In Emei, start by obtaining golden attributes.

Chapter 98 is clearly the tomb of the patriarchs of Emei.

After Gu Shaoan and the others walked out of the dilapidated temple, Ning Zhongze said solemnly, "Senior brother, the sword in that young man's hand probably weighs fifty pounds."

Yue Buqun shook his head: "The blade is completely black, so it should be made of heavy black iron. Given its size, it must weigh close to a hundred pounds."

Ning Zhongze exclaimed in astonishment, "A hundred catties? If you combine true qi and internal force to swing it, wouldn't a single swing of the sword contain the force of a thousand catties?"

Yue Buqun nodded and said, "If that young man can truly control it completely, the power contained within the sword can indeed reach that level."

When he spoke, Yue Buqun's voice was also full of solemnity.

Although their strength far surpasses that of ordinary people, with the support of true qi and the skillful application of martial arts techniques, using skill to overcome brute force is not a problem.

However, it also depends on the multiple forces being faced.

If the force exceeds their tolerance limit.

Just like the heavy sword in Gu Shaoan's hand.

If our guesses are the same as theirs, and it truly contains a weight of a thousand pounds, then the situation will be completely the opposite.

It wasn't that skill defeated force, but rather that the opponent defeated skill with force.

No matter what move you make, your opponent can easily shatter it with a single swing of their heavy sword.

Ning Zhongze asked in confusion, "Isn't the swordsmanship of the Emei Sect supposed to be quick and agile? Why would a disciple use such a heavy sword as a weapon?"

Yue Buqun was unable to answer Ning Zhongze's question.

After a few breaths, Yue Buqun finally spoke: "Although the Emei Sect has been established for less than a hundred years, it is said to have a profound foundation. Perhaps the sect also has martial arts that can be practiced with heavy swords!"

The Emei disciples mounted their horses one after another. The two took the initiative to walk up to Abbess Miejue and Abbess Juechen and the others. After exchanging greetings, the Emei disciples urged their horses to set off.

Watching the departing carriages and horses, Ning Zhongze couldn't help but sigh.

"I wonder when my Huashan Sect will be able to have as many disciples as the Emei Sect."

Upon hearing this, Yue Buqun gently raised his hand and grasped Ning Zhongze's hand, his eyes bright, and he said with certainty, "That day will definitely come."

“Father, I overheard some of the older sisters from the Emei Sect talking about how that young hero surnamed Gu, like our senior brother, is only of marriageable age.”

Upon hearing this, Linghu Chong, who had been silent until now, exclaimed in astonishment, "What? That guy is the same age as me? How is that possible?"

However, compared to Linghu Chong, who found it hard to accept, Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze frowned and pondered.

Previously, the two people's focus on Gu Shaoan was only on his physique.

But now, when the two of them think back, they realize that Gu Shaoan's facial hair was still not completely removed.

Adding to the fact that Gu Shaoan addressed Zhou Zhiruo and Yang Yan last night, Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze understood perfectly well that Gu Shaoan's age was indeed as Yue Lingshan had said—just the age of hair-binding, only his height had developed faster than his peers.

Beside her, Ning Zhongze, who had also figured out the reason, could no longer suppress her astonishment.

"To possess such strength at only fifteen years old, this child's talent is truly astonishing. The Emei Sect is indeed very lucky!"

However, as soon as Ning Zhongze finished speaking, Yue Buqun's voice rang out from the side.

"This is not good luck at all. It's as if the graves of the Emei sect's past masters have set fire to the site, and they're already emitting thick smoke. Otherwise, how could they have accepted such a prodigy as their disciple?"

His words were soft and hushed, and the bitterness in his tone was so strong that even Ning Zhongze could clearly feel it.

Seemingly realizing that Ning Zhongze hadn't noticed anything amiss, Yue Buqun said in a deep voice, "That young man has already returned to the Innate Realm, and the internal energy in his body has transformed into true qi."

Upon hearing this, Ning Zhongze's expression changed drastically.

"Senior brother, could you be mistaken?"

Yue Buqun smiled wryly and said, "Junior sister, you know that I cultivate the Purple Cloud Divine Skill. Although its power is slightly weaker when fighting enemies, it is most sensitive to true qi."

