Arhats Subduing Demons: Starting with The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber

Chapter 130 An Extraordinary Man of the World

The clouds were as dark as ink, and the stars and moon were without light. A dark figure, with a sword slung across his back and wide robes, swayed and rose gracefully along the city wall of the capital, like a large black goose soaring onto the city wall.

This person was none other than Yun Changkong.

The patrolling soldiers had no idea that anyone had come up to the city.

As soon as Yun Changkong reached the city wall, he used his fingers to slightly brace himself against the top of the wall, leaping several feet into the air. He then brandished a thin rope, which wrapped around a pillar of the watchtower. With a somersault, he landed on the top of the watchtower.
Some officers and soldiers felt a gust of wind pass over their heads, but when they looked up, they couldn't see any shadows.

Yun Changkong looked up and saw a continuous stretch of houses, undulating like waves, with twinkling lights. He took a deep breath and leaped down like a black eagle swooping down. As soon as he landed, he vanished like smoke, heading towards the Ruyang Prince's Mansion as Zhao Min had instructed.

Zhao Min said that the Ruyang Prince's Mansion was located in the western part of the city. Needless to say, whichever mansion was the largest, that was the Ruyang Prince's Mansion.

Yun Changkong's lightness skill was so high that he moved silently and with incredible speed that even he himself could not hear it.

Before long, they arrived at a magnificent building. There were two large stone lions on either side of the main gate, and a large group of Yuan soldiers were guarding it closely.

Yun Changkong listened for a moment, then silently swung out a long rope over ten feet long, which wrapped around a tree inside the courtyard. It swept over the high wall like lightning and landed inside the mansion like a large bird. The long rope was already put into his sleeve. He quietly lay down on the ground, listening carefully to any movement.

He heard the sound of orderly footsteps in the courtyard, and the occasional rustling of clothes on the roof. Clearly, this was to prevent nighttime intruders from sneaking in. Yun Changkong thought to himself, "Good heavens, the defenses are so tight. I'd better be careful and not get discovered, or I'll have to fight them head-on, which would defeat the purpose of my plan!"

Yun Changkong did not come here to assassinate anyone, nor did he cover his face with a black cloth. He walked forward with his body bent, looking around.

The pavilions are majestic, the streams flow, the stone bridges span the water, and the lights on the banks are bright, like beads strung together, arranged in rows along the eaves and corridors.

Zhao Min told Yun Changkong that the Prince's mansion was too large, and explaining the layout in detail would take too much time. Besides, no one knew where they would be tonight. But all they needed to remember was that the only people in the mansion who were closely guarded by experts were her father and brothers.

Now that she is not here, wherever the defenses are tight, that is where my father and brother will stay. Moreover, if I want to talk to my father, I would better capture my brother.

Otherwise, he wouldn't even have a chance to speak to his father and brothers; they would kill him on sight. Yun Changkong deeply agreed, so he avoided the light and moved through the shadows. He would see patrolling soldiers who were burly and had sharp eyes. Even the maids and servants he encountered were all calm and silent.

Yun Changkong thought to himself, "Good heavens, even the servants are so well-trained, what are they planning to do?"

Unbeknownst to him, Zhao Min had always enjoyed swordsmanship. After he captured her in Zhongzhou, the entire Ruyang Prince's mansion, from top to bottom, was trained like a military unit. They would never allow a second such incident!

But more than five years later, Yun Changkong is back.

It's just a different place!
Yun Changkong circled around and saw two gauze lanterns piercing the night as they swiftly approached. Two men led the way, while five Tibetan monks, their sleeves billowing, escorted a young man in a golden crown and brocade robe as they walked along the corridor.

Hidden in the bushes, Yun Changkong witnessed this scene and thought, "Could this person be Wang Baobao? Or is it an imposter?"

He thought to himself, "Even fake things have their advantages." With that thought, Yun Changkong stretched out from the bushes.

Suddenly, the group heard a soft sound, and one of the Tibetan monks shouted, "Assassins!" Then, with a clanging sound, the five Tibetan monks drew their longswords at the same time.

Yun Changkong drew his longsword, his wrist trembled slightly, and with a clang, all five swords fell at once. The five monks, terrified, leaped backward.

The golden-crowned youth saw a flash of cold light, and in a blur, Yun Changkong's longsword was already at his neck. He stammered, "You, you, who are you?"

Yun Changkong frowned slightly: "Looks like I've been tricked!"

