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

Chapter 65 Conspiracy
The voice was clear and crisp, yet carried a touch of natural charm; it could only belong to Zhao Min.

Then look at Fan Yao lying on the boat, pressing his wound and making "hehe" sounds.

As Yun Changkong awoke from his bloodlust, he felt as if he had just woken from a deep dream, and the sword in his hand seemed about to fly out of his grasp.

Actually, his hands were trembling slightly, a condition a martial arts master would never allow to occur. But he was, after all, just one person with limited energy, and these two battles had left him extremely exhausted.

Yun Changkong turned his head and looked around. The Han River seemed to be shrouded in flames. Just now, he had set the large ships on fire, the small ships broken apart, and the large ships, small ships, the corpses of the Sky Eagle Cult members, and even the flammable materials they had brought were all burned together, illuminating the river.

A large ship sailed downstream, and Zhao Min stood on its bow. In the light, it was clear that she had disguised herself with a hairpin and cap, truly resembling a handsome young gentleman. The two elders of Xuanming, A'da, A'er, and A'san, and the eight heroes of the Divine Arrows stood behind her like stars surrounding the moon.

Yun Changkong's legs felt as if they were filled with black vinegar, both sore and painful. He planted his longsword on the deck, circulated his internal energy, and gathered his true qi, saying, "You don't actually intend to let him go, do you?"

Zhao Min's eyebrows arched sharply, her eyes as cold as frost, as she stared at Fan Yao and said, word by word, "This man is despicable and vicious. I must rip out his tongue and feed it to the dogs!"

Fan Yao's legs were severed at the knees, and he was on the verge of death. Upon hearing this, he looked up at Zhao Min, his face filled with fear and resentment. He laughed loudly and said, "Your Highness, 'A petty person is no gentleman, and a ruthless person is no true man.' Didn't you save me back then hoping to use me to deal with Yun Changkong?"

Although I have been defeated, you have achieved your goal. Yun Changkong is at his last gasp, and you have countless experts under your command. Anyone who makes a move could enjoy the glory of killing Yun Changkong. Why do you hate me so much?

At this moment, no one was rowing the small boat that Yun Changkong and Fan Yao were riding. Although they were going downstream, Zhao Min's large boat was following them. Whether it was the Eight Heroes of Divine Arrows shooting arrows or the Two Elders of Xuanming boarding the boat, Yun Changkong was doomed to die.

Yun Changkong knew this was the truth, but he felt no fear, because he knew he was still useful to Zhao Min.

By this time, the ship had traveled a long way, and the screams of the Sky Eagle Cult members could no longer be heard. The only sound was the gurgling of the Han River.

Zhao Min looked at Yun Changkong and saw that he was calm. She was very curious and asked, "You don't seem afraid that I will take advantage of your weakness and kill you!"

Yun Changkong said, "It's not that I'm not afraid, it's that you can't bear to let me die."

Zhao Min was stunned for a moment, her cheeks flushed, and she spat out, "What are you so vain about? Who's going to miss you?"

Yun Changkong smiled faintly: "You asked the Eight Heroes of Divine Arrows to save me, wasn't it because you hoped that I would fight them to the death, that the hatred between the two sides was so deep that they could not coexist!"
Whether the Ming Cult attacks me or I attack the Ming Cult, it will deplete the strength of the Han people. Can you Mongols reap the benefits without lifting a finger? If I die now, how can my value be fully realized?

Zhao Min clapped her hands and praised, "Young Hero Yun, you understand me. After today, if the Demonic Sect and the Eagle Sect don't kill you, what face will they have to stand in the martial arts world? If you, Great Hero Yun, are capable enough to take down both the Eagle Sect and the Ming Cult, that would be even more gratifying!"
Under heaven, all land belongs to the emperor. My great Mongol Empire is the supreme ruler of the world. Yet the Ming Cult has incited and coerced the people into openly rebelling. It is a true evil cult.

