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

Ren Yingying trembled, and asked in great surprise, "How did you know?"

Yun Changkong said, "That's not important."

Ren Yingying was even more puzzled, muttering, "Could this bald man be Uncle Xiang? What kind of situation would make 'the King of Heaven' disguise himself and act so hypocritically..." Thinking of this, a thought flashed through her mind, and she blurted out, "Could it be that he was also trying to save someone?"

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

Ren Yingying stared at him intently and said, "I'm asking you, who are you going to save? You haven't said. Could it be that the person Uncle Xiang is going to save is the same person you are going to save?"

Yun Changkong said, "That's right."

Ren Yingying asked curiously, "Who exactly are they? Can you tell me now?"

Yun Changkong said, "His surname is also Ren, and his given name is Woxing."

Ren Yingying's body trembled violently, her delicate face flushed red, and she abruptly stood up, angrily saying, "What did you say?"

Yun Changkong said, "There is a person imprisoned at the bottom of this West Lake, who is Ren Woxing, the former leader of the Sun Moon Divine Sect!"

Ren Yingying's expression was cold, her pearly teeth biting her lip, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes, and she said softly, "You knew all along?"

The two looked at each other silently. In the deep of night, their heartbeats could be heard. Yun Changkong naturally knew what the consequences would be if he told the truth, but he was unwilling to lie, so he said, "That's right."

Ren Yingying's tears flowed like pearls, large drops streaming down her face. She murmured, "Yun Changkong..." Ren Yingying's voice was extremely soft and delicate, trembling slightly: "So I am so unimportant in your heart. You knew my father was imprisoned, and for more than a month, you did nothing, yet you didn't tell me. Tell me, do I have any weight in your heart at all?"

Yun Changkong dared not look at her and turned his head away.

Ren Yingying felt a dull ache in her chest and said with a bitter smile, "If you don't want to save my father, that's fine with you. Anyway, my father is a stranger to you. But when Linghu Chong and the others came to save him, you immediately took the opportunity to leave. What, are you afraid that I'm not entangled with Linghu Chong?"

Others may not know, and may be spouting nonsense. Don't you know that Linghu Chong and I are completely innocent? I just don't want a person of deep feelings to die a violent death.

Or perhaps, in your eyes, Yun Changkong, I, Ren Yingying, am someone who lacks self-respect, casually sharing a boat with any man, and being mistaken for a couple? No, no…”

She was in excruciating pain, tears streaming down her face, unable to continue speaking.

Ren Yingying now understood why she had been so weak in front of Yun Changkong. She had only hoped that he would pity her. But now?
She finally understood that she didn't hold much weight in Yun Changkong's heart. Otherwise, how could he have known that his father was imprisoned but not told her, and how could he have known that Linghu Chong and Xiang Wentian were coming to rescue her father but still voluntarily withdrew?

If he had any self-interest at all, he shouldn't have given up the chance to save people to Linghu Chong.

This is human nature. For example, if I could save Yun Changkong's father's life, I would never give the opportunity to another woman.

Yun Changkong's mind raced. He thought to himself, "Yes, why didn't I tell her that I came to Plum Manor to save Ren Woxing, but actually to visit Huang Zhonggong, learn the 'Seven-String Invisible Sword,' and have a fair fight with Dongfang Bubai? If I really wanted to save Ren Woxing, I only needed to subdue Hei Baizi and have him lead me into the secret passage. Why didn't I do that?"
The saying "love me, love my dog" applies here, but since I have no love for Ren Yingying, I naturally cannot extend that love to her.

However, you say that I gave the chance to save someone to Linghu Chong, wasn't that just for my own safety?

He then said, “You’re right. I originally thought that I was unwilling to rescue your father because of justice, but now it seems that I truly don’t care about you.”

Ren Yingying felt the same way. Her emotions were complicated, fluctuating between joy and sorrow. Even though tears streamed down her face, she could not express her feelings. Suddenly, she covered her face with her sleeves, burst into tears, buried her head in her knees, and cried.

