance that came from his smooth success in managing the Songshan Sect, that led him to extend his influence to my Emei Sect, attempting to use his power to suppress others and even provoke my master, ultimately resulting in this end."

Contending for temporary or local dominance without a broad-minded approach to the world is ultimately just a mirage.

As they chatted, the food was served one after another.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Zhou Zhiruo held a cup of hot tea and watched the lights of the pedestrians outside the window gradually come on. She asked softly, "Junior brother, now that we have arrived in Dengfeng Prefecture, shall we set off for the Songshan Sect tonight, or rest for the night and set off tomorrow?" Gu Shaoan picked up his teacup, gently blew away the steam from the rim, and said calmly, "Neither."

"Ok?"

Yang Yan and Zhou Zhiruo both cast questioning glances their way.

Gu Shaoan picked up a bean from the plate in front of him and put it in his mouth before saying, "We have never been to the Songshan Sect before, and we don't know anything about the situation inside. If we rush in, it will be tantamount to putting ourselves in danger."

Yang Yan asked, puzzled, "Then there are only three of the Thirteen Protectors of Songshan left, right? With your strength, Senior Brother, you could probably handle it easily. What's there to be afraid of?"

Gu Shaoan flicked his finger, sending the bean in his hand flying directly onto Yang Yan's forehead.

However, this attack did not use any force, nor did it involve any internal energy.

Yang Yan was flicked on the forehead by a bean, and she couldn't help but puff out her cheeks like a bun, looking at Gu Shaoan with a resentful expression.

Gu Shaoan ignored this and said in a more serious tone, "Have you forgotten what I taught you before? Never be arrogant, and never underestimate any enemy."

"Judging from the way Zuo Lengchan and others act, they seem to be a prestigious and righteous sect, but in reality, they will stop at nothing to do anything. Who can guarantee that the Songshan Sect will not set up some traps and mechanisms?"

"What if we break in rashly and get ambushed?"

Compared to Zhou Zhiruo, Yang Yan is smarter and quicker to think.

However, the smooth sailing of the past few years has made Yang Yan less cautious than she was three years ago.

Seeing that Gu Shaoan had become more stern, Yang Yan finally calmed down.

Zhou Zhiruo asked in confusion, "If we don't go to the Songshan Sect, how can we get the remaining three masters from the Thirteen Protectors of Songshan to come out?"

Zhou Zhiruo remembered that one of the purposes of Gu Shaoan bringing them here this time was to use those three people from the Songshan Sect for the two of them to practice on.

Just then, led by the waiter, three disciples of the Songshan Sect, dressed in their robes and carrying long swords, went up to the second floor.

After entering the second floor, one of them took a seat and habitually glanced around. However, when their eyes fell on Zhou Zhiruo and Yang Yan, who were sitting by the window, everyone's eyes widened instantly.

The other two, realizing something was amiss, also followed the former's gaze.

The moment their gazes fell upon Zhou Zhiruo and Yang Yan, the two women's eyes were instantly glued to them.

Taking in the reactions of the three, Gu Shaoan chuckled inwardly, his lips moving slightly, his voice so soft that only Zhou Zhiruo and Yang Yan beside him could hear it.

"Look! Didn't they just deliver the solution to our doorstep?"

Yang Yan and Zhou Zhiruo glanced subtly at the three Songshan Sect disciples in the distance.

Almost at the same time she saw the three disciples of the Songshan Sect, a thought flashed through Yang Yan's mind.

Zhou Zhiruo lowered her voice equally, saying, "Junior Brother, do you mean that after subduing the Songshan Sect disciples in Dengfeng Prefecture, you should have these disciples send a message to lure those three late-stage cultivators from the Songshan Sect over?"

Yang Yan, standing beside her, looked thoughtful.

“Our Emei Sect has disciples in towns such as Jiading Prefecture to keep watch over and guard against surrounding forces and troublemakers. As a power of the Songshan Sect, Dengfeng Prefecture must also have Songshan Sect disciples stationed there, just like our Emei Sect.”

"Moreover, as disciples of the same sect, they must have had ways of communicating with each other, such as sending messages by carrier pigeon."

"Judging from the expressions and conditions of those Songshan Sect disciples, there is no chaos within the Songshan Sect yet. In other words, those who escaped from the Hengshan Sect have not yet returned. The three guys in the Songshan Sect who have returned to the Innate Realm are not very vigilant. If we can subdue these people and get them to send a message to the Songshan Sect for help, we should be able to lure them out. In that case, there is indeed no need to risk going to the Songshan Sect."

