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

Ren Yingying's expression changed slightly, and she remained silent.

It turned out that Yun Changkong had sent several elders of the Demonic Sect back to Blackwood Cliff with a message, intending to exploit an information gap.

After all, they thought Ren Woxing was still imprisoned in Plum Manor. If they let him pass on the message, even if Dongfang Bubai was only concerned with embroidery in her boudoir and unwilling to compete with her, she might still go down Blackwood Cliff for Ren Woxing, the former leader who could shake her position as leader, and then she would have to wait for her.

But now everything has gone astray. The elder of the Demonic Sect has indeed arrived, and Ren Woxing and his companions are also present. If this news leaks out, Dongfang Bubai may very well not leave Blackwood Cliff.

Ren Woxing and Ren Yingying are both exceptionally intelligent individuals, and they understood Yun Changkong's unspoken meaning. If Dongfang Bubai knew that Ren Woxing had escaped, and if he had agreed to Yun Changkong's request, he would have been afraid that Ren Woxing would have raided his home, so he might have ignored it.

Seeing that Yun Changkong could immediately think of this, Ren Woxing was even more impressed. This man was not only skilled in martial arts, but also exceptionally quick-witted. If he could get this man's help, not to mention restoring the leadership of the Divine Sect, even unifying the martial arts world would be just around the corner!
Ren Woxing didn't expose him, but smiled slightly and said, "Since that's the case, I can't let your efforts go to waste!"

Suddenly, he straightened up and flew up, his palm reaching for Hei Baizi's shoulder.

Hei Baizi was caught off guard by Ren Woxing's sudden appearance and swift action. Moreover, he was terrified of Ren Woxing and was caught off guard.

Sitting to the side, Yun Changkong flicked his sleeve, and a palm strike shot straight up from the side.

This move is purely defensive, yet it seems to have erected a solid wall between the black and white pieces and Ren Woxing, blocking the enemy when they come and disappearing without a trace when they don't.

Seeing that Yun Changkong had made a move, but the momentum was diagonal to one side and not aimed at him, Ren Woxing was slightly surprised. His fingers were still reaching for the black and white pieces, but he felt an extremely strong hidden force standing in front of him, like a wall of energy blocking his way. He was startled and exclaimed, "Gather your energy to block the enemy!" He did not fight head-on. Instead, he changed his claw into a palm and struck Yun Changkong's force. He then turned around and leaped back to his original position.

The two sides made a swift and decisive move, and Ren Woxing moved with lightning speed, but everyone knew that Hei Baizi had already narrowly escaped death.

Hei Baizi's face turned deathly pale, and he trembled uncontrollably.

Ren Woxing glared at Yun Changkong and said, "I'll give Huang Zhonggong and the others face and not make things difficult for them, but this Hei Baizi has insulted me greatly, and I will definitely not let him get away with it!"

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "How dare you insult me? Just because I want to learn your Star Absorbing Technique?"

Ren Woxing turned his head and looked at him, saying, "What? Isn't that enough?"

Yun Changkong said, "Everyone has the desire to improve themselves. When martial artists see superior martial arts, they inevitably want to learn and practice them. I am like that, and you, the leader of the sect, are no exception!"
You misjudged people and were imprisoned by Dongfang Bubai. Under their watchful eyes, it's not surprising that you had the opportunity to come into contact with them and were tempted.
"If you want to vent your anger, you should go find Dongfang Bubai. If you want to establish your authority, Qin Weibang's head is more than enough. You can't possibly come here to kill Elder Bao and the others as well, can you?"

Yun Changkong knew that Hei Baizi coveted Ren Woxing's Star Absorbing Skill and intended to kill him after gaining the skill, but since he wanted to save several lives, he had to do it.

After all, when martial arts reach the level of Yun Changkong, the cultivation of one's state of mind is far more important than any martial arts technique. Therefore, what has been said cannot be taken back!
Besides, he came from the bottom and knows what superior martial arts skills mean. If I were in his shoes, I would definitely be tempted by such a condition, and it would probably be a lie or a deception.

Hei Baizi's heart was already in his throat, and upon hearing Yun Changkong's words, his body trembled with excitement.

He hadn't expected Yun Changkong to understand him so well, and immediately knelt down, saying, "Great Hero Yun, this old man was blind and didn't recognize your greatness. For the offense I caused in the past..."

Yun Changkong flicked his sleeve, unleashing a surge of potential that lifted the black and white pieces, and said, "Let's not talk about the past. You don't need to thank me either. Master Ren is a hero of his generation, magnanimous and generous. You even knelt down to him to beg for forgiveness. How could he hold it against you? That's why he didn't use his full strength; he was just trying to scare you. Don't you think so, Mr. Ren?"