Yun Changkong stood up, looked at the distant lake, and slowly said, "As the eldest daughter of the Sun Moon Divine Sect, you came with me because of my word, which shows how deep your trust is. This is a great blessing for many people. If I knew what was good and bad, I should have done my best to help you get out of your suffering, so that I could have no regrets."

Upon hearing this, Ren Yingying immediately realized that he knew everything but simply wouldn't do it. Her heart was filled with anger and frustration, and she cried out, "Yun Changkong, I hate you!" Suddenly, she stood up and walked swiftly towards Plum Manor.

Yun Changkong knew she resented him, and seeing her disappear into the forest, he couldn't help but say, "Don't go..."

Ren Yingying continued walking straight ahead without stopping.

Yun Changkong said, "If you want to see your father, you need to calm down. Don't be halfway there."

Ren Yingying trembled, and her steps involuntarily stopped.

Yun Changkong slowly approached and said, "The place where your father was imprisoned is isolated from the world, dark and sunless, and deep underground. Not to mention the Four Friends of Jiangnan, the tunnel must be full of traps and mechanisms, and there might even be destructive devices. If the water from West Lake floods in, no matter how high your martial arts are, you will die. Or if the entrance is sealed from the outside, you will still be doomed!"

These words were within Ren Yingying's expectations. After all, even with Xiang Wentian's strong martial arts and Linghu Chong's high swordsmanship, they had to cater to their preferences, which shows how difficult this matter was.

However, even though Ren Yingying knew the gravity of the situation, her heart was breaking. She suddenly reached out and brushed her face with her sleeve, turned around, her eyes bloodshot, and stared intently at Yun Changkong, seemingly filled with immense hatred. She slowly said, "Is this the reason you didn't tell me?"

Yun Changkong nodded and said, "Yes!"

He paused, then shook his head and said, "Not entirely. You should know your father's character. If he gets out of trouble, it will be a disaster for many people."

Ren Yingying bit her lip and snorted softly, "So you are a virtuous and noble person after all."

Yun Changkong ignored her mocking words and said, "Remember what you once said: do not let your father harm Huang Zhonggong and the others. Also, please tell your father that the fact that he was able to be born is the greatest blessing from heaven. If he still thinks about being immortal and unifying the martial world, then he will surely die for his many evil deeds!"

He then started walking away.

Ren Yingying was troubled, but her mind remained sharp. She cried out, "Then why did you come here to save my father?"

Yun Changkong refused to lie and said, "I came here because I was afraid that because of me, Dongfang Bubai might have murderous intentions towards your father. If that happens, I will step in to save him."

Ren Yingying sneered, "That will disappoint you!"

Yun Changkong was stunned, and couldn't say anything more.

Ren Yingying said coldly, "Dongfang Bubai gave me the Three Corpse Brain God Pill. Even my father couldn't concoct an antidote for it. Even if my father escaped, he would be hesitant to act against it. Dongfang Bubai has the world in his hands, so why would he want to kill my father?"

Yun Changkong suddenly realized and nodded, saying, "So I was just worrying unnecessarily."

Ren Yingying said resentfully, "I know, you're afraid that after saving my father, you won't be able to get along with him, isn't that right?"

Yun Changkong was stunned for a moment, then turned his head and saw Ren Yingying's long eyelashes trembling, tears streaming down her cheeks. He sighed and said, "When you're with me, I've only ever seen you cry. But when you're with Linghu Chong, you're so composed, so graceful..."

Ren Yingying suddenly raised her voice and said, "Yun Changkong, I hate you and never want to see you again." With a fierce flick of her sleeve, she turned and left.

Yun Changkong pondered, "The moment she saw Linghu Chong, she immediately lost her composure, clearly still thinking about him."

