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

After Zhao Jie had been gone for a while, Yun Changkong leaped onto a tree and chased after him in the direction he had gone. He was as fast as lightning and caught up with Zhao Jie in the blink of an eye.

Zhao Jie did indeed try to hide and look back from time to time, but it was springtime, and Yun Changkong was tracking him from the treetops, making it difficult for him to get away or be discovered. Little did he know that...

Zhao Jie had been hit in an acupoint by Yun Changkong in the leg. He ran ahead, sweating profusely, while Yun Changkong leisurely strolled on the treetops, occasionally admiring the scenery.

As darkness fell, we came to a valley. The valley was very narrow, with steep walls on both sides, and the entrance was surrounded by miscellaneous trees and bushes.

As soon as Zhao Jie approached, several lights shone on him, and someone shouted in a deep voice, "Halt. Password."

Zhao Jie said, "It's about brotherhood."

Yun Changkong saw four men carrying oil-paper lanterns emerge from the valley entrance, and the two sides met face to face.

One person claps three times, pauses, and then claps twice more.

Then someone inside the valley clapped three times, followed by two more claps, before Zhao Jie entered the valley.

Yun Changkong thought to himself, "Is it that mysterious?"

He activated the Arhat Subduing Demon Technique, and in an instant, his hearing and vision became far sharper than usual. He listened to see if there were only these four people at the entrance of the valley.

This is because those with profound internal strength have long energy channels and subtle breathing. Therefore, those with high internal strength can detect the level of another person's skill simply by observing their breathing. Of course, they can also tell if the other person has someone they can't see hiding in the shadows. This is a tried and true method.

It was only because Yun Changkong did not rush into the valley, but listened for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Even if someone held their breath, it would be impossible for them to hold their breath for such a long time.

Just then, a gust of wind blew, the tall grass rustled all around, and the tree branches danced. Yun Changkong used his lightness skill, moving like a startled swan, and like a streak of green smoke, he rushed out more than ten feet and entered the valley.

At this moment, his lightness skill had truly reached a state of perfection. It was nighttime, and he was also taking advantage of the wind, so the lookouts had no idea that someone had entered the valley.

The valley was densely forested, and with no starlight or moonlight, no matter how secretive the surveillance was, Yun Changkong could easily infiltrate it.

A moment later, firelight flickered in the woods, and voices could be faintly heard. A gruff voice said, "Old Zhao, you're fucking bragging, you think you can last fifty moves with Yun Changkong?"

After walking another ten or so feet through the clouds, the view suddenly opened up.

Ahead lay a vast open space, devoid of any weeds except for a few small stones. A bonfire was lit, and thirty or forty people sat around it.

Seeing that there was nowhere to hide any closer, Yun Changkong did not approach. Then he heard someone say, "Old Wang, what's there to brag about?"
Who said that Yun Changkong had arranged to have a duel with Zuo Lengchan at Baiyun Mountain? Since he wasn't in Luoyang, he must be surveying the terrain at Baiyun Mountain. That's why I went to investigate.

He was indeed there. If I hadn't fought him and exchanged a palm strike, would my arm have swelled up? This person was naturally Zhao Jie.

Yun Changkong smiled inwardly: "This kid is not only all bark and no bite, but he also likes to brag."

One of them said in a hoarse voice, "Brother Zhao is indeed remarkable. We had just heard that Yun Changkong was at Baiyun Mountain, but you got there first and not only found him, but also managed to escape from him. It's hard to believe. Is it just an exaggeration in the rumors, or are you, Brother Zhao, truly extraordinary?"

Yun Changkong thought to himself, "So it turns out that this group of people also had their own ulterior motives. Zhao Jie was just a test subject; no one expected him to come back alive."

Zhao Jie said, "Zhao Laoliu, I'm not as cowardly as you guys..."

At this moment, a majestic voice said: "It is said in the martial arts world that Yun Changkong is as his name suggests, and wherever he goes, the sky is filled with clouds."

Since his debut, he has done many spectacular things. Last year, he single-handedly crippled Tian Boguang, the lone traveler of Wanli, and single-handedly caused the Qingcheng Sect leader to lead dozens of disciples back to Qingcheng Mountain. He also single-handedly took on the three great protectors of the Songshan Sect, killing Ding Mian and Fei Bin on the spot with one palm each.

