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

Chapter 131: Do your best to obey fate
The Prince of Ruyang's mansion was heavily guarded, with not only many skilled fighters but also a large number of elite armored soldiers lying in ambush. At the slightest sign of trouble, they could all rush out and surround the intruders.

However, in the blink of an eye, Yun Changkong had beaten Lu Zhangke to the point of being unconscious, and He Biweng's left hand had gone limp, and he had spat out blood. He had escaped from the Eighteen Vajra Formation and captured Wang Baobao.

It was all done in one smooth motion. They never imagined that someone like Yun Changkong would exist.

The Mongols revered warriors the most, and even if they knew he was a traitor who had abducted the princess, they still admired him.

Therefore, whether Yun Changkong said that Wang Baobao was an extraordinary man in the world, or that no one could kill him, he felt that this statement was accurate.

Wang Baobao was even more enraged, thinking, "Is there any extraordinary man in the world who can have a sword held to his neck?" He shouted, "You southern barbarian surnamed Yun, I, Kuku Temur, may lose my head and shed my blood, but I will never tolerate being ridiculed and humiliated! Chief Steward Ha, this thief has repeatedly violated my Ruyang Prince's Mansion, yet he has not been allowed to escape. Today, ignore me, immediately occupy the high ground, fire a volley of arrows and crossbows, and kill this thief!"

He issued orders with great decisiveness. Armored soldiers surrounded him, some went up to the pavilion, some to the corridor. From their high vantage points, they drew their bows and aimed their arrows. Hundreds of eyes gleamed in the darkness, and hundreds of powerful bows were nocked. Anyone else would have been terrified, but Yun Changkong remained calm and composed.

This wasn't because he was certain that the densely packed Mongol soldiers would hesitate to attack him, but because even if they obeyed Wang Baobao's orders and fired arrows at him in unison, it would be impossible for them to kill him.

The greatest threat that crossbows pose to martial arts masters is in open spaces, where there are no obstacles to maneuver or dodge, making them unable to withstand the endless rain of arrows.

But within this palace, there are artificial hills, large trees, houses, and other hiding places everywhere. Once he leaves the palace, there are even more places to hide. If he is focused on escaping, what use are bows and arrows?

Yun Changkong wasn't stupid enough to stand still and endure the rain of arrows.

Furthermore, if he wanted to take Wang Baobao's life or threaten him, he could have used his hands. Instead, he held a long sword to Wang Baobao's neck. The fact that the long sword was gleaming against his neck naturally made Wang Baobao seem more dangerous to the Yuan soldiers, so they dared not fire an arrow rashly.

Therefore, the Mongol soldiers stared intently at Yun Changkong, but none of them fired a shot. They felt that if the enemy was not killed by the arrows, but the young prince was, how could the prince have a good outcome?
Anyone who actually carries out such an order is a fool.

Yun Changkong laughed loudly: "Brother-in-law, I'm not trying to humiliate you. I've heard that you've received the true teachings of Genghis Khan's military strategy and are skilled in using cavalry. If you don't die, your future will be limitless. I say you are a remarkable man in the world, and this comes from the bottom of my heart. It has nothing to do with humiliation!"

Wang Baobao was taken aback, thinking to himself, "My sister even told him this, otherwise how would this kid know?"

In fact, Wang Baobao received the true teachings of Genghis Khan's military strategy and was skilled in using cavalry. This wasn't something Zhao Min said. Rather, it came from Yun Changkong's later memories, just like the phrase "an extraordinary man under heaven."

Many people only know Wang Baobao for his feat of "crossing the Yellow River with a wooden plank" and for being praised by Zhu Yuanzhang as "an extraordinary man of the world".
Little did anyone know that Wang Baobao was a master of cavalry, repeatedly inflicting heavy defeats on the Ming army. Xu Da, who had fought countless battles throughout his life, was invincible and his fame resounded throughout China. However, after recovering the Yan and Yun regions, he led a northern expedition against the remnants of the Mongol Yuan dynasty who had retreated to the grasslands. There, he encountered Wang Baobao, nearly being captured alive, and his reputation was tarnished in his later years. He was truly a formidable figure.

