Little Dragon Maiden

"The Condor Heroes" is a wuxia novel created by Jin Yong, and it is the second part of the "The Legend of the Condor Heroes Trilogy." "The Condor Heroes" is the most deeply explored work of Jin Yong regarding emotions, which readers refer to as a "love letter." It has been adapted multiple times into films, animations, comics, and radio dramas.

The Condor Heroes

Book Cover
Author
Jin Yong
Genre
Novel
Language
Chinese
Theme
Wuxia
Publication Information
Publisher
Minghe Press, Hong Kong
Guangzhou Publishing House, People's Republic of China
Yuanliu Publishing Company, Taiwan
Publication Date
1959
Place of Publication
British Hong Kong
Medium
Print
Series
Series
The Legend of the Condor Heroes Trilogy
Predecessor
The Legend of the Condor Heroes
Sequel
The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber
Derivative Works
Chinese Translations
Publication Date
1959
Version
Editor
First published in the inaugural issue of "Ming Pao" on May 20, 1959. Serialized for about three years. The definitive version has a total of 40 chapters, with titles of four characters each. In 1994, it was published by the Sanlian Bookstore as the Sanlian Edition. The Yuanliu Publishing Company in Taiwan published the revised Century New Version of "The Condor Heroes" in 2003. Comparing the new and old versions, the main plot remains unchanged, but the author modified certain details (e.g., Xiaolongnv is no longer frigid) and took historical figures' images into account, changing some of the real historical names to fictional ones (e.g., Yin Zhiping was changed to Zhen Zhibing). A new revised edition was published by Guangzhou Publishing House in 2008.

Background Setting
The time is set in the third year of the Daoping era during the Southern Song Dynasty (1236 to 1259, in the new revised version, some events are postponed to the Qingming festival the year after the big battle in Xiangyang, thus 1260), starting over a decade after the events of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," ending 77 years before the main storyline of "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber" (the 90th birthday of Zhang Sanfeng). Real historical figures appearing in the novel include Kublai Khan, the Seven Masters of Quanzhen, Wang Chongyang, Duan Zhi Xing, Lü Wende (in the new revised version, it is Lü Wenzi), Meng Ge, Yelü Chucai, etc. The focus of the martial world in the Central Plains is on the confrontation with the invading Mongolian army and their martial artists, while also emphasizing the protagonist Yang Guo's struggle against societal customs and his own feelings.

Most of Jin Yong's works have either direct or indirect connections; "The Condor Heroes," "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," and "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber" are particularly interrelated, collectively known as the "The Legend of the Condor Heroes Trilogy."

In "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," the main characters Guo Jing and Huang Rong are already married in "The Condor Heroes," both being significant leaders in the martial world. Huang Rong had taken on the position of the leader of the Beggar's Sect during the events in "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" and continuously helped Guo Jing in leading the city's military and civilians to resist the Mongolian invasion before and after relinquishing her leadership before the great victory at the martial arts conference at Guanda Mountain. The main character Yang Guo is just born before the end of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," named by Guo Jing (changed in the new revised version to Huang Rong naming him). Important characters like Guo Fu and the Wu brothers (Wu Xiuwen and Wu Dunru) are also the children of Guo and Huang and the children of Wu Santong in "The Legend of the Condor Heroes." Various characters like the Seven Masters of Quanzhen, and the Five Greats of the world also have significant roles in both works. Meanwhile, the time gap between "The Condor Heroes" and "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber" is much longer, and the connection is relatively shallow. Zhang Junbao, who appears at the end of "The Condor Heroes," establishes the Wudang Sect in "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber," known as Zhang Sanfeng, with important appearances. Guo and Huang's youngest daughter, Guo Xiang, establishes the Emei Sect in "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber," playing a significant role. The protagonist's descendants, Yang Guo and Long's descendent "Huang Shan Nu," appear end at "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber" with a fleeting glimpse, leaving readers with endless imagination.

In terms of martial arts. Yang Guo's learned skills beyond the ancient tomb school, Xuantian sword techniques, and his self-created martial arts are all present in "The Legend of the Condor Heroes." The appearance of the text "Nine Yang Manual" at the end of "The Condor Heroes" influences the martial arts of the Shaolin, Wudang, and Emei sects in "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber" and becomes one of the protagonist's main martial arts. Furthermore, the martial arts featuring prominently in "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" and "The Condor Heroes" also quietly emerge again at the end of "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber."