With lightning speed, he killed and wounded many disciples of the Songshan Sect. Lu Bai was so enraged that he used his best skill to launch a sneak attack, but unexpectedly, he ended up losing all his martial arts skills and died of anger.

"Those two bears of the northern desert, the night owl Ji Wushi, both possess astonishing skills. One is dead, the other has fled. If we want to kill them, it will be truly difficult!"

Yun Changkong noticed that the man had a strong voice and extraordinary inner strength, so he took a closer look. In the firelight, he saw that the man was about forty years old, with bulging muscles on his face. It was clear at a glance that he was not a kind person. He also glanced at the others and found that they were all fierce-looking people.

Zhao Jie laughed and said, "What Island Master Sima said is absolutely right. People in the martial arts world have always praised Yun Changkong as not only a unique master among the younger generation, but also a top master in the martial arts world. Before today, I never took it seriously."

Only today did I realize that the martial arts world is indeed full of hidden masters; I had truly underestimated all the experts in the world before!

Yun Changkong's martial arts skills are indeed superb, no exaggeration. My 'Nine Great Forms of Dragon Tornado,' which I have practiced diligently for twenty years, was completely broken by him in just forty-nine moves. I am utterly convinced of my defeat!

Wang Laoliu chuckled and said, "Brother Zhao, don't you feel guilty saying that? I don't think you've even seen Yun Changkong. We didn't expose you, and you're still bragging! If you could go fifty moves with Yun Changkong, would we be here discussing this?"

Zhao Jie suddenly stood up: "I've fought Yun Changkong..."

"Alright, alright!" Island Master Sima waved his hand and said, "We're all brothers. If we're not of one mind, how can we accomplish anything?"

Zhao Jie said, "Island Master Sima is indeed insightful." He then sat down.

Wang Laoliu asked, "Island Master Sima, why do you think we should kill Yun Changkong?"

Island Master Sima said, "Many people have benefited from her kindness but have never asked us to do anything. Now that we finally have a chance to be of use, we will naturally do our best."

A burly man with a crooked mouth interjected, "Island Master Sima, we all come from the pirate lake. It's perfectly normal for us to take down a rich man or rob an official. But as for killing Yun Changkong, I always feel like it's like an egg hitting a rock."

"Why don't we try to curry favor with Linghu Chong? That would be doing her a favor, so why bother provoking that wicked Yun Changkong?"

Island Master Sima said, "Since she has made the announcement, there are countless sect leaders, gang leaders, cave masters, island masters, and wandering monks who want to meet Linghu Chong on Wubagang just to treat his injuries. There are countless precious medicinal herbs such as thousand-year-old ginseng and He Shou Wu. We can't go empty-handed to curry favor with Linghu Chong, can we?"
What should we give as a gift? If we give something insignificant, it won't be sincere. If Linghu Chong dies, how will we get the antidote this year?
We don't have the weight to send! So we'll have to kill someone for the Holy Maiden as a sign of respect!
If you're scared, just quit.

Yun Changkong thought to himself, "It really is that little vixen, Ren Yingying!"

He had known all along that Ren Yingying's men wanted to kill him in order to sever ties with him, tell Black Cliff that she did not know such a mysterious expert, and put Dongfang Bubai at ease!
This didn't happen in the original storyline. It was caused by her own butterfly effect. Her title of "Holy Maiden" is just a nice name; she's actually nothing special. She acted out of self-preservation, which is understandable.

But hearing her mobilize her men to save Linghu Chong's life, and then try to take his own, a strange feeling arose in his heart. He thought, "Little wench, you really did what I said. Fine, killing me is one thing, but you're shy, aren't you? I'll appear in front of you and let you kill me. Wubagang, okay, let's see if you're still shy then."

As she pondered, she heard someone say, "She has never shown any respect to men. Someone like Yun Changkong spread a few rumors about her, and she ordered him killed. This time, she actually wants to save Linghu Chong's life. Why would she go to such lengths for a mere disciple of the Huashan Sect?"

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent.

Then a soft laugh was heard.