Young Hero Yun's slaying of the demonic sect is an act of eliminating evil and bringing peace to the world, a truly meritorious deed that greatly benefits the nation.
I will tell my father, and he will petition the Emperor to bestow upon you the title of Great General Who Eliminates Demons and Evils, just as the founding emperor bestowed the title of Immortal of Everlasting Spring upon you!

Yun Changkong's eyes flashed with a cold light as he said, "You really are good at scheming."

"Scheme?" Zhao Min was unconvinced: "What do I scheme against you for?"
The matter between your Yun family and the Sky Eagle Sect stemmed from the massacre at the Dragon Gate Escort Agency, perpetrated by Yin Susu. Those who harmed and insulted your father were the three servants of the Yin family.

"If you had forgotten your hatred from the beginning and hadn't sought revenge, things wouldn't have escalated to this point with the Eagle Cult."

Yun Changkong let out two cold laughs.

Zhao Min smiled and said, "But if a man cannot avenge his father, how can he be a son? Even when beating a dog, one must consider its owner. If you seek revenge on the servants of the Yin family, the Heavenly Eagle Sect will certainly not let it go!"
"You are all martial artists, and you value gratitude and revenge above all else. You each have your own reasons, which led to this duel with Yin Tianzheng. Was this part of my scheme?"

Zhao Min's words left Yun Changkong speechless.

Seeing that he was silent, Zhao Min was secretly pleased. She tapped her folding fan lightly in her hand and smiled sweetly, saying, "Why don't you and Yin Tianzheng agree to a martial arts contest? I wonder how many people think that no matter how exquisite your martial arts are, even if you started practicing from the womb, your skill level wouldn't be that high."

But you insisted on coming to find me, causing a huge commotion. The whole city of Kaifeng knew that the daughter of the Prince of Ruyang had been kidnapped by you while being besieged by several masters, and that you had even defeated the Ming Cult's Bright Messenger in one move.
One victory might be considered an exaggeration, but what about two?
In today's martial arts world, besides that person from Wudang Mountain, who else can fight you one-on-one? And who dares to fight you one-on-one?

No matter how heroic Yin Tianzheng was, how could his son and junior brother watch their father and brother's lifelong reputation and decades of hard work be destroyed by the Jinyang Escort Agency, which they had never taken seriously before?

Otherwise, Li Tianyuan of the Sky Eagle Sect and this Right Envoy of Light, um, what's your name again?" he said, looking at Fan Yao.

Fan Yao declared loudly, "A true man does not change his name or surname, I am Fan Yao, the Right Envoy of the Ming Cult."

"Don't be shameless!" Lu Zhangke sneered, "We've worked together for ten years. You pretend to be mute and use suffering as your voice. How can you even say something like 'I will not change my name'?"

Fan Yao shouted, "The Ming Cult is an enemy of the imperial court. It is only right that I infiltrate the Prince of Ruyang's residence to investigate secrets."

"You lecherous deer, all you know is to lust after women. The princess is ambitious and self-assured, yet she doesn't recognize me. What is there to boast about?"

Zhao Min said coldly, "Young Master Yun, let me handle this person."

Fan Yao looked up at the sky and shouted, "Yun Changkong, they are Mongols, we are Han Chinese, and we have been irreconcilable enemies since ancient times."

"We are enemies, each displaying our strength. Victory or defeat, life or death, is no big deal. If you hand me over to him, you will truly become a traitor. How can you face Yunhe?"

Zhao Min sneered, "Right Envoy Fan, didn't you just tell others that Young Hero Yun was in cahoots with me?"

What? Are you too embarrassed to tell people that you're afraid of him, so you resort to such despicable methods to stop him from fighting Yin Tianzheng?

"Hmph, the messengers of light! The left messenger rapes women, and the right messenger ruins people's reputations with lust. Hah, so despicable and vicious! What kind of messengers of light are they, the two carefree immortals? In my opinion, the Ming Cult is nothing but an outright evil cult!"

Lu Zhangke said, "You joined the Prince of Ruyang's mansion, and I don't know how many dirty things you did that you, as a member of the Ming Cult, couldn't do under the name of the mansion. How dare you talk to me like that?"

