Yang Guo: I defied death and reached the heavens in The Return of the Condor Heroes

The wind at sea grew stronger, and the sails were billowed out.

Guo Jing stood on the deck and called several children into the cabin to avoid the sea breeze.

Just as Yang Guo was about to follow, he suddenly heard two clear, melodious cries of eagles overhead.

A pair of white eagles swooped past the ship's side, their wings casting two broad, trailing shadows.

They glided along the crest of the waves for a moment, then flapped their wings and soared into the distance to the east, instantly turning into two faint dots on the horizon.

"They went back to the island first."

Huang Rong strolled to the side of the boat, raised her hand to her brow and gazed into the distance, her voice tinged with a hint of helplessness and a faint smile.

"Just now, Fu'er secretly fed each of them half a pound of beef jerky. After the two eagles were full, they refused to stay on the boat any longer."

Yang Guo followed her gaze and looked eastward.

Where the sea meets the sky, the rising sun slowly breaks through the clouds, and the vast blue waves are sprinkled with shimmering gold.

Peach Blossom Island—it lies at the end of that golden light.

After three days of sailing, the vast ocean stretched out before us, yet the scenery remained unchanged.

After Ke Zhen'e boarded the ship, he stayed in the cabin to recuperate from his injuries, and Guo Jing and Huang Rong often took care of him.

The grief of Da Wu and Xiao Wu over the loss of their mother lessened slightly.

The two would occasionally chase and play on the deck, but most of the time they would sit on the ship's railing with their heads down, gazing silently at the vast sea.

Guo Fu also tried to chat with the Wu brothers, but the two were taciturn and could not utter a few words for a long time, so she turned to pester Yang Guo instead.

She looked at the boy before her, who had once been a ragged beggar but was now dressed in clean clothes.

His character and demeanor far surpassed those of Da Wu and Xiao Wu, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of closeness to him.

Yang Guo treated her with utmost propriety and addressed her as Sister Fu in every sentence.

However, he never took the initiative to say a word to her, which made Guo Fu secretly annoyed.

On the third day, at dusk, a startled cry suddenly rang out from the deck by Guo Fu.

Yang Guo looked into the distance following her call, and saw an island floating where the sea met the sky. The mountains were not majestic, but the outline was exquisitely beautiful.

The island is covered with lush trees, and the peach blossoms bloom like clouds and rosy hues, looking from afar like a pink mist floating on the blue sea.

A gentle sea breeze wafts in from there, carrying a faint, sweet, and ethereal floral fragrance amidst the salty, briny air, like a dream.

"arrive."

Guo Jing walked slowly to Yang Guo's side, gently pressing his broad hand on Yang Guo's shoulder, his voice carrying a simple pride.

"This is our home."

The boat has anchored at the shore.

As soon as the gangplank was set up, Guo Fu took the lead and ran off the boat, followed closely by the Wu brothers.

Ke Zhen'e leaned on his iron cane and slowly stepped across the diving board. As soon as his toes touched the sand, his usually stiff back seemed to relax a little.

Two mute servants from Peach Blossom Island stepped forward to greet them, gesturing to guide the group towards the center of the island.

Yang Guo looked up.

A stone path winds its way up, shaded by peach trees. The sea breeze scatters peach petals, carpeting the bluestone path like a layer of powdery snow.

At the end of the stone path, a spacious courtyard suddenly appears.

Several elegant houses with green tiles and white walls are nestled among the peach groves. There is a square pond in the courtyard, and a winding wooden bridge spans the water, leading directly to the backyard.

Several peach blossom paper lanterns hang under the eaves, swaying gently in the sea breeze.

Yang Guo and the others were placed in the west wing room.

As night fell, Huang Rong personally went into the kitchen to prepare a sumptuous family feast.

Peach Blossom Island has never had many formalities, and everyone sat around a round table.

Huang Rong's culinary skills are exquisite. She can prepare fresh fish in two ways: steamed and braised. She also adds a dish of pickled bamboo shoots made on the island, which are crisp, tender and fresh.

Yang Guo sat to Guo Jing's right, with Guo Fu beside him, occasionally poking at the food in her bowl with the tip of her chopsticks, asking how many versions of the Mount Hua Sword Tournament the storyteller from Jiaxing had told.