Plot
In the era of the Southern Song Dynasty, Li Mochou, known as the "Scarlet Serpent Fairy," kills the husband of the man she loves, Lu Zhanyuan, and his wife, He Yuanjun, out of anger at Lu's younger brother, Lu Liding, taking revenge on them. They also abduct their daughter, Lu Wushuang. A wandering young man from Jiangnan, Yang Guo, happens to pass by, picks up Li Mochou's unique secret weapon "Ice Soul Silver Needle" and gets poisoned. One of the top martial artists among the Five Greats, the "Western Poison" Ouyang Feng meets Yang Guo, adopting him as his godson and teaching him martial arts (the Toad Stance and the reverse technique of the Nine Yin Manual) and how to expel the poison.

Not long after, Yang Guo is found by Guo Jing, his deceased father's sworn brother and a well-known hero in the martial world, and his wife—Huang Rong, the leader of the Beggar's Sect. The couple cures Yang Guo from the poison and learns that he is the son of Yang Kang and Mu Nianci. It turns out Yang Guo's mother Mu Nianci passed away from an illness when he was eleven. Guo Jing intends to take Yang Guo to Peach Blossom Island to teach him martial arts, but Huang Rong refuses to teach him martial arts, instead hoping he will nurture himself with Confucian classics, recalling actions of Yang Guo's father, Yang Kang. Yang Guo thinks Huang Rong is biased, further provoked by insults from Guo Jing and Huang Rong's daughter Guo Fu and the Wu brothers of the same age, leading to a fight with the Wu brothers, where he injures Wu Xiuwen using the Toad Stance, and is thus sent to Quanzhen Sect to learn martial arts and cultivate himself.

However, Yang Guo’s master Zhao Zhijing, who doesn't gain Yang Guo's admiration, grows resentful and refuses to teach him martial arts, making him suffer in the class. One time, Zhao Zhijing forces Yang Guo, who has yet to be taught martial arts, to compete with his senior brother Lu Qingdu. Yang Guo endures the beating until he can’t take it anymore and ultimately escapes from Quanzhen Sect, where he is taken in by Xiaolongnv who lives in the Tomb of the Living Dead on Zhongnan Mountain. Both master and disciple grow strong together in the tomb, gradually developing feelings for each other.

Years later, while practicing the "Heart Sutra of the Jade Maiden" with Xiaolongnv in the back mountain, they are discovered by Zhao Zhijing and another Quanzhen Taoist Zhen Zhibing (the old version has Yin Zhiping). Xiaolongnv suffers internal injuries from harassment, and Zhen Zhibing becomes infatuated with her beauty. Xiaolongnv's Senior Sister Li Mochou suddenly appears in the ancient tomb, forcing Xiaolongnv to hand over the ancient tomb's martial arts secrets "Heart Sutra of the Jade Maiden." Xiaolongnv activates the mechanisms in the tomb and escapes with Yang Guo. After their escape, Yang Guo and Xiaolongnv live in a valley on Zhongnan Mountain, but they encounter Ouyang Feng. Ouyang Feng, not wanting Xiaolongnv to discover the martial arts he taught Yang Guo, disables her acupuncture points. Unexpectedly, Zhen Zhibing arrives, violating the defenseless Xiaolongnv, who mistakenly believes that Yang Guo was the one who did it. When confronted after Yang Guo returns, she expresses her wish to marry him, but Yang Guo's reply is nonsensical, causing Xiaolongnv to leave Zhongnan Mountain in anger.

Yang Guo, oblivious, searches for Xiaolongnv, and along his journey, realizes Xiaolongnv's love for him. During his search, he meets Lu Wushuang, who is escaping from Li Mochou, Yelü Qiz and the Jin royal descendant Wan Yan Ping, who plans to assassinate Yelü Qiz. Later, Yang Guo meets "Beggar's Sect" Hong Qigong on Mount Hua, while Ouyang Feng also appears. Yang Guo witnesses the two masters battling to their deaths.

