The Return of the Condor Heroes Chapter 14 – Part 5

The National Preceptor had dared to release his weapon and send it flying at his opponent because he had assumed the enemy would be unable to receive it. Had the opponent struck the flying wheel with any weapon, no matter how heavy the steel whip or great blade, it would certainly have been knocked from their grasp. How could he have imagined that Yang Guo possessed the skill to deflect the wheel? Enraged, he caught the iron wheel, secretly channelled his energy, and launched it again. This time the force was so great that the wheel spun in eerie silence, it was moving too fast for the internal balls to strike against each other. Yang Guo had deflected the wheel the first time by unconsciously applying the principles of the Nine Yin Manual.¹ Now, striking at it again with his sword, a loud clang rang out and the blade was jolted from his grip. The National Preceptor immediately followed with a crushing “Great Stele-Smashing Hand”² strike. Yang Guo’s Nine Yin Manual techniques were not yet fully practised, this time his application of force had been off.

Xiaolongnü saw Yang Guo in danger. With a subtle sway of her slender waist, she thrust her sword in a fierce attack, the move was not only lethally sharp but also gracefully elegant, ethereally beautiful. She had already begun using the mutual-protection techniques from the seventh section of the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra. Huang Rong and her daughter, watching, felt their spirits soar. “Excellent!” they cried together.

The National Preceptor withdrew his palm and leaped, catching the wheel to deflect the sword’s edge. Yang Guo seized the chance to recover his sword. He had just barely escaped death. But in moments of crisis, the mind grows especially sharp. Suddenly it came to him: When Gugu and I both use the Jade Maiden Swordplay, we cannot hold him off. But when I use Quanzhen Swordplay and she uses Jade Maiden Swordplay, we turn danger into safety. Is this how the final sections of the Heart Sutra are meant to be used? He shouted, “Gugu, ‘Wandering to the Ends of the Earth’!”³ and thrust his sword out at an angle. Without pausing to think, Xiaolongnü followed with the “Wandering to the Ends of the Earth” from the Heart Sutra, slashing her sword straight down. The two moves shared the same name but were utterly different in execution, one a deadly stroke of Quanzhen Swordplay, the other a perilous gambit of the Jade Maiden Swordplay. Twin swords merged as one, and their combined power swelled to terrifying proportions. The National Preceptor could not block both blades at once and retreated frantically. Shhk, shhk, both swords found their mark. Fortunately, he had dodged just in time. The blades only grazed past his ribs, slicing his robes. But cold sweat already drenched his back.

The National Preceptor retreated two more hurried steps to escape the deadly edge. He heard Yang Guo call: “‘Beneath the Flowers, Before the Moon’!”⁴, a strike descending from above, evoking the image of an icy wheel crossing the sky, its clear light spreading across the earth. Xiaolongnü’s sword quivered like a fresh blossom swaying in the breeze, slashing back and forth until the National Preceptor was utterly dazzled, completely unable to tell where her next attack would come from. He could only leap back again to evade. Yang Guo called, “‘Drinking Wine in Quiet Leisure’!”⁵ He raised his sword hilt, the tip pointing downward like a wine vessel being tilted to pour. Xiaolongnü’s sword tip turned upward, aimed at her own cherry lips as though she were raising a cup to drink.

Jinlun Guoshi watched the two of them produce increasingly bizarre moves, each perfectly coordinated with the other, every opening instantly covered by the partner, lethal combinations emerging one after another. The longer he fought, the more alarmed he became. How vast the world is, he thought to himself. Truly, capable people emerge in every generation. Sword techniques this unimaginable, how could I ever have dreamed of them in Mongolia? Ah! I have been a frog at the bottom of a well,⁶ underestimating the heroes of the world. His spirit faltered, and the signs of defeat grew more pronounced.

Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü had attempted this sword art several times without success. Now, facing mortal danger, their hearts were filled with tender concern for each other. Neither cared for their own safety, each thought only of saving the other first. This was precisely the spirit the sword art was designed for. Every move in this sword art contained an allusion to a romantic encounter: “Playing the Zither and Flute,”⁷ “Sweeping Snow to Brew Tea,”⁸ “Playing Chess Beneath the Pines,”⁹ “Strolling with Cranes by the Pond”¹⁰, all were scenes shared between a man and a woman, exuding an indescribable elegance and charm. Lin Chaoying, disappointed in love, had withered away in the Ancient Tomb. She was accomplished in both literary and martial arts, skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, there was nothing she could not do. In the end, she poured her entire life’s learning into this martial art. When she created it, she was merely giving expression to her own heart. How could she have foreseen that decades later, a pair of lovers would use it to overcome a powerful enemy?

When Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü had first used the sword art, they had not yet fully grasped its subtleties, but as the battle progressed, they grew more and more adept. If the man and woman using this sword art were not lovers, many of its exquisite refinements would be impossible to appreciate. If their hearts could not communicate, then in their combined swordplay they would be too polite if friends, too protective and dependent if elder and junior. If a married couple used it together, it would be wonderful indeed, but the nuances of tender affection, bashful shyness, the push and pull of closeness and distance, the mingled hope and fear, all these would be missing a layer. At this moment, Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü were profoundly devoted to each other, yet not yet bound in marriage, and deep in their hearts they sensed the many hardships that lay ahead. Their feelings were a mixture of joy and sorrow, sweetness and bitterness. This state of heart gradually came to resonate with the spirit in which Lin Chaoying had created the “Pure-Hearted Jade Maiden Sword.”¹¹

Huang Rong, watching from the sidelines, saw the blush rising on Xiaolongnü’s cheeks, her shy, bashful manner. Yang Guo kept stealing glances at her, protective and devoted. Though they fought a powerful enemy together, they radiated the joy of mutual affection, the intensity of deep love. Huang Rong could not help but feel secretly alarmed, and at the same time, caught up in their emotion, she found herself recalling the early days of her own romance with Guo Jing. Amid the clashing and killing that filled the restaurant, an undercurrent of boundless tenderness and secret passion flowed.

Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü fought with hearts in silent harmony. Jinlun Guoshi found them ever harder to resist, deeply regretting that he had earlier smashed all the tables and chairs. Had the furniture still been there to obstruct them, the enemy’s attacks could not have been so fierce. He could see that if the fight continued, he would surely lose his life. Step by step, he retreated toward the staircase, then descended step by step. Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü pressed their attack from above, on the verge of driving him out. Huang Rong called, “In rooting out evil, be thorough! Guoer, do not let him escape!” She could see that Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü’s victory over the National Preceptor had depended entirely on a marvellous sword art, eight-tenths of it was luck. If they let him go today, this man of profound martial learning would return home and rack his brains until he found a way to counter the sword art, making him far harder to eliminate in the future.

Yang Guo acknowledged her command and pressed his attack with lethal intensity: “‘Tending Chrysanthemums in a Small Garden,’”¹² “‘Night Talk by the Latticed Window,’”¹³ “‘Exchanging Couplets in the Willow Shade,’”¹⁴ “‘Approaching the Pond Through the Bamboo Curtain’”¹⁵, one move after another flowed forth. The National Preceptor could barely defend himself, let alone counterattack.

Yang Guo had intended to follow Huang Rong’s instructions and seize the opportunity to kill the National Preceptor. But he did not know that when Lin Chaoying had created this sword art, she had meant it for her own amusement and the expression of her heart, it was never intended to wound or kill. At that time, her heart had been filled with tender feelings, and so although the sword art was formidable, not a single move was designed to take a life. Now, though Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü had driven the National Preceptor into frantic disarray, they could not deliver a fatal blow.

