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

As soon as Yun Changkong darted out of the house, he saw a green shadow flash across the rooftop ahead. Judging from the force with which the shadow was launching the tile and the lightning-fast movement, the person must possess extremely high martial arts skills.

Yun Changkong's mind raced, and without even lifting a foot or stepping over it, his body floated up like a kite. But before he could even step onto the roof, while his body was still suspended in mid-air, he suddenly felt a strong gust of wind above his head, and with a whoosh, a tile was thrown down.

Yun Changkong dodged it. This mid-air turn was a top-notch lightness skill, relying entirely on the energy of his dantian. Suddenly, he felt a softness under his feet. Even though there was nothing beneath his feet, he still felt a void and his body swayed.

Yun Changkong thought to himself, "I was too reckless last night. Why are my legs so weak?" He suddenly gathered his breath, and a surge of heat flowed through his body. He suddenly rose into the air. This skill of rising into the air without any support was a top-notch lightness skill. But just then, a cold light shot out and covered his upper body.

Yun Changkong saw it clearly; he saw a slender white thorn piercing through the air, its sharp tip aimed at his throat.

This move was incredibly swift. Yun Changkong felt a chilling coldness from the sharp edge. He thought the person had already retreated, but unexpectedly, he returned silently without being noticed. The speed of this attack was even more unexpected.

Yun Changkong knew his opponent was formidable. He was in mid-air, and if he were to take the blow head-on, he would inevitably fall back to the ground. With this up-and-down movement, his opponent would surely disappear without a trace. He quickly waved his sleeve to catch the incoming sword and secretly used his internal energy to propel himself upwards.

"Whoosh!"

Just as Yun Changkong was about to unleash his full power, the sword light suddenly spun, turned a corner, and twisted towards his wrist.

Yun Changkong was slightly surprised. This person's attack was not only swift, but his sword moves were also extremely strange and unpredictable.

Yun Changkong was extremely discerning when it came to judging the quality of swordsmanship. As soon as this person made a move, he knew that this person's skill in swordsmanship was truly extraordinary.

Although Yun Changkong's martial arts skills were high, he was still in mid-air and had nowhere to use his strength. He had made a series of miscalculations and could only make sure he could stop and change his moves. He sank down and used a Thousand-Pound Drop to fall straight into the courtyard.

Yun Changkong appeared to be forced to fall, but in the blink of an eye, he dodged the hidden weapon, rose into the air, and then changed his upward momentum to a downward fall. He was truly as swift as a rabbit and as quick as a falcon. Lan Fenghuang and the four maids, including Ren Yingying, who rushed out after him, were all dazzled and shaken.

Then Yun Changkong pushed off the ground with his toes and flew up again. He pulled out his jade flute to protect his head and face, and leaped onto the roof. He saw the figure flash on the treetop, but only a gentle breeze rustled the trees before the figure disappeared.

All of this may seem like a long story, but it actually happened in just a few breaths. Lan Fenghuang had already leaped onto the roof and exclaimed, "Who is this person? He is truly remarkable!"

Yun Changkong had intended to pursue him, but fearing it was a diversionary tactic, he said, "This man's martial arts are indeed superb, and he doesn't care much about face. He's not someone to be trifled with!"

Lan Fenghuang said coldly, "If we don't let him be buried here, how can we still be in the martial world? Chase him!"

She thought about how dozens of her followers were here, and yet one person had sneaked in and escaped in full view of everyone. How could she possibly save face? Then she thought about her passionate encounter with Yun Changkong last night. If he saw that, how could she live with herself?

Yun Changkong said calmly, "Didn't you say Zuo Lengchan has arrived? What if there are other experts as well?"

Lan Fenghuang raised an eyebrow: "Are you afraid of being lured away from the mountain?"

Just then, a faint note of a zither drifted from afar.

Yun Changkong's eyes flashed. The music was intermittent, mournful and desolate, carrying with it a deep-seated loneliness and resentment, and a hidden stubbornness.

Yun Changkong was a connoisseur of music and felt that the person playing the zither had exquisite skills and high attainments.

Lan Fenghuang heard this too and said, "This charade is so annoying, we have to kill him!"

Yun Changkong's heart stirred, and he said, "This person is probably trying to lure me out. I'll go and see."

Lan Fenghuang nodded and said, "Be careful!"

Yun Changkong nodded, swayed his shoulders, and leaped up, disappearing from her sight in a few bounds.

