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

Chapter 157 Why Did We Die Together? Who Can Be a Hero?

The Huashan disciples found Yun Changkong's words both amusing and astonishing; even the hunchback was no different.

The Huashan disciples found it amusing that they knew the girl was Yue Lingshan herself, but they were shocked that he dared to look at his junior sister. What gave him the right?
Because he's handsome?
This hunchback was none other than Lin Pingzhi, the young head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) of the Fuwei Escort Agency, in disguise.

His family suffered a tragedy when his parents were captured by Yu Renhao, Fang Renzhi, and Jia Renda of the Qingcheng Sect, and he was rescued by Yue Lingshan.

Fearing being discovered by the Qingcheng Sect, he knew he wouldn't be able to save his parents, let alone himself, so he disguised himself and went on his way.

Applying plasters to their faces and making themselves look ugly were all to avoid being recognized by the Qingcheng Sect.

He felt a surge of anger the moment he saw the old man and the young girl, because the two had once pretended to be grandfather and granddaughter in a tavern outside Fuzhou. The old man called himself Old Man Sa, but now he could clearly hear that the two were actually martial arts brothers and sisters.

So, their disguise as grandfather and grandson to come to Fuzhou must have been for some purpose. But they were blind to their own faults, acting out of a sense of injustice, which led to their parents falling into the hands of villains and themselves almost becoming ghosts in the underworld.

Moreover, he could tell from the words of the Huashan disciples that the girl seemed to have feelings for her eldest brother. However, the second brother was already so old, and the eldest brother was certainly even older. This girl was at most sixteen years old. How could she fall in love with an old man in his fifties or sixties?
He thought that this girl's face was covered in pockmarks, and her appearance was so ugly that no one would want her, so she could only fall in love with an elderly widow. This ugly girl had a bad conscience, and her senior brother was a drunkard, which made things even better.

Therefore, he felt that Yun Changkong's words had vented his anger.

Yue Lingshan was both ashamed and angry, and scolded, "If you keep talking nonsense, I'll slap you across the face."

Yun Changkong laughed heartily: "Did I say something wrong? Is it because you are beautiful, young lady? Or are your senior brothers not treating you well enough? Or is it because you haven't managed to control Linghu Chong?"

He emphasized the word "control," making Yue Lingshan feel as if her secrets had been exposed. Her face flushed, and she said, "Do you think you can see Yue Lingshan with this provocation?"

Yun Changkong's expression turned serious as he said, "Miss, I'm not trying to provoke you. I just heard that Yu Canghai destroyed the Fuwei Escort Agency, and that his son harassed Yue Lingshan, the daughter of the Great Master Yue. That young escort leader Lin stepped in out of righteousness and killed Yu Canghai's son..."

At this point, the hunchback hummed in agreement.

It turns out that Lin Pingzhi used to be narrow-minded while working at the Fuwei Escort Agency, thinking that even the most skilled martial artists in the world were at most on par with his father, Lin Zhennan. But after encountering the disciples of the Qingcheng Sect, he realized that his father couldn't even defeat Yu Renhao.

When he saw Master Mo Da's divine skill of severing seven cups with a single sword in the "Night Rain of Xiaoxiang", he was amazed and thought he should become his disciple, practice martial arts diligently, and avenge his great grudge. Otherwise, it would be wishful thinking and hopeless for the rest of his life.

But then he thought about how the Five Mountains Sword Sect and the Qingcheng Sect were on good terms, and how could he possibly offend a friend for someone as unrelated as me? That's why he was at a loss.

Hearing "What, the daughter of the great sect leader Yue, and the righteous help of Young Master Lin" felt like a punch to the chest, and he couldn't help but snort.

Lin Ping's family had suffered a great calamity, and he believed it was all because he had killed Yu Canghai's son for the sake of that woman at the tavern. For days, he had been like a fish that had escaped the net, constantly worried about his parents' safety. Only now did he realize that the person he had helped that day was actually the daughter of the Huashan Sect's leader.

Given her status and position, why should she need to step forward herself? Lin Pingzhi increasingly regretted meddling in other people's business that day. He thought of someone in the tavern who said, "Trouble arises from speaking too much, and worries come from sticking your neck out." This was truly a reflection of himself. Immediately, his eyes welled up with tears.

