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

As for Qiu Chuji, Li Zhichang did not see him in person today.

But in the early morning, he heard from the disciples on night duty about what had happened the previous evening.

It is said that yesterday evening, the sect leader stood alone under the old cypress tree in the courtyard, with his hands behind his back facing the back mountain.

The evening breeze made his Taoist robe flutter, but he remained motionless, like a stone sculpture.

He stood there quietly for a long time, so long that the disciples on duty thought he had fallen asleep, and couldn't help but step forward and whisper their greetings:

"Master, it's late, you..."

Qiu Chuji did not turn around, but simply raised his hand and waved.

The disciple dared not say anything more and silently retreated to his original position.

After a moment, Qiu Chuji slowly turned around.

His face showed no joy, anger, sorrow, or grief, only a calm and composed demeanor.

He walked slowly toward the quiet room, his steps slightly slower than usual.

He paused briefly at the door, as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately remained silent and pushed the door open to enter the room.

The disciple concluded by saying that after the sect leader entered the meditation room, he did not light any lamps and sat quietly in the deep darkness for a long time.

After listening to this account, Li Zhichang remained silent.

He had always known Qiu Chuji's character well.

This sect leader was always decisive and strict in adhering to the sect rules, and never tolerated the mistakes of his disciples.

In the past, if such an incident of elders bullying new disciples occurred,

He must have already summoned all the members of Quanzhen Sect and given them a stern reprimand in public.

But this time, he chose to remain silent.

Such silence, compared to a stern rebuke, only intensifies the feeling of depression and oppression.

Li Zhichang understood that Qiu Chuji did not lack the desire to discipline, but rather the inability to do so.

Zhao Zhijing was Wang Chuyi's top disciple. To punish him in public would be tantamount to disgracing Wang Chuyi's lineage.

For decades, the Seven Masters of Quanzhen have been closely connected, sharing both prosperity and adversity.

Especially now that Zhongnan Mountain is under the jurisdiction of Mongolia.

The Mongol cavalry were eyeing Zhongnan Mountain with predatory intent, waiting for the right moment to launch their attack.

The Quanzhen School must unite and support each other.

To damage the bond of camaraderie forged over many years just for the sake of a nominal disciple.

This caused discord among the elders, ultimately allowing the Mongols to reap the benefits.

This gain or loss is even related to the survival of the Quanzhen School.

Qiu Chuji had a clear understanding of the situation.

Li Zhichang gathered his scattered thoughts and turned his gaze back to Yang Guo.

The young man sat upright opposite him, his mind focused.

It was as if all the disputes in the outside world had nothing to do with him.

Li Zhichang was filled with a myriad of emotions.

From the day the boy went up the mountain.

The label of "son of Yang Kang" was branded onto him like a mark.

It transformed into an invisible shackle, binding his path forward at Chongyang Palace.

But he never complained or argued; he simply kept to his studies and devoted himself to martial arts.

Even when Zhao Zhijing repeatedly made things difficult for him, he was able to calmly deal with it with a composure far beyond his years.

This composure surprised Li Zhichang and also made him feel somewhat uneasy.

If a fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy is too introverted and quiet, it is probably because he has a past filled with hardships that are far more difficult than those of his peers.

He suddenly realized that his feelings towards Yang Guo had already subtly changed:

At first, I just watched indifferently, then I was slightly surprised, and now I feel a little pity and concern.

These emotions rose and fell silently, yet were genuine and difficult to conceal.

The morning classes ended, and it was nearly 9:00 AM.

The sun gradually grew stronger, dispelling the morning chill, but the mountain wind remained biting, rustling the withered leaves under the eaves.

Yang Guo packed up his writing brush, ink, and scriptures, and stood up to bow and take his leave.

But then Li Zhichang called out to stop them:

"Yang Guo, please stay for a moment."

Yang Guo looked up and back:

"What are your instructions, Uncle Li?"

