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

Everyone was both surprised and suspicious upon hearing Yun Changkong's words.

Master Fang Sheng and Monk Jue Yue wondered how someone so young could utter such profound truths. How much had he experienced?
Linghu Chong was shocked by how true Yun Changkong's words were. He had been punished to be on the Cliff of Contemplation because Yue Lingshan was obsessed with practicing swordsmanship with Lin Pingzhi. He had become disheartened and fell seriously ill, causing his internal strength to decline. His master said it was because he was not good at controlling his seven emotions and six desires.

Later, Yue Lingshan fell in love with someone else, and he lost all interest in life. Just now, he had forgotten Yue Lingshan, but could he really forget her? Probably not!
It's clear that his insight is terrifying!
What is suspicious is that Yun Changkong said a woman was infatuated with him, and was willing to sacrifice her dignity and connections to keep him alive. Isn't that the beautiful girl from the Demonic Sect?
But this woman is the daughter of the former leader, who has a powerful influence in the martial arts world. Could she really be in love with a penniless nobody like me?

Linghu Chong's thoughts shifted, and he was about to ask the Holy Maiden about it. Fortunately, he remembered that when some lay disciples of Shaolin Temple said that she had something going on with him, she killed them without hesitation. If he acted rashly, he might provoke her resentment.

However, he was unruly and impatient with being lectured. But since the speaker was Yun Changkong, he could only suppress his emotions and say, "Whether Linghu Chong lives or dies is my personal matter and it is not for others to comment!"

Yun Changkong sneered and said, "What a spirit! Humph, you talk about life and death so easily when you encounter a little setback. You have no self-respect. Not to mention you are not worthy of the Holy Maiden, you are not even worthy of Yue Lingshan. You are even more unworthy of the Dugu Nine Swords that Feng Qingyang taught you!"

Upon hearing this, Linghu Chong felt his blood boil, and then he heard Yun Changkong say, "Have you forgotten why Feng Qingyang taught you the Dugu Nine Swords?"

Linghu Chong, flustered and trembling, stammered, "I dare not... My grandmaster uncle said he doesn't want the great master Dugu's divine skills to be lost!"

Yun Changkong snorted and said, "Dugu Qiubai diligently studied martial arts in the past, pursuing the realm of 'no sword is better than having a sword,' but he sought defeat yet could not attain it. You learned the Dugu Nine Swords, and the understanding of 'no moves are better than moves' is the culmination of his life's work. Feng Qingyang suffered a great misfortune and vowed to seal his sword, yet in his twilight years, he passed on this ultimate skill to you, precisely because he did not want Dugu Qiubai's divine skill to be forgotten, but you..."

Linghu Chong's heart skipped a beat, and he asked in confusion, "What misfortune has befallen Grandmaster Uncle?"

Yun Changkong said, "You can ask Master Fang Sheng and Master Fang Zheng about Feng Qingyang's matter. I'm too lazy to talk about it."

Linghu Chong frowned.

Yun Changkong said, "Linghu Chong, have you ever thought about why Lin Pingzhi, who has lost his family, stole your love, given that you are a man of great loyalty and righteousness, and that you and Miss Yue were childhood sweethearts with such a deep affection?"

Linghu Chong felt a pang in his chest; he couldn't bring himself to say it in front of outsiders.

Yun Changkong frowned and said, "What? You haven't thought about why something is so unforgettable for you? Failure is not terrible, but if you don't learn from your mistakes, then you deserve it!"

Linghu Chong paused for a moment, feeling that it would be unheroic not to speak up, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "Junior Sister doesn't like me but likes Junior Brother Lin. I'm afraid I'm not serious in my words and actions. Junior Brother Lin is well-behaved and a true gentleman, just like my master. Not to mention Junior Sister, if I were a woman, I would also like him and not this unruly rogue."

Yun Changkong sneered, "So, you've been with your junior sister on Mount Hua for over ten years and you don't understand her at all. She's that shallow. If that's the case, are you only now becoming unserious?"

Linghu Chong was taken aback, then thought, "Yes, my junior sister used to like me like this too!" Then he focused his eyes intently on Yun Changkong's face, as if exploring something, or as if deep in thought.
Yun Changkong straightened his expression and said solemnly, "You must know that a person has responsibilities in life. These responsibilities are not only for oneself, but also for others. Putting aside the empty rhetoric of the world, you should think about your parents and loved ones, who are the closest to you. At the very least, you should avenge the humiliation they have suffered!"
As someone who has received the essence and blood of your parents and been raised by Master Yue and his wife, you must bear certain responsibilities. This is just not forgetting your roots, it's nothing special. But what about you?
You're usually carefree and unserious. To put it nicely, people admire your free-spirited and unconventional nature; to put it bluntly, you're just a spoiled brat.

