Plot summary
The story continues from The Legend of Arching Hero. After the marriage of Guo Jing and Huang Rong, they adopted young Yang Guo, son of Guo Jing's late sworn borther and mortal enemy Yang Kang after his mother Mu Nianci has died due to illness. Guo Jing sent Yang Guo to train under the Quan Zhen Sect martial arts after a series of incidents on The Peach Blossom Island.
Elsewhere, Li Mochou exacted vengeance on the Lu family some years after her lover Lu Zhanyuan and his wife died. After her act of murder, she fought Huang Yaoshi, father-in-law of Guo Jing. During the fight, she manage to distract the martial art master by poisoning a young girl nearby, Cheng Ying. She then kidnapped Lu Wushuang, Lu Zhanyuan's niece.

The Ancient Tomb sect

Xiaolongnü saves Yang Guo.
After Guo Jing left him in the care of the Quanzhen Sect (全真教), Yang Guo was ill-treated by Zhao Zhijing and his disciples. He ran away and ended up at the Tomb of the Living Dead. The taoists chased him there but were deterred by the jade bees. Upon the taoists' return to the tomb, Grandma Sun protected Yang Guo as they fought back against the taoists but was mortally wounded in the fight at Chongyang Palace. Suddenly, Xiaolongnü appeared; gracefully flying down from the roof. With her last breath, Grandma Sun made Xiaolongnü promise to look after Yang Guo for all eternity. After fighting with the taoists, Xiaolongnü brought Yang Guo and Grandma Sun back to the tomb. As she closed Grandma Sun's coffin, Xiaolongnü stood emotionlessly beside the coffin while Yang Guo cried, swearing that he will exact his revenge against the taoists one day for Grandma Sun.
Keeping her promise, Xiaolongnü took Yang Guo in and accepted him as her disciple. As time passed, Yang Guo's kung fu improved under Xiaolongnü's teaching and guidance. After both Xiaolongnü and Yang Guo finally mastered the two skills (Ancient Tomb Sect's kung fu and Quanzhen's kung fu), they began to learn their sect's highest level of martial arts, the Maiden Finesse. However, one night while they were practising, they were interrupted by Zhao Zhijing and Zhen Zhibing who were fighting. With her energy disrupted, Xiaolongnü was injured severely. After they returned to the tomb, Li Mochou used this opportunity to demand for the Jade Maiden Manual from Xiaolongnü. Sealing the only exit out of the tomb to prevent Li Mochou and her disciple from leaving the tomb, Xiaolongnü and Yang Guo escaped Li's clutches and accidentally found another way out of the tomb. Desperate to get out, Li Mochou cooperated with them and eventually left the tomb with them.
After paralysing both Li Mochou and her disciple, Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü made their escape. Alone again, Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü continued to practise the Jade Heart Manual. Upon mastering the skill, Xiaolongnü was troubled about Yang Guo and her future. That night, Ouyang Feng came and surprised Xiaolongnü into a fight. However, they stopped after Yang Guo's interference. Recognising each other, Ouyang Feng and Yang Guo delightedly hugged each other as Xiaolongnü watched. Ouyang Feng immediately wanted to impart his martial arts skills to Yang Guo but did not want Xiaolongnü to watch. Thus, out of Yang Guo's sight, Ouyang Feng immoblised Xiaolongnü in an open field under a tree. Zhen Zhibing, who had witnessed this, took this opportunity to approach Xiaolongnü from behind. Unable to see who was behind her, Xiaolongnü thought Yang Guo was playing with her. Zhen Zhibing proceeded to undress her as Zhao Zhijing watches from a distance. After a while, Yang Guo returned to find Xiaolongnü lying still underneath a tree. Yang Guo unparalysed her and became confused when Xiaolongnü hugged him. When Yang Guo refused to call her his wife at her prompting, Xiaolongnü immobilised Yang Guo and flew away angrily.

Rejection by society

Yang Guo argues with Guo Jing about his relationship with Xiaolongnü.
Yang Guo began to search all over for Xiaolongnü but could not find her. After a while, Xiaolongnü missed Yang Guo and searched for him. Xiaolongnü finally found Yang Guo at Guo Jing's home where the Heroes' Feast was being held. After their intended marriage was revealed to everyone present, they were scorned by the society due to the tradition that stated marital relations between a master and a disciple were forbiddened. They separated again after Huang Rong talked to Xiaolongnü about Yang Guo being looked down upon by others in the future. Naive and deeply concerned for Yang Guo, Xiaolongnü left him to return to the tomb. Yang Guo searched for her and along the way, he met Huang Yaoshi and his disciple Sha Gu, who revealed to him that his aunt, Huang Rong had killed his father. Torn between love and revenge, Yang Guo decided to avenge for his father's death and made a pact with the Jinlun Guoshi, a general in the Mongolian army who was planning an attack on China. Together, they would see to the death of Guo Jing and Huang Rong.