Yun Changkong displayed his movement technique, moving as fast as the wind. Following the sound of the zither, he ran for about a mile and could vaguely see a stream winding in the distance, with towering green cypress trees. Soon he arrived at an open plain, where an old man in green robes stood.

Yun Changkong had just exchanged a few blows with him but hadn't been able to see his face clearly. Now he was scrutinizing him.

The man was thin and hunched over, dressed in a long, loose, and tattered blue cloth. His face was withered like an autumn leaf, with wrinkles etched on both sides of his cheeks. His face had weathered many storms, and the vicissitudes of time had etched themselves upon it. His cheekbones were high and his eyes were sunken and sharp, with a cold and piercing gaze. His lips were tightly closed and bloodless.

The joints of both hands are sharply separated, the veins are dense and the wrists are withered. The right hand tightly holds an old erhu, the five fingers are long and slender, the edges of the instrument have been worn by the years. The left hand plays the instrument and the sound is trembling, as if weeping and lamenting the coldness of the heart, filled with the vicissitudes of time.

Upon seeing this person, Yun Changkong immediately understood everything. He stood there for a long time without disturbing him.

After finishing his piece, the old man slowly said, "You have great patience."

His tone was old and flat, devoid of any emotion, which seemed rather incongruous with the lingering sorrow.

Yun Changkong's patience naturally returned. He stepped forward and said, "Why have you gone to such great lengths to bring me here?"
"You were led here?" The old man's face, crisscrossed with wrinkles, trembled as if he wanted to fly away. He laughed and said, "Could it be that I have ill intentions towards you?"

Yun Changkong said, "If you harbor ill intentions towards me, while it wouldn't be considered ungrateful, it wouldn't be befit your status!"

The old man chuckled and said, "It seems you know who I am?"

Yun Changkong smiled and said, "The rain in one's heart is like the wind on the strings, and the life of the martial world is contained within it. To be able to play such a mournful tune, it is probably no one but Master Mo Da of 'Xiaoxiang Night Rain'!"

The old man looked Yun Changkong up and down a few times, then suddenly exclaimed, "The rumors are truly all false!"

With a sharp clang, a slender longsword appeared in the old man's hand, its blade swaying slightly. He said, "People say that 'a sword hidden within a zither, a sword resonating with the zither' describes my martial arts. But your line, 'The rain in my heart is like the wind on the strings, my life in the martial world is contained within,' encompasses my entire life. Yun Changkong is indeed extraordinary; I admire you greatly!"

As he spoke, he slowly inserted the long sword into the bottom of the erhu and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Yun Changkong, who was holding the erhu.

It turned out that the old man was none other than Master Mo Da, the leader of the Hengshan Sect. His sword was hidden inside the erhu, with the blade inserted into the handle. From the outside, no one would know that a weapon was hidden inside this old and worn-out erhu.

Yun Changkong returned the greeting with clasped hands and said, "I wonder what advice Master Mo has for me?"

Master Mo laughed and said, “Our Five Mountains Sword Sects are of one mind and one branch. You challenged the Left Alliance Leader, yet you are entangled with the demoness of the Five Poisons Sect. Isn’t this cutting yourself off from the righteous path of the martial world? How can I sit idly by?”

Yun Changkong snorted, "Even a vile witch from a wicked sect has true feelings. Aren't there plenty of hypocritical and treacherous villains in the righteous sects? Isn't Lu Zhengrong of your Hengshan Sect a prime example?"

Mr. Mo burst into laughter and said, "Well said, well said, it's just a pity."

Yun Changkong said, "What's a pity?"

Master Mo said, "It's a pity you acted rashly. War is dangerous and risky. How can you not be cautious?"

Yun Changkong said calmly, "What do you mean by that?"

Master Mo said, "You must already know that Alliance Leader Zuo has led his people here, right?"

Yun Changkong nodded and said, "That's right!"

Master Mo said, "The three bodyguards of the Songshan Sect were killed by you, and you further ruined the Left Alliance Leader's attempt to establish the prestige of our Hengshan Sect. He harbors a deep grudge against you, and now that he knows your whereabouts, how can he not take action?"

Yun Changkong smiled slightly and said, "That's not entirely true. Although Zuo Lengchan harbors deep resentment towards me, I am a wandering martial artist, without any sect or faction, and I do not belong to any power. Furthermore, I have shed blood with people from evil sects."