Fan Yao was drenched in sweat and trembling all over. His appearance was already ugly, but now it was even more ferocious and terrifying, yet he remained silent.

If a hero of the martial arts world breaks the precept against lust, he will be despised by everyone. The private affairs between men and women are always a topic of discussion. Therefore, when rumors spread that Yun Changkong had an affair with a Mongolian princess, everyone preferred to believe it rather than deny it.

In the original storyline, given Abbess Miejue's reputation, people would believe Fan Yao if he said he had fathered Zhou Zhiruo with her!
Some Emei disciples even believe this to be true!
Not to mention Yun Changkong, a spirited young man!
As for matters between men and women, even within the Ming Cult, the rules are strict, and everyone maintains proper decorum. Therefore, when Dai Qisi first arrived at Bright Peak, the men who admired her were all unmarried men.

Yang Xiao, who was always romantic and amorous, actually broke the rules of the sect. Therefore, even though he was second only to the leader, he could not become the leader after Yang Dingtian disappeared. The Five Wanderers fought with him because of his lack of virtue.

As for his later act of raping and defiled Ji Xiaofu, it was even more despicable. In the original story, when the Five Wanderers went to Bright Peak to protect the sect, their lives were hanging by a thread. They had no choice but to condemn the act of rape and plunder, which caused the sect's reputation to decline, and directly pointed the finger at Yang Xiao.

Later, Zhang Wuji resigned as leader of the sect because of his relationship with Zhao Min and passed the leadership to Yang Xiao. However, he was easily sidelined by Zhu Yuanzhang and was only regarded as old and lacking in virtue.

Ultimately, all of this stems from moral failings related to lust. No matter how much one does, there's no way to recover.

The deeper meaning, though unspoken, is the real reason why martial arts practitioners reached this consensus: everyone fears a lecherous man with great martial arts skills and immense power. So, if you ever take a fancy to my wife, daughter, or sister, can you also commit such adultery?
This is similar to the resistance to ruthless extermination in the martial arts world. Everyone here makes a living on the edge; if you kill an entire family because of a grudge, what would you do if it happened to you?
There's always someone stronger, and there's always someone better!

Who can guarantee that they will always be invincible?
If you do the first thing, how can others not do the fifteenth?

Therefore, this behavior is precisely the ancient philosophy of leaving room for maneuver.

It is precisely because there are reputable sects in the martial arts world upholding these rules that the martial arts world exists.

If everyone were like the Demonic Sect, killing and burning entire families to death at the slightest grudge, how could there be a martial arts world?
Everyone died in this feud!
Yun Changkong felt his mouth was dry, so he slowly sat down, closed his eyes, and a sense of weariness slowly seeped out from the bottom of his heart. It was a long-lost feeling of fatigue, and his internal energy circulation was extremely sluggish.

Knowing that he had exhausted his inner energy and would not be able to recover in the short term, he recalled something someone had speculated about in his previous life and became curious. So he asked, "Fan Yao, are you aware that Mr. Donghai Yinye was poisoned to death?"

Fan Yao was shocked, his face filled with disbelief, and said, "Who is Mr. Yinye? How would I know?"

Lu Zhangke sneered, "Mr. Silver Leaf and Granny Golden Flower are renowned throughout the martial arts world, how could you not know them?"

Zhao Min said, "I've also heard that last year, Hu Qingniu was killed by Granny Jin Hua for refusing to help someone in distress. I heard it was because of the death of her husband, Mr. Yinye. Master Ku, you must know this in my mansion, right?"

Fan Yao remained silent.

It turns out that Yun Changkong remembered someone in his previous life saying that Granny Jin Hua and her husband, Mr. Yin Ye, had been poisoned by a mute monk under the Mongol's command, and some speculated that it was Fan Yao. Furthermore, his reaction to Xiao Zhao was as if he had seen a ghost—a classic case of a guilty conscience!
Only then did he inquire, but seeing that he remained silent, Chang Kong did not ask any further questions.