Later, heroes from the Central Plains meet at the Dasc Hall in Lu Family Village to unite against the Mongol invasion. Yang Guo goes to Lu Family Village hoping to gather information on Xiaolongnv but encounters Guo Jing, Huang Rong, and several Quanzhen disciples. Guo Jing and Huang Rong learn that Yang Guo has been away from Quanzhen Sect for years. At this time Xiaolongnv also arrives at Lu family village to reunite with Yang Guo. Mongolian Empire master Jin Lun Guoshi (in the old version Jin Lun Fa Wang) arrives with his disciples Huo Dou and Da’er Ba to challenge the heroes' conference. In a best of three match, Huo Dou wins against Zhu Ziliu through deception, and at a critical moment, Xiaolongnv and Yang Guo inadvertently become involved in the conflict, together using the Jade Maiden's pure heart sword to help Guo Jing defeat Jin Lun Guoshi. Guo Jing admires and thanks both Xiaolongnv and Yang Guo and plans to betroth his daughter Guo Fu to Yang Guo. Yang Guo refuses, insisting on marrying Xiaolongnv instead. However, marriage between master and disciple violates the etiquette of the time, so their love cannot be accepted by society. After leaving Lu Family Village, they again encounter Jin Lun Guoshi, who abducts Guo Fu, and Huang Rong and the Wu brothers, who come to rescue Guo Fu, with Yang Guo and Xiaolongnv defeating Jin Lun Guoshi to save Guo Fu. But later Xiaolongnv, persuaded by Huang Rong, hopes Yang Guo can be accepted by Guo Jing and the others, and she sadly departs. After Xiaolongnv leaves, Yang Guo, Huang Rong, Guo Fu, and the Wu brothers encounter Jin Lun Guoshi and successfully outsmart him with the help of Cheng Ying, the niece of Hong Qigong and Lu Wushuang.

After being saved by Cheng Ying, Yang Guo learns of Lu Wushuang's evasion from Li Mochou and becomes acquainted with Huang Yaoshi and his disciple Qu Lingfeng's daughter Qu Shagu. Yang Guo quickly bonds with Huang Yaoshi, and when Li Mochou trails Lu Wushuang here, Huang Yaoshi teaches Yang Guo martial arts to counter Li Mochou's moves. Yang Guo then teams up with Huang Yaoshi's disciple Feng Mofeng to repel Li Mochou. Later, Yang Guo learns from Shagu that Guo Jing and Huang Rong conspired with the death of his father Yang Kang, and he suspects them of being the murderers of his father. In anger, Yang Guo goes to seek refuge with Jin Lun Guoshi's master—Mongolian Prince Kublai Khan. In Kublai Khan's army, Yang Guo encounters the Jin Lun Guoshi and six other masters under the Mongol banner, and by chance meets Zhou Botong, who causes chaos within the camp. After Zhou Botong escapes, he and Yang Guo follow a group of green-clothed individuals into a valley, where he meets the valley lord's daughter Gongsun Lue.

This valley is known as the Valley of No Emotions, where the valley lord Gongsun Zhi's ancestors hid safely when the Anshi rebellion broke out in the Tang Dynasty. Because Zhou Botong earlier caused trouble in the valley, someone was assigned to capture him to hold him accountable for his misdeeds.

Later, Zhou Botong escapes again, but Yang Guo encounters Xiaolongnv in the Valley of No Emotions, but she denies her identity, claiming to be the betrothed wife of Gongsun Zhi. After Yang Guo's crisis, Xiaolongnv was saved by Gongsun Zhi. Gongsun Zhi wants to marry her, which angers Yang Guo when he continuously questions her identity. Gongsun Zhi orders his subordinates to capture Yang Guo in a net, while Xiaolongnv eventually admits her identity to Yang Guo and vows to die with him, refusing to marry Gongsun Zhi. Gongsun Zhi attacks Yang Guo with his best skills, and while Yang Guo and Xiaolongnv retaliate with their jade maiden sword, they unknowingly get hit by the Love Flower's poison, resulting in emotional turmoil and getting defeated by Gongsun Zhi. Gongsun Zhi demands marrying Xiaolongnv as a condition for treating Yang Guo. Later, Gongsun Lue rescues Yang Guo but fails to steal the antidote to the Love Flower poison, and Gongsun Zhi wants to kill Gongsun Lue for breaking the valley rules. Yang Guo intervenes to save her, and both fall into a deep pool.