The two of them exchanged a few words and quickly figured out Gu Shaoan's plan.

Having understood Gu Shaoan's intentions, Yang Yan couldn't help but give him a thumbs up.

"As expected, my senior brother is still the most cunning."

Faced with Yang Yan's affirmation, Gu Shaoan couldn't help but roll his eyes in response.

"Now that you understand, the rest is up to you two. I won't intervene unless I think you're in mortal danger. Consider this a test. If you fail, you'll have to practice for an extra hour every day when you get back, and every ten days, I'll ask Master to test you."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the two men changed drastically.

An extra hour of practice is fine.

Anyway, the more you practice, the faster your skills will improve.

Now is the time for Zhou Zhiruo and Yang Yan to put in their best efforts.

The key is Gu Shaoan's last sentence.

In recent years, with Gu Shaoan as a shining example, Miejue's standards for treating disciples have unconsciously shifted towards Gu Shaoan.

The high level of its requirements is self-evident.

Not to mention Zhou Zhiruo, even Yang Yan felt a chill run down her spine just thinking about Abbess Miejue's expression; the pressure suddenly became palpable.

At this moment, Gu Shaoan suddenly added, "It's not easy to find a few punching bags who have returned to the Innate Realm to practice on. The more times you fight, the greater your improvement may be."

After he finished speaking, Gu Shaoan fell silent.

Yang Yan and Zhou Zhiruo exchanged a glance and whispered among themselves, occasionally glancing furtively at the three Songshan Sect disciples on the other side.

A moment later, the two ignored Gu Shaoan, picked up their swords, and went downstairs.

Gu Shaoan calmly called over the waiter.

After taking out two taels of silver and placing them on the table, Gu Shaoan spread his fingers, revealing another piece of silver worth one tael.

"Could you please watch over the horse for us, brother? We'll come back to pick it up when it gets dark."

The waiter's eyes lit up when he saw the one or two taels of silver.

"Don't worry, sir, I will take good care of those three horses."

After seeing the three Songshan Sect disciples also get up and go downstairs, Gu Shaoan grabbed the heavy sword by the wall and walked towards the stairs.

However, just as he reached the top of the stairs, he seemed to sense something and suddenly turned his head.

On the stairs leading from the second to the third floor, there was a woman guarding the area.

The woman looked to be in her thirties, with an ordinary appearance, but her clothes were made of the finest fabrics.

If that's the case, that's it.

The key was that the woman's breathing was long and even, and Gu Shaoan could immediately sense from her breathing that she possessed martial arts skills.

After his gaze lingered briefly on the woman, Gu Shaoan looked away and started walking downstairs.

Just as Gu Shaoan left the restaurant, the woman who had been standing at the top of the stairs suddenly turned around and quickly went up to the second floor.

The woman, who had an ordinary appearance but was skilled in martial arts, quickly turned around after Gu Shaoan's figure disappeared around the corner of the stairs, and silently ascended to the top floor of Dengyun Tower—the third floor—like a shadow.

Unlike the bustling second floor, the third floor is more elegant and quiet, with almost every private room having curtains or screens to protect the privacy of the guests.

The woman moved with light and swift steps, heading straight for the most spacious and secluded private room on the third floor.

The woman walked closer and gave a barely perceptible nod to the two guards at the door.

The two men had very different appearances: one was tall and dressed in a black outfit, with a bamboo flute hanging from his waist, and his sharp eyes, filled with a hint of inquiry, quietly swept over the direction of the stairs.

The other man was slightly shorter, with a dark complexion and piercing eyes. His large, bony hands rested casually on the hilt of his knife, and a faint, cold smile played on his lips as he warily surveyed his surroundings.

Although none of them were particularly good-looking, they all had a distinct fierceness in their eyes.

They simply stepped aside slightly to clear the doorway behind them.

As the door opened, a huge screen that almost blocked half of the room came into view.

Inside the private room, the delicate scent of agarwood lingered, and through the screen, one could vaguely see a figure in a wide crimson robe reclining languidly on a soft couch, moving gently and attentively.

The woman held a fine embroidery needle in one hand and a piece of smooth, brightly colored brocade in the other. The needle tip flew up and down, her movements elegant and fluid, exuding an ultimate feminine beauty, like a well-bred lady from a prominent family who was most skilled in needlework.

As the door closed, the woman stepped forward and knelt before the screen, bowing her head behind it to report, "Your subordinate, Sang San Niang, greets the Master."

(End of this chapter)