Why was Yue Lingshan able to accept you before, but after she got together with Lin Pingzhi, she stopped liking you?

Linghu Chong asked in confusion, "Yes, why?"

Yun Changkong said, "Because she saw the difference, she saw the contrast!"

"Different? Contrast?" Linghu Chong was puzzled, and Ren Yingying also listened.

Yun Changkong said, "Difference and contrast are the factors that have the greatest influence on young people's minds."

Lin Pingzhi used to be a complete playboy, but after his family suffered a tragedy, he showed great perseverance and was determined to avenge his family. Yue Lingshan saw how much effort he put in.

what about you?
As the eldest disciple of the Huashan Sect's leader, the sect had high hopes for you. What have you done? At least before you learned the Dugu Nine Swords, you only caused trouble for the sect, right?

Linghu Chong was speechless.

Yun Changkong paused slightly, then continued, "The world of martial arts is always turbulent; the higher you stand, the more dangerous it becomes."

Now Zuo Lengchan is determined to unify the Five Sacred Mountains sects. Your Huashan Sect has been passed down for hundreds of years, so it is the first to be affected. But what about you?
You keep talking about the deep gratitude you owe to your sect, but what about your actions? You're constantly handing Zuo Lengchan a knife. What's even more ridiculous is that you compare yourself to me, saying things like how I was in Hengshan City. Tell me, are you like me?

Back then, I, Yun Changkong, only needed to feed myself; my whole family was fed. Who did I need to fear? Naturally, I could do whatever I wanted.
can you?
You think you're so great with your rudimentary Dugu Nine Swords? Far from it! Master Fang Sheng could subdue you, but Zuo Lengchan couldn't kill you?
He just felt it wasn't the right time yet, otherwise your Huashan Sect could have been wiped out last night!

His words were calm, yet they surged through Linghu Chong's heart like a tidal wave. He cried out in his heart, "Yes, the Songshan Sect is coming on strong, determined to unite the Five Mountains Sects. My master and mistress will not agree. This will be an unprecedented catastrophe for my Huashan Sect. I should be working hard to improve myself. How can I be so ignorant of my own rights, so lacking in understanding of the bigger picture, and forget the kindness of my master and mistress in raising me?"

Although his heart was churning like a raging storm, and he longed to let out a long roar, he forcibly suppressed it.

Yun Changkong continued, "Linghu Chong, we have similar personalities and are sometimes a bit unreliable. But if you want to survive in the martial arts world for a long time, the worst thing you can do is not know your own limitations and act recklessly."

Sometimes, for the sake of others, you have to compromise yourself.

I tolerated that Wudang Sect nobody, whom I could have easily crushed, provoking me like that. It wasn't because I was afraid of him or the Wudang Sect, but simply because of my father.

If we rely on our own whims in everything, we may live comfortably, but it will hurt those close to us.

I've had those moments too, but I've never said I didn't want to live anymore. Of course, if you really have nothing to lose and don't want to live anymore, and you don't care about the wishes of Yue Buqun, Feng Qingyang, or Yue Lingshan, or whether they live or die, then why don't you just draw your sword and slit your throat?
Saying he doesn't want to live anymore every day, is he trying to show off his heroism, or is he just hoping to get sympathy? Isn't that despicable?

His words were spoken calmly, but to Linghu Chong they struck like a thunderclap, making him dizzy, his blood churn, and causing him to gasp for breath.

Yun Changkong said, "Since you can't commit suicide, don't always have this attitude of 'I don't want to live anymore, I don't care what happens.' This is not the behavior of a hero, but that of a scoundrel!"

People in this world are kind to you, but they always expect something in return. Why did Yue Buqun and his wife raise and educate you? To die for you?

That's so that you can bring glory to the Huashan Sect!
The Holy Maiden saved you because she wanted you to be her husband. Master Fang saved you not only to repay a debt of gratitude, but also because he hoped you could use the Dugu Nine Swords to bring peace to the martial world.

But you are ungrateful, not only failing the Huashan Sect's nurturing grace, but also betraying the sacrifices of the Holy Maiden and Master Fang Sheng.

You really think that just because someone's life is in danger, the Holy Maiden will care? Have you started practicing the Shaolin Temple's Yi Jin Jing? Get your act together, be a little more sensible!

