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

Whenever Linghu Chong saw Lin Pingzhi and Yue Lingshan chatting and laughing, as well as the hypocritical smiles of the Golden Saber Sect, he felt as if his heart was being pierced by needles. For many days, he had lost his appetite and had been drinking bitter wine.

Upon encountering Yun Changkong, he felt both respect for the latter's divine skills and admiration for his elegant demeanor.

Although Linghu Chong prided himself on being fearless, he couldn't bring himself to do what Yun Changkong had done at the Liu family that day—his audacity and ruthlessness in taking lives with a smile and without batting an eye.

The two found a restaurant on the south bank of the Luo River. The plaque had the four characters "风月江天" (Wind, Moon, River, and Sky) written in a vigorous and elegant style.

The pavilion is built by the water, spacious and magnificent, with three stories high. The roof is covered with yellow and green glazed tiles, with upturned eaves. At the entrance is a couplet written in exquisite style: "The writings of Penglai have the bones of Jian'an, the hermit of Qinglian is a banished immortal."

Linghu Chong was dressed in rags. If it weren't for Yun Changkong and Lan Fenghuang, who clearly weren't ordinary people, he wouldn't have been able to even enter this restaurant.

As soon as the three entered the building, they saw an archway like the moon and a corridor like a bridge. Above the central hall hung a huge painting. In the painting, a scholar in white robes had his hair tied up and his head held high, lost in thought and proud, displaying the elegance of the rivers and sky and the demeanor of a famous scholar who looked down on the past and present.

Linghu Chong was not very literate and had limited knowledge of ancient history. He was completely unaware of the man's origins and could only sigh, "What a grand restaurant! Who is this man? He's so dashing!"

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "This is the poet Li Bai. His poetry is elegant and his talent is unparalleled. He often wrote poems about mountains and rivers. Whenever he visited a scenic spot, he liked to compose poems. It must have been when he visited this building that he was filled with heroic spirit, which made this building famous!"

"Sir, you have excellent taste!" the waiter hurriedly said with a fawning smile. "The four characters 'Wind, Moon, River, and Sky' on this plaque are the original calligraphy of the Poet Immortal!"

Linghu Chong asked in surprise, "Brother Yun, you even know this?"

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "What's so surprising about that?"

Blue Phoenix said, "I wasn't surprised before, but it is surprising to see you."

Linghu Chong nodded and said, "Yes, it seems you're not even as old as me. Logically speaking, at such a young age, you shouldn't even be learning martial arts, so why are you studying?"

Linghu Chong is twenty-five years old this year. Judging from his appearance, he is naturally a few years older than Yun Changkong. However, Yun Changkong has lived two lives, so his knowledge and experience are naturally much broader than theirs.

Yun Changkong smiled slightly and said, "When I was a child, I had to study. I had to get up early and work late. It was just as tough as practicing martial arts!"

The three strolled up to the third floor and sat down by the window facing the river. Linghu Chong and Lan Fenghuang didn't know much about the dishes in the world and didn't have any particular preferences. Yun Changkong said, "Bring out the best dishes from your restaurant."

The waiter smiled and said, "Sir, please have a seat. Your food and drinks will be served shortly."

Linghu Chong fetched water to wash his face and head, and wiped the dirt off his body before sitting down.

Soon the food and wine were served, including braised carp in vinegar, "Jade Pearl Double Treasures," and osmanthus-flavored shredded pork. Yun Changkong laughed and said, "Luoyang is located in the heart of the Central Plains. In ancient times, it was known as Yuzhou. Its culinary arts were once extremely popular. Moreover, the place is rich in produce. It was once said that Kaifeng in the Song Dynasty 'gathered all the rare delicacies of the world in its markets; and the exotic flavors of the world were all in its kitchens.' This description of Luoyang is quite fitting! Please!"

Lan Fenghuang laughed and said, "Yes, this dish may not look as delicate and elegant as the dishes from the Jiangnan water towns, but it has a unique bold and unrestrained style."

Linghu Chong laughed heartily, "Forget about being refined or bold, I'm starving, so I won't stand on ceremony!"

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "Eat up! People need food to survive! If you don't eat your fill, how can I witness your amazing swordsmanship?"

