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

Yun Changkong used the "Weituo Subduing Demon Sword" that he had learned when he first started learning martial arts, but after he had a great understanding of the profound mysteries of martial arts, the way he used it was completely different from what Yunhe had taught him.

This old man was a top figure in the martial arts world. Seeing Yun Changkong's extraordinary knowledge and the ancient and profound meaning hidden within his seemingly clumsy movements, displaying the demeanor of a master despite his age, even someone of his high status couldn't help but secretly admire him. But why would such a person remain unknown? It was truly puzzling.

The old man's thoughts flashed like lightning. Suddenly, he lowered his body, flicked his longsword, and spun half a circle around Yun Changkong's jade flute. Suddenly, he stretched out his right leg, swept it across Yun Changkong's lower body, and with a flash of his left arm, grabbed Yun Changkong's wrist. Then, he struck Yun Changkong's right rib with an elbow hammer.

Yun Changkong was slightly surprised: "Old Deng, are you doing this?"

The old man's three moves were indeed exquisite, but they were like child's play, and Yun Changkong seemed to have overlooked this.

Although the old man did not reveal his identity, he knew that this must be the leader of Wudang Sect. Given his status, he should naturally be dignified. However, the old man did not show any dignity in his actions and just did it like that.

Moreover, the right leg and left elbow moved swiftly and were executed at close range. Yun Changkong inhaled and drew in his breath, remaining completely still, and suddenly moved several feet away, exclaiming, "Good heavens, impressive!"

The old man thought to himself, "This person's skill is indeed exceptionally high. He can still speak even by moving his body with just a breath of true qi from his dantian."

In the blink of an eye, Yun Changkong had already flashed forward, his jade flute playing a mournful tune, and the green light, like a reflection of the Milky Way, enveloped the old man.

This move is profound and powerful, unstoppable, dazzling and awe-inspiring, giving one the feeling that none can withstand it.

Startled, the old man flicked his longsword east and west, retreating step by step, creating a barrier of swords that was as solid as a copper wall and iron wall, impenetrable and without any flaws.

Yun Changkong's attacks were as swift as thunder and lightning, like a storm, but despite the clanging sounds, he failed to break through. Instead, the opponent's sword carried an endless Tai Chi energy, which he used to his advantage, revealing a weakness. If his attacks had not been so fierce, the opponent would have been defeated in an instant.

At this moment, Yun Changkong experienced firsthand the power of the "Tai Chi Sword Technique" passed down by Zhang Sanfeng.

As the saying goes, a sudden rainstorm does not last all morning. Yun Changkong's sword momentum had weakened by this point, and he was about to slow down his sword moves when the old man suddenly thrust his sword horizontally, the tip of the sword trembling rapidly.

He suddenly switched from defense to offense, unleashing a sword strike of unpredictable force, its energy surging, producing streaks of white light that seemed to spill like mercury, penetrating every crevice.

Yun Changkong could tell that he had already covered the seven vital acupoints on his upper body. As for where to strike, no one knew, but no matter where, it was enough to kill him.

However, the old man only defended and did not attack, leaving no openings. But when he attacked, an opening appeared, and Yun Changkong flicked his jade flute diagonally.

With a clang, the sword struck the old man, who felt a burning sensation in his hand and the hilt almost slipped from his grasp.

Yun Changkong's internal strength was far beyond the old man's expectations. He raised his longsword and exposed his own weakness.

Yun Changkong's jade flute moved like a startled gust of wind, swift and unpredictable, aiming for the old man's waist and abdomen. With a flick of his left hand, he drew a sword gesture and struck the old man's right shoulder.

In the critical moment, the old man channeled his energy into his sword, forcing the longsword into an arc, and with a whoosh, it circled back like falling snowflakes, striking the jade flute with a clang. Using the momentum, the old man floated away several feet away like a paper doll, causing the old man's finger to miss its mark. He was secretly shocked and thought to himself, "Where does Shaolin Temple have such internal strength? This is probably no less than the Yi Jin Jing!"

Yun Changkong did not pursue, but laughed and said, "What a magnificent 'Ladder to the Clouds' move! It lives up to its name!"

The old man smiled and said, "Excellent swordsmanship, excellent internal strength! Now look at my sword!"

He immediately began drawing circles from small to large, and in the blink of an eye, several white halos appeared in front of him.

Large circles, small circles, straight circles, and diagonal circles flashed incessantly. Yun Changkong saw the circles he drew, which were perfectly round and pure, containing the power of the Eight Trigrams and Tai Chi, and concealing the mechanism of the operation of heaven and earth. However, the smile on his face disappeared completely, and his expression became extremely solemn.