Since he desires to dominate the world, and given his handling of the Hengshan, Huashan, and Taishan sects reveals his ruthless and ambitious nature, why would he be so impulsive? In my opinion, he might be trying to win me over!

Master Mo laughed and said, "I didn't expect you to be so arrogant. Fine, didn't you want to challenge Alliance Leader Zuo? His martial arts are ten times better than mine. If you can't beat me, you might as well obediently accompany your Phoenix Romance!"

His voice flashed with a sharp light, and a thin, narrow longsword appeared in his hand, trembling like a serpent, descending upon the vast sky above.

Yun Changkong saw that although Mo Da was only making a move, the sword light filled the sky, the sound of the golden blade cutting through the wind, and the momentum of thunder and lightning swept in like a thousand troops.

Yun Changkong was secretly shocked: "No wonder he was able to kill Fei Bin, whose martial arts were no less than his own, so quickly. This old man is indeed worthy of his reputation!"

He took two steps back, drew his jade flute, and suddenly met the attack head-on. A series of metallic clanging sounds rang out, like rapid pipes and strings, or like rain pattering on a palace water clock.

Both of them moved with incredible speed, and in the blink of an eye, their swords had clashed more than ten times.

Master Mo stumbled back three steps, his right hand throbbing with pain and numbness. He was startled to see Yun Changkong also retreating more than ten feet. A look of surprise appeared on his face as he thought, "How does this boy possess such swordsmanship?" He replied, "I have long heard of Young Hero Yun's unparalleled internal strength and exquisite fist and palm techniques. I never imagined that his swordsmanship would be so refined. Today, I, Mo, am truly fortunate to have the opportunity to spar with him personally!"

Yun Changkong smiled and said, "I have long admired the Hengshan Sect's 'Thirteen Forms of Hundred Transformations and Thousand Illusions of Clouds and Mist,' which is renowned throughout the martial arts world. I originally wanted to learn from your junior brother, but I did not have the opportunity. Today, I would like to ask Sect Leader Mo to invite him out so that I can witness his skills. What do you say?"

Mr. Mo said slowly, "Then be careful!"

With that, he lunged forward, his longsword trembling as it aimed for Yun Changkong's abdomen.
Yun Changkong stood still, and with a whoosh, his jade flute flashed towards the enemy's chest.

His move, though not particularly exquisite, was still a fraction faster than Mr. Mo's.

Master Mo was startled. He withdrew his move, spun around, and with a series of sharp, piercing thrusts, his longsword had already struck out three times.

It was as if they had formed a triangle, enclosing the vast sky within a formidable iron wall of sword energy.

Yun Changkong moved with his sword, his movements preceding his intentions. He naturally wanted to slip into the gap, but suddenly thought, "If I use this move, he will either die or be seriously injured. Although his arrival was sudden, he should have no ill intentions." Unconsciously, his swordplay paused, and he hesitated to utter a sound like a flute.

In a battle between masters, his momentary hesitation allowed Master Mo to seize the initiative.

Master Mo unleashed more than ten sword strikes in succession, his attacks as powerful as the Yangtze River, rolling in relentlessly. Under the morning sun, a ball of blue light enveloped the green shadow, churning endlessly, dazzling and startling.

The sound of the slender sword and the jade flute cutting through the wind was like a raging storm, deafeningly loud.

Yun Changkong thought to himself with a chill: "There are indeed countless extraordinary people in the world. I have never taken this Master Mo seriously, yet he has such extraordinary swordsmanship."

At this moment, Master Mo's sword energy surged like a tide, running rampant and unrestrained. Circles of sword light enveloped the sky, which was the Hengshan School's ultimate technique, "The Thirteen Forms of Hundred Transformations and Thousand Illusions of Clouds and Mist".

These "Thirteen Styles of Hengshan Clouds and Mist" are ever-changing and unpredictable. Ninety percent of them are feints to deceive people, while the real moves are tricky and unpredictable, always striking from unexpected angles.

Therefore, even if a longsword strike misses its target, it can still throw the opponent into disarray, thus leading to victory.

The most renowned master of the Hengshan Sect was Liu Zhengfeng, whose swordsmanship was said to surpass Mo Da's. In reality, Mo Da's swordsmanship was far superior to Liu Zhengfeng's. Now, facing a master like Yun Changkong, he held nothing back. Yun Changkong's skill was indeed high, and his martial arts attainments were unparalleled in the martial world. He clearly saw through the feints and real moves in Master Mo Da's circles of sword light, yet he still intended to yield.

