The Legend of the Condor Heroes Episode 27 Recap
> The Legend of the Condor Heroes Recap
The seawater continued to rise, pressing against Ouyang Ke who was trapped beneath the boulder, causing him immense physical and mental torment. He desperately begged Ouyang Feng to end his suffering and kill him. Ouyang Feng refused, even considering the drastic measure of cutting off Ke's legs if the stone could not be moved, a suggestion Ke vehemently rejected, preferring death over living as an invalid.
Ouyang Ke then seized the moment to ask the question that had long tormented him: whether Ouyang Feng was truly his uncle or his father. Ouyang Feng deflected, promising to reveal the truth once they were safely off the island. Ke recounted his traumatic childhood, his father's drunken abuse, and his mother's dying wish for him to find Ouyang Feng, expressing his deep longing to finally call him "father." Ouyang Feng remained silent, seemingly lost in thought.
Just then, Huang Rong and Guo Jing arrived. Huang Rong handed Ouyang Ke a reed, instructing him to use it to breathe when the tide rose. This was not a permanent solution, so Huang Rong, having formed a plan, deliberately kept them guessing, only stating that help would arrive the next day. As the tide receded, Huang Rong suggested she and Guo Jing leave. Ouyang Feng forbade it, ordering them to find thick ropes to move the boulder.
Huang Rong retorted, reminding him of Hong Qigong's severe injuries, caused by Ouyang Feng's own viper, and declared that Ouyang Feng was now reaping what he had sown. Unmoved, Ouyang Feng threatened them if Ke was not saved. Huang Rong then confidently announced that help would arrive the next day, and despite Ouyang Feng's protests, she pulled Guo Jing away. Meanwhile, Yang Kang reported to Wanyan Honglie that Ouyang Feng and Ke were missing.
They were indispensable for retrieving the Wumu Manual, and any delay could jeopardize the entire plan. Wanyan Honglie explained that the palace infiltration could not be postponed as the Song court was set to ally with Mongolia, and a grand ceremony would make palace security lax, offering a prime opportunity. Yang Kang volunteered to lead an expedition to sea to find Ouyang Feng and Ke, believing that saving them would secure their gratitude.
He then requested permission to bring Mu Nianci. Wanyan Honglie initially objected, but Yang Kang, desperate, fabricated a story about them being "a couple in fact" and Mu Nianci being "pregnant with my child." Convinced, Wanyan Honglie consented, but insisted on accompanying them himself. On a lavish ship at sea, Mu Nianci was preparing for bed when Yang Kang entered her room. He reminded her of the lie he told Wanyan Honglie and instructed her to maintain the charade.
They discussed sleeping arrangements, and Yang Kang offered to sleep on the hard floor. Mu Nianci, however, suggested they share the bed. She expressed her hope that he would acquire the Wumu Manual soon so they could return to Niu Village. The following day, Huang Rong, revealing her "help" was her own ingenuity, returned with Guo Jing to orchestrate Ouyang Ke's rescue. She cleverly used the high tide's buoyancy to help Guo Jing move the massive boulder, freeing Ouyang Ke.
Ouyang Feng, showing no gratitude, immediately demanded Hong Qigong vacate the cave for Ke's recovery. Guo Jing offered to find Hong Qigong another place, but Hong Qigong dismissed it, stating that "whether a pigsty or the emperor’s bed, they are the same" to him; he only cared for "goodies." Huang Rong soon prepared a delicious roasted rabbit. When Guo Jing questioned if they should share it, Hong Qigong suggested a cunning plan.
Drawing Ouyang Feng out with the tantalizing aroma, Huang Rong, as part of their plan, ensured Ouyang Feng received a rabbit generously seasoned with salt. Ouyang Feng, though initially pleased, found the meat "a bit salty." Concerned about Ke's internal injuries, Ouyang Feng decided they needed to return to the Central Plains for proper healing. He imperiously ordered Guo Jing to chop down a hundred trees before nightfall, threatening to break his legs if he failed.
He then commanded Huang Rong to care for Ke. Guo Jing was visibly upset by this, but Hong Qigong advised "patience." As he accompanied Guo Jing to chop trees, Hong Qigong asked him to recite parts of the Nine Yin Manual. He realized certain passages could aid his recovery, confirming that his life was no longer in danger, though his martial arts might not fully return. This insight sparked a plan to scare Ouyang Feng.
Although Ouyang Ke had called Ouyang Feng "father" earlier, he eventually continued to address him as "uncle." Ouyang Feng, intending to study Guo Jing's transcribed Nine Yin Manual for Ke's cure, ventured into the forest. He observed Hong Qigong seemingly chopping a large tree with ease. This was part of Hong Qigong's elaborate ruse.
Huang Rong, Guo Jing, and Hong Qigong then staged a conversation within Ouyang Feng's earshot, discussing Hong Qigong's rapid martial arts recovery thanks to the Nine Yin Manual, and how Guo Jing, guided by the manual, chopped over a hundred trees without fatigue. Believing Hong Qigong was almost fully restored and fearing their combined power, Ouyang Feng concluded they must leave the island immediately.
He then ordered them to build a large raft and gather provisions for a departure the next morning. The following morning, the raft was ready. Ouyang Feng, feigning cooperation, suddenly seized the raft with Ke and made a swift escape. Guo Jing was enraged by Ouyang Feng's treachery, but Huang Rong and Hong Qigong remained calm. Huang Rong revealed her foresight, explaining that the raft, though large, was constructed to disintegrate once it was "out in the sea."
Hong Qigong added that such deceit was characteristic of "Old Venom." As Huang Rong predicted, the raft indeed broke apart in the open sea, leaving Ouyang Feng and Ke stranded. Just as despair set in, a large ship appeared on the horizon. They desperately called for help, and to their relief, it was Wanyan Honglie's vessel, carrying Wanyan Honglie and Yang Kang, who had been searching for them. They were rescued and welcomed aboard.
A banquet was held on the ship to celebrate Ouyang Feng and Ke's rescue. Wanyan Honglie formally introduced Ouyang Feng to his associates. Yang Kang, trying to gain Ouyang Feng's favor, apologized for his failure to retrieve the second half of the Nine Yin Manual. During the feast, Sha Tongtian and Peng Lianhu openly challenged Ouyang Feng's reputation, questioning if "Western Venom" was inferior to "Northern Beggar."
Insulted, Ouyang Feng silenced them by striking the table, sending a wine cup hurtling past their ears and embedding it firmly in a wooden pillar, a clear display of his formidable power. Later, Mu Nianci discovered Yang Kang secretly practicing the sinister Nine Yin Skeleton Claw. She confronted him, upset by his choice of such a "wicked" martial art.
Yang Kang tried to justify it by explaining its power and quick skill enhancement, but Mu Nianci warned him that it would corrupt his "humanity," reminding him of Mei Chaofeng's fate. She implored him to be "an upright and honest man." Eager to appease her, Yang Kang promised to abandon the practice and asserted that he would listen only to her.
He then produced a pair of delicate jade shoes, giving one to her and keeping the other, a gesture that evoked memories of the shoes she wore during their betrothal contest, finally bringing a smile to Mu Nianci's face.
