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

To others, Zhang Zhiguang's remarks could be described as full of resentment, incoherent, and utterly illogical.

Looking at his current frenzied state, some of his fellow disciples felt a pang of pity in their eyes, while others smirked.

It was said that Granny Sun's blow had been too forceful, leaving him dizzy and disoriented.

Hao Datong stood there, his face turning ashen.

He was furious that his disciple had spoken nonsense and behaved improperly in public, causing him and the Quanzhen School to lose face.

However, unlike the reactions of others:

Grandma Sun, standing to the side, unconsciously tightened her grip on her cane, her gaze quickly glancing at Yang Guo above the branch.

Her heart trembled inwardly: the words of the Quanzhen disciple in front of her, though incoherent and without any evidence, had inadvertently hit the nail on the head.

Meanwhile, Zhang Zhiguang on the other side was still roaring incessantly, his throat already hoarse and torn, his breathing disordered.

He showed no sign of stopping, his voice resonating directly in Hao Datong's ears:

"Master! That old hag hit me with her staff just now; the force behind it was profound. How could an ordinary old woman possess such skill?"

"And that strange white-haired man! He never appears earlier or later, but just when we're about to catch a clue about the killer! There's definitely something fishy going on here!"

His voice was hoarse and shrill, full of resentment and unwillingness:

"And they say Li Mochou has been executed? Hmph! I think it's nothing but empty talk and a lie that can't be proven! Li Mochou is in their hands, so they can just spout whatever they want!"

"They're completely in cahoots! These two are the biggest accomplices of that female demon Li Mochou in wreaking havoc on the martial arts world!"

"The tragic death of Senior Brother Zhijing and the serious injury to Senior Brother Zhiping that night were entirely the work of these two villains!"

His eyes were bloodshot, and he knelt down, desperately roaring:

"Master! The murderer is within reach today. If we let this go, the Quanzhen School will be unworthy of being a legitimate sect of Taoism! How will we, his disciples, face our founder, Patriarch Chongyang, when we are in the afterlife? Master!"

This final question, a direct inquiry into the ancestors, pierced Hao Datong's eardrums like a sharp blade.

Although Hao Datong was filled with anger, he suppressed it and tried to maintain the demeanor of a Taoist elder.

But when Zhang Zhiguang mentioned the words "Master Chongyang", the anger and shame that had been building up in his chest for so long could no longer be contained and burst forth!

He suddenly raised his right arm, his palm striking fiercely!

Snapped!

A crisp, resounding slap landed squarely on Zhang Zhiguang's other, undamaged cheek.

The force of the palm strike was extremely heavy, causing Zhang Zhiguang's body to lurch violently to the side, staggering back several steps.

He barely managed to stand, his hands covering his burning cheeks, his eardrums ringing, his eyes staring blankly at his master, as if he couldn't believe what had just happened.

"You wretched child! Stop talking!"

Hao Datong's voice trembled slightly with anger, filled with a bitter disappointment and indignation:

"You! ...Talking nonsense and shameless! You've completely disgraced the Quanzhen Sect and your master!"

His chest heaved violently. He took a deep breath, looked at his stubborn disciple, and roared in anguish:

"If it weren't for Granny Sun's timely intervention that night, let alone Zhao Zhijing, it's questionable whether even Yin Zhiping would have survived!"

"And now you're doing this, ungrateful for the kindness shown to you, instead distorting the truth and spewing false accusations! You...you've disappointed me greatly!"

Zhang Zhiguang stood frozen in place, his cheeks burning with pain.

He looked at his master's face, flushed with anger, his mind went completely blank, filled with grievance, confusion, and utter bewilderment:

He doesn't understand.

He really doesn't understand.

He was clearly telling the truth, but there were obvious signs of something amiss. The old woman and the white-haired strange man were clearly hiding something.

Why does the master turn a blind eye? Instead, he punishes his own disciple?

His lips moved violently, as if he wanted to speak in defense, but his throat was choked and blocked, and he couldn't utter a word for a long time.

Seeing that he had finally calmed down, Hao Datong also calmed his indignation and stopped looking at him.