Li Zhichang did not speak immediately, but instead got up and pushed the window of the quiet room open halfway.

Let the cool mountain breeze rush in, replacing the stale air that has filled the room overnight.

After he returned to his seat on the prayer mat, he raised his hand and pointed to the seat opposite him.

whisper:

"Please sit down."

Yang Guo sat down as instructed, already having some guesses in his mind.

Li Zhichang remained silent for a moment, then slowly asked:

"Yesterday in the front yard, Senior Brother Zhao sparred with you to 'test' you. Were you injured?"

Yang Guo gently shook his head and replied in a low voice:

"Reporting to my master, I am not injured."

"Uncle Zhao, please show mercy; you only need to stop short of killing me."

Li Zhichang stared intently at him, knowing full well what was going on.

Zhao Zhijing was by no means a man who would show mercy to his subordinates, but since Yang Guo had said this, he did not deliberately expose him.

After nodding slightly, he said slowly:

"Tell me in detail what happened yesterday."

Yang Guo then recounted in detail everything that had happened the previous day.

He spoke frankly and calmly, as if he were recounting an old story about someone else.

After hearing this, Li Zhichang's voice was a bit lower than usual:

"Yang Guo, although you are only a nominal disciple of my Quanzhen Sect, since you are studying with me, I will consider you as half a disciple of mine."

"There are some things I shouldn't say, but since you've asked me about them today, I'll just give you a few words of advice."

Yang Guo lowered his head and looked down:

"Please give me your instructions, Master."

Li Zhichang slowly said:

I've heard a little about the entanglement between you and Senior Brother Zhao.

"Today we will not distinguish right from wrong, but I will only remind you of one thing: you are now in Quanzhen, your footing is not yet firm, and you have no support yet."

"Often, it is only by enduring for a while that you can keep things peaceful and avoid disaster.

"This is not cowardice or retreat, but rather a sense of propriety and wisdom in dealing with the world."

He paused briefly, then slowly gave his instructions:

"From now on, try to avoid Senior Brother Zhao as much as possible, lest he find a reason to punish you."

"If there is truly no way to avoid it, do not act rashly and confront it head-on. Just come and find me."

Yang Guo looked up at Li Zhichang, a hint of surprise and gratitude flashing in his eyes.

He nodded solemnly:

"I will keep this in mind and thank you for your instructions, Uncle Li."

Li Zhichang waved his hand slightly:

"Go on, don't miss today's lessons."

Yang Guo stood up, bowed, and left the quiet room.

Li Zhichang sat calmly on the futon, watching Yang Guo's departing figure, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

He didn't know if his advice today was right or wrong, but he knew in his heart that this young man was worth risking his life to protect.

In contrast, the atmosphere in Zhao Zhijing's courtyard was anything but peaceful.

Zhao Zhijing paced back and forth in the room, his face as somber as a cold pool.

The tea on the table had long since gone cold, and a thin layer of condensation had formed on the surface.

Like a dim bronze mirror, it reflected his fierce expression.

Lu Qingdu stood silently to the side, his heart pounding with anxiety.

They were afraid that their teachers would lose their temper and cause trouble for no reason.

Although Zhao Zhijing managed to suppress Yang Guo yesterday and barely won a round.

I thought the knot in my heart could be relieved a little, but unexpectedly I became more and more frustrated and depressed.

Rumors are now rampant on Zhongnan Mountain, with some even saying that Yang Guo's public admission of defeat was merely a deliberate concession.

They mocked him for not being able to handle even a disciple who had only been with the school for a little over a month.

How dare he claim to be the number one martial artist among the third-generation disciples of Quanzhen?

What made him even more indignant was that he had heard rumors about it early this morning.

It is said that Yin Zhiping went to Qiu Chuji's quiet room, and that Ma Yu visited Wang Chuyi's residence.

The teachers and officers were all talking about his fight yesterday behind his back.

Although no one publicly reprimanded him, the gazes of those around him were evident.

He was well aware of the implications behind it.