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

Chapter 22 The Tragedy of National Demise
Chang Kong returned to the deserted village and set it on fire.

The raging fire crackled and popped, casting a crimson glow on Chang Kong's pale face. He was deeply moved, thinking, "So many lives have been lost here, yet it's as if none of it ever happened."

At that moment, he truly understood the meaning of the phrase "life is as worthless as grass".

Chang Kong cut off the fire's path and stood upwind to avoid the stench of the corpses; he didn't want to start a wildfire by burning the bodies.

An ordinary person would naturally be unable to do this seemingly simple yet complex task, but Chang Kong possesses profound skill and immense strength, and every move he makes is an incredible supernatural power. As long as he is willing, it is not difficult at all.

Chang Kong had just finished his work and sat down to rest on a rock when he heard a "clattering" sound. A man, dragging his shoes, walked over. He was dressed in rags; it was the same beggar from before.
He was carrying a wild rabbit in his hand and said, "I dare not thank you enough. Senior Sister Zhao of Emei is too ashamed to meet such a master, so please allow me to shamelessly treat you to some roasted rabbit."

It turns out that the Beggars' Sect disciples regarded their former leader, Hong Qigong, as their idol. Although they could not master his martial arts, they had inherited his carefree and open-minded attitude. Moreover, they were beggars who roamed the world and were often looked down upon, so they did not care about Chang Kong's departure without saying goodbye.

However, the Emei Sect disciple was arrogant, and as soon as Chang Kong left, the woman did not come to thank him.

Chang Kong treated the rescue as a casual act and didn't take it to heart. Besides, he had never heard of the names "Wang Xiaotian" and "Zhao Lingzhu" before. They weren't important characters, and exchanging pleasantries with them was far less important than setting the fire and praying for the souls of the dead.

But seeing that Wang Xiaotian was quite carefree, he then sized him up.

He appeared to be about twenty-one or twenty-two years old, with bright, piercing eyes and long, thin eyebrows that slanted slightly upwards. He had a very dashing demeanor and smiled, saying, "Brother, you don't need to take it to heart. Those few don't seem to have any intention of killing you, so it can't be considered a favor."

Wang Xiaotian was taken aback. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I also noticed something was wrong. That man in white had extraordinary internal strength. If such a person is just an unknown nobody in the Demonic Sect, which sect in the martial arts world can match him?"

Chang Kong nodded slightly: "Yes, I am aware of the grudges between the Beggars' Sect, the Emei Sect, and the Ming Cult, but it is also possible that some people hope for a chaotic battle between you, impersonate others, and interfere with each other."

Wang Xiaotian nodded and said, "The Mongol Tartars just want us to fight amongst ourselves!"

Chang Kong said, "It's possible, but the Ming Cult, the Beggars' Sect, and the Emei Sect are all famous major sects in the martial arts world. There are many people in the martial arts world who don't like you, so other possibilities cannot be ruled out."

He knew that Cheng Kun was hiding in Shaolin Temple, colluding with the Yuan court, and trying to incite hatred against the Ming Cult.

Wang Xiaotian laughed and said, "Indeed, fame attracts jealousy. Brother, you are so young, not only are your martial arts skills superb, but your insights are also unique. I admire you!" After saying that, he bowed deeply and said, "I do not know your esteemed name. I hope you will tell me."

Chang Kong stood up and returned the greeting: "My name is Yun Chang Kong."

Wang Xiaotian was taken aback for a moment, then said, "Could it be the son of the former Chief Escort of the Jinyang Escort Agency, Yun?"

Chang Kong said, "Young Master, you dare not accept such an honor."

Wang Xiaotian's eyes widened immediately, and he said, "I thought that nine out of ten rumors in the martial arts world were unreliable. But I was wrong. I never expected that Young Hero Yun, who can 'destroy Wushou with two fingers,' is even more powerful than the rumors suggest!"

Chang Kong laughed heartily, knowing that his own escort agency must have exaggerated the story. He said, "I am indeed Yun Chang Kong, but the 'two fingers annihilate Wu Shou' is an exaggeration. I was so scared that I almost peed my pants that time, haha..."