The National Preceptor did not understand the sword art’s origins. Seeing the strange moves pour forth in endless succession, he assumed that the truly lethal techniques had not yet been deployed, and that once the two used them, his old life would be forfeit. In his desperation, an idea came to him. He drove force into his feet: every step he descended, he shattered one stair behind him. His massive frame blocked the staircase, and Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü could not press forward. By the time three stairs had been destroyed, their swords could no longer reach him. The National Preceptor raised his iron wheel. “Today I have witnessed the martial arts of the Central Plains,” he said. “This old monk is deeply impressed. What is the name of this sword art of yours?” Yang Guo said with a straight face, “Among the martial arts of the Central Plains, the foremost are the Dog-Beating Staff Technique and the Donkey-Stabbing Sword Art. This sword art of ours is precisely the Donkey-Stabbing Sword Art.” The National Preceptor was baffled. “Donkey-Stabbing Sword Art?” Yang Guo said, “Yes, the art of stabbing a bald donkey.”¹⁶ Only then did the National Preceptor realise he was being cursed in a roundabout way. Enraged, he bellowed: “Insolent brat! One day you will learn the methods of the Golden Wheel National Preceptor.” His iron wheel clanged as he swung it, and he strode away.

His figure receded swiftly, vanishing around the corner in a few rapid flickers. Yang Guo knew pursuit would be futile. He turned to find Da’erba supporting Huo Dou, both of them pale-faced and rooted to the spot. Da’erba said, “Eldest shixiong¹⁷, will you kill me or not?” Yang Guo took pity on them and said to Huang Rong, “Auntie Guo, shall we let them go?” Huang Rong nodded. Yang Guo also noticed Huo Dou’s listless, haggard appearance. He took a small flask of Jade Bee honey¹⁸ from his bosom, pointed at Huo Dou, made a gesture of taking medicine, and handed it to Da’erba. Da’erba was overjoyed. He and Huo Dou exchanged a few rapid words. Huo Dou produced a packet of medicinal powder and gave it to Yang Guo. “That gentleman who used the brush was struck by my poisoned nail,” he said. “This is the antidote.”

Da’erba pressed his palms together and bowed to Yang Guo. “Eldest shixiong, thank you,” he said. Yang Guo also pressed his palms together in return and, with a mischievous grin, mimicked his Mongolian: “Eldest shixiong, thank you.” Da’erba was baffled. Why is eldest shixiong calling me eldest shixiong? Then, after a moment’s thought, he understood: He has been reincarnated and now yields the senior position to me, he will not contend with me for the title of Eldest Brother. His gratitude deepened. He bowed deeply to Yang Guo, scooped up Huo Dou with his left arm, and departed with the rest of the Mongol warriors.

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Yang Guo handed the antidote to Huang Rong, then bowed deeply. “Auntie Guo, your nephew takes his leave. May you and Uncle Guo take good care of yourselves.” The thought that after this parting they would never meet again weighed heavily on his heart. Huang Rong asked, “Where are you going?” Yang Guo said, “Gugu and I will go to some hidden place where no one can find us, and live in seclusion, never to emerge again, so as not to bring disgrace upon your and Uncle Guo’s reputations.”

Huang Rong thought to herself, Today he risked his life to save me and Fu’er, the debt of gratitude is not small. Seeing him sinking into depravity, how can I not try to save him? She said, “There is no need to rush off this very moment. We are all exhausted today. Let us find an inn and rest for the night. Tomorrow we can part ways, there will be time enough.” Seeing the sincerity in her manner, Yang Guo could not refuse and agreed.

Huang Rong took out silver to compensate the restaurant for the damage, then found an inn in the town to rest. That evening, after supper, she sent Guo Fu away to talk with the Wu brothers and called Xiaolongnü into her room. “Little Sister,” she said, “I have something to give you.” Xiaolongnü said, “What are you giving me?”

Huang Rong drew her close and took out a comb to arrange her hair. She saw that Xiaolongnü’s black tresses fell past her shoulders, light, soft, glossy, and utterly lovely. Carefully, she wound the silken strands into place and removed a golden hair clasp from her own head. “Little Sister,” she said, “let me put this on you.” The clasp was exquisitely crafted, a single rose stem wrought in gold, its branches curling back upon themselves, with a rosebud just beginning to bloom at the join. Huang Yaoshi¹⁹ had collected the world’s rarest treasures, yet she had chosen this particular clasp, its artistry was beyond imagination. Xiaolongnü had never worn any kind of ornament. A simple thornwood hairpin²⁰ was all she ever used to bind her hair. Though she could see the golden clasp was finely made, she paid it little mind, merely murmuring a casual thanks. Huang Rong placed it in her hair, then began chatting with her idly.

