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

Chapter 98 Turmoil
The group found the man's speech sarcastic and full of mockery, yet it was still clear to everyone's ears, demonstrating his remarkable internal strength.

Zhao Min and the others looked in the direction of the sound and saw a short, fat old man lying on a table, holding a gourd in his left hand and making loud noises.

The waiter said with a forced smile, "Sir, you are too kind. If you wish to see Miss Zhu and Miss Wu, I cannot make that decision."

"Can't you make the decision?" the old man said sinisterly. "You can use the names of Master Guo and Master Liu to swindle and deceive people, so what else can't you do?"

His voice was unpleasant, and his words were sarcastic and even more offensive.

At this moment, the restaurant owner came up the stairs and said, "Sir, is there anything about our restaurant that you are not satisfied with?"

The old man turned his face, which was flushed, with a large, bulbous nose. He looked to be over fifty years old, his eyes slightly glazed with drunkenness, and said, "Satisfied, very satisfied. This old man just wanted to see the astonishing calligraphy of Zhu Changling."

But the old man died just like that, and I made a wasted trip. Fortunately, he had a daughter who was said to be exceptionally beautiful, attracting countless generals to her cause. She was famous throughout Kunlun Mountain and awe-inspiring throughout the martial arts world!

The old man came here because of its reputation, how could he say he was dissatisfied?

Upon hearing this, everyone in the restaurant reacted differently. Even Zhao Min and Xiao Zhao's expressions changed slightly, and their clear eyes exchanged a look of surprise.

The two of them were quite dissatisfied with the phrase "unparalleled beauty".

Yun Changkong and Granny Jinhua seemed not to hear anything. They wore human skin masks and had blank expressions, silently sipping their tea.

The shopkeeper said in a deep voice, "Who are you? Are you here to cause trouble for my Zhu Wu Lianhuan Manor?"

The old man shook his head, picked up his wine glass, and laughed, "Let me make this clear first, I dare not offend Zhu Wu Lianhuan Manor. Although you may not like what I say, I have to say it wherever I go."

The shopkeeper asked, "What exactly do you want to say, sir?"

The old man downed his wine in one gulp and said, "A true hero like Master Guo can have his glory endure and his monument stand forever because he has the people at heart. This Miss Zhu has harmed countless innocent people with her vicious dogs. Zhu Changling has failed to educate his daughter properly and even wrote his own name on a scroll alongside Master Guo and his wife, as well as their ancestors like Master Liu. Has he really lost all sense of shame?"

After saying that, he picked up the gourd and drank heartily again.

Some of the patrons upstairs also began to whisper among themselves.

Zhao Min and the others understood. It turned out that Zhu Changling was a descendant of Zhu Ziliu, a former member of the Duan family of Dali. This Zhu Jiuzhen loved raising large dogs and had given them all the titles of generals. She had injured many people in the past. Zhu Changling cared about public opinion and kept her somewhat in check, but after his sudden death a few years ago, this Miss Zhu became even more lawless.

This old man came here to bring bad luck.

Zhao Min sneered and said in a low voice, "This is not a case of lax discipline, but rather deliberate indulgence. In my opinion, this so-called 'earth-shattering stroke' Zhu Changling is nothing but a hypocrite, a fame-seeker."

Yun Changkong was taken aback. He knew Zhu Changling's true nature because he was a prophet, but Zhao Min had seen through his true nature after hearing only a few words. She was truly shrewd!
The drunkard, clutching the jug, drank heartily and then laughed heartily: "Good, you're so straightforward it's endearing! Zhu Changling has utterly disgraced his ancestors!"

Zhao Min was dressed in men's clothing and spoke in a low voice, which allowed him to hear her.

Zhao Min reacted quickly, her beautiful eyes darting around as if she wanted to ask the other person a question.

Yun Changkong secretly tugged at her sleeve and then winked at her through the window.

Just then, a commotion broke out outside the building.
A woman shouted, "Who dares to slander my late father here?" Her silvery voice drifted in on the wind.

"Miss!"

The shopkeeper and his staff all bowed in greeting.

A young woman appeared in the hall, holding a riding whip. She looked to be about twenty-one or twenty-two years old, wearing a scarlet sable coat and a white black fox fur scarf around her neck, which accentuated her beautiful face, delicate and gorgeous, beyond description.

Yun Changkong couldn't help but sigh, Zhang Wuji's judgment was indeed excellent; this Zhu Jiuzhen truly possessed the ability to bewitch and captivate.

