All-rounder Artist

The opening of The Legend of the Condor Heroes begins with an ancient poem recited with cadence and rhythm by an old storyteller:

"The little peach tree blooms on its own without a master,

The tobacco fields stretch vast, carrying the crows at dusk.

Several dilapidated walls surround the old well,

Once upon a time, each was a household's dwelling."

Duan Qingyun's eyes immediately lit up, and he soon exclaimed, "Nevermind the beginning, this quatrain is truly poetic brilliance."

"Good poem!"

Canyang nodded in agreement upon reading this passage.

Actually, this is a work by Dai Fugu, a poet of the Southern Song Dynasty, making its first appearance in Blue Star, and naturally both took it for an original creation by Chu Kuang.

Afterward.

The two no longer conversed, each deeply immersed in the spiritual world crafted by The Legend of the Condor Heroes.

Actually, the pace of The Legend of the Condor Heroes is quite slow; the protagonist does not even appear by the end of the first chapter, only entering the scene in the second.

However, the groundwork laid in the first chapter carries both necessity and inevitability.

Whether it's the origins of Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tie Xin, as well as Qiu Chuji, or the children in the wombs of Li Ping and Bao Xiruo, who, due to their parents' misfortunes, are sent on wholly different life paths, there's an undercurrent running miles beneath the surface.

The text repeatedly uses contrasts and juxtapositions of characters' fates:

Bao Xiruo, having lost her husband, feels secretly delighted when praised for her beauty by Wan Yan Hong Lie, even succumbing to the current and following this man.

Facing the same loss of a spouse,

Li Ping, however, is consumed by thoughts of revenge and refuses to submit to the great villain Duan Tiande, enduring beatings and insults with gritted teeth, even feigning madness and stupidity to barely survive.

Amidst the fluttering snowflakes,

Guo Jing is born with a cry.

At that time, the child in Bao Xiruo's womb, Yang Kang, had already become a Jin prince;

Whereas Guo Jing is but an ordinary child of the vast desert.

Yet, the story's focus is not on Yang Kang, but on Guo Jing.

From Guo Jing's rescue of Zhebie, to his resolve to not disclose Zhebie's hiding place even at the cost of his life, finally earning the respect of Temujin and the Mongolian warriors, the character's qualities and image vividly come to life.

Afterward.

The Seven Freaks of Jiangnan appear, Mei Chaofeng and Chen Xuan Feng becoming the notorious Black Wind Twins.

Amidst their fierce battle, the young Guo Jing intervenes, gaining the recognition of the Seven Freaks and also unveiling a corner of the enigmatic Huang Yaoshi, one of the "Five Greats."

Unknowingly,

The contrast between Yang Kang and Guo Jing grows even stronger.

Both have famous masters, both find themselves among other cultures as Han Chinese earning the favor of foreign leaders, and both have a brilliant future within easy reach, yet their worldviews could not be more different.

And when Huang Rong appears,

With her beggar-like demeanor and crafty charm, she easily tricks the generous Guo Jing into parting with his money, Duan Qingyun's face shows a tremendous change for the first time...

By then,

The tea has gone cold.

A breeze brings a chill to the pavilion.

The tea gently ripples, revealing its jade green shade.

The two titans of the Martial Arts World, each holding a copy of The Legend of the Condor Heroes, remain silent, their eyes seemingly rooted to the pages unfurling before them.

Before they know it, it's afternoon.

The sunlight gradually intensifies.

As they sip the cooled tea, without any exchange of glances, it's only when a family member reminds Duan Qingyun to eat that they snap back to reality as if roused from a dream.

"How long have we been reading?"

"About three or four hours."

Canyang rubs his slightly sore eyes, having not been so engrossed in a novel for a long time.

Duan Qingyun feels a strange surge of emotion but finds himself at a loss for words, his fingertips turning white from gripping the book pages so tightly.

"Let's eat first,"

Canyang suggests.

