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

Chapter 3 A Glimmer of Hope: The Subduing Demon Divine Skill
There stood an old woman in plain clothes with a withered face and gray hair, her eyebrows and eyes vaguely resembling Yunhe's.

"Mother!" Yunhe stood up and bowed, "Your unworthy son has disgraced the Yun family."

Yun Changkong also bowed softly and said, "Grandma."

The old woman looked at Yunhe and sighed, "I know everything. It's good that you came back alive."

Yunhe sighed and remained silent.

The old woman turned her gaze to Yun Changkong and said coldly, "What ideas do you have at such a young age? Tell me!"

Yun Changkong said, "After listening to Father's words, I feel that even if I learn all his martial arts and become stronger than Father, I am afraid I will still be no match for the servants of the Heavenly Eagle Sect, let alone face the leader of the Heavenly Eagle Sect."

When Yunhe heard his son say this, he felt dizzy.

Every father wants to appear incredibly tall and mighty in front of his son.

Madam Yun's voice choked, and she said in a low voice, "Do you know why your name is Changkong?"

Yun Changkong said, "My father said that it was meant to evoke the imagery of the vast and boundless sky."

Madam Yun said, "That's right. I named you this so that you, like your father, could roam freely in the sky and become a great hero with lofty aspirations and a heart that embraces the world. Do you understand?"

Yun Changkong rolled his eyes and thought, "So, she thought I was afraid and was just trying to fool them by saying that!"
"I certainly can't be a great hero or a great warrior, but it's even more boring to be a coward." He said, "Grandma, Father, I have also studied and understand principles, and I know that in chaotic times, the strong live and the weak die."

Although the Sky Eagle Sect is ruthless and domineering, and certainly hateful, their strength is formidable. If my Yun family wants revenge, my grandson must become a disciple of a true martial arts master for even a chance.

Yunhe asked curiously, "Which school do you wish to become a disciple of?"

Yun Changkong said he wanted to take another master, but Yun He didn't think it was disobedient or unfilial. In the martial arts world, it was common for children to take another master when both parents were highly skilled in martial arts.

It is well known that learning martial arts is one of the most difficult things in the world, and enduring hardship and fatigue is only the most basic requirement. If parents teach their children, they are usually reluctant to be strict due to their own nature, and children are playful and not serious enough. This can lead to situations where the parents are martial arts masters, but their children are often neither good at academics nor martial arts.

The most typical examples are Guo Jing's two daughters. Guo Fu's martial arts skills were poor, which could be attributed to a lack of talent. Guo Xiang, on the other hand, was intelligent, but due to a lack of diligence, she had not made much progress in martial arts by the age of nineteen. Several Shaolin monks could easily defeat her, which was a disgrace to her parents and brothers.

At that age, Guo Jing and Yang Guo were practically unrivaled in the martial arts world. However, their master was extremely strict in supervising their martial arts training. Even when Xiaolongnu was teaching Yang Guo, if he didn't put his heart into it, she would often beat him up.

Yunhe also knew that his martial arts skills were not top-notch, and no matter how well his son learned, he would find it difficult to compete with contemporary masters.

"I haven't decided which school to study under yet," Yun Changkong shook his head and said, "But the martial world may not be full of masters. Deep mountains and vast marshes are full of hidden talents. I want to travel the world to broaden my horizons and find a famous teacher to learn skills. I beg Grandmother and Father to grant my request!"

Yunhe and his elderly mother laughed together. No elder is not proud of their younger generation for having such ambition.

Madam Yun nodded and said, "With such ambition, you truly deserve to be a descendant of the Yun family!"

Yunhe smiled broadly and said, "A martial artist may lose in terms of skill, but he cannot lose in terms of spirit. You must always remember this."

A son is a father's source of strength. Yunhe felt a sense of boundless freedom, and the pent-up frustration and pain of the past few days vanished. He also regained some hope for the future!

In fact, Yunhe said all this to his son because he knew his son was somewhat hopeless and incompetent. He wanted to hand over the affairs of the escort agency clearly so that after his mother passed away and his son grew up, he could finally be free of trouble and avoid becoming a laughing stock among his friends in the martial arts world.