Wang Baobao found these words quite agreeable, but being the proud man he always was, he refused to back down and said, "I underestimated you today. You deliberately lured me out. Consider this the price I paid for my arrogance. You won't have such good luck from now on."

He spoke with great bravado, but a hint of melancholy flashed in his eyes.

Wang Baobao thought that Yun Changkong was a foolish idiot who had captured an imposter, and he was confident of victory because he was surrounded by many experts and armored soldiers. He never expected that Yun Changkong's martial arts were so strong that he could capture him alive amidst heavy guards!
In fact, not only him, but even experts like the Xuanming Elders, who had considered that the two of them might not be a match for Yun Changkong, never expected that they would be defeated so decisively.

At this moment, Hebi Weng was holding his senior brother Lu Zhangke. He saw that Lu Zhangke's sternum was broken, blood was gushing from his mouth, staining his clothes red, and his lips were trembling as if he wanted to say something, but he could not utter a word. His eyes were wide open, and he died with his eyes open.

"Senior Brother!" Seeing his senior brother breathe his last, Hebi Weng was overwhelmed with shame and resentment, and cried out in shock.

Everyone looked over and realized that Lu Zhangke had been kicked to death by Yun Changkong. They all felt a chill in their hearts.

Crane Pen Elder's eyes were like torches as he coldly stared at Yun Changkong and shouted, "Yun Changkong, you despicable villain, you have failed to live up to your reputation and harmed my senior brother. I will never let you get away with this!"

Yun Changkong possessed exceptional martial arts skills and keen insight. From the moment the real Wang Baobao appeared, he had been plotting how to capture him in one fell swoop. Therefore, he threw the imposter at Wang Baobao, forcing the Xuanming Elders to intercept him. He then used the "Great Shift of Heaven and Earth" to disrupt their coordination, catching them off guard. Taking advantage of the opportunity, he attacked and defeated the Xuanming Elders one by one.

What puzzled Hebi Weng the most was that Lu Zhangke, with his profound internal strength, could hold his own against Zhang Wuji, so how could he be killed by Yun Changkong with just a few kicks? Hebi Weng was ruthless, but not as cunning and resourceful as Lu Zhangke. He racked his brains but still couldn't figure it out!
Five years ago, the group had a fight. Yun Changkong caught them off guard with his "Tiangang Beidou Step". In terms of martial arts and internal strength, it was hard to say who was better or worse. It was just that the two elders of Xuanming had their own preferences and were also burdened with the responsibility of protecting the Prince of Ruyang and his son every day, so they had too many worries.

Yun Changkong, however, was focused solely on his Dao. When they met again, the Xuanming Elders were no match for him. Furthermore, they harbored preconceived notions, believing Zhang Wuji's internal strength to be unparalleled and certainly no less than Yun Changkong's. However, internal strength is not only about depth but also purity, and Zhang Wuji was far inferior in this regard!
This is because after Yun Changkong mastered the Arhat Subduing Demon Skill, he practiced many of Wang Chongyang's martial arts for more than five years.

It encompasses fists, feet, weapons, and more. He also meditated for over three years, both to temper his mind and refine his inner energy. This allows him to use both strength and gentleness, with intention and energy working in unison. Whether it's overwhelming force or cutting off someone's hair without causing harm, it's all within a single thought.

Although Zhang Wuji had practiced the Nine Yang Divine Skill for about the same number of years as Yun Changkong had practiced the Arhat Subduing Demon Divine Skill, he did not have any profound martial arts to match it, and he did not cultivate both internal and external skills. As a result, his internal strength was abundant but not pure enough, and his destructive power was relatively limited.

Simply put, if the Xuanming Elders were accidentally hit by Zhang Wuji's attack, they would be protected by their internal energy, and although they would feel pain, they might not be seriously injured or have their defenses broken.

However, Yun Changkong's attacks were powerful and unrestrained, with endless variations, ranging from the immense force of Mount Tai to the minuteness of swords and needles. The sheer power and unpredictable nature of his attacks meant that anyone struck by them would have their life force shattered, suffering either death or severe injury. This was why, despite knowing that Zhang Sanfeng dominated the martial world, Yun Changkong was still unwilling to fight him.