Duan Qingyun has the meal brought into the pavilion; he merely nibbles at a few bites, his gaze never leaving the book.

Beside him,

Canyang's reaction isn't much better than Duan Qingyun's, also focused on the book throughout the meal until he picks up a piece of ginger with his chopsticks, only then realizing he's still eating, although the ginger has already been swallowed.

After the meal.

Without prior agreement, both were once again immersed in the world of the book, as if the allure of this volume surpassed everything in the world.

One hour.

Two hours.

Three hours.

The difference from the morning lay in:

In the afternoon, the two no longer read in complete silence.

Although there wasn't much conversation, whenever the plot reached an exciting point, one could often hear the other person slapping the table in amazement and cheering loudly.

Finally.

The setting sun appeared on the horizon.

From the sunrise to the sunlight that struck after dinner, to a hint of red appearing in the sky, the air took on a tinge of chill.

The sky gradually darkened.

When the two snapped back to reality for the second time, they looked at each other by chance, only to simultaneously see shock in the other's eyes!

"Brother Duan..."

Although he hadn't finished reading, Canyang's emotions had already been thoroughly stirred by "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," his voice trembling slightly:

"What is this?"

"The future of martial arts fiction!"

This was Duan Qingyun's response, his face flushed, he spoke assertively and without hesitation, "This is a completely new path for martial arts fiction!"

Martial arts fiction is running out of things to write?

Before having read the novel in their hands, the two had regretfully discussed this topic, agreeing that for martial arts fiction to continue, it must carve out a completely new path, otherwise it would never break free from the shackles looming over the sky of martial arts. But upon reading this novel, even though they hadn't finished it yet, their outlook was suddenly enlightened!

How could someone write a martial arts novel like this?

Canyang's heart surged, as if bursting with endless vitality, his lips moved continuously:

"So it turns out martial arts fiction can be written like this!"

"I feel this is not just a martial arts novel, this is literature!"

For the first time, Duan Qingyun felt justified in calling martial arts literature, and Chu Kuang truly blazed a new trail for the genre!

An incredible new path!

In past martial arts novels, the Jianghu represented a dark place in opposition to the court, a haven for anti-imperial factions and troupes of performers.

What annihilation of clans.

What revenge.

What supreme mastery of martial arts.

Such main themes were too numerous to count.

After reading them too often, one couldn't avoid sensing a pettiness.

Yet within "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," the Jianghu was like a breath of fresh air, clearing away the musty air of old—

The peak of Mount Hua and the vast desert unfolded like a wide silver screen that instantly broadened one's horizon, a pair of white eagles stirred the imagination, the sea's tide made the martial arts that previously couldn't make it to the big screen sublime and ethereal, while the Dog Beating Staff brought the legend back to the worldly and familiar.

Whose jade flute mourns the falling plum blossoms?

An endless variety, an infinite delight!

This is a work that is a precursor in history!

The piece not only points to a direction for the future of martial arts fiction that no one could have imagined based on its own captivating plot; it also weaves the poignant changes of the country with the narrative, and these seemingly superfluous elements perfectly blend with the martial arts aspects within the main text!

The imaginative power of martial arts fiction fully unleashed!

Direct narration, flashback, aside, foreshadowing, setting the scene...

There is the soaring dragon in the skies, the powerful dragon's tail sweep, lifelike and vibrant, at times the noise of flutes and drums is loud, at times the shadow of flowers is dense.

Another dimension.

Someone once commented:

With the arrival of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," even the spirits are startled.

To ordinary people, such praise might seem exaggerated, but to those veterans steeped in the martial arts realm for years, the true meaning of this acclaim was clear.

At this moment.

As two major constellations of the Martial Arts World in Zhao Continent, they too could not help but be astounded by it, let alone other readers who were gradually opening this novel.

The heat of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" was coming!

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PS: I just got back home and started working again. Today's update is as usual. Don't rush to mock me, I'll start writing intensively tomorrow. This time I must explode to prove you all wrong o(*￣︶￣*)o.