The golden-crowned youth's lips trembled. At that moment, torches lit up the sky, and footsteps clattered. A group of Tibetan monks and a troop of Yuan soldiers had surrounded Yun Changkong, their bows nocked.

Yun Changkong didn't care and remained calm. Then, a long laugh rang out, and the crowd parted to make way for him. Everyone bowed and greeted him, saying, "Young Prince!"

Yun Changkong saw that the newcomer had a golden crown that gleamed on his head, wore a brocade robe, and possessed a fierce and imposing presence. He must be Kukutmur, the heir apparent of the Prince of Ruyang, also known as Wang Baobao.

The man sneered, "You were able to sneak into this mansion without anyone noticing, so you must be a famous figure in the martial arts world. I think I've heard of you."

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "Do you want to hear it?"

Wang Baobao shook his head and said, "I was interested in your skills, but you can't even see through such a simple trick as deception. Heh, you're just a reckless fool. It doesn't matter who you are."

Yun Changkong smiled and said, "With your arrogance, it seems you really are Wang Baobao."

Wang Baobao said, "That's right!"

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "I knew long ago that my brother-in-law wouldn't be such a good-for-nothing. It seems I was right."

Wang Baobao was stunned for a moment, then said coldly, "You really don't know what's good for you. State your name."

Just then, a powerful voice said, "Young Prince, this is Yun Changkong."

Then Lu Zhangke and Hebi Weng appeared in a flash. Everyone else looked at Yun Changkong with great astonishment. This was Yun Changkong who had kidnapped the princess!

Wang Baobao glared at Yun Changkong, gritting his teeth as he said, "You lecherous thief, I wish I could eat your flesh and smother your skin! You actually delivered yourself to my doorstep! Xuanming Elders, kill him!"

Yun Changkong smiled calmly and said, "Do you hate me that much? It's a pity that the Xuanming Elders can't do anything to me. What can we do?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Baobao noticed that the two elders of Xuanming remained expressionless and showed no anger. He couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "Could he be even more powerful than Zhang Wuji?"

Hebi Weng coldly said, "Young Prince, this man's martial arts are so high that, apart from Zhang Sanfeng, I have never seen another like him. How can Zhang Wuji be worthy of comparing himself to him!"

Lu Zhangke said, "Young Prince, to capture him, we must wait for A'da, A'er, A'san, the three great monks by your side, and the eighteen Vajras to arrive at the same time!"

Wang Baobao was horrified upon hearing this. He had always known of the abilities of the Xuanming Elders. He had heard that Yun Changkong and Zhang Wuji fought a great battle to a standstill, and that on Wudang Mountain, when Zhang Wuji came to capture him, he was knocked down by the Xuanming Elders with a single palm strike. If it weren't for the Ming Cult masters risking their lives to save him, he would have been sent to the Western Paradise long ago.

The Xuanming Elders also said that Zhang Wuji's internal strength was no less than Yun Changkong's, but how come this is another version of events?

Wang Baobao was skilled in military strategy, but martial arts were not his forte. He was even inferior to Zhao Min, so he couldn't figure out the ins and outs of the matter.

Little did people know that Zhang Wuji's Nine Yang Manual had no offensive or defensive techniques, and the Great Shift of the Universe was also a method of channeling internal energy, without any specific moves. Therefore, he was always an unorthodox practitioner. His ability to defeat top-tier masters was solely due to his superior internal energy. However, when he encountered Yun Changkong at Bright Peak, he was still utterly vulnerable. It was only because Yun Changkong was holding back.

On Mount Wudang, the two elders of Xuanming struck out simultaneously. As Zhang Wuji's two palms met, the other palm struck him. This was due to his lack of responsiveness, not because he was powerless!

Therefore, with Zhang Sanfeng's guidance, Zhang Wuji integrated the Nine Yang Divine Skill, the Great Shift of the Universe, and the Tai Chi Skill into one, enabling him to defeat the combined forces of the Xuanming Elders. However, Yun Changkong, based on the Arhat Subduing Demon Divine Skill, also received the systematic inheritance of Wang Chongyang's martial arts. This was a refined martial art that progressed from simple to complex, from broad to concise, forming its own unique style. Thus, from the moment he debuted, he was invincible.