Everyone understood that Yun Changkong had done a good deed but refused to show gratitude, instead taking care of Ren Woxing's feelings, which truly demonstrated his superior character.

Thinking of this, Ren Yingying felt even more favorably toward Yun Changkong.

Ren Woxing stared at Yun Changkong, his eyes twitching several times. How could he not understand that Yun Changkong calling him "Mr. Ren" meant that he was no longer a sect leader and shouldn't go too far. Thinking of this, he couldn't vent his anger.

Just then, Ren Yingying said, "Father, Young Master Yun is right. Although Hei Baizi was driven by greed, let's give him a chance to be a decent human being since he has come to his senses and repented!"

Ren Woxing suddenly turned his gaze to the window and sighed, "Enough, enough. For the sake of Brother Yun and my daughter, let's leave it at that!"

"Thank you for your kindness, Master!" Hei Baizi immediately bowed.

Ren Woxing snorted coldly, his expression suddenly turning serious. He glanced back at Ren Yingying and said, "Yingying, tell us why we're here!"

Ren Yingying replied, "Yes." She glanced at the people in the hall and said, "Everyone, my father has come to Plum Manor after escaping this predicament, just to discuss an important matter with you elders."

Bao Dachu said, "Please give your instructions, Holy Maiden."

Ren Yingying said, "It's obvious that my father is not dead, which is enough to prove that Dongfang Bubai was disrespectful and ungrateful in the past."

In our martial arts world, what we value most is loyalty. All of you elders are heroes of our time, but what about now? You actually obey this villain Yang Lianting. Others may not know, but don't you know that this Yang fellow is neither good at literature nor martial arts? What ability does he have to lead our sect?
Under His rule, can our brothers in God's religion still hold their heads high and be proud of themselves?

"My father's return is to set things right. Will you elders follow him or Dongfang Bubai from now on?"

The three elders of the Demonic Sect looked at each other in dismay. Although they had always been very wary of Ren Woxing, they were terrified to see him break free and return to the scene.

However, the Eastern Cult Leader also made his own elixirs, which he forced them to take, thus controlling them and preventing them from harboring any disloyal thoughts.

In that instant, it would be extremely difficult for them to decide to betray the Eastern Cult Leader and join the Ren Cult Leader.

Therefore, even though they knew this matter was extremely urgent, they hesitated and could not make a decision, despite their long experience in dealing with storms.

Xiang Wentian said coldly, "You are all elders in the sect. You all know very well how the sect leader treated Dongfang Bubai back then."

The leader promoted him to the position of Left Guardian of Light in the sect, and entrusted him with all the power in the sect, treating him like a brother. This traitor not only did not know how to be grateful, but also cultivated his own power, and under various pretexts, dismissed, expelled or executed all his loyal followers.

Sima Zhao's intentions are obvious to everyone, yet he still tries to deceive the heroes of the world by claiming that the sect leader was harmed by the Five Mountains Sword Sect, and imprisoned him at the bottom of West Lake for twelve years without seeing the light of day!
Now, you're even favoring Yang Lianting, ruining the reputation of our Sun Moon Cult and turning it into a chaotic mess. You are all top talents of our cult. Dongfang Bubai is one thing, but how long has it been since you last saw him? Are you willing to let a villain like Yang Lianting give orders? Don't you find that laughable?"

The members of the Demonic Sect turned purple with rage; they were unwilling to obey Yang Lianting, this incompetent scoundrel.

He only submitted to Dongfang Bubai out of fear. Moreover, he himself had taken Dongfang Bubai's elixir, which put him in an extremely difficult position.

At this moment, the elders suddenly understood what Huang Zhonggong meant by being diligent but pleasing neither side.

Ren Woxing suddenly burst into laughter, slapped the armrest of the chair with his right hand, and suddenly stood up.

With a whoosh, it rushed towards Bao Dachu like a gust of wind.

Bao Dachu was taken aback. Ren Woxing had come too fast, and he couldn't swing his single-edged sword in time. He could only quickly raise his left elbow to protect his throat. At the same time, he took a step back with his left foot and slashed down with his right single-edged sword.

This defensive and offensive maneuver was completed in a split second; the defense was tight and the attack was fierce, demonstrating truly skillful technique.

But Ren Woxing's right hand was a step faster; before Bao Dachu's single blade could strike, he was grabbed by the chest.

With a hissing sound, his robe was torn, and Ren Woxing had already snatched the black wooden token in his left hand, while his right hand grabbed his wrist, twisting it and the knife around his wrist.

Yun Changkong thought to himself, "What superb grappling skills. No wonder he is a top expert of this era. Even a first-rate expert cannot last a single move against him."

He knew very well that if Ren Woxing wanted to kill Bao Dachu, he only needed to obtain the Blackwood Token.

