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

Chapter 154 The Money Has Arrived
Yilin was taken aback. She had never imagined that her Dharma name had such an interpretation. A blush rose to her cheeks, and she said shyly, "My master gave me this Dharma name, so I've just called you that. I don't deserve such praise."

However, the patrons upstairs all agreed that this statement was correct.

Yilin was incomparably beautiful, with bright, clear eyes. Her face was completely unadorned, smooth and lustrous like jade. At this moment, her face was flushed, and her pitiful appearance aroused people's pity. They felt that it was a sin for such a woman to become a nun.

Even the girl in the yellow dress sighed. It was a pity that the nun's beauty was greatly diminished by shaving her head. If she had long, black hair, she would have been truly beautiful.

Yun Changkong turned his gaze to the young man beside Yilin and smiled slightly, saying, "I didn't expect to meet such a great hero today. Please have a seat."

The young man laughed heartily, bowed deeply in thanks, sat down, and said in a clear voice, "Besides being able to drink and talk a lot, I am good for nothing. How can I be considered a great hero? It is you who made the lone traveler Tian Boguang flee in such a sorry state. I admire you greatly."

Seeing that he was still full of energy despite his knife wounds, Yun Changkong knew that he must be Linghu Chong. His eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he said coldly, "My martial arts are slightly better than Tian Boguang's. It's just that I attacked him with my strength against his weakness. What's so special about that? Is that something you should admire? It seems that you, Lao Denuo of Huashan, are nothing special after all!"

Upon hearing this, the fat monk's eyes flashed with a strange light as he glanced over, and the old man also looked over, muttering, "Interesting!"

The young man was taken aback upon hearing this, glanced at Yilin, and then laughed loudly: "It is truly an honor to meet such an extraordinary person as you, sir! Alright, I will not lie in front of you, I am not Lao Denuo."

"Huh?" Yilin was taken aback and exclaimed, "You, you're not Senior Brother Lao from Mount Hua?"

The young man laughed and said, "Although I am not Lao Denuo, it is not wrong for you to call me senior brother. I am Linghu Chong of Huashan."

The Five Mountains Sword Sects formed an alliance and were closely connected, with their disciples addressing each other as fellow disciples.

Yilin was initially flustered because this wasn't Senior Brother Lao from the Huashan Sect, but upon hearing that he was Linghu Chong, and recognizing him as the founding disciple of the Huashan Sect's leader, the "Gentleman Sword," she exclaimed joyfully, "You, you are Senior Brother Linghu..."

Linghu Chong laughed and said, "Yes, I was afraid I couldn't beat Tian Boguang and would lose face, so I revealed my junior brother's name. Please forgive me, junior sister."

Yilin glanced at him and saw that he was only in his early twenties. She remembered that last night he had called himself an old man and said, "I am an old man who has lived for seventy or eighty years." He had been lying to Tian Boguang. She had clearly seen that he was a young man just now and never thought that he was not that old man. She was immediately ashamed and blushed as she stepped aside. She couldn't lift her head for a long time.

In fact, Linghu Chong was impersonating Lao Denuo to do good deeds without seeking recognition.

It is important to understand that the true nature of chivalry lies in giving without expecting anything in return. Sayings like judging actions over intentions do not hold true in this way.

You can't call it chivalrous behavior just because you did something good without good intentions, or because you did something good and expected someone to repay you. That's just absurd!
Linghu Chong's use of Lao Denuo's name was also based on a certain consideration. Lao Denuo, after all, had already acquired martial arts skills before joining the Huashan Sect. He had been wandering the martial world for a long time before officially becoming a disciple. Although he ranked second in the Huashan Sect, it was only because he joined the sect late. In terms of age, he was much older than Linghu Chong, the eldest disciple, old enough to be the grandfather of the little nun Yilin.

Therefore, Linghu Chong identified himself as Lao Denuo to protect Yilin's reputation. After all, he rescued Yilin in a dark cave, and once she escaped, someone would surely ask her what happened, so he would say that he was rescued by Lao Denuo.

This old man, Laudenau, can avoid a lot of gossip by staying in the same place as a young girl.

In this way, not only can Yilin's reputation be preserved, but the Hengshan Sect's good name can also be preserved.

