In Emei, start by obtaining golden attributes.

Chapter 475 Golden Lotus in the Sea of ​​Bitterness
Putting down his teacup, Gu Shaoan's tone became more casual: "Alright, as for the situation at Shaolin, I will naturally instruct Shangguan Jin Hong to handle it when he comes to Emei. I acquired a few things on this trip that are just right for you."

As he spoke, Gu Shaoan took out the Heavenly Silkworm Golden Silk Inner Armor and the Black Gold Soft Jade Gloves he had won in the lottery from his bundle and placed them on the table.

Yang Yan's gaze immediately fell on the inner armor.

The patterns woven from the golden silk of the silkworm subtly flowed under the sunlight in the pavilion, their colors understated yet possessing an indescribable air of nobility and resilience.

She reached out and gently picked up a corner, feeling its smooth, silky texture, so soft it seemed she could easily crumble it. But when she applied a little pressure with her fingertips, it felt as if she had touched an extremely tough net, her strength silently dissipated, unable to penetrate any further.

Yang Yan's eyes lit up, and she whispered, "It's actually Heavenly Silkworm Golden Silk."

Yang Yan had a penchant for studying strange and unusual things. The books in the Emei Sect's collection that recorded rare treasures had been thoroughly read and worn out in the first few years after she joined the sect.

In addition, since he had traveled all over the country with his biological father Yang Tie since childhood, he was well-informed and could recognize the Heavenly Silkworm Golden Thread, so Gu Shaoan was not too surprised.

She looked up at Gu Shaoan, her surprise barely concealed: "Where did you get something like this?"

Gu Shaoan just smiled and didn't elaborate, only saying, "Luck."

Zhou Zhiruo also leaned closer for a look, her eyes filled with curiosity and joy.

Although she wasn't as knowledgeable as Yang Yan, she could still tell that the inner armor was extraordinary.
Gu Shaoan said, "The situation in the Great Wei is relatively stable now, and there are no strong enemies in Emei for the time being. You have been cultivating hard on the mountain for the past few years and have laid a solid foundation, but you still lack some experience in the martial arts world."

"Next, you can travel around the martial world more often, and take the opportunity to help the senior sisters with the affairs of the sect. You should experience what you need to experience and see what you need to see. Don't just practice your sword skills in the mountains."

At this point, he pointed to the Heavenly Silkworm Golden Silk Inner Armor on the stone table, and his voice softened: "This armor is impervious to water and fire, and difficult to be harmed by swords and blades. The golden silk inside can also neutralize and deflect force. It is a rare protective treasure. I feel more at ease having it with you when you travel."

The two women are now among the best in the Qi Condensation and Yuan Formation stage of martial arts.

Even when facing a top-tier expert at the ordinary Qi Condensation stage, if they can't win, they can still escape.

Not to mention that there were no more Celestial Realm experts in the Great Wei Kingdom at this time, and many of the top-tier experts who had condensed their essence into Qi were also acquainted with Gu Shaoan.

Even if Zhou Zhiruo and Yang Yan encountered the remaining few, they wouldn't make things too difficult for them after learning the two women's identities.

Given the current environment, even if Zhou Zhiruo and Yang Yan encounter enemies when they go out together, their strength is limited.

After saying that, he pushed the pair of black jade gloves towards Huang Xuemei.

Gu Shaoan said, "These black gold and soft jade gloves are made of black gold to avoid blades and soft jade to protect your bones. When you exert force with your palms and fingers, they will not damage your meridians. Wearing them will not affect your playing of the Heavenly Demon Harp at all, and they can also protect your hands."

Huang Xuemei reached out and picked up the gloves. They were lighter than she had imagined, yet they felt firm and comfortable against her palm.

She tried bending and straightening her five fingers, and there was no resistance at the knuckles. Instead, it felt like there was an extra, very thin "second skin" that neither affected her ability to exert force nor hindered her joints and meridians.

The usual coldness in her eyes softened slightly, and her voice became unusually gentle: "The items are very good, I like them very much."

Gu Shaoan smiled and said, "If you like it, that's good."

As the saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder.

In the following days, Gu Shaoan did not cultivate diligently as he had when he was away, but instead spent his days with Zhou Zhiruo, Yang Yan, and Huang Xuemei.