In the cave beneath the deep pool, Yang Guo and Gongsun Lue discover an elderly woman without limbs, who turns out to be Gongsun Zhi's wife and Gongsun Lue's mother, Qiu Qianchi. Back in the day, Qiu Qianchi discovered the affair between Gongsun Zhi and his maid and forced Gongsun Zhi to kill the maid. Gongsun Zhi retaliated by breaking Qiu Qianchi's limbs and imprisoning her in the cave. For more than ten years, Qiu Qianchi relied on the jujubes growing in the cave to survive and learned to use her inner strength to spit out jujube seeds. Yang Guo and Gongsun Lue later bring Qiu Qianchi back to the surface and help her defeat Gongsun Zhi. However, Qiu Qianchi, upon learning of her brother Qiu Qianzhang's death at the hands of Guo Jing and Huang Rong, demands that Yang Guo and Xiaolongnv bring back Guo Jing and Huang Rong's heads in exchange for the antidote. Yang Guo agrees to Qiu Qianchi's request, claiming that Guo Jing and Huang Rong are indeed the murderers of his father.

Yang Guo, Xiaolongnv, and several Mongolian masters leave the Valley of No Emotions and return to Kublai Khan's camp. They learn that Guo Jing and Huang Rong lead the martial heroes from the Central Plains to defend the city against the Mongols, and Yang Guo promises Kublai Khan to infiltrate the city and assassinate Guo Jing as an informant for the Mongols. Yang Guo and Xiaolongnv arrive at Xiangyang City, where Guo Jing welcomes them to help against the Mongols, setting aside past grudges. Yang Guo tries multiple times to kill Guo Jing but is moved by his acts of kindness. The Wu brothers are captured by Kublai Khan, and Yang Guo accompanies Guo Jing to negotiate in Kublai Khan's camp. When experts under Kublai Khan attack Guo Jing, Yang Guo chooses to help him escape at a critical moment, and though they return to Xiangyang safely, Guo Jing suffers serious injuries. Seeing Guo Jing injured and Yang Guo's change of heart towards killing him, the experts under Jin Lun Guoshi enter Xiangyang to assassinate Guo Jing. At this moment, Huang Rong, who is pregnant, goes into labor; Yang Guo and Xiaolongnv protect Guo Jing and his wife. Huang Rong gives birth to twins, and Jin Lun Guoshi wants to abduct the newborn daughter Guo Xiang as a hostage. Yang Guo and Xiaolongnv fiercely protect Guo Xiang. Amid the chaos, the baby Guo Xiang ends up in Li Mochou's hands, who mistakenly believes Guo Xiang is the daughter of Yang Guo and Xiaolongnv. While refusing to return Guo Xiang to Yang Guo, she teams up with Yang Guo to deal with Jin Lun Guoshi and other Mongolian masters who wish to take Guo Xiang away. In the confusion, Yang Guo and Xiaolongnv become separated. Yang Guo closely follows Li Mochou, who has abducted Guo Xiang, and encounters the Wu brothers, who are clashing due to Guo Fu. To calm the Wu brothers, Yang Guo falsely claims that Guo Jing and Huang Rong have betrothed Guo Fu to him, which causes the Wu brothers to give up on her. In the end, the Wu brothers reconcile, collaborating with Yang Guo and their father Wu Santong to repel Li Mochou. However, Li Mochou still abducts Guo Xiang, and Yang Guo believes he is dying from the Love Flower's poison. He helps the Wu brothers extract the poisoned blood and ends up fainting. Wu Santong and Zhu Ziliu save him back to Xiangyang. After being diagnosed by Uncle Tianzhu, the divine monk, he concludes that Yang Guo's blood sucked from the poison has a counteracting effect, staving off the poison's effects. The divine monk decides to personally go to the Valley of No Emotions to understand the poison's nature before seeking a cure for Yang Guo.