Yun Changkong knew perfectly well that Linghu Chong's claim of doing it for his own reputation was utter nonsense, but he didn't expose him. He smiled and said, "Your martial arts are inferior to Tian Boguang's, yet you risked your life for this little nun. Such courage and heroism are rare in this martial world. For that alone, you'd be willing to have a couple of drinks with me!"

At this time, the waiter brought up the wine and dishes. The wine was Liuyang wine, a famous wine from Hunan, and the dishes were all meat dishes such as beef, pork, chicken, duck, fish and shrimp.

Yun Changkong looked at Yilin and said, "Bring this young master a vegetarian meal."

Yilin had been running all night and was very hungry, but she hesitated when Yun Changkong spoke.

Linghu Chong said, "Junior Sister Yilin, it seems that everyone from your sect has already headed to Hengshan City. I also need to join my fellow disciples to attend Uncle Liu's Golden Basin Washing Hands Ceremony. After we've eaten and drunk our fill, we'll travel together and arrive in Hengshan City this afternoon. What do you think?"

Yilin clasped her hands together and said, "Then thank you very much."

Linghu Chong looked at Yun Changkong and laughed loudly, "Indeed, the martial world is vast and full of extraordinary people. Please!" With that, he unceremoniously picked up the wine pot, filled Yun Changkong's cup, and then poured one for himself. Raising his cup, he said, "I'm just offering this as a token of my respect. Cheers!" With that, he drank it all in one gulp.

Linghu Chong and Tian Boguang had a fierce battle at night, and Linghu Chong was slashed three times by Tian Boguang. Tian Boguang was in a hurry to catch up with Yilin and didn't delay.

Although Linghu Chong was injured, he was afraid that Yilin would be harmed, so he chased after her despite his injuries. That's why he saw Yun Changkong acting strangely, especially daring to say in public, "Make Tian Boguang kowtow and apologize, and make him give you money, or else you'll live!"

They were all doing things with generosity and heroism, which made them greatly admire him. When they saw him fight Tian Boguang with ease and composure, scaring the notorious lecherous thief into fleeing in panic, they couldn't help but cheer.

When he came upstairs to order food and drinks, the host initially thought that with his martial arts skills, even if he ate for free, no one could do anything to him. However, he frankly stated that someone had given him money and he wouldn't eat for free, which showed that he was a magnanimous and upright hero who wouldn't cheat the common people. The host wanted to offer to pay for his drinks, but was afraid of offending this extraordinary man, so he invited him to join him for a drink. Now that Yun Changkong was inviting him, he naturally wouldn't stand on ceremony.

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "Hero Linghu is indeed straightforward."

He then drank the wine in his glass.

Linghu Chong poured Yun Changkong another cup and said, "Brother, please don't call me a great hero. Last night I was almost killed by Tian Boguang. If there were such a great hero, I would be quite embarrassed!"

Yun Changkong shook his head and said, "The so-called chivalrous person is not defined by the level of martial arts or the size of their skills, but by the principle of right and wrong. If it is wrong, they will not deceive even women and children. If it is right, they will not be afraid of being crushed to pieces even if they face the number one in the world!"

Therefore, it is precisely because your martial arts skills are inferior to Tian Boguang's that you dared to draw your sword to help; this is what makes you a true hero and a chivalrous man. If your martial arts skills were superior to Tian Boguang's, saving the little nun would be nothing special, and calling that chivalrous would be mere flattery.

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.

Linghu Chong had been traveling the martial world for many years and had never met such a person. He clapped his hands and said, "This is truly a profound statement. A true hero is judged by his heart and actions. If all those self-proclaimed chivalrous and righteous people who roam the martial world with their swords had your insight, the martial world would be much more peaceful."

Having said that, he raised his cup and drank it all in one gulp.

Linghu Chong, who had always loved wine, was so enticed by the aroma of Liuyang wine that he drank three cups in a row and said, “Brother, although we have only met by chance, I can tell that you are a man of character, which I truly admire.”

Moreover, eliminating demons and upholding justice is my inescapable duty. Even without you and Junior Sister Yilin, I would still fight Tian Boguang to the death today!

Yun Changkong laughed loudly, "Exorcising demons and protecting the righteous path?"

Linghu Chong laughed and said, "You don't believe me?"

Yun Changkong shook his head and said, "It's not that I don't believe it. It's just that this 'exorcising demons and protecting the righteous path' is too big."

