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

Time flows on, and seasons change.

Time flies by in the blink of an eye, as quickly as a sleeve flutters in the wind.

Inside the courtyard of the Wang Family Mansion in Zhouzhi County, the snow left over from winter slowly melts at the eaves, icicles drip from the eaves, and water droplets hit the bluestone steps, making a series of clear, tinkling sounds, adding a touch of cool vitality to the vast mansion.

An old plum tree stands in front of the main hall courtyard, its sparse shadows cast across the room. As late spring draws to a close, the remaining plum blossoms on the branches have not yet all fallen, and a faint fragrance drifts into the hall on the breeze, lingering there.

Incense wafted through the hall, its smoke rising slowly along the carved beams.

Two figures sat facing each other across the table, wisps of white steam rising from their celadon teacups.

The two enjoyed tea and chatted leisurely in a warm and relaxed atmosphere.

Seated at the head of the table was a middle-aged man of about forty years old, with a square and solemn face, wearing a brocade robe and jade belt, and exuding the composure of a patriarch of a powerful family.

It was none other than Wang Zhensong, the head of the Fanchuan branch of the Golden Knife Wang family in Luoyang!

On a nearby rosewood chair, another figure stood out:

The man was dressed in a simple white, loose short robe, his feet were bare, and his long hair and eyelashes were all white, unlike the color that ordinary people should have. He was pure and untouched by the world. He held a cup of boiling hot tea in his hands, his fingertips touching the inside of the cup, and sat quietly.

This person was none other than Yang Guo, who was eighteen years old.

Four years have passed, and the youthful naiveté of his youthful face has long since faded. His facial features have become more mature and reserved, yet he cannot conceal the ethereal and otherworldly aura surrounding him.

If an ordinary martial artist were to see him, he would feel as if he were facing a celestial being in the clouds, and would not dare to harbor the slightest intention of offending him.

Wang Zhengsong raised his hand, picked up the teapot, and refilled the teacups of the two men with fragrant tea.

He picked up his teacup and took a small sip, a humble smile on his face: "Master Yang, this tea is a spring tea harvested and processed this year before the Spring Festival. It has a pure and mellow flavor. Please have a taste."

Yang Guo raised his hand and held up the cup. The tea soup was clear and bright, refreshing and smooth as it went down his throat, with a long and elegant aftertaste.

He nodded slightly and praised, "It is indeed a first-class tea."

When Wang Zhengsong saw his praise, his smile became even more genuine.

Their conversations were always like this: most of the time, Wang Zhengsong would recount the happenings in the martial arts world, while Yang Guo would listen silently, occasionally offering a few words in response.

Over the course of four years, Yang Guo secluded himself in the Zhongnan Ancient Tomb to cultivate in seclusion. He learned most of the news about the changes in the martial arts world and the activities of various sects through Wang Zhengsong.

Located at a strategic point in Guanzhong, the Wang family had businesses all over the north and south, and their extensive network of contacts filled the information gap that had isolated him from the world.

The hall was warm and inviting, filled with the aroma of tea and plum blossoms, creating a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere.

Tracing back to the origins, it all began with that encounter at the gate of the Ancient Tomb four years ago. Wang Qingyuan went to Zhongnan Mountain to express his gratitude for being saved, and from then on, the Wang family and Yang Guo forged an indissoluble bond.

In recent years, the Mongol cavalry from the northern frontier have frequently invaded southwards, leaving the various martial arts sects in the north preoccupied with their own survival, causing chaos in the martial arts world and rampant banditry that plundered trade routes.

The Wang family possessed a vast trade route and industry, and had encountered numerous dangerous robberies and harassment from powerful figures.

Each time, it was Wang Qingyuan who rushed to Zhongnan Mountain to seek Yang Guo's help, which saved the Wang family from disaster on several occasions, thus preventing the Wang family's vast fortune from being severely damaged.

Over time, the two families developed a deep friendship.

Granny Sun no longer needed to brave the wind and frost to go down the mountain alone to buy the rice, flour, cloth, medicine, and other daily necessities required by the ancient tomb.

Every so often, the Wang family would send trusted servants to deliver all the supplies to a hidden marker on the back of Zhongnan Mountain, completing the handover quietly. This was considered a small gift from the Wang family to Yang Guo for his help on several occasions, a tacit understanding between them, and the formalities were impeccable.

After several rounds of tea and some casual conversation about the current state of affairs in the martial arts world, Wang Zhengsong became less talkative.

All the unusual events in the martial arts world, the rise and fall of bandits, and the subtle movements of the Mongol garrison that he had gathered over the past few days had been clearly described to Yang Guo.

