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

Yu Canghai knew that Yun Changkong had extremely high internal strength and was skilled in fist and foot techniques. He thought that Yun Changkong was still young and could not be very skilled in weapons. Therefore, he wanted to fight with a sword and made a ruthless move to kill him.

This move, where the body moves in sync with the sword, is both swift and powerful. Under the sunlight, the blade gleams, and the distance of several feet is covered in an instant.

Many people were so shocked that their mouths were agape. They thought to themselves that they had also practiced martial arts for many years, but this short Taoist was so fast that they couldn't even see him clearly, let alone defend themselves. They were afraid that they would die on the spot.

Unexpectedly, before Yun Changkong could even draw his sword, he twisted the scabbard and firmly sealed the upper plate. With a soft clang, Yu Canghai's sword light trembled wildly.

Everyone who saw it was full of praise, while Yu Canghai was even more shocked.

You must know that Yu Canghai's sword strike was as swift as lightning. Everyone on the field was a martial artist, so they naturally put themselves in Yun Changkong's shoes.

Countless people felt that once this sword was unleashed, the sword's shadow would appear, and they would have already been disemboweled.

Even the most skilled and quick-witted master would know that he must leap back to avoid the attack before drawing his sword to meet it.

However, Yun Changkong was able to block Yu Canghai's seemingly inevitable sword strike in such a swift instant without moving his body.

Since he began his journey through the martial world, Yu Canghai had never encountered such a person. At such a young age, his internal strength surpassed his own, his fist and footwork were exquisite, and his swordsmanship was also extraordinary. Yu Canghai felt that today's battle could truly be said to have staked the survival and honor of the Qingcheng Sect.

Yu Canghai, a grandmaster of his school, possessed unique martial arts skills. In the blink of an eye, his longsword slashed down at Yun Changkong's head. With a hissing sound, the sound of air being cut was loud, demonstrating the strength of his internal force.

Yun Changkong praised, "Very good!" Knowing that Yu Canghai had a follow-up move, he drew his sword with his shoulder level, the blade pointing upwards, aiming at Yu Canghai's wrist.

Yu Canghai thought to himself, "Although this move is strictly followed, it is not without its flaws. It seems I overestimated its potential!"

Overjoyed, Yu Canghai suddenly loosened his grip on his right hand and withdrew it, his left hand instantly caught the longsword and stabbed it fiercely into Yun Changkong's chest.

This sword-changing technique is a deadly move in the Qingcheng swordplay, flowing gracefully and impossible to defend against.

Yu Canghai was short, and his arm and sword formed a straight line, making his strike both fierce and fast.

For the hundreds of people on the field, apart from a few top-notch experts, everyone else was terrified, thinking that even if they dodged, they would definitely not be able to withstand this lightning-fast attack.

Ke Yun Changkong had long anticipated that Yu Canghai's next move would be ruthless and unparalleled. In a split second, he turned his longsword around and with a clang, he parried Yu Canghai's sword. He then pointed at Yu Canghai's throat, his clumsy movements containing a simple and honest meaning.

Yu Canghai had not expected his opponent's combination of slashing and striking to be so exquisite. With a quick tap of his feet, his body suddenly shot out like an arrow. He had only retreated less than eight feet when he pushed off again and launched another attack.

With his longsword thrusting left and right, he moved with lightning speed, unleashing thirteen consecutive strikes in the blink of an eye.

The top-tier masters secretly praised, "The Qingcheng Pine Breeze Sword Technique is indeed extraordinary!"

Everyone stared intently at how Yun Changkong would defend himself, hoping to discern the sect or faction he belonged to.
After all, although Yun Changkong had shown his skills a few times, they were all extraordinary in their ordinariness, and there was no way to know the origin of his sect.

Although Liu Zhengfeng saw that Yun Changkong had used the "Smiling with a Flower" skill, he naturally did not publicize it.

However, Yun Changkong remained calm and composed, deftly deflecting Yu Canghai's thirteen sword strikes with his longsword, which then suddenly thrust back at Yu Canghai.

The top players on the field were completely baffled, wondering what kind of technique this was.
Not only were they surprised, but Yu Canghai was also greatly astonished. He had expected that Yun Changkong should be able to block his thirteen sword strikes.

However, his thirteen sword strikes were executed in one go, attacking continuously with lightning speed. Each move was aimed at Yun Changkong's vital points, and his ferocity was unparalleled. Naturally, this forced him to unleash the purest version of his sect's skills.