If not handled properly, it could make many people in the world ignorant, heartless, lawless, and immoral.

He's become someone who blatantly lies, spouts nonsense, and speaks falsehoods against his conscience. A scoundrel so absurd he doesn't even know the meaning of his own soul!

He took a sip of wine and said, "Soon, all talk of integrity, shame, righteousness, and courtesy will become insignificant in the face of the struggle for interests, and pragmatism will prevail."

This practice has even become rampant and mainstream, leading to a lack of trust between people, rampant intrigue, deceit, moral decay, and a focus solely on profit. Ultimately, this is all caused by the phrase "eliminating evil and protecting the righteous path!"

He spoke softly, but everyone in the building, all martial arts practitioners, looked over. When their eyes met, they all felt an imposing aura emanating from him.

The girl in yellow's beautiful eyes flashed with extraordinary light, her gaze fixed on Yun Changkong. This was the first time she had ever encountered such a captivating hero, one she had encountered before, despite traveling the world with her grandfather.

Yilin opened her mouth nervously, her heart pounding wildly. Yun Changkong's domineering and arrogant demeanor had been ingrained in his bones for many years; he didn't need to act it out, it was something he naturally possessed.

Linghu Chong laughed loudly, "Brother, you are truly audacious, the most audacious I have ever seen in my life!"

"Is that so?" Yun Changkong smiled faintly. "I don't think so."

The girl in the yellow shirt and Yilin, watching from the side, were almost stunned, wondering how such a captivating smile could exist in the world. Yilin's face flushed, and she quickly clasped her hands together, silently chanting, "Amitabha!"

Hearing this, Linghu Chong was even more delighted and called out again, "Waiter, another jar of wine, and a bigger bowl, this small cup is hardly satisfying!"

"Here it is!" The waiter quickly set out several large bowls.

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "It's rare to meet someone with whom I have a connection to drink. Let's have a good drink, why bother with a bowl!"

He pushed the wine jar from Kaifeng toward Linghu Chong.

He picked up a wine jar and slapped open the clay seal with his palm.

Linghu Chong laughed and said, "Brother, in terms of martial arts, you are much stronger than me, but when it comes to drinking, I'm afraid you are no match for me!"

Yun Changkong chuckled: "Then let's give it a try!"

Linghu Chong and Yun Changkong lightly touched, and the two of them tilted their heads back and poured the entire jar of wine into their mouths.

The strong liquor slid down their throats, and a warmth rose in Yun Changkong's heart.

He couldn't tell if it was because of the alcohol or his current mood.

It was simply because Yun Changkong wanted to cheer himself up.

He had spent many years in ascetic practice, and there weren't many things that could bring him joy. Aside from women, perhaps only alcohol could satisfy him.

Because while a woman can drive a man to ecstasy, alcohol can fill a man with confidence and courage.

What is Jianghu?

Some say that wherever there are people, there is a world of its own.

Some say that the martial arts world is a place of swift justice and vengeance!
Some say that one is not in control of one's own destiny in the martial arts world.

Some say that the martial arts world is a complex web of power and desire.

In the martial arts world today, besides the five major sects of Shaolin, Wudang, Emei, Kunlun, and Kongtong, the Five Sacred Mountains Sects, following the Huashan Sect, have also seen the rise of the Songshan and Taishan Sects, as well as the Nanyue Hengshan and Beiyue Hengshan Sects. At the same time, the Five Sacred Mountains have formed an alliance to oppose the Sun Moon Sect, which is composed of heretical individuals.

Both sides have countless martial arts practitioners joining these sects, seeking fame and fortune, and wanting to make a name for themselves.

However, for Yun Changkong, the martial world was merely a tapestry woven from beautiful women, romance, and fine wine. Because within the martial world, though there were sects of good and evil, it was difficult to distinguish between them. Even the most reputable sects had their share of ruthless, wicked villains and hypocrites.

Even within the evil cult, there are gentlemen. Even though they are wicked in the martial world, they are not hypocritical or deceitful, making them easy to be wary of at first glance.

Because when someone who appears upright commits evil, it is very difficult to guard against those who suffer at his hands.

For example, Zuo Lengchan plotted to unify the Five Mountains Alliance and fought a great battle with Yue Buqun on the Fengchan Platform. However, he was ambushed by Yue Buqun, a supposedly upright gentleman, who used a poisoned needle hidden in his palm. Zuo Lengchan never expected that this man, who was known as the "Gentleman Sword," would act so despicably.