Passionless Valley

Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü protect Guo Xiang.
They travelled the Passionless Valley where Yang Guo found Xiaolongnü, who had been saved by Gongsun Zhi, after she attempted to commit suicide. However, Xiaolongnü refused to acknowledge him and wanted him to leave her be. After his countless declarations of love and refusals to leave, Xiaolongnü finally acknowledged him and both promised never to leave each other again. They eventually left the Passionless Valley with a promise of an antidote to Yang Guo's poison on one condition, that they will bring back the heads of Huang Rong and Guo Jing.Both of them were poisoned by the fatal Love Flower that grows here. After they reached Xiangyang, where Guo Jing and a Chinese army were stationed against the Mongolian's attack on China, Yang Guo debated within himself whether to kill his uncle and aunt. He had only 18 more days to live but instead, he saved Guo Jing's life when the Mongolians attacked. During this turbulent time, Guo Xiang and her brother Guo Polu were born, but Li Mochou stole Guo Xiang from Jinlun Guoshi, who had stolen her from Xiaolongnü, who Huang Rong had entrusted Guo Xiang to. Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü separated again after yet another misunderstanding. During an argument, Guo Fu amputated Yang Guo's right arm. Due to another misunderstanding, Guo Fu believed that Yang Guo, who was poisoned, traded her sister in for the antitode in Passionless Valley because Guo Xiang was missing. She knew that the Wu brothers thought her parents proposed her to Yang Guo and told her to have a happy, long life with him, with plenty of children. Using Huang Rong's Dog Beating Stick kungfu, he had prevented them from killing each other. Yang Guo told them this lie, so the two can forget Guo Fu and live their lives, preferably serving the Chinese army in defense. Spoiled, obstinate, and quick to anger, she told her that his mentor was impure, after overhearing a conversation, from which Yang Guo's mentor learned she was impure. Yang Guo, who didn't know at the time, warned her never to insult her again, but she, already angry at her father because she abandoned injured Yang Guo after her saved her mother in a rush, thoughtlessly repeated her earlier remark. He backhanded her face hard, and she chopped off his arm. Shocked, she ran to her mother. Guo Fu, angered her father because of this crime, decides to punish her to do the same to her as well, but she was saved by her mother. However, it will forever strain the relationships between Guo Jing and his daughter, as he will never forgive her of what she done. While recovering, Yang Guo's learns Dugu Qiubai's Sword Techniques from the great condor he befriends with, along with trying to adapt his disability. They reunited at Chongyang Palace after the leaders of the Quanzhen Sect severely wounded Xiaolongnü. Never wanting to leave each other again, they married at the temple in the Chongyang Palace with the Quanzhen Sect unable to stop them.

Broken Heart Cliff

Yang Guo finds Xiaolongnü's message.
After they returned to the Passionless Valley to obtain the antidote for Yang Guo's poison, Yang Guo threw the antidote that Xiaolongnü had fought to retrieve down the Broken Heart Cliff. Since Xiaolongnü's wound was incurable, Yang Guo did not want to live without her. However, Xiaolongnü did not want Yang Guo to die. Xiaolongnü jumped off the Broken Heart Cliff, leaving a message for Yang Guo that said they would meet again in 16 years. Realising that Yang Guo did not see through Xiaolongnü's message, Huang Rong tricked him into believing that there is a "Divine Nun of the South Sea" (Nan hai zhen ni) who comes around every 16 years and has the ability to heal Xiaolongnü. Heart-broken, Yang Guo believed her and returned to the Condor who he had befriended earlier and continued his martial arts training, and develops a new palm technique called Melancholic Palms, which responses to his disability and emotions.

Reunited

Yang Guo proclaimed as the "Condor Hero".

Battle of Xiangyang.
16 years later, Yang Guo was now known as the "Condor Hero" after his numerous noble deeds in saving the helpless. He chanced upon the teenage Guo Xiang who needed help. Infatuated with Yang Guo, Guo Xiang made him promise to meet her again on her sixteenth birthday. They had an adventure and he have her three golden needles or wishes she wants him to fulfill for her. At the Heroes' Feast, Yang Guo reunited with Guo Jing, Huang Rong and Huang Yaoshi, who was also in attendance. Yang Guo turned the festival into a birthday party with the rest of his friends and allies while defending Xiangyang from Mongolian army leading by its warlord Möngke Khan and Jinlun Guoshi. Huang Yaoshi latered revealed to him that there was no "Divine Nun of the South Sea". Yang Guo raced back to the Broken Heart Cliff. On his way there, he stopped at the ruined temple where his father was killed, and met one of Guo Jing's martial art masters Ke Zhen'e, along with former associates of Jin prince Wanyan Honglie and Yang Kang's . From them, he discovered the truth that his father was a deceitful, villainous, and murderous traitor to his country, family, and friends before his death. Overwhelmed of his father's villainous past, understanding of why Huang Rong never fully trusting him since childhood and why he was such an outcast in the martial society before the affair with his wife, and letting go of his desire of revenge. Finally reached the cliff, he waited for one whole day for Xiaolongnü to appear. He finally realised that Xiaolongnü had sacrificed her life to save his. At that moment, his overwhelming sorrow led him to jump over the cliff. Yang Guo fell into a lake and noticed the jade bees. He dived into the lake and entered a cave. There, he noticed a Chilled Jade Bed, similar to the one back at the ancient tomb. Suddenly, Yang Guo felt a presence and turned around to see Xiaolongnü flying gracefully threw the air with bees flying around her. Xiaolongnü also turned and said Yang Guo's name in disbelief. They flew to each other and hugged. Meanwhile at Xiangyang, a full-scale battle was taking place as the Mongolians continued their attack. Jinlun Guoshi used Guo Xiang as a bait to lure Guo Jing and Huang Rong out of the city. The Mongolians attacked the Guo family, who were now outside the safety of the city walls. Suddenly, the Condor, Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü joined the battle, helping the Guo family. Yang Guo fought with Jinlun Guoshi and eventually won. He then eliminated Möngke Khan, disbanding the entire Mongolian army, caused a civil war that disrupted the unity and invincibility of the Mongol Empire, and halting their invasion for another thirteen years until the succession of Kublai Khan. Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü returned to Xiangyang and were received as heroes, and Yang Guo and Guo Jing finally fully made peace with each other as they marching the street of the city together with their families and friends like father and son. They then left with the Condor as Guo Xiang watched and made a wish that Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü will hopefully spend the rest of their lives together.