Unexpectedly, Yun Changkong's every move was as smooth and effortless as flowing clouds, without any hindrance. His graceful posture was extremely beautiful, as if he was exerting no effort at all, and he neutralized all of Yun Changkong's moves.

Especially top-tier experts, seeing this, knew that each move was extremely difficult, yet they couldn't discern even a trace of the opponent's sect or lineage.

It was as if each of these moves was not a martial art of this era.

As someone who had experienced it firsthand, Yu Canghai knew that not only was there absolutely no difference between the two techniques, but it also contained profound internal strength that was continuous and had endless follow-up moves. Yet, he himself did not know which school or sect this sword technique belonged to.

It turns out that Yun Changkong was already invincible in the martial arts world, possessing the "Arhat Subduing Demon Skill" and the inheritance of Wang Chongyang. Later, he also obtained the inheritance of the Beggar Clan's "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms" and "Dog Beating Stick Technique", and he could no longer find anyone who could match him.

Therefore, he always used his own heart as a furnace to fuse various schools of thought, discarding the dross and retaining the essence, wanting to create his own martial arts and establish his own school.

Therefore, when Yun Changkong fought Yu Canghai, he did not rely on his profound and long internal strength, which was like the Yangtze River, to win. He also abandoned the orthodox sword techniques of Shaolin and Quanzhen and used only his self-created sword technique to defend against the enemy.

Yun Changkong's sword technique was merely a spontaneous act; it didn't even have names for the moves, and it was completely unsystematic.

In terms of exquisite and fierce techniques, it may not be superior to Shaolin or Quanzhen swordsmanship. However, it was created by him, and his mind, spirit, and body were unified. Every move was in line with his personality and temperament, making it particularly agile and natural when used.

Therefore, Yun Changkong's purpose in this battle was not solely to seek victory. Firstly, he wanted to witness the "Pine Breeze Sword Technique," and secondly, he knew that concealing one's abilities and biding one's time was the safest approach. Displaying extraordinary martial arts skills and internal strength might cause the Songshan Sect to change its plans and attract covetousness, adding unnecessary trouble.

Otherwise, with Yun Changkong's powerful internal energy, he would have already shattered Yu Canghai's weapon, leaving him no room to maneuver.
In the blink of an eye, Yu Canghai unleashed over forty moves of his renowned "Pine Breeze Sword Technique," but the fight grew increasingly astonishing, because Yun Changkong had remained completely still.

Yu Canghai's heart skipped a beat. He thought to himself, "If this kid doesn't move now, I can't do anything to him. If I wait for him to make a move, how can I possibly win?"

Upon realizing this, Yu Canghai let out a long roar, his body swelling up as if inflated. In an instant, his wide robe swelled into a round drum, rolling rapidly back and forth in front of Yun Changkong.

He was already short, and his body sometimes leaped and sometimes crouched, making him look more like a sphere.

To the unbeknownst to the crowd, this man, around sixty years old, was more agile than a young man. His moves were like those of a hawk soaring through the sky, circling around Yun Changkong with one swift thrust after another. The sword light swirled, the wind whistled, and the hissing sound was like a whistle, demonstrating the immense power of his sword.

Many people's eyes are already blurry from looking at it, so they can only hear the sound.

Yun Changkong stood motionless, as immovable as a mountain, his long sword moving in all directions, its movements unpredictable. The moment it met the blade, it emitted a buzzing, trembling sound.

Yue Lingshan, who was watching from the sidelines, asked in surprise, "Senior Brother, what kind of kung fu is Abbot Yu using?"

Linghu Chong was stunned. Yun Changkong stood still, each move clear and distinct. Even though Yu Canghai was extremely fast, his technique remained orderly. His swordplay was sometimes gentle and slow, sometimes heavy and clumsy, just like flowing clouds and water. The clanging of the weapons, as dense as a string of pearls, was even more captivating.

Linghu Chong was alarmed: "If this dwarf were to unleash dozens of sword strikes at me, I fear I wouldn't be able to block a single one, and he would pierce my entire body. Yu Canghai's swiftness surpasses even Tian Boguang's. If I were to encounter him, I would have to be careful. Hmm, I am no match for him, and being careful is useless. It would be best to avoid him as soon as possible. A wise man doesn't suffer losses in front of him."

But he also worried inwardly: "You nameless hero, why don't you make your move? This dwarf's sword strikes so swiftly, you mustn't let your guard down for a moment and be defeated by his sword!"

Just as I was getting nervous, I heard someone laughing loudly in my ear, the voice was clear and melodious.