He was genuinely afraid that in the heat of the fight, the old man might make a careless move and be hit by his own, resulting in either death or serious injury, thus harming the other man.

Seeing Hebi Weng glaring at him, Yun Changkong snorted and said in a deep voice, "This lewd deer has harmed countless women; it deserves to die long ago. Today, I'm entrusted with a task and don't want to kill anyone else. If you keep arguing, go find your senior brother now; it's not too late!"

Old Crane Pen's eyes turned cold and sharp as he coldly said, "I'll fight you to the death!"

The two elders, Xuanming and Meng, studied under the same master and had no wives or children. They were inseparable and had a deep bond. When Crane Pen Elder saw his senior brother die, he was filled with grief and rage. He immediately grabbed two judge's pens with his right hand, leaped forward, and attacked Yun Changkong.

Seeing this, Steward Ha called out, "Old Crane, let's talk this out..."

The Mongol soldiers were hesitant to act rashly, but Hebi Weng was fearless. He knew that he was no match for Yun Changkong in a head-on confrontation, but with Jue Wang Baobao dead, Yun Changkong would also be hard-pressed to escape retribution. So, perhaps he could avenge his senior brother and himself under the Mongol soldiers' hail of arrows!

Yun Changkong guessed what the other party was thinking and sneered, "You're courting death!" He grabbed Wang Baobao's shoulder with his left hand, and his long sword fluttered as he met the attack head-on. With a clang, the silver sword and the black pen clashed, producing a crisp and melodious sound, like the playing of a zither.

After a few moves, a streak of dark light flew straight into the sky. Crane Pen Weng's other brush flew out of his hand like a flying goose and a streak of lightning, heading straight for Yun Changkong's face. Suddenly, a "Mysterious Dark Palm" was silently unleashed, striking Wang Baobao directly.

It sounds ordinary, but it is the ultimate skill of Crane Pen Master. His left shoulder bone was shattered, and he was holding two pens in his right hand. At this moment, he threw the pens out to confuse the audience and take advantage of the situation to kill Wang Baobao with the Xuanming Divine Palm.

Yun Changkong dared not be negligent. He blocked the brush with his right sword and thrust out with his left palm. The force of their palms collided with a sound like a broken drum, and a hurricane suddenly arose. Crane Brush Elder felt a torrent rush through his palm and straight to his wrist. He retreated hastily, and before he could even land steadily, he was caught off guard.
Yun Changkong's longsword had already stuck a pen to the ground. The pen flew around the sword once, and with a whoosh, it bounced off the chest of the Hebi Weng.

Crane Pen Elder was knocked back by a palm strike, his blood and qi churning. The flying pen had already arrived, and he was powerless to dodge or block it. Just then...

Suddenly, a crisp, clear "ding" was heard, sparks flew everywhere, and a black pen made of fine steel flew out and stuck into the artificial rock. In front of him stood a decadent old man holding a long sword.

Upon seeing this, Yun Changkong's eyes flashed with surprise, and he said, "Fang Dongbai, you're still unharmed?"

He remembered that in the original story, this person was crippled by Zhang Wuji, so how come he's still perfectly fine?

But then I thought about it again, and it made sense!

In the original story, Zhao Min made him fight Zhang Wuji one-on-one, which is why he was crippled. This time, Wang Baobao didn't do that, so it's understandable that he's still alive.

Old Man Hebi's eyes were bloodshot, his breathing evened, and he unleashed another palm strike. Steward Ha exclaimed in shock and anger, "Old Man Hebi, have you lost your mind..."

Ah Da's longsword moved forward one step.

"Stop!" came a sharp shout.

"Whoosh!" A wolf-tooth arrow struck a pillar, and the soldiers all lowered their bows and turned around.

A man with a square face, a thick beard, a dignified appearance, and wearing a wide robe and long sleeves walked slowly towards them.