Then, thinking of how Zhao Min had once said she disliked him, a sense of desolation rose in his heart: "Even if Ren Yingying could give up everything to treat me like Zhao Min did, I would be overjoyed. Even if it meant that our love would last until the seas dried up and the rocks crumbled, for me, there would eventually come a day of separation that I don't know when."

It's better this way; Ren Yingying has never confessed her feelings, so this unspoken understanding remains unbroken, and it can be pretended that nothing happened.

Even though he thought this way, he felt utterly lost. This feeling was so subtle that even he himself didn't understand it.

Yun Changkong pondered for a moment, then walked along the winding, secluded path through the flower-lined woods.

Suddenly, Ren Yingying, who was walking in front, shrank back and quickly hid behind a tree.

Yun Changkong swayed and quickly concealed himself. He stared intently and saw that not far outside the forest was the stone path leading to Plum Manor. At that moment, two figures were flying through the air. Judging from their flying movements, their martial arts skills were obviously extremely high.

Ren Yingying recognized one of the figures as the bald old man using the alias "Tong Huajin," and her heart stirred with excitement. She was about to rush out when Yun Changkong pressed her arm down and whispered, "Don't go!"

Ren Yingying turned her head and glared at him.

Yun Changkong said in a low voice, "No father wants to reunite with his daughter whom he hasn't seen for more than ten years in an undignified manner. Give him some time to sort things out."

Ren Yingying pursed her lips and said with a wry smile, "You really are thoughtful."

She knew that since her father had been imprisoned, he must be in a sorry state after escaping, and it was indeed inappropriate for her to see him now.

But she still followed the direction the two had gone.

Before they had gone a mile, they heard a horse's neigh and the sound of hooves, and two horses had already galloped off.

It turned out that Xiang Wentian and Linghu Chong had arrived on horseback, and Xiang Wentian had tied his horse in the woods as a backup.

Ren Yingying hurriedly ran after them. Although she was skilled in lightness skills, her internal strength was insufficient. After only two miles, she could no longer catch up with the horses. In her anxiety, she suddenly felt a hand grasp her right wrist, and a warm feeling slowly flowed in. Ren Yingying felt as if she were bathed in a spring breeze, and her movements became faster.

She knew it was Yun Changkong, and her heart pounded wildly, but her expression remained cold and indifferent. She pursed her lips and didn't even glance at Yun Changkong.

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "I'm not taking advantage of you."

Ren Yingying bit her lip, snorted, and turned her head away.

But Yun Changkong was pleased with Ren Yingying's arrogant demeanor, which he found rather endearing.

The group traveled north, one after the other, choosing secluded and deserted places. When they reached a valley, the two horses, having run more than a hundred miles, were already foaming at the mouth and panting heavily. So the two men unsaddled their horses and let them rest, then used their lightness skills to gallop into the valley.

Yun Changkong and Ren Yingying followed from a distance and saw that the valley was mostly rocks with few trees, and the rocks were jagged. The two walked forward quickly for more than ten steps and entered a forest. There they saw an extremely clear stream that meandered forward.

Just then, a thick accent was heard say, "I need to wash away the dust of the past ten years."

Under the moonlight, a person with long hair and beard took off his clothes. Ren Yingying was extremely excited because she recognized her father's accent.

Yun Changkong pulled her hand and said in a deep voice, "What, do you want to watch your father take a bath?"

Ren Yingying blushed. Yun Changkong pulled her along, and Ren Yingying, reluctant to leave, kept turning back to look at him. Finally, they arrived at the bank of a small river.

Ren Yingying stood by the river, gazing at her reflection in the water, and still couldn't help but tremble.

It turned out that my father was really still alive; for a moment, it truly felt like a dream.

Yun Changkong sat on a rock, the bright moon shining in the sky, its light bathing the earth in a soft, melting moonlight. Neither of them uttered another word.

After a while, the wind began to blow and the treetops swayed. Ren Yingying then spoke softly, "Yun Changkong, in your eyes, or rather, deep in your heart, how do you think I am to you?"

