In Emei, start by obtaining golden attributes.

Chapter 119 When did the Emei Sect develop so well?

The sudden commotion startled everyone in the front hall, and they all looked up at the doorway.

The next second, they saw Gu Shaoan, holding a heavy sword, slowly stepping across the threshold and entering, followed closely by Zhou Zhiruo, Yang Yan, and the others.

When everyone saw clearly Gu Shaoan, Yang Yan, and Zhou Zhiruo's attire and the cloud patterns representing the Emei Sect on their collars, along with Shangguan Haitang and Wu Sangou who entered with them, they all understood what was going on.

Li Wanshan's heart tightened immediately.

"Damn it, did the Emei Sect arrive so quickly? Why haven't those women in the city sent any news?"

His gaze quickly swept behind Gu Shaoan and the others, as well as around the courtyard wall, but he did not see anyone else.

Furthermore, even with Li Wanshan's hearing, he didn't hear any suspicious noises.

Upon noticing this, Li Wanshan narrowed his eyes.

"So, the Emei Sect only sent these three little kids?"

At the same time, after entering the front hall, Gu Shaoan turned his head to look at Wu Sangou.

"Is everyone here?"

Even now, Wu Sangou still doesn't know why Gu Shaoan, who looks so young, is so certain, but he still follows Gu Shaoan's advice and scans the people in the front hall with his eyes.

A few breaths later, Wu Sangou nodded and said, "They're all here, not one missing."

"That's good!"

Gu Shaoan nodded, then said to Zhou Zhiruo and Yang Yan, "Guard the door. If you see anyone trying to escape, take action immediately. If needed, you can also use the hidden weapons I gave you for self-defense."

With outsiders present, Gu Shaoan did not directly mention the name "Rain of Pear Blossom Needles".

Yang Yan and Zhou Zhiruo nodded, drawing their longswords and suddenly exuding a chilling aura.

Upon hearing Gu Shaoan's words, Li Wanshan in the front hall confirmed that the Emei Sect had indeed sent only Gu Shaoan and two others.

With this thought in mind, Li Wanshan felt reassured, and the moment his courage returned, he became calm and composed.

He raised his hand in a gesture.

"Keep those two girls and that guy in the straw hat."

Immediately, dozens of people in the front hall rushed towards Gu Shaoan and his companions with weapons in hand.

Faced with the dozens of people moving quickly, Gu Shaoan remained silent and simply stepped forward.

Just as several blades rose, each carrying a fierce gust of wind, and slashed towards Gu Shaoan, the heavy sword that Gu Shaoan had been holding at an angle moved.

There were no elaborate moves, nor any sense of agility; it was simply a matter of pouring force into the hand and then swinging the heavy sword horizontally in front of him.

"Whoo~"

With a muffled whooshing sound, the heavy sword struck first despite being behind. The few slaves who had just rushed in front of Gu Shaoan felt as if they had been hit by a boulder rolling down a mountain the moment their bodies touched the heavy sword. They screamed and flew backward, spitting out blood, their ribs shattered, and it was clear that they would not survive.

Not only that, as these people flew backward, they also knocked their accomplices who were unable to avoid them, sending them sprawling on the ground howling in pain.

After causing nearly ten deaths and injuries with a single sword strike, Gu Shaoan did not stop. He took another step forward, suddenly swung his heavy sword, and brought it down with a gust of wind.

The moment the blunt blade touched these slave traders, they all suffered broken bones and death.

This ferocious scene immediately caused the remaining slave traders to stop in their tracks and retreat quickly.

Just then, the man who had been standing next to Li Wanshan with a knife in his left hand suddenly gathered his strength and leaped over the heads of the retreating slaves. His blade flashed like a bolt of lightning, reaching Gu Shaoan's shoulder.

The blade sliced ​​through the air, accompanied by a few shrill whistles.

Facing the man's slash, Gu Shaoan didn't even raise his head. He swung his heavy sword in a wide arc, sending it soaring over his head with an imposing and domineering force towards the man who had swung the sword.

Whether he was startled by the sudden, rapid whistling sound or surprised to find that Gu Shaoan's sword was even faster than his knife, he didn't know.

The man's expression changed, and he hurriedly sheathed his knife and held it in front of him, trying to block the sword.

"clang"

“Crack!

However, as the swords clashed, the man's expression was instantly overwhelmed by extreme astonishment and a rapidly emerging terror.