"Who is it?" Everyone immediately stood up, and a tall, thin man rushed over, saying enthusiastically, "Island Master Sima, do you still remember your younger brother?"

Island Master Sima clasped his hands and said, "So it's Brother Ji. It's been many years. Brother Ji, you still have the same demeanor. Sima is very polite."

Yun Changkong glanced at the newcomer; it was none other than Ji Wushi, the "night owl" he had met once in Jinling.

Sima Da invited Ji Wushi to sit down and said, "Brother Ji, you've come at the right time. My brothers and I were just discussing what to do about the Holy Maiden. You are knowledgeable and experienced, so please give us some ideas."

Ji Wushi seemed to see through his thoughts and said, "Aren't you wondering why the Holy Maiden wants to save Linghu Chong and kill Yun Changkong?"

"Yes, yes!" Everyone nodded in unison.

Ji Wushi scanned the room with sharp eyes and said, "Actually, it's not a big deal. Although the Holy Maiden is a remarkable figure on Blackwood Cliff, and even the Eastern Cult Leader has never disobeyed her, she is still a young girl."

A very fat old man next to him laughed and said, "That's right, love between men and women is only natural. It seems that even the Holy Maiden has fallen for worldly desires, keeping us old fogies running around like headless chickens!"

At this moment, Zhao Jie said, "Although it is natural for men and women to love each other, I heard in Luoyang that Linghu Chong is in love with Yue Buqun's daughter. He made a scene at Wang Yuanba's banquet because of this, and even told his grandson to accompany his junior sister. He also gambled with hooligans and was beaten black and blue. Even when he was drunk, he still did not forget to express his feelings to his junior sister."

Moreover, when the Huashan Sect left the day before yesterday, the Wang family gave them gifts, especially to Yue Lingshan, who received a very generous gift. Everyone said that she had become a granddaughter-in-law.

The Holy Maiden, such an extraordinary figure, is infatuated with Linghu Chong. Doesn't that mean she's inferior to even Yue Buqun's daughter? Wouldn't that make her a laughingstock?

Besides, rumors circulate that she and Yun Changkong are mutually in love. I've seen Yun Changkong myself; his martial arts are unparalleled, he's incredibly handsome, and his demeanor is magnificent. If I were a woman, I would have fallen for him long ago. The Holy Maiden doesn't even fancy someone like that, yet she's attracted to Linghu Chong? There's something very strange about this; I simply can't believe it!

As soon as he finished speaking, Ji Wushi blurted out, "Brother, you've also fought Yun Changkong."
Wang Laoliu sneered and burst into laughter, saying, "Don't listen to his bragging. Yun Changkong is so ruthless. Just spying on him and being discovered by him wouldn't necessarily be enough to save your life. You actually fought with him and came back alive. You really know how to flatter yourself!"

Zhao Jie roared, "I have fought Yun Changkong. You dare to bet with me? If what I say is true, you'll call me grandpa from now on. If we don't fight, I'll call you grandpa!"

Wang Laoliu suddenly stood up: "Let's gamble, I'll..."

Fearing they might turn against each other and damage their friendship, Ji Wushi said, "It's normal to fight Yun Changkong and come back alive. I've faced him once myself, and he's not as ruthless as the rumors suggest!"

But Brother Zhao, you don't understand. The affairs of men and women in this world are often unpredictable and inexplicable. The Holy Maiden has been a princess since childhood, always looking down on men. Yet, a man like Linghu Chong, who seems clever but is actually a fool, holds a far greater attraction for her than someone like Yun Changkong!

Sima Da asked in surprise, "What does this mean? How come Linghu Chong is an idiot?"

Ji Wushi laughed and said, "You big brute, how would you know about the saying 'beautiful women bring disaster'? Linghu Chong doesn't understand this principle at all. I also know that he had feelings for Yue Buqun's daughter, but he was unmoved by her affections. His actions, tsk tsk, he really disgraced men."

Sima glared at him and said, "Don't you dare get yourself into trouble!"

Ji Wushi laughed and said, "What's there to be afraid of? A real man has nothing to hide! Besides, the Holy Maiden sent word that she wanted to save Linghu Chong, and some people are even saying behind her back that the Holy Maiden and Yue Buqun's daughter are fighting over a man!"