Zhao Min coldly said, "Right Envoy Fan, Young Hero Yun spared your life the other day, but you colluded with the Eagle Sect to ambush and assassinate him. You are worse than a pig or a dog and deserve to be torn to pieces. Young Hero Yun is a benevolent and chivalrous person and can't bring himself to do it, so I will do it myself. Don't you agree?"

The two elders of Xuanming both felt that Fan Yao's character was despicable and lowly, completely inconsistent with his martial arts skills and status, and they all said in unison, "The princess is right!"

Zhao Min raised an eyebrow and said, "Young Master Yun, do you think what I said is right?"

Yun Changkong's deep eyes were fixed on Zhao Min's beautiful face as he slowly said, "Although Fan Yao is a scoundrel, I still want to kill him. But to hand him over to you? You're really taking me for granted?"

Zhao Min chuckled and said, "Young Master Yun, it's not like I've got you cornered. You should understand that I only want Fan Yao to vent my anger."

I know you're afraid that if you give it to me, people will say you've become a traitor. But can this small matter really change the current situation?

Yun Changkong said solemnly, "Then what if I fight you to the death?"

Zhao Min smiled and said, "If you're willing to risk your life, then I won't!"
If we don't see eye to eye, let's just not talk!
I want to see if you can swallow this insult after being treated like this by the Sky Eagle Sect!

You brutally murdered the Right Envoy of Light of the Demonic Cult, and the Demonic Cult can pretend it never happened?

Yun Changkong sneered, "Aren't you afraid of being disappointed?" Zhao Min replied, "What am I afraid of?"
If you, Young Hero Yun, could have the forbearance to kneel before the Eagle Sect and the Demonic Sect, admitting that I, Yun Changkong, was wrong, and that we should all prioritize righteousness, forgive and forget, and unite to resist the tyrannical Yuan, then…
Let bygones be bygones.
I'm just afraid that while you're magnanimous, these scoundrels from the Demonic Sect aren't. Of course, if I'm wrong, the entire Demonic Sect might also make peace with you, and then I'll just consider it a loss!

Yun Changkong didn't speak again, but just sighed.

He knew that Zhao Min's scheme was an open plot!

I just want you to live!

I'll do things for her!
Can we not do this?
But it's impossible!

Today, if not a thousand, then at least eight hundred have died by his hand. Fan Yao, though not dead, is crippled.

Given this situation, it's either their own demise or the Ming Cult's demise; there's no room for maneuver whatsoever!

At this moment, Yun Changkong knew that even if Zhao Min wanted him to live and fight against the Ming Cult and the Eagle Cult, he couldn't change that!
Surely he couldn't just commit suicide to avoid a catastrophe?

He hasn't reached that lofty level of life!
We have no choice but to fight our way down step by step!
Yun Changkong gritted his teeth, sat down cross-legged, placed his long sword across his knees, focused his energy on cultivating his true qi, and stopped talking to Zhao Min.

Seeing him sit down, Zhao Min's eyes darted around, and she laughed, "Young Master Yun, as the saying goes, 'The tallest tree in the forest is bound to be felled by the wind, and extreme strength is bound to be humiliated.' Zhang Sanfeng is known as the number one master in the world, but behind his back, people call him 'Zhang the Sloppy.' I don't think this is a compliment to his dashing and unrestrained style, but rather an intentional insult born of envy and jealousy."

You are now embarking on this path. Many people practice martial arts their whole lives and still can't establish themselves in the martial world. Yet you, at such a young age, have already swept up the waves of the martial world, even causing great figures like the Right Envoy of Light and the Sky Eagle Sect Leader to go so far as to use their numbers to bully the few and intercept you across the river!
Hehe, you faced the Sky Eagle Sect head-on in Jiangnan, the turmoil in Kaifeng had not yet subsided, and now on the Han River, you slaughtered a thousand people all by yourself. In three to five days, you will surely shake the martial arts world.

From now on, not only will no one fight you one-on-one, but they will also think that it is only natural and human nature to swarm and attack you, and to ambush you!
Young Master Yun, in this vast world, apart from me, Minmin Temur, no one wants you to live.