Seeing this, Yang Guo put down his celadon teacup, gently stroking the rim with his fingertips, and slowly spoke:

"I troubled the manor lord to go to great lengths to gather information, hoping that this Guanzhong region can maintain such a peaceful and stable situation for a long time."

Wang Zhengsong put down his teacup, his smile fading slightly, and replied seriously:

"The trade routes are peaceful and bandits have disappeared. Travelers can travel safely along the way. All of this is thanks to Master Yang's repeated efforts to wipe out the bandits. Even the Mongol cavalry that have been entrenched in the surrounding area have become much more docile recently and dare not disturb the lives of the people again."

Yang Guo nodded slightly, his expression calm, but in his heart lay a worry that had been lingering for half a year.

Half a year ago, his own cultivation of the Reverse Life Triple Technique encountered the same difficulty he faced when advancing from the first to the second level.

Moreover, this situation is a hundred times more difficult than before.

When he climbed from the first level to the second level, although the process was arduous, he could still clearly sense the barrier in front of him. He only needed to follow the mental cultivation path to break through it little by little.

But now, trapped in the second realm, I can't detect the slightest trace of the barrier!

But no matter how hard he cultivated day and night on the cold jade bed, tempering his body and meridians, the road ahead was still shrouded in uncertainty, and he couldn't even move forward an inch!

At this point, any bed would be useless.

Since ancient times, spiritual practice has emphasized the importance of wealth, location, Dharma, and companions.

Wealth: The ancient tomb contains countless gold and silver treasures left by Lin Chaoying, piled up like mountains. In addition, with the Wang family's continuous supply of materials year after year, there is no worry about a shortage of money and materials.

Earth: Under heaven, there is no other treasure land for cultivation that can compare to the ancient tomb's cold jade bed. Day and night, it polishes the physical body and transforms it into Qi. It is the most suitable blessed land for cultivating the three levels of reverse life, and its geographical advantages have reached the pinnacle.

The method: The Threefold Reversal of Life Heart Technique is deeply rooted in his spiritual consciousness. It is his unique original cultivation method. When practicing it, it is perfectly integrated with his physical body. When it is activated, it is twice as effective with half the effort. The original source of the Heart Technique is impeccable.

Only this "companion"—

This became the only loophole that had blocked cultivation at this moment!

Only then did he realize that he had fallen into the same predicament as the Left Gate Master in another world.

However, in that world, the Left Gate Master can still find a "partner" with special skills who can tear apart his rebellious life at will and help him break through the double shackles.

But in this world of Jin Yong's martial arts novels, where could he find such a "companion"?

It wasn't that Yang Guo was arrogant.

With his current level of cultivation, he is virtually unmatched in the world. It is not an exaggeration to say that he is invincible in this era, and it is not an overstatement for him to call himself the undefeated Dugu.

Despite possessing unparalleled skill, he was trapped by the barrier of the second realm, unable to advance any further and unable to glimpse the secret realm of the third realm, which inevitably caused him some frustration.

Is it possible that in this world, we are trapped in this state with no possibility of breaking through the three levels?

While Yang Guo was in a state of mental turmoil.

A steady footstep sounded outside the hall, and an elderly servant, dressed in a dark blue brocade robe and appearing to be in his early fifties, slowly walked into the main hall.

He first bowed respectfully to the two people seated above him, then handed a tightly sealed letter from his bosom to Wang Zhensong's palm. He then leaned down and whispered a few words in Wang Zhensong's ear before bowing and leaving.

Yang Guo was drawn back to his senses by the movement and looked up.

Wang Zhengsong tore open the wax-sealed envelope, pulled out a plain paper letter, and quickly glanced at it. After only a few lines of text, the recipient's pupils suddenly narrowed, and his expression became serious.

Yang Guo's heart stirred slightly, and he pondered to himself:

Could it be that the Wang family's caravans have encountered another misfortune?

Wang Zhengsong laid the letter flat on the rosewood table, looked up at Yang Guo, and solemnly began to speak:

"Master Yang, the message in this letter is a momentous event that will shake the entire martial arts world of the Central Plains!"

Yang Guo raised an eyebrow slightly, his tone calm and indifferent: "Oh? What important matter?"

"It is a handwritten letter from my elder brother, Wang Zhenyue."

Wang Zhengsong tapped the words on the paper with his fingertip, and spoke in a deep voice, word by word:

The letter stated that a month later, at Lu Family Village in Dasheng Pass, on the border of Henan and Hubei provinces, Guo Jing and Huang Rong issued invitations to heroes from all over the land, intending to hold a grand gathering of heroes!