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

After leaving Zu'an Town, the number of travelers along the way gradually decreased.

In the fields on both sides of the road, only withered crops and stubble remained, frozen hard by the frost, covered with a thin layer of white frost, hanging from the withered stems.

Thin snow that fell last night still lingered on the eaves of distant houses, but most of it had been melted by the sun, leaving only faint white streaks on the shady corners of the walls.

Winters in the North are always dry and cold; the air you breathe in carries a slight, stinging coolness that instantly clears your mind.

The white breath exhaled from his mouth rose in wisps, only to be torn apart by the biting wind and scattered into the desolate world.

Yang Guo quickened his pace slightly, and soon turned onto the secluded forest path leading to Zhongnan Mountain.

As soon as we entered the dense forest, the sunlight instantly disappeared.

The branches of the towering ancient trees are intertwined and gnarled, like a net or a curtain, blocking out the thin winter sunlight layer by layer.

Specks of light filtered through the branches, spreading across the frozen, withered leaves on the ground, creating a mottled and chaotic effect, like a giant, hazy net covering the entire forest.

Yang Guo stopped stepping on the ground, lightly touched the tree trunk with his toes, and instantly rose into the air, like a kite soaring through the sky, landing steadily on the thick, horizontal branch.

He lightly touched the dry branch with his toes, and the sound of his foot landing was so faint that it was almost inaudible, like the wind rustling through the treetops, like a raccoon darting through the forest.

Occasionally, the remaining snow clinging to the branches would be shaken and fall with a soft rustling sound, the scattered snowflakes adding to the serene atmosphere of the forest.

Yang Guo's eyes were clear as he scanned the road ahead through the intertwined branches, his mind constantly alert, not daring to relax for a moment.

After speeding through the woods for about half a cup of tea's time, a series of hurried and rapid footsteps suddenly came from behind.

The sound approached from afar, layer by layer, its footsteps echoing across the thick, frozen, withered leaves, creating a series of fine, crisp cracking sounds, hurried yet powerful, clearly indicating that there were quite a few people behind.

Upon hearing the sound, Yang Guo suddenly leaped up, using the momentum to rise higher, and flipped over to climb onto a thick old locust tree, using the terrain to look back at the way he had come.

Eleven figures came rushing towards him from afar, their steps hurried. They were the same group of Wang family guards he had seen in Zu'an Town.

At that time, the crowd was patrolling the streets in a steady and orderly formation, but now they were completely unhurried, and everyone was running as fast as they could, obviously trying to catch up with the person in front of them.

Their footsteps were firm and powerful, crushing the frozen leaves on the ground with a continuous sound. In the biting cold wind, wisps of white breath rose from their mouths and noses, dissipating as they ran.

Yang Guo's gaze passed over the group of guards and landed directly on the figure rushing at the front.

The figure was clearly a woman, her apricot-yellow Taoist robe billowing in the wind, her wide sleeves fluttering, making her stand out conspicuously in the dark gray-brown winter forest.

Her movements were incredibly fast; with each step she took, she could leap several meters away. Her figure was ethereal and unpredictable, moving through the dense forest like a ghost soaring through the air.

The guards behind her were all skilled martial artists who had practiced for many years and had superhuman speed. However, despite their efforts to catch up, they did not close the distance at all. Instead, they were left further and further behind by the apricot-yellow figure.

The moment Yang Guo saw the woman's face clearly, his gaze fixed on her, and he was slightly taken aback.

Li Mochou!

It could actually be her?

Li Mochou, the Red Serpent Fairy, was a traitor to the Ancient Tomb Sect and a fearsome female demon in the martial arts world!

Why did she appear in the Zhongnan Mountain area? And why was she being relentlessly pursued and surrounded by that group of people?

Numerous thoughts raced through Yang Guo's mind.

Li Mochou is known for her elusive nature and opportunistic nature; she only comes to this area because of an old grudge against the Ancient Tomb. It's highly likely that she's here specifically for the Ancient Tomb.

Within the ancient tomb, only Xiaolongnu and Granny Sun reside, isolated from the world and completely unprepared. If Li Mochou were to quietly approach, the consequences would be dire.

Having figured this out, Yang Guo didn't linger any longer. He turned around and used the layers of branches and leaves to continue flying forward.