[edit] Offscreen
After the celebration, many heroes went to Mt. Hua to visit the graves of late Ouyang Feng and Hong Qigong. There, Huang Rong claimed new titles for the five main heroes who defended the city as The New Five Greats:
Zhou Botong (周伯通) - is known as the Old Mischievous Child (老頑童). At the end of the novel, he reluctantly took central position of the Five Greats as 'Zhong Wantong' (中頑童) which used to belong to his apprentice brother, Wang Chongyang (王重陽) aka Zhong Shentong(中神通).
Huang Yaoshi (黃藥師) - is known as the Eastern Heretic (東邪), a man who dislikes the rules of that era and has a mercurial disposition. Also respectfully called TaoHua Daozhu (Master of the Peach Blossom Island) for where he lives, though he tends to wander around in this novel (as opposed to in Shediao Yingxiong Zhuan, where he stayed primarily in Taohua Dao) because his daughter and son-in-law has taken over the island.
Yang Guo (楊過) - is known as the Western Eccentric (西狂), in reference to his flouting of the conventions, including the forbidden marriage to his master. As the name suggests, he gets along well with the Eastern Heretic Huang Yaoshi. Successor to Ouyang Feng (歐陽鋒), the Western Venom (西毒) who is also his foster father.
Yideng Dashi (Grandmaster Yideng, 一燈大師) - is known as the Southern Monk (南僧). He used to be called the Southern Emperor (Nan Di, 南帝), because he was the king of the Kingdom of Dali (大理國) but he abdicated and entered the monastery to become a monk.
Guo Jing (郭靖) - is known as the Northern Hero (Bei Xia, 北俠), for his compassion and devoted efforts in helping defend fort Xiangyang over the years against Mongolian invasion. A successor to Northern Beggar Hong Qigong (北丐, 洪七公), who is also one of his teachers.
Before leaving the city, Yang Guo gave Guo Xiang his treasured Heavy Iron Sword (玄鐵重劍) as a gift for her, and taught a fraction of his skills to a young Zhang Sanfeng. Yang Guo and Zhang Sanfeng later chasing Jinlun's allies Yin Kexi and Xiao Xiangzi after they stolen Jiu Yang Zhen Jing manual script from Shoalin Temple. But the books was nowhere to be found. Unbeknownst to all present at Mountain Hua, Yin Kexi had hidden the Jiu Yang Zhen Jing in the abdomen of a large gorilla. The story would continue through The Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre (倚天屠龍記), as the fates of the Guo and Yang families would reveal in the final chapter of The Condor Trilogy.

[edit] Cast

Huang Xiaoming as Yang Guo

Liu Yifei as Xiaolongnü
Huang Xiaoming (黄晓明) as Yang Guo
Liu Yifei (刘亦菲) as Xiaolongnü
Chao Liang (赵亮) as Zhou Botong
Kong Lin (孔琳) as Huang Rong
Wang Luoyong (王洛勇) as Guo Jing
Meng Guangmei (孟广美) as Li Mochou
Yang Mi (杨幂) as Guo Xiang
Chen Zihan (陈紫函) as Guo Fu
Huang Xiaolei (黄晓雷) as Sha Gu
Chou Howdong (周浩东) as Qiu Chuji
Jiang Yi (江毅) as Ke Zhen'e
Li Yu (李彧) as Qiu Jianren
Wang Jia (王嘉) Cheng Ying
Yang Rui (杨蕊) as Lu Wushuang
Sun Haiying (孙海英) as Hong Qigong
You Yong (尤勇) as Ouyang Feng
Li Chunhua (季春华)
Ba Yin (巴音) as Jinlun Guoshi
Gao Hu (高虎) as Huo Du
Chen Hao Feng (程皓枫) as Yin Zhi Ping
Wang Wei Guo (王卫国) as Yī Dēng/Duan Zhixing
Leung Li (梁丽) as Ying Gu
Zhou Jie (周杰) as Yang Kang (archive footage)

[edit] Production
Filming began in October, 2004 and ended in May, 2005.
Filming locations include Zhejiang, Chongqing, Shandong, Guangdong, Liaoning, Beijing and Sichuan Jiuzhaigou Valley.