Behind him followed three Tibetan monks, one dressed in red, one in yellow, and the third, who was extremely short, wore a golden robe. Each of them had eyes that seemed to pierce the light. Yun Changkong felt a chill run down his spine: "Who are these three Tibetan monks?"

Everyone hurriedly bowed and said, "Your Highness!" Wang Baobao said in a hoarse voice, "Father, be careful. This barbarian is Yun Changkong. He is skilled in martial arts and cunning. We must not be careless."

He spoke in Mongolian, which Yun Changkong couldn't understand. He immediately tapped Wang Baobao's neck with his finger, rendering Wang Baobao speechless. He then smiled at him and said, "I like listening to Mandarin."

Prince Ruyang glanced at Yun Changkong and saw that he had a handsome face and remained calm despite being surrounded. He said coldly, "I have long admired you and have wanted to meet you for a long time, but I have never had the opportunity. It is good that I have met you today."

Yun Changkong smiled and said, "I have long admired Your Highness's name."

Prince Ruyang said, "It seems you did not come here to assassinate me."

Yun Changkong said, "Of course not!"

The Prince of Ruyang nodded and said, "So you've come here because you have something to say to me?"

Yun Changkong nodded and said, "Your Highness guessed correctly, I was entrusted by someone!"

Prince Ruyang looked at Wang Baobao and Lu Zhangke: "But I'm afraid this approach might fail to live up to your expectations?"

Yun Changkong said, "There's nothing I can do. I took your daughter as my wife, and you all hate me so much. If I didn't have your son, I probably would have riddled me with bullets by now!"

The Prince of Ruyang nodded: "You are a very intelligent person."

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "Your daughter has done a good job of training her!"

The Prince of Ruyang said, "Then let's talk somewhere else!"

Yun Changkong pondered for a moment and said, "Alright, but Your Highness, I prefer to speak frankly. Like you, I don't want Minmin to be sad, so please don't do anything you shouldn't!"

The Prince of Ruyang stared at him for a long while before saying, "You took my daughter away. It's all my fault for doing anything excessive, but she hasn't come back, so naturally I'm reluctant to let her go." With that, he turned and left, followed by several Tibetan monks.

Yun Changkong sheathed his sword and followed Wang Baobao.

The samurai beside them naturally made way and followed.

After passing through several corridors, Prince Ruyang and his entourage entered a flower hall. Prince Ruyang sat at the head of the table, surrounded by several Tibetan monks arranged in a triangular formation to protect him.

Yun Changkong followed closely, listening to the sounds. He heard footsteps all around, indicating that they were surrounded, but he remained calm and pulled Wang Baobao into the hall.

When the Prince of Ruyang saw him walking with the stride of a dragon and the gait of a tiger, every move he made exuded confidence, his brows were deep and his gaze was firm, he felt that he had the demeanor of a king. But when he thought about his deeds and actions, he felt that it was normal.

Such a person certainly has the right to look down on kings and nobles.

Since his debut, Yun Changkong has always been a loner, never joining any faction, making it impossible for him to get started. If there is any weakness now, it is his daughter.

But this wasn't a weakness for him anymore. After all, he couldn't very well use his daughter to blackmail Yun Changkong!

Yun Changkong pulled Wang Baobao to sit at the lower seat without a second thought.
After a long silence, the Prince of Ruyang finally spoke, "Did Minmin send you?"

Chang Kong said, "Yes, she has a letter for you."

As he spoke, he took out a letter that Zhao Min had written long ago from his bosom. Without moving his arm, the envelope slowly flew towards the Prince of Ruyang, as if an invisible hand was supporting it from below.

Upon witnessing this scene, the Tibetan monks exchanged bewildered glances, their faces displaying a variety of expressions.
Prince Ruyang did not go to take it. The Tibetan monk in red robes reached out to take it. As soon as he got the envelope, he flicked his sleeve and was secretly surprised. He said coldly, "I have long heard that a Buddhist master has emerged in China. We have come from India. Today's meeting is indeed extraordinary!"

He saw that Yun Changkong had taken the letter far away and had not made a move. The attack was slow but the force was extremely strong. He was indeed an extraordinary master!
Yun Changkong laughed and said, "You flatter me!"