He planned to rush back to the ancient tomb first to inform Granny Sun that Li Mochou had appeared in Zhongnan Mountain and was being chased, so that the two of them could be on guard and protect the entrance to the ancient tomb.

His figure transformed into a faint gray shadow, swiftly weaving through the bare branches, the cold wind whistling past his ears, making his clothes flutter.

But after only a few breaths of speeding along, he immediately realized something was wrong.

The dense footsteps behind me did not fade away; instead, they grew closer and clearer.

Yang Guo suddenly stopped, and the withered branches beneath his feet trembled slightly.

He slowly exhaled a puff of white mist, turned his body slightly to the side, and looked back.

Li Mochou was seen fleeing ahead, with a group of guards in hot pursuit. The two groups of people were following the same forest path as Yang Guo, heading straight into the depths of Zhongnan Mountain.

In an instant, Yang Guo saw through Li Mochou's thoughts.

Her escape was not a random, panicked flight; it was clearly a deliberate attempt to lure troops straight into the ancient tomb area.

This person is malicious and treacherous, and acts without any moral bottom line. His actions this time are undoubtedly for one of two purposes:

One plan was to lure the pursuers to the vicinity of the ancient tomb, taking advantage of its treacherous terrain and numerous secret passages to escape and hide.

The second, even more insidious, plan was to deliberately lure the pursuers to the entrance of the ancient tomb, diverting the trouble to the reclusive Ancient Tomb Sect so they could defend her from the pursuers, allowing her to sit back and watch the fight unfold, reaping the benefits in the process.

Given Li Mochou's ruthless and unscrupulous nature, she was absolutely capable of such scheming.

Upon realizing this, Yang Guo's eyes turned slightly cold, and he immediately made a decision.

Rather than rushing back to the ancient tomb and passively defending, it would be better to intercept both groups of people in this forest pass and completely cut off Li Mochou's chance to get close to the ancient tomb.

He placed his toes firmly on the thick horizontal branch, and was about to leap out when a series of neat and steady footsteps suddenly came from the depths of the dense forest ahead, completely different from the panicked and hurried footsteps of the pursuers behind him.

Yang Guo immediately stopped his stance and focused on observing carefully.

From the deep, dense forest, more than ten figures strode out, lined up in neat rows.

The group's clothing and attire were exactly the same as those of the guards chasing Li Mochou, clearly indicating that they were the same group who had laid an ambush and blocked the road in advance.

The leader was a middle-aged man, around forty years old, with a slender and upright figure, distinct features, and a calm demeanor unique to martial artists from a prestigious family.

The man was dressed in a close-fitting brocade outfit, with a finely crafted ring-pommel longsword hanging at his waist. The scabbard was dark and subtly exuded a murderous aura.

His gaze was deep and cold as he slowly swept across the mountains and forests ahead, his expression solemn and his aura as steady as a mountain.

Yang Guo's gaze swept over the crowd, and then his eyes were drawn to a beautiful figure beside the middle-aged man.

Beside the man stood a girl of about fifteen or sixteen years old.

She wore a snow-white mink cloak, its fabric soft and luxurious, and through the gaps in the cloak, a section of her lotus-root-colored silk skirt could be vaguely seen underneath.

The girl was born with an exceptionally beautiful face, with eyebrows like distant mountains shrouded in mist, eyes as clear as autumn water, and skin as white and delicate as solidified jade.

The dim winter sunlight fell on her cheeks, creating a warm, porcelain-like glow, making her look ethereal and otherworldly.

Her long, jet-black hair was loosely tied up, with a simple lotus-shaped jade ornament at her temple. It was neither gaudy nor extravagant, but it made her figure appear even more graceful and refined, like a newly blooming lotus in a clear pond.

She stood among a group of burly, grim-faced guards, her slender figure making her seem somewhat out of place, yet she showed none of the timidity or panic typical of delicate young women.

He merely furrowed his brow slightly, his gaze fixed on the depths of the dense forest, a hint of worry lurking in his eyes, as if concerned about what lay ahead.

Such beauty and bearing are in no way inferior to Guo Fu of Peach Blossom Island or Xiaolongnu of the Ancient Tomb; it's just that the three have their own unique temperament and charm.