For a time, he was also stuck in a quagmire, and was forced to retreat by Mr. Mo's attacks.

Mr. Mo said in a deep voice, "You still won't admit defeat?"

Yun Changkong was both amused and annoyed, thinking to himself that Mo Da was just taking advantage of the situation. He said, "As for losing, that depends on how capable you are!"

As he spoke, he casually flicked his flute and charged towards the circle of swords.

With a clang, the flute and sword clashed. Both weapons were imbued with true power. With a jolt, Mo Da felt a numbness in his tiger's mouth. With a trembling sound, the illusory images in the sky disappeared and condensed into a thin sword.

Because Yun Changkong's jade flute was already resting on his longsword. Mo Dawan hadn't expected that Yun Changkong could distinguish the real from the fake among his countless illusions and strike his longsword with a single move.

Just as Master Mo was about to change his move, he suddenly felt a sticky force coming from the opponent's jade flute, which deflected his longsword, leaving him wide open. The tip of the flute then struck his waist.

Before Master Mo could defend himself, he lunged forward, his left hand swiftly striking out with a sword technique towards Yun Changkong's left ribs.

This finger strike was as fast as lightning, aimed at causing mutual destruction. This move was almost shameless and not the kind of move a master would use. But Master Mo was a very easygoing person, otherwise why would he do something like spying?

At this critical moment, there was no time to think carefully. Unexpectedly, Yun Changkong neither dodged nor evaded, but suddenly played his jade flute, as fast as lightning, and returned as soon as it touched his clothes, turning from left to right.

With a "thud",
Master Mo's sword technique struck the jade flute squarely, as if it had struck metal or stone. He immediately felt a warm current rush into his fingers and hurriedly retreated more than two zhang.

Yun Changkong cupped his hands and said, "I apologize for my offense!"

Master Mo used his "Thousand-Pound Drop" technique to steady himself, exhaled a breath of turbid air, and his cloudy old eyes shone brightly as he said, "Your martial arts are indeed superb, no wonder you are so arrogant. However, your hesitation is not a good thing."

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "I knew long ago that Sect Leader Mo had no ill intentions towards me. He must have come here to test my martial arts skills and wit, to see if I can deal with Zuo Lengchan, and how I can use my assassins."

Master Mo was taken aback for a moment, then said, "You are so young, yet your martial arts are extraordinary, and you are so insightful about the world. You are indeed invincible."

Yun Changkong smiled and said, "You flatter me. How could I possibly be invincible? It's just that you, Master Mo, are the sect leader. You wouldn't listen to my private words. If you wanted to kill me, wouldn't it have been easier to do so when I was out of my mind last night?"

So I can guess what you're trying to do; it's not something that can be done with just a little bit of thinking!

Master Mo sighed, “I am a disciple of the same master as Junior Brother Liu. I strongly opposed his retirement from the martial world, but unfortunately, we are not compatible and I could not stop him no matter what I said. I am deeply grateful to you for your righteous intervention, which saved his family from disaster!” As he spoke, he bowed to Yun Changkong.

Yun Changkong returned the greeting and said, "I helped your junior brother only to take advantage of his misfortune, so you don't need to thank me."

Master Mo shook his head and said, “You don’t need to hide anything from me. You have no interest in my junior brother Liu. Your so-called interest in his family’s wealth is just a smokescreen. I accompanied you across the Xiang River and all the way to the sea. Do you think I don’t know who you are?”

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "I didn't even notice that Sect Leader Mo had been with us all the way. I was really mistaken. I'm utterly incompetent."

Mr. Mo laughed heartily and said, "It is good for a young man to be loyal. If he only shows off, then he is too superficial."

Besides, you are chivalrous and righteous, neither harming nor guarding against others; this is your nature, and it cannot be changed. To put it another way, though I am not particularly skilled in martial arts within the Five Mountains Sword Sect, my ability to conceal my breath and my lightness skill are unmatched, even by the Left Alliance Leader!

Yun Changkong said, "You're flattering me with your talk of chivalry and righteousness. But Mr. Mo's heart is like withered wood and his body is like empty space. This is the natural order of things. It's only natural that we can't perceive it."

Master Mo let out a long sigh, as if filled with endless emotions, and said, "But you exposed my junior brother Lu's conspiracy with the Songshan Sect in public, and even caused his life. As the sect leader, I cannot turn a blind eye to this. Naturally, I must ask you for your guidance!"