Upon hearing this, Linghu Chong felt a surge of excitement. Martial artists can hardly suppress their competitive spirit, especially since Yun Changkong's martial arts were so high that he felt he was a step above his master. He estimated that only his grandmaster uncle Feng Qingyang could rival him, so he naturally wanted to let him see the "Nine Swords of Dugu". He immediately started eating without any modesty.

Lan Fenghuang watched him wolf down his food and laughed, "Brother Linghu, what grudge do you have against the Six Immortals of Peach Valley? Why are they treating you like this?"

Linghu Chong sighed deeply, his face filled with melancholy, and said, "There is no hatred between us. They were just trying to help me. Unfortunately, their good intentions backfired. This is my fate, Linghu Chong."

Lan Fenghuang found it even stranger and asked, "What's going on? Can you tell me?"

Linghu Chong laughed and said, "Speaking of which, this matter is not unrelated to Brother Yun either!"

Yun Changkong was also surprised and said, "What does this have to do with me?"

Linghu Chong said with a wry smile: "When we parted ways at Hengshan, my master returned to the mountain and said that I was talking nonsense at the Liu family and actually agreed with Brother Yun's actions. I had violated the rules of pride and arrogance and offended my fellow practitioners."

Furthermore, they said that when I saved my junior sister Yilin, I spoke recklessly and even brought a nun to drink with you at Huiyanlou, violating the sect's major precepts and disgracing the sect.

He also said, "Having witnessed your actions and hearing your words, I greatly admire you. I'm utterly confused about the difference between right and wrong, loyalty and treachery. This is a crucial point for my future, so I'm punished by being sent to the Cliff of Repentance to face the wall for a year, to think things through carefully!"

Yun Changkong burst into laughter.

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

Yun Changkong said, "I believe you, go on!" He thought to himself, "But even without me, you're destined to go to the Cliff of Contemplation. If you don't make room for Lin Pingzhi as his son-in-law, how can your master be a father-in-law and legitimately use the Lin family's Evil-Repelling Sword Technique to cause trouble?"

Linghu Chong then recounted how, while he was being punished at the Cliff of Contemplation, his junior brother Lu Dayou came to deliver a message that the Huashan Sword Sect, the Songshan Sect, the Taishan Sect, and others were making things difficult for his master and mistress. He hurriedly went down the mountain and ended up encountering the Six Immortals of Peach Valley.

He learned from them that they wanted to take him to see the little nun Yilin. His sect was in trouble, so how could he go down the mountain with them? He tricked them into going to fight against the masters of the Songshan Sect.

The Six Immortals of Peach Valley accompanied him. Outside the Hall of Righteousness, Linghu Chong fought with Cheng Buyou of the Sword Sect. He broke the opponent's sword move with a broom, but was struck in the chest by the opponent's palm, and blood gushed out.

The Six Immortals of Peach Valley tore Cheng Buyou into four pieces and took themselves down the mountain with them.

At that time, Linghu Chong had been severely injured by Cheng Buyou. The Six Immortals of Peach Valley tried to heal him by channeling their inner energy into him. However, the six brothers had different opinions and each used their own methods to treat him, with six streams of inner energy penetrating into different acupoints along different meridians. Linghu Chong felt his body fluctuating between cold and heat, and he was unable to speak.

My liver, gallbladder, kidneys, lungs, heart, spleen, stomach, large intestine, small intestine, bladder, pericardium, triple burner, and other internal organs all became places where the six brothers' true power surged and where their internal strength competed.

In other words, Linghu Chong had studied the superior internal skills of the Huashan Sect since childhood, and his foundation was extremely solid, which allowed him to survive and not immediately kill his six brothers.

Linghu Chong said that only his master could save him, and he was sent to Mount Hua by several people. Ning Zhongze then stabbed Tao Shixian to death.

Yue Buqun said that only by cultivating the Zixia Divine Skill could he save his life, but he was afraid that the Six Immortals of Peach Valley were after this "Zixia Manual" and that it might fall into their hands, so he did not pass it on.

Later, Yue Buqun said he would take the Huashan disciples to find the Left Alliance Leader for justice. Linghu Chong was too injured to go, so he asked Lu Dayou to stay on the mountain with him. As a result, Yue Lingshan stole the "Zixia Manual" and made him practice it on his own.

