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

As the sun rose in the east, Yun Changkong suddenly awoke from his meditation and saw Lan Fenghuang and Ren Yingying still meditating with their eyes closed.

He gently patted Lan Fenghuang and pointed into the distance.
Lan Fenghuang immediately understood, embraced Ren Yingying, and Yun Changkong supported her waist. The three of them floated lightly up to a big tree, hiding in the dense shade and lying still.

At this moment, Ren Yingying also woke up, but she was confused. Yun Changkong shushed her and pointed to the mountain path on the right.

After a while, the two heard the sound of footsteps coming from the mountain path.

Suddenly someone said, "Uncle-Master, he's right there on the post."

Although they were quite far apart, the man's voice was extremely loud; it was none other than Xin Guoliang from the Shaolin School.

As they pondered, they saw five people walking along the mountain path through the dense foliage.

There were three middle-aged men, two of whom were Xin Guoliang and Yi Guozi whom I had seen last night, and I didn't recognize the third.

One of the monks was holding a convenient shovel, while the other had a wrinkled face, wore a gray cloth robe, and a pair of hemp shoes with multiple loops. Then Xin Guoliang shouted, "Brother Tan!"

He already had a very loud voice, and when he saw Tan Di lying on the ground, his shout startled even the birds into flight.

The old monk moved with lightning speed, arriving before Tan Diren's corpse. He bent down, examined it closely, and solemnly declared, "The Five Poisons Sect!"

When the group arrived, they saw Tan Diren's face, with its bulging veins and bluish-black color, and all of them looked surprised.

Yi Guozi said, "Uncle-Master, do you believe me now? Linghu Chong of the Huashan Sect colluded with evil sects and even learned evil martial arts himself. Their gathering at Wubagang was not only detrimental to our Shaolin Temple, but also a deliberate show of force. Now they have even killed Brother Tan. He came to our Shaolin as a guest and died here. How are we supposed to explain this?"

The old monk then covered his palm with his sleeve and touched Tan Diren's forehead. His white eyebrows trembled slightly as he said, "Such fierce palm force. This is not the technique of the Huashan Sect. It is the arrival of a master from Blackwood Cliff."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed, and they looked around.

Xin Guoliang said, "Linghu Chong looks sickly, and he even pretended that he couldn't withstand Yi Shidi's sleeve wind, but he suddenly drew his sword and subdued me. He also kept calling a young woman 'Grandma.' Could it be that the Huashan Sect is colluding with the Demonic Sect?"

The old monk shook his head and said, "Don't talk nonsense, let's go back to Shaolin Temple first!"

Xin Guoliang said, "Uncle-Master, let's bury Brother Tan."

The old monk put his palms together and said, "It's just a stinking carcass. Whether it's buried or not, leaving this mortal world will end it all." He turned and slowly walked away, and Xin Guoliang and the others followed him.

After a long while, Yun Changkong flew down from the tree, followed by Lan Fenghuang and Ren Yingying.

Lan Fenghuang laughed and said, "That old monk does have some skill. Brother, do you know him?"

Yun Changkong said, "I don't recognize him, but this person's martial arts are profound. He should be the top master of the current generation of Shaolin Temple!"

Lan Fenghuang and Ren Yingying were both shocked, thinking, "He could recognize people from afar and even identify their sects. His martial arts skills are truly astonishing!"

Yun Changkong's martial arts skills are all based on the Shaolin Temple's "Arhat Subduing Demon Skill," so he doesn't even need to open his eyes to distinguish the Shaolin style.

Ren Yingying wrinkled her nose and pouted, saying, "You talk a good game, but when you see people from Shaolin Temple, you run away faster than a rabbit!"

Yun Changkong snorted, "If your martial arts weren't so poor, would I need to hide?"

Ren Yingying glared at him and said, "My martial arts are inadequate? If I hadn't been injured, I wouldn't have taken those five seriously!"

Yun Changkong sneered, "Anyone can brag. Don't think you're so great at martial arts. Even three Ren Yingyings might not be able to defeat one old monk."

