The Return of the Condor Heroes Chapter 14 – Part 3

Xiaolongnü had heard Yang Guo’s ringing declaration: “Even if you grind my bones to dust, I will still marry Gugu and never, ever be parted from her.” Her heart and soul were intoxicated with bliss. In her own heart she cried out just as loudly: Even if you grind my bones to dust, I will still marry Guoer and never, ever be parted from him. Seeing Guo Jing seize Yang Guo and prepare to strike, she darted forward and stood at Yang Guo’s side. Loudly she declared, “I must marry him and be his wife. Strike me dead along with him!”

Guo Jing’s left palm hung motionless in the air for a long moment. He looked at Yang Guo once more and saw him biting his lip, his brows tightly knit, the very image of his father, Yang Kang,¹ in years past. A piercing ache filled his heart. With a long sigh, his right hand released Yang Guo’s collar. “Think it over carefully,” he said. He turned away, returned to his seat, and did not look at him again. His face was etched with grief, his spirit utterly exhausted.

Xiaolongnü beckoned. “Guoer, these people are terribly unreasonable. Let us go.” Yang Guo thought the word “unreasonable” was indeed apt. Striding toward the hall’s entrance, he took Xiaolongnü’s hand, and together they walked out. Outside the manor, they retrieved their lean horse² and departed on their own.

The assembled heroes watched the two figures recede into the distance. Some felt contempt, some pity, some anger, some astonishment.

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Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü walked side by side. The night had grown deep. Now that the two of them were reunited after their long separation, far from the dust and clamour of the world, the fierce battles and bitter arguments of moments ago had already faded completely from their minds. They felt only that life had now reached its most perfect state, that all their past days had been lived in vain, and that even the future need not be lived at all. Their hearts were in silent communion. Without exchanging a word, they walked on until they came to a weeping willow. They sat down beneath it, leaned against the trunk in the tree’s shade, and gradually, overcome with weariness, drifted into a deep sleep. The lean horse grazed on the green grass in the distance, occasionally letting out a low whinny.

When they awoke, the sky was already bright. They looked at each other and smiled. Yang Guo said, “Gugu, where shall we go?” Xiaolongnü was silent for a long moment. “Let us return to the Ancient Tomb,”³ she said at last. Ever since descending the mountain, she had found that for all its bustle and splendour, the world of men could never match the freedom and ease of the Ancient Tomb. Yang Guo thought to himself, To spend my whole life with Gugu in the Ancient Tomb. I could ask for nothing more. Once he had yearned for the outside world and had only wished she would let him leave the Tomb. But after wandering through that world for a time, he found himself longing for the tranquil life of the Tomb. His face broke into a radiant smile. “Wonderful!” he said. The two turned northward and proceeded at a leisurely pace. He still called her “Gugu,” and she still called him “Guoer”, both felt that this was the most natural way to address each other.

At noon, their conversation turned to Jinlun Guoshi’s martial arts. Both agreed that his skill was formidable and difficult to match. Xiaolongnü suddenly said, “Guoer, the seventh section of the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra, we never managed to practise it properly. Do you remember it?” Yang Guo said, “I remember it, but no matter how we tried to work through it together, it never came out right. There must be something we were doing wrong.” Xiaolongnü said, “I could not figure it out either, but yesterday, when that old Daoist nun flicked her sword a few times, it made me think of something.” Yang Guo recalled the sword moves Sun Bu’er had used the previous day and suddenly understood. “That’s it, that’s it!” he cried. “It requires using Quanzhen martial arts and the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra at the same time. No wonder we could never get it right.”

Years ago, when Lin Chaoying, the founder of the Ancient Tomb School, had lived alone in the Tomb and created the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra, her purpose had indeed been to counter Quanzhen martial arts. Yet her feelings for Wang Chongyang⁴ had never diminished. Thus, while the earlier sections all used Jade Maiden Heart Sutra techniques to overcome Quanzhen methods, when she reached the seventh section, she began to imagine that one day she might fight alongside her beloved against a common enemy. The martial arts in this section therefore required one person to use the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra and the other to use Quanzhen techniques, not opposing each other, but supporting each other, dividing to advance and combining to strike. In those days, Lin Chaoying’s heart had been twisted with longing, her love profound and boundless, her tender yearning poured entirely into this martial scripture. The crossing of twin swords was merely the surface. The true purpose was to join hands in vanquishing the foe. Yet in the stone carvings she left behind, it was inconvenient to spell out these feelings of her heart. When Xiaolongnü and Yang Guo had first practised it, their mutual affection had not yet blossomed, and they could not grasp their founder’s deeper intent.