Hearing about Yang Guo and the others returning to Xiangyang, Guo Fu learns of her sister Guo Xiang being abducted by Li Mochou and from the Wu brothers that Yang Guo claims Guo Jing and Huang Rong had promised Guo Fu to him, causing the Wu brothers to distance themselves from her. Furious, Guo Fu confronts Yang Guo directly, and after an exchange of words, she injures him by cutting off his right arm with Yang Guo's sword "The Lady's Sword" that he brought back from the Valley of No Emotions. Severely injured, Yang Guo escapes from the Guo mansion but is saved by a giant eagle. The condor takes Yang Guo to the tomb of the legendary expert Dugu Qiubai, where he heals and, with the eagle's help, learns Dugu Qiubai's martial arts. A few days later, when Yang Guo recovers, he sneaks back to Xiangyang and sees that Guo Jing intends to chop off Guo Fu's right arm as compensation to Yang Guo. Huang Rong rescues Guo Fu and escorts her away from Xiangyang to Peach Blossom Island, but they encounter Li Mochou, who is carrying Guo Xiang. Huang Rong discovers Li Mochou does not know the baby girl in her hands is her daughter, so she devises a plan to lead Li Mochou away from Guo Xiang. However, Guo Xiang is taken away by Yang Guo, who has been following Huang Rong, and is taken back to the ancient tomb on Zhongnan Mountain.

After failing to find Yang Guo, Xiaolongnv eventually hears of his whereabouts but happens to overhear him falsely claiming to the Wu brothers that Guo Jing and Huang Rong have promised Guo Fu to him. Xiaolongnv believes it and leaves in disappointment. Later, Xiaolongnv hears Zhao Zhijing insulting her and threatening Zhen Zhibing for the position of the head of Quanzhen Sect and realizes she has been defiled by him. Despairing, Xiaolongnv abandons Yang Guo and pursues Zhao Zhijing and Zhen Zhibing alone. The two flee and, during their escape, encounter Mongolian troops led by Jin Lun Guoshi as they attempt to fight against Quanzhen Sect. Zhao Zhijing hopes to use the Mongols to gain acceptance as the leader in Quanzhen Sect, conspiring with Jin Lun Guoshi while plotting against Zhou Botong. Zhou Botong, however, is rescued from the Mongolian troops by Xiaolongnv.

After saving Zhou Botong, Xiaolongnv tracks down Zhen Zhibing and Zhao Zhijing to Zhongnan Mountain. The Five Masters of Quanzhen are closing their doors for training, and Zhao Zhijing successfully pressures Zhen Zhibing to give up the sect leadership to him. However, Zhao Zhijing accepts the Mongolian command and causes turmoil within Quanzhen Sect. Jin Lun Guoshi leads masters and Mongolian soldiers into Chongyang Palace, capturing Zhen Zhibing and planning to kill him. However, Xiaolongnv, who has not interfered, wishes to kill Zhen Zhibing herself, thus staging a battle with numerous Mongolian experts. In the middle of the conflict, Zhen Zhibing, in order to save Xiaolongnv, ends up wounded by Xiaolongnv's sword. Just then, the Five Masters break through their meditation, believing Xiaolongnv harmed their beloved disciple, attacking her instead. Xiaolongnv brings great suffering upon herself, being caught on all sides by the Mongolian fighters and the Five Masters. Yang Guo, upon returning to the ancient tomb, realizes the changes in Chongyang Palace, places Guo Xiang in the tomb, and heads to Chongyang Palace, where he defeats Jin Lun Guoshi and his experts with the Xuantian heavy sword left by Dugu Qiubai. During this encounter, Zhen Zhibing reveals to the Five Masters that he defiled Xiaolongnv and then ends his own life. Ignoring the Quanzhen Sect’s reputation, Yang Guo and Xiaolongnv hold a wedding ceremony before the portrait of Wang Chongyang in Chongyang Palace before returning to the ancient tomb. In the tomb, Yang Guo tends to Xiaolongnv’s wounds, while Huang Rong, Guo Fu, and the Wu family arrive at Zhongnan Mountain, led by Li Mochou. However, Li Mochou secretly attacks everyone. Guo Fu picks up Li Mochou's abandoned ice-cold silver needle to ambush Li Mochou but accidentally injures Xiaolongnv, causing the poison from the needle to enter her organs, incurable.

