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

Guo Jing knew that the warning bell would not ring lightly unless there was a serious incident, and he guessed that something unexpected must have happened on Zhongnan Mountain. He was afraid that his fellow disciples from Quanzhen Sect had encountered danger.

His expression suddenly turned serious, and he turned to Yang Guo, saying in a deep voice:

"Guo'er, stay close to me, let's go."

As soon as he finished speaking, he leaped up and sped off towards Chongyang Palace.

Yang Guo followed closely behind Guo Jing, his steps swift.

He glanced back at the longswords scattered along the mountain path, then looked at Zhao Zhijing's grim and tense face.

Recalling the sword strike that this person had used to ambush Guo Jing earlier, he secretly made a mental note of it:

This person is indeed as ruthless as described in the original work, daring to secretly attack Uncle Guo. Let's remember this grudge for now and settle things with you another day.

......

Yang Guo followed closely behind Guo Jing, hurrying along the way.

The mountain path winds and twists, the stone steps are slightly damp, and ancient trees on both sides reach for the sky, their dense shade blocking out the sun.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the scenery suddenly opened up before us.

Nestled on the mountainside of Zhongnan Mountain, a magnificent complex of palaces and buildings suddenly comes into view.

The green tiles stretch out in a staggered pattern, and the eaves rise in layers. Although it lacks the gilded splendor of the royal palaces, it has its own majestic and solemn Taoist charm.

A huge plaque hangs high above the mountain gate, with five large gilded characters prominently displayed:

Chongyang Wanshou Palace

Guo Jing stopped and straightened his clothes slightly.

Turning around, he saw Yang Guo following closely behind, not leaving his side for a moment, and was about to step forward to knock on the door and announce his arrival.

Suddenly, the sound of weapons clashing violently came from inside the palace, interspersed with angry shouts and muffled groans.

He frowned slightly, strode into the mountain gate, passed the front courtyard, and went past the Lingguan Hall.

Inside the Sanqing Hall, sword light crisscrossed and palm winds howled, as the six disciples of Quanzhen had formed an array and were fighting fiercely.

The incense table inside the hall was overturned, candlesticks were scattered all over the floor, and the fruits and offerings on the table were trampled into a mess.

Several young disciples lay sprawled in a corner, their fate unknown.

Hao Datong leaned against a pillar in the hall, his face pale, blood seeping from the corner of his lips. His Taoist robe was torn open at the chest, and there were bruises under his skin, clearly indicating that he had suffered a severe blow from the enemy.

Ma Yu, Qiu Chuji, Wang Chuyi, Liu Chuxuan, and Sun Bu'er hastily formed a simple Big Dipper formation to protect Hao Datong behind it.

Opposite the five men was a man dressed in a magnificent brocade robe, with a fair complexion and no beard, whose eyes concealed a sinister and calculating nature. He was none other than Huo Du, a noble young man from Mongolia.

The other man was as tall and imposing as a mountain, with dark skin, broad shoulders and a terrifyingly strong physique; he was Darba, a foreign monk from a foreign land.

The Five Masters of Quanzhen were locked in fierce combat with the two men and their seven or eight skilled martial arts practitioners.

Huo Du's folding fan opened and closed rapidly, his moves unpredictable and cunning, targeting any gaps in the Five Elements Formation with fierce attacks.

Darba wielded his heavy vajra, each strike carrying immense force, causing the blue bricks inside the hall to crack and shards of stone to fly everywhere.

The remaining Mongol experts, each armed with weapons, roamed around providing support, frequently seizing opportunities to launch treacherous sneak attacks.

The Five Masters of Quanzhen had to fight Huo Du while also protecting the seriously injured Hao Datong.

They also had to be wary of Darba's powerful charge, and with a host of enemies constantly launching sneak attacks, they were constantly restrained and in a dangerous situation.

The whisk in Ma Yu's hand had broken in half.

Qiu Chuji's Taoist robe had a long gash cut open at the cuff by a sharp blade, with faint traces of blood seeping out.

Wang Chuyi's forehead was covered in sweat, and his breathing was rapid and unsteady.

While circling and engaging in combat, Huo Du uttered sarcastic remarks:

"What Seven Masters of Quanzhen? In my opinion, they are nothing more than Seven Worms of Quanzhen."