Seeing the hint of anger between Ren Yingying's brows, Lan Fenghuang chuckled coldly, feeling a headache coming on. Were these two just incompatible, or what? Their every word was laced with barbs.

Ren Yingying snorted, "So what? I can't beat you, but you can. You still avoid them just the same way!"

Yun Changkong sneered, "If you can't beat them, Phoenix will have to help you, and in the end I'll have to deal with them."
I have some connection with the Shaolin Temple, but is it worth fighting for you?

Upon hearing this, Ren Yingying blushed and turned to leave.

"Where are you going!" Blue Phoenix hurriedly followed.

Ren Yingying said, "It's none of your business. You go with him."

“Yes!” Yun Changkong laughed, “Phoenix, why should we be so tactless as to interfere with her meeting her lover when we go sightseeing?

Ren Yingying was furious and stomped her foot, saying, "Let me tell you, it's true that I saved Linghu Chong, and it's true that I admire his deep affection and loyalty, but it's not like I, Ren Yingying, can't get married. Stop spouting nonsense and being domineering!"

Yun Changkong smiled without saying a word, thinking to himself, "This woman is just stubborn. She clearly wants to go to Shaolin Temple, but she's afraid I'll laugh at her, so she's refusing to admit it no matter what."

Ren Yingying snorted and hurried away.

Lan Fenghuang said to Yun Changkong, "Her injuries haven't healed yet, and I'm worried about her. Let's see her off."

Yun Changkong sighed, "She wants to go to Shaolin Temple with the old monk. Should we go with her too?"

Lan Fenghuang was taken aback and said, "As a woman, would she go to Shaolin Temple for Linghu Chong?"

She looked incredulous, but also felt that Yun Changkong's predictions were always accurate, and said, "Even if it's true, I have to keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't get hurt on the way."

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "Alright, I've got nothing else to do anyway, and going to Shaolin Temple and returning to Luoyang are on the same route. But how are you going to reward me?"

Blue Phoenix chuckled and asked, "What kind of reward do you want?"

Yun Changkong whispered something in her ear, and Lan Fenghuang blushed and whispered, "Aren't you afraid of looking ugly!" Then she chased after Ren Yingying.

Yun Changkong laughed heartily and followed.

They walked in silence for more than ten miles along the mountain path, and Ren Yingying was already panting heavily.

Lan Fenghuang knew that Yingying's injuries had not yet healed, so she said, "Yingying, let's rest for a while before we go."

Yun Changkong said, "Sigh, we've only walked a dozen miles, when will we ever catch up with them!"

Ren Yingying was slightly annoyed and said, "What do you mean? Explain yourself clearly."

Yun Changkong said, "What could it mean? Those people are all experts from the Shaolin School. If we rest for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they will have already disappeared."

Lan Fenghuang chimed in, "If we can't catch up, we can't catch up. It's not like we don't know where Shaolin Temple is."

Ren Yingying then smiled and glanced at Yun Changkong, as if to say: See, the phoenix is ​​ultimately on my side.

Yun Changkong thought to himself, "This woman is really something. She wants to compete with me for this too. I'm sleeping with Phoenix in my arms, are you going to compete with me or not?"

After resting for a while, the group continued walking along the mountain path. After walking for seven or eight miles, they suddenly heard a commotion of voices.

In the distance, wisps of smoke rose from chimneys. As the group rounded a ridge, their view suddenly opened up. There, amidst cleverly arranged pines and rocks, a group of people were gathered in twos and threes, drinking and eating meat.

Ren Yingying tugged at Lan Fenghuang's sleeve and hid behind a tree.

Yun Changkong was only there to watch the excitement, so seeing Ren Yingying's reaction, he naturally wouldn't go out.

He recognized one of them at a glance as Sima Da, whom he had met before. Sima Da was tall and imposing, and was now glaring angrily at an old man with a white beard.

Yun Changkong exclaimed in surprise, "So it was him."

Ren Yingying asked in a low voice, "You know him?"

Yun Changkong said, "I heard people call him Sima Da, but that old man doesn't recognize him."