He's the type who never admits his mistakes. In front of the beautiful woman in yellow, he has to boast a lot to maintain his heroic image. But in front of others, it doesn't matter. Besides, she's a disciple of the number one gang in the world. She's well-informed, and it's easy for her to make a fool of herself by bragging.

Wang Xiaotian found his vulgar language even more appealing and laughed heartily, "Brother Yun is too modest. Seeing Brother Yun's divine skills today, I realize that my fifteen years of hard work have been in vain!"

He laughed heartily again, raised his thumb to the sky, and said, "Brother Yun has been lying low for five years. Now that he has returned to the martial world, his reputation will surely spread far and wide."

Seeing that he knew so much about his own affairs, Chang Kong said, "I heard that you are a member of the Beggars' Sect. Why aren't you carrying a cloth bag?"

Wang Xiaotian opened his mouth.

Chang Kong secretly observed him. Although he appeared calm, he was actually tense inside, with deep sorrow hidden between his brows. He said, "If you have something difficult to say, then there's no need to say it."

Wang Xiaotian sighed and said in a low voice, "Brother Yun and I are kindred spirits, and he has also helped me out, so it's alright to tell you. My master has a name called 'Golden and Silver Palm,' are you familiar with it?"

"Golden and Silver Palms?" Chang Kong thought for a moment, "Ah, it's Shi Huolong, the leader of the Beggars' Sect."

Wang Xiaotian said, "That's right. My master has not been involved in the martial world for many years and has handed over the affairs of our gang to the four elders. I have been following him to learn martial arts for many years. My master wants me to come out and see the world. If I can make something of myself, he will let me join the Beggars' Gang and carry more bags. It's not good for the gang leader's disciple to start as a bag-carrying disciple when he joins the Beggars' Gang, nor can he carry seven or eight bags directly, lest it give people something to say."

Unexpectedly, he stumbled so badly right from the start, which is truly shameful and disgraceful of his mentor!

Chang Kong knew that Shi Huolong had paralyzed his arms by practicing the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms," so he had been seeking treatment for his injuries everywhere. Later, after the six major sects besieged Bright Peak, he was killed by Cheng Kun, but Wang Xiaotian had never heard of him.

But then I thought about Shi Huolong's death. According to the plot, there were still five years left. And considering his expression just now, he must have been worried about his master's paralysis. It was even less likely that he would tell me the truth, which was why he was in a dilemma. Once I thought about it this way, it made sense.

Chang Kong said, "Brother, you are actually a disciple of the Beggar Clan leader. I am truly apologies for my disrespect."

After exchanging a few polite words, Chang Kong asked, "Brother, do you know who destroyed this village?"

Wang Xiaotian sighed: "I know, it was all done by the Yuan soldiers."

Chang Kong raised an eyebrow: "Outrageous! Where did these soldiers come from?" Wang Xiaotian asked, "Brother Yun, what are you going to do?"

Chang Kong stood up, his face filled with grief and indignation, and said, "If we don't annihilate these scoundrels, where is justice and fairness? Brother Wang, where are these people stationed?"

Wang Xiaotian quickly pulled him back and said, "Brother Yun, don't be too hasty. You're tired after the fight. Let's find a place, roast some wild game, and chat while we eat."

"All right!"

Chang Kong had long lived deep in the mountains, while Wang Xiaotian followed Shi Huolong, making their home wherever they went; both were people who were content with their lot.

The two were roasting rabbit by a stream when Wang Xiaotian said, "My senior sister from the Emei Sect and I fought with those people who called themselves the Ming Cult over this matter."

"How to say?"

Wang Xiaotian said, "During the day today, I heard some Yuan soldiers say that they massacred Xiaoshan'ao Village a few days ago. I was furious, so I secretly followed them, subdued a few of them, and asked them why they massacred the village and who ordered them. It turned out that it was to vent their anger!"

Chang Kong raised an eyebrow: "Revenge?"