When Madam Yun saw that her son had become disabled, she was extremely heartbroken and wished she could hang herself to end her life!
But they also have a grandson, and that is their hope.

Therefore, the ancients especially valued sons, and martial arts were more often passed down to sons than daughters. This was because women were often seen as outgoing and unreliable!
Now that I see my grandson is a good teacher, it's clear that his recent illness, his brush with death, and the great changes in his family have helped him grow.

The old lady, with a broad mind, flicked her sleeve, sat down, and said, "Grandson, do you know why my Yun family was able to establish the largest escort agency in the northwestern provinces?" She gave Yun He a deep look.

Yunhe immediately turned around and went out, looking around the house.

Yun Changkong looked thoughtful and said, "Because my father is a chivalrous man with a heart to save the country, his friends in the martial arts world give him face. Of course, he has also achieved some success in martial arts, and ordinary people are no match for him!"

Yunhe was checking if anyone was around the study when he heard his son's reply, and his face twitched.

The old lady said, "Martial arts practitioners value chivalry above all else, that goes without saying. But I must tell you, the reason why my Jinyang Escort Agency is where it is today is because my Yun family once received a treasure from a senior monk, which contained an internal energy cultivation method."

Yun Changkong gave an "oh" and didn't take it seriously, thinking to himself, "What senior monk or internal energy cultivation method? If it were really that powerful, I wouldn't be losing to a servant!"

In a flash, the old lady took out a yellow silk cloth bag from her bosom, opened it, and then wrapped it tightly in oilcloth.

Yun Changkong wondered, "What is this thing that you value so much?" He couldn't help but become interested and took a few steps closer.

The old lady placed the box on the table, unwrapped the oilcloth to reveal a small iron box, and said, "Bring me the key!"

"Yes, Mother!" Yunhe had already slipped into the room, reached out and pressed on the bookshelf, and a door creaked open. Yunhe went inside.

Yun Changkong thought to himself, "Goodness, no wonder they're rebels, they even have a secret room?"

Yunhe took out a very exquisite key and handed it to the old lady.

As Yun Changkong watched, his heart raced. The two were being extremely cautious, and the fact that they hadn't put the key and the box together piqued his curiosity.

The old lady opened the chest, revealing it heavily wrapped in bright yellow satin. Yun Changkong raised an eyebrow again: "Good heavens, is it really necessary?" He even wanted to open the satin himself.

Finally, the old lady carefully opened the brocade, revealing three rows of clay figurines, six in each row, for a total of eighteen.

But look at these dolls, each one is a naked man, made so lifelike. Strangely, the skin of these dolls is drawn with red lines, and the acupoints and veins are decorated with white and black dots, making them clear.

In an instant, the word "Dog Brother" flashed through Yun Changkong's mind. He felt a sudden tightness in his chest, as if someone had grabbed his neck. He felt dizzy and disoriented, as if he were in a dream.

Then Madam Yun said, "Fifty years ago, your grandfather and I went to Wangwu Mountain to offer incense. We encountered a monk covered in blood. Your grandfather, being a chivalrous man, saved him."

The old lady spoke while watching her grandson's reaction.

Seeing that he was listening attentively, he continued, "To repay us, this man said that he taught your grandfather a set of internal energy cultivation techniques, as well as several martial arts such as the 'Arhat Subduing Tiger Fist' and the 'Weituo Subduing Demon Sword,' so that we could live in peace and security!"

But he succumbed to his severe injuries and passed away. Before his death, he said that the doll contained profound martial arts secrets, and if one could comprehend them, one would be invincible. He hoped it could be used to benefit all living beings.

By this point, Yun Changkong was almost certain.

"The doll contains profound martial arts secrets and is invincible..." All this information almost made the answer obvious.

Yun Changkong couldn't help but smile, thinking to himself, "Sure enough, no time travel is wasted; I have a cheat code too!"

In his view, all opportunities are like cheat codes.