In anger, Yang Guo takes Xiaolongnv and Guo Xiang out of the ancient tomb when they encounter Master Yideng and his disciple Cien. Yideng received news from his disciple Zhu Ziliu about Yang Guo being poisoned by the Love Flower. Cien, before becoming a monk, was Qiu Qianren, the leader of the Iron Palm Sect, and is Gongsun Zhi's brother. Cien hopes to persuade Qiu Qianchi to hand over the antidote to the Love Flower poison. Yang Guo and Xiaolongnv join Master Yideng and his disciple and head to the Valley of No Emotions, discovering Zhou Botong, Huang Rong, Guo Fu, Yelü Qi, Cheng Ying, and Lu Wushuang, alongside Li Mochou's disciples, who have all arrived there. Yang Guo returns Guo Xiang to Huang Rong. Huang Rong and Cien go to negotiate with Qiu Qianchi for the antidote. Meanwhile, the divine monk from Tianzhu, who previously entered the Valley of No Emotions to study the poison, allows himself to be prickled by the Love Flower, falling into a coma due to the poison. Li Mochou accidentally becomes trapped within the Love Flower, and although she sacrifices her disciple Hong Lingbo to escape, she is poisoned as well.

Huang Rong and Cien meet with Qiu Qianchi, who incites Cien to avenge his brother, resulting in him losing his rationality. He grabs Guo Xiang, intending to kill her, but Huang Rong pretends to be Ying Gu, who has gone mad after the death of her newborn, prompting Cien to remember the evil deeds of killing Ying Gu's child, and he ultimately drops his vendetta. Qiu Qianchi demands Huang Rong, without evasion, to undergo three jujube prick stabbings as a condition for handing over the antidote. Huang Rong successfully receives the three stabs thanks to her wit and martial arts, without injury. However, Gongsun Zhi, expelled from the Valley of No Emotions, colludes with Li Mochou, obtaining the antidote. After Li Mochou defeats Gongsun Zhi to retrieve the antidote, Yang Guo learns from the divine monk, who awakens from the coma, that he has been killed by Li Mochou, leaving Xiaolongnv incurable. Not wishing to survive alone, he throws the antidote into the bottom of the valley. Li Mochou is captured by the crowd and later cannot endure the effects of the Love Flower poison, burning herself to death, and Gongsun Zhi and Qiu Qianchi eventually meet a similar fate.

Huang Rong deduces that before Tianzhu monk died, he believed the Love Flower's antidote lay within the Heartbroken Grass. Unaware that no one can remedy Xiaolongnv's poison, she hints to Xiaolongnv, hoping she can persuade Yang Guo to use the cure. Xiaolongnv carves on the cliff: "Sixteen years later, we shall meet here, husband's love is deep, do not break the promise," after which, she leaves without a word. Huang Rong realizes Xiaolongnv is nearing the end of her life, and is only left to tell Yang Guo that Xiaolongnv was taken as a disciple by a godly figure, South Sea's Shennian, who can certainly cure her poison. However, South Sea's Shennian only comes to the mainland once every sixteen years, meaning Xiaolongnv will have to wait sixteen years to see Yang Guo. Yang Guo, half believing, decides to take the Heartbroken Grass, ultimately staving off the Love Flower's poison and waiting for sixteen years to reunite with Xiaolongnv.

During the sixteen years, Yang Guo travels around helping the needy with his Eagle, becoming known as the "Condor Hero," while Guo Xiang grows into a graceful young lady over the years. Sixteen years later, Guo Xiang, along with her sister Guo Fu and brother Guo Pulu, travels north to Jinyang to invite Qiu Chuji to Xiangyang's hero conference. On their way back through Fengling Ferry, Guo Xiang hears the stories of the "Condor Hero" at the inn and is greatly inspired, defying her family and the wintry weather to follow the ghost of the West Mountain to find the Condor Hero. Witnessing Yang Guo resolve disputes with the Shishi brothers of Wan Shou Mountain, Guo Xiang accompanies him to the Black Dragon Pool, where they catch a nine-tailed spirit fox that can cure Shi Laosan's illness. Here they meet Yu Gu and Master Yideng, as well as Zhou Botong, resolving decades of grudges and past haze. Yang Guo receives a spiritual fox from Yu Gu and cures Shi Laosan, thereafter attending a thank-you feast from the Shishi brothers. At this moment, Guo Fu storms the Wan Shou Mountain to retrieve Guo Xiang, and Yang Guo finally learns of Guo Xiang's identity. At parting, Yang Guo gives Guo Xiang three golden needles, indicating he will fulfill three of her wishes. Guo Xiang immediately expresses her first wish, wanting to see Yang Guo's true face behind the mask he always wears. After Yang Guo reveals his face to Guo Xiang, she requests her second wish that Yang Guo come to Xiangyang on her sixteenth birthday to meet her. Guo Xiang has yet to think of her third wish.