Yun Changkong glanced at the hunchback and thought, "It seems this is Lin Pingzhi. The kid's mentality is still not stable enough. No wonder he cuts chickens as soon as he sees the Evil-Slaying Sword Manual and doesn't even sleep with his newlywed wife for a night."

He naturally knew that to reach a higher level in martial arts, one needed not only innate talent but also the skill itself.

If you let anyone practice only common martial arts like Luohan Fist or Taizu Changquan, they will never reach the highest level in their entire lives.

Those masters are able to use such martial arts to fight their enemies because they have first cultivated their profound martial arts to a superior level. They can use their strength to defeat the weak and then use common boxing techniques that many people cannot resist.

Contrary to the common perception that this person is so powerful that he doesn't practice advanced martial arts but only practices a single style like Luohan Fist or Taizu Changquan, and can sweep across the martial arts world without practicing anything else.

This is the biggest fallacy ever!

After Lin Pingzhi joined the Huashan Sect, he studied for two years but it wasn't very useful. However, after learning the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique, he killed Yu Canghai and Mu Gaofeng with his sword in just a few months.

This is the power of martial arts itself.

Yun Changkong felt sorry for Lin Pingzhi and Yue Lingshan.

Let's set aside other aspects like filial piety and righteousness for now.

Lin Pingzhi got married, but he didn't even consummate the marriage; he went off to kill chickens. Yue Lingshan abandoned Linghu Chong for Lin Pingzhi, and they ended up getting married. Her allure was less than that of a sword technique.

The Huashan disciples all looked at the strange hunchback, and Lu Dayou walked over to him.

Yun Changkong then said, "I have always heard that this Miss Yue is as beautiful as a fairy and has a radiant appearance. Although Yu Canghai's son is useless, he must have good taste."

We can't just stomp on the faces of a pockmarked ugly man and the Qingcheng Sect just because we see him.

Having seen countless beautiful women in my life, I was extremely interested in just how beautiful this Miss Yue was—a kind of hobby, I suppose. Please forgive me!

Every woman enjoys being praised for her beauty; just hearing it makes her feel good. This is because they consider themselves beautiful and are often quite proud of their looks. When others praise them, it's truly deserved.

Therefore, Yue Lingshan smiled upon hearing this and said, "Don't talk nonsense. If Abbot Yu hears you say this, you'll be in big trouble!"

Yun Changkong smiled and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Miss. It is truly a great blessing for everyone to be fellow disciples with Miss Yue."

These words flattered both Yue Lingshan and her disciples.

Lu Dayou said, "Do you know who our junior sister is? She is my master's daughter, Miss Yue!"

"You Six Monkeys!!" Yue Lingshan stomped her foot angrily.

"That's impossible!" Yun Changkong waved his hand and said, "That's absolutely impossible!"

Lu Dayou frowned and said, "Why is it impossible?"

Yun Changkong said, "What kind of talents are Sect Leader Yue and Heroine Ning? How could their daughter have a face full of pockmarks? Don't try to bully me just because I've never met Miss Yue!"

"Haha..." All the disciples of Mount Hua looked at Yue Lingshan with strange expressions.

Lu Dayou said, "Junior Sister, if Senior Brother knew you'd turned into an ugly monster, he wouldn't want to see you again!"

Yue Lingshan scolded, "Nonsense! Who, who is the ugly monster!" As she spoke, she peeled off a piece of skin from her face.

Seeing her flushed face, Yun Changkong thought to himself, "She is indeed a stunning beauty, with a complexion like rouge and a beauty like a begonia. No wonder she became Linghu Chong's white moonlight. Although she is not as beautiful as Yilin, and even less so than my wives, she is still a rare beauty in the world!"

Thinking about it, I glanced at the hunchback in the corner and felt sorry for him.

Seeing her pretty face, Lin Pingzhi realized that the pockmarks on her face were fake. He secretly regretted that he had no experience in the martial arts world and hadn't even noticed this.

Yun Changkong couldn't help but think that perhaps the moment Lin Pingzhi first saw Yue Lingshan's true face, he knew that the Huashan Sect had ulterior motives! Or perhaps the relationship between him, Yue Lingshan, and Linghu Chong was just the god of fate illustrating that life never gives you what you want.