These words, each one like a poisonous thorn, pierced Linghu Chong's heart. He suddenly recalled his master and mistress's words on the Cliff of Contemplation at Mount Hua, which flooded his mind. He remembered his master saying, "...The martial world is in turmoil. Your mistress and I have been traveling far and wide in recent years, witnessing the lurking dangers that are difficult to eliminate and will surely bring great calamity in the future. We are truly uneasy."... He also said, "You are the eldest disciple of our sect, and your mistress and I have high hopes for you, hoping that one day you can share our arduous responsibilities and bring glory to the Mount Hua sect. But you are entangled in personal feelings, neglecting your studies and abandoning your martial arts, which has greatly disappointed us." These words filled his mind, and Linghu Chong's heart grew heavier.

He was originally a carefree boy who didn't care much about anything. Therefore, he never had any sense of responsibility, which led to a series of events. At this moment, memories surged like a stormy wind: his master, his mistress, his junior sister, and the beautiful Holy Maiden of the Demonic Sect appeared before his eyes one by one, lingering there.

In an instant, Linghu Chong's face turned pale, his scalp tingled, and his panting sounded like that of a water buffalo that had just finished plowing. Suddenly, he spat out a mouthful of blood and fainted.

"Amitabha!" Master Fang Sheng bent down, examined his eyes, grasped his pulse, and focused on checking his vital energy and pulse.

Yun Changkong said, "He won't die. This kid keeps saying that nothing is more difficult than death. I need to let him know that living is the hardest thing!"

Master Fang Sheng said to Jue Yue, "Pick up Young Hero Linghu."

"Yes!"

Master Fang paused, his gaze fixed, and he put his palms together in gratitude to Yun Changkong, saying, "Young Master Linghu will surely be grateful for your kindness in the future."

Yun Changkong laughed loudly, "Truth can easily hurt people in this world. After all, others will hear it as sarcasm, which can easily cause resentment. However, I never had good intentions to begin with, and I hope he will remember that and come looking for me!"

Master Fang Sheng was taken aback at first, then said loudly, "Does the benefactor have ulterior motives?"

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "All I ever wanted in my life was to meet the masters of the world so that I could reach the highest realm of martial arts. Unfortunately, I was unlucky and the masters I encountered were either very old or young masters who had not yet grown up. So I stopped hoping for that."

This Dugu Qiubai, yearning for defeat yet unable to find one, how high is his swordsmanship really? Can the so-called Dugu Nine Swords truly break all martial arts under heaven? I don't believe it. But Linghu Chong can't unleash the power of his Palm-Breaking and Qi-Breaking techniques right now, so I hope he can become a master with profound internal strength, capable of matching me, and then we'll see whether I break the Dugu Nine Swords, or the Dugu Nine Swords break me!

Master Fang Sheng put his palms together and said, “Your kindness is like a gentle spring breeze and a warm rain, which not only makes those who have been taught feel convinced, but I have also benefited greatly. If there are any flaws, please come to Shaolin Temple and stay for a few days.”

Yun Changkong clasped his hands in greeting and said, "You're too kind!"

Master Fang Sheng flicked his sleeves and walked away slowly with Jue Yue.

Suddenly hearing a cough, Lan Fenghuang cried out urgently, "Big Brother!"

Yun Changkong leaped into the air, resembling a giant eagle, and plunged into the bushes.

Ren Yingying collapsed to the ground, her bright red blood splattering everywhere. Yun Changkong knew that her internal injuries had flared up and that blood was rushing to her throat. He said, "This woman is just so arrogant. She's still injured, but she insists on being stubborn."

Ren Yingying was in excruciating pain in her chest, as if it were being torn apart. Upon hearing this, she angrily retorted, "I didn't ask..." With a "pfft," she spat out another mouthful of blood.

Lan Fenghuang cried out urgently, "Big brother, please help her!"

Ren Yingying suddenly said sternly, "I won't let him help me, and I won't let him touch my body." Lan Fenghuang was used to her stubborn and angry expression and was not surprised. She then turned her gaze to Yun Changkong.

Yun Changkong sneered, "Who's going to help you, let alone touch you? Even if you lay naked in front of me, I'd gouge my eyes out if I even glanced at you..."

Before she could finish speaking, Ren Yingying was overcome with anger and couldn't catch her breath. Her eyes rolled back, and she fell silent.

Lan Fenghuang exclaimed, "Yingying, Yingying..." Yun Changkong was also startled, thinking, "Is this woman so temperamental?" With that, he waved his hand, and an invisible true energy entered his body.

Ren Yingying coughed up a mouthful of blood and caught her breath.