Then a middle-aged scholar approached slowly, waving a folding fan, and said with a smile, "Master Yu has mastered the Qingcheng Sect's 'Crane's Cry Nine Heavens Divine Skill.' This Pine Breeze Sword Technique is said to be as strong as a pine tree and as light as the wind, combining strength and lightness in one. It is a superior sword technique. I never expected to encounter an opponent today."

Linghu Chong was overjoyed, while the top masters on the field, such as Tianmen Daoist and Dingyi Shitai, felt a chill in their hearts. They all knew that the "Crane Cry Nine Heavens Divine Skill" was a powerful martial art of the Qingcheng Sect. No one had ever mastered it in hundreds of years, and they thought it had been lost long ago. They never expected that this short Daoist had secretly worked hard to master this skill. No wonder he had been so arrogant and domineering these past few days. He was indeed fearless.

But he couldn't help but wonder, "What kind of internal energy does this nameless person practice that can rival the 'Crane's Cry Nine Heavens Divine Skill' of the Qingcheng Sect?"

It should be known that in martial arts, internal strength is far more powerful than external skills. If one cultivates internal strength to a profound level, even the most ferocious external skills can often be subdued.

Upon seeing the scholar, Yue Lingshan grabbed his sleeve and cried out, "Father, you don't know, this Abbot Yu beat up my second senior brother and bullied me..."

This scholar was none other than Yue Buqun, the "Gentleman Sword" leader of the Huashan Sect. Yue Lingshan, having been intimidated by Yu Canghai and seeing his extraordinary swordsmanship, immediately complained to her father upon his arrival. However, seeing her father's furrowed brows, she had no choice but to shut up.

Suddenly, Linghu Chong called out, "Junior Sister, don't be afraid. I think Abbot Yu is going to suffer a great loss today. He'll make sure you get a good refund..."

Yue Buqun snorted.

Linghu Chong stuck out his tongue and went back to watching the battle.

Master Dingyi said, "You are a gentleman among swordsmen, what do you think of the outcome of this battle?"

Yue Buqun sighed, "It is not easy for martial arts to reach their level, yet they are greedy and fight over a mere Evil-Slaying Sword Manual. It is all so pointless!"

Everyone who heard this nodded in agreement.

Master Dingyi also sighed and said, "If everyone in this world were like the Gentleman Sword, there would be no so much fighting."

Yue Buqun smiled and clasped his hands in a fist salute, saying, "You're too kind, Master."

Yue Lingshan glanced at Yun Changkong and Yu Canghai again, then suddenly smiled and said, "Father, you haven't said who will win this competition yet."

Yue Buqun laughed and said, "In the past, the senior Changqingzi was known as 'the best swordsmanship west of the Three Gorges.' I, the abbot, have received his true teachings and have even surpassed my master. If this young friend wants to win, it will be truly difficult for him to remain standing still like this!"

Yue Buqun's reputation was far more renowned than Yu Canghai's, and once he said that, no one doubted him anymore.

Upon closer inspection, one could see that Yu Canghai was moving incredibly fast, his body transforming into a blur of green, trapping Yun Changkong within him.

Now, the sound of clashing weapons was even faster; before, it was a series of clanging sounds with intervals, but now it had become a continuous, drawn-out sound. The previous sound was seamlessly followed by the next, forming a continuous chorus.
Yun Changkong stood there, wielding his longsword. Yu Canghai's sword light seemed to be blocked by a solid wall, dispersing into a semicircle in front of him, and they could not see any chance of victory.

Tianmen Daoist nodded and said, "That's right. This nameless man doesn't know where he learned his swordsmanship from. It seems he didn't learn it completely. Although its power is not weak, it lacks the sharp, tricky, and unpredictable techniques of swordsmanship. How can he win?"

Tianmen Daoist, Dingyi Shitai, Yue Buqun, and He Sanqi were all highly renowned figures in the martial arts world, and none of them were easy opponents. Seeing Yu Canghai unleashing a continuous barrage of attacks using the Qingcheng Sect's "Pine Breeze Sword Technique," they naturally pondered how to win. They also noticed the shortcomings in Yun Changkong's swordsmanship and began pointing and explaining the principles of swordsmanship to their disciples, emphasizing the importance of striking when all other attacks were at their most desperate, employing ruthless and unparalleled techniques to turn the tide of the battle.

In the blink of an eye, Yun Changkong had already exchanged more than 150 blows with Yu Canghai.
Yue Lingshan suddenly seemed to understand, clapping her hands and saying, "Ah, I know! So if the opponent comes with great force, you either attack their vitals before they can fully unleash the power of their sword, or you attack them in a way that results in mutual destruction, forcing them to defend themselves."