Returning to Xiangyang, Guo Jing and Huang Rong are preparing for the anti-Mongol heroes' conference, and the conference date coincides with Guo Xiang's sixteenth birthday. The Beggar's Sect leader, Lu Youjiao, is killed, and while Guo Xiang is mourning Lu Youjiao at the city outskirts, she and Guo Fu are attacked by the Mongolian master Nimo Xing. A mysterious expert arrives, killing Nimo Xing and rescuing the Guo sisters. Afterwards, Huang Rong discovers a group of hidden masters have come to congratulate Guo Xiang. She guesses they are invited by Yang Guo, worrying whether Yang Guo might pose a threat to Guo Xiang. In reality, Yang Guo, thinking Guo Xiang’s birthday calls for celebration, mobilizes his allies to wipe out the initial Mongol vanguard, damaging their grain storage and munitions depot, exposing Jin Lun Guoshi's scheming disciple Huo Dou to assassinate the Beggar's Sect leader Liu Youjiao, and finally Yang Guo meets Guo Jing and others in Xiangyang. Huang Yaoshi arrives in Xiangyang as Yang Guo reunites with the elder and hears from him that the story of South Sea's Shennian is just a fabrication by Huang Rong.

Afterward, as Yang Guo leaves with Huang Yaoshi, Huang Rong tells Guo Xiang about the enmity between the Guo and Yang families over three generations, mentioning that the tale of South Sea's Shennian taking Xiaolongnv as a disciple is just made up to encourage Yang Guo to strive for survival. Now that the sixteen-year appointment is coming up, Huang Rong fears Yang Guo may not wait for Xiaolongnv and what reaction may ensue, advising Guo Xiang not to interact with Yang Guo again. But Guo Xiang fears that if Yang Guo does not see Xiaolongnv, he might take his own life. Remembering that Yang Guo has not fulfilled her third wish, she decides to find Yang Guo, expressing her wish that he must not seek death.

After leaving Xiangyang, Guo Xiang is captured by Jin Lun Guoshi, who appreciates her wisdom and kindness, accepting her as a disciple and teaching her some inner force principles. Guo Xiang mocks Jin Lun Guoshi, saying his martial arts cannot compare to Yang Guo's, leading Jin Lun Guoshi to bring Guo Xiang to the Valley of No Emotion to challenge Yang Guo. On the agreed day in the Valley of No Emotions, Yang Guo sees no signs of Xiaolongnv and believes she has been dead for sixteen years. Out of grief and anger, he leaps from a cliff into the valley's bottom, just as Guo Xiang and Jin Lun Guoshi arrive. Guo Xiang witnesses Yang Guo's leap and jumps off the cliff after him. Meanwhile, Huang Rong, Zhou Botong, Yu Gu, Cheng Ying, Lu Wushuang, and Huang Yaoshi are all looking for Guo Xiang and Yang Guo, learning that they have fallen into the valley. Together, they subdue Jin Lun Guoshi. Huang Rong's condor carries Guo Xiang back up from the depth, confirming Yang Guo and Guo Xiang are unharmed, as they land in a deep pool at the bottom. The group descends to the valley but does not find Yang Guo, instead leaving Gongsun Zhi tricking Guo Xiang, assisting him to unlock a blocked point, and Guo Xiang is abducted again.

The Mongolian army, while besieging Xiangyang, receives a threat from Jin Lun Guoshi to burn Guo Xiang alive if Guo Jing does not surrender. Guo Jing, refusing to yield, vows to fight to the death. At this moment, Yang Guo and Xiaolongnv appear, coming to rescue Guo Xiang. It turns out that Yang Guo discovered another world in the cold pool at the bottom of the Valley of No Emotion and that Xiaolongnv, unharmed after her fall, has been living in the valley on the other side while alleviating her poison through eating honeybee from jade and the white fish in the water. After Yang Guo reunites with Xiaolongnv and returns to the cliff, learning about Guo Xiang's abduction, he rushes to rescue her, ultimately killing Jin Lun Guoshi to save Guo Xiang. Later, Guo Fu's husband Yelü Qi is besieged by the Mongolian army, and Guo Fu implores Yang Guo to assist, to which Yang Guo demands she kneel and bow her head as a condition for helping, paving the way for the rescue of Yelü Qi. Guo Fu, upon realizing her various resentments towards Yang Guo stem from jealousy, feels deeply sorry towards him.