Yang Guo responded calmly, occasionally placing a piece of green vegetable into her bowl with his chopsticks, his manner as natural as if he were coaxing his impetuous little cousin.

Guo Fu was slightly taken aback, then pretended to eat the vegetables casually, but her ear tips secretly turned a light red, unable to hide the shyness in her heart.

Looking at the two of them being so affectionate, Huang Rong couldn't help but feel a strange sensation in her heart.

The Wu brothers lowered their heads to eat, occasionally stealing glances at Guo Fu.

Seeing her chattering incessantly around Yang Guo, and then hurriedly lowering her head, a pang of sadness welled up in her heart, wishing she could be sitting beside her instead.

Ke Zhen'e sat alone at the other end of the table, silently drinking fish soup. Tie Zhang leaned against the chair. After finishing his meal, he went back to his room to rest alone.

After the meal, Guo Jing pulled Huang Rong into the study and casually closed the door behind them.

He sat down at his desk, his fingertips unconsciously tapping the edge of the table, a habit he had always had when he was deep in thought.

"Rong'er," Guo Jing said slowly.

"I've made up my mind."

"Fu'er, Da Wu, Xiao Wu, and Guo'er, the four children, are young, but it is precisely the time for them to lay a solid foundation in martial arts."

"I plan to take all four of them under my wing, starting with basic martial arts and gradually building their foundation."

"If they are gifted and diligent in their studies, they can one day inherit my martial arts skills, protect the people, and safeguard the land of the Song Dynasty."

Huang Rong sat down opposite him without speaking immediately.

She picked up the teapot on the table, first poured a full cup for Guo Jing, then poured one for herself, gently stroking the rim of the cup with her fingertips for a moment, her voice gentle yet clear and articulate.

"Brother Jing, I have no objection to teaching a few children martial arts; it is our duty as elders."

"It's just that you've taken on four disciples to teach at once. All four are beginners, and their martial arts foundations vary. It's inevitable that you alone won't be able to provide adequate guidance."

"In my opinion, you should teach Fu'er and the Wu brothers, while I will teach Guo'er on my own. What do you think?"

Guo Jing was slightly taken aback: "You're going to teach Guo'er?"

"Do you think my martial arts are inferior to yours? In terms of fist and foot techniques, I am certainly no match for Brother Jing, but when it comes to teaching and nurturing students, you may not be able to beat me," Huang Rong said with a smile.

Guo Jing waved his hands repeatedly:

"That's absolutely not what I meant."

"Your talent and intelligence far surpass mine. Besides, we are only teaching the basics of martial arts. You are more than capable of teaching Guo'er."

"But Guo'er is, after all, Kangdi's son, and I know you still harbor resentment towards Kangdi's past..."

"Precisely because he is Yang Kang's son, I, as his aunt, must personally teach him."

Huang Rong interrupted him softly, her tone gentle yet her stance firm.

"As you said before, Yang Kang went astray because he grew up in the Jin state and never read the classics and did not understand the principles of morality and ethics."

"Guo'er suffered hardships and wanderings from a young age, making his mind far more insightful than that of ordinary children."

"I will first teach him to read and write and understand the principles of sages. It will not be too late for him to learn martial arts after his mind has become more stable."

"Even if one's martial arts skills become mediocre in the future, one can still immerse oneself in poetry and books, take the imperial examinations, and serve the country as an official. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"

Guo Jing felt that what he said made perfect sense.

Recalling the teachings of his two mentors, Ke Zhen'e and Zhu Cong, he learned poetry and books first, and then martial arts. He also remembered his own dullness in his youth, and how he often suffered because of his lack of literacy.

Huang Rong is well-versed in classical texts and exceptionally intelligent. With her guiding Guo'er, things will surely be safe and well-managed.

He immediately nodded: "Very good, Rong'er, your intelligence far surpasses mine, so we will do as you say."

"It would be far better for Guo'er to study and learn principles with you first than to follow me and practice rudimentary martial arts."

"I will guide Fu'er and the Wu brothers to solidify their martial arts foundation."

Huang Rong smiled faintly, picked up her teacup, and took a small sip.

The peach branches outside the window swayed in the night breeze, gently tapping against the windowpane.

She glanced sideways, and what flashed in her eyes was not relief, but rather the slight dissipation of the heavy worry in her heart.