All the good and bad, the cold and the warm, the real and the fake, must be experienced one by one. There are sour and sweet, sad and happy, laughter and tears, allowing people to slowly experience them until the very end when they realize that some encounters are destined to be regrets from the very beginning.

After all, only stories have happy endings. In real life, most love is unrequited, and many encounters end in regret that is heartbreaking.

When Lin Pingzhi, the young head of the Fuwei Escort Agency, met a tavern girl, Yue Lingshan encountered Lin Pingzhi, whose family had been destroyed!

Yun Changkong shook his head slightly as he thought about it.

Yue Lingshan turned her gaze to Yun Changkong, only to see him shaking his head, and a nameless anger surged within her.

He just praised Yue Lingshan's beauty, and she was very happy. So what does this head-shaking mean? Does it mean she's not beautiful?

Yue Lingshan, half embarrassed and half annoyed, suddenly said, "After talking for so long, you must be thirsty. Let me offer you a drink."

As he spoke, he picked up a rough teapot from the table, poured a cup of tea into it, and with a flick of his finger, tossed it toward Yun Changkong with a "whoosh".

The bowl of tea flew out smoothly, as if an invisible hand was supporting it from below, and the point it struck was the "Shanzhong" acupoint, a major acupoint on the human body.

Yun Changkong watched as the teacup shot towards him without reaching out to catch it. But when the teacup was about two feet away from his chest, it suddenly began to spin like a windmill, and the tea in the cup was aroused, rising about a foot high.

Yun Changkong smiled slightly, gathered his inner strength, and gulped down the water column that had spewed out of the bowl, as if a whale were drinking it all in one go.

He extended his folding fan, catching the porcelain bowl that was spinning uncontrollably. Staring at Yue Lingshan, he said with a half-smile, "The tea is good, but Miss Yue, are you inviting me for tea, or are you trying to make me look bad?"

Yue Lingshan looked at him with a surprised expression, and the restaurant fell silent for a moment.

Lin Pingzhi was somewhat puzzled. The changes just now were too strange. His martial arts skills were limited. He knew it was difficult, but he didn't understand how difficult it was at all.

After all, the way Yue Lingshan's teacup shot out and then suddenly turned in mid-air was incredibly skillful.

This nameless young man's way of drinking tea, and his ability to catch the teacup, was something he found very difficult.

Lin Pingzhi didn't quite understand, but the disciples of the Huashan Sect were all from prestigious families. He knew that Yue Lingshan had added a bit of spin when she threw the teacup, so it wasn't too difficult.

However, Yun Changkong's move could only be made by someone with extremely high internal strength.

After all, the tea needs to be in the cup and sipped in one gulp, something their senior brother Linghu Chong could do.

But as the saying goes, "spilled water is like water that has been poured out." Once the water spun out of the bowl, its shape was uncontrollable. Yun Changkong simply used his internal energy to wrap the "water arrow" he shot out and inhaled it mid-air. This incredible skill astonished many of the Huashan disciples. They wondered if their master could do the same.

Yue Lingshan smiled and said, "Your skill is impressive. May I ask your name?"

Yun Changkong smiled and said, "I only tell my wife my name. Do you want to hear it?"

Yue Lingshan's heart skipped a beat, her cheeks flushed, and she spat out, "Who cares?"

Yun Changkong laughed heartily.

Yue Lingshan continued, "Why did you have to learn such a lecherous man? Even if you have excellent martial arts skills, how can you be considered a hero?"

Yun Changkong smiled again.
Hearing the disapproval in his laughter, Yue Lingshan said, "What, am I wrong?"

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "There are quite a few heroes in this martial arts world. I've met two today. But are there really any heroes in this martial arts world?"

Yue Lingshan disagreed. But before she could speak, Yun Changkong said, "A hero is someone who is capable and competent, regardless of character. Take the lecherous thief Tian Boguang, for example. You can say he's evil or bad, but he's thoroughly evil. He's a man of his word and dares to take responsibility for his actions. Can you say he's not a hero?"

As for heroes, the standards are much higher. They not only need to have heroic deeds and extraordinary courage, but they also need to do things that are beneficial to the country and the people. For example, those who fight against foreign enemies and are loyal to their country can be considered heroes.