“When that young man made his move yesterday, I could already sense the surging energy within him. It was indeed a powerful and domineering true energy that combined yin and yang.”

"Moreover, when the young man struck the demon of the Sun Moon Cult with his palm, before his palm even reached the top of his head, his energy had already been released outwards and penetrated into the top of his head. This was clearly something that could only be done by releasing true energy outwards."

Hearing Yue Buqun's words, Ning Zhongze couldn't help but gasp.

"A fifteen-year-old who has returned to the innate state—Emei has truly produced a dragon!"

Yue Buqun sighed, "At such a young age, he has already been able to return to the innate realm, and he can carry a hundred-pound sword on his back without making a sound when he lands. His lightness skill has reached a state of perfection. I'm afraid even I can't compare to his strength."

"With such talent, it won't be difficult for him to reach the level of Qi Condensation or even Qi Condensation Gang in his future internal energy cultivation."

"With someone like this in charge, the Emei Sect is likely to soar to new heights in the future."

Thinking of this, Yue Buqun couldn't help but turn around and glance at the disciples he had taken in.

Especially when his gaze swept over his eldest disciple Linghu Chong, Yue Buqun suddenly felt a surge of anger in his heart, a strange sense of unease.

"The sky is unfair!"

at the same time.

Inside the carriage, after pulling her head back from the curtain, Yang Yan looked at Zhou Zhiruo with curiosity and asked, "Senior Sister, isn't the Huashan Sect a second-rate power? How come those people didn't even have a horse, let alone a carriage, and just walked all the way to the Hengshan Sect?"

In terms of experience in the martial arts world, Zhou Zhiruo was far less knowledgeable than Yang Yan. How could Zhou Zhiruo know things that even Yang Yan didn't?
After thinking for a moment, Zhou Zhiruo said with some uncertainty, "Judging from the fact that Sect Leader Yue and his wife are accompanied by several disciples, perhaps they want to train their character through walking?"

To be honest, Zhou Zhiruo's reason actually has a certain degree of plausibility.

Even Yang Yan didn't immediately notice anything wrong with this answer.

Seeing this, Gu Shaoan remained silent, but Abbess Juechen, who was riding in the same carriage, couldn't help but say, "Don't talk nonsense."

Yang Yan's eyes lit up, and she leaned closer to take Master Juechen's arm: "This disciple is all ears."

"You! Only Shao'an can handle you."

Seeing Yang Yan's clingy manner, Abbess Juechen couldn't help but affectionately tap Yang Yan's head with her finger, which was met with an even more obedient and ingratiating smile from Yang Yan.

"No, Yan'er listens to what Master and her senior brother say."

Upon hearing this, not only Abbess Juechen, but even Abbess Miejue couldn't help but smile.

Human hearts are made of flesh and blood, and since they are made of flesh and blood, it is inevitable that there will be likes and dislikes.

So, the child who cries and makes a fuss gets the candy.

Disciples who know how to act obsequiously will also be favored by their elders.

Master Juechen was truly at a loss when it came to her disciple Yang Yan. She then said, "I don't know much about the affairs of the Five Mountains Sword Sect, but Senior Sister once stayed around Mount Hua for a period of time, so perhaps she knows more about it."

The change in mindset also made Miejue less cold and domineering.

Seeing that Zhou Zhiruo's gaze was also fixed on her, Abbess Miejue began to speak slowly.

"Forty years ago, the Huashan Sect was a powerful and influential sect with a profound foundation. In terms of strength alone, it was the leader among second-rate sects. Its foundation and fortune were only slightly inferior to that of my Emei Sect at its peak."

"At that time, the Huashan Sect had more than a thousand disciples. The sect was thriving and its influence extended to several surrounding prefectures. The sect had many businesses, including estates, shops and mines. The taxes collected from its territory each year, plus the income from its operations, amounted to a huge sum that made others envious. It was truly a scene of great prosperity."

At this point, Abbess Juechen paused slightly, then changed the subject: "Unfortunately, even such a powerful sect could not escape the calamity of internal strife. A 'battle of sword qi' swept through the sect like a plague! The sect was torn apart, countless elders were killed or injured, elites were depleted, the Sword Sect suffered a crushing defeat and was expelled from Mount Hua, leaving to establish their own independent sect in other places."