If you won't abandon him, then please take him aboard the ship. I'll host, and we can work together to find a way to save the country and care for its people.

Her demeanor was graceful; now, dressed as a man, with the river breeze blowing gently, she truly possessed the air of a dashing young gentleman and a free-spirited scholar.

Before Yun Changkong could reply, the riverbed suddenly sloped downwards, and the river water gushed forth with a deafening roar.

Seeing the current growing stronger, Yun Changkong spotted some lights on the riverbank and planned to go ashore. Although he was certain that Zhao Min had no intention of harming him, her subordinates did not.

Yun Changkong would never believe that the Xuanming Elders and others spoke her truth without question.

As shown in the original plot, Lu Zhangke dared to sleep with the concubines of the Prince of Ruyang, which made Hebi Weng anxious. He didn't even put Wang Baobao in his eyes, let alone Zhao Min.

Yun Changkong sighed softly and said, "Little Princess, you are able to fathom the ways of the martial world, and all the rights and wrongs and grudges are within your grasp. But the Mongols have occupied the Central Plains and have been extremely tyrannical towards the people for nearly a century. Their power cannot last. Even if I destroy the Ming Cult, or the Ming Cult kills me, as you wish, your Mongols will still have to give up the Central Plains. This is the inevitable trend, and it cannot be changed by the loss of a few people!"

He stood up and walked towards Fan Yao: "I'll give this person to you as a thank you for the eight arrows you just delivered."

Beneath Fan Yao's disfigured face, a look of shock immediately appeared: "You... surnamed Yun, are you a hero... you... give me... a sword strike!"

He let out a muffled moan, but suddenly his hands swung and he slammed them towards the sky.

At this moment, the two were only three feet apart, but Fan Yao's legs had been severed and he had lost a lot of blood, so logically he should be unable to launch an attack.

But Fan Yao was ultimately a martial arts master and a ruthless person who dared to disfigure himself.

Yun Changkong was exhausted and took the opportunity to catch his breath. He was no different; this final strike was the culmination of his life's work and was truly extraordinary.

Zhao Min laughed and said, "This scoundrel is really tough!"

Yun Changkong thrust out his sword, and with a soft thud, it pierced through his chest and back, impaling him on the blade.

Fan Yao laughed loudly, then lowered his head. But just as he lowered his head, a thick plume of smoke shot from his back toward Chang Kong's face, accompanied by a glint of cold light.

Poisonous smoke billowed out, and hidden weapons flew everywhere. At this moment, Chang Kong and Fan Yao were only two feet apart, and their situation was extremely perilous.

Moreover, as the hidden weapon flew out, a series of explosions suddenly rang out, and fine poison needles, as thin as cow hair, flew in all directions, with a continuous hissing sound.

It turned out that Fan Yao had concealed a crossbow in his vest. The crossbow bolts were hidden inside the vest, and when he lowered his head, the bolts shot out, making them difficult to defend against. However, Yun Changkong's martial arts skills were too high, and Fan Yao knew that this trump card could not be used lightly.

As he struck, he had already planned his next move. Yun Changkong's sword strike was also within his expectations. The moment the hidden weapon was launched, it triggered a mechanism, releasing "mosquito whiskers".

He got this from Li Tianyuan!
After all, with such a large force, the Lightbringer and the Eagle Cult besieged Yun Changkong, he would surely be despised in the future. But killing him would only be a temporary humiliation.

Before long, people will forget about it!
Therefore, while his words seemed pleading and his palm strike gave the illusion that he was about to die, it was all for the purpose of launching this hidden attack.

The three attacks were executed in one seamless motion; under such circumstances, how could Yun Changkong escape this vicious attack?

A sudden and shocking turn of events, a disaster brewing from within, made Zhao Min's heart tremble wildly: "Be careful!"

Although Yun Changkong was highly skilled in martial arts, he was no longer the same as before after the fierce battle. His martial arts, energy, and mental strength had all declined sharply. At this moment, seeing a cold light coming from all directions, he hurriedly stepped hard on the deck, flicked his sleeves to protect his face, and dodged to the side.