Footnotes

1. 九阴真经 – Jiǔyīn Zhēnjīng. Legendary martial arts compendium compiled by Huang Shang during the Northern Song dynasty. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

2. 大摔碑手 (Dà Shuāibēi Shǒu). “Great Stele-Smashing Hand.” A devastating palm technique of immense power, capable of shattering stone tablets. ↩

3. 浪迹天涯 (Làngjì Tiānyá). “Wandering to the Ends of the Earth.” The name of a paired sword technique, one version from Quanzhen Swordplay and one from Jade Maiden Swordplay. ↩

4. 花前月下 (Huā Qián Yuè Xià). “Beneath the Flowers, Before the Moon.” A classical romantic setting — lovers meeting in a garden under moonlight. Paired technique evokes this atmosphere of tender intimacy while delivering deadly strikes. ↩

5. 清饮小酌 (Qīng Yǐn Xiǎo Zhuó). “Drinking Wine in Quiet Leisure.” A gentle, intimate scene of two people sharing wine in peaceful contentment. Technique mimics the gestures of pouring and drinking. ↩

6. 井底之蛙 (Jǐngdǐ Zhī Wā). “A frog at the bottom of a well.” A Chinese idiom for someone of limited perspective who cannot see beyond their narrow world, derived from a Zhuangzi fable. ↩

7. 抚琴按箫 (Fǔ Qín Àn Xiāo). “Playing the Zither and Flute.” A duet between two instruments, the qin (zither) and xiao (vertical flute), representing harmony between lovers. ↩

8. 扫雪烹茶 (Sǎo Xuě Pēng Chá). “Sweeping Snow to Brew Tea.” A refined winter pastime: gathering fresh snow to melt for brewing the finest tea. Scene of shared aesthetic pleasure. ↩

9. 松下对弈 (Sōng Xià Duì Yì). “Playing Chess Beneath the Pines.” A classic image of leisurely refinement — two people playing weiqi (Go) under ancient pine trees. ↩

10. 池边调鹤 (Chí Biān Diào Hè). “Strolling with Cranes by the Pond.” Tending to cranes by a garden pond, a traditional pursuit of Daoist recluses and scholars, symbolising transcendence and harmony with nature. ↩

11. 玉女素心剑 – Yùnǚ Sùxīn Jiàn. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

12. 小园艺菊 (Xiǎo Yuán Yì Jú). “Tending Chrysanthemums in a Small Garden.” A poetic image of quiet domestic cultivation, associated with the reclusive poet Tao Yuanming. ↩

13. 茜窗夜话 (Qiàn Chuāng Yè Huà). “Night Talk by the Latticed Window.” Intimate conversation through a window of red latticed paper, suggesting whispered confidences between lovers. ↩

14. 柳荫联句 (Liǔ Yīn Lián Jù). “Exchanging Couplets in the Willow Shade.” Two people composing linked verses together under the shade of willows — a refined literary pastime shared by kindred spirits. ↩

15. 竹帘临池 (Zhú Lián Lín Chí). “Approaching the Pond Through the Bamboo Curtain.” A scene of quiet contemplation by water, the bamboo curtain suggesting elegant seclusion. ↩

16. 秃驴 (Tūlǘ). “Bald donkey.” A crude insult directed at Buddhist monks, mocking their shaved heads. Yang Guo’s pun turns “刺驴” (stab donkey) into a jab at Jinlun Guoshi. ↩

17. 师兄 – shīxiōng. Male senior. Both apprenticed to the same shifu. Shī means teacher. Xiōng means older brother. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

18. 玉蜂蜜浆 (Yùfēng Mì Jiāng). “Jade Bee Honey.” The honey produced by the Ancient Tomb School’s specially bred jade bees. It serves as both a health tonic and the antidote to the Jade Bee Needle poison. ↩

19. 黄药师 – Huáng Yàoshī. His name meaning “medicine master”. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

20. Thornwood hairpin (荆钗). Jīngchāi. Simple hairpin made from thornwood, symbolising the austere, unadorned lifestyle of the Ancient Tomb School. Xiaolongnü wears no jewellery or ornamentation. ↩