Following Huang Yaoshi's orders, the Song army sets a formation of twenty-eight constellations, defeating the Mongolian troops, with Yang Guo sniping the Mongolian khan Meng Ge leading the charge with stones.

After repelling the Mongolian army, Yang Guo and the others find themselves at Mount Hua, where they witness a group of low-level thugs engaging in "The Third Hua Mountain Sword Debate." Yang Guo scares them away and discusses the new top five masters with his companions, renaming the Five Greats as: "East Hero – Huang Yaoshi, West Madman – Yang Guo, South Monk – Master Yideng, North Knight – Guo Jing, Central Kid – Zhou Botong." While descending from Mount Hua, they encounter Shaolin’s Jue Yuan and his disciple Zhang Junbao as they seek the "Lotus Sutra" and "Nine Yang Manual" from two Mongolian experts, prompting Yang Guo to impart three moves to Zhang Junbao, allowing him to defeat Xiaoxiangzi. Yang Guo then bids farewell to everyone with Xiaolongnv and departs (The stories of Guo Xiang and Zhang Junbao (Zhang Sanfeng) are continued in "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber").

Subsequent Developments
As the second part of the "The Legend of the Condor Heroes Trilogy," although the main story in its sequel "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber" is set in a time far apart (the ending of "The Condor Heroes" is set in 1260, while "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber" starts in 1335), the segments in "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber" detail events involving Guo Xiang, allowing for some knowledge of or speculation about some important characters' subsequent stories.

The gap between the two parts is primarily between the ending of "The Condor Heroes" (discussion of the five masters' standings on Mount Hua) and the start of "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber" (Guo Xiang visiting Shaolin) which spans three or four years (with slight variances between editions). The most evident change noted during this gap is the mention that "Qiu Chuji has been long dead" while in the climax of "The Condor Heroes" it only mentions that he "was old and ill, unable to rise."

Moreover, the ancient tomb, formerly barred by the Dragon Breaker Stone, has reopened (though it remains uncertain whether it took place during the sixteen years Yang Guo and Xiaolongnv were separated or occurred after their reunion). When Guo Xiang visits the ancient tomb, Yang Guo and Xiaolongnv are out, leaving her in the care of their maid for three days.

As for other characters, while they are not individually detailed, due to their names being mentioned during Guo Xiang's combat displays alongside the masters Huang Yaoshi, Master Yideng, Zhou Botong, and Yu Gu, their passing has not been explicitly ruled out. Hence, despite likely having aged (nearly one hundred years), they remain quite possibly alive at this time.

At the conclusion of "The Condor Heroes," the author hints that due to the death of Kublai Khan in battle, Kublai's intentions toward Xiangyang will not materialize quickly, as he contends with Ariq Boke for the khanate. Historically, the Mongols began their siege on Xiangyang in 1267, culminating in its fall in 1273 (and based on flashbacks in "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber," Xiangyang quickly fell afterward). Therefore, the sixteen-year timeline stretching from 1260 to the fall of Xiangyang in 1273 signifies a period of peace for the characters.

According to later flashbacks during the fall of Xiangyang in 1273, the confirmed fate of known characters is as follows:

• Yang Guo and Xiaolongnv: the young lady in yellow with the surname Yang is likely their descendent;
• Guo Jing and Huang Rong: martyrs for their country (aged around seventy);
• Guo Pulu: dies alongside his parents as martyrs with no next generation;
• Guo Xiang: during the siege, she is in Xichuan, later becomes a nun, founding the Emei Sect;
• Yelü Qi and Guo Fu: no explicit mention occurs (the later Beggar's Sect leader Yelü Yuan is speculated as their descendant, but later editions have removed this); the sect appears to remain unscathed.
• Wu Dunru and Yelü Yan: also not explicitly mentioned.
• Wu Xiuwen and Wan Yan Ping's couple: they have a daughter and father who appear in "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber" as possible descendants living next to Zhu Ziliu's descendants.