Huang Rong from The Return of the Condor Heroes: Guo'er, calm down.

For three consecutive days.

Yang Guo put on quite a show, constantly sending Granny Sun rare and unusual items he had never seen before.

Grandma Sun found the boy more and more pleasing to the eye.

These days, there aren't many young people who are sensible, sweet-talking, and considerate.

Noon on the fourth day.

The sun was scorching.

Yang Guo lay shirtless on a tattered mat in the thatched hut, fanning himself with a broken palm-leaf fan.

Yin Zhiping has arrived.

This time he didn't bring any food, but his arms were bulging with several bolts of fine Suzhou and Hangzhou silk.

"Guo'er." As soon as Yin Zhiping entered the thatched hut, he took out the several bolts of fabric, as if presenting a treasure. "Look at the quality, the feel. I ran my legs off to specially select this 'Cloud Mist Gauze.' It's so light and soft, wearing it feels like you're not wearing anything... cough cough, like clouds."

Yang Guo glanced at him sideways.

It's definitely a good product. It's shiny white and feels smooth to the touch.

"Alright, Master." Yang Guo sat up, reached out and touched it. "If this fabric were worn by the Fairy Sister, her figure... tsk tsk."

Yin Zhiping's throat went dry as he listened, and images began to form in his mind. His face turned as red as a monkey's bottom.

"Then...then you'll send it in today?" Yin Zhiping asked eagerly.

Yang Guo did not respond.

He pushed the silk aside, crossed his legs, and looked at Yin Zhiping with a serious expression.

"Master, tell me honestly, have you ever been inside that ancient tomb?"

Yin Zhiping's face stiffened, and he shook his head awkwardly: "How could your teacher... how could your teacher get in?"

"Would you like to know what it's like inside?"

Yang Guo coaxed, "Would you like to know where the Fairy Sister usually sleeps? Where she practices her martial arts? Where she eats? And even... which way does her bedroom door face?"

Gudong.

Yin Zhiping's Adam's apple bobbed.

The temptation is too great.

He dreamt of the scene inside that ancient tomb. In his mind, it must be like a celestial palace, with the Dragon Maiden sitting on a cloud. Just knowing the layout inside, even just hearing about it, would make him feel at ease.

"I want to! I dream about it!" Yin Zhiping grabbed Yang Guo's hand with astonishing force. "Guo'er, do you have a way?"

"have."

Yang Guo pulled his hand back: "However, this method is a bit risky. If it's not done properly, I might lose my life."

Upon hearing this, Yin Zhiping calmed down slightly and asked, "What method?"

"A self-inflicted injury ruse."

Yang Guo pointed to his chest: "Master, Granny Sun is kind-hearted, but she has her limits. If I were perfectly fine, she would at most chat with me at the door, but she would never let me step into the Ancient Tomb."

"What should we do then?"

"Unless..." A ruthless glint flashed in Yang Guo's eyes, "unless I'm about to die. And die in front of her."

Yin Zhiping was startled: "Nonsense! How can this be allowed?"

"Why not?" Yang Guo retorted. "Master, think about it. If I were to suffer a qi deviation while practicing, I would be bleeding from all seven orifices and die. Granny Sun would be right there. Would she just stand by and watch me die? If she couldn't save me, we would have to beg the Fairy Sister. Although the Fairy Sister is cold, she's not heartless. In that case, to save me, they would have no choice but to carry me into the Ancient Tomb."

Yin Zhiping listened in a daze, already imagining the scene in his mind.

"Once we're inside the ancient tomb..." Yang Guo's lips curled into a wicked smile, "with my eyes like these, even if I only stay for half an hour, I can figure out most of the mechanisms and layout. Then I'll draw a map for Master, and if you ever want to... hehe, that'll be a piece of cake!"

Yin Zhiping's heart pounded wildly.

This plan is perfect.

But he was still a little worried: "But Guo'er, it's easy for him to be exposed if he pretends to be sick. Granny Sun and Miss Long are both masters of internal martial arts; they'll give him away as soon as they take his pulse. In that case, forget about getting into the Ancient Tomb; he might just be thrown out to be fed to the jade bees."

"Who said I was faking illness?"

Yang Guo looked at Yin Zhiping and said, word by word, "I'm going to really suffer a qi deviation."

Yin Zhiping gasped, leaping to his feet. "Are you crazy? You've really gone mad? That can kill you! At best, your martial arts will be completely destroyed; at worst, your meridians will be severed!"

"You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub."

Yang Guo, with a righteous and awe-inspiring expression, said, "Master has treated me well. What is this little risk compared to Master's lifelong happiness? As long as I can help Master achieve his wish, I would be willing to sacrifice all my martial arts skills!"

Yin Zhiping looked at the ragged boy in front of him, and his eyes instantly reddened.