So why is it said that the world of martial arts is mainly about beautiful women and emotions? Because throughout history, emperors and generals have been busy conquering the world, becoming emperors, sleeping with women, and seizing wealth.

Those outlaws and bandits are the same.

In the martial arts world, there are many beautiful women with high martial arts skills, regardless of whether they belong to the righteous or evil factions. For example, Yue Buqun's daughter, Yue Lingshan, was so beautiful that just seeing her back caused Yu Canghai's son to be lustful and start harassing her. Lin Pingzhi, seeing justice in his heart, killed Yu Renyan, thus giving Yu Canghai a reason to destroy the Fuwei Escort Agency.

Take Yilin for example. Her beauty captivated the lecherous Tian Boguang. Linghu Chong drew his sword to help, but he was powerless and could only fight with his wits. He offended the Hengshan sect with his words and failed to kill Qu Feiyan. Yue Buqun punished him by making him face the wall on the Cliff of Repentance for a year for violating the sect rules, which caused turmoil in his relationship with Yue Lingshan.

Later, Linghu Chong was crippled after the Six Immortals of Peach Valley transferred his true energy to him. Ultimately, this was all because of Yilin's feelings for him.

Then, when Yue Lingshan stole the Zixia Manual and gave it to Linghu Chong, causing him to feel lost, it was also driven by emotion.

Linghu Chong then told these stories to Ren Yingying, the Holy Maiden of the Demonic Sect. She realized Linghu Chong's deep affection and secretly fell in love with him, which led to the events at Wubagang. It was then that Yue Buqun used this as grounds to expel Linghu Chong from the Huashan Sect.

Ren Yingying was willing to exchange ten years of her freedom for the abbot of Shaolin Temple to save Linghu Chong's life. Then there was Linghu Chong leading a group of heroes to Shaolin Temple to rescue Ren Yingying, and his being recruited by Shaolin Temple, Wudang Sect, and Sun Moon Cult.

Ultimately, it all boils down to the emotional issues between Linghu Chong and Ren Yingying.

Without these emotions, many things in the world would not happen.

Because emotions are the fundamental driving force behind behavior.

Moreover, the trigger for major changes in the martial arts world is always in the name of emotions.

Love, friendship, or family!
It's all because the martial arts world is hypocritical!

No one has ever dared to define the cause of all conflicts as "I am doing this for profit or fame."

They all acted so righteously and solemnly!
So what ignited the fuse must be said to be for the world, for fellow believers, for family, for friends, and for loved ones.

At least from the perspective of people like Yun Changkong and Linghu Chong, who have no desire for power.

All their actions are based on emotion, with righteousness taking a backseat.

If they were heartless and ruthless, they wouldn't have ventured into the martial world.

So why is there wine in the martial arts world?

When you encounter something joyful, you can share it with others through wine; as the saying goes, "a thousand cups of wine are not enough when drinking with a bosom friend!"

When you're feeling down, you can drink your fill of wine!
The saying goes, "Drink today, for tomorrow we may die!"

Therefore, what people in the martial arts world think about is having close friends by their side, drinking fine wine, embracing beautiful women, possessing divine skills, and having their words become law!
For this, I would not hesitate to risk my life and the destruction of my entire family!

So cool!

Bang, bang!
Yun Changkong and Linghu Chong simultaneously tossed the empty wine jars aside.

Linghu Chong laughed heartily, "That's great! That's great!"

He asked for more wine, picked up a jar of fine wine, and broke the clay seal.

"Again!" Yun Changkong also raised a jar and clinked it against the other: "Let's drink today and be drunk today."

The girl in the yellow shirt chuckled and said, "Tomorrow's worries will come tomorrow."

Yun Changkong chuckled, tilted his head back, and poured the wine into his mouth.

Linghu Chong was illiterate, but he was broad-minded and understood the meaning. He said, "Good! We should enjoy life while we can, that's the only way to live! Let's do it!"

Before he had even finished the jar of wine, Yun Changkong was already feeling a little tipsy, his head was slightly spinning, and a sense of loneliness welled up inside him.

This sense of desolation stems from loneliness.

Yun Changkong never knew where he came from. His ability and motivation to survive all along seemed to be everything he ate.