Ren Yingying snorted and said, "So there are things you don't know. I thought you knew everything. His name is Huang Bolu, and he is the leader of the Tianhe Gang."

Yun Changkong thought to himself, "So it was him." He said, "Why should I know about a bunch of nameless nobody who are slaves to others?"

He had heard Ji Wushi, Sima Da, and others discuss how to kidnap Yue Buqun and arrange the marriage between Linghu Chong and Ren Yingying, and they had mentioned the Tianhe Gang.

Ren Yingying glared at him fiercely.

Huang Boliu was a senior figure in the Central Plains martial arts world, known as "Silver-Bearded Dragon." His gang had many members and a number of skilled fighters. However, the gang's rules were lax, and its members were a mixed bag, so it was inevitable that they would commit crimes. As a result, his reputation was not very good. But he was also someone who had received kindness from Ren Yingying.

At this moment, Huang Boliu said, "Taking Yue Buqun hostage is not a wise strategy. Didn't Ji Wushi and his group take Yue Buqun's daughter and son-in-law hostage, and then get scolded by the Holy Maiden? I won't do it!"

Then one of them chuckled and said, "That's right, Sima Da. These kinds of matters between men and women are the most troublesome. It's thankless work, so we won't do it."

Sima spat and muttered, "A bunch of cowards."

Huang Boliu sneered, "We are cowards, it's you, Sima Da, who are too stupid."

Sima Dadao: "How am I stupid?"

Huang Boliu said, "You've lived for over forty years and you still don't understand a woman's feelings!"

Sima Dadao: "You don't understand your mother's bullshit! Since ancient times, love has been born from jealousy and hatred. If there is no jealousy and hatred, then it is not love. The Tongbai Twin Heroes can't even handle a trivial matter. If they had just killed Yue Buqun's daughter, the Holy Maiden would be overjoyed!"

Yun Changkong thought the saying "love breeds jealousy and hatred" made sense. He looked at Ren Yingying and saw her angry face. He thought to himself, "Yes, why doesn't this woman feel jealous of Yue Lingshan?"

When Ren Yingying saw Yun Changkong's gaze sweep over her with a probing look, she was so angry that her face turned red. She was about to jump out when she heard Yun Changkong's voice reach her ears: "You know very well how many people went to Wubagang. The more you explain this, the worse it gets. Even if you go out and blind them and cut out their tongues, people will still talk."

Ren Yingying was so angry that her teeth itched, but she felt that it was indeed true. Then she heard Huang Boliu say, "You only know one side of the story. Who is the Holy Maiden? She is highly skilled, holds a prominent position, and is incredibly beautiful. Not to mention the countless people in the Divine Sect who are devoted to her, even the Eastern Sect Leader listens to her every word and is afraid of not taking good care of her."

Therefore, she had seen many people treat her well, so she naturally didn't find it special. She had heard that Young Master Linghu was completely infatuated with Yue Lingshan, so much so that he didn't even care about her life or death.

Saintess was so proud and arrogant that she hoped Young Master Linghu would transfer his affections to her, so that she would look at him differently. This would also prove her charm and make her feel that she was superior to the Huashan Sect.

"If we kidnap the Huashan Sect members and force Young Master Linghu to submit, how could the Holy Maiden possibly enjoy such pleasure?"

Upon hearing this, Yun Changkong agreed, saying that it made sense; only in this way could people's desire for conquest be satisfied and they would feel a sense of accomplishment.

Just like how he never wanted to fight Zuo Lengchan, the root cause was that he felt things weren't exciting or sensational enough. If Zuo Lengchan didn't cause any trouble, killing him wouldn't be very interesting.

Ren Yingying probably felt the same way, and then looked at her again.

Ren Yingying was, after all, a virgin. Her face was already flushed, but when she saw Yun Changkong looking at her, her expression turned icy. Her lips moved slightly, and Yun Changkong heard her say in his ear, "Yun Changkong, if you dare to look around again, I'll teach you a lesson!"

Yun Changkong knew she was using telepathy, so he also used telepathy to say, "Once you've done it, don't be afraid of what people say. What's the big deal? Just watch the show honestly. That way, you'll understand your intentions better. Don't be ashamed. That'll make you happier in the future. Do you understand?"