Yun Changkong snorted, "It wouldn't be fun if this woman got so angry she died."

Lan Fenghuang said, "You know she is proud and arrogant, yet you still said those things."

Yun Changkong hummed silently, thinking to himself, "I only said to take off her clothes, and she fainted before I even did anything. What kind of Holy Maiden is she? She's nothing special."

Lan Fenghuang said, "You need to heal her quickly. I can't be the one carrying her."

Yun Changkong said, "What a great scholar Fang Sheng is! He's just a stinking old man; let him be thrown into the mountains and forests!"

"Mmm!" Ren Yingying opened her eyes. Lan Fenghuang asked, "Yingying, how are you?"

Ren Yingying said, "It's nothing!"

Yun Changkong snorted, "Stubborn to the end. Zuo Lengchan lashed her waist with his sleeve, injuring her liver and kidney meridians. With her cultivation level, she won't recover for at least ten days to half a month!"

Ren Yingying was startled. She already knew that her liver and kidney meridians were aching and her internal energy was not flowing smoothly. She knew that Yun Changkong was right. She turned around abruptly and shouted, "Phoenix, she touched my body?"

His eyes flashed with cold, piercing light, and his anger was palpable.

Lan Fenghuang quickly shook her head and said, "No, he just transferred his true energy to you, but he didn't touch your body."

Yun Changkong had already stood up and said, "Phoenix, are you coming with me, or with this wretched woman!"

A surge of anger rose within Yun Changkong. Linghu Chong was unruly and frivolous, despised by everyone in the sect, yet he was a precious treasure in the eyes of this demonic witch. And she clearly loathed him. Yun Changkong felt deeply humiliated and didn't want to stay a moment longer.

Lan Fenghuang retorted angrily, "What do you want? You're all here to make things difficult for me. Yingying, are you unhappy because you think I'm close to my brother, and you're trying to torment me in various ways?"

"I didn't!" Ren Yingying immediately denied, paused slightly, and said, "I just can't stand his frivolous and unpredictable nature..."

"Stop talking nonsense!" Yun Changkong sneered, "You're making it sound like Linghu Chong is some kind of upright person..."

"What does it matter to me whether Linghu Chong is upright or not!" Ren Yingying shouted.

At this moment, she had a headache and chest tightness, and her body felt like it was filled with vinegar, sour and weak. She burst into tears again.

Yun Changkong was completely bewildered. He laughed loudly and said, "Crying, making a scene, and threatening suicide—that's a good way to deal with your husband, but..."

He wanted to say, "You're not my wife," but when the words reached his lips, he suddenly realized that the woman was injured and still crying, and that would be too frivolous. So he swallowed the words back.

Although Yun Changkong did not fall in love with Ren Yingying at first sight, her beauty was unparalleled in the world. Therefore, Yun Changkong liked to tease her, but given his personality, he would never actually bully her.

He was like that, and so was Ren Yingying.

It should be known that Yun Changkong is learned and knowledgeable, with extraordinary literary talent, martial arts skills, and outstanding appearance and demeanor. To say that Ren Yingying would be unmoved in the face of such a man would be a lie.

However, Lan Fenghuang got there first, and coupled with the perverse upbringing of the Demonic Sect, she developed a hatred for these highly capable men. In addition, Yun Changkong, who was already with Lan Fenghuang, still made fun of her, which was exactly the type of person she resented the most.

Moreover, on the surface, Yun Changkong seemed indifferent to her beauty, so her repeated threats to kill him suggested a strong tendency to be irreconcilable enemies with him.

In fact, this behavior stemmed from a secret admiration.

Yun Changkong and Ren Yingying were blinded by their own involvement, while Lan Fenghuang, an observer, saw things clearly. That's why she said that it was inappropriate for the Holy Maiden to talk to a man, even though Ren Yingying herself didn't realize it.

Lan Fenghuang sighed, "Yingying, you're crying again. Don't you find that strange?"

Ren Yingying said coldly, "So what if she's crying? Is it worth making such a fuss about?" As she said this, her gaze was already fixed on Yun Changkong.
But Yun Changkong was all smiles, his gaze fixed intently on him.

She was taken aback at first, then a wave of shame and anger surged into her heart, and she couldn't help but glare at him fiercely.

Yun Changkong grinned and said, "Miss Ren, if you're so angry with me for ruining your plans, I can send you to Shaolin Temple so you can go find your lover without getting in the way."

Ren Yingying pursed her lips, hesitated for a moment, stood up, shook off Lan Fenghuang's hand, her legs went weak, her body swayed, and she rolled down the slope into the ravine.

