The Legend of the Condor Heroes Episode 24 Recap
> The Legend of the Condor Heroes Recap
Huang Yaoshi angrily accused Guo Jing of stealing the Nine Yin Manual, expressing his deep disappointment and declaring that he almost allowed Huang Rong to marry him. As Guo Jing tried to explain, Huang Yaoshi cut him off, telling him to "get lost." Zhou Botong then revealed the second part of the Nine Yin Manual, written on human skin, claiming Guo Jing had given it to him.
Huang Yaoshi demanded the manual, but Zhou Botong, after stating Guo Jing was a "living Nine Yin Manual," defiantly refused, throwing both parts of the manual into the air and obliterating them with a powerful palm strike. Enraged, Huang Yaoshi attacked Zhou Botong. Although Zhou Botong had inadvertently learned some of the manual's techniques, he deliberately fought with only one hand, honoring a promise to his senior and regretting his unintended learning. He was eventually defeated and injured.
Later, Huang Yaoshi offered Zhou Botong a precious Pill of Transience for his recovery and granted him the freedom to leave or return to Peach Blossom Island at will. Huang Yaoshi then formally broke off Huang Rong's engagement, stating she was willful and needed further discipline before any talk of marriage. To appease Ouyang Feng, he offered to teach Ouyang Ke a martial art.
Ouyang Ke chose the Five Elements technique, and Huang Yaoshi agreed to lend him the comprehensive map of Peach Blossom Island for study. Huang Yaoshi then unequivocally banished Guo Jing, warning him never to return. He returned the Rhinoceros Dragon Pill to Ouyang Feng. As everyone prepared to depart from the dock, Zhou Botong insisted on taking a particular ornate boat.
Huang Yaoshi sternly warned him that the vessel was "out of order" and a "boat of bad luck," but Zhou Botong dismissed the warnings, finding Huang Yaoshi's explanations contradictory. Hong Qigong, observing the exchange, declared he would join Zhou Botong and Guo Jing on the supposedly ill-fated boat, claiming he wanted to see if his own bad luck could be worse than what the boat might bring. Despite Huang Yaoshi's concern, Hong Qigong affirmed his friendship and bid him farewell.
Aboard the boat, Zhou Botong gleefully explored, proclaiming Huang Yaoshi had lied about the boat being faulty, noting its pristine condition and ample provisions. Hong Qigong, however, confronted him about his earlier claims regarding Guo Jing and the manual. Zhou Botong casually admitted he had only said those things to provoke Huang Yaoshi and didn't expect him to believe it. Guo Jing, heartbroken by his separation from Huang Rong, was furious, lamenting that this "casual remark" had ruined everything.
Zhou Botong, still frivolous, insisted he had done Guo Jing a favor by teaching him a powerful martial art, dismissing women as sources of trouble. Hong Qigong, exasperated, warned Zhou Botong to clarify the truth with Huang Yaoshi, or he would summon Ying. Meanwhile, Ouyang Feng's ship stealthily followed the trio.
Ouyang Ke questioned their pursuit, to which Ouyang Feng explained that even though the original Nine Yin Manual was destroyed, Zhou Botong and Guo Jing were "two living copies" he was determined to acquire. Back on Peach Blossom Island, Huang Rong tearfully visited her mother's grave, expressing her sorrow over Guo Jing's banishment and her dilemma: she longed to find him but felt obligated not to abandon her father.
Huang Yaoshi arrived at the tomb, speaking aloud about his long-held wish to symbolically offer the Nine Yin Manual's contents to his late wife, believing the destruction of the physical copies had thwarted his plan. Huang Rong, overhearing, was confused until Huang Yaoshi revealed his true design: the "Flower Boat" Zhou Botong, Guo Jing, and Hong Qigong boarded was intentionally designed with a bottom loosely tied with ropes, meant to collapse at sea.
By sinking with Zhou Botong and Guo Jing—the "living manuals"—it would fulfill his wish. Overwhelmed by this horrifying revelation, Huang Rong frantically declared that if Guo Jing died, she would not live either, and rushed off to find them. The magnificent boat carrying Guo Jing, Zhou Botong, and Hong Qigong soon began to take on water and sink. The three were forced to jump overboard, clinging precariously to a wooden plank as sharks began to circle.
Zhou Botong, in his characteristic manner, found the perilous situation amusing and even suggested they bet on who would be eaten first. Ouyang Feng's larger ship quickly approached, offering the stranded trio their only escape. Once aboard, Zhou Botong, ungrateful, dismissed Ouyang Feng's rescue. Ouyang Feng then proposed a bet: he would kill all the sharks in the sea.
If he won, Zhou Botong would have to do "something hard" for him; if he lost, Ouyang Feng would fulfill a request for Zhou Botong. When Hong Qigong asked about the penalty for not honoring the bet, Ouyang Feng suggested the loser feed himself to the sharks, which Zhou Botong readily accepted. Ouyang Feng then demonstrated his power by using a potent substance to kill all the circling sharks, winning the bet.
Zhou Botong, acknowledging defeat, asked for Ouyang Feng's demand. Ouyang Feng invited Hong Qigong and Guo Jing to a lavish dinner while revealing his demand to Zhou Botong: to write down the Nine Yin Manual. Zhou Botong defiantly refused, stating he would rather honor his bet and "feed himself to the sharks" than comply, and promptly jumped into the sea.
When Guo Jing learned of Zhou Botong's fate, he confronted Ouyang Feng, furiously accusing him of murder and calling him "eviler than a snake." Ouyang Feng then turned his attention to Guo Jing, threatening him to write the manual. Hong Qigong swiftly intervened, grabbing Ouyang Ke as a hostage, and successfully negotiated Guo Jing's release in exchange for Ouyang Ke.
In retaliation, Ouyang Feng unleashed venomous snakes onto the ship's deck, forcing Guo Jing and Hong Qigong to climb the mast for safety. From atop the mast, Hong Qigong suffered greatly, watching Ouyang Feng and Ouyang Ke enjoy their sumptuous meal. Tortured by the sight and smell of the food—his lifelong weakness—Hong Qigong finally "surrendered," admitting the torment was worse than death. He agreed to Ouyang Feng's demand, but insisted the snakes be removed before they descended.
Once he and Guo Jing were seated and eating, Hong Qigong revealed his true plan to Guo Jing: to write a "pseudo Nine Yin Manual." He reasoned that since only Guo Jing knew the authentic contents, he could fabricate a manual with ambiguous instructions, thereby deceiving Ouyang Feng, ensuring their safe escape, and maintaining their chivalrous integrity.