You see, when Zhang Wuji saw Zhu Jiuzhen, he would have jumped into a fire pit without hesitation, just because she asked him to sit beside him, and he was overjoyed. He would even willingly kowtow and serve others, finding it quite pleasant.

Thinking of this, Yun Changkong couldn't help but smile.

After all, Zhang Wuji is much more virtuous and upright than himself, yet he has such shameful "dark history." His own affairs are nothing compared to this!

Seeing Yun Changkong staring intently at the woman and even laughing, Zhao Min scoffed, "What a stunning beauty! Aren't you tempted?"

It should be noted that Zhu Jiuzhen was four or five years older than Zhao Min, an age when roses are in full bloom and she was indeed exceptionally charming.

Yun Changkong raised an eyebrow, his face turned cold, and he turned to glare at Zhao Min, saying unhappily, "You can look down on me, but you must respect yourself. I'm protecting you, how could I be tempted by someone else?"
Minmin, in my eyes, you are the most beautiful. You must understand that a confident person is the most beautiful.

Zhao Min noticed that Yun Changkong's gaze towards Zhu Jiuzhen was clear, and he didn't see the confusion in her eyes, even if it was just a fleeting glimpse.

So it was just a joke, but when she heard him say that, a sweet and charming smile appeared on her tender face.

Granny Jin Hua and Xiao Zhao both looked at Yun Changkong, thinking, "With that mouth of his, he can make black into white."

Zhao Min giggled and said, "Then what are you laughing at?"

Chang Kong said, "I just thought of something funny."

Xiao Zhao laughed and said, "What's so funny that we can laugh together?"
Yun Changkong thought to himself, "If I say this out loud, it won't be a joke anymore." He said, "You're just a child; let's watch the show first."

How could he possibly reveal his thoughts to outsiders?

The drunkard had been sizing Zhu Jiuzhen up and down for a while before saying, "You are indeed quite beautiful. No wonder you are known as one of the 'Twin Beauties of the Snowy Mountains.' You are Zhu Jiuzhen?"

Zhu Jiuzhen shouted sternly, "Old man, do you know who this young lady is? How dare you be so rude? If you know what's good for you, apologize quickly and we'll keep to ourselves. If you don't, don't blame the young lady for being impolite!"

She was arrogant and her tone was equally forceful.

It is well known that the Zhu and Wu families were extremely wealthy and powerful, and with the protection of Guo Jing and the Duan family of Dali, they were very influential within a radius of hundreds of miles.

The drunkard said, "Young lady, don't rely on your powerful connections and act arrogantly."

Upon hearing this, a hearty laugh came from outside the building: "We juniors are ignorant and dare to ask for your honorable name, senior?"

A man and a woman were seen walking upstairs side by side.
The man was handsome and tall. It was already winter, and the Kunlun Mountains were even colder, yet he was only wearing a thin, pale yellow satin robe, clearly indicating that he possessed considerable internal strength.

Zhu Jiuzhen hurriedly greeted him: "Cousin!"

Then he looked at the woman and said, "Qingmei, you're here too!"

The woman wore a black mink coat, had a slender figure, fair skin, delicately drawn eyebrows, and a fresh and beautiful appearance. She was just as stunning as Zhu Jiuzhen. She said, "Sister Zhen invited me, how could I dare not accept?" Her voice was gentle and kind.

The drunkard narrowed his eyes and quickly glanced over.

Yun Changkong glanced at Wu Qingying and then at Zhu Jiuzhen, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Zhao Min and Xiao Zhao's expressions changed slightly. They admitted that these two women were indeed top-tier beauties, but ultimately they couldn't compare to the stunning beauties like Zhao Min and Zhou Zhiruo. They wondered what he was laughing about.
Moreover, they had a hunch that what Yun Changkong was thinking was definitely not something that could be shown to others.

In fact, there was nothing special about it. In that instant, Yun Changkong seemed to understand what it meant for the heavens to be unpredictable.

At this moment, Zhu Jiuzhen and Wu Qingying are not only the predecessors of Zhao Min and Zhou Zhiruo.

One is charming and willful, the other is gentle and polite.

As it turned out, Zhang Wuji's idealized image of Zhu Jiuzhen was all a dream. In the end, he met Zhao Min and unknowingly fulfilled his dream, only to have it snatched away by himself.

Moreover, since Zhu Jiuzhen is not dead, it means that Zhang Wuji is still playing with the monkeys in the valley.

Zhu Jiuzhen shouted, "Old man, my cousin is asking for your name!"

The drunkard said, "Where does this young lady get such a temper? I am a senior, don't you know how to respect the elderly and care for the young?"