Now, having grasped the insight together, each broke off a willow branch and began working through the moves, one by one. Xiaolongnü slowly executed the Jade Maiden Swordplay,⁵ while Yang Guo used the Quanzhen Swordplay.⁶ But after several exchanges, they still found it difficult to merge the two. What they had failed to realise was that when Lin Chaoying created this sword art, she had imagined herself fighting alongside Wang Chongyang against a common foe, every move and stance designed for mutual coordination and protection. Now, with Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü practising against each other, each treated the other as an enemy, thrusting and striking, slashing and hacking, naturally the pieces did not fit. In truth, both Lin Chaoying and Wang Chongyang had been first-rate masters of their age. Either one alone would have had no equal who could stand against them, so this combined sword art had no real practical use, it was merely Lin Chaoying indulging her imagination to give form to her longing. By the time she created this sword art, her martial arts had reached their peak. The moves were swift and fierce, dense and seamless, allowing not the slightest deviation. Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü, not understanding the intent behind it, naturally found it difficult to execute with ease. In truth, when the two of them had first practised the seventh section of the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra, they had already been protecting and aiding each other. But during that practice, Yang Guo had been unable to resist embracing Xiaolongnü, and both had known it was improper. Afterwards, whenever they encountered such martial arts, they had avoided practising them, lest their minds wander and they repeat the same mistake.

Having previously avoided these techniques whenever they encountered them, they were naturally unpractised. After training for a while, they still felt something was off. Xiaolongnü said, “Perhaps we have remembered it wrong. Let us return to the Tomb and check the original before practising further.” Yang Guo was about to reply when he suddenly heard the sound of hoofbeats in the distance, a single rider racing toward them. In the blink of an eye, the rider swept past like a gust of wind. It was none other than Huang Rong, mounted on the Little Red Horse.⁷

Yang Guo had no wish to encounter her family again and invite further trouble, so he suggested to Xiaolongnü that they take a side road to avoid meeting her ahead. Though Xiaolongnü was his teacher, she understood nothing beyond martial arts. When Yang Guo proposed the side road, she raised no objection. That night they stayed at a small inn. Yang Guo slept on the bed, while Xiaolongnü, as always, stretched a rope across the room and slept suspended upon it. Both had already resolved to become husband and wife, but for years in the Ancient Tomb they had slept in just this manner, and now, reunited, they naturally continued their old habits and their nightly training. They merely took comfort in knowing that their beloved was close by, and that from now on they would never be parted.

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The following day at noon, the two arrived at a large market town. The streets were thick with people, carts and horses streaming back and forth in lively bustle. Yang Guo took Xiaolongnü to a restaurant for a meal. They had just climbed the stairs when he stopped short. There, at a table, sat Huang Rong with the Wu brothers, eating their meal. Yang Guo thought that since they had run into each other, it would be awkward to pretend otherwise. He stepped forward, bowed, and said, “Auntie Guo.”

Huang Rong’s brows were deeply furrowed, her face clouded with worry. “Have you seen my daughter?” she asked. Yang Guo said, “No. Is Sister Fu not with you?”

Before Huang Rong could answer, footsteps sounded on the stairs and several people ascended. The foremost among them was a towering figure. Jinlun Guoshi. Yang Guo hastily turned his head and quietly returned to Xiaolongnü’s side. “Turn your face away,” he whispered. “Do not look at them.” But Jinlun Guoshi’s eyes were razor-sharp. The moment he mounted the stairs, he had taken in everyone on the upper floor. With a cold, contemptuous laugh, he swaggered to a table and sat down. Yang Guo had already turned his head away when he suddenly heard Huang Rong cry out: “Fu’er!” He could not help but look back, and saw Guo Fu seated at the same table as the National Preceptor. Guo Fu stared helplessly at her mother but dared not approach.