The two elders of Xuanming, being masters of martial arts, were well aware of this, and thus dared not even step forward, fearing that seeking glory would lead to humiliation and losing face in front of the warriors who revered them like gods. Therefore, although the torches illuminated the scene as if it were daytime, all was silent as everyone held their breath and carefully observed the most renowned figure in the martial arts world.

Yun Changkong glanced around and said with a smile, "Is the Prince of Ruyang here? It's not enough for my son-in-law to just see his brother-in-law; he should also pay his respects to his father-in-law to be proper."

Wang Baobao's anger flared up, and he roared, "Where did you take my sister?"

Yun Changkong removed the sword from the stand-in and said in a deep voice, "Young Prince, aren't you afraid that your sister will be very angry if you say that?"

Wang Baobao snorted and said, "What will make her angry is yet to come."

Yun Changkong coldly said, "Fine, it's because you, as the older brother, don't give Minmin any face, then don't blame me!" As he spoke, he looked to the side and exclaimed "Eh!"

Just as Wang Baobao was about to order an attack, he saw Yun Changkong looking to the side with a surprised expression. His heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly felt a strong wind surging towards him. The two elders of Xuanming shouted, "Young Prince, retreat quickly!"

The two of them unleashed a powerful palm strike.

Wang Baobao suddenly felt a powerful force rushing towards his shoulder, and a cold, sharp longsword had already swept past him, causing him to break out in a cold sweat.
Looking back, Yun Changkong was already fighting with the two elders of Xuanming, while his own substitute was dead, his face contorted in rage and spitting blood.

It turned out that Yun Changkong had attracted the attention of the group with his gaze and pushed the imposter towards Wang Baobao. However, the Xuanming Elders were top-notch figures who knew that he had extremely high martial arts skills, so they dared not relax their guard in the slightest.

Upon seeing his sudden attack, the two men slapped at the substitute, but Yun Changkong dodged them and pointed his longsword at Wang Baobao's throat.

Wang Baobao couldn't dodge in time, but he was surrounded by eighteen skilled Tibetan monks. One of the monks struck him away with his palm, otherwise he would have already fallen into Chang Kong's hands.

At this moment, Hebi Weng lightly struck with his palm, the force of which covered all directions. Yun Changkong did not turn his head or move his body. He lightly waved his left hand and used the "Great Shift of Heaven and Earth" to meet Hebi Weng's palm force. With a flick and a deflection, his palm was completely out of control and struck Lu Zhangke's palm!
With a bang, the two men, who were taught by the same master and had similar skill levels, trembled violently, and Yun Changkong gained the upper hand and advanced.

Before Lu Zhangke could understand why his junior brother was attacking him, he suddenly saw a figure flash by and Yun Changkong's longsword pierced his forehead. The Xuanming Elders had never used weapons in public before, and Lu Zhangke was unable to draw his staff to parry. He could only swirl his palm and strike the longsword.

At the same time, Yun Changkong unleashed a flurry of kicks from mid-air, like a storm of wind and rain. Lu Zhangke's heart skipped a beat: "Shadow-Following Kick!"

Cheng Kun used this leg technique to kick Zhang Wuji fiercely in the secret passage of Bright Peak that day. Although it was only a few moves, Yun Changkong already understood it.

This "Shadow-Following Kick" is one of the 72 Shaolin Arts. It is extremely fast. Once the first kick is delivered, the second kick follows closely, attacking the enemy. It can also be combined with other moves to form a continuous attack.

Yun Changkong's use of both sword and leg was exquisite. Lu Zhangke used the Xuanming Divine Palm to shake off Yun Changkong's longsword, but Yun Changkong kicked his right arm away. Even with his profound internal strength, Lu Zhangke felt sore and in pain.

Yun Changkong used the "Arhat Subduing Demon Skill" to activate Shaolin's ultimate technique. It was a precise and coordinated move. When he kicked, it was as fast as lightning. With a series of sharp cracking sounds, Lu Zhangke was hit by seven kicks in the chest in the blink of an eye. He spat out blood and flew several feet away like a kite. With a bang, he crashed into the artificial hill. He struggled for a couple of moments and then lay still. It was unknown whether he was dead or alive.

It's too late to say, then soon!
Crane Brush Elder never dreamed that Yun Changkong would become so powerful after five years. However, being a first-rate master, he remained calm and collected. Taking advantage of the moment, he took out his two brushes and quickly poked Yun Changkong's legs.
At this moment, Yun Changkong was kicking Lu Zhangke away when he heard a strange sound behind him, light and swift. He turned his longsword, deflected the two pens, and leaped forward in mid-air. He touched the pillar with his feet, turned suddenly, and his longsword moved like a shadow, both real and illusory, towards Hebi Weng's face.