Yue Buqun shook his head and said, "The first one is correct, but the second one is the way of a thug and a rogue, which is far from the style of a master!"

Yue Lingshan stuck out her tongue. She intended to help Yun Changkong win and hoped that he could gain some insight, so she spoke loudly so that Yun Changkong could hear her.

Unexpectedly, Yun Changkong seemed not to see him, remaining as still as a mountain, continuing to wield his sword as if nothing had happened.

Yue Lingshan stomped her feet in anger and said, "Senior Brother, his comprehension is not as good as yours at all!"

Linghu Chong laughed and said, "Junior Sister, let's just enjoy watching."

Little did Yu Canghai know that his repeated fierce moves had all failed to achieve their purpose. He could feel the lingering power of Yun Changkong's sword, which seemed to have been going on for a long time. The pressure was increasing, and his swift movements were becoming sluggish. The long sword in his hand was also getting heavier and heavier. Not only were his moves less agile than before, but even his breathing was becoming unsteady. He was afraid that his internal energy would be forced off course by his opponent, and a look of fatigue and fear appeared in his eyes.

It should be understood that while Yun Changkong appears to be facing an enemy at this moment, he is actually using his sword to write his own life story.

Regardless of the winds from east, west, north, or south, I remain unmoved. My swordplay is gentle, slow, or heavy and clumsy, like flowing clouds and water. This is a reflection of his nature and also his sword intent.

After two hundred moves, Yun Changkong lightly trembled his right hand, and the long, silvery-white sword was drawn from its sheath.

Yilin's sword tip had been broken by Tian Boguang. This time, it was delivered like the afterimage of a setting sun. Yu Canghai suddenly felt a cold wind brush his face, and the blade was already at his brow, faster than lightning.

This was the first time Yun Changkong had acted so swiftly, and it was something he had never seen before in his life.

And speed under the sunlight is even more dazzling.

Yu Canghai, a seasoned veteran, quickly dodged with a "Phoenix Nods" move, then swept his longsword upwards. With a clang, the two swords clashed, Yun Changkong's sword moves flowing endlessly, one move not yet finished before the second arrived.

The longsword trembled, like falling snowflakes. Yu Canghai's vision blurred, and he could no longer distinguish east from west. He quickly rolled on the ground and blocked with his longsword again.
Suddenly, a sharp, piercing clang rang out.

A white rainbow suddenly shot into the sky, soaring more than ten feet high.

"oops!"

The Qingcheng disciples cried out in alarm.

It turned out that Yu Canghai's longsword had flown out of his hand. Before he could think about it, his left palm struck straight at Yun Changkong's lower abdomen with a whoosh.

However, Yun Changkong shook off his longsword, and with unparalleled speed, his left-hand sword sheath struck Yu Canghai's "Jianjing" acupoint.

Yu Canghai let out a muffled groan, his body went numb, and he collapsed to the ground.

With a hiss, a white light fell, and the long sword wobbled and stuck in front of Yu Canghai, its blade still trembling.

Yun Changkong had already sheathed his longsword, appearing completely calm and composed.

In contrast, Yu Canghai was panting heavily, the heroes were stunned, and the Qingcheng disciples stood frozen like statues as if they had seen a ghost.

They didn't know whether to go forward and help their master up, or just stay still.

The entire room fell silent.

Apart from the sound of the Xiang River flowing, there was no other sound.

Yun Changkong said calmly, "Master Yu, what do you say?"

Yu Canghai let out a long sigh and said sadly, "This old Taoist's skills are inferior to others, so what is there to say? I just don't know what kind of sword technique I was defeated by. Could you please tell me?"

Yun Changkong smiled slightly: "This sword technique is my own creation, and I haven't named it yet. If you want to call it the Demon Subduing Sword Technique, or if you're not happy, calling it the Ox Slaughtering Sword Technique is also fine."

Yue Lingshan and Yilin couldn't help but smile. Fumo said Yu Canghai was a demon, so Zainiu was a bull's nose (a term used to describe someone who is skilled in martial arts).

Yu Canghai naturally understood, his face flushed with anger, then suddenly looked shocked, and then said dejectedly, "So that's how it is, the old Taoist's defeat was not unjust."

At this moment, he was filled with loneliness, and his tone carried the sigh of a hero's end.

The top players on the field were also shocked.

Why do you think this is?

In the martial arts world, creating a new sword technique is no easy task. Unless one possesses both high martial arts skills and exceptional intelligence and knowledge, it is extremely difficult to find a unique path and create a new move.