With a hiss, before he could even draw his sword, he leaped out and sliced ​​off half of Fan Yao's body.

When Ke Yun was exhausted and his movements became sluggish, he felt a numbness in his left shoulder and knew that he had been poisoned by a needle.

While he was on the boat, it would have been easy for him to fly out at an angle, but the current was too strong and there was nowhere to stand.

Even the best swimmer cannot escape death in such turbulent waters.

Zhao Min cried out urgently, "Help!"

"Yes!" the two elders of Xuanming and the others responded, "Bring the ropes." They then gave a signal to the Eight Heroes of Divine Arrows and the others.

They hoped that Yun Changkong would fall into the rushing water and rise straight to the western sky.

Without Yun Changkong, they can once again roam the martial world invincible. How wonderful that would be!
Despite their high status in the martial arts world, they were never as obedient to Zhao Min as they appeared on the surface!
It all comes down to whether it infringes on one's own interests.

The Eight Heroes of the Divine Arrow dared not disobey the wishes of the Two Elders of Xuanming, nor did they dare disobey Zhao Min's orders. They deliberately pretended to be at a loss and drew their bows and arrows.

But at this critical moment, everything hinged on a single step, leaving no time for careful consideration. Their mere act was enough to send Yun Changkong tumbling into the river.

He caught sight of a plank lying on the river surface about ten feet to his right. He circulated his internal energy, swung his longsword across the river, and slammed his left palm down on the surface with tremendous force.

With a thud, using the force of the fall, he somersaulted towards the plank.

Yun Changkong knew that with the martial arts of the Xuanming Elders and others, if they wanted to save his life, they could just swing the ship's ropes, and with the skills of the Eight Heroes of Divine Arrows, there would be no problem in time!

Knowing they wished him dead without lifting a finger, he knew he had no choice but to risk his life to escape. He pushed off the wooden plank and lunged towards the riverbank.
But his leap ultimately failed to reach the shore, and he inevitably fell into the water.

Just then, with a whoosh, a flash of white light appeared, and a long sword came flying across the river from the direction Zhao Min was on the boat.

Yun Changkong immediately flicked his sword, then somersaulted out, catching the sword in mid-air and throwing it away with a whoosh. He then used his "Golden Goose Skill" to leap on the sword and run more than ten zhang. When he was exhausted, he suddenly lunged out, grabbed a tree branch on the bank, and bounced down onto the riverbank.

Everyone was stunned. Was this a human?
The two elders of Xuanming and the others knew they absolutely did not have that ability!
Yun Changkong turned to Zhao Min and said, "Even if you save me again, I will not be grateful."

Zhao Min clapped her hands and laughed, "Who needs your gratitude? I just want you to destroy the Ming Cult, this evil cult, for me. We each get what we need! Hehe, whether you disappoint me or not is up to you."

Yun Changkong knew that this was her idea, but he was helpless to change it.

Even if he could choose not to seek out the Ming Cult and let things end there, would the Ming Cult not come looking for him? So he said no more, his body swayed a few times, and he disappeared into the darkness.

Zhao Min then turned her gaze to her subordinates and said coldly, "Gentlemen, are you all ignoring what I say?"

Lu Zhangke and the others exchanged glances.

Lu Zhangke said, "Princess, if you can spare Yun Changkong, we will obey your order to save him!"
But as you saw, if it weren't for the eight archers firing all eight arrows simultaneously, he would have died long ago. Did he ever say a word of thanks to you?

Ah San said viciously, "Yes, Princess, look at what he just said. He brought all this on himself. We didn't provoke him, and we even helped him, and he doesn't appreciate it. What if he gains the upper hand next time?"

Lu Zhangke slowly said, "The princess has some connection with him, so he might be able to show leniency. But what about us? We naturally want our greatest enemy dead!"

Zhao Min sighed and said with a charming laugh, "Alright, this person is indeed too terrifying. Even those prestigious sects want him dead, let alone you!" With that, she went into the cabin.

After a long while, the ship fell silent.

(End of this chapter)