The first day of the lunar new year, early morning.

The forest was damp with the morning mist, and a thin fog slowly dissipated from between the pine needles. The sunlight had not yet fully penetrated, leaving only a few faint golden lines in the gaps between the trees.

Gu Shaoan first gave the three women some pointers on their martial arts before heading to the training forest nearby.

After some activity to ease the stiffness in his lower back, Gu Shaoan sat cross-legged and focused his attention on the "Martial Arts Enlightenment Card" in his system backpack.

Previously, even when the deadly traps had been broken and powerful enemies eliminated, he never dared to use this item rashly in the wilderness, inns, or temples. The greatest taboo during enlightenment is disturbance; even the slightest external interruption can cause a backlash to the mind, or even more serious disruption of one's energy flow, leading to endless hidden dangers. Only when he returned to Emei, with his sect protecting him and all the elements in place, did he dare to act freely.

After his mind had completely returned to clarity, Gu Shaoan had a sudden thought.

The moment the Enlightenment Card vanished—

It was as if a ladle of cool, sweet dew had flowed down from the top of his head, penetrating to his very bones and marrow. It wasn't cold, but it could instantly bring him to a state of extreme clarity. Gu Shaoan felt all the distracting thoughts in his mind being washed away inch by inch, leaving only an indescribable clarity and brightness.

At the same time, the martial arts he had learned, the moves he had seen, and the changes in qi he had experienced flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern.

At this moment, my thoughts entered a burst of order—not by thinking more haphazardly, but by "seeing more clearly."

Gu Shaoan focused his mind on his dantian, gathering all his thoughts and concentrating all his attention on the "Emei Nine Yang True Scripture".

Suddenly, the speed of his internal energy circulation increased dramatically, like a river bursting its banks, surging yet orderly.

The bottlenecks that would normally cause slight obstruction each time the meridians were cleansed were now as if by an invisible hand, their sharp edges were gently smoothed out, and the flow became increasingly smooth.

Even more strangely, he "saw" himself.

In the state of enlightenment, everything in the body seems to be magnified dozens of times and reflected into the divine mind. The twelve main meridians are like great rivers, the collaterals are like tributaries, the acupoints are like stars, and the vital energy is like golden threads weaving and running between the meridians.

Those subtle changes that could only be felt in ordinary times can now be examined from any angle from an observer's perspective: where the circulation is too rapid, where the purging is uneven, where the distribution of Qi is unbalanced, and where the internal energy is "a little too much or a little too little" at a certain point.

Especially the hidden pulse.

They were originally like hidden channels behind impenetrable walls; although they existed, they were difficult to access through introspection on a daily basis.

Even when you manage to touch the edge, it's like looking at flowers through a fog; you can't really pry it open.

At this moment, the "barrier" is no longer indestructible, as if it has been thinned bit by bit by the finest knife in the world, revealing the extremely delicate and hidden passage within.

With a thought, Gu Shaoan channeled his inner energy.

It's not about forcing it, but about "grinding" with the most appropriate force, rotation, and frequency.

Each flush was just right: neither damaging the vein walls nor leaving any stagnation. Thus, a hidden vein was silently opened up, followed by a second, a third... as if a frozen stream was gradually thawed by spring water, and once the waterway was open, all the veins responded.

The realm of the "Emei Nine Yang True Scripture" also leaps forward in this state of clarity.

What was originally just the beginning of the process was like having the heart of the furnace directly lit, and in a short while, one stepped into the stage of minor mastery.

Half an hour later, Mai Rui completed the ninth level of the "Emei Nine Yang True Scripture".

Gu Shaoan, however, seemed oblivious, his mind still absorbed in his own body.

One hour later.

When the vital energy within the body circulates along a completely new and harmonious route, all meridians, hidden meridians, and acupoints are as if they are simultaneously unlocked by the same key. The intent of the Nine Yangs flows freely without hindrance, and the last bit of stagnation disappears without a trace.

The ninth level of the "Emei Nine Yang True Scripture" has been completed.

At that moment, the internal energy within Gu Shaoan's body trembled violently, but it was not a violent explosion; rather, it was a qualitative change, a sublimation.

The original golden aura became more condensed and purer, with a translucent quality, and even a touch of crystalline brilliance, like flowing golden crystal. It appeared warm and smooth, but contained an even more terrifying density and sharpness within.