Yun Changkong chuckled inwardly: "Who is this fool who spreads such rumors? Ren Yingying will be furious!"

Sima Da gave a wry smile, picked up a wine jug, and started drinking.

Ji Wushi sighed, "But a man as infatuated as Linghu Chong is most likely to make soft-hearted women fall hopelessly in love."

Everyone knows how much kindness the Holy Maiden has shown us; isn't it just that she couldn't bear to see us suffer? Ordinary people easily forget their old loves when they have new ones, like Yue Buqun's daughter.

I've also heard people from the Huashan Sect say privately that Linghu Chong and this junior sister used to be very close, but after meeting Lin Pingzhi of the Fuwei Escort Agency, Lin Pingzhi immediately discarded Linghu Chong like trash. On the contrary, Linghu Chong remained devoted to this junior sister.

We roughnecks would definitely call someone like that stupid, but in the eyes of someone like Saintess, who has seen so much of the ugliness of human nature, that's deep affection.

The group were all roughnecks who had always scoffed at such so-called deep affection, but they had seen their share of "love-struck fools."

Yun Changkong felt this deeply, noting that Linghu Chong's infatuation with Yue Lingshan actually surpassed that of all of Jin Yong's main characters.

Those supporting characters who "lick the best boots," like You Tanzhi and Hu Yizhi, are also unparalleled.

Because although the main characters like Yang Guo and Zhang Wuji had romantic entanglements with many women, these entanglements occurred before they had committed to each other, clarified their feelings, or established a romantic relationship.

Linghu Chong, however, was the only one who couldn't forget Yue Lingshan even after he and Ren Yingying had become engaged and were in a relationship. His heart would race and his body would feel hot whenever he heard Yue Lingshan's name.

Ren Yingying's reaction was quite different from the other women. She said directly, "I like that you can't forget Yue Lingshan. This proves that you are not a heartless and fickle person."

Surprisingly, upon hearing that Linghu Chong was kind to Yue Lingshan, she felt a sweet warmth in her heart and thought, "He was indeed very good to you before, but now he treats me much better. This is not his fault; it's not that he has changed his mind about you, but rather that you have bullied him too cruelly."

This person is actually even more "love-obsessed" than Zhao Min.

Therefore, in Yun Changkong's eyes, Linghu Chong and Ren Yingying were a perfect example of someone who truly embodied the saying: "The feelings between men and women are inexplicable and difficult for outsiders to understand."

Those are the epitome of love, unmatched by ordinary people.

Then Zhao Jie said, "Then how do you know that Yun Changkong is not a deeply affectionate person?"

Ji Wushi glanced at him and said, "Didn't you fight him before? How powerful is his internal strength?"

Zhao Jie nodded hurriedly: "That's really amazing. He flicked a pine cone from more than ten feet away and knocked my sword away."

He blurted out the truth, and everyone suddenly realized why his arm was swollen. They all stared at Zhao Jie, some with disdain in their eyes. Zhao Jie secretly regretted it; he had blurted it out again. Why couldn't he break this habit?

Ji Wushi laughed and said, "Since ancient times, it has been said that 'love is the most harmful thing,' and women are even more misleading. As the saying goes, when the essence leaks, the soul is exhausted; when the essence is depleted, the soul is destroyed. This is a major taboo in cultivating internal energy. Yun Changkong is so young, yet he has cultivated his internal energy to such a level. How could he not know this principle? Therefore, he does not value women."

Furthermore, Yun Chang was an extraordinary person. If you stood face to face with him and looked closely into his eyes, there were only four words to describe him!

"What four words?"

Everyone asked in unison.

Ji Wushi said, word by word, "The eyes are empty of everything."

Sima Dadao: "Isn't this just arrogant disdain for others? He's highly skilled in martial arts, so it's only natural."

Ji Wushi shook his head and said, "That's a superficial statement. How can it be summed up by mere arrogance?"

Sima Dadao: "What else?"

Ji Wushi sighed and said, "In his eyes, you are nothing. Of course, you are nothing, but this is not only when he is facing you, but everyone is the same in his heart."