The next instant, the snow-white blade in the man's hand suddenly shattered.

Without any obstruction, the heavy sword, its momentum undiminished, landed steadily on his chest with immense force.

In an instant, the man was like a kite with a broken string, flying backward at an even faster speed than he had come, until he grazed past Li Wanshan and then embedded himself in the wall.

His chest had collapsed, and he was no longer alive.

Seeing this, the remaining members of the Ghost Hand Gang in the front hall were terrified, and none of them dared to go forward.

When she looked at Gu Shaoan, it was as if she were looking at a monster.

Even Li Wanshan's expression turned serious at this moment.

They seemed surprised that Gu Shaoan, at such a young age, possessed such terrifying strength.

However, while the Ghost Hand Gang's slave traders in the front hall dared not make a move, Gu Shaoan showed no intention of stopping.

Seeing that no one stepped forward, Gu Shaoan moved like the wind, appearing in front of the group as if by teleportation. His heavy sword flew, carrying the weight of a mountain as it fell down on them.

Wherever it went, it swept away fallen leaves like a whirlwind; no one could survive the blows of that heavy sword.

Seeing that half of his men had died in just a few breaths, Li Wanshan could no longer hold back.

With his right hand slapping the armrest of the chair, he leaped up like an eagle and rushed behind Gu Shaoan, his right hand forming a claw as he aimed straight for the back of Gu Shaoan's head.

Surprisingly, as Li Wanshan reached out with his right hand, a strange bluish-gray hue appeared on his hand.

Immediately afterwards, in less than the blink of an eye, Li Wanshan's hand turned completely black at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Like a black-scaled venomous python brimming with venom, it even carried a slightly sweet and pungent smell.

Especially the tips of its five fingers, which are solidified into a dark, tangible substance.

There is no doubt that if this hand scratches even a little skin, a deadly poison will enter the body.

Sensing the movement behind him, Gu Shaoan, who had been wary of Li Wanshan, sneered inwardly. As he circulated his true energy, his body became as heavy as a mountain. As he turned around, the heavy sword in his hand suddenly turned downward, as if the sun was setting in the west.

As the heavy sword pressed down, layers of sword shadows overlapped, resembling overlapping mountain ranges, heading towards Li Wanshan's right claw.

The moment those dark fingers touched the heavy sword, amidst Li Wanshan's terrified expression, his bent fingers cracked repeatedly.

The force contained in Gu Shaoan's sword shattered all his finger bones.

Immediately after crushing his finger bones, the blunt heavy sword struck his wrist, breaking the bones and causing the back of his hand to press tightly against his arm.

Before Li Wanshan could react, Gu Shaoan's heavy sword had already landed on his right knee, shattering his kneecap.

"Ah~"

A bloodcurdling scream burst from Li Wanshan's mouth! The excruciating pain shot through his body like an electric current, and Li Wanshan, lying on the ground, trembled uncontrollably, his face turning deathly pale from the agony.

But the next second, the dark heavy sword, carrying terrifying force, slammed directly onto his head.

The screams stopped abruptly after his head sank into the floor.

At the same time, a hint of disdain also flickered in Gu Shaoan's eyes.

Poison is something that is most feared when it is hidden in the shadows.

If the strength of both sides is similar, poison skills can make people wary and give one an advantage.

However, when the difference in strength between the two sides becomes so vast that it's like comparing heaven and earth, this kind of poisonous skill that's out in the open is nothing but a joke.

[Defeat the leader of the human trafficking gang, achievement points +200.]

The notification message appeared out of the corner of his eye, but Gu Shaoan ignored it.

The heavy sword swept across the sky, heading once again towards the remaining people in the front hall.

"One, one move?"

Standing at the doorway, looking at Li Wanshan, whose head was buried in the ground and who was already dead, Shangguan Haitang's eyes widened behind her veil, her heart filled with turbulent waves.

In Shangguan Haitang's eyes, Gu Shaoan's figure and appearance made him look at most two or three years older than her, and he was not yet of marriageable age.

In terms of strength, she is at most slightly stronger than Yang Yan or Zhou Zhiruo.

That's why I felt that Gu Shaoan had been too arrogant before, daring to come directly to Li Wanshan's door even after I had told him about his strength.

Who would have thought that Gu Shaoan's strength would be so formidable? Even someone whose internal energy cultivation had reached the level of the Returning to the Innate Realm was like a mosquito in front of Gu Shaoan, swatted dead in a single exchange.