In a flash, Wang Cheng and Sang San Niang brandished their weapons, moving towards the Wentian Longsword. A flash of cold light appeared, and with two clangs, the sword blocked the two men's attack.

In that instant, Bao Dachu had completely fallen into Ren Woxing's control.

Ren Woxing smiled slightly and said, "I haven't used my Star Absorbing Technique yet. Would you like to try it out?"

Bao Dachu said in a trembling voice, "Master Ren, from this day forward, I, Bao Dachu, am willing to follow you." Yun Changkong was slightly surprised by his quick change of heart, but not entirely unexpected. He thought to himself, "If he doesn't surrender now, Ren Woxing will definitely use the Star Absorbing Technique to establish his authority."

Ren Woxing slowly said, "You swore to be loyal to me back then, why do you go back on your word now?"

Bao Dachu said, "I beg Master Ren to allow me to atone for my sins by performing meritorious deeds."

Ren Woxing said, "Alright!" He reached into his robes, took out a pill, and stuffed it into Bao Dachu's mouth, saying, "This is the Three Corpse Brain God Pill. Wang Cheng, Sang San Niang, would you like to take it?" He then released Bao Dachu.

Yun Changkong was surprised again: "He escaped yesterday, so where did he get the Three Corpse Brain God Pill? Hmm, he used fake medicine to test their sincerity, to subdue them first, and then he'll give them the real medicine later, so it's fine."

Sang San Niang bowed and said, "Your subordinate swears to be loyal to the leader from this day forward. Whatever the leader commands, your subordinate will do your utmost without hesitation."

The short, stout old man, Wang Cheng, said, "Your subordinate will serve you faithfully and will never harbor any disloyal thoughts."

Ren Woxing laughed and flicked his finger, shooting out two pills. The two men didn't even look at them, but caught them in their hands and swallowed them.

They all knew that if the "Three Corpse Brain God Pill" was not controlled and the antidote was not obtained before the Dragon Boat Festival, the corpse worms hidden in the pill would become active, burrow into the brain, and gnaw at the brain marrow. The pain was indescribable, and they would act wildly and erratically, even worse than mad dogs.

Although they had also taken Dongfang Bubai's elixir, they were only concerned with the present and how it would cause trouble in the future could only be dealt with when the time came.

Ren Woxing then looked at the Four Friends of Jiangnan: "And you?"

Huang Zhonggong said, "I am deeply grateful for the generous gift from Master Ren, but since I have decided never to set foot in the martial world again, I dare not accept it!"

The three elders of the Demonic Sect were all envious when they saw that he refused to accept it.

Ren Woxing glanced at Yun Changkong and thought to himself, "If it weren't for his protection, would you be so presumptuous!"

Ren Yingying said, "Father, in the past, when Elder Qu wanted to retire from the martial world, Dongfang Bubai could not tolerate him. Now that the Four Friends of Jiangnan are tired of the martial world, why don't you be magnanimous and show mercy?"

Ren Woxing snorted: "I can pardon them for betraying me, but the matter here will affect the future, and we can't afford to pay for it."

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "You're probably overthinking it. The one who hates them the most is probably Dongfang Bubai, since you let them escape! If they run to Dongfang Bubai to atone for their crimes, hehe, they'll die a miserable death. Hiding their tracks is the best option."

Ren Woxing said, "Brother Yun, do you mean for me to let them go?"

Yun Changkong said, "Great perfection is imperfect, and there is no such thing as perfection in this world. Moreover, if you keep them in front of you, even if you regain your position in the future, you will inevitably think of the time you were imprisoned. Perhaps there are people in the sect who are secretly complaining. Can you be so easygoing?"

Upon hearing this, Ren Woxing thought for a moment, then suddenly laughed and said, "What a wonderful saying! Hearing you say this has indeed resolved a major knot in my heart."

At this point, he smiled sadly and said, "I've lived at the bottom of the lake for twelve years. I should have become indifferent to fame, fortune, and power. But the older I get, the more passionate I become."

Yun Changkong said, "The debate on fame and fortune is a matter of opinion. If everyone were someone who did not seek fame or fortune, and no one set rules or provided any constraints, then people would truly suffer."

Ren Woxing laughed heartily, his heroic spirit rising, and said, "Brother Yun, I admire you. I thought you regarded empty fame as nothing and therefore looked down on people like us!"

Yun Changkong shook his head and said, "I have never thought about becoming a role model for the world so that everyone can follow my example. I only ask that I have a clear conscience!"

Ren Woxing laughed loudly and said, "What a fine word, 'having a clear conscience'! This martial world is full of treacherous people who, after gaining a little false fame, become arrogant and do not know how high the sky is or how thick the earth is. Today's events will show you that my words are true."