Wang Xiaotian nodded and said, "They said that a few days ago near Xiaoshan'ao Village, several Yuan soldiers were killed by the Demonic Sect and hung from trees with the words 'The Bright Lord descends to earth to save humanity' written on their clothes."
They were ordered to arrest them, but there were no Ming Cult members left, so they massacred the village.

"Damn it!" Chang Kong casually flicked his hand, and a piece of pine bark was pinched in his hand, turning into fine wood chips that fell from his fingers.

Wang Xiaotian said, "I was furious at the time, so I cursed the Demonic Cult and the Tartars. Then a few men in white robes appeared and said that I dared to insult the Ming Cult. I said that I would curse you bunch of demonic brats. They said that if you have the ability, come and settle the score. Then the senior sister from the Emei Sect heard it and said that the Demonic Cult traitors should be killed by everyone. So we went to the woods and started fighting."

Then he sighed again: "I followed my master all over the country and killed many lone Yuan soldiers and traitors. But every time I was careful and made sure to dispose of the bodies without anyone noticing. I asked my master why I did this."

He said that the Yuan soldiers were brutal. Once a body was discovered, a large group of Yuan soldiers would massacre and loot. They didn't care who the murderer was, but only wanted to take revenge on the nearby people. He didn't know how many people would suffer.

Back then, the Mongols attacked cities in the same way. They would send us Han Chinese civilians to the front, and if the defenders fought back, they would kill the civilians first. If they did not fight back, the Mongols would attack.

Even with Guo Jing's unparalleled martial arts skills and Huang Yong's ingenious strategies, they were helpless against this back then.

Since the time of Genghis Khan, when the Mongol army attacked a city, they always drove the enemy's civilians first. As soon as the defending soldiers stopped shooting, the Mongol soldiers would immediately follow.

This method can both slaughter the enemy's civilians and demoralize their troops, achieving two goals at once. It is brutal and ruthless, and often yields remarkable results. Guo Jing, who had served in the Mongol army for a long time, was well aware of this method, but he had no good way to counter it. He could only abandon the city's defensive equipment and charge into the enemy lines to save the civilians!

Now that the Mongols have occupied the Central Plains, the Han people are naturally dissatisfied and have been fighting hard against them. Whenever a Yuan soldier is separated from his men, there are often brave people who will take action to eliminate him.

Killing is easy, but keeping it a secret is extremely difficult. Large numbers of Yuan soldiers would retaliate, slaughtering and looting, causing countless people to suffer.

But as martial artists, who can be without courage? Once they encounter Yuan soldiers harming and inflicting harm, how can they stand idly by?

If we don't take action, what will become of us!

However, once they take action, it often results in the deaths and injuries of many ordinary people. Therefore, this situation is the true cause of national subjugation and the reason why the Han people have suffered so much calamity in the vast land of China.

When Chang Kong and Wang Xiaotian got to this point in their conversation, they were both heartbroken by the situation, but could only sigh in each other's presence.

Chang Kong understood Wang Xiaotian's implication: if you kill this group of Yuan soldiers, it will also attract another group of Yuan soldiers to retaliate. You can leave and walk away, but in the end, it is still the common people who suffer!

Therefore, to expel the Tartars, we cannot resort to small-scale skirmishes. We must unite everyone and crush them with overwhelming force, exhausting the Yuan soldiers to defend themselves. Only in this way can we avoid such acts of revenge!

But given the current situation, how easy is it to put aside past grievances and unite against foreign enemies?

If they can't even do it themselves, forgetting the Yin brothers' revenge and unable to swallow the anger over the destruction of the Jinyang Escort Agency, how can they expect others to?

Chang Kong let out a long sigh, and Wang Xiaotian, suppressing his emotions, asked, "Brother Yun, did you come down from the mountain this time to settle your grudges with the Sky Eagle Sect?"

Chang Kong nodded and said, "I'll go back to Taiyuan first, and then I'll head to Jiangnan."

Wang Xiaotian asked, "Do you still have relatives in Taiyuan?"

Chang Kong said, "My father asked me to inquire whether anyone from the escort agency has been captured by the Sky Eagle Sect."

"Then you don't need to go."

"how?"

(End of this chapter)