"If a mere handful of people cannot withstand it, what face do they have to call themselves the orthodox sect of the Xuanmen (Taoist school)?"

"In my opinion, you would be better off handing over the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra obediently, so as not to delay Little Dragon Girl's lifelong happiness."

Just then, a deep voice came from the entrance of the main hall:

"Who dares to spout such arrogant words and commit such heinous acts here! How dare you claim that there is no one in Quanzhen? I shall see if you can teach me a few moves!"

Everyone turned their heads at the sound.

Guo Jing strode into the main hall.

His gaze sharpened, instantly sweeping across the chaos within the hall. His eyes fell upon Hao Datong, leaning heavily against a pillar, his anger flaring. He said no more.

As their palms crossed, the powerful and fierce internal energy of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms surged forth.

He struck Huo Du with a palm strike, forcing the opponent to retreat several steps.

He immediately swept out with his palm, sending a Mongolian expert who was trying to sneak attack Liu Chuxuan flying through the air. The expert crashed heavily into a pillar in the hall and collapsed to the ground, unable to get up for a long time.

"It's Jing'er!"

Ma Yu exclaimed in surprise and delight.

Seeing this, Qiu Chuji's spirits lifted, and he said loudly:

"Jing'er, you've come at just the right time!"

Huo Du barely managed to steady himself, squinting as he sized up the person who had intruded so abruptly.

Seeing the overwhelming power of his opponent's palm strike, he felt a sense of apprehension, but refused to show any weakness on his face, coldly sneering:

"Another busybody has appeared. May I ask what your connection is with the Quanzhen Sect?"

Guo Jing did not introduce himself, but asked in a deep voice:

"Who exactly are you, and why are you leading a group to trespass on a Taoist temple and besiege the Quanzhen Taoist sect?"

Huo Du scoffed and said arrogantly:

"I am Khodu, the Mongol prince."

"I've come here today specifically to marry the Little Dragon Girl of the Ancient Tomb Sect, and also to teach the Quanzhen Sect some advanced martial arts techniques."

"If you know what's good for you, obediently step aside and don't stick your neck out for no reason, or you'll end up humiliating yourself."

Guo Jing frowned and said in a deep voice:

"What utterly absurd and obscene language!"

"The Quanzhen Sect is the orthodox sect of the Central Plains, and all its disciples are monks. How can we allow you to speak so recklessly here?"

"If you truly wish to engage in a fair and aboveboard exchange of martial arts techniques, I will certainly treat you with the utmost courtesy."

"But you launched a sneak attack and injured someone first, which is not the behavior of a hero."

Huo Du's face darkened, and he sneered:

"Quite the boast!"

"Since you insist on interfering, then I'll take you down first, and then raze this Chongyang Palace to the ground!"

After saying this, he suddenly closed his folding fan and was about to leap forward to make a move.

Guo Jing raised his hand to stop him, and said in a deep voice:

"Hold your hand before you act."

Huo Du abruptly stopped, and sneered:

"What, are you scared? Heh."

Guo Jing surveyed the hall, his gaze sweeping over the overturned incense table, the shattered blue bricks, and the scattered candlesticks, and said in a deep voice:

"This place is the Sanqing Hall, where the patriarchs of Taoism are enshrined."

"If you and I were to fight here, we would inevitably damage the temples and statues and blaspheme the gods."

"Why don't we move to the plaza outside the palace and have a fair duel then? What do you think, Your Excellency?"

Huo Du sneered, swiftly unfolded his folding fan, and laughed loudly:

"Alright, at least you know your manners."

"As you say, I'd like to see just how capable you are of protecting Chongyang Palace."

After speaking, he turned and stepped out of the hall first, followed closely by Darba and a group of Mongolian experts.

Guo Jing turned to look at the Six Masters of Quanzhen and whispered:

"Uncle Ma, Uncle Qiu, please rest here and wait. After I have dealt with these people, I will come back and explain the whole story to you."

Ma Yu nodded slightly and offered his advice:

"Jing'er, you must be extra careful."

"That Huo Du is treacherous and cunning, and his methods are unpredictable. We must not underestimate him."

Guo Jing responded and strode out of the main hall.

Yang Guo followed closely behind, remaining silent throughout, quietly observing the expressions and behaviors of everyone inside and outside the hall.

He secretly pondered each person's character, comparing them one by one with the appearances of the people he knew.