Yun Changkong laughed loudly and said, "This matter should be handled separately, of course. Fortunately, today has come, and this matter is over!"

Master Mo understood what he meant; it meant he had lost. He was furious and said, "You little brat, you still want to slap this old man's face?"

Yun Changkong smiled and said, "Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war. Losing is losing, and winning is winning. To tell you the truth, before I made my debut, I was beaten so badly by a woman that I had to run away with my head in my hands. The humiliation I felt was... well, I don't want to think about it!"

"Haha..." Master Mo laughed loudly, giving a thumbs up: "You are indeed a hero. With your current reputation, you can actually be so frank about your secrets. You are a true man and a great hero. No wonder a woman like the Five Poisons Sect Leader is so devoted to you!"

Yun Changkong also smiled and said, "Sect Leader Mo said I was a husband, a hero, a chivalrous person, but I don't agree with any of that. The only thing I do have some experience with is when it comes to women."

Mr. Mo's face darkened, and he said, "You're so fickle and flirtatious, hehe, if you ever fall from grace, it'll all be because of a woman!"

Yun Changkong sighed: "I know I'll die at the hands of a woman sooner or later. But there's nothing I can do about it. I can't change it, and I don't want to. After all, everyone dies eventually. If I could die at the hands of a beautiful woman, that would be a wonderful thing that others would only dream of!"

Master Mo shook his head and said, "Left Alliance Leader is a man of great talent, yet he insists on uniting the Five Mountains Alliance and undertaking such a drastic act against the natural order. Although I wish to stop him, I am powerless to do so."

"You guessed correctly. The Left Alliance Leader's early descent from the mountain was precisely to meet with you and try to win you over."

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "Then he'll be disappointed."

Mr. Mo's eyes flashed with a sharp light, as sharp as knives, and an aura of domineering power emerged as he said, "Don't you want to know Alliance Leader Zuo's conditions?"

Yun Changkong shook his head and said, "No matter the conditions, it's impossible!"

"So sure?" Master Mo raised his eyebrows. "Don't you want to dominate the martial arts world and be worshipped by others?"

Yun Changkong laughed heartily: "I have no great ambitions. I only wish to be with my beautiful wife, wandering leisurely in the forests and springs, free from worldly desires, seeking only peace of mind, and appreciating the gentle breeze, bright moon, flowers, grass, and mist together. This is the life of an immortal. I don't care about anything else!"

Master Mo coldly replied, "If that's the case, why bother entering this mortal world and getting involved in bloodshed?"

Yun Changkong sighed deeply, looking at the destitute Master Mo Da. A sense of loneliness welled up within him, and he couldn't help but look up at the sky, murmuring, "Love is like autumn water, and people grow old in vain; worldly affairs are like fleeting clouds, always unbearable. It's not that I don't know how to cherish the good things, but the helplessness of reality and the strangeness everywhere are just too much for me to bear!"

Mr. Mo snorted and said, "You want a beautiful wife and the pleasures of the mountains and forests, but worldly matters are never so easy."

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "Yes, no matter how you walk the path of life, there will be regrets. There is no such thing as someone who can have all the advantages. So as long as you don't feel sorry for the goddess's heart, but can't help the king's dream, and shed tears in the world, that's wonderful. What's the point of dominating the world!"

Mr. Mo said, "You're so young, how can you lose your fighting spirit? What do you want to do?"

Yun Changkong said, "What are we doing? Playing! This paradise on earth is wonderful. We can admire the picturesque scenery, beauties who bewitch us, and study martial arts, medicine, and poison techniques. As for any ambition to fight and dominate, that's all bullshit!"
Think of Ren Woxing, the leader of the Demonic Sect, who could command the wind and rain, yet he was dethroned by his own capable assistant, Dongfang Bubai.
Zuo Lengchan now considers himself the best in the Five Mountains, and his martial arts are no less than those of the leaders of Shaolin and Wudang. He has little fear of the Demonic Sect leader's claim to be the best in the world. If he doesn't experience the taste of defeat and betrayal, he will really think that his subordinates are loyal to him. Heh, who wouldn't want to sit in his position!

Do you think it's necessary for me to strive? Even if I were to be a leader like them, I'd still have to guard against rebellion from my subordinates; it's exhausting.