The Holy Maiden is mysterious and sacred enough, yet he addressed her by her given name in front of everyone. You could say he lacked manners and looked down on the Holy Maiden, a woman, but he even addressed the Eastern Cult Leader by his given name in front of the elders of Blackwood Cliff!

The crowd immediately gasped in surprise; some were utterly astonished, while others broke out in a cold sweat.

He said in a trembling voice, "How dare he address the Eastern Cult Leader by his given name?"

It takes immense courage for anyone in this world to dare to call Dongfang Bubai by his name.

Some people wouldn't dare to do that even when no one is around, let alone in public!

Someone said, "Why hasn't this been mentioned in the martial arts world?"

Ji Wushi took a deep breath and sneered, "Nonsense, who would dare to spread that?"

Logically, Yun Changkong's use of that name was a grave offense to the Eastern Cult Leader, and the elders of the Divine Cult should have fought him to the death. However, they were wary of his martial arts skills and dared not make a move, only watching him leave triumphantly. Not only was this matter concealed, but it was also beyond their ability to spread the word. If I hadn't been there at the time, I probably wouldn't have known either!

Sima Da, no longer wanting to hear about the terrifying "Invincible East," clapped his hands and said, "I understand. It's precisely because Yun Changkong is arrogant and the Holy Maiden is equally haughty that the two cannot compromise with each other."

Rumors circulated in the martial arts world that the two were deeply in love. The Holy Maiden and he were already bitter enemies, and now she had fallen for Linghu Chong. To prevent her lover from suspecting anything, she wanted Yun Changkong dead, to prove her feelings!

Yun Changkong was taken aback, thinking, "Is that so?"

But thinking about it, there's some truth to it.

It is known that Yun Changkong read Buddhist scriptures in the empty mountains and meditated in seclusion, and he had long possessed unique insights into the affairs of the world and the vast universe.

He only asks for his conscience in his actions. Although he loves to associate with beautiful women, things like Linghu Chong's unrequited love for Yue Lingshan and Ren Yingying's unrequited love for Linghu Chong are truly bizarre.

One of them is simply asking for trouble, because even if Linghu Chong and Yue Lingshan were together, they might not necessarily be happy.

The other woman completely abandoned any semblance of feminine modesty and forbade anyone to gossip about her and Linghu Chong. Anyone who saw her with Linghu Chong was banished to a deserted island.

It should be noted that although Yun Changkong did not wield the sword of wisdom to sever his emotional ties, and he still had things he cared about, when the time came, there was nothing he couldn't let go of, and nothing he couldn't give up.

Therefore, although Ren Yingying was a woman of exceptional beauty and unwavering loyalty in love, Yun Changkong also enjoyed interacting with beautiful women. However, he could not feel any affection for Ren Yingying, a woman who wanted everything.

That's such a fucking waste of time!

Furthermore, Ren Yingying's nature is inherently arrogant, which Yun Changkong doesn't understand at all, and he's always subservient to women.

Therefore, even though he knew how to win Ren Yingying's heart, he made no attempt to hide it. He simply disdained to deceive others.

Otherwise, none of these famous women—Liu Jing, Yue Lingshan, Yi Lin, and Ren Yingying—would have escaped his grasp!

As for Lan Fenghuang, Yun Changkong didn't actually love her. It was just that Lan Fenghuang was bold, and he didn't care about the world's praise or criticism. Since you said you couldn't bear to see me suffer and kissed me, that meant you were interested in me. So I accepted it without hesitation.

To be fair, this has absolutely nothing to do with love.

At this moment, Sima Da said, "Why worry about so much? We are people of the martial arts world, and we value loyalty above all else. The Holy Maiden wants to save Linghu Chong's life and take Yun Changkong's life. As the saying goes, medicine can't cure an incurable disease. Who knows if Linghu Chong can survive?"
If she loses her beloved, she will surely be unhappy. So let's kill Yun Changkong and make the Holy Maiden happy too.

Brother Ji is a man of great knowledge and experience, and he has even met Yun Changkong before. I'm sure we can't defeat him in a direct confrontation. We must devise a plan to eliminate him secretly, so that no one else can get the first kill.”

Yun Changkong sneered inwardly, waiting for Ji Wushi's reply. If Ji Wushi tried any despicable means to deal with him, he would unleash a massacre tonight, leaving none alive.

