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

"Really what?"

Zhao Zhijing's voice was not loud, but it was filled with a chilling and malevolent aura.

"Is it that you really can't keep an eye on it anymore? Or is it that you really don't want to keep an eye on it anymore?"

Lu Qingdu fell to his knees with a thud, his forehead almost touching the ground:

"This disciple dares not! This disciple would never dare to be negligent in the slightest."

"But Uncle Yin... he really hasn't left the hospital these past few days. I've been watching him day and night, not daring to even blink, but..."

"But what can?"

Zhao Zhijing interrupted him coldly.

"Do you think I sent you here to keep watch so you could relax and enjoy yourself?"

"Who is Yin Zhiping? He is the most senior disciple of Master Qiu, and the most prestigious among the third generation of Quanzhen disciples."

"How could someone like that easily reveal a flaw?"

"If you don't even have this much patience, you should get out of my school as soon as possible, so you don't embarrass yourself in public."

Lu Qingdu knelt on the ground, trembling all over, his teeth clenched so tightly they made a grinding sound.

It wasn't the cold that drove me, but rather my overwhelming fear.

He knew Zhao Zhijing's temperament all too well; if he still couldn't come up with a solution...

What awaits you will be far more than just a few words of scolding.

His forehead was pressed against the ground, and his voice was trembling with tears:

"Master, please calm down. This disciple...this disciple will continue to keep watch tonight and will definitely find out the result."

Zhao Zhijing looked down at Lu Qingdu, who was kneeling on the ground, with indifferent eyes, as if he were looking at a lowly ant.

After a moment of silence, he slowly spoke.

His tone was somewhat gentler than before, but the chill in his voice was even more chilling:

"Qingdu, you have studied with me for many years and you know my temperament well."

"Anything I assign to you, you must accomplish."

"If you succeed, I will certainly reward you handsomely; but if you fail..."

He paused briefly.

"Then don't blame your master for not showing any respect for his disciple."

Lu Qingdu trembled violently and repeatedly bowed his head in worship:

"Disciple understands! Disciple will certainly handle this matter properly!"

"Go ahead and keep a close watch on things. Don't let your teacher down."

Zhao Zhijing picked up his teacup again, his gaze falling indifferently on the tea, without glancing at him again.

Lu Qingdu struggled to get up from the ground and staggered out of the courtyard.

Once outside the courtyard gate, he stood leaning against the mottled wall for a while before his fear subsided.

Looking up, the sky was a hazy gray, with heavy, low-hanging clouds that seemed ready to collapse at any moment.

He gave a bitter laugh and, with his leaden steps, slowly walked towards his residence.

Feeling lost and helpless, I wondered how long I would have to endure these agonizing days.

Over the course of time, Lu Qingdu's once round face has become rapidly thinner.

His face was as sallow as old paper, his cheekbones were high and prominent, and his eye sockets were deep like two dark caves.

His steps were unsteady as he walked, as if a gust of cold wind could knock him over.

Once, when he went to the vegetarian room to get his meal, his hand suddenly went limp, the porcelain bowl slipped from his grasp and shattered into pieces on the ground, spilling thin porridge all over the floor.

The old Taoist priest in the meditation room looked at him like this, sighed softly, and without saying anything, silently served him another bowl.

Zhao Zhijing occasionally asked, "Is there any movement?" and saw Lu Qingdu slowly shake his head.

She simply snorted coldly, turned and left, not even wanting to glance at him again.

......

It was noon that day.

After finishing his midday homework as usual, Yang Guo went to his study room alone.

The Zhongnan Mountains were already quite chilly in mid-November.

The withered leaves under the eaves were swirling and falling in the north wind.

The ancient pines along the road were covered with a thin layer of frost, which shimmered with a cool white light under the midday sun.

Yang Guo walked slowly along the winding corridor.

As I turned a corner, I saw a familiar figure walking towards me in the distance.

The man's steps were unsteady, and his body staggered from time to time.