He turned and waved to the two disciples beside him:

"Guards! Take him back to the palace!"

The two disciples quickly stepped forward, each grabbing one of Zhang Zhiguang's arms and dragging him forward passively.

Hao Datong was feeling depressed at the moment. He didn't say much to Granny Sun and strode to the front of the group.

His back was stiff and tense, and his steps were heavy.

A group of Quanzhen disciples followed closely behind, their scattered footsteps gradually fading into the distance, eventually swallowed up by the wind and disappearing into the mountains and forests.

The noise subsided, and the forest returned to silence.

Granny Sun watched as the Quanzhen disciples completely disappeared into the dense forest, and finally slowly loosened her grip on her wooden staff.

She let out a long breath, and her tense back relaxed, as if a huge boulder had been lifted from her body.

Yang Guo, perched on a thick branch, sensed that the others had gone far away. He moved lightly, grabbing Hong Lingbo by the collar and gently landing on the ground.

Hong Lingbo's legs were still a little weak when she landed, but the sword wound on her arm had stopped bleeding, and her palpitations had gradually subsided.

She steadied herself, first raising her hand to straighten her disheveled clothes, then taking a half step back.

He bowed deeply to Granny Sun and Yang Guo, his voice still choked with the sobs of someone who had survived a calamity:

"Thank you so much for saving me, seniors. I will remember your kindness and repay you in the future."

Grandma Sun raised her hand and waved gently, her voice warm and kind:

"Since you are Mochou's disciple, there is no need for such formalities. Besides, this old woman can't stand those Taoist priests forcing a little girl."

"Although the bleeding on your arm has stopped, it still needs to be treated quickly to prevent it from festering and becoming infected. Come on, come inside with me, I'll apply medicine and bandage it for you."

Hong Lingbo nodded slightly, but did not move her feet for a long time.

She stood there, her lips moving several times, as if she wanted to say something, but hesitated.

After hesitating several times, she finally bit her lower lip and whispered:

"Grandma, just now this white-haired senior said...that my master is dead. Is that...true?"

When she asked that question, her eyes were filled with a jumble of emotions—fear, unease, and a hint of bewilderment that she herself couldn't quite explain.

Upon hearing this, Granny Sun did not answer immediately, but instead turned her gaze to Yang Guo beside her.

Yang Guo stood quietly to the side, not responding directly, but instead calmly asking in return:

"If your master really dies, what do you plan to do? Do you intend to avenge her?"

Hong Lingbo was momentarily stunned by this unexpected question.

She remained silent for a long time, her fingertips unconsciously clenching the tattered hem of her clothes, before finally speaking slowly, her voice barely audible:

"I...I don't know."

She paused briefly, her shoulders trembling slightly, and continued in a low voice:

"I know that my master killed many innocent people in his life, and his actions were utterly wrong."

"But she took me in back then and gave me a way to live. I can never forget that kindness."

"But if she really dies... I have no ability to avenge her, nor any right to do so. All I can do is burn some paper money for her on holidays and festivals in the future..."

He finished speaking.

Hong Lingbo seemed to have exhausted all her strength. Her eyes were slightly red, but she held back her tears.

Grandma Sun listened quietly, let out a soft sigh, stepped forward, and gently patted her shoulder:

"Good child, the fact that you can say these words shows that you can distinguish right from wrong and good from evil, which shows that you are not a bad person. Your master went astray, and it is already commendable that you did not follow him down the wrong path."

Yang Guo stood a few steps away, listening to Hong Lingbo's answer, a hint of agreement flashing in his eyes.

He didn't continue the conversation, but simply turned and strode towards the stone gate, his tone still indifferent:

"Come in, you'll find out about your master once you're inside..."

Upon hearing this, Hong Lingbo was slightly taken aback, as if she sensed that there was another meaning hidden in his words, and she was unsure of what to do.

She turned to look at Granny Sun, who nodded slightly, signaling her to follow.

Hong Lingbo took a deep breath of the chilly forest air, then followed the two of them toward the entrance of the ancient tomb.