[edit] Differences with the novel
Although this television series follows the novel's plot closely, there were several details that were altered or depicted differently. As with other adaptations, various scenes from the novel were omitted from the series.
Jinyong's novel
Television series
When Yang Guo disobeys Xiaolongnü's command to stay on the Chilled Jade bed, Xiaolongnü uses a broom to hit his backside.
Xiaolongnü uses her hand to hit his backside in order to punish him.
After telling Yang Guo that she is going outside to catch something, Xiaolongnü exits the tomb to catch several sparrows in order start their martial arts lessons. Yang Guo thought she was going to catch a taoist. They return to Chongyang Palace eight days later to seek Zhao Zhijing to give him the antidote. Yang Guo fights with Lu Qingdu and the taoists insist again that Xiaolongnü leaves Yang Guo behind. Xiaolongnü is annoyed and takes Yang Guo back to the tomb.
Xiaolongnü tells Yang Guo to wait for her in the tomb as she is going outside to catch something. She exits the tomb and sees Zhen Zhibing waiting for her to come out. Xiaolongnü gives him the antidote and leaves. Zhen Zhibing stares after her in a trance. Here, Zhen's obsession with Xiaolongnü is emphasised. When Xiaolongnü returns, Yang Guo asks her about the taoist that she caught. Xiaolongnü asks him, "What Taoist?" and proceeds to teach Yang Guo martial arts with the sparrows that she had caught.
Upon Grandma Sun's death at Chongyang Palace, Xiaolongnü appears in the doorway. Later in the novel, she makes a similar entrance by standing at the doorway of the hall at the Heroes' Feast.
In both cases, Xiaolongnü made her entrance by flying gracefully down from the top of the roof.
When Guo Jing is about to punish Guo Fu for chopping off Yang Guo's right arm by doing the same to his daughter, he was stopped by Huang Rong, The Wu Brothers and their father.
Guo Jing will chop Guo Fu's arm as punishment for doing the same to Yang Guo, but was stopped by Huang Rong alone.

[edit] International broadcasts
Country
TV Network
Series Premiere
Alternate English title
China
CCTV
17 March 2006
Condor Heroes
Philippines
GMA-7
1 May 2006
Love of the Condor Heroes
Hong Kong
TVB
10 July 2006
The Saviour of the Soul
Taiwan
CTV
12 July 2006
Condor Heroes
Canada
OMNI2
9 September 2006
Condor Hero
Japan
MAXAM
Thailand
TV3
17 March 2007
Singapore
MediaCorp
28 April 2007
Condor Hero

[edit] Soundtrack
The original television drama soundtrack was released on 13 May 2006. There are two versions of the soundtrack. The mainland Chinese release contains a total of 15 tracks while the Taiwanese release includes two bonus tracks. The original score was composed by Xiao Chong (小虫/陈焕昌).
#
Track title
Running time
More information
1
双飞 (Shuang Fei)
5:01
performed by Huang Xiaoming (黄晓明) and Ding Dang (叮擋)
2
天下无双 (Tian Xia Wu Shuang)
5:13
This was the opening theme song of the TV series - performed by Zhang Liangying (张靓颖).
3
浮云 (Fu Yun)
0:48
4
江湖笑 (Jiang Hu Xiao)
4:44
This was the ending theme song of the TV series - performed by Zhou Huajian (周华健), Hu Jun (胡军), Huang Xiaoming (黄晓明) and Zhang Jizhong (张纪中).
5
龙女之声 (Long Nü Zhi Sheng)
2:58
vocal performed by Fan Zhuqing (樊竹青)
6
落花 (Lou Hua)
5:58
performed by Pan Yueyun (潘越雲)
7
恨苍天 (Hen Cang Tian)
4:56
8
路途 (Lu Tu)
4:48
9
问世间 (Wen Shi Jian)
4:24
performed by Zhang Xin (張芯)
10
一帘幽梦 (Yi Lian You Meng)
2:39
11
水中月 (Zhui Zhong Yue)
4:10
12
孤风残影 (Gu Feng Can Ying)
4:56
13
比翼双飞 (Bi Yi Shuang Fei)
5:14
14
星光 (Xing Guang)
4:25
15
战舞 (Zhan Wu)
2:02
16
戀著多喜歡 (Lian Zhuo Dou Xi Huan)
3:53
Bonus track - performed by Fish Leong (梁静茹)
17
你還我記得嗎 (Ni Hai Ji De Wo Ma)
3:54
Bonus track