If someone is like those who rely on their skills to bring disaster to the country and its people, committing adultery and plunder, can you call them a hero?

So, Miss Yue, who do you think deserves to be called a hero in this martial arts world?

Everyone initially disagreed with Yun Changkong's words, but after listening to him, they felt that there was some truth to them.

The pairing of heroes and valiant men is intended to emphasize the praise for outstanding individuals.

However, this does not mean that the two are the same thing.

Being a good man is just the basic requirement for being a hero.

A hero is always a good man, but a good man is not necessarily a hero!
After thinking it over, Yue Lingshan felt that her parents could be called heroes, but if she said it herself, it would be like a mouse on a scale, praising herself. So she asked, "Then what about you? Are you a hero or a good man?"

As Yun Changkong poured tea, he said, "I am neither a hero nor a valiant man; I am merely a pleasure-seeking, frivolous, and shallow philanderer."

Yue Lingshan snorted coldly: "You really do have some self-awareness!"

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "That's right, how could I compare to the esteemed disciples of Mount Hua!"

The disciples of Mount Hua felt somewhat smug upon hearing this.

Only Lu Da was alert. Seeing Yue Lingshan and Yun Changkong talking non-stop, he sensed something was wrong and coughed, saying, "Second Senior Brother, it's getting dark. We need to find a place to stay quickly!"

The other, tall man, who had been silent until now, spoke up: "All the inns and shops in Hengshan City are full of guests, and we don't want to bother the Liu family. After we meet our eldest brother, let's all rest at the temples and ancestral halls outside the city. What do you say, second brother?"

Since the eldest disciple had not yet arrived, Laodenuo naturally became the leader of the fellow disciples. He nodded and said, "Alright! Let's wait here."

Upon hearing this, Lu Dayou wanted to change the subject and prevent Yun Changkong from speaking to his junior sister, so he said, "Junior sister, what did you and your second senior brother find out when you went to Fuzhou? I heard that the Fuwei Escort Agency was completely wiped out by the Qingcheng Sect. Does that mean the Lin family really has no real martial arts left?"

Yue Lingshan shivered, looked outside, and saw that the rain was still drizzling. She muttered to herself, "If I had come with everyone yesterday, I wouldn't have had to travel in the rain today."

Yun Changkong heard it clearly and thought to himself, "This little girl really has Linghu Chong in her heart, but why did Lin Pingzhi steal her away?"

Did she always only have brotherly feelings for Linghu Chong, or did she fall in love with someone else?

Then Lu Dayou said, "Junior Sister, you said you and Second Senior Brother encountered many strange and unusual things on the road. You can tell us about them now."

Yue Lingshan said, "Why are you in such a hurry? We can talk about it when our senior brother arrives, so I don't have to repeat myself."

Then Laodenuo said, "My junior sister and I met Master in Changsha. Master asked us to come to Hengshan City to meet with our eldest brother and fellow disciples. We won't talk about the matter in Fuzhou now."

Yun Changkong thought to himself, "Yue Buqun isn't with the main group of disciples. He's even meeting with Lao Denuo and Yue Lingshan, who came from Fujian, in Changsha. If he didn't go to Fujian with them, then something's definitely wrong." He glanced at Lin Pingzhi and saw him tremble involuntarily.

Penniless, Lin Pingzhi begged for food and ate wild fruit all the way from Fujian to Nanchang, Jiangxi, only to witness the branch office burned to the ground, destroying many homes in the process. He then arrived in Changsha, where he encountered two Qingcheng disciples at the branch office and learned that the Qingcheng sect's attack on the Fuwei Escort Agency was premeditated. He took the looted gold and silver jewelry and then rushed to Hengshan. Hearing the Huashan Sect leader meeting with these two in Changsha puzzled him; why would the prestigious Huashan Sect act this way?
Things seem complicated. Upon further reflection, I realized that I had just killed Yu Canghai's son when the Qingcheng Sect started targeting the Fuwei Escort Agency. The headquarters could be said to be just in time, but what about the branch offices?
Lin Pingzhi had inquired and learned that the burning of the Nanchang branch and the deaths that began at the Fujian headquarters were happening almost simultaneously. Yu Canghai's son had died, and he was seeking revenge. The branch was hundreds of miles away, so how could they have known about it at the same time?