Because, with his keen eye, he felt that this circle was completely flawless.

Everyone stared wide-eyed, intently watching this rare martial arts competition.

Although Yun Changkong had a great reputation, no one knew the true extent of his martial arts skills. Especially after being embellished by rumors in the martial arts world, he was described with words like "as deep as the sea," "mysterious and unpredictable," and "absurd and bizarre."

At this moment, everyone hoped that the old man could withstand a few more moves from Yun Changkong, so that they could not only feast their eyes on the spectacle, but also comprehend Yun Changkong's martial arts. Wouldn't that be even better?

Unexpectedly, after exchanging a few quick blows with the old man, Yun Changkong found himself circling around him. Yun Changkong, meanwhile, remained silent, his gaze fixed intently on the old man.

Everyone looked at each other, pointing and whispering.

Suddenly, a loud voice said, "This young man is Yun Changkong!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and exclaimed in amazement.

It was only because two monks and nuns were standing at the top of the stairs.

The monk was extremely fat and tall, standing there like an iron tower, while standing beside him was a fair-skinned, beautiful, and slender nun.

This seems rather strange.

Then the nun said, "He is Yun Changkong, so what?" Her voice was clear and melodious.

Yun Changkong recognized the name and glanced sideways; it was none other than Yilin, the young nun from the Hengshan Sect.

Then the big monk said, "Yun Changkong, how come you can't beat an old man after all this time? Why don't I fight him?"

Yun Changkong had seen this monk before. Back at Huiyan Tower, when he was dealing with Tian Boguang, this monk was eating meat and drinking wine nearby. It seemed that he was no longer a monk who had broken vows.

At this moment, the halo around the old man's sword grew larger and larger like a snowball until finally a large white light rolled before his eyes, and the old man himself was completely hidden in the countless halo around the sword.

Although the old man wielded his longsword extremely fast, not a sound of metal cutting through the wind could be heard, which shows that the suppleness of his sword force had reached a state of perfection.

Yun Changkong flicked his jade flute, his sword moves were simple and unadorned, yet ruthless and cunning, charging straight forward amidst the snow-white sword light.

With a long clang, everyone saw emerald light shining on the water, and the old man's long sword rippled and created waves.

The two clashed again with their flutes and swords, creating a powerful gust of wind that stung the faces of people several meters away. Some lost their footing and had to retreat.

Yun Changkong's face was ashen, his eyes darting around. When he attacked with his flute, he felt an immense sticky force emanating from the opponent's sword. The internal force was heavy and varied, sometimes light and sometimes heavy, sometimes straight and sometimes curved, continuously eroding his own internal strength. If it weren't for his strong internal strength, he wouldn't have been able to escape.

Yun Changkong had met the Seven Heroes of Wudang before and did not admire their martial arts skills, but at this moment he greatly admired this old man.

Putting everything else aside, this sword-wielding technique, which forms a circle as if hundreds of swords are protecting the body, is an extremely gentle internal skill that is not something that the so-called Seven Heroes of Wudang can fake.

Yun Changkong was incredibly brave, but at this moment he couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine. He thought to himself, "Could it be that this Tai Chi sword technique is truly without any flaws, and we have to resort to the method of breaking our arms and risking our lives like Linghu Chong did?"

Yun Changkong's knowledge was far beyond what Linghu Chong could match. He knew that although the old man seemed to be drawing circles, when he drew circles, the force on his sword was like waves and the sea, surging back and forth. If he attacked head-on, whether it was sword energy or palm force, it would be worn away wave after wave by the yin-yang soft force carried by his long sword.

This is not just a forest of swords, but also like an invisible millstone. So even if one's internal strength is deeper than his, one cannot break through the sword circle. But as soon as one's internal strength weakens, his longsword will immediately counterattack and break through the enemy's defenses.

With just these few variations, the Tai Chi sword can remain invincible. It is indeed the unique skill that Zhang Sanfeng claimed was no less than the Shaolin martial arts passed down by Bodhidharma.

At this point, everyone realized that although the old Taoist priest seemed to be drawing circles, his power was truly formidable.

As he pondered, the old man stepped forward, becoming like a mountain of swords, flashing with hundreds of long swords that surged into the sky like mountain waves.