[edit] Trivia
Producer Zhang Jizhong had previously adapted two other Jinyong's novels, Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils (天龍八部) and The Legend of the Condor Heroes (射鵰英雄傳) (2003) for CCTV to great acclaim.
Actor Wang Luoyong (王洛勇) and actress Kong Lin (孔琳) took over the roles of Guo Jing and Huang Rong from Li Yapeng (李亞鵬) and Zhou Xun (周迅) of The Legend of the Condor Heroes (射鵰英雄傳) (2003).
Segments from The Legend of the Condor Heroes (射鵰英雄傳) (2003) were featured as flashbacks including the scene depicting how Yang Kang died, who was portrayed by Zhou Jie (周杰).
Some of the cast of the cast members from The Legend of the Condor Heroes (射鵰英雄傳) (2003) reprised their roles for this remake, including Chao Liang (赵亮), Huang Xiaolei (黄晓雷), Leung Li (梁丽), and Wang Wei Guo (王卫国).
Motion picture scores from the United States's movies were used for this remake, including Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow, Van Helsing, and Batman Begins.
The chorus from Iwasaki Taku's "Shades of Revolution", a Rurouni Kenshin OVA musical score, was used in a minor fight scene between Yang Guo and Li Mochou (Ep 30).
Actress Liu Yifei (刘亦菲) previously played another Jingyong's character as Wang Yuyan (王語嫣) from Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils (天龍八部).
Huang Xiaoming worked with actress Zhou Xun on the movie The Banquet, who previously played Huang Rong on Zhang Jizhoung's The Legend of the Condor Heroes (2003).
Huang Xiaoming previously worked with Zhou Jie and Shui Ling previously on 還珠格格3 television series. They both played Yang Guo's parents on Zhang Jizhoung's The Legend of the Condor Heroes (2003).

Plot summary
The story continues from The Legend of Arching Hero. After the marriage of Guo Jing and Huang Rong, they adopted young Yang Guo, son of Guo Jing's late sworn borther and mortal enemy Yang Kang after his mother Mu Nianci has died due to illness. Guo Jing sent Yang Guo to train under the Quan Zhen Sect martial arts after a series of incidents on The Peach Blossom Island.
Elsewhere, Li Mochou exacted vengeance on the Lu family some years after her lover Lu Zhanyuan and his wife died. After her act of murder, she fought Huang Yaoshi, father-in-law of Guo Jing. During the fight, she manage to distract the martial art master by poisoning a young girl nearby, Cheng Ying. She then kidnapped Lu Wushuang, Lu Zhanyuan's niece.

The Ancient Tomb sect

Xiaolongnü saves Yang Guo.
After Guo Jing left him in the care of the Quanzhen Sect (全真教), Yang Guo was ill-treated by Zhao Zhijing and his disciples. He ran away and ended up at the Tomb of the Living Dead. The taoists chased him there but were deterred by the jade bees. Upon the taoists' return to the tomb, Grandma Sun protected Yang Guo as they fought back against the taoists but was mortally wounded in the fight at Chongyang Palace. Suddenly, Xiaolongnü appeared; gracefully flying down from the roof. With her last breath, Grandma Sun made Xiaolongnü promise to look after Yang Guo for all eternity. After fighting with the taoists, Xiaolongnü brought Yang Guo and Grandma Sun back to the tomb. As she closed Grandma Sun's coffin, Xiaolongnü stood emotionlessly beside the coffin while Yang Guo cried, swearing that he will exact his revenge against the taoists one day for Grandma Sun.
Keeping her promise, Xiaolongnü took Yang Guo in and accepted him as her disciple. As time passed, Yang Guo's kung fu improved under Xiaolongnü's teaching and guidance. After both Xiaolongnü and Yang Guo finally mastered the two skills (Ancient Tomb Sect's kung fu and Quanzhen's kung fu), they began to learn their sect's highest level of martial arts, the Maiden Finesse. However, one night while they were practising, they were interrupted by Zhao Zhijing and Zhen Zhibing who were fighting. With her energy disrupted, Xiaolongnü was injured severely. After they returned to the tomb, Li Mochou used this opportunity to demand for the Jade Maiden Manual from Xiaolongnü. Sealing the only exit out of the tomb to prevent Li Mochou and her disciple from leaving the tomb, Xiaolongnü and Yang Guo escaped Li's clutches and accidentally found another way out of the tomb. Desperate to get out, Li Mochou cooperated with them and eventually left the tomb with them.
After paralysing both Li Mochou and her disciple, Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü made their escape. Alone again, Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü continued to practise the Jade Heart Manual. Upon mastering the skill, Xiaolongnü was troubled about Yang Guo and her future. That night, Ouyang Feng came and surprised Xiaolongnü into a fight. However, they stopped after Yang Guo's interference. Recognising each other, Ouyang Feng and Yang Guo delightedly hugged each other as Xiaolongnü watched. Ouyang Feng immediately wanted to impart his martial arts skills to Yang Guo but did not want Xiaolongnü to watch. Thus, out of Yang Guo's sight, Ouyang Feng immoblised Xiaolongnü in an open field under a tree. Zhen Zhibing, who had witnessed this, took this opportunity to approach Xiaolongnü from behind. Unable to see who was behind her, Xiaolongnü thought Yang Guo was playing with her. Zhen Zhibing proceeded to undress her as Zhao Zhijing watches from a distance. After a while, Yang Guo returned to find Xiaolongnü lying still underneath a tree. Yang Guo unparalysed her and became confused when Xiaolongnü hugged him. When Yang Guo refused to call her his wife at her prompting, Xiaolongnü immobilised Yang Guo and flew away angrily.