Yun Changkong thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps it's my martial arts that you admire and even worship, so your feelings have shifted from dislike to a slight attraction, which is why you've always compared me to Linghu Chong." He paused here, remaining silent.

Ren Yingying slightly raised her eyelids and said softly, "I'm a little tempted, comparing myself to you, Linghu Chong."

Her gaze was vacant, as if she were pondering something, or perhaps thinking of nothing at all. Then she said, "Do you think I'm just someone who can casually travel with any man, sharing a boat or a journey?"

Her voice was very low, and fortunately Yun Changkong had profound internal strength, so he could hear her clearly.

Yun Changkong straightened his expression and said solemnly, "Miss Ren, I know you have a dignified character."

But I, Yun Changkong, have never been a gentleman. I love dealing with beautiful women and I especially love lusting after their bodies.

Words like "deep affection" and "love" are tainted when applied to me.

Besides, you might have had a fleeting crush on me, but that was just girlish infatuation... Ah, let's not talk about it."

Upon hearing this, Ren Yingying became even more furious and said in a deep voice, "Why not just say it? Go on."

Yun Changkong said, "It's useless to talk about it, so let's not talk about it."

Ren Yingying was furious when Ren Yingying said, "I want you to talk!"

Yun Changkong frowned and shook his head, saying, "Whether I tell you or not is not up to you."

Ren Yingying said angrily, "I told you to speak, so you have to speak, otherwise, otherwise..."

Seeing her stubborn, or rather domineering, expression, which was exactly like Zhao Min in the past, Yun Changkong said, "You asked me to say this, so don't say I'm being disrespectful to you."

Ren Yingying's gaze sharpened, her coldness like lightning. She herself couldn't tell whether she was angry or annoyed.

Yun Changkong stared at Ren Yingying and said, "I want you?"

Ren Yingying's face flushed, a fleeting shy expression crossing her face, and she asked, "What do you want?"

Yun Changkong said very solemnly, "You want my body?"

No sooner had she finished speaking than Ren Yingying suddenly raised her hand and slapped his left cheek.

When Yun Changkong saw the hand coming, he did not dodge. But when the hand reached his cheek, it stopped.

Ren Yingying's lips moved slightly, her eyes gradually becoming misty, her right hand slowly lowered, and she whispered, "Don't take advantage of the fact that the girl is good to you to bully me at will!"

"Hey, being nice to me is considered bullying?" Yun Changkong shook his head and said, "Do you understand now?"

Ren Yingying was taken aback and asked, "Understand what?"

Yun Changkong said slowly, "Miss Ren, many strange things have happened to me, things that ordinary people have never experienced in their entire lives, and are even more unimaginable..."

Ren Yingying retorted, "That's no excuse for you to say such things so casually. Matters between men and women should only be between husband and wife..."

Before he could finish speaking, Yun Changkong waved his hand and said, "I didn't mean to take your body. Just as you said, others may not know, but you don't. If I were really that shallow, wouldn't I have had a chance with you traveling with me all this way?"

Ren Yingying's face flushed, and she suddenly realized, saying, "Are you testing my feelings for you?"

Yun Changkong said, "Talking about testing is rather boring. Would you be interested in listening to me talk for a while?"

Although Ren Yingying was worried about her father, she had already waited for twelve years, so she didn't care about waiting any longer and sat down on the clean stone.

Then Yun Changkong said, "I learned martial arts by some strange coincidence and wandered the world. I never knew what hardship and danger were. No matter what sects, important places, royal palaces, or the palaces with many masters, they could not stop me. This caused a great sensation in the martial world."

Some admired me, some envied me, some were jealous of me, and some coveted me. The ruthless and dangerous world of martial arts also brought me to the brink of death. If it weren't for the few women who saved me, I would have perished long ago.