"The Qi Sect lineage that remained was relatively stable at first, guarding the Huashan base. But those who left the Sword Sect were truly capable and lucky, managing to maintain a certain level of stability and, within a few decades, rise to become one of the 'Six Great Sects'."

"We usually have a fairly good relationship with my Emei Sect, and the two sects occasionally exchange martial arts techniques."

"However, one is happy while the other is sad. When the sect split, it was the Huashan sect that suffered the most damage. The Qi Sect, which was guarding Huashan, has been declining day by day in recent years. Its former glory has long since vanished."

Zhou Zhiruo asked with a puzzled expression, "Even so, the Huashan Qi Sect is still a second-rate power, and it pays a lot of taxes every year. I don't know how the Huashan Qi Sect has become so poor and destitute?"

Yang Yan nodded like a chick pecking at rice, equally curious.

Abbess Miejue snorted coldly, her tone filled with disdain and disgust.

"All of this is thanks to the Songshan Sect."

“The Huashan Sect is weak, making it a delicious meal in the eyes of wolves and tigers. Over the years, the Songshan Sect has used every means, both openly and secretly. Relying on their status as the leader of the Five Mountains Alliance, they have made things difficult for the Huashan Sect at every turn and hindered them in every way. If the Huashan Sect does not comply in the slightest, they will be accused of ‘disobeying orders’ and ‘undermining the Five Mountains Alliance’.”

"The most profitable businesses under the Huashan Sect were either obstructed and blocked by local officials at the instigation of the Songshan Sect, or the sect's disciples were constantly being lost in the struggle with the Sun Moon Sect over the years, leaving no time to recruit and train new disciples. Other Jianghu forces around the Huashan Sect saw that the Huashan Sect was weak and easy to bully, and they openly or secretly sided with the Songshan Sect, so the tax payment naturally became a formality."

"Even the greatest foundation cannot withstand such exploitation, like scraping the marrow from the bone. The once prosperous Huashan Sect now only has a few hundred acres of thin farmland and forests passed down from their ancestors that they simply cannot move, barely enough to feed their disciples!" "This is only because the Songshan Sect is trying to avoid a desperate situation; otherwise, they might not even have been able to keep those few hundred acres."

After pondering for a moment, Abbess Juechen said in a solemn tone, "The Songshan Sect is truly cunning and scheming. This method is not incapable of completely crushing and annexing Huashan, but it is precisely to leave Huashan Qi Sect alive, making them half-dead, which is worse than death. This makes the Songshan Sect appear 'benevolent' and avoids the infamy of being ruthless and forcing its fellow practitioners to the brink of extinction, thus avoiding the criticism from the martial arts world."

"At the same time, by using the name of Huashan, a second-rate power, they can continuously extract taxes from the area surrounding Huashan Sect like leeches sucking blood, ensuring that Huashan Qi Sect will forever be subservient to Songshan Sect, never to rise again! Their malice and ruthlessness far surpass a single fatal blow!"

Yang Yan frowned and said, "So the Huashan Sect just lets the Songshan Sect bully them like this? If they had fought back after the initial sword qi dispute, the Songshan Sect wouldn't have dared to fight to the death, would they?"

Master Juechen sighed and said, "One wrong step leads to another! If the previous leader of the Huashan Qi Sect was wrong to be tolerant at the beginning, then Yue Buqun becoming the leader has made things even more difficult for the Huashan Sect."

“A gentleman deceives others with integrity. If Yue Buqun had a do-or-die mentality, that would be one thing, but he deliberately befriends everyone and has earned the reputation of a gentleman swordsman. Although it is a good reputation, it has also restricted Yue Buqun in many ways.”

In the end, Abbess Juechen couldn't help but look at Abbess Miejue.

"In retrospect, when the sect leader had just taken over as the leader of the Emei Sect, the situation of the Emei Sect was similar to that of the Huashan Qi Sect."

"Fortunately, thanks to the decisive and swift action of our sect leader, the Emei Sect has been able to survive to this day and has not been targeted by petty villains."

Upon hearing Abbess Juechen's words, even Abbess Miejue couldn't help but reveal a hint of smugness on her face.