"Isn't the Emei Sect a second-rate power? When did it develop into such a good force?"

Based on the strength that Zhou Zhiruo and Yang Yan had previously displayed, even some top-tier forces might not have disciples who could compare to the two women.

Not to mention a young prodigy like Gu Shaoan, who at such a young age already possesses the strength to crush even those who have returned to the Innate Realm.

Inside the main hall, the remaining members of the Ghost Hand Gang were already intimidated by the strength that Gu Shaoan had previously displayed.

Now that they have witnessed Li Wanshan being killed by Gu Shaoan in the blink of an eye, where would the remaining people find the courage to resist?

Among the remaining dozen or so people, some of them mustered their strength and tried to leap over the wall to escape.

But the next second, a series of sharp whistling sounds rang out, as copper coins accurately pierced the throats or chests of these people.

The group of people who had just leaped high into the air fell to the ground like kites with broken strings.

Seeing this, the last glimmer of hope for the remaining Ghost Hand Gang slaves in the front hall vanished, and they all knelt on the ground, begging for mercy and admitting their mistakes.

Gu Shaoan seemed not to see these people at all.

He still drew his sword and walked towards the remaining people.

Upon seeing this scene, Shangguan Haitang frowned, but when she thought of their identities and past misdeeds, her brows relaxed again.

After Gu Shaoan dealt with the last Ghost Hand Gang slave, Yang Yan looked at him and asked, "Senior Brother, should we go to the base first, or rescue the people first?"

Gu Shaoan said in a deep voice, "Make sure everyone is safe first, then deal with the people at the base."

After saying that, Gu Shaoan looked at Wu Sangou, whose expression was complicated, and asked, "Now, Senior Wu, can you rest assured to lead us to rescue people?"

Upon hearing Gu Shaoan's words, Wu Sangou quickly nodded and said, "The person is hidden in an abandoned ship at the West City Wharf. I'll lead the way right now."

Shangguan Haitang, standing to the side, couldn't help but mutter to herself, "This guy is quite thoughtful."

Shangguan Haitang hadn't thought about it in detail before, but now that she thinks about it, Gu Shaoan's actions were indeed a bit off.

Most people, faced with this situation, would probably think of saving people first, and then settling scores with the Ghost Hand Gang later.

But Gu Shaoan led them to deal with the Ghost Hand Gang members first.

Now it seems that they clearly want to use the resolution of the Ghost Hand Gang issue to demonstrate their stance, which is different from the Emei disciples stationed in Linhai Town, thereby allaying Wu Sangou's concerns.

The group of five quickly left the blood-soaked escort agency and, guided by Wu Sangou, rode their horses rapidly towards the western dock of the city.

Soon, the group arrived at the dock and saw it.

It was dusk, but the dock was bustling with people.

A dozen or so cargo ships of varying sizes were moored beside the dock.

Before long, Wu Sangou pointed to one of the ships, which was almost dilapidated and obviously abandoned, and said, "The people are in the hold compartment, with grain sacks covering the hatch. The guards are not from the Ghost Hand Gang, but people I hired."

Upon arriving at one of the ships, Gu Shaoan, holding Wu Sangou's hand, used his inner energy to propel himself up with a light tap of his toes, and his body soared into the air like a great eagle, leaping onto the deck.

The deck was also old, making a slight creaking sound when stepped on, and the air was filled with the smell of water, rust, and a faint musty odor.

"Who~"

Almost the instant Gu Shaoan and his group stepped onto the deck, a man dressed as a farmer carrying a harpoon came out of the cabin upon hearing the noise.

When he saw Wu Sangou, he finally felt relieved.

"Damn it, why are you so late? Do you even know how many times the Ghost Hand Gang has come these past few days?"

Wu Sangou waved his hand and said, "Don't worry! The Ghost Hand Gang is gone."

"Gone? The government officials raided them?"

Wu Sangou shook his head and pointed to Gu Shaoan beside him, saying, "It was this young hero from the Emei Sect who did it. Fifty-seven of them, not one missing, all killed."

Upon hearing Wu Sangou's words, the old man seemed stunned by the sudden news, and it took him a while to come to his senses.

"Good, good kill! Good kill! These beasts in human skin deserve to die, they deserve to die!"

The old man suddenly raised his rough, cracked, and calloused hand and fiercely wiped his face.

But the turbid old tears could not be stopped no matter what, like beads from a broken string, rolling down in large drops, hitting the old deck and spreading small water stains.