His Taoist robe hung on his body in tatters, as if it hadn't been washed for many days.

Yang Guo initially didn't take it to heart.

Chongyang Palace is neither too big nor too small, and it's common for fellow disciples to run into each other frequently.

As the two drew closer, he looked up at the man's face and was slightly taken aback.

Lu Qingdu's eyes were sunken, and his surroundings were bluish-black.

It seemed as if all his energy and spirit had been drained away, leaving only an empty shell barely holding on.

He hung his head, his gaze fixed on the bluestone slab beneath his feet.

Even when Yang Guo walked past him, he didn't notice.

Yang Guo didn't stop walking and brushed past him.

Without saying a word or glancing at her again, she walked straight toward the meditation room.

But he was already secretly making plans in his heart:

Ever since that day when he exchanged three blows with Zhao Zhijing, Lu Qingdu stopped following him around every day.

He had assumed the other party had given up and hadn't taken it to heart.

Seeing Lu Qingdu's haggard appearance at this moment, it was definitely not a deliberate act.

This is clearly a state caused by long-term sleep deprivation and physical and mental exhaustion.

Although Zhao Zhijing was narrow-minded, he wouldn't have tortured his disciples like this for no reason.

There seems to be only one explanation:

Lu Qingdu must be carrying out an extremely mentally taxing task.

Who could be the target that Zhao Zhijing is so meticulously focused on?

Yang Guo entered the meditation room, ladled out a bowl of vegetarian noodles, and sat down at a corner table.

He didn't immediately pick up his chopsticks; instead, his gaze slowly swept over everyone in the room.

Several young Taoist boys were clearing away the dishes, while two middle-aged Taoist priests were chatting quietly by the window.

Another old Taoist priest leaned against a corner, dozing with his eyes closed. All around was an ordinary scene.

He lowered his head, picked up a mouthful of noodles, and chewed slowly.

Before long, the sound of several young disciples chatting at the next table drifted into his ears.

"Have you seen Lu Qingdu? He's been like a lost soul these past few days, he's even staggering when he walks."

"That's right. Yesterday afternoon I went to the woodshed to get some things and found him leaning against the wall, dozing off. He didn't even wake up when I walked right up to him."

"I called him twice, and he suddenly stood up, muttering something like 'I'm not asleep, I'm not asleep.' He looked quite pitiful."

Another disciple lowered his voice and said:

"I heard he's been going out every night these past few days, I wonder what he's been up to in the dark."

"Once I got up in the middle of the night to go to the outhouse and saw him huddled under the old locust tree, wrapped in a tattered cotton-padded coat, shivering from the cold."

"The old locust tree? Isn't that outside Uncle Yin's courtyard wall? What's he squatting there doing?"

"How would I know? But I think he's probably tailing someone."

"You didn't see his eyes? They were as red as a rabbit's. He hadn't slept for several nights in a row."

"Stalking? Stalking whom? Could it be...?"

"Shh—I didn't say that, don't make wild guesses."

The third disciple leaned over and whispered:

"I've heard that Uncle Zhao has been paying extra attention to Uncle Yin's affairs lately."

"A few days ago, I even called Lu Qingdu into my room and we talked for a long time behind closed doors."

"Aren't Uncle Zhao and Uncle Yin always at odds? Sending Lu Qingdu to keep an eye on Uncle Yin is not unexpected."

"But this is too cruel. Look at Lu Qingdu's current state. If he stays like this for a few more days, he might lose his life."

"What can we do? We all know Uncle Zhao's temper. Who dares to shirk a task he assigns?"

After they finished speaking, they all shook their heads and sighed softly, their voices carrying both a hint of pity and a touch of detached indifference.

Yang Guo lowered his head and slowly ate his noodles, taking in every word of the conversation, while secretly sorting through the various clues in his mind.

It is now certain that Lu Qingdu was ordered by his master to monitor Yin Zhiping.

Zhao Zhijing's painstaking arrangements were all aimed at finding something to use against Yin Zhiping.