Yun Changkong said, "How high the sky is, how thick the earth is, is something that cannot be said definitively. Perhaps there are some great supernatural beings who can measure the heavens and the earth, but we are just like frogs in a well, unaware of it."

Ren Woxing sighed with a hint of bitterness, "Yes, after meeting Brother Yun, I realized what it means to be an old man. Brother Yun, if you don't want to join our sect, I won't force you. But we hit it off immediately, so why don't we become sworn brothers and share both good times and bad?"

Upon hearing this, Ren Yingying became anxious and exclaimed, "Father, what nonsense are you talking about? How did you become sworn brothers?"

Yun Changkong smiled slightly, turned to look at Ren Yingying, and was about to tease her, but when he saw tears welling up in her eyes, his chest tightened, and he couldn't say anything.

Ren Woxing turned his gaze and said, "Daughter, this is all for your own good!"

Ren Yingying sneered, "Tell me, what are you doing this for my own good?"

Ren Woxing said, "I heard from Brother Xiang that there are rumors in the martial arts world that you and Brother Yun are in love, which is why Yang Lianting is targeting you. Is that true, Bao Dachu?"

Bao Dachu bowed and said, "That's true!"

Sang San Niang also said, "This Yang Lianting not only slandered the young lady to Dongfang Bubai, saying that she had kept her acquaintance with a master like Yun Daxia a secret, but also sent people to spread rumors in the martial arts world, greatly damaging the young lady's reputation."

Ren Woxing said, "Yes, you also gathered heroes at Wubagang to treat Linghu Chong's illness. With your great influence, it goes without saying."

But matters between men and women can easily stir up trouble even without wind. People always prefer to believe it rather than not. Even many reputable and morally upright people are not immune to this, let alone my religion.
You, Brother Yun, and Linghu Chong are all innocent, we all know that, but others don't believe it!
Even if Brother Yun and Linghu Chong come out to explain, others may not believe them completely.

If this matter isn't clarified, everyone will say that my daughter, Ren Woxing's daughter, is a fickle, unfaithful, and promiscuous woman. As you know, gossip is a powerful force in the martial arts world. If this continues, it will become a rumor, and eventually, it might even become, "All the women of my Sun Moon Sect are wanton, promiscuous, and despicable women who specialize in seducing men..."

Both Sang San Niang and Ren Yingying paled upon hearing this.

Ren Yingying angrily said, "Who dares to talk such nonsense? I will not only kill him, but also wipe out his entire family. I will kill all his relatives and friends."

He had uttered harsh words, but he was extremely uneasy: "What Father said makes sense. Didn't the Yellow River Ancestor and the others say the same thing?"

Glancing at Yun Changkong again, she saw his calm expression and even more intense anger. She couldn't help but think, "This bastard made me look so pathetic, and he acts like nothing happened!"

Suddenly, Ren Woxing said again, "That's why I became sworn brothers with Brother Yun, just to stop these rumors. Now that he's your uncle, with his reputation and status in the martial arts world, these rumors will fall apart on their own! Brother Yun, what do you think?"

Yun Changkong glanced at Ren Yingying, and seeing the anger flashing between her brows, he dared not reply. He laughed and said, "As the saying goes, we don't ask to be born on the same day, in the same month, in the same year, but we do ask to die on the same day, in the same month, in the same year..."

Ren Yingying was filled with anger and shouted, "Fine, fine, Uncle Yun, you can call my father your brother now!" With that, she walked towards the door.

Yun Changkong replied, "But I am younger than you and would like to live a few more years. I would be doing you a disservice, Mr. Ren."

Upon hearing this, Ren Yingying paused, suddenly realizing that Yun Changkong's words had stirred her heart. She felt both shy and angry, and said resentfully, "You bastard, Yun!"

Yun Changkong said, "It seems so!"

Xiang Wentian laughed and said, "Master, if you want to resolve this matter, there's no need for you to become sworn brothers with Brother Yun. I have another way."

Ren Yingying asked, "What?"

Xiang Wentian said, "When Brother Linghu and I came to Plum Manor together, he asked about the young lady many times. I didn't dare to talk about it because of the sect leader, but I could tell that he had feelings for the young lady."

"If Miss could become a perfect couple with Brother Linghu, and Brother Yun were to officiate the wedding, then all the rumors and gossip would simply disappear."

Ren Yingying turned pale as she listened.
Ren Woxing nodded slightly: "This is indeed a good idea. Linghu Chong's swordsmanship is really good. He's worthy of being my son-in-law. Brother Yun, what do you think?"

Yun Changkong's eyes flashed like lightning as he swept past Ren Woxing, Xiang Wentian, and Ren Yingying. At that moment, he understood everything. (End of Chapter)