It includes delicious food, fine wine, and beautiful women.

Morality? It's all bullshit!

These days, it's all about stances; where is morality to speak of?

After all, what family's morality is to kill their entire family?

They didn't even spare women and children who didn't know martial arts?
Yun Changkong slowly slumped onto the table.

Linghu Chong also vaguely felt that someone as free-spirited as Yun Changkong, even if it was only the first time they met, seemed much closer to him than to his fellow disciples who had grown up together.

He was a sociable person. He saw that Yun Changkong hadn't finished the second jar of wine before collapsing, as he was gulping it down while holding the jar.

He wanted to outdrink Yun Changkong; that's a man's competitive spirit.

Yun Changkong looked at Yilin in a daze and saw her eating noisily at another table. It turned out that Hunan cuisine was very spicy. Her eyes were filled with tears, but she still had a smile on her face and was eating with great relish.

This time, Yun Changkong's casual intervention changed her fate, and she was no longer forced to drink with Tian Boguang.

Yun Changkong was delighted and his interest was greatly piqued.

Suddenly sensing something amiss, he turned around and found a pair of bright, dark eyes staring at him—it was the girl in the yellow dress.

The little girl raised her eyebrows, put her hands on her hips, and pouted, saying, "Sister, someone is peeping at you!"

Yilin put down her chopsticks, turned to look at the little girl, and said, "Girl, are you talking to me?"

The little girl asked with a grin, "Are there any other older sisters here?"

Just then, a series of heavy thuds were heard in the stairwell, and each step felt very heavy.

The guests upstairs couldn't help but look towards the stairwell, where they saw a person walking unsteadily up the stairs.

Everyone was surprised, as it turned out to be Tian Boguang, who had already left.

He was known for his ability to travel thousands of miles alone and his superb lightness skills, but now his footing was heavy, and he no longer had the fierce spirit he once had.

Instead, his face turned completely red, and he struggled to walk.

Tian Boguang took a few breaths, chuckled dryly, and hunched over as he walked step by step toward Yun Changkong's table. Seeing that Yun Changkong was slumped over the table, seemingly drunk, Tian Boguang bowed and said, "Your martial arts are astonishing, something I have never seen before. I admit defeat today and beg you to spare my life!"

His hands were trembling violently, and as he spoke, sweat dripped from his forehead onto the floor.

Linghu Chong and Yilin exchanged a glance, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.

How fierce Tian Boguang was last night! He claimed that he could fight the Huashan and Hengshan sects single-handedly, and Yun Changkong didn't even lift a finger. How could this man be so submissive? I'm so puzzled!

The old man and the little girl on the other seat exchanged a glance and remained silent.

The fat monk laughed loudly, "Looks like the money-giver has arrived."

When Linghu Chong encountered this kind of situation, he had to get to the bottom of it, so he asked, "Tian Boguang, what's wrong with you?"

Tian Boguang coughed lightly and asked, "You're not Lao Denuo, you're Linghu Chong, right?"

Linghu Chong laughed, "You still care who I am? Tell me, you big lecher, you look so angry, what's wrong?"

Tian Boguang, already suffering inwardly, flew into a rage upon hearing this, pointing his halberd and saying, "Linghu Chong, I am inferior in skill. If you wish to take advantage of my misfortune, I, Tian Boguang, will do as you please. Raising an eyebrow is not the act of a hero! But to kick someone when they are down, to mock and insult them, is this not the style of the Huashan Sect?"

Upon hearing this, Linghu Chong's heart skipped a beat. Remembering his master's teachings and the rules of the Huashan Sect, he knew that kicking someone when they're down was indeed a major taboo. He quickly stood up, took a step back, and clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Brother Tian is right to blame me. I apologize. I was just curious about your dramatic change and hope that Brother Tian can enlighten me."

Seeing that Linghu's apology was sincere, Tian Boguang smiled and said, "Brother Linghu, this is a long story."

Linghu Chong laughed and said, "This nameless hero seems to be drunk. We have plenty of time, so you can tell us all about it."

The girl in yellow quickly said, "Why are you being so long-winded, Tian Boguang? You wouldn't happen to be the person the nameless hero was talking about, the one who gave us the money, would you?"

Tian Boguang smiled bitterly and said, "I'm willing to give my life, what's money?"

(End of this chapter)