Although she was a woman, it was indeed Abbess Miejue who led the Emei Sect to survive until now during the sect's critical period.

If it weren't for Abbess Miejue's strength, toughness, and ruthlessness, the Emei Sect, composed entirely of women, would have fared even worse than the Huashan Qi Sect.

This alone is enough for Abbess Miejue to stand tall in front of Abbess Fengling and Grandmaster Guo Xiang a hundred years later and say, "I have lived up to my master's expectations."

Having understood the reason for the decline of the Huashan Qi Sect, Yang Yan and Zhou Zhiruo both fell silent.

I also truly felt the dangers of this martial arts world.

I now understand that sectarian conflicts can be resolved so easily, without bloodshed, that a once-renowned martial arts sect can be reduced to such a miserable state.

This also explains why Abbess Miejue and the entire Emei Sect acted so tough when dealing with outsiders.

At this moment, Gu Shaoan suddenly spoke up: "It's a pity that the Huashan Qi Sect may be facing a double whammy."

His sudden speech immediately drew the attention of the other passengers in the carriage.

Zhou Zhiruo asked, "Junior Brother, do you think the Songshan Sect will take action against the Huashan Qi Sect?"

Gu Shaoan shook his head and said, "The Songshan Sect is keeping Yue Buqun and the Huashan Qi Sect hanging on by a thread. Their purpose is to use the name of the Huashan Qi Sect to obtain tax revenue within the Huashan Qi Sect's sphere of influence, and to make the Huashan Qi Sect dependent on the Five Mountains Sword Sect and the Songshan Sect. As far as the Songshan Sect is concerned, the Huashan Qi Sect is no longer a threat, so there is no need to do this."

"The real problem is that Master Yue's disciple is not up to the task."

Others may not know, but Gu Shaoan does.

In fact, there were several opportunities in the future for Yue Buqun to help the Huashan Sect break out of its current predicament and move towards prosperity.

However, on several occasions, he was broken in half because of his disciple Linghu Chong.

Ultimately, it even rendered the Huashan Qi Sect virtually defunct.

Even the "Purple Cloud Divine Skill" was lost.

From then on, the Huashan Sword Sect became the only legitimate lineage of Huashan.

However, none of them knew what Gu Shaoan was thinking. Upon hearing Gu Shaoan's words, they all recalled the young man who had accused Gu Shaoan of indiscriminate killing last night.

He is indeed the one who will bring prosperity to the sect.

For a moment, both Abbess Miejue and Abbess Juechen shook their heads.

However, their relationship with the Huashan Qi Sect was never good, and the rise and fall of the Huashan Qi Sect had nothing to do with them.

It would be enough if the development of the Huashan Qi Sect and the Emei Sect over the years could make Zhou Zhiruo and Yang Yan aware of the dangers of the power struggles between martial arts sects.

Although it had rained heavily all night and the ground was muddy, the people were traveling on the official road and were not greatly affected by the rain.

After a long journey, they finally arrived in Datong Prefecture near dusk.

Although Datong Prefecture is located in the southwest, it was a very prosperous place due to its important trade route.

Upon entering the city, the hustle and bustle of people, horses, and cattle immediately hit you. Shops of all kinds lined the streets, and the air was filled with the smells of livestock, spices, food, and the dry, dusty scent unique to the north, quite different from the humid and tranquil Mount Emei in Sichuan.

After deciding on the inn where they would stay, the elder gave some instructions and then allowed his disciples to move around freely without any further restrictions.

Abbess Jue Mie and Abbess Jue Chen led Gu Shaoan and the others into a grand-looking restaurant that was packed with customers.

The lobby was brightly lit, and the shouts of waiters, the noise of clinking glasses, and the laughter of diners mingled together, creating a lively atmosphere.

As the dishes were served one after another, Gu Shaoan, as usual, took out a medicinal powder from his pocket after the tea and dishes were served, and gently turned his hand over. With a strong gust of wind, the medicinal powder was dispersed into the dishes on the table.

A few breaths later, after Gu Shaoan confirmed that everyone was alright, he smiled and gestured for everyone to start eating.

Abbess Juechen smiled and said, "With someone as thoughtful as Shao'an, one can feel more at ease even when traveling."

Abbess Miejue nodded slightly, showing no reservation in her satisfaction with Gu Shaoan.