But Ji Wushi shook his head and said, "This cannot be done!"

Sima Da looked utterly bewildered: "You dare disobey the Holy Maiden's orders?"

Ji Wushi's face flushed with anger, and he said, "What kind of talk is this?"

Sima Da's eyes widened as he asked, "Then what do you mean?"

Ji Wushi sneered, "You bunch of roughnecks just don't understand women's hearts. The Holy Maiden saved Linghu Chong's life because she hoped her beloved would be well, but she may not have really intended to kill Yun Changkong!"

"Huh?" Everyone was startled. "What do you mean?"

Ji Wushi said, "Don't you think that if the Holy Maiden really wanted to kill Yun Changkong, why would she spread the word to everyone?"

Yun Changkong isn't stupid or deaf!
Killing a master requires surprise; there's no need for a grand display, as if you want the whole world to know!

“That makes sense!” Zhao Jie nodded and said, “In my opinion, it must be because Yun Changkong said that Linghu Chong’s injuries were beyond cure and that he needed to practice the Yi Jin Jing and the Star Absorbing Skill. The Holy Maiden was not convinced. First, she wanted to save her beloved’s life; second, she wanted to humiliate Yun Changkong; and third, she wanted to force Yun Changkong out of the Central Plains, to make him, the one who spread rumors with her, disappear, so as not to disturb her good time with Linghu Chong and to make this young master Linghu resentful!”

Ji Wushi slapped his thigh and said, "That's possible. The Holy Maiden and Yun Changkong are actually the same kind of people. They are both extremely proud. If you say my lover is going to die, then I must save him. The two of them are actually competing with each other."

Sima sighed and said, "The Holy Maiden has been kind to us. We would gladly lose our lives to serve her, but now, alas..."

Zhao Jie said, "I do hope that the Holy Maiden and her lover will soon be happily in love, and that there will be peace in the martial world."

Otherwise, we'd be in for a long time to have peace and quiet. To be honest, Yun Changkong is really not easy to kill!

He was skilled in hiding and boasted that no one could detect him. However, he had a fleeting thought: if he could kill Yun Changkong, wouldn't he, Zhao Jie, become famous throughout the world? But the moment this thought crossed his mind, he was exposed by Yun Changkong. He still trembles with fear when he thinks about it now.

At this moment, an old man with a blank expression and wearing a hat said, "This matter is not so simple. Let's not even talk about whether Linghu Chong can live or die because he is infatuated with his junior sister. Just look at him. He is a disciple of the Huashan Sect. These prestigious sects have always been at odds with Blackwood Cliff. In particular, Yue Buqun is known as the 'Gentleman Sword,' and he cares most about his reputation. How can he allow Linghu Chong and the Holy Maiden to get married?"

He hadn't spoken until now, but everyone who heard him felt that he had revealed the key point.

At this moment, Ji Wushi said, "That makes sense, so I have an idea. Saving Linghu Chong's life is the will of Heaven. Killing Yun Changkong is fraught with difficulties, and even if we give our lives, we may not be able to achieve our goal."

Why don't we capture Yue Buqun's daughter from the Huashan Sect and his sweetheart, make them stay out all night, thus extinguishing Linghu Chong's feelings? Then we can capture Yue Buqun, threaten him with death, and force him to preside over the marriage.

Yun Changkong chuckled inwardly. These people are really damn interesting; are they picking on the weak?

Sima Dayi slapped his thigh and said, "Great idea! The Huashan Sect hasn't left the Yellow River waterway yet, and the Tianhe Gang is powerful. Let's go and contact Huang Boliu."

Ji Wushi said, "This matter must be done discreetly, and no one else can know about it. If Linghu Chong finds out that we have offended his sect and killed his junior sister, he might whisper in the ear of the Holy Maiden, and we will surely die a horrible death!"

"Yes, yes, yes!" The group immediately clasped hands to form an oath, vowing not to divulge a single detail, and discussed in detail how to capture the Huashan Sect members.

Yun Changkong suddenly realized why Yue Lingshan and Lin Pingzhi had been captured. While the Evil-Slaying Sword Manual was important, it was also a way to create the illusion of "a lone man and woman spending the night together" so that Linghu Chong would give up on his junior sister.