Zhu Jiuzhen's eyes turned cold, her teeth clenched, and she spat out the words: "Fine, I'll respect the old man properly!" With a flick of her whip, it flew like a serpent and coiled around the old man's neck.

Everyone saw that she was delicate and graceful, but before the whip even touched the ground, the wind had already blown out, indicating that her internal strength was truly considerable.

The old man suddenly staggered and stepped aside, saying, "Slow down, slow down." He waved his hands repeatedly, his eyes glazed with drunkenness, and his short, stout body swayed as he said, "You young lads, why are you so hot-tempered? You have to resort to violence and ruin our drinking time."

As he spoke, he recited leisurely: "Have you not heard that when life is good, one should enjoy it to the fullest and not let the golden goblet face the moon empty? Fighting and killing, burning the zither and boiling the crane, are such a spoilsport!"

Wei Bi laughed and said, "Cousin, if someone dies in this Lianhuan Tower, I'll have nowhere to eat and I'll have to come to you!"
Zhu Jiuzhen laughed and scolded, "You smooth-talking cousin!"

Wu Qingying bowed to the old man, then parted her cherry lips and said, "You must be Senior Situ, the 'Thousand Cups Without Getting Drunk'?"

The old man stared at her face for a while, then, as if suddenly realizing something, he laughed and said, "So you're the daughter of Master Wu! A lady from a prestigious family is truly extraordinary!"

Pointing his bright red, bulbous nose with his right index finger, he said, "I am the 'Drunkard' Old Master Situ, whom everyone finds annoying, and I can't get drunk even with a thousand cups of wine!"

Situ Qianzhong has an eccentric temper and is cynical. It is said that he does not take on a master or disciple, does not belong to any sect or gang, and rarely fights with anyone. No one knows the details of his martial arts skills, but when he speaks, he is sarcastic and somewhat unable to distinguish between good and evil, but he often hits the nail on the head.

He himself said that he was annoying to everyone, which shows that he was well aware of his own shortcomings.

Upon hearing his name, Wei Bi bowed respectfully, clasped his hands, and said, "So you are Senior Situ. I am deeply sorry for disturbing your enjoyment of the meal. Regardless of who was right or wrong, let's consider today's matter settled. We will now bid you farewell, Senior!"

Although he was from Kunlun Mountain and had been to the Central Plains since childhood, he came from a prestigious family and had extraordinary knowledge. He knew that this old man loved to cause trouble, yet he had managed to live to this day, which meant he must have some extraordinary abilities.

Besides, there's no point in arguing with a drunkard, so I decided to leave.

Situ Qianzhong raised his voice and said, "Wait! You can leave if you want, but Miss Zhu, listen to me for a few words before you go!" Zhu Jiuzhen looked at him.

Situ Qianzhong said with a grin, "Nowadays, all the masters in the world will surely gather at Kunlun Mountain. Out of respect for the past reputation of Hero Guo, I, this old man, advise Miss Zhu that if you don't put your generals to their proper place, it may not be good!"

Wu Qingying smiled and said, "Senior, my sister's group of generals serve at the beauty's dressing table, wagging their tails and begging for favors. They are very lucky with women. What's wrong with that? Is that right, cousin?"

Wei Bi's face flushed red, and a hint of annoyance appeared between his brows. He said, "I'm not your cousin, General. How would I know?"

Wu Qingying smiled and said, "Senior brother, do you want to be the 'Champion,' the 'General of the Cavalry,' or the 'Pacifying the West'? Tell Sister Zhen about it."

Zhu Jiuzhen said angrily, "If he is a dog, then what is his junior sister?"

Wu Qingying asked, "Senior brother, what do you think I am?"

Wei Bi was in a dilemma. He could neither help his cousin nor his junior sister. Both girls were spoiled and narrow-minded. If he favored one of them, they would suffer endlessly in the future. The only way was to change the subject. So he smiled and said, "Senior Situ's chivalrous deeds have been known throughout the Central Plains. You must have important business to attend to in Kunlun Mountain. If there is anything I can do to help you, please speak frankly."

Yun Changkong chuckled inwardly. You little brat, you want the best of both worlds? Dream on!
He's actually quite pleased to see other people's backyards on fire.

Situ Qianzhong nodded and said, "Very well, your demeanor is gentle and polite, which is pleasing to the ear, and you do have the air of a noble family. Listen, the 'Dragon-Slaying Saber' has now reappeared in Kunlun Mountain, is that enough?"