Ren Yingying was completely bewildered, feeling as if the scene was both real and unreal. When he told her that he had almost died, she blurted out, "Why? I don't know!"

Yun Changkong said, "And I have another ability, which is that I can tell a lot about a person's personality and what they will do in the future just by meeting them. So I have also learned to hide my talents!"

"Pfft!" Ren Yingying suddenly burst out laughing, saying, "You can hide your true abilities too? I didn't realize that!"

Yun Changkong didn't explain, and continued, "Precisely because I know everything, I chose to give up the power and status that were once within my grasp, because your father is an example. He was a peerless martial artist with astonishing power, but he was still betrayed by the subordinate he had promoted and relied on. If Dongfang Bubai had been more ruthless and eliminated the root of the problem, you and I would not be meeting today!"
But there can only be one Dongfang Bubai. Throughout history, when a subordinate seizes power, hasn't he always slaughtered all of the subordinate's descendants?

Ren Yingying sighed and said, "Yes, I didn't expect that Uncle Dongfang didn't kill my father."

Yun Changkong thought of how Dongfang Bubai had failed to eliminate Yang Lianting completely, resulting in his own death and the inability of Ren Woxing to spare Yang Lianting's life. He couldn't help but sigh slightly.

Ren Yingying stared at him intently, not missing even the slightest change in his expression. Seeing him sigh with melancholy, she asked, "Why are you sighing again?"

Yun Changkong shook his head and said, "It's nothing. So, knowing more about these things makes me indifferent to everything, whether it's people, events, fame, fortune, or status. As the saying goes, 'If the heart is not greedy for glory, the body will not be disgraced.' I don't make deep connections with anyone and I live alone!"

Ren Yingying raised her head slightly and said, "Then, what about Lan Fenghuang and me?" As soon as she said this, a faint blush appeared on her pale cheeks.

Yun Changkong said, "In the martial world, it's not all about fighting and killing. You also have to consider human relationships and social etiquette. So I make friends, but they must be people who share life and death with me."

As for women, they are my bedmates. Only after I have that kind of relationship with them will I feel at ease!

Ren Yingying's face gradually flushed red as she said, "You...you don't trust me, you're afraid I'll hurt you?"

"No!" Yun Changkong shook his head and said, "What is love for others? It's love at first sight, or love that grows over time based on shared interests."

Two hearts as one, two feelings in perfect harmony, but I am not capable of it!

Ren Yingying asked curiously, "Why?"

Yun Changkong sighed and said, "For example, if I were to suffer a fatal injury, you could save my life by being imprisoned for ten years. Would you agree?"

Ren Yingying was stunned and speechless.

Yun Changkong added, "I know this is a difficult question to answer, since nothing has actually happened."

However, if you do this, won't your love for others be clearly revealed?

Do I know exactly where I stand in your heart?
This is just like how you judge my feelings for you based on whether I helped save your father, isn't it?
Ren Yingying was stunned for a long time, her face darkening, and said, "Yes, but you, you... unless... unless you are really injured, I don't know if I would do that!"

Yun Changkong nodded and said, "Of course I know. That's why I'm giving an example. Because of my knowledge and martial arts skills, I'm hard to get hurt, so I can't tell if a woman has a love for me that lasts until death. So I rely on their bodies."

Because women all over the world value their bodies, even prostitutes who are available to anyone will have to pay to have them.

Moreover, Phoenix is ​​a woman of such high status as you. So Phoenix gave me her body, and even if one day she plots to harm me and I die at her hands, I will accept my fate.

Because she gave me her most precious thing, and never gave it to anyone else! And what about you?

Upon hearing this, Ren Yingying trembled, her face flushed red, and she angrily retorted, "Do you think I'm not an innocent and virtuous daughter?"

Yun Changkong chuckled and said, "What are you thinking? Let me give you an example. You mobilized so many connections to save Linghu Chong, which is why your subordinates think you like him and love him!"
But what about me?