The truth was that after his defeat at Lu Village, Jinlun Guoshi had nursed his resentment and schemed for a way to turn defeat into victory. Moreover, Huo Dou⁸ had been struck by the Jade Bee Needles,⁹ and the poison had flared up. Every remedy they had tried had proven useless, making it all the more urgent to seize the antidote. For these reasons, the National Preceptor had not gone far, but had lingered in the vicinity of Lu Village. It was Guo Fu’s misfortune to encounter this great enemy. Early that morning, she had ridden the Little Red Horse out for a gallop and run straight into him. He had snatched her from the saddle. The Little Red Horse, being exceptionally intelligent, had galloped back to the manor, whinnying in distress. Guo Jing and the others, realising their daughter was in danger, had scattered in search of her. Huang Rong, though pregnant, had taken the Wu brothers and searched back and forth, arriving in this town where she encountered Yang Guo and his teacher. She had not expected that the National Preceptor, holding Guo Fu captive, would also come to this very restaurant.

The moment Huang Rong saw her daughter, shock and joy surged through her together. But seeing her in the grip of a powerful enemy, after that one cry she said no more. She picked up a pair of chopsticks and traced lines across the table, racking her brains for a rescue plan. As she was pondering, she heard the National Preceptor say: “Chief Huang, this must be your beloved daughter? The other day I saw her nestled in your arms, cooing and clinging, most charming indeed.” Huang Rong gave a cold snort and did not answer. Wu Xiuwen rose and shouted, “For a man who claims to be a grandmaster of a school, to bully a young girl after losing a fair contest, have you no shame?” The National Preceptor acted as though he had not heard. He continued, “Chief Huang, in our contest the other day, you clearly lost, yet you resorted to all manner of interference. That is not the conduct of true heroes. First, give me the antidote for the poisoned needles. Then we shall set a date and compete fairly, to determine once and for all who shall be the Alliance Chief of the jianghu.” Huang Rong gave another cold snort and still did not answer.

Wu Xiuwen shouted, “First release Miss Guo. We will immediately hand over the antidote. The matter of the contest can be discussed later, there is no rush.” Huang Rong glanced sidelong at Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü, thinking: The antidote is on these two. You rashly promise it to the enemy, without knowing whether they will give it or not. The National Preceptor said, “Poisoned hidden weapons, do you think your school has a monopoly on them under heaven? You used poisoned needles to wound my disciple. I can just as easily drive a few poisoned nails into your daughter. You give us the antidote, and we will treat her. As for releasing her, it will not be so simple.” Huang Rong saw that her daughter’s expression was normal. She appeared to be uninjured. But the bond between mother and daughter was deep, and her heart was thrown into turmoil. As the saying goes, “Concern breeds confusion”, though her resourcefulness was unmatched, at this moment she could think of no plan at all.

She watched as the serving boys streamed back and forth, delivering dishes and wine to the National Preceptor’s table. The National Preceptor and his men ate and drank with abandon, laughing and talking loudly. Guo Fu sat motionless, gazing at her mother, never once lifting her chopsticks. Huang Rong felt as though a knife were carving into her heart. The agitation stirred her neili, and suddenly a dull pain began to spread through her abdomen.

When Jinlun Guoshi had finished his meal, he rose and said, “Chief Huang, come along with us.” Huang Rong was momentarily stunned, then immediately understood. He not only intended to hold her daughter captive, he meant to take her as well. She was alone now, with only the Wu brothers at her side, and certainly no match for him. Her face drained of colour. The National Preceptor added, “Chief Huang, you need not be afraid. You are a person of great standing in the jianghu of the Central Plains, and we will of course treat you with courtesy. Once the matter of the Alliance Chief is settled, we will immediately escort you back south with full honours.” The moment he had seen Huang Rong on the upper floor, he had known he had encountered a golden opportunity. If he could capture her, the martial artists of the Central Plains would have no choice but to submit. That would be a hundred times more valuable than seizing Guo Fu, truly, a heaven-sent windfall delivered to his door. Huang Rong had been so preoccupied with her daughter that this thought had not even occurred to her.