Yun Changkong instinctively felt the sword energy pressing against his body. The old man was not attacking one move at a time, but rather using dozens of sword techniques to form a defensive stance that was simultaneously turned into an offensive stance. Yun Changkong felt admiration and knew that if he did not attack, he could only avoid the old man's sharp edge and retreat.

The old man pushed the sword mountain, slowly approaching.

At this moment, Monk Bujie said, "I've heard that Yun Changkong is highly skilled in martial arts, and I've been eager to test my skills against him. I didn't expect there to be another hero besides him. Old man, who are you?"

Everyone was focused on the battlefield, holding their breath, but he kept talking, and his voice was loud and clear so that everyone could hear him.

Na Cheng glared at him and said, "Monk, watch carefully and don't say anything!"

Monk Bujie raised a thick eyebrow, about to speak, when Yilin hurriedly grabbed his sleeve and said, "Father, don't speak."

Those who overheard this were even more astonished: this monk had given birth to a nun's daughter?
The monk Bujie laughed and said, "What are you trying to prove, you pathetic coward? Hey, Yun Changkong, if you can't beat an old geezer, I won't let you be my son-in-law!"

Upon hearing this, Yun Changkong was taken aback: "What are you talking about? How did you become a son-in-law?"

Yilin blushed deeply and cried out, "Father, I'm leaving!"

But the monk Bujie grabbed him and said, "I healed Linghu Chong's injuries. You think about him all the time. He was thinking about his junior sister one minute and now he's messing around with the demonic sect's witch the next. Where is he from you?"

"I've made up my mind. It would be great if we could have Yun Changkong as our son-in-law! Yun Changkong, you should get rid of this old man quickly so we can discuss the marriage."

Lan Fenghuang glanced at Yilin and was also surprised: "This nun is really beautiful. If she had long hair, she would be just as beautiful as Yingying."

These people were spouting nonsense, but Yun Changkong listened without paying any attention, focusing solely on the Tai Chi Sword. Those who didn't understand martial arts, or whose martial arts skills were weak, simply couldn't comprehend the power of the Tai Chi Sword.

It should be known that most martial arts techniques in the world involve exerting all one's strength when striking with a palm or kicking, aiming to leave the opponent unable to resist or dodge. For this reason, the strength used in the attack is often excessive, resulting in wasted effort and making it easier for the opponent to seize the opportunity and defeat the opponent easily.

The Wudang School, however, emphasizes "using the opponent's force against them, using the weak to overcome the strong, and using slowness to defeat speed."

In other words, if you accomplish something with two parts effort, one part is your own and the other part goes to someone else. A skilled person can even use the opponent's strength to their own advantage, helping them to weaken the opponent and attack the enemy. By repeating this process, no effort is wasted.

Therefore, "using someone's strength against them" is a very common technique in martial arts, but the Wudang School's skill in "using someone's strength against them" is unparalleled in the martial arts world, making them the best at prolonged battles. Even when encountering someone whose martial arts and internal strength are far superior to their own, they can still persevere, demonstrating extremely strong resilience.

However, Zhang Sanfeng knew that the martial arts of the Wudang School also had its flaws. Therefore, during his lifetime, he always wanted to make the martial arts of the Wudang School truly equal to those of the Shaolin Temple and not inferior to the martial arts passed down by Bodhidharma.

It wasn't until his later years that he created "Tai Chi Kung Fu," which incorporated Wudang martial arts principles.

Leaving aside the "Tai Chi Chuan," as soon as the "Tai Chi Sword" appeared, Zhang Wuji used the right arm of the "Eight-Armed Divine Sword," the head of the Beggars' Sect's four elders, to make a profit.

Later, Zhang Sanfeng carefully guided his disciple, enabling Yin Liting, who had only studied for a few months, to shine at the Shaolin Temple assembly.

When it came to the generation of Master Chongxu, he had studied Tai Chi for decades and his mastery was unparalleled in the Wudang lineage.

Yun Changkong not only possessed profound martial arts skills, but also had extensive knowledge and experience, which was extraordinary. He watched as the old man's "Tai Chi Swordplay" suddenly swallowed and spat, sometimes straight and sometimes curved, flowing freely and continuously, seemingly light but actually heavy, seemingly heavy but actually light, with movement and stillness in harmony. It was indeed mysterious and unpredictable, but it must also have flaws.

He considered many ways to break the sword, but he felt that they were all dangerous. For example, he knew that the center of the countless circles created by the opponent's sword light was the opening.

But then I thought, what if I hadn't made a mistake and my arm had been chopped off?