Rejection by society

Yang Guo argues with Guo Jing about his relationship with Xiaolongnü.
Yang Guo began to search all over for Xiaolongnü but could not find her. After a while, Xiaolongnü missed Yang Guo and searched for him. Xiaolongnü finally found Yang Guo at Guo Jing's home where the Heroes' Feast was being held. After their intended marriage was revealed to everyone present, they were scorned by the society due to the tradition that stated marital relations between a master and a disciple were forbiddened. They separated again after Huang Rong talked to Xiaolongnü about Yang Guo being looked down upon by others in the future. Naive and deeply concerned for Yang Guo, Xiaolongnü left him to return to the tomb. Yang Guo searched for her and along the way, he met Huang Yaoshi and his disciple Sha Gu, who revealed to him that his aunt, Huang Rong had killed his father. Torn between love and revenge, Yang Guo decided to avenge for his father's death and made a pact with the Jinlun Guoshi, a general in the Mongolian army who was planning an attack on China. Together, they would see to the death of Guo Jing and Huang Rong.

Passionless Valley

Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü protect Guo Xiang.
They travelled the Passionless Valley where Yang Guo found Xiaolongnü, who had been saved by Gongsun Zhi, after she attempted to commit suicide. However, Xiaolongnü refused to acknowledge him and wanted him to leave her be. After his countless declarations of love and refusals to leave, Xiaolongnü finally acknowledged him and both promised never to leave each other again. They eventually left the Passionless Valley with a promise of an antidote to Yang Guo's poison on one condition, that they will bring back the heads of Huang Rong and Guo Jing.Both of them were poisoned by the fatal Love Flower that grows here. After they reached Xiangyang, where Guo Jing and a Chinese army were stationed against the Mongolian's attack on China, Yang Guo debated within himself whether to kill his uncle and aunt. He had only 18 more days to live but instead, he saved Guo Jing's life when the Mongolians attacked. During this turbulent time, Guo Xiang and her brother Guo Polu were born, but Li Mochou stole Guo Xiang from Jinlun Guoshi, who had stolen her from Xiaolongnü, who Huang Rong had entrusted Guo Xiang to. Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü separated again after yet another misunderstanding. During an argument, Guo Fu amputated Yang Guo's right arm. Due to another misunderstanding, Guo Fu believed that Yang Guo, who was poisoned, traded her sister in for the antitode in Passionless Valley because Guo Xiang was missing. She knew that the Wu brothers thought her parents proposed her to Yang Guo and told her to have a happy, long life with him, with plenty of children. Using Huang Rong's Dog Beating Stick kungfu, he had prevented them from killing each other. Yang Guo told them this lie, so the two can forget Guo Fu and live their lives, preferably serving the Chinese army in defense. Spoiled, obstinate, and quick to anger, she told her that his mentor was impure, after overhearing a conversation, from which Yang Guo's mentor learned she was impure. Yang Guo, who didn't know at the time, warned her never to insult her again, but she, already angry at her father because she abandoned injured Yang Guo after her saved her mother in a rush, thoughtlessly repeated her earlier remark. He backhanded her face hard, and she chopped off his arm. Shocked, she ran to her mother. Guo Fu, angered her father because of this crime, decides to punish her to do the same to her as well, but she was saved by her mother. However, it will forever strain the relationships between Guo Jing and his daughter, as he will never forgive her of what she done. While recovering, Yang Guo's learns Dugu Qiubai's Sword Techniques from the great condor he befriends with, along with trying to adapt his disability. They reunited at Chongyang Palace after the leaders of the Quanzhen Sect severely wounded Xiaolongnü. Never wanting to leave each other again, they married at the temple in the Chongyang Palace with the Quanzhen Sect unable to stop them.

Broken Heart Cliff

Yang Guo finds Xiaolongnü's message.
After they returned to the Passionless Valley to obtain the antidote for Yang Guo's poison, Yang Guo threw the antidote that Xiaolongnü had fought to retrieve down the Broken Heart Cliff. Since Xiaolongnü's wound was incurable, Yang Guo did not want to live without her. However, Xiaolongnü did not want Yang Guo to die. Xiaolongnü jumped off the Broken Heart Cliff, leaving a message for Yang Guo that said they would meet again in 16 years. Realising that Yang Guo did not see through Xiaolongnü's message, Huang Rong tricked him into believing that there is a "Divine Nun of the South Sea" (Nan hai zhen ni) who comes around every 16 years and has the ability to heal Xiaolongnü. Heart-broken, Yang Guo believed her and returned to the Condor who he had befriended earlier and continued his martial arts training, and develops a new palm technique called Melancholic Palms, which responses to his disability and emotions.

Reunited

Yang Guo proclaimed as the "Condor Hero".