Lan Fenghuang leaped out and grabbed Ren Yingying's back. The slope wasn't very steep, but it was extremely long. With someone in her hand, Lan Fenghuang had no choice but to glide down the slope into the ravine.

Yun Changkong laughed loudly, "This is hilarious! He can't even stand up straight."

Ren Yingying forced herself to look up and saw Yun Changkong standing on the hillside with his hands on his hips. He was furious and said, "Fine, I don't want to see you anyway. You're no good. Linghu Chong is better than you, much better than me, you vixen..."

"Enough!" Lan Fenghuang whispered, "Do you like him?"

Upon hearing this, Ren Yingying felt a dull ache in her head, as if it were about to split open.

Blue Phoenix said, "Alright, you should rest now!"

He looked at Yun Changkong and said, "Brother, Yingying is my friend. For my sake, please give her a break, okay? Let me go with you. Can you really trust her in this state?"

Yun Changkong nodded and said, "Alright, I'm not going to deal with her anymore. I'm going to hunt some wild game." With that, he vanished in a flash.

Ren Yingying leaned listlessly against the hillside, her mind filled with worries. Gazing at the drifting clouds, she was lost in thought, her mind wandering between her father, Linghu Chong, Yun Changkong and Lan Fenghuang, and then to herself, realizing she had become a puppet of the Three Corpse Brain God Pill after being transformed from the Holy Maiden. She worried that Dongfang Bubai might withhold the antidote one day, leaving her to die a miserable death. She felt a deep sense of the impermanence of life, that people are like tumbleweeds, drifting with the wind, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Seeing this, Lan Fenghuang couldn't help but sigh.

She knew that Ren Yingying had actually fallen for Yun Changkong.

It should be noted that Ren Yingying's proud personality is beyond the reach of ordinary people, and due to her upbringing, she is quite cold and ruthless. Her sense of love and hate is also much stronger than that of ordinary people.

At this time, she was unaware that she had fallen for Yun Changkong. She only felt that he was hateful and despicable in every way, especially since he always appeared in front of her with Lan Fenghuang to make a fool of herself. In her mind, that was an unbearable humiliation, so it was no wonder that she thought this way now.

Suddenly, a sharp scream was heard. The two turned around and saw Yun Changkong flying over, carrying a small wild boar in his hand.

He threw the pig down, and it was still alive. In a panic, it turned tail and ran straight at Ren Yingying, who was leaning against the slope.

Yun Changkong swung his palm, sending the wild boar flying through the air, and laughed, "This boar has quite the sense of spotting, knowing to pounce on a beauty!"

Upon hearing this, Lan Fenghuang was left speechless, unsure whether to laugh or cry.
Ren Yingying was in a bad mood, and he couldn't help but smile at his words, but then she thought again, no, she was so angry that she cursed, "You are no better than this pig!"

Yun Changkong glanced at her, looking quite embarrassed, and said, "Only pigs can find good cabbages, you didn't know that? I'm just borrowing your sword."

Ren Yingying snorted, and Yun Changkong made a move, and with a whoosh, the short sword that was stuck in Ren Yingying's waist was in his hand.

Ren Yingying and Lan Fenghuang were still amazed by his ability to manipulate objects from thin air when they heard Yun Changkong say, "Only my wives have ever tasted this kind of cooking. You are quite lucky to have it."

Ren Yingying's face flushed, and she spat out, "Then I won't eat it."

Yun Changkong swung his sword and cut the wild boar into pieces. He washed it in the stream, and Lan Fenghuang had already started a fire. Yun Changkong began to roast it.

After it was baked, Lan Fenghuang gave it to Ren Yingying to eat.

Ren Yingying looked at Yun Changkong and saw that he didn't seem to be paying attention, so she took the food and ate it. After she finished eating, she looked languid and closed her eyes to pretend to sleep.

I started having wild thoughts again, feeling as if all the world's troubles and worries had fallen on me, and I kept thinking about it.

Her mind became confused, she felt extremely tired, her head was very heavy, and she fell into a deep sleep.

Yun Changkong also meditated to regulate his breathing, while Lan Fenghuang kept watch over their surroundings. Before they knew it, night had fallen, the stars and moon were dim, and the night was dark.

In her dazed state, Ren Yingying seemed to hear someone mention the Holy Maiden. She wanted to answer, but she couldn't lift her head no matter what she said.

Suddenly, he awoke with a start, instinctively reaching for his sword, when he heard Yun Changkong whisper, "Don't move, someone's coming!" (End of Chapter)