Ren Yingying cursed inwardly, "You just want to see the girl make a fool of herself, do you think I don't know that?"

After listening to Huang Boliu's analysis, Sima Da and the others felt that it made a lot of sense.

After a long silence, Sima Da said, "Now that you mention it, it is indeed the case."

Even someone as seemingly insignificant as the Holy Maiden Lian Yun Changkong wouldn't deign to look down on him, so what's so great about Linghu Chong? Perhaps he's just driven by competitiveness.

Upon hearing this, Ren Yingying gestured towards Yun Changkong with her chin, as if to say, "Did you hear that? This young lady doesn't even look at you!"

Yun Changkong curled his lip, snorted, and looked disdainful, as if to say, "Who cares?"

This made Ren Yingying feel uncomfortable again.

Huang Boliu stroked his beard and said, "Indeed, so we don't need to do anything. We can just play along with the Holy Maiden and Linghu Chong and see whether it's the Huashan Sect that gets a bride or the Sun Moon Sect that finds a son-in-law."

Sima Da laughed loudly and said, "Indeed, I think the Sun Moon Divine Cult is recruiting sons-in-law. How could the Holy Maiden, who is second only to the leader and above all others, possibly get married?"

Huang Boliu declared loudly, "I bet the Huashan Sect will get a wife."

"Me too!"

"I share the same opinion as Brother Sima!"

Sima Da said, "Alright, from now on, whoever wins will be the leader."

Everyone agreed, "A bet is a bet, and whoever wins will be the leader."

Huang Bolu laughed and said, "So, from now on, I am the leader of all of you?"

Sima laughed loudly, "That's not necessarily true. Are you sure you'll win?"

Huang Boliu said, "Young Master Linghu is a hero of our time. How could he become a live-in son-in-law? A woman naturally follows her husband after marriage."

"Nonsense! The Holy Maiden possesses profound Taoist magic and unparalleled martial arts skills; how could she be like a mortal woman?"

The people argued endlessly about this.
When Yun Changkong saw that these people were actually making a bet on this matter, he found it hilarious and even wanted to go out and make a bet himself.

He was also very gambling, and was prepared to gamble that the two of them would not marry into the Huashan Sect or join the Sun Moon Cult, but upon seeing Ren Yingying...

Seeing her eyes red and filled with tears, filled with both shame and anger, he knew that if he went out, these people would probably not survive. He didn't want to listen to their nonsense anymore, so he used his internal energy to make his voice weak and said, "The Holy Maiden is about to arrive. Are you still talking nonsense here? Do you have a death wish?"

They all heard a faint voice and were startled. Sima exclaimed in surprise, "Did you hear that?"

"You heard it too?"

"Oh shit!"

The group turned and ran, disappearing completely in an instant.

Ren Yingying felt she was losing face and coldly said, "I'm going to kill these gossips."

Yun Changkong sneered, "There are at least eight or ten thousand people spreading this rumor. Can we kill them all? Besides, romantic affairs have always been a popular topic. The Emei Sect's former leader, Abbess Miejue, spent her life in seclusion, but the Right Envoy of the Demonic Sect claimed that he and Abbess Miejue were lovers and had a daughter. Even though Abbess Miejue died to prove her innocence, many people still believed her."

Ren Yingying sighed and said, "Anyway, you just want to make a fool of me." With that, she turned and left.

Lan Fenghuang gave him a deep look and smiled, "Do you share the same thoughts as Yingying?" and followed him.

Yun Changkong was stunned and said, "What are you thinking!"

Lan Fenghuang paused, turned around and laughed, "Do you enjoy seeing the Holy Maiden make a fool of herself, or are you resentful because you're infatuated with Linghu Chong?"

Yun Changkong was truly at a loss for words, thinking, "Isn't this utter nonsense? What's there to be upset about?"
If I really liked this woman, I would have acted like Tian Boguang, a real man, instead of watching her fawn over Linghu Chong. Do you think I'm some kind of gentleman? I'm a man with a penchant for beautiful women, a man who wants to be a womanizer!