Battle of Xiangyang.
16 years later, Yang Guo was now known as the "Condor Hero" after his numerous noble deeds in saving the helpless. He chanced upon the teenage Guo Xiang who needed help. Infatuated with Yang Guo, Guo Xiang made him promise to meet her again on her sixteenth birthday. They had an adventure and he have her three golden needles or wishes she wants him to fulfill for her. At the Heroes' Feast, Yang Guo reunited with Guo Jing, Huang Rong and Huang Yaoshi, who was also in attendance. Yang Guo turned the festival into a birthday party with the rest of his friends and allies while defending Xiangyang from Mongolian army leading by its warlord Möngke Khan and Jinlun Guoshi. Huang Yaoshi latered revealed to him that there was no "Divine Nun of the South Sea". Yang Guo raced back to the Broken Heart Cliff. On his way there, he stopped at the ruined temple where his father was killed, and met one of Guo Jing's martial art masters Ke Zhen'e, along with former associates of Jin prince Wanyan Honglie and Yang Kang's . From them, he discovered the truth that his father was a deceitful, villainous, and murderous traitor to his country, family, and friends before his death. Overwhelmed of his father's villainous past, understanding of why Huang Rong never fully trusting him since childhood and why he was such an outcast in the martial society before the affair with his wife, and letting go of his desire of revenge. Finally reached the cliff, he waited for one whole day for Xiaolongnü to appear. He finally realised that Xiaolongnü had sacrificed her life to save his. At that moment, his overwhelming sorrow led him to jump over the cliff. Yang Guo fell into a lake and noticed the jade bees. He dived into the lake and entered a cave. There, he noticed a Chilled Jade Bed, similar to the one back at the ancient tomb. Suddenly, Yang Guo felt a presence and turned around to see Xiaolongnü flying gracefully threw the air with bees flying around her. Xiaolongnü also turned and said Yang Guo's name in disbelief. They flew to each other and hugged. Meanwhile at Xiangyang, a full-scale battle was taking place as the Mongolians continued their attack. Jinlun Guoshi used Guo Xiang as a bait to lure Guo Jing and Huang Rong out of the city. The Mongolians attacked the Guo family, who were now outside the safety of the city walls. Suddenly, the Condor, Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü joined the battle, helping the Guo family. Yang Guo fought with Jinlun Guoshi and eventually won. He then eliminated Möngke Khan, disbanding the entire Mongolian army, caused a civil war that disrupted the unity and invincibility of the Mongol Empire, and halting their invasion for another thirteen years until the succession of Kublai Khan. Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü returned to Xiangyang and were received as heroes, and Yang Guo and Guo Jing finally fully made peace with each other as they marching the street of the city together with their families and friends like father and son. They then left with the Condor as Guo Xiang watched and made a wish that Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü will hopefully spend the rest of their lives together.

[edit] Offscreen
After the celebration, many heroes went to Mt. Hua to visit the graves of late Ouyang Feng and Hong Qigong. There, Huang Rong claimed new titles for the five main heroes who defended the city as The New Five Greats:
Zhou Botong (周伯通) - is known as the Old Mischievous Child (老頑童). At the end of the novel, he reluctantly took central position of the Five Greats as 'Zhong Wantong' (中頑童) which used to belong to his apprentice brother, Wang Chongyang (王重陽) aka Zhong Shentong(中神通).
Huang Yaoshi (黃藥師) - is known as the Eastern Heretic (東邪), a man who dislikes the rules of that era and has a mercurial disposition. Also respectfully called TaoHua Daozhu (Master of the Peach Blossom Island) for where he lives, though he tends to wander around in this novel (as opposed to in Shediao Yingxiong Zhuan, where he stayed primarily in Taohua Dao) because his daughter and son-in-law has taken over the island.
Yang Guo (楊過) - is known as the Western Eccentric (西狂), in reference to his flouting of the conventions, including the forbidden marriage to his master. As the name suggests, he gets along well with the Eastern Heretic Huang Yaoshi. Successor to Ouyang Feng (歐陽鋒), the Western Venom (西毒) who is also his foster father.
Yideng Dashi (Grandmaster Yideng, 一燈大師) - is known as the Southern Monk (南僧). He used to be called the Southern Emperor (Nan Di, 南帝), because he was the king of the Kingdom of Dali (大理國) but he abdicated and entered the monastery to become a monk.
Guo Jing (郭靖) - is known as the Northern Hero (Bei Xia, 北俠), for his compassion and devoted efforts in helping defend fort Xiangyang over the years against Mongolian invasion. A successor to Northern Beggar Hong Qigong (北丐, 洪七公), who is also one of his teachers.
Before leaving the city, Yang Guo gave Guo Xiang his treasured Heavy Iron Sword (玄鐵重劍) as a gift for her, and taught a fraction of his skills to a young Zhang Sanfeng. Yang Guo and Zhang Sanfeng later chasing Jinlun's allies Yin Kexi and Xiao Xiangzi after they stolen Jiu Yang Zhen Jing manual script from Shoalin Temple. But the books was nowhere to be found. Unbeknownst to all present at Mountain Hua, Yin Kexi had hidden the Jiu Yang Zhen Jing in the abdomen of a large gorilla. The story would continue through The Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre (倚天屠龍記), as the fates of the Guo and Yang families would reveal in the final chapter of The Condor Trilogy.