If these dolls really belonged to Shi Potian, he wouldn't even bother wondering why they were here. After all, they'd passed through the hands of over a dozen people before Shi Potian's; who knows if the Yun family was involved? Now they're mine!
Yunhe sighed, “My child’s heart is commendable, but you are going to leave your hometown and travel all over the world. You will surely suffer a lot, and you may not even meet any great masters. You may even die an unknown death!”

These dolls are the result of my years of research; though they depict only basic Shaolin internal martial arts techniques, they contain nothing particularly remarkable. But if you cannot decipher their secrets, it's not too late to act in this way.”

Yun Changkong smiled slightly, thinking, "If I'm not mistaken, the secret of these dolls lies inside, not outside. Even if you study them for decades, it will be in vain. Even if you crack the code, you won't be able to train them."

Suddenly, my heart skipped a beat.

"Yes, this internal strength is powerful, but I don't have Shi Potian's childlike innocence! Am I being too happy too soon?"

Thinking of this, Yun Changkong felt a little flustered, but he quickly calmed down. Having something was better than having nothing. After all, if he couldn't cultivate, trading it with others would be wonderful.

As for the candidate, he naturally has another one!

Yunhe said, "The internal energy I'm passing on to you is depicted on this doll. Go into the secret room and take a good look. Even if you don't discover the secret, don't be impatient. I'm going out to settle things." He then turned and left the room.

The old lady said, "That high monk said that everything in this world is a matter of fate, and it cannot be obtained by force. Your grandfather and your father spent decades of their lives trying to get nothing. I hope..." She coughed lightly and stopped talking, her brows furrowed with worry.

She and Yunhe understood that everything the Yun family had depended on Yun Changkong. Taking out this doll was just a desperate measure, a last-ditch effort. No one believed that he could definitely discover the secret.

Yun Changkong said with a sigh, "Grandma, I understand your and Father's intentions. I will definitely not let you down."

He steadily carried the box and entered the secret room. The furnishings were exquisite, with a rosewood tea table on the table.

Two candles were lit on the coffee table, along with a small jade incense burner and sticks of incense.

Yun Changkong took out the dolls, not caring about the Shaolin preliminary internal energy on them. He picked up a doll and used his index and middle fingers to forcefully pull it apart. With a swish, the decorations, paint, and mud base covering the clay figure fell off.

After the mud powder faded, a layer of painted wood surface was revealed, and a naked wooden puppet was exposed inside.

The puppet was covered in a layer of tung oil and painted with black lines, but it had no acupoints. The puppet's appearance was also completely different from that of a clay figure.

Yun Changkong was overjoyed; it seemed his guess was correct. This was indeed a coincidence within a coincidence.

He immediately peeled away the clay powder from the other clay figures one by one. Sure enough, each clay figure contained a hidden puppet.

The expressions of the eighteen puppets were all different, some were overjoyed, some wept bitterly, some were furious, and some gazed at each other with affection. Looking at the acupoints and meridians on the puppets, they seemed to be eight or nine out of ten the same as those painted on the clay figures. The only difference was the route of guiding the qi.

The original owner of this body began practicing Shaolin internal energy cultivation under his father's guidance at the age of seven, and his memorization skills were excellent. The current Yun Changkong, on the other hand, has received higher education, possesses exceptional comprehension, and has a profound understanding of the introductory Qi cultivation methods.

Light incense sticks immediately, which helps to calm the mind. Pick up a puppet and compare the two, and you will understand the path of luck.

But as soon as he tried to practice according to the Qi circulation method, he felt agitated, dizzy and had tinnitus.

It turns out that what is painted on the puppet is indeed a set of "Arhat Subduing Demon Divine Skill" created by the senior monks of the Shaolin School. This set of skills is a culmination of Buddhist internal skills, profound and subtle, requiring one to cut off all worldly ties, focus on emptiness and tranquility, and seek to reach the state of no self and no form.

Therefore, even the first step of focusing the mind and returning to its origin is so difficult that only one in ten thousand people can achieve it.

Because if you want to concentrate your mind and regulate your breath, and control your energy with your spirit, you have to think about it!
This thought alone violated the taboo of "deliberate intent."