Wu Sangou's eyes also reddened. He stepped forward, squatted down next to Old Man Bai, and placed a heavy hand on Old Man Bai's trembling shoulder with a hint of apology. He took a deep breath and explained to Gu Shaoan and the others behind him.

"Five years ago, Old Man Bai's granddaughter was only seven years old when she was kidnapped on the street by human traffickers. In order to find his granddaughter, he spent all his wealth and traveled all over most of the prefecture. In the end, he stayed at this dock like an old dog without a home. That's why I asked him for help."

The river breeze blew across the deck, carrying a salty, fishy, ​​and bitter taste.

Looking at the old man in front of them, who had a carefree expression but was still in tears, Zhou Zhiruo and Yang Yan felt extremely complicated.

Gu Shaoan looked at the old man quietly, his cold face still showing no expression, but his unfathomable eyes seemed to have become even more profound.

After a long silence, his gaze passed over the weeping old man and landed on the path leading to the cabin. He said in a deep voice, "Let's save people first."

The group continued downhill until they reached a cargo hold that was piled up with a lot of miscellaneous items.

According to Wu Sangou, after Gu Shaoan moved the heavy bags filled with various odds and ends one by one, he found a wooden board.

After lifting the wooden plank, a narrow wooden ladder leads to the dark lower compartment.

A mixture of musty smells, sweat odor, excrement, and some indescribable oppressive atmosphere immediately hit me.

The lower deck was deathly silent, without a sound.

However, with their keen hearing, Zhou Zhiruo and Yang Yan could clearly hear faint breathing sounds coming from below, though they were very soft.

Just then, Wu Sangou lit the lantern with a tinderbox and peered down.

By the light of the lantern, the group was able to vaguely make out the situation below.

Dozens of women and children were huddled together in this low cabin. Nearly a hundred people were squeezed into a small cabin that was no more than five feet in diameter.

To save space, older women are placed at the bottom, while younger women are placed at the top.

Everyone covered their mouths and noses tightly with their hands, their eyes staring timidly and fearfully at the lanterns above.

This is why Yang Yan and Zhou Zhiruo could only vaguely hear breathing sounds earlier.

"Come on up! We're all saved."

Only after Wu Sangou and Old Man Bai leaned down, baring their yellow teeth and speaking to the people below, did the people below feel relieved and climb back up the rope ladder that Wu Sangou and Old Man Bai had thrown down, filled with both fear and anticipation.

Compared to the people Yang Yan met three years ago, these people are undoubtedly lucky.

Although I've been crammed into this small space for the past few days, living in fear and anxiety, I haven't suffered any abuse and have been able to manage to eat something to fill my stomach each day.

"Senior brother, what should we do with these people?"

After everyone emerged from the stench-filled hold, Yang Yan inquired.

Gu Shaoan said, "Let them stay on this boat for a while. Let Uncle Wu and the others buy some food and clothes to tide them over. After we deal with the Emei disciples at the station, we will settle them down in batches."

Zhou Zhiruo asked, "Why go through all this trouble? Why not just find a place to settle them down directly?"

Gu Shaoan said, "Besides the Emei disciples stationed here, it's hard to guarantee that the Ghost Hand Gang hasn't bribed the local officials. Once the Ghost Hand Gang's affairs are exposed, those officials will inevitably create unnecessary trouble in order to protect themselves. It's better to be cautious."

Upon hearing that the government was involved, Zhou Zhiruo and Yang Yan quieted down.

The martial arts world and the imperial court are clearly separated. Unless absolutely necessary, even the Wudang and Shaolin sects would not rashly provoke the government.

Moreover, they were just a few disciples, not Abbess Miejue and others.

If the government officials see that the three of them are young and take risks, things will only become more complicated.

Just then, Shangguan Haitang suddenly said, "I will handle the government affairs after you have dealt with the Emei Sect disciples in Linhai Town. You don't need to worry about it."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhiruo and Yang Yan both looked at Shangguan Haitang with a hint of surprise on their faces.

Knowing Shangguan Haitang's identity, Gu Shaoan did not doubt whether Shangguan Haitang had the ability.

He immediately nodded and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Miss Shangguan."

"Ah~"

A scream suddenly came from outside the cabin.

Upon hearing the sound, Gu Shaoan and the others inside the cabin changed their expressions and immediately used their lightness skills to head towards the outer deck.

(End of this chapter)