Linghu Chong outwardly claimed he was unwilling to disobey his master's orders, but inwardly he was resentful of his junior sister's affections towards him and her coldness towards him. He would rather die than cultivate.
To save his life, Lu Dayou recited the manual to him line by line. To stop him, Linghu Chong gathered his strength and jabbed a finger into Lu Dayou's "Shanzhong" acupoint on his chest. He then forced himself to leave the mountain gate, wanting to get as far away from the Zixia Manual as possible. Later, he encountered the monk Bujie and Yilin.

The monk Bujie took Linghu Chong as his son-in-law and spared no effort to treat him without expending his internal energy. He was drenched in sweat from exhaustion, but he managed to remove all the burning and freezing pains from Linghu Chong's body. However, he was completely exhausted.

However, Yue Buqun and his junior sister also returned to the mountain to look for the Zixia Manual, only to find the corpse of their junior brother Lu Dayou, and the manual had already been lost.

At this point, Linghu Chong could not hide his grief and said, "Brother Yun, Leader Lan, you all said that I didn't want to live anymore, that I was a coward, and that I didn't want to face Junior Sister and Junior Brother Lin. But I killed the junior brother who was the best to me, and I feel extremely guilty. If it weren't for the need to retrieve the Zixia Manual, I would have died on Mount Hua long ago to see my junior brother. Now that I've come down the mountain, my master treats me like a thief. Even though I repelled the Sword Sect masters, blinded fifteen skilled fighters, and saved the Mount Hua Sect, not a single person has ever thanked me. My master even sent my junior brother to monitor me every step of the way."

"They just think I stole the Zixia Manual and killed my junior brother. They say I, Linghu Chong, have been unjustly accused, so what's the point of me living?"

Lan Fenghuang wasn't entirely clear about the relationship between Yue Buqun and Linghu Chong, but seeing Linghu Chong's sorrow, she felt a pang of sympathy. Turning her gaze, she saw Yun Changkong with a half-smile, full of mockery, who said, "Brother, why are you smiling like that?"

Linghu Chong couldn't help but sigh, "Brother Yun, I'm sorry to have made you laugh. That's why I've been waiting day and night, hoping only to find the Zixia Manual and return it to my master. I'll commit suicide to atone for my junior brother's sins. So, even if you save me, I'll still give my life to my junior brother!"

Yun Changkong finished his bowl of wine and laughed, "Brother Linghu, you've practiced martial arts for so many years, don't you find this strange?"

Linghu Chong shook his head and said, "I'm used to everything now."

Yun Changkong said, "Well, you're quite unsurprised." He poured another bowl of wine and laughed, "Didn't you ever consider that your junior brother wasn't killed by mistake, but by the person who stole the manual?"

Linghu Chong's heart skipped a beat, and he blurted out, "You also believe that I didn't kill my junior brother?"

To be honest, Linghu Chong had considered this possibility. He simply couldn't believe that he could kill Lu Dayou by lightly pressing his Tanzhong acupoint!
But deep down he felt a sense of guilt. Even if Lu Dayou wasn't killed by him, he died for him. As a man, he couldn't shirk his responsibility and make excuses to absolve himself.
But these days, Yue Lingshan and Lin Pingzhi's relationship has become increasingly intimate. In his heartbreak and disappointment, he has only one thought: to die! But after Yun Changkong's words, his thoughts immediately changed: "I must find out the murderer and avenge my junior brother Lu!"

Linghu Chong asked, word by word, "Brother Yun, is what you said at the Liu residence in Hengshan true?" Yun Changkong pondered for a moment and said, "Are you saying that you are a traitor within your Huashan Sect?"

Linghu Chong suddenly realized something: "Could it be that you already knew who the traitor within our sect was?"

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "Not only do I know, but your master knows everything too. Do you really think that there's any secret that can be kept from him by just a few people from your Huashan Sect?"

Linghu Chong felt his heart pounding and blood rush to his head. He suddenly remembered that his master had told him that he and his junior sister had created the "Chongling Sword Technique," which they had always thought was a secret.

The master, however, said, "If my disciples are to create their own sword techniques and establish their own schools, wouldn't it be foolish of the sect leader to be so ignorant?"

Yue Lingshan thought her master was making fun of her.

But Linghu Chong felt a chill run down his spine when he saw that there was absolutely no hint of joking in his master's tone and expression.

Thinking of this, Linghu Chong's eyes widened, and he stammered, "You mean, my master knows, knows I'm innocent, but how, how..."

