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

Guo Jing nodded repeatedly upon hearing this, and said in a deep voice:

"What Master Lu said makes sense. Then I will trouble you to take care of our guests. I will take Guo'er and the others inside to settle them in first."

Having said that, he turned to face the group behind him, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, and said in a deep and dignified voice: "Gentlemen, please follow me into the manor."

Seeing this, everyone followed behind Guo Jing, stepping slowly across the bluestone threshold towards the inner courtyard.

Wang Zhensong walked beside Guo Jing, talking to him in hushed tones as they went, his words filled with the etiquette of the martial arts world.

His few words of greeting were perfectly measured, neither overly flattering nor lacking in respect for the great heroes of the time.

His worldly wisdom, honed over decades of navigating the world of martial arts heroes, is on full display here.

Taking advantage of this moment, Huang Rong quietly moved closer to Yang Guo and walked side by side with him.

Her gaze first swept lightly over the two figures, one on the left and one on the right, half a step behind Yang Guo:

Wang Qingyuan was dressed in a lotus-colored silk robe, her demeanor gentle and quiet. The upbringing of a noble lady was etched in every word and action. She was gentle and beautiful, with a charming and touching demeanor.

Meanwhile, Xiaolongnu, standing to the side, possessed an even more aloof and ethereal air, as if she were not a mortal of this world. Even in the bustling Lu Family Manor, she carried a sense of detachment from the world.

The two women each had their own strengths in terms of appearance and demeanor, and were in no way inferior to their own bright and beautiful daughter, Guo Fu.

Huang Rong withdrew her gaze, then looked at Yang Guo beside her and spoke gently:

"Guo'er, how have you been doing these past few years at the Quanzhen Sect in Zhongnan Mountain? Why didn't you come with the other Quanzhen Daoists to this Heroes' Gathering?"

Her words sounded like a casual inquiry about her well-being, but they contained a hidden veil of sarcasm.

When Yang Guo was sent to Zhongnan Mountain to become a disciple of the Quanzhen Sect, it was through her persistent persuasion that Guo Jing finally agreed to the arrangement.

Now that Yang Guo has gone down the mountain to attend the meeting, he has not been accompanied by the Quanzhen Sect members. There must be a reason behind this that others do not know.

What happened to the Quanzhen Sect?

Or perhaps Yang Guo had some other opportunity or encounter?

Huang Rong was quick-witted and immediately came up with countless speculations, but her face only showed a gentle smile, as if it were just an ordinary family conversation between an elder and a younger generation.

Yang Guo glanced at Huang Rong sideways, his steps unwavering, and said calmly:

"Aunt Guo, you may not know this, but my nephew was indeed practicing Quanzhen Sect. However, he accidentally made a mistake during practice and suffered internal injuries. Fortunately, Long'er saved him, and since then he has moved into the Ancient Tomb to heal and cultivate."

Huang Rong raised an eyebrow slightly, her eyes sweeping over Yang Guo's face.

She then asked several more questions, her concern sounding genuinely sincere:

"Did something go wrong during your training? Were the injuries serious? Did they leave any lasting problems in your internal organs and meridians? Are there any hidden health issues now?"

A series of questions, seemingly full of concern, were actually probing Yang Guo's true situation.

She wanted to find out exactly how serious Yang Guo's injuries were back then, and whether the injuries affected his cultivation.

They wanted to discern how much truth and falsehood was in the words spoken before them.

After all, Yang Guo had been a deep thinker since childhood and never showed his emotions, so she had to be extra careful.

Yang Guo had already seen through her scheme, but his expression remained unchanged. He simply said:

"Thank you for your concern, Aunt Guo. My injuries were indeed quite serious at the time, but fortunately, Long'er came to my rescue in time, and I am fine now."

Huang Rong nodded slowly after hearing this, then a gentle smile appeared on her face. She turned to look at Xiaolongnu, who was silently following her, and said softly:

"I see. In that case, Miss Long is Guo'er's savior. As Guo'er's aunt, I would like to thank Miss Long for saving my life. Guo'er has a hard life, having lost his parents at a young age. It is truly a great blessing for him to receive such care from Miss Long."