Even the brainless Six Immortals of Peach Valley could see that Linghu Chong and Yue Lingshan were in a situation where one's feelings were unrequited, let alone others.
Yun Changkong finally understood why these people were called heretics; they were completely ignorant of matters between men and women, and forcing things would be pointless. Furthermore, their schemes to facilitate this were utterly immoral. But when he heard they were turning against him, he decided to ignore them. With a swift movement, he floated out of the valley as if his feet were not touching the ground.

They came quietly, and they left quietly.

At daybreak, Yun Changkong arrived in Luoyang City and returned to the inn, where the innkeeper called out, "Master Yun."

Yun Changkong stopped and turned his head, asking, "What is it?"

The shopkeeper bent down and took out a pile of gold-painted visiting cards from under the counter, saying, "In the past few days, many gentry have come to visit Master Yun, but Master Yun has not returned for several days, which has made our shop quite embarrassed. Some of the more irritable gentry almost wanted to tear our shop down."

Yun Changkong gave a cold laugh and said, "You probably made quite a bit of money selling my information, didn't you?"

The shopkeeper looked embarrassed and said, "That's not true."

It turns out that a few days ago, Yun Changkong posted a challenge to Zuo Lengchan. As the news spread, it attracted many martial arts figures to Luoyang, who naturally inquired about his whereabouts everywhere.

That's how he learned about this inn. As for how he found out, with Yun Changkong's keen insight, he naturally understood.

The shopkeeper saw that he had seen through the rhetoric, and since those who came to visit Yun Changkong were all people from the martial arts world, he had indeed made a lot of money by selling information, equivalent to one or two years' income. However, there were also some people with bad tempers who almost attacked him, but he was afraid of offending Yun Changkong.

At this moment, the shopkeeper revealed the news and was afraid that the person he had visited would associate with others and take action to demolish his shop.

Yun Changkong accepted the visiting cards and saw that the first one had several golden characters that read, "Wang Yuanba of the Golden Saber Sect of Luoyang bows respectfully."
He thought to himself, "Isn't this Lin Ping's maternal grandfather? Known as 'Invincible Golden Knife,' he was a local tyrant in Luoyang, but in Yun Changkong's eyes, he was a different story."

Turning to the second page, it read "Three Heroes of Central Henan Bow Their Heads," and I thought to myself, "Who are these people? They don't even have a name!"

He flipped through a few more cards, and surprisingly, there were cards from Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Hubei. Yun Changkong thought to himself, "In just a few days, the news has spread beyond the province. News travels fast in the martial arts world." Seeing that there were no fewer than forty or fifty cards, he stopped looking at them and said, "Manager!"

The shopkeeper, thinking he was about to reprimand him, stammered, "Master Yun..."

Yun Changkong smiled and said, "You will send a reply to each of my visiting cards, and write in the card that I will be hosting a banquet at 'Taibai Tower' in the west of the city at noon on the eighth day of the fourth month. Please be sure to attend."

The shopkeeper beamed with joy and nodded repeatedly.

Yun Changkong said, "This writing fee..."

The shopkeeper, feeling guilty and timid, hurriedly said, "No need, no need. It is our honor to serve Master Yun."

Yun Changkong nodded and said, "Okay." After saying that, he returned to his room, packed his belongings, and then went to the dock.

He had a one-month contract with Zuo Lengchan, and he knew that some people would want to watch the spectacle, which was to be expected.

After all, this was done intentionally; what's the point if no one's watching? But seeing so many people visiting, given his state of mind, he simply couldn't be bothered to socialize.

However, one cannot be too unsociable in the martial arts world, so they had no choice but to give a unified greeting before the competition.

When Yun Changkong arrived at the ferry, he bought a boat and headed east. Traveling by boat would help him avoid being seen and reduce unnecessary trouble.

In fact, his goal was also to put Ren Yingying's true purpose into practice before deciding on her future actions.

Another reason is that "since you're idle anyway," you might as well wander around and that's a good way to pass the time.

On this day, as the ship approached Kaifeng and the boatmen were resupplying, they heard news of "Zhuxian Town" coming from the dock. (End of Chapter)