Yun Changkong sneered, "As the saying goes, 'Thoughts span a thousand years,' everyone's mind is fickle."

Even if you, Linghu Chong, are deeply in love with your junior sister now, you might still fall for other girls in the future.

Besides, your master is known throughout the martial arts world for his deep cunning and shrewdness. It's just that you Huashan disciples have unwavering faith in his gentlemanly conduct!
Actually, you're not stupid. You can ask your master's wife. She studied under your master and shared a bed with him for decades. Does she really know everything about him? She might not even be aware of your master's progress in skill!

Think about it again. Is it really that simple that you and your junior sister have ended up like this because she fell in love with someone else?

What role did your master play in all of this? Have you ever thought about it?

Linghu Chong listened in a daze, then turned to look at the Luo River. The sun was already setting, and the river surface was a golden hue.
Linghu Chong stared at the setting sun, lost in thought. Various scenes flashed through his mind, and suddenly he understood: Why would his master allow his beloved junior sister and second junior brother to travel thousands of miles to Fuzhou to show their faces and open a tavern?

The Huashan Sect has strict rules. If the master deems something inappropriate, even if one kneels and begs for a whole day and night, he will never allow it. Back then, when I beat Hou Renying and Hong Renxiong of the Qingcheng Sect, I was punished by kneeling. My fellow disciples and mistresses pleaded with the master, but I was still forced to kneel for a whole day and night and was also beaten thirty times!
He punished himself by confining himself to the Cliff of Repentance, forbidding his junior sister from finding him, and even taught her the "Nineteen Jade Maiden Swords," a skill she was not yet capable of mastering.

Linghu Chong remembered it clearly. The "Jade Maiden Nineteen Swords" was his master's wife's specialty. Although it only had nineteen moves, each move was complex and varied. Back then, his master's wife used this sword technique to fight against his master. His master used different sword techniques from various schools to attack, but his master's wife used the nineteen moves of the Jade Maiden Sword to fight to a standstill against hundreds of skillful sword moves from more than ten different schools.

At that time, my junior sister begged to learn it, but my master's wife said that I was still too young. Firstly, my skill was not good enough, and secondly, this sword technique was too mentally taxing. I should wait until I was twenty to learn it.

Besides, this sword technique is specifically designed to counter other schools' sword moves. If you only practice with your fellow disciples from your own school, it will eventually become a technique specifically designed to counter the Huashan sword technique. Chong'er has learned a lot of miscellaneous skills and remembers many external sword techniques. You can practice with him in the future.

But as soon as Lin Pingzhi came up the mountain, his junior sister learned the "Nineteen Jade Maiden Swords"—simply because both her master and mistress hoped that their junior sister would be with Lin Pingzhi.

Linghu Chong grew increasingly bitter as he thought about it. The magnificent sunset appeared to him as nothing but desolation and ugliness. Everything in the world seemed like the setting sun, devoid of vitality and hope.

Yun Changkong sighed, "Brother Linghu, what is the purpose of your painstaking martial arts training? Is it just to think about how to marry your junior sister?"

Linghu Chong said sadly, "What if Leader Lan follows someone else and leaves Brother Yun?"

Blue Phoenix giggled and looked up at the vast sky.

Yun Changkong smiled slightly: "Brother Linghu, you're hitting my pressure points. If that day ever comes, I'll see how I feel."

If my heart is as still as water, undisturbed by any ripples, then I will naturally let her be and offer her my blessings. But if my heart is troubled, then I will kill her lover and take her back!

Blue Phoenix chuckled: "You're really domineering!"

Linghu Chong had already guessed Yun Changkong's answer to some extent, so he wasn't too surprised. He nodded and said, "Your martial arts are unparalleled, and you can do whatever you want. But not everyone is like you."

Yun Changkong shook his head with a wry smile and said, "That's not how it is. I cherish the first encounter in the human world, but I also respect that deep affection doesn't last forever!"

Pointing out the window, he said, "People say Luoyang is as beautiful as brocade, but flowers bloom and then fade, and life is the easiest thing to make mistakes in."

Even though Luoyang once had a glorious and prosperous era, it is also filled with regrets everywhere!
Li Bai was unrestrained and wild, so much so that people wanted to kill him. When he was drunk, even the emperor could not summon him. He had the ambition of a great roc, but he ended up as a prisoner!
You only know that I am highly skilled in martial arts, but how can you know the helplessness I feel when I am powerless?
There are countless talented people in this world who are frustrated and unable to achieve their goals, but we have taken a shortcut, which is beyond the reach of others. This is the greatest fortune!

