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

A brief silence fell over the stone chamber.

Grandma Sun stared at his face for a long time.

Her aged eyes held a wary look that said, "This old woman has lived for over sixty years; she's not so easily fooled."

But she saw that Yang Guo's gaze was calm and composed, without the slightest hint of guilt or evasion.

After a long while, she slowly withdrew her gaze, a soft sigh echoing in the cold stone chamber.

"What a pitiful child."

She murmured softly, as if talking to herself:

"If it weren't for having no other choice, I doubt anyone would want to be trapped in this sunless place. I believe you, old woman."

Yang Guo remained outwardly calm, but a thought stirred within him.

I never imagined that the clichéd plots and tropes from those online novels in my past life could be so easily believed by Granny Sun.

But he knew very well that Granny Sun wasn't stupid. The reason she was willing to believe him wasn't because her explanation was reasonable, but because Granny Sun had begun to accept him.

All Grandma Sun needed was a reason that could convince herself.

Yang Guo finished the last bite of food in his bowl, neatly put the bowl and chopsticks into the food box, and closed the lid.

Seeing this, Granny Sun didn't linger any longer. She got up, picked up the food box, and walked towards the door.

Yang Guo quickly got up to see him off, all the way to the stone gate.

As she reached the door, Granny Sun stopped, turned back to look at Yang Guo, and said gently:

"Since you have such difficulties, then stay here in this ancient tomb. As long as you behave yourself, I can't guarantee you won't freeze, but I can definitely guarantee you won't go hungry."

After saying that, she stepped into the deep passageway, the sound of her wooden cane gradually fading away and eventually disappearing into the darkness.

Yang Guo gazed at that retreating figure and murmured two words:

"Thanks."

......

On the other side of Zhongnan Mountain, the night was deep and the bright moon hung high.

A chilly night breeze swept across the ancient pine tree in front of the Sanqing Hall, causing the copper bells on the eaves to tinkle softly, their echoes reverberating in the silent night air.

The Sanqing Hall was brightly lit, with more than ten giant candles, each as thick as an arm, burning together, illuminating the entire hall as if it were daytime.

A gentle breeze stirred the candlelight, making it flicker and illuminate the portrait of the patriarch hanging on the wall, making it appear lifelike, as if the gaze of the person in the painting was also moving with the candlelight.

Almost all the high-ranking members of the Quanzhen Sect were present, seated on both sides, each with a solemn expression on their face.

Hao Datong stood below the hall, spittle flying from his mouth, recounting his day's investigation.

He spoke rapidly and gestured frequently, clearly feeling extremely frustrated that he had accomplished nothing despite his hard work and travels that day.

"I led my disciples down the back mountain, thinking that we would be able to pinpoint their location once we reached the town."

"Unexpectedly, the town was small, but it was bustling with people and merchants. The footprints were trampled and messed up by the passersby, and the clues were lost."

He slammed his fist into his palm, making a crisp "smack," and added:

"After that, we spent the whole day searching the town, visiting all the inns, taverns, and carriage shops, and even questioning people from house to house, but we still couldn't find a single suspicious clue."

"Damn it, those four guys practically sprouted wings and flew away!"

Hao Datong realized he had misspoke and used a foul language, coughed to compose himself, and continued:

"However, I have arranged for people to be on duty day and night at all the entrances and exits of the town."

"As long as they dare to show their faces, we will definitely be able to capture them. Tomorrow, I will lead more people to expand the search area and check the surrounding villages as well, so as to bring these people to justice as soon as possible."

Qiu Chuji sat at the head of the table. After listening to Hao Datong's report, he nodded slightly and then turned his gaze to Wang Chuyi.

Wang Chuyi sat in a chair, looking haggard with bloodshot eyes, clearly exhausted from a day of running around.

He spent the whole day handling Zhao Zhijing's funeral arrangements—purchasing a coffin, setting up the mourning hall, and writing a eulogy. Each and every task required his personal attention.

Although he did not outwardly show signs of grief or loss of composure, everyone present could see that the death of his beloved disciple had completely emptied his spirit.

Qiu Chuji sighed inwardly, knowing that this was not the time to offer comfort.

He could only look away and turn to look at Liu Chuxuan.