Yun Changkong knew that in the original story, after Zuo Lengchan went blind, his junior brothers and disciples all betrayed him. That's why Zuo Lengchan went on a killing spree at the Cliff of Contemplation on Mount Hua, where he, Lin Pingzhi, and a group of blind men wiped out all of his disciples.

Yun Changkong was well-versed in history and knew that no one held greater power or position than the emperor, but what was the result?

They're all alone!

It wasn't that he wanted to be alone, but rather that he had no choice.

Because too many people are eyeing his position.

Needless to say, the person beside him in bed is also a target, and for the sake of their children and the throne, they must be dealt with. Sons, daughters, ministers, and generals are also on his mind.

Even eunuchs and palace maids sometimes killed the emperor.

Sitting in that position is never just about enjoying the pleasure that power brings; it also means bearing endless risks.

Because you have no idea who will be the one to attack you!

They had no choice but to worry about it all the time, which diminished the joy of being human and caused them mental anguish. So, throughout history, among the thousands of emperors, only a handful have managed to live to a ripe old age!

Ren Woxing possessed profound internal strength, yet he plotted to destroy Shaolin and Wudang, only to eventually exhaust his strength and die.
All of this made Yun Changkong not only uninterested in being an organization leader and pursuing any hegemonic ambitions, but also somewhat disgusted.

Especially for someone with the advantage of time travel, once they embark on the path to domination, they will not only lose all their foresight in the course of events, but also bear the risk of failure and death.

Even if you manage to succeed by chance, you still have to guard against the risk of having your achievements stolen by those around you, making you a pawn in their scheme.

Emperor Taizu of Song, Zhao Kuangyin, is a living example.

He usurped the throne, bearing the infamy of bullying orphans and widows and being ungrateful, only to be overthrown by his brother and have his own son die an unexplained death. In later generations, people actually believed that this was retribution! It was a complete loss!
But where is the joy of now, relying on the advantage of foresight to roam freely in the world?

After hearing his words, Master Mo remained silent for a moment, then laughed loudly and said, "I thought you were just a romantic, but I didn't expect you to be..." He suddenly stopped, his eyes flashed, and he looked to the left at a lush and verdant tree.

Yun Changkong noticed his ears twitch slightly and said, "A master has arrived. Zuo Lengchan's attempt to win him over failed. As long as you remain in the martial world, you will face many trials and tribulations. Take care of yourself." With a swift movement, he dashed away.

Yun Changkong, of course, understood the principle that if someone is not useful to him, he should be eliminated. He said, "I would like to ask you how to break someone's heart!"

But Master Mo didn't respond. His figure had already disappeared into the tree path. He couldn't help but sigh, "In the original story, all the masters of the Five Mountains Sword Sect were killed or injured, leaving only him. It seems that he is the one who has the most open-minded attitude."

Yun Changkong silently channeled his profound inner energy, listening intently to the sounds around him. After a long while, he thought to himself, "Who is this person? It seems they've gone to Phoenix Manor!" So he took a step and headed back to the manor.

Back in the inner hall, he saw Lan Fenghuang and several women sitting around a table, all with solemn expressions. When he entered, they all stood up.

Lan Fenghuang said, "Who is that person? Zuo Lengchan has sent you a letter!"

Yun Changkong was startled and blurted out, "Send a letter?"

Lan Fenghuang raised her eyebrows and said, "Someone just left a letter at the manor gate. Look."

Yun Changkong took the document and read the inscription: "At the Hengshan gathering, the great hero Yun attempted to single-handedly destroy the entire Songshan sect as a threat. His talent is unparalleled, unmatched throughout history. I have long resided in the mountains and have been deeply concerned. I am delighted to hear of your arrival in the Central Plains and your actions in Luoyang, which are awe-inspiring."

For the sake of Mount Song's centuries-old reputation, I have made a fool of myself by imitating you. Today, at the hour of Shen or You, I have prepared a simple feast and sent someone to invite you. I hope you will grace me with your presence so that we may discuss swordsmanship over wine and admire the heroes of the world. You are a man of exceptional talent and character, and I do not believe you would suspect me of any harm. The signature was clearly "Zuo Lengchan".

Seeing the powerful and vigorous calligraphy, which seemed to have been written by a learned scholar with decades of experience and skill, Yun Changkong thought to himself, "This Zuo Lengchan has completed his plans so quietly and has even managed to find this place. He is already extraordinary. To turn the tables on his opponent is even more brilliant. This man is truly remarkable and should not be underestimated!" (End of Chapter)