What a wonderful child!

How come I never noticed how filial he was before? He'd even risk his life to help his master pursue a woman. This isn't just a disciple, he's practically a second parent… no, a brother who'd risk his life for him!

"Guo'er..." Yin Zhiping's voice choked with emotion, "What virtue or ability do I possess to deserve this..."

"Master, please stop talking." Yang Guo waved his hand, looking as if he were ready to die. "Your mind is made up. Tonight I will practice my meridians in reverse and seriously injure myself. Tomorrow morning, you can expect my good news."

He sighed, his eyes turning melancholy: "But... if Granny Sun and the others don't survive, I'll lose my life. Then, the blueprints from that ancient tomb probably won't reach you, Master. I'll die with regrets."

The phrase "dying with eyes wide open" completely shattered Yin Zhiping's psychological defenses.

He couldn't let Yang Guo die.

If Yang Guo dies, who will help him pursue the Dragon Maiden? Who will draw the picture for him? Who will be his inside man?

"No! Absolutely not!" Yin Zhiping paced anxiously in the thatched hut. "We have to have a foolproof plan. We need to injure you badly enough to fool them, but we also need to save your life!"

Yang Guo lowered his head, and a barely perceptible smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

The fish has taken the bait.

"Master, the Quanzhen Sect is the most orthodox sect of the Xuanmen (Taoist sects) in the world. Doesn't it have any miraculous medicine to prolong life?" Yang Guo raised his head and looked at Yin Zhiping with hope. "As long as I have a breath left, I can pull through."

Upon hearing this, Yin Zhiping looked troubled.

"We do have the pills. The common 'Heart-Protecting Pill' and 'Rejuvenating Pill' are available at the pharmacy. I'll go get you a bottle right now."

"What's the use of those junk?" Yang Guo curled his lip in disdain. "What I'm doing is reversing the flow of meridians, which causes serious injury. What use are ordinary pills?"

He stared into Yin Zhiping's eyes and said, word by word, "Master, I want that kind of... real treasure that can bring the dead back to life and snatch people from the clutches of the King of Hell."

Yin Zhiping's body trembled.

"You...you mean..." Yin Zhiping's voice trembled, "The Nine-Turn Life-Extending Pill?"

Yang Guo was overjoyed. He had only intended to trick Yin Zhiping, but he hadn't expected that it would actually happen.

Before Yang Guo could speak, Yin Zhiping abruptly took two steps back, waving his hands repeatedly: "No! Absolutely not! That's the sect's most prized treasure!"

"There are only three of these pills in total. It is said that taking one will increase one's internal strength by ten years. They are locked in the pill room, with the sect leader and several elders taking turns holding the key. The founder left a will that they must never be used unless the Quanzhen Sect is facing a life-or-death crisis."

Oh, I see.

Yang Guo lowered his head in disappointment and sighed, "Then forget it. It seems my life isn't worth this pill. Of course, I'm just a disciple who's only been here for a few days, how could I be worthy of using the divine medicine left behind by our patriarch?"

He stood up and dusted himself off. "Master, you should go back now. If you see no one in this hut tomorrow morning, it means your disciple has already been carried into the ancient tomb. If you see your disciple lying here, cold and alone... please wrap him up in a mat and bury him somewhere far away, so he won't get in the way of the fairy sister."

After saying that, he turned and walked deeper into the thatched hut, his back view desolate.

"Guo'er!"

Yin Zhiping called out.

Yang Guo didn't turn around, he just waved his hand.

Yin Zhiping stood there, torn between his own thoughts and his inner turmoil.

On one side are strict religious rules, and on the other side are the secret diagrams of the ancient tomb.

Without Yang Guo, I might never have been able to even enter the Ancient Tomb in my entire life. If Yang Guo had died, this storyline would have ended.

Then came another long night, another period where I could only stare blankly at that cold stone door.

He didn't want to live that kind of life again, not even for a single day.

Screw the religious rules!

To hell with life and death!

The Quanzhen Sect is so large, with countless masters. Could it really perish if it loses just one elixir?

stop!"

Yin Zhiping let out a low growl, his eyes turning bloodshot.

Yang Guo stopped and turned around, his face still bearing the expression of someone ready to die, but inside he was overjoyed.

"Master, is there anything else?"

Yin Zhiping said through gritted teeth, "Tonight... I'll go get the medicine."

"Master?" Yang Guo feigned surprise. "That's...!"

"Shut up!" Yin Zhiping interrupted him roughly, his chest heaving violently. "For...for the greater plan, we can't worry about anything else! Tonight at midnight, Uncle Liu Chuxuan, who holds the key to the alchemy room, is fast asleep. I have a way."

"Wait here. I'll bring the medicine after midnight."