The Legend of the Condor Heroes Episode 19 Recap
> The Legend of the Condor Heroes Recap
Upon their return, Huang Rong and Guo Jing expressed regret over Wanyan Honglie's escape, having searched for him all day. Huang Rong noticed Mu Nianci's subdued demeanor, which Yang Kang tried to dismiss as fatigue. However, Huang Rong suspected something was truly bothering Mu Nianci. To get a private word with her, Huang Rong cleverly sent Guo Jing and Yang Kang away for a walk.
Realizing Mu Nianci likely couldn't keep his secret from Huang Rong, Yang Kang took the initiative to confess to Guo Jing that he was the one who let Wanyan Honglie go. He explained he couldn't bring himself to kill a man who had raised him for eighteen years, having seen him as a father for so long. Torn between avenging his parents and repaying Wanyan Honglie's kindness, he felt conflicted.
Guo Jing understood Yang Kang's predicament, assuring him he wasn't wrong and that their parents would understand. Guo Jing then offered to pursue Wanyan Honglie for revenge himself. Yang Kang revealed Mu Nianci mistakenly believed he spared Wanyan Honglie for the sake of wealth and glory, and Guo Jing encouraged him to clarify the misunderstanding with her.
Inside, just as Huang Rong began to ask Mu Nianci what she heard while trapped in the coffin, Yang Kang re-entered and called Mu Nianci outside for a private conversation. Under the dim moonlight, Yang Kang explained to Mu Nianci that he no longer wanted to live in such a dilemma and had entrusted Guo Jing with the task of vengeance.
He then proposed they abandon their current struggles and return to Niu Village to live a peaceful life together, just as their parents once had. Mu Nianci, deeply moved by his genuine desire for repentance and a quiet life with her, agreed. Yang Kang then headed back inside to inform Guo Jing of their decision but paused when he overheard Huang Rong speaking.
Huang Rong was telling Guo Jing that Yang Kang's confession was merely a ploy to preempt Mu Nianci, and that he was still unwilling to give up riches and glory for a humble life. Hurt by these words, Yang Kang turned away silently. He and Mu Nianci departed without saying goodbye, with Yang Kang lamenting that Huang Rong didn't believe in his desire for a new start.
Mu Nianci, however, offered words of encouragement, affirming that if he truly committed to a path of good, Huang Rong would eventually come to understand. Later, Guo Jing and Huang Rong discovered their absence and speculated that they might have returned to Niu Village, a thought Huang Rong found reassuring. Guo Jing then resolved to track down Wanyan Honglie for revenge.
Huang Rong deduced that Wanyan Honglie would likely attempt to intercept Mongolian envoys in Lin'an before the Song-Mongol alliance could be finalized, so they decided to head there. On their journey, they encountered Tolui and Jebe, who were carrying a severely wounded and unconscious Hua Zheng.
The Mongolian envoys were on their way to Lin'an for alliance talks, and Tolui, concerned for Hua Zheng's safety and the potential for her injuries to worsen on the journey, entrusted her into Guo Jing's care. Hua Zheng, in her unconscious state, continuously murmured Guo Jing's name. Guo Jing dedicated himself to her care, viewing her as a sister, and Huang Rong, out of love for Guo Jing, assisted him diligently in nursing Hua Zheng back to health.
While collecting herbs in the mountains, Huang Rong sensed Guo Jing had something important to tell her. Guo Jing explained the kindness shown to him and his mother by Hua Zheng, Tolui, and the Great Khan during his youth in Mongolia. Huang Rong, recalling Hua Zheng's repeated calls for his name, asked if he had feelings for the Mongolian princess. Guo Jing quickly clarified that he only saw Hua Zheng as a sister, which greatly pleased Huang Rong.
Hua Zheng eventually awoke and, overcome with emotion, embraced Guo Jing tightly, expressing how much she missed him and wished for them never to be separated again. Just then, Huang Rong entered with medicine and witnessed the embrace, her heart sinking. She turned and left heartbroken. Guo Jing rushed after her, attempting to explain, but Hua Zheng intervened, proudly declaring herself a Mongolian princess and Guo Jing as the Great Khan's son-in-law, his Golden Sword Consort.
This revelation deeply angered Huang Rong, who chastised Guo Jing for never disclosing this significant detail before, and she stormed off. Guo Jing searched desperately for Huang Rong but couldn't find her. Returning to the inn, he discovered Hua Zheng had also departed. Feeling lost, he confided in his Little Red Horse, expressing his certainty that Huang Rong was furious.
With the Peach Blossom Island appointment fast approaching, he decided to go there first, hoping to find Huang Rong and explain his true feelings. Guo Jing found a boatman to take him to Peach Blossom Island, despite the boatman's dire warnings that it was a "dark and horrible place" from which no one returned. Undeterred, Guo Jing insisted. Upon arrival, he was captivated by the island's beauty, adorned with fragrant peach blossoms, a stark contrast to the boatman's description.
As he wandered deeper, he became trapped within the intricate Peach Blossom Forest array. Following cries for help, he arrived at Qingyin Cave, where he met an eccentric elder. The elder claimed to be poisoned by an invisible net set by a "ruthless martial arts expert" and would die within two hours. Guo Jing, ever compassionate, immediately offered to seek an antidote from this "evil man."
Unbeknownst to Guo Jing, Huang Yaoshi had already detected his presence on the island and, amused by his daring, was confident that Guo Jing would not be able to leave the island's labyrinthine traps. Meanwhile, Huang Rong had retreated to her mother's tomb. The elder, Zhou Botong, pointed Guo Jing towards the woods near the cave entrance, where the "evil man" supposedly lurked.
Guo Jing, chasing the black-caped figure, soon realized it was Zhou Botong himself, who laughingly admitted it was all a game to relieve his boredom. Guo Jing, recognizing the name, recalled that Zhou Botong was Wang Chongyang's junior disciple, known as the "Old Urchin" for his martial prowess and unpredictable nature. Guo Jing then explained his presence on the island, admitting he was there to apologize to Rong.
Zhou Botong, knowing Huang Rong to be the daughter of Huang Yaoshi, inquired about their relationship, subtly warning Guo Jing about the dangers posed by Huang Yaoshi. Guo Jing, undeterred, affirmed his commitment to Huang Rong. Zhou Botong then revealed that the Peach Blossom Forest was an intricate "Eight Front Strategy" array designed by Huang Yaoshi, making escape nearly impossible.
Guo Jing pleaded with Zhou Botong to lead him out, but the Old Urchin refused, stating he himself had been trapped in the cave for fifteen years, unable to overcome Huang Yaoshi. Zhou Botong recounted the story of the Nine Yin Manual and his senior, Wang Chongyang. At the Sword Meet on Mount Hua, Wang Chongyang was declared the "Top Master in Martial Arts" and won the two tomes of the Nine Yin Manual.
However, foreseeing the bloodshed it would cause, Wang Chongyang neither practiced it nor allowed anyone in his sect to do so, carefully hiding it. Zhou Botong explained that Wang Chongyang faked his own death to lure out Ouyang Feng, who coveted the manual. Wang Chongyang then used his Divine Finger to cripple Ouyang Feng's Toad Stance, leaving him powerless. Before truly passing away, Wang Chongyang instructed Zhou Botong to hide the two parts of the manual separately.
Zhou Botong successfully hid the first part, but something unexpected happened on his way to hide the second part on Mount Yandang. He then revealed that "she" had cheated him, causing him to destroy the second part of the manual, hinting that "she" was Huang Yaoshi's wife, who resided on Peach Blossom Island.