Cultivating this kind of inner strength requires the opportunity of "planting flowers intentionally but they don't bloom, while planting willows unintentionally and they thrive."

The highest realm of Buddhist martial arts is "non-attachment and non-attachment," and the Arhat Subduing Demon Skill is the most exquisite internal skill of Shaolin. One must eliminate all worldly thoughts and distractions in order to master it.

The more intelligent and clever a person is, the more thoughts they have; but if they are dull-witted, they cannot understand the myriad changes in the internal energy circulation.

Therefore, those who practice this skill must be both intelligent and simple, but such people are almost impossible to find.

Therefore, the Shaolin monk who created the divine skill had to cover his body with mud, because he was unwilling to let his life's work go to waste, and he was also afraid of harming those who practiced it.

Since that Shaolin monk, the clay figurine has passed through the hands of several people. By the time Shi Potian obtained it in later generations, it had passed through the hands of more than ten people. Those who obtained it all knew that this figurine was a rare treasure of the martial arts world, but everyone protected the clay figurine carefully, fearing that it might be damaged in the slightest.

Little did they know that "no destruction, no construction" applies. Without destroying the clay figure, the wooden Arhat would not emerge. Those who obtained the treasure would ultimately carry the mystery into the earth, leaving behind only regret.

Yun Changkong knew the secret to unlocking the secret, but he couldn't even begin to cultivate the divine skill. It was like a young man full of vigor embracing a stunningly beautiful woman who had taken off her clothes, but he couldn't do anything with her.

The torment and pain they endured were unimaginable.

Feeling melancholy and distressed, Yun Changkong lay down to rest for a while, thinking, "I shouldn't have given up like this. If I could sort out the operation of this internal skill and memorize it, that would be fine too."

He acted on his idea immediately, picking up another wooden Arhat to examine. Just as he was getting a clue, he felt as if someone was hammering his head with a sledgehammer, causing him to writhe on the ground in pain.

He had to memorize the lines by looking at the puppets and also have to focus his mind on them, which was like practicing kung fu, and he suffered a backlash.

In an instant, I felt an intense heat throughout my body, with swelling and burning pain all over. My mouth was dry, and hot sweat slowly seeped out of my body. My mind was also dizzy, as if I was about to die.

Suddenly, Yun Changkong felt a chilling current flow through his chest, coursing through his blood and into his limbs. Stimulated by this cold current, his mind cleared slightly, and the fever in his body seemed to subside a little.

Yun Changkong couldn't help but touch the jade pendant on his chest, but it was now gone.

As soon as he thought about it, a jade pendant appeared in his mind, emitting a cool aura, and his mind became clear.

In that instant, Yun Changkong understood. He thought to himself that he was incredibly lucky. This was no ordinary jade pendant; it was clearly the real cheat code for his cultivation.

Yun Changkong lay down this time, meditating with his eyes closed in a reclining position.

It should be noted that these eighteen Arhats not only have different expressions, but also different meditation postures. Some are kneeling, some are squatting, some are lying down, some are bent over, some have their hands raised high, and some have one leg raised.

The most difficult aspect of cultivating internal energy is calming the mind. Shaolin martial arts are primarily yang in nature, and the Arhat Subduing Demon Skill has an excessively strong yang energy. The jade pendant, with its cooling properties, harmonizes yin and yang. Not only does it prevent Yun Changkong from being disturbed during cultivation and from going astray, but it also has the effect of purifying the mind and calming the thoughts.

This allowed Yun Changkong to achieve a state of emptiness in his heart.

Soon I felt a warm current emanating from my dantian, slowly circulating along the meridians, guided by my spirit, circulating through the acupoints.

"It's done!"

Yun Changkong was overjoyed.
He also knew that if he wasn't mistaken, he shouldn't have been able to learn this divine skill in theory, but fortunately he was blessed with great fortune!

It is evident that poverty, wealth, misfortune, and fortune often depend on opportunity!

No matter how great your abilities are, no matter how hard you try, you can't beat good fortune in the end!

(End of this chapter)