Crane Brush Weng parried with both pens, but Yun Changkong chuckled and channeled his energy, causing Crane Brush Weng's left pen to collide with his right pen involuntarily. With a clang, sparks flew, and both arms went numb!
Yun Changkong slapped his left palm down toward Hebi Weng’s head, but Hebi Weng turned his head to the side and the sharp palm strike landed on his shoulder.

With a crack, Hebi Weng's shoulder shattered. He cried out and flew backward, knocking down several soldiers, and coughed up a mouthful of blood.

The Xuanming Elders, renowned throughout the capital and top figures of the Ruyang Prince's Mansion, were instantly defeated by Yun Changkong, coughing up blood and seemingly on the verge of death. This shocking revelation left everyone speechless and incredulous!

Yun Changkong paid them no heed. His black robes fluttered as he sped forward. Suddenly, he saw a red shadow flash before his eyes. Eighteen Tibetan monks moved back and forth, blocking Wang Baobao's path.

These people, known as the "Eighteen Vajras," are divided into five groups: five with knives, five with swords, four with staffs, and four with cymbals. Their footwork is unpredictable, and the eighteen of them form a human wall, suggesting that there are many variations within their formation.

Yun Changkong was not afraid of this "Diamond Formation" at all. He charged straight forward, and swords and blades fell as he passed by, while monk's staff and steel bowl came at him.

Then came the clanging sound, which was incessant. A dark figure appeared and disappeared, and a knife came slashing down.

Yun Changkong flicked his longsword, striking the tip of the blade. The monk's hand sank, losing control, and his dagger went astray, his aim completely gone, deflecting several sword strikes!
At this moment, the eighteen Vajras launched a series of attacks. One of them swung out a Zen staff, and Yun Changkong's long sword caught the staff, using the force to fly up over his head. He then kicked out with his right foot, hitting the bald man squarely. The Tibetan monk fell to the ground with a thud.

Yun Changkong flipped in mid-air, his left hand suddenly extending, and a long rope silently wrapped around Wang Baobao's waist. With a pull of his strength, Wang Baobao was dragged forward several feet, the sword energy already like a north wind blowing in his face.

Yun Changkong had never fought a major battle in a long time, and now he was in a very good position. He felt very proud and couldn't help but laugh loudly.

At this moment, the remaining Vajras roared and pounced. Yun Changkong moved like a dragon and snake, his long rope dancing wildly. With each swing and thrust, several sharp cracks were heard as he whipped the Tibetan monks, causing them to roar repeatedly.

Yun Changkong spun around in a flash, his longsword already at Wang Baobao's neck; the movements were as swift as lightning.

Everyone stopped in their tracks. If Yun Changkong were to tremble even slightly, Wang Baobao's life would be in danger. How could they dare to act for fear of harming the innocent?
Yun Changkong laughed and said, "Brother-in-law, how are you planning to make Minmin angry? Tell me!"

Wang Baobao broke out in a cold sweat, but stood up straight. Just as he was about to speak, his golden hairpin split in two with a hiss, and his hair fell down.

Everyone gasped in surprise.

Wang Baobao shouted, "Don't be so smug! If you have the guts, kill me!" His voice shook the roof tiles, showing his formidable spirit!

But his body was trembling slightly.

Yun Changkong smiled and said, "There are very few in this world who can make my sword miss! You are already very impressive!"

Actually, he didn't intend to kill anyone; otherwise, he would have severed the crown with a single sword strike.

Wang Baobao knew perfectly well that cutting off one's crown could mean cutting off one's head; Yun Changkong was just trying to scare him. He let out a long sigh and said softly, "You really are powerful; no wonder you were able to kidnap my sister!"

As Wang Baobao spoke, his mouth was filled with extreme bitterness.

Yun Changkong asked, "Where is the Prince of Ruyang?"

Wang Baobao snorted coldly, then suddenly roared, "Don't worry about me! All soldiers, advance! I'm going to die with him!"

"What courage!" Yun Changkong gave a thumbs up: "It would be an unparalleled honor for me to perish together with such an extraordinary man in the world. However, if I don't want to die, no one in this world can kill me, and you are no exception!"

(End of this chapter)