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

Chapter 58 Showing courtesy to others
In the vast rain, Abbess Miejue moved erratically, her speed so great that it seemed her feet never touched the ground, only the rustling of the grass could be heard.

But then a clear voice seemed to whisper in her ear, "Master, where are you taking me in the dead of night?"

Abbess Miejue turned around in response, staring at Chang Kong with a look of surprise.

He walked calmly and leisurely behind her, his steps light and graceful, seemingly slow but actually incredibly fast, and he could even speak in a calm and unhurried manner.

Abbess Miejue felt a chill in her heart. She was confident in her martial arts skills, which were unmatched in the world. However, she did not expect that Yun Changkong's internal strength, martial arts, and lightness skills were no less than hers. She felt very uncomfortable.

The Emei sect leader was arrogant and competitive. Seeing a cliff in front of him, he raised his arms and soared up the mountain like a crane.

Seeing her swift and agile movements, Yun Changkong was also filled with competitive spirit. He thought to himself, "I gave you face in front of your disciple just now, but now I want to see who can run faster!"

He leaped up quickly and used the "Golden Goose Skill" to climb the steep cliff.

It was raining at the moment, and the cliffs were not straight up and down. Although there were places to grab onto, they were extremely slippery.

One was as fiery as ginger and cinnamon, growing spicier with age, while the other was exceptionally bold and competitive. And so they began to compete.

As Abbess Miejue was climbing, she turned around and was startled.

It turns out that when Yun Changkong climbed the cliff, he only used his two feet to step on the cliff face. With each step, he ascended five or six feet, his body rising in a straight line as if walking on flat ground.

Very few people in this world know this profound martial art of "climbing the ladder to heaven," and even if someone does master it, they can only ascend two or three feet with each step.

Because the skill of climbing the ladder to heaven relies entirely on the true qi in the dantian and only on the feet, without using the hands to press and gain strength, being able to step two or three feet at a time is already quite skillful. To step five or six feet in the sky is truly unimaginable.

Furthermore, there was still a journey ahead. Climbing seven or eight zhang would have been fine, but by now he had climbed at least twenty zhang, yet he remained so carefree and unrestrained. The depth of his inner strength and the level of his lightness skill were truly unimaginable.

However, Abbess Miejue knew his background and was not surprised by this martial art.

When Yun Changkong practiced the "Golden Goose Skill," he used his lightness skill to climb the cliffs of Zhongnan Mountain to practice this "ladder to heaven" skill. Because he had the foundation of the "Golden Goose Skill," its power was naturally extraordinary.

Back then, Guo Jing stood on the smooth city wall, taking only a few steps, and watched tens of thousands of people fighting on and below the city stop. That was truly astonishing.

If Yang Guo hadn't severely damaged his vital energy the night before, even the Golden Wheel Monk's arrows wouldn't have been able to stop him.

At this moment, Yun Changkong's skill was inferior to Guo Jing's, but it was enough to shock Abbess Miejue. The more she saw this, the more she used both hands and feet to accelerate upwards, making a whooshing sound as she soared. Finally, she reached the summit.
Suddenly, I heard a whooshing sound in my ears, and a figure flashed past me like a streak of light.

Even when Abbess Miejue reached the top of the mountain, Changkong was still one step ahead.

Chang Kong turned around, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said with a smile, "Master, I'm too tired, I dare not run anymore!"

Abbess Miejue narrowed her eyes, staring intently without uttering a word.
Chang Kong took two steps back, on high alert: "Could it be that this old nun is unwilling to accept defeat and wants to fight me to the death?"

Abbess Miejue sighed: "So be it, so be it. I only thought you were a peerless martial artist, I never expected there would be someone like you in the world. I am very grateful to you!"

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "You're too kind. I will do my best to beat you, so please accept my kind words!"

Abbess Miejue shook her head and said quietly, "I was referring to your admission that you were injured."

Chang Kong smiled and said, "It's nothing. I can tell the difference between good intentions and bad intentions. Besides, I have no grudge against the nun. It would be too impulsive and not my intention to fight over a petty and sharp-tongued woman."

Abbess Miejue laughed loudly and clapped her hands, saying, "It's already quite remarkable that you can distinguish between good intentions and bad intentions. No wonder you have such extraordinary martial arts skills at such a young age. Some people even compare you to Song Qingshu of the Wudang Sect. I wonder whose honor it is!"