Ren Yingying was out of breath again after walking for a short while. Lan Fenghuang quickly helped her up. Once her breathing had calmed down, Ren Yingying said, "Fenghuang, am I really that funny?"

Lan Fenghuang said, "Don't overthink it. Men naturally like to tease women, especially those of higher status."

Yun Changkong nodded and said, "What you said is true. Any man, when faced with a woman, especially a beautiful one, is very shameless. No matter how old or young, wise or foolish, no one can escape it. Especially since you are of noble status, once someone catches you in the act, everyone will laugh at you. This is actually the evil in human nature at work! Look at the scandalous history of Empress Wu Zetian, it couldn't be wilder."

Ren Yingying snorted, "Then you are also causing trouble!"

Yun Changkong nodded and said, "That's right. You have the three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance, and so do I. So we must constantly cleanse our minds and not let them become tainted, which is to say, we must not indulge ourselves."

Ren Yingying couldn't help but smile and said, "You really have a lot of fallacies. Doesn't Buddhism say that Bodhi has no tree, and the bright mirror is not a stand? Originally there is nothing, so where can dust settle? What are you wiping away?"

Yun Changkong smiled slightly and said, "People all say that slaying demons and monsters and taking revenge is the mark of a hero, but they don't know that if the heart is clouded, even the sharpest sword is illusory."

But this world is vast, where people fight for empty fame and battle over delusions. Everyone is fixated on the distinction between good and evil, and the consequences of grudges. Therefore, to avoid being swayed by worldly desires, it is essential to reflect on oneself in a mirror.

Ren Yingying laughed and said, "You are a really strange person. Sometimes you are like an old monk who has seen through the ways of the world, not like a young person at all."

Yun Changkong asked, "Then what constitutes a young person?"

Ren Yingying said, "Like Young Master Linghu, you dare to love and be fierce, with a heroic spirit soaring to the clouds."

Yun Changkong smiled slightly, said nothing, and closed his eyes to rest.

After resting for a while, Ren Yingying said, "It's a long road ahead. Could you tell us your story so we can calm our nerves?"

"No!" Yun Changkong answered without hesitation.

Ren Yingying pouted and looked at Lan Fenghuang.

Lan Fenghuang smiled and said, "Brother, I would also like to hear about your past."

Yun Changkong thought for a moment and said, "My story is meaningless. Half my life has been spent wandering around, all of which are just illusions. So there's nothing to talk about."

Lan Fenghuang laughed and said, "How can it be a mirage if you don't say anything?"

Ren Yingying said, "Are all your wives like that? Phoenix is ​​one too!"

Yun Changkong glanced at her, then looked into the distance and said, "There are shops ahead, let's rest there."

Seeing that he wouldn't say anything, the two women didn't ask any more questions.

The group arrived at a teahouse, ordered tea and some snacks. Ren Yingying drank a few sips of hot water and felt much better.

Lan Fenghuang looked worried, because she knew that Ren Yingying's injury would take at least ten days to half a month to heal without the help of a master.

Yun Changkong wanted to heal Ren Yingying's injuries; it was a simple matter. However, she knew that Ren Yingying was naturally clean and wouldn't allow a man to touch her body, so she couldn't say anything.

As for Yun Changkong, he would never take the initiative to treat someone's injuries.

Suddenly, a loud voice came from outside the shop: "Uncle-Master, it's Linghu Chong!"

Just then, Yi Guozi laughed heartily: "It's like finding a needle in a haystack, only to have it come to you effortlessly!"

A figure flashed by, and Ren Yingying had already floated out of the store.

Lan Fenghuang shook her head and sighed, "To be honest, brother, I hope that the Holy Maiden is with him, but I really don't understand."

"What don't you understand?" Yun Changkong asked.

Lan Fenghuang said nothing and went outside the store.

Yun Changkong followed them out and saw a locust tree by the roadside in the distance. A group of people were gathered under the tree, and Ren Yingying was sitting on a rooftop, looking down.

Lan Fenghuang and Yun Changkong also leaped up one after the other. (End of this chapter)