Why are they going to such lengths to target my Fuwei Escort Agency? And why does the Huashan Sect seem to have gotten involved? What secrets are behind this?
Then Yue Lingshan said, "Second Senior Brother, where did you learn your Qingcheng Sword Technique from..." She glanced at Xiang Yunchang and said, "You still haven't told me."

Laudenuo said, "My master taught me this before I went down the mountain."

Yue Lingshan asked in surprise, "How does Father know the Qingcheng Sword Technique?"

Lao Denuo said, "Junior Sister, we disciples should not presume to know the origins of Master's martial arts. Moreover, as the head of the Huashan Sect, Master naturally has knowledge of the martial arts of various sects, so it is not surprising that he knows a little bit of Qingcheng Sword Technique."

The reason Shaolin Temple can dominate the martial arts world is that they possess their own seventy-two unique skills, but they also study the martial arts of various other schools and sects. Knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory!

Yue Lingshan nodded.

Yun Changkong thought to himself that although Lao Denuo's martial arts skills were average, his knowledge was quite extraordinary!
Lu Dayou said, "Is the Qingcheng Sect really that powerful? I think it's just all talk and no action. How could it have destroyed the Fuwei Escort Agency in one fell swoop?"

Lao Denuo shouted, "Sixth Junior Brother, stop talking nonsense. Although the Fuwei Escort Agency is indeed too weak and does not match the rumors, Master Yu, the leader of the Qingcheng Sect, is a true genius in the martial arts world. Anyone who underestimates him will surely be in trouble."

The Fuwei Escort Agency's operations across ten provinces have been completely destroyed by him and his disciples, and yet you still dare to act so presumptuously! Junior Sister, have you met Abbot Yu? What is he like?

Yue Lingshan said, "Master Yu? He's incredibly ruthless. I... I was terrified when I saw him. I... I never want to see him again." Her voice trembled slightly, as if she still had lingering fear.

Six Monkeys asked, "Junior Sister, did you see Abbot Yu? In Hengshan City?"

Yue Lingshan said, "I saw it not only in Hengshan City, but also in Fujian and Jiangxi."

The person holding the abacus said, "Why is Master Yu going to Fujian? Junior Sister, you probably don't know."

Yue Lingshan said, "Fifth Senior Brother, you don't need to provoke me. I was going to say something, but you've provoked me, so I'm not going to say anything."

Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed through the heavy rain. The Huashan disciples recognized the imposing lightness skill of the attackers and turned around to see two figures rushing towards them like the wind, quickly entering the teahouse.
"Damn it, why is it raining so heavily!" one of them said.

Both men had white cloths wrapped around their heads, wore blue robes, and had bare legs and no socks. They wore hemp shoes without ear loops. One of them was carrying a package that was dripping with blood.

Judging from their attire, it was obvious they were disciples of the Qingcheng Sect. The Huashan disciples exchanged bewildered glances.

The two glanced at the group of people from Mount Hua, and saw a man in a blue robe nonchalantly pouring and drinking tea, while the other hunchback held a teacup, neither sipping nor putting it down, but just lying on the table.

One of them raised his eyebrows, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "So you are friends from the Huashan Sect."

Laudenau stood up, clasped his hands in greeting, and nodded: "Young Master Luo, Young Master Li, it's been a long time."

He recognized one of them as Luo Renjie, one of the "heroes and heroines" of the Qingcheng Sect, and the other was surnamed Li, but he didn't know his name.

"Serve tea!" Luo Renjie took the package from his junior brother and strode to an empty table to sit down.

The tea server, carrying a teapot and broad beans, placed them on the table and said with a smile, "Your family..." He then tried to offer the package to the customer.

But when he reached out, he saw what was inside and was so frightened that he didn't know what to do.

With a crash, the plate in his hand fell to the ground, spilling the tea and broad beans, leaving a mess everywhere.

The Huashan disciples were startled and all looked at Luo Renjie.

Luo Renjie snorted heavily: "You little devil, you're really spineless. What's there to be afraid of with one's head!"

With a wave of his hand, he pulled off the cloth covering, revealing a bloody human head on the table.

Yun Changkong's expression also changed.

Yue Lingshan turned pale and exclaimed, "Who is this?"

(End of this chapter)