After the entire Qi essence underwent a qualitative change, the seed of Qi in the middle dantian was also activated.

What was once just a seed quietly floating in the water now seems to have been nourished by rain and dew, beginning to expand, rotate, and condense. What was once just a seed quietly floating in the water now seems to have been nourished by rain and dew, beginning to expand, rotate, and condense.

First, there was a slight tremor.

This tremor was extremely subtle. Under normal circumstances, Gu Shaoan might have just regarded it as an ordinary fluctuation of Qi. However, in his state of enlightenment, this tremor was like a clear sound striking the rhythm of heaven and earth, instantly causing all the internal energy in his body to respond in unison.

The next instant, the golden essence flowing through Gu Shaoan's dantian, meridians, and hidden veins returned to the sea like rivers flowing into the ocean. It stopped being released outward and stopped wandering. Instead, it converged into the middle dantian in an almost "pilgrimage" manner.

not only that.

Even his most vital, life-sustaining wisp of energy was drawn in and slowly awakened from its deepest depths, carrying a heavy, pure, and irreplaceable aura as it joined the surging tide.

If ordinary Gang Yuan is like the water of a river, then the natal Gang Yuan is the "source" of that river.

When the source moves, all the waters change course.

At the middle dantian, the Qi seed is enveloped by layers of Gang Yuan, first one circle, then another, with Gang Yuan rotating outward and contracting inward, acting as both protector and restrainer; both reinforcer and temperer.

The scene was terrifyingly clear in Gu Shaoan's "inner vision": layers of golden-colored Qi Yuan threads intertwined, wrapped, and overlapped, truly resembling a golden silkworm cocoon in the process of taking shape.

The cocoon wall is not an inanimate object.

Each time the vital energy is inhaled and exhaled, the cocoon wall flickers with light; each time the natal vital energy passes by, the cocoon wall becomes a little more crystalline.

The energy contained within the "cocoon" is undergoing visible changes under this boundless nourishment.

It is no longer just a point.

It began to "take root".

Gu Shaoan could clearly see that there were extremely fine veins extending outward from inside the seed of energy, like roots or newly formed meridians. First, they reached out to the cocoon wall, and then gently touched the cocoon wall. The moment that touch landed, it seemed to find a support for growth, and the entire seed of energy suddenly lit up, and the speed of rotation also increased.

The roots gradually increased.

The growth of each root is accompanied by the absorption, filtering, and purification of a wisp of vital energy; with each absorption, the energy seed becomes fuller and clearer.

It seems to be absorbing and spitting out starlight, or perhaps its own life force; the more it is nurtured, the more "spiritual" and "authentic" it becomes.

After an unknown amount of time, Gu Shaoan observed that a tiny sprout formed from extremely pure Qi broke through the top of the seed.

The moment it broke through, the golden cocoon tightened abruptly, as if providing the newborn with one last powerful support and compression.

The bud tip trembles and stretches out.

Then, the first petal of the "flower" slowly unfolded.

The petals were not elaborate, with extremely clean lines, but the edges had a faint golden glow flowing around them, as if they were carved from the purest golden essence.

As the second and third petals unfold in succession, the outline of the entire flower gradually becomes clear.

These flowers, too, are as dazzling as stars, just like finely cultivated ones.

However, unlike other types of seeds, the brilliance of the Qi Seed is like a refined seed, sharp, condensed, and restrained to the extreme.

The brilliance of this flower is more like the light that "blooms," its entire body crystal clear, as if it were cast from golden crystal and pure glass. Its radiance is not dazzling, but it illuminates the mind and spirit with clarity.

In Gu Shaoan's inner vision, it quietly hovered in the middle dantian, like a golden lotus rising from a sea of ​​suffering.

The lotus platform is pure and clean, and the flower center is bright and clear.

Each time the petals slightly open and close, they cause all the vital energy within the body to breathe together.

When inhaling, the remaining energy in the limbs and bones is gathered and unified.

When vomiting, the meridians and hidden channels are warmed and cleansed.

The feeling was not like "forcibly activating energy," but more like a natural life rhythm. From then on, his Qi was not only "obeying orders," but also had a "backbone."

　There will be a third update, and the author will try to post it as soon as possible!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)