Chang Kong laughed and said, "Some of these rumors are just the nonsense of ignorant people. I just had a bit of good fortune, and I don't deserve such praise."

Abbess Miejue slowly said, "Although your internal energy is from the Shaolin lineage, it should not be related to the Nine Yang Manual. Your move just now, which used the opponent's force against them, was smooth and effortless. It is a true Xuanmen martial art and should be related to the Quanzhen Sect."

Yun Changkong appeared calm, but was inwardly quite surprised.

The essence of the Quanzhen Sect's highest-level martial arts lies in the two words "emptiness" and "softness." His final palm strike just now subtly contained the "Three Flowers Gathering at the Top Palm." As the saying goes, "Great perfection seems flawed, yet its use is inexhaustible. Great fullness seems empty, yet its use is boundless."

As the name suggests, it means to avoid the opponent's strength and strike their weakness when fighting. Therefore, he did not use his full strength. When he retracted, he slightly guided the force and returned it, which was extremely powerful.

This is Wang Chongyang's ultimate skill. It looks ordinary, but it actually contains hidden secrets. Countless masters have fallen victim to this move.

In the past, Guo Jing possessed the extraordinary skill of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. When he first saw Zhou Botong unleash his palm strike, Zhou Botong, without moving his body, pushed him away with a single movement.

Abbess Miejue had intended to deflect Changkong's palm strike, but to her surprise, he could retreat at will, not only escaping her trap but also using her own strength to launch a fierce attack. Without making a sound or showing any emotion, he had shaken her off.

After her initial surprise, Abbess Miejue quickly understood the principle.

After all, Guo Xiang's foundation was built on the internal energy of the Quanzhen Sect. Although she later created her own sect, her internal energy and martial arts still bore the shadow of the Quanzhen Sect.

The Abbess Miejue was a master of her sect, and she discovered Chang Kong's true strength as soon as they exchanged blows.

Yun Changkong clasped his hands and said, "Master, your martial arts are profound, your knowledge is extensive, and you are well-known throughout the world. You truly live up to your reputation. I admire you."

Abbess Miejue turned her eyes and looked down the mountain: "I'm not just praising you without reason. Shaolin martial arts and Quanzhen martial arts are the orthodox martial arts of Buddhism and Taoism. To reach the superior level, one must unite one's mind and breath."

Without a compassionate heart and a magnanimous and fearless spirit, how can one achieve anything?

At your age, even if you have other opportunities, that's only one of the reasons.

"It's because your character aligns with the essence of martial arts that you've reached such a high level at such a young age, allowing you to glimpse its profound depths." Yun Changkong felt somewhat embarrassed. He felt his martial arts skills relied entirely on the "Jade Pendant," and what did compassion and magnanimity have to do with him?
Seeing him in a daze, Abbess Miejue said, "The highest level of martial arts in Buddhism and Taoism does not lie in the strength of internal energy, but in the cultivation of one's mind."

I just can't see through it, so even after practicing for decades, I still can't reach the pinnacle.

"If Minjun had attacked you with her sword, and you were a petty person, she would already be dead. Indeed, if you were that kind of person, even with divine skills, you wouldn't have achieved what you have today even after a hundred years of practice!"

Yun Changkong said self-deprecatingly, "Don't say that. I just think that since we were eavesdropping on a woman and she found out, it's understandable that she stabbed me. That's not a reason for me to kill her."

Abbess Miejue nodded silently: "That is what makes you so valuable. You are skilled in martial arts, yet you can still consider what people with lower skills think. You do not bully the weak, nor are you afraid of the strong. This is the true way of humility and compassion."

Yun Changkong thought to himself, "Why is this nun praising me so much? Even if she wants me as her son-in-law, she shouldn't be doing this!"

In truth, the Arhat Subduing Demon Skill is not a martial art that ordinary people can cultivate; it carries immense risks. Not only must one possess a pure and kind heart, but also exceptional meticulousness, keen insight, and the ability to discern complex changes within it. Furthermore, one must have extraordinary knowledge and unwavering willpower.

This seems easy, but it's extremely difficult to do!

Yun Changkong was able to cultivate his martial arts to such a high level, not only because of the "Jade Pendant," but also because of his extraordinary temperament.

If it were someone else, even if they understood the cultivation method and comprehended its changes, they would lack compassion and would never be able to unleash the true essence of "Arhat Subduing Demon Skill" and "Quanzhen Martial Arts," let alone possess the power of others' decades of experience in just five years of practice.