A sudden realization dawned on Ren Yingying, and she smiled, saying, "So you still care about me saving Linghu Chong's life!"

Yun Changkong smiled slightly. He wasn't concerned about Ren Yingying saving Linghu Chong's life, but rather that he knew that in the original story, Ren Yingying was willing to be imprisoned for ten years to save Linghu Chong, not caring that he still couldn't forget Yue Lingshan. Later, when she learned that Linghu Chong had suffered a backlash from the Star Absorbing Technique and was about to die, she was unwilling to defy her father for her lover, yet she still had the thought of dying for love. Everyone knew that she loved Linghu Chong.

But now?

As things unfolded, he couldn't see through Ren Yingying's thoughts at all.

It's like a mystery, one that I may never be able to unravel even if I spend my entire life trying.

However, Yun Changkong was no different to Ren Yingying!
She couldn't figure out Yun Changkong's thoughts either.
Ren Yingying's face suddenly showed anxiety. She managed to squeeze out a sentence, saying, "You...you, believe me, I admire Young Master Linghu, but..."

She was extremely shy, and her face flushed red with embarrassment at these words. Suddenly, a powerful and resonant laugh, like a dragon's roar, rang out beside her, and Ren Yingying abruptly stopped talking.

Yun Changkong asked, "Someone's coming. Should we see them or avoid them?"

Ren Yingying whispered, "Let's hide." She flipped over and climbed onto a dense branch. Yun Changkong found it amusing. She was genuinely shy, but it was precisely this shyness that led to his encounter with Ren Yingying. So he also hid in a pine tree.

After a moment, two people dressed in blue robes and wearing bamboo hats walked slowly over, talking in hushed tones.

Yun Changkong could tell from the light footsteps of the two that they were top-notch experts, so he didn't dare to look for fear of not noticing them.

The man on the left said, "Now that the leader has escaped, it will be only a matter of time before he regains control of the cult!"

The man on the right said in a deep voice, "I wonder if Dongfang Bubai has practiced the Sunflower Manual..." Seemingly feeling that saying this would be too arrogant, he changed his words and said, "Brother Xiang, back then, Dongfang Bubai established a deep-rooted power right under my nose. With just a word, so many people were willing to risk their lives for him. How could I not be careful?"

Xiang Wentian seemed to have a similar feeling and sighed, "Yes, in recent years, Dongfang Bubai has eliminated his old brothers, but there are still many people who are loyal to him. Moreover, he has not easily seen people in recent years, probably because he is cultivating the Sunflower Manual. If he really masters it, then he will be even more difficult to fight."

But Ren Woxing coldly replied, "That's not necessarily true. I'll just have to go and refine some 'Three Corpse Brain God Pills,' heh heh, that'll be quite a sight."

Ren Yingying's body trembled.

Xiang Wentian asked, "Does the sect leader intend to use the 'Three Corpse Brain God Pill' to control our elders? So that they will serve us?"

Ren Woxing smiled proudly and said, "The secret recipe passed down by our ancestor is meant to make the stubborn and unyielding submit!"
"I was too lenient with the followers back then, which led to Dongfang Bubai's rebellion. Once is enough. When I regain control of the sect, I will make all the elders take the Three Corpse Brain God Pill."

Yun Changkong thought to himself, "Your daughter has also been given the medicine."

At this moment, Ren Woxing's gaze sharpened, and he suddenly swept it towards the tree where Ren Yingying was hiding, shouting, "Get out here!"

Ren Yingying stumbled and fell from the tree. Just as she was about to hit the ground, a strong force pulled her from above, slowing her fall and allowing her to land on the ground.

Ren Woxing and Xiang Wentian moved with lightning speed, already closing in. Ren Woxing raised his hand to strike with a palm, but Xiang Wentian shouted, "No!"

He then bowed deeply, saying, "Your subordinate, Xiang Wentian, pays respects to the Holy Maiden!" (End of Chapter)