These words greatly shocked Wei Bi, Zhu Jiuzhen, and Wu Qingying.

The other patrons were either silently bowing their heads, or their faces twitching, or their eyes filled with indescribable emotions.

It turns out that Zhu Jiuzhen was a descendant of Zhu Ziliu. Wu Qingying was a descendant of Wu Santong, belonging to the Wu Xiuwen lineage. Both Wu Santong and Zhu Ziliu were disciples of Master Yideng, and their martial arts originally followed the same path. However, after more than a hundred years and several generations, the two families' learning had each made additions and changes.

The brothers Wu Dunru and Wu Xiuwen became disciples of the great hero Guo Jing. Although they also learned the "One-Finger Divine Skill," their martial arts were closer to the fierce and powerful style of the Nine-Finger Beggar Hong Qigong.

Wei Bi is Zhu Jiuzhen's cousin and Wu Qingying's father's disciple. He is handsome and gentle, and both Zhu Jiuzhen and Wu Qingying are secretly in love with him.

The two women, Zhu and Wu, were of similar age and both were beautiful. They were like spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums, each with their own strengths. Their family martial arts skills were also comparable. The martial arts practitioners in the Kunlun area called them the "Snow Ridge Twin Beauties".

Several years ago, Zhang Wuji was bitten by Zhu Jiuzhen's big dog. He killed the dog and rescued it, taking it back to the manor.

To make Zhu Jiuzhen proud, he revealed his Wudang martial arts skills. When the group learned of his identity, they conspired to deceive Zhang Wuji and learn that Xie Xun was on Icefire Island overseas. They originally intended to risk the storm and shipwreck to take him out to sea to find him, but Zhang Wuji discovered them at the critical moment. During their escape, he and Zhu Changling fell off a cliff. Everyone thought the two were dead, but no one dared to go out to sea to search for them.

After all, with Zhang Wuji around, he still had some recollection of the return journey and knew a bit about the island's appearance, which would save him a lot of effort.

Without Zhang Wuji, Wu Lie and the others felt it was too difficult and did not go out to sea to search for Xie Xun.

But then they heard that the "Dragon-Slaying Saber" was in Kunlun Mountain, how could they not be shocked?

The food for Yun Changkong, Zhao Min, and the others had been served and was extremely lavish. They drank and ate, and watching the others made it even more interesting.

With his eyes still blurry from drinking, Situ Qianzhong glanced at the "Snow Ridge Twin Beauties" again and said, "Miss Zhu, if you don't listen to the old man and reform your ways, the disgrace to your family is secondary. I'm afraid you'll not only lose your beautiful head, but your handsome cousin will also belong to someone else."

He was worldly-wise and could tell at a glance that both women were in love with Wei Bi, but Zhu Jiuzhen was unruly and far less profound than Wu Qingying.

Zhu Jiuzhen's face flushed red, her almond-shaped eyes widened, and she shouted, "You old man, what nonsense are you spouting?"

Yun Changkong looked at Zhao Min and whispered, "Don't you think you and this girl look alike?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Min retorted, "Oh? How is it similar? Is it the appearance that's similar, or the resemblance in fighting over a man? Or are you saying I'd also unleash my dogs to bite people?" She pressed on aggressively, half shy, half angry, and half laughing, firing off a barrage of questions without lowering her voice.

Suddenly everyone looked over.

Upon hearing this, Yun Changkong wished he could slap himself; his mouth had spouted nonsense again.

This infuriated Zhu Jiuzhen. She turned her head sharply, her riding whip swirling in the air like a venomous snake: "Which ignorant fool dares to expose my shortcomings?"

Her gaze swept over the group, then suddenly stopped on Zhao Min's face, a strange look flashing in her eyes.

She and Wu Qingying both fell in love with Wei Bi and secretly competed with each other, but Wei Bi felt that he couldn't choose between the bear's paw and the fish.

Therefore, whenever the three of them were together, they would be polite to each other on the surface, but the two women would engage in heated arguments, neither willing to give in to the other.

Wu Qingying was more reserved and didn't reveal her true feelings. Anyway, she and Wei Bi were from the same school and saw each other day and night, which gave her an advantage over Zhu Jiuzhen.

Moreover, Zhu Jiuzhen lost her father, which often put her at a disadvantage in her battles with Wu Qingying.

Wei Bi thought that without his uncle, he could finally win the heart of the beauty. But Zhu Jiuzhen wasn't stupid either. She knew that once Wei Bi succeeded, she would truly lose her advantage, so she made him watch but not get her!