Take Ding Minjun's actions just now, for example. If others had martial arts skills like Yun Changkong, how many could resist killing her?

For a martial arts master like Yun Changkong, killing is not difficult; the real challenge is to choose not to kill!

This reflects one's moral character, which is the most important aspect of cultivating superior martial arts.

Abbess Miejue was adept at recognizing people. In the original story, she saw through the personalities of Zhang Wuji and Zhou Zhiruo perfectly, which is why she allowed Zhou Zhiruo to use her "beauty trap"—she was certain it would succeed.

Now, after interacting with Yun Changkong and exchanging blows, I have gained a clearer understanding of his character.

Just now, Yun Changkong pushed her back a step, clearly winning the battle, but he still took a step back, which was actually a way of saving face for himself and leaving himself room to maneuver.

Given Abbess Miejue's arrogance, she wouldn't even give face to Zhang Sanfeng of Wudang. If it weren't for Yun Changkong's personality, how could he be worthy of being invited to speak by her?

How proud was Abbess Miejue? In the original story, when besieging Bright Peak, she didn't even bother to fight small groups of enemies, simply because they were not worthy of dying by her hand.

She was involved in fierce battles that involved hundreds or even thousands of people!

However, when Abbess Miejue saw that Changkong remained calm after hearing these words, she was even more alarmed: "This young man is not surprised by my praise. He is so young, yet he does not boast of his achievements. He is dressed in peasant clothes and does not show off. Has his character and cultivation reached the level of humility?"

Lost in thought, he suddenly heard Chang Kong laugh and say, "Your Excellency's praise makes me feel ashamed. I just feel that no one is entirely good or evil. As long as they don't violate my fundamental principles, there's no need to kill or harm them!"

Abbess Miejue said, "According to you, all people are the same?"

“That’s right!” Chang Kong nodded and said, “Just like how I consider myself a good person, but I also commit murder and robbery, which is evil.”

Although the nun is a prestigious sect leader with high moral character and prestige, she may still do things that are inconsistent with her status at certain times.

Humans are the most ridiculous thing ever. Some people wear the cloak of righteousness, but their deeds are no different from those of a demonic sect.

Abbess Miejue stared at him, her face showing a mixture of anger and reproach: "Who are you talking about?"

Chang Kong laughed and said, "I don't know, but I'm sure it exists!"

The ways of Heaven are unpredictable, and so are good and evil. A good person might do bad things, and a bad person might do good things; how can one truly distinguish between them?

Abbess Miejue calmly said, "So, you kill not because of good or evil, but because of your own nature?"

"Indeed!" Chang Kong smiled slightly: "Martial artists in this world value seeking revenge, or upholding justice and serving their country and people. But I am different."
I thought to myself, since we live this life, we should be free to do whatever we want, and if others don't let me do it, then I'll kill them!
If I don't want to do something, but someone forces me to, then I'll kill them. Why bother caring whether they're good or evil, kind or bad?
Of course, family members are an exception. For kind and good people, we can be more lenient and give them another chance!

Abbess Miejue sighed, "You truly possess an extraordinary character. I wonder if you will ever have the opportunity to meet your master?"

"I don't have a master!" Chang Kong laughed. "If you insist on saying one, then you might as well be a god!"

Abbess Miejue was stunned for a moment, then heard Changkong say, "Does Abbess have anything else to say?"

Abbess Miejue smiled slightly and said, "What do you think of Yin Tianzheng's martial arts skills?"

Yun Changkong said, "Yin Tianzheng is already old, but his attacks are still incredibly fierce. He is indeed a rare talent!"

Abbess Miejue asked, "If you were to actually fight him, what are your chances of winning?"

Yun Changkong thought for a moment, then said proudly, "If he doesn't have a major fortuitous encounter, and if nothing unexpected happens to me, I can't imagine how I could lose!"

Abbess Miejue knew in her heart that she was one step behind Yun Changkong, and no matter how powerful Yin Tianzheng was, he was not necessarily superior to her.

In addition, Yun Changkong's lightness skill is unparalleled in the martial arts world. What chance does an old man like Yin Tianzheng have of winning? So he said, "Then you win. According to the rules of the martial arts world, he has to be dealt with by you. Just ask him one thing, and I doubt he will refuse to tell you!"

Yun Changkong immediately realized: "No wonder they were so eager to flatter me, so that's why! They must have wanted something in return for their politeness!"

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(End of this chapter)