Do you know that you blinded fifteen people with one sword? This earned you heartfelt praise from Yue Lingshan and Lin Pingzhi, and even your old mentor was filled with envy.
He may appear to be a gentleman, but he is actually narrow-minded. The bond between you and your master, once strong, is gone forever with that one sword strike! Because you have surpassed him, the head of the Huashan Sect!

Linghu Chong frowned and shook his head, saying, "I was raised by my master and mistress since I was a child, and they have a lot of suspicions about me. Alas, I can't blame them. It's just that there's been a misunderstanding!"

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "Yes, the origin of your swordsmanship is unknown. Why don't you tell them!"

Linghu Chong's expression changed, and he said, "You know that too?"

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "Alright, that's not important. As the Tao Te Ching says, 'A tree that can be embraced grows from a tiny sprout; a nine-story tower rises from a pile of earth.' All things arise from the small, and the great Tao is always hidden in the ordinary."

Brother Linghu, a person should not be entangled by empty fame or trapped by worldly desires in this life.

The meaning of life doesn't lie in the opinions of others or in worldly standards. Whether they are your parents or your teachers, as long as you live with clarity, act according to your conscience, and find peace in your heart, that's what makes a great person act smoothly, freely, and however they want.

Don't take so much face or style too seriously.

Because so-called face and style are what many people expect from you. Only in this way can they, even if they are not as skilled as you, still take advantage of your personality!

You should tell him, "Go to hell! I'm not living to be a light in someone else's heart, but to keep my own heart bright!"

Why should I have to compromise my own feelings to please others and gain a good reputation?
Is this what a chivalrous hero is, a respectable hero?

Fuck your balls!
Walking with awareness and living with responsibility is true freedom from trivialities!
You, seemingly carefree and easygoing, are actually bound by ethics. You are unwilling to think about many things, which is what restricts your actions.

If you truly love your junior sister and consider her indispensable, then you must steal her away and be the villain!
As long as we're happy, everything else is secondary. Look at that monk Bujie; he shaved his head and became a monk just to marry a nun.

This is the behavior of a true man. If you hesitate and act according to the ideas of your so-called relatives, haha, it's not impossible that one day your junior sister will marry Lin Pingzhi, not find happiness, and die in front of you!
Because Lin Pingzhi isn't as naive as he seems. To be precise, when he learned that your junior sister and Lao Denuo's trip to Fuzhou was permitted by your master, a thorn was already planted in his heart. He only kept quiet because he needed protection at the moment; he was definitely not unaware!

These words were like a magic potion, and Linghu Chong's blood boiled as he listened, so he immediately stood up.

Linghu Chong took a deep breath, bowed to Yun Changkong, and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Master Yun. Farewell!"

"Where are you going?" Lan Fenghuang asked, puzzled by his sudden change in spirit.
Linghu Chong said coldly, "I'm going to avenge my sixth junior brother!"

Lan Fenghuang asked strangely, "Do you know who the traitor is?"

Linghu Chong said, "I can't be sure, but we've made some progress." He thought about why his master sent Lao Denuo, and why he sent his junior sister instead—perhaps it was because he didn't trust her!
So why not trust Laudenau, this seasoned veteran?

Yun Changkong nodded slightly: "Linghu Chong is indeed Linghu Chong! Amazing. But you can put this grudge aside for now. You can't leave satisfied while I leave disappointed, can you?"

Linghu Chong laughed heartily and said, "Brother Yun, I would be extremely grateful if you would be willing to teach me. However, I cannot use my internal energy, so I'm afraid I cannot let you have your fill!"

Yun Changkong shook his head and said, "We will only compete in swordsmanship, nothing else!" He then stood up.

Linghu Chong clasped his hands in a fist salute and said, "Where shall we spar? Please give me your guidance."

Lan Fenghuang also stood up and said with a smile, "You two young talents are eager to show off your prowess, but don't let irrelevant people spoil your enjoyment. Please come with me!"

Yun Changkong laughed, "You've listened for so long, and you're just going to leave like that? That's too disrespectful!" With that, he darted away. (End of Chapter)