Just as everyone was eating, a clear sound of a gavel striking the table suddenly rang out in the hall!
"Snapped!"

As the noise subsided, everyone's attention was drawn to the scene. In the middle of the hall, an elderly man with white hair, a gaunt face, and dressed in an ordinary gray robe was standing on a bench. A simple table had been set up in front of him, and on the table sat an inconspicuous pipe.

Standing beside him was a young girl, about fourteen or fifteen years old, with her hair styled in a cute bun. Her eyes were strikingly bright and dark, her face was slightly round, her skin was fair with a healthy blush, and the corners of her mouth were naturally upturned. She had a lively and carefree appearance.

The old man coughed lightly, his voice carrying a peculiar rhythm and penetrating power, not loud, yet clearly drowning out the surrounding noise: "Esteemed readers, you must be weary from your journey and hungry. How about having a sip of warm wine and listening to this old man tell a story of 'Little Li Flying Dagger' as a way to whet your appetite?"

"Good!" someone echoed, clearly indicating that the grandfather and grandson were regulars at the local restaurant telling stories.

"Speaking of Li Xunhuan, the young scholar who once rose to the rank of Tan Hua, he should have been riding high on his success, but who would have thought that he would be troubled by love and sadly withdraw from the martial arts world. Cough, no, that's not right."

The old man suddenly paused, stroked his white beard, and a sly glint flashed in his eyes. "Today, let's not talk about romance and poetry, but rather tell a story of a scholar who, on a snowy night, encountered an obstacle on the banks of the Yellow River and single-handedly repelled a horde of demons with a flying knife."

The old man was an excellent orator, his voice rising and falling in cadence. He vividly recounted the chivalrous deeds, wisdom, and courage of "Little Li Flying Dagger" Li Xunhuan, especially his unerring flying dagger technique, making the story both thrilling and dramatic.

The young girl beside him would sometimes serve tea to the old man, and sometimes make some playful expressions to match the scene, which also made everyone's attention linger from time to time.

Even someone as formidable as Abbess Miejue, though her face remained impassive, subtly listened intently.

Zhou Zhiruo and Yang Yan listened intently.

After an incense stick had burned, the storyteller finished speaking, and everyone listened with great interest.

The old man stopped talking, smiled slightly, picked up the gavel on the table, and was about to finish.

At this moment, the young girl beside the old man came out carrying a gleaming bronze gong.

She smiled radiantly, her large, bright eyes scanning the entire room, and began in a clear, cheerful voice: "Dear uncles and aunts, brothers and sisters! My grandfather's storytelling is hard work; he gets thirsty and his legs ache. If you enjoyed listening, please give him a couple of coins to buy a hot bun, so my grandfather can have a little meat. Next time, I'll tell you even better stories!"

Her voice was sweet and clear, with a girlish charm that made her very endearing.

The diners laughed and cursed as they took out some loose copper coins and threw them into the gong, which jingled loudly. Most of them were one or two coins, and some generous ones were only five or ten coins.

The young girl, holding a gong, smiled broadly and moved briskly between the tables. Gradually, she arrived at Gu Shaoan's table.

Seeing that the girl was cute and clever, and having been engrossed in the story, Yang Yan and Zhou Zhiruo each took out a few copper coins from their sleeves to throw in the money.

"Clang!"

As the girl walked up to Gu Shaoan, a crisp and pleasant metallic clang rang out.

The girl looked up and saw a bright piece of silver, weighing about an ounce, which stood out conspicuously among the yellow copper coins, even a little dazzling!
Looking at the two silver coins, the girl subconsciously looked up, her clear and bright eyes wide open, curiously gazing at the generous giver.

When her gaze met Gu Shaoan's handsome face, the girl's heart skipped a beat for no reason, and her eyes lit up. She even forgot to thank him for a moment.

"Xiaohong?"

However, just then, the white-haired old man on the bench noticed that the girl had been standing still for a long time, and couldn't help but call out to her out of curiosity.

"Ok?"

The sound reached Gu Shaoan's ears, and his eyelashes trembled slightly beneath his lowered eyelids. A very clear look of surprise flashed across the depths of his usually calm and deep gaze!

(End of this chapter)