Yun Changkong was not Linghu Chong. Linghu Chong was forced into a corner, and he felt that Ren Yingying was deeply devoted to him, so losing an arm for her was a very gratifying thing. He also felt that he owed her a lot and that he had to suffer some serious injury for her to repay her deep kindness. That's why he took a desperate gamble and ended up breaking the Tai Chi Sword Circle.

Yun Changkong had no need for it, nor did he want to gain any advantage. So, after retreating four or five steps, he thought, "I refuse to believe that I can't break this Tai Chi sword without challenging his sword intent!" He shouted, "Daoist's Tai Chi sword is full of divine spirit and has already attained the wonder of nature. You should also try my sword!"

He took a deep breath and played the jade flute from the center. Halfway through, he suddenly turned to the side.

He moved swiftly and unpredictably, his swordplay unpredictable, his arrival and departure as elusive as a celestial demon, formless and shadowless.

The old man moved within a small space, his sword moves becoming even more intricate. If his moves were slightly less fluid, Yun Changkong would immediately penetrate, his momentum like mercury spilling onto the ground. Fortunately, the old man's cultivation was extremely high, adapting to any situation. Yun Changkong attacked dozens of times but could not break through this fortress formed by sword blades.

But the clouds and sky were filled with lightning, the sword light was dazzling, and the sound of the flute and sword clashing was deafening. Everyone was dazzled and overwhelmed, so how could they see the subtlety of it?
However, the extraordinary nature of this battle is truly breathtaking.

At this moment, the old man was also extremely surprised. Although Yun Changkong's attacks on his sword circle were all worn down by him, his internal strength was not weak but strong, and not reduced but increased.

On the contrary, he himself was shaken so badly that his arms were numb and his blood was boiling. He knew that if he continued to fight like this, as long as he had a breath of true energy left, his opponent's internal energy would take advantage of the opportunity to rush in, and he would be either dead or seriously injured. So he suddenly retreated and shouted, "I'm old, I'm old, I'm useless!"

As he spoke, he withdrew the "Tai Chi Sword," spun around, and the long sword flew into Master Cheng's hand.

Yun Changkong did not chase after him; instead, he turned the jade flute and tucked it into his waistband.

The outcome of their match was unknown to the public, but their graceful finishing moves were clearly visible to everyone, leaving them feeling comfortable and realizing that even after thirty years of practice, they could never achieve such naturalness and harmony in their closing stances.

The old man bowed to Yun Changkong and said, "Heroes have emerged from among the young since ancient times. The waves of the Yangtze River push the front waves forward. Young Master Yun, at such a young age, you have already achieved such accomplishments. You will soon shine brightly in the martial arts world. Today, we should congratulate the martial arts world."

Yun Changkong returned the greeting with clasped hands and said, "Daoist's Tai Chi sword is truly divine and extraordinary. I can only imagine the demeanor of the True Man Zhang Sanfeng. I was unable to witness it, and now I realize it is a great regret."

Everyone found his expression strange, as if he could see Zhang Sanfeng whenever he wanted.

The old man stroked his beard, shook his head, and sighed, "The essence of the Tai Chi Sword created by Grandmaster Zhang Sanfeng lies in the interplay of Yin and Yang, and the endless cycle of life. However, as you said, the way of Yin and Yang is inherently seamless, but humans are not plants or trees. My swordsmanship may seem perfect, but in reality, there are still obstacles in the transformation between Yin and Yang. In fact, you must have already seen this, but you just didn't want to. How could I not know that!"

Yun Changkong's heart skipped a beat, and he thought to himself, "What keen insight he has!"

The old man was none other than Master Chongxu, the leader of the Wudang Sect. He knew that when the Tai Chi Sword was used, it was flawless from the inside out when used for defense, but it would create a flaw when used for attack. Therefore, he hid the flaw in the center of the sword circle, which was the most dangerous place.

But he had just noticed that Yun Changkong's eyes kept glancing at the sword circle, and not just once.

With his vast experience, he knew that with Yun Changkong's internal energy, once he penetrated deep into the sword circle, he would surely break through it, at which point he himself would inevitably be defeated. Moreover, he knew even more that even if Yun Changkong didn't do that, with his profound internal energy, he could still wear him down, so he stopped fighting.

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "If you were ten years younger, I would definitely lose."

The old man sighed softly and said, "Even if I were ten years younger, I wouldn't have achieved what I have today. I have a few words to say to you, but this is not the place to talk. Please come with me!"

Suddenly a booming voice rang out: "No, no, I'm also here to talk to Yun Changkong, old man, wait a minute!"