The Wu brothers saw their master’s wife in distress. Though they knew they were no match for the enemy, they could not shrink from stepping forward. Both drew their longswords and placed themselves protectively before her. Huang Rong said in a low voice, “Quick, jump through the window and flee. Go find your teacher for help.” The Wu brothers looked at her, then at Guo Fu. Only then did they dash toward the window.

Huang Rong cursed inwardly: Idiots! How can you afford to hesitate at a moment like this? And indeed, that brief delay had already cost them their chance. Jinlun Guoshi’s long arms shot out and seized both brothers by the backs of their collars, lifting them like an eagle snatching chicks. The Wu brothers thrust their swords backward in desperation, but the National Preceptor did not even bother to dodge. With a subtle twist of his hands, Wu Dunru’s sword stabbed toward his younger brother, while Wu Xiuwen’s sword stabbed toward his elder brother. The two were horrified and hastily released their weapons. With two clangs, both swords struck the floor, and only then did they avoid wounding each other. The National Preceptor’s neili surged forth, sealing their acupoints. With a shake of his arms, he hurled them a zhang or so away. “Follow Lord Buddha¹⁰ obediently now,” he sneered.

The National Preceptor turned to Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü. “If you two are not travelling with Chief Huang, then please go your own way. In the future, simply refrain from obstructing my affairs. Both of you possess remarkable martial arts, take good care of yourselves, train for another ten or twenty years, and you will have no rivals under heaven.” He was not showing them particular favour. Rather, he knew that although Huang Rong, Xiaolongnü, and Yang Guo were each inferior to him in martial arts, if the three of them joined forces, they would be difficult to handle. Even if he prevailed, he might not necessarily capture Huang Rong. Thus he deliberately sought to divide them, seizing the main prize while discarding the branches. He did not know that Huang Rong’s pregnancy prevented her from fighting. He merely estimated that her Dog-Beating Staff Technique¹¹ was exceedingly formidable and that she was a dangerous opponent.

Xiaolongnü said, “Guoer, let us go. This old monk is very formidable. We cannot defeat him.” Her heart was filled with only one desire, to return to the Ancient Tomb as soon as possible and spend her life with Yang Guo. She cared nothing at all for the grudges and battles of the world. Seeing the National Preceptor, she felt afraid and spoke her mind without reservation. Yang Guo agreed and rose, walking toward the staircase. But then he thought, Once we return to the Ancient Tomb, I will probably never see Auntie Guo again. He could not help but look back at her.

Footnotes

1. 杨康 – Yáng Kāng. His name meaning “health” or “peace”. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

2. 瘦马 (Shòu Mǎ). “Lean Horse.” Yang Guo’s horse, a scrawny but exceptionally swift and intelligent mount. Despite its unimpressive appearance, it has proven remarkably capable in critical moments. ↩

3. 古墓 – Gǔmù. Underground tomb complex beneath Zhongnan Mountain, home of the Ancient Tomb School. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

4. 王重阳 – Wáng Chóngyáng. His name meaning “double yang”, the ninth day of the ninth lunar month. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

5. 玉女剑法 – Yùnǚ Jiànfǎ. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

6. 全真剑法 – Quánzhēn Jiànfǎ. Seven swords with seven forms, totalling forty-nine variations emphasising defence. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

7. 小红马 (Xiǎo Hóng Mǎ). “Little Red Horse.” Guo Jing’s legendary steed, a sweat-blood horse of extraordinary speed, endurance, and intelligence. It was a gift from the Mongol plains in Guo Jing’s youth and has accompanied him through countless adventures. ↩

8. Huo Dou (霍都). Huò Dōu. Golden Wheel National Preceptor’s third disciple, a Mongol prince. Cunning and ruthless, he uses a folding fan with hidden poison darts. ↩

9. 玉蜂针 – Yùfēng Zhēn. Fine needles coated with Jade Bee poison, a signature concealed weapon of the Ancient Tomb School. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

10. 佛爷 (Fóyé). “Lord Buddha.” A grandiose self-reference used by Jinlun Guoshi, reflecting both his status as a Tibetan Buddhist preceptor and his imperious personality. ↩

11. 打狗棒法 – Dǎgǒu Bàngfǎ. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