Little Dragon Girl followed closely beside Yang Guo, quietly listening to their back-and-forth conversation.

She clearly understood that Yang Guo's departure from the Quanzhen Sect was not due to some kind of injury from practicing martial arts; he had clearly come uninvited and couldn't be driven away.

However, she knew that Yang Guo must have had his reasons for saying that.

The people in the martial arts world are unpredictable, and you can't see through their schemes and maneuvers. Just trust them completely and don't expose them in public.

At this moment, Huang Rong thanked her, and Xiaolongnu simply nodded slightly in response.

Huang Rong's smile remained unchanged upon seeing this.

Assuming that Xiaolongnv was aloof and introverted and not good at socializing, they stopped questioning her further.

She turned around and followed along, casually inquiring about Yang Guo's daily life, diet, and cultivation in the mountains over the years.

Yang Guo answered each question perfectly, his words measured and appropriate.

As they chatted, the group walked through the long corridor and suddenly a spacious blue-brick martial arts training ground opened up before them.

The ground is paved with large bluestone slabs and polished smooth.

All around stood rows of ironwood weapon racks, with swords, spears, halberds, axes, hooks, and forks neatly arranged, their cold gleams subtly flowing, clearly indicating that the manor had specially set up the venue for this martial arts competition.

At this moment, there were already many martial arts masters in the arena, exchanging blows and sparring with each other. The shouts and cries of combat rose and fell, attracting many onlookers who cheered.

Just then, several figures emerged from the depths of the inner courtyard and bumped right into the group.

The leader was a girl in red, about sixteen or seventeen years old, with a face as beautiful as a lotus flower.

Her eyebrows and eyes exuded an innate arrogance and pride. A short sword inlaid with tiny pearls hung at her waist. As she moved, her crimson skirt fluttered in the wind, making her look vibrant and beautiful.

Two young men in green robes followed closely behind the girl. Both had long swords at their waists, were tall and heroic, and had the arrogance and sharpness of young people just entering the martial world.

It was Guo Fu and the three brothers Wu Dunru and Wu Xiuwen.

Guo Fu saw her father approaching from afar, walking side by side with a burly man in brocade robes, followed by several unfamiliar men and women.

A surge of joy filled her heart, and she quickened her pace, her call preceding her steps:

"Father!"

Before she could finish speaking, she had already rushed to Guo Jing's side, about to say something more.

His gaze, however, went past his father's shoulder and landed directly on the white-haired young man behind him.

The words that were just about to come out of his mouth suddenly stopped, and he swallowed them back down.

Guo Fu stood there stunned for a moment, then let out a clear exclamation:

"Brother Yang!"

The shout was crisp and clear, and everyone nearby could hear it perfectly.

Guo Jing and Huang Rong were both slightly taken aback, feeling quite surprised.

It is worth noting that Yang Guo's appearance has changed drastically compared to four years ago. Not only has he grown much taller, but he has also lost all his boyishness and now has a striking head of white hair.

Even Guo Jing couldn't recognize it immediately, but Guo Fu only glanced at it from afar and immediately called out to it. This insight greatly surprised the couple.

Upon hearing this, Yang Guo withdrew his gaze from the training ground and looked at the girl in red standing beside Guo Jing.

The Guo Fu before my eyes is no longer the spoiled, mischievous little girl with her hair in two buns on Peach Blossom Island; she has grown into a graceful and beautiful young woman.

Her eyes and brows inherited Huang Rong's delicate beauty, while her features also carried Guo Jing's innate heroic spirit. Her scarlet silk dress accentuated her fair skin, making her face dazzling and captivating. She was indeed a rare beauty.

But the only thing that hasn't changed is her spoiled and arrogant nature, which she developed from being pampered since childhood.

You could tell from her loud "Brother Yang" just now—a shout without any restraint, regardless of the occasion or the number of people around, just a spontaneous outburst.

Just like back on Peach Blossom Island, he acted impulsively, never caring what others thought. Years have passed, but this temperament has not diminished in the slightest.

Looking at her bright and pretty face, Yang Guo spoke softly:

"Fu-mei, it's been a long time."