Master Chongxu turned his head and saw a fat monk holding a little nun, smiling as he looked Yun Changkong up and down.

When Yun Changkong saw this monk, who was tall and rugged with a full beard, standing next to a beautiful woman named Yilin with fair skin and exquisite features, he couldn't help but think, "How can a monk have such a beautiful daughter?"

Yilin was still beautiful, but she looked much more haggard. For some reason, a sudden warmth rose in his chest, and he said, "Yilin, it's been a year, and you've lost a lot of weight."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked surprised and doubtful.

Yilin's heart pounded even harder as she listened, and in that instant, images of Huiyan Tower and Liu Fuyun Changkong's tyrannical power flashed through her mind.

Yun Changkong was good in every way, but his ruthlessness left a deep impression on Yilin. Compared to Linghu Chong, he was far inferior. Therefore, upon hearing Yun Changkong's words of concern, she quickly lowered her head.

Monk Bujie gave a thumbs-up and said, "Yun Changkong, you really are kind and righteous. You noticed at a glance that my daughter has lost weight. I saw you save my daughter at Huiyan Tower. Tell me, do you like my daughter? Do you want her to be your wife?"

Everyone was both surprised and amused by what they heard.

Yilin hurriedly raised her voice and said, "Father, you're going crazy again! If you keep doing this, I won't talk to you anymore!"

Although she looked angry, her voice was as sweet as a newborn nightingale's first song, and everyone felt it was a pity: "It's such a waste for such a beautiful woman to become a nun!"

Monk Bujie rolled his eyes and angrily said, "How have I gone mad? I placed you in Baiyun Temple, but I didn't say you would become a nun. That old nun Dingyi made you a young nun without my consent. Fine, she's raised you for over ten years, so I won't blame her."

But you became a nun, yet you can't eat or drink because of Linghu Chong. What kind of person are you? I know the story of the hero saving the beauty, but it was clearly Yun Changkong who saved you back then. Why are you still hung up on that sick man, Linghu Chong?

"Today I've made the decision. You will marry Yun Changkong. Don't think about that ungrateful wretch anymore."

Then he looked at Yun Changkong and said, "Do you know what? I've been looking for you for a year. Where have you been? This time I found out you were in Luoyang, so I rushed over without stopping. Tell me, do you like my daughter? Do you want her to be your wife?"

Yilin was so ashamed by these words that she couldn't lift her head. She wanted to run away but couldn't escape her father's grasp.

Seeing that her ears were red, Yun Changkong laughed and said, "Master, what are you saying? Since your daughter is fond of Linghu Chong, wouldn't it be putting people in a difficult position to marry her to me? No, no!"

"Haha..." Monk Bujie laughed, "Isn't my daughter beautiful?"

Yun Changkong nodded and said, "Beautiful!"

The monk Bujie asked loudly, "So, do you like it or not?"

Suddenly, Yilin cried out in alarm, "Young Master Yun, my father is a madman, please ignore him!"

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "Yilin, marriage is a major life event, and it's a matter of parental arrangement. It seems you really have to be my wife."

Yi Linyu blushed and stammered, "I...I..."

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "Great monk, I, Yun Changkong, already have many wives. Don't make things difficult for your daughter. Look how embarrassed she is."

Monk Bujie stamped his foot and said, "Alas, do you think I wanted this? My daughter is so obsessed with that Linghu Chong that she can't eat or sleep and insists on becoming his wife. But Linghu Chong has a younger sister and a demoness from the Demonic Sect. Seeing that my daughter is about to die, that's why I came to you."

Then Lan Fenghuang coldly interjected, "What kind of nonsense is this? Linghu Chong doesn't want it, so you give it to my elder brother. What do you take him for?"

Upon hearing this, the monk Bujie turned around and said, "Little girl, you're quite jealous, aren't you?"

Lan Fenghuang shouted angrily, "Bullshit! Who's jealous?"

Seeing the two arguing, everyone watched with great interest, except for the old Taoist priest who seemed oblivious. He knew the other party had ulterior motives and didn't want to engage, but he also didn't want to get entangled with this strangely minded monk. So he immediately said, "Taoist priest, you've come for a reason, so let's talk!"

The old Taoist smiled and said, "Alright!"

Just as the two were about to step out, a voice rang out from outside: "I am Tang Ying'e of the Songshan Sect, here on the orders of the Left Alliance Leader to request an audience with Young Master Yun!" (End of Chapter)