For a prestigious sect like the Qingcheng Sect, which has been established for hundreds of years, every move of their martial arts has been refined through countless trials. Even slightly altering a single move is extremely difficult, let alone creating a new one. Therefore, figures like Yue Buqun, Tianmen Daoren, Dingyi Shitai, and Yu Canghai, all grandmasters of their respective sects, have mastered their sword techniques to perfection, yet they themselves admit that they do not possess the necessary skills.

At this moment, the doubts in their hearts were also resolved: why they could not recognize the origin of Yun Changkong's portal.

It was only because he created his own martial arts that Yun Changkong was so old, which was truly unexpected. Everyone thought to themselves, "With his achievements, in a few years, it will be difficult to find a worthy opponent in the martial arts world."

As for those who created their own martial arts, it was Linghu Chong and Yue Lingshan, who created a set of "Chongling Sword Techniques". However, given their martial arts skills, this sword technique had no effect on defeating enemies; it was merely used for their own amusement, and it would be more appropriate to call it a "sword dance".

As for the power of Yun Changkong's swordsmanship, Yu Canghai lying on the ground was clear proof of it.

Yun Changkong said quietly, "As you can see, my swordsmanship has flaws and is not very good, so if you want to borrow the Evil-Slaying Sword Manual, don't make things difficult for me."

Everyone thought to themselves, "Your swordsmanship isn't good enough? Who are you trying to fool?"

Yu Canghai laughed loudly, then looked up at the sky and sneered, "You really insist on having the Evil-Slaying Sword Manual?"

Yun Changkong said, "That's right!"

Yu Canghai snorted coldly and said, "But you underestimate me too much. Who do you take me for? It's easy for you to kill me, but if you want to insult me, don't even think about it."

Yu Canghai was quite agitated.

Everyone actually understood.

For a renowned master like Yu Canghai, the leader of a sect, it's understandable that his skills were inferior to others, but to be forced to agree to a humiliating treaty is a disgrace he can never wash away.

Where did the animosity between Yue Buqun and Linghu Chong come from?

Many people don't understand!

It's actually this kind of thing, or something like that!
In the original storyline, Yue Buqun was surrounded and captured by several underworld experts. Yue Buqun was determined to die rather than surrender and wanted to protect his reputation, but they threatened him by using his wife and daughter, saying they would search them.

Enraged, Yue Buqun could only shout, "Fine, fine! Since you don't believe me, then go ahead and search me!"

No sooner had Yue Buqun yielded than Linghu Chong stepped in as the sect's savior. Yue Buqun ordered his tendons to be severed, but Linghu Chong was helpless due to the chaos caused by his strange internal energy.

But Yue Buqun thought differently.

You were able to defeat Feng Buping on your own initiative and blind fifteen pairs of eyes with a single sword strike, but when I asked you to do something, you couldn't handle it?

In his eyes, this was just a performance for himself!

Furthermore, when asked about the origin of the sword technique, Linghu Chong felt that a man should keep his word. He said that he had his reasons and that he would ask this senior to allow him to explain the situation to his master and mistress before telling his master the truth.

But Yue Buqun, for the sake of his reputation, yielded to the enemy in front of his wife and disciples, while you, Linghu Chong, are still here saying that you have your own difficulties?

To put it bluntly, damn it, my wife and daughter were almost stripped naked. Didn't I have my reasons? Wasn't this an act against my conscience?
Even I, your master, have done this, and you, my disciple, are still here complaining about your hardships!

Where do you put my face as the master?
Therefore, later, those who followed crooked paths respected Linghu Chong but disrespected Yue Buqun, which made Yue Buqun even more unhappy, so he directly expelled him from the sect.

Ultimately, it all boils down to the fact that the master suffered a defeat and lost all face in front of his disciple.

As it turned out, this disciple's swordsmanship surpassed his own, and he valued his reputation even more. How could Yue Buqun, a "righteous gentleman," accept this? Seeing him would remind him of that humiliating day!
Yun Changkong naturally knew the flaws of these martial arts people. Even if Yu Canghai wanted to submit, he had to be firm in front of everyone. He said, "Master Yu, I know you are a respectable person. You feel ashamed that you took two hundred of my moves today, but in the near future, you will be proud of it. Please believe me."

But if you insist on refusing to listen to reason and choosing the hard way, then I'll immediately rip your stomach open—don't blame me for not warning you!

As Yun Changkong spoke, he walked up to Yu Canghai, grabbed his longsword, pressed it against his stomach, and said softly, "Would you like to rephrase your words so I can hear them again?" (End of Chapter)