Liu Chuxuan immediately understood, stood up, cupped his hands, and reported:

"Reporting to Senior Brother Master, apart from the disciples sent to the Xiangyang branch who are still on their way, all the other disciples have sent back messages from various directions."

"The Mongols in the towns below the mountain did not find any unusual activity, nor did they find any signs of a large force being mobilized; as for Huo Du and his party, there was no sign of them returning to Zhongnan Mountain."

Upon hearing this, everyone was filled with doubts.

Qiu Chuji tapped the armrest lightly with his fingertips.

The Mongols made no unusual moves, and Khodu did not return—everything seemed quite normal and peaceful, but it was precisely this apparent calm that made people feel increasingly uneasy.

If those four bandits weren't instigated by Mongols, then who was behind them? This mystery hangs like a sword over everyone's heads.

Qiu Chuji took a deep breath, suppressed his chaotic thoughts, and finally focused his gaze on Li Zhichang in the corner.

"Zhichang, have you found any trace or clues about Yang Guo today?"

Li Zhichang shook his head, bowed deeply, and said:

"Reporting to Master, today I led men to search all the dense forests, caves, and streams within a radius of several miles behind the mountain, but we found no trace of Yang Guo."

"I sent men down the mountain to question people at various intersections and towns all day, but to no avail. It was as if he had... vanished into thin air."

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the hall immediately became somewhat strange.

The candlelight seemed to dim as well, and everyone's breathing could be clearly heard in the silence.

Hao Datong and Liu Chuxuan were busy with foreign affairs today and were unaware of this matter. Upon hearing this, they both looked surprised.

Liu Chuxuan spoke first:

"Yang Guo? Is that the young man Jing'er sent up the mountain two months ago?"

Li Zhichang turned around and answered:

"Yes, Senior Uncle Liu, it is Yang Guo. This morning, after I realized he was missing, I immediately reported it to the Sect Leader and searched the area around Zhongnan Mountain for a whole day."

Upon hearing this, Liu Chuxuan stroked his long beard, lowered his head, and fell into deep thought.

Hao Datong then slapped his thigh and stood up abruptly:

"Zhichang, when did the child go missing? Could it have been last night?"

"The exact time is still unclear, but based on the circumstances, it should have been last night."

Hao Datong was quick-witted and immediately connected this matter with the murder case at Luanshigang last night.

He almost blurted out:

"Yang Guo mysteriously disappeared last night? And the murder happened right around the same time! Isn't this all too coincidental?"

"Could it be that he led those four bandits up the mountain last night? After the plot was exposed, he fled with the thieves?"

These words were like a bombshell, causing an immediate uproar in the room.

Sun Bu'er's eyes brightened slightly, as if this guess was exactly what she had in mind.

Ma Yu sternly dissuaded him:

"Junior Brother Hao, please calm down. Although it is quite a coincidence that the two things are together, Junior Brother Qiu and I specifically asked Zhiping this afternoon. He said that he did not see Yang Guo in the back mountain last night."

Sun Bu'er, however, was no longer silent as she had been during the day, and slowly spoke:

"But this child never disappeared earlier or later, yet he vanished on the very night someone died. Is it really just a coincidence?"

"Fellow disciples, do not forget that besides those four bandits, there was also a dark figure that no one could see clearly last night."

Upon hearing the words "black shadow," Wang Chuyi's bloodshot eyes widened abruptly, and his voice became hoarse:

"Junior Sister means... that shadowy figure might be Yang Guo?"

Sun Bu'er narrowed his eyes slightly and said calmly:

"It's just my speculation."

The people in the room looked at each other, all finding Sun Bu'er's guess somewhat shocking.

Li Zhichang hurriedly spoke up in rebuttal:

"Senior Uncle Sun, Yang Guo has only been a disciple for two months, and his foundation is not yet solid. How could he possibly be involved in Senior Brother Zhao's murder?"

Wang Chuyi spoke in a heavy tone:

"Why not? Yang Guo had a duel with Zhi Jing half a month ago."

"We all know the result of that test. On the surface, Zhijing won, but the skills Yang Guo displayed were definitely not those of a disciple who had just started learning."

"If that dark figure really was him, then both things make sense!"