The Tibetan monk handed the letter to the Prince of Ruyang.

Prince Ruyang opened the letter and read it.

Yun Changkong knew the contents of the letter: Zhao Min talked about her marriage to Yun Changkong, what she had seen and heard along the way, and combined with the political situation of the court, so that her father and brothers could make arrangements as soon as possible.

Yun Changkong had been wanting to test these three monks, and now he sensed that the red-robed foreign monk's internal strength was extremely profound. Seeing that although the three were standing sparsely, it seemed to be some kind of formation, but it was not the Three Talents Formation that he knew. He said, "These eminent monks are so extraordinary, but I have never heard Minmin mention them. I would like to ask for their Dharma names!"

The red-robed Tibetan monk clasped his hands together and said, "This humble monk is Mohanfa!"

Pointing to the Tibetan monk in the golden robe, he said, "This is my senior master, Venerable Jiu!" Pointing to the Tibetan monk in the yellow robe, he said, "This is my senior brother, Holy Mohan. The three of us are the elders of the Eighteen Vajras. The princess has been away for a long time and naturally does not know!"

Yun Changkong nodded, thinking, "The Eighteen Vajras know the method of combining their powers, and since they are the elders, they naturally know it too! Mohanfa has profound internal strength, and the three of them are as one, making them formidable opponents. Not to mention there are so many other Vajras and experts. If we are restrained, it will be extremely dangerous. We absolutely cannot compete with them in palm strikes!"

Yun Changkong had a thought in his mind, but he was watching Ruyang Wang. He saw that when Ruyang Wang read the letter, his face changed and even his hands trembled. He didn't know if it was anger or fear!
After a long while, Prince Ruyang slowly folded the letter and said, "Minmin seems to be doing well."

Yun Changkong said, "Whether it's good or bad depends on who you're referring to!"

Prince Ruyang gazed at the vast sky, his eyes flashing with a sharp light, and said, "Since Minmin has already become your husband, why do you admit that you stole Minmin from you!"

Yun Changkong said, “We Han and Mongol are different and have a clear stance. In your eyes, Han people are just barbarians, and in our eyes, you are just stinking Tartars. If you don’t say this, I’m afraid you won’t be able to explain yourself to the court!”

Prince Ruyang sighed, "So, you're doing this for my own good?"

"No!" Yun Changkong shook his head and said, "It's because I know that my father-in-law and brother-in-law are rare military strategists in Mongolia. Even if the Yuan court has any suspicions about you at the moment, they still need you to quell the rebellion! This matter cannot shake your resolve!"

The Prince of Ruyang said coldly, "Since you know, why don't you explain?"

Yun Changkong said, "Because I respect Minmin, I also respect you. If you don't acknowledge me as your son-in-law and say that I stole Minmin, then I did steal her."

The Prince of Ruyang smiled faintly and said, "Our Great Yuan has destroyed countless countries and its prestige is unparalleled throughout history. If you Han people rebel and want to take back the Central Plains, it is truly like throwing an egg against a rock, a foolish and delusional act. For Minmin's sake, I will show you a clear path."

Yun Changkong shook his head: "I have my own plans for how I will walk my own path, and no one can make arrangements for me!"

If Yun Changkong had previously given off a gentle and mild impression, at this moment a stern and cold aura swept over him, making even this seasoned general, who had been through many battles, feel suffocated.

The Prince of Ruyang snorted coldly: "Then why should I listen to you?"

Yun Changkong said calmly, "I didn't ask you to listen to me. It's just that Minmin hopes you can return to Mongolia and live a peaceful life as a family. I know you would find it hard to agree to that."

But for Minmin's sake, I had to come here. I just didn't want her to know that her father and brother had died on the battlefield.

I have done my best; it is up to fate. Whether Your Highness listens or not is entirely up to you. Don't think that just because you are the Grand Marshal of the Yuan army, with high rank and power, surrounded by experts, you are truly that capable. Now that uprisings are breaking out everywhere, why are you sitting here? Think about it carefully!

He got up and left.

(End of this chapter)