Today, Zhu Jiuzhen had originally invited Wei Bi to her family's restaurant for a drink. But Wu Qingying also showed up. Zhu Jiuzhen was incredibly annoyed, but given her generations-long friendship with the Wu family, she couldn't afford to turn against them. She had nowhere to vent her anger.

Hearing Zhao Min's words, he assumed that he and Situ Qianzhong were people who had come specifically to cause trouble. But when he looked at Zhao Min and saw that he was extremely handsome, his tone softened and he said, "You are also a handsome man. What nonsense were you talking about just now?"

Zhao Min cleared her throat and said, "Speaking of Zhu Jiuzhen!"

"Insolence!" Zhu Jiuzhen shouted angrily, "How dare you call me Zhu Jiuzhen by my name?"

It is extremely impolite for a man to call a woman by her name at any time.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Min laughed and said, "Calling me by my name is nothing. I also want you to warm my bed. What are you going to do about it?"

She was already dressed as a man, and she even used her voice-changing ability, making her words sound even more frivolous and impetuous, just like a lecherous man harassing a woman.

Yun Changkong was speechless.

Zhao Min was mischievous to begin with, and having been holding back all the way, she now wanted to tease Zhu Jiuzhen to relieve her boredom.

Zhu Jiuzhen didn't have the insight and discernment of Situ Qianzhong to see through things at a glance; after all, the word "cute" couldn't possibly be used to describe a man.

Zhu Jiuzhen shouted, "If you have the guts, step forward and let me teach you a lesson!"

Zhao Min stood up calmly, a smile on her face, and walked towards Zhu Jiuzhen, saying, "If you want to teach me a lesson, then make your move!"

Zhu Jiuzhen tossed the horsewhip to Wei Bi, then suddenly pulled out a pair of judge's pens. With the left pen down and the right pen up, he moved with the speed of the wind, striking Zhao Min's "Shanzhong" acupoint on her chest and "Qihai" acupoint on her lower abdomen.

Seeing that Zhu Jiuzhen's double pens were extremely ruthless and accurate in locating acupoints, with no error whatsoever, in the blink of an eye, the tips of the two pens were less than an inch away from his two acupoints, Zhao Min sneered, "Impressive skill!"

Her jade-like hand swiftly reached to her waist, a cold glint in her eyes, and two short swords were already in her grasp.

With a slight flick of her wrist, she deflected the judge's pen with two clanging sounds. Her left hand held a short sword that, like a serpent's tongue, pierced towards Zhu Jiuzhen's throat with a chilling aura.

"it is good!"

Yun Changkong took the lead in cheering and applauding.

"it is good!"

The other drinkers cheered in agreement.

There were too many people who were dissatisfied with Zhu Jiuzhen's arrogance.

They're just people we can't afford to offend.

Now that a young hero has stepped forward, he deserves applause.

However, Granny Jin Hua was extremely dissatisfied. She glanced at Yun Changkong and said, "What are we for? Why are you playing along with her nonsense?"

Yun Changkong remained calm, for he had a great purpose.

He came here neither to admire the beauty nor to eat.

Rather, they hoped to find clues to know where Zhang Wuji jumped off the cliff.

Expelling the Tartars was indeed a noble cause, but he was lazy and not suited to putting it into practice.

Fortunately, Zhang Wuji is a diligent person, so we gave him more responsibilities and turned him into a workaholic.

He rallied the Ming Cult, spoke for himself, and was able to resolve his hatred with the Beggars' Sect. This did not hinder the important task of expelling the Tartars, and the sense of accomplishment he felt was much more meaningful than being the leader of the martial arts world.

Imagine if the future leaders of the Ming Cult and the Beggars' Sect were all his underlings, and perhaps even the emperor would be among them—it would be even more wonderful.

This was a strategy he had devised before coming to Kunlun Mountain.

Seeing that Granny Jin Hua was asking a question, Yun Changkong smiled faintly and said, "The Kunlun Mountains stretch for thousands of miles and are far from where we are going. Let her have some fun!"

Granny Jin Hua sneered, "You're just going to spoil her like this."

Yun Changkong sighed softly and said, "Have I never spoiled you?"

Granny Jin Hua stared at him blankly, slightly lost in thought.

Fortunately, Xiao Zhao's attention was drawn to the fight between Zhao Min and Zhu Jiuzhen. She gently nudged her mother's body and said, "This woman's brushwork is very good. It seems to have been derived from calligraphy."

Yun Changkong and Granny Jinhua looked over.

But then a loud "clang" was heard, followed by a soft cry of surprise.

(End of this chapter)