[edit] Cast

Huang Xiaoming as Yang Guo

Liu Yifei as Xiaolongnü
Huang Xiaoming (黄晓明) as Yang Guo
Liu Yifei (刘亦菲) as Xiaolongnü
Chao Liang (赵亮) as Zhou Botong
Kong Lin (孔琳) as Huang Rong
Wang Luoyong (王洛勇) as Guo Jing
Meng Guangmei (孟广美) as Li Mochou
Yang Mi (杨幂) as Guo Xiang
Chen Zihan (陈紫函) as Guo Fu
Huang Xiaolei (黄晓雷) as Sha Gu
Chou Howdong (周浩东) as Qiu Chuji
Jiang Yi (江毅) as Ke Zhen'e
Li Yu (李彧) as Qiu Jianren
Wang Jia (王嘉) Cheng Ying
Yang Rui (杨蕊) as Lu Wushuang
Sun Haiying (孙海英) as Hong Qigong
You Yong (尤勇) as Ouyang Feng
Li Chunhua (季春华)
Ba Yin (巴音) as Jinlun Guoshi
Gao Hu (高虎) as Huo Du
Chen Hao Feng (程皓枫) as Yin Zhi Ping
Wang Wei Guo (王卫国) as Yī Dēng/Duan Zhixing
Leung Li (梁丽) as Ying Gu
Zhou Jie (周杰) as Yang Kang (archive footage)

[edit] Production
Filming began in October, 2004 and ended in May, 2005.
Filming locations include Zhejiang, Chongqing, Shandong, Guangdong, Liaoning, Beijing and Sichuan Jiuzhaigou Valley.

[edit] Differences with the novel
Although this television series follows the novel's plot closely, there were several details that were altered or depicted differently. As with other adaptations, various scenes from the novel were omitted from the series.
Jinyong's novel
Television series
When Yang Guo disobeys Xiaolongnü's command to stay on the Chilled Jade bed, Xiaolongnü uses a broom to hit his backside.
Xiaolongnü uses her hand to hit his backside in order to punish him.
After telling Yang Guo that she is going outside to catch something, Xiaolongnü exits the tomb to catch several sparrows in order start their martial arts lessons. Yang Guo thought she was going to catch a taoist. They return to Chongyang Palace eight days later to seek Zhao Zhijing to give him the antidote. Yang Guo fights with Lu Qingdu and the taoists insist again that Xiaolongnü leaves Yang Guo behind. Xiaolongnü is annoyed and takes Yang Guo back to the tomb.
Xiaolongnü tells Yang Guo to wait for her in the tomb as she is going outside to catch something. She exits the tomb and sees Zhen Zhibing waiting for her to come out. Xiaolongnü gives him the antidote and leaves. Zhen Zhibing stares after her in a trance. Here, Zhen's obsession with Xiaolongnü is emphasised. When Xiaolongnü returns, Yang Guo asks her about the taoist that she caught. Xiaolongnü asks him, "What Taoist?" and proceeds to teach Yang Guo martial arts with the sparrows that she had caught.
Upon Grandma Sun's death at Chongyang Palace, Xiaolongnü appears in the doorway. Later in the novel, she makes a similar entrance by standing at the doorway of the hall at the Heroes' Feast.
In both cases, Xiaolongnü made her entrance by flying gracefully down from the top of the roof.
When Guo Jing is about to punish Guo Fu for chopping off Yang Guo's right arm by doing the same to his daughter, he was stopped by Huang Rong, The Wu Brothers and their father.
Guo Jing will chop Guo Fu's arm as punishment for doing the same to Yang Guo, but was stopped by Huang Rong alone.

[edit] International broadcasts
Country
TV Network
Series Premiere
Alternate English title
China
CCTV
17 March 2006
Condor Heroes
Philippines
GMA-7
1 May 2006
Love of the Condor Heroes
Hong Kong
TVB
10 July 2006
The Saviour of the Soul
Taiwan
CTV
12 July 2006
Condor Heroes
Canada
OMNI2
9 September 2006
Condor Hero
Japan
MAXAM
Thailand
TV3
17 March 2007
Singapore
MediaCorp
28 April 2007
Condor Hero

[edit] Soundtrack
The original television drama soundtrack was released on 13 May 2006. There are two versions of the soundtrack. The mainland Chinese release contains a total of 15 tracks while the Taiwanese release includes two bonus tracks. The original score was composed by Xiao Chong (小虫/陈焕昌).
#
Track title
Running time
More information
1
双飞 (Shuang Fei)
5:01
performed by Huang Xiaoming (黄晓明) and Ding Dang (叮擋)
2
天下无双 (Tian Xia Wu Shuang)
5:13
This was the opening theme song of the TV series - performed by Zhang Liangying (张靓颖).
3
浮云 (Fu Yun)
0:48
4
江湖笑 (Jiang Hu Xiao)
4:44
This was the ending theme song of the TV series - performed by Zhou Huajian (周华健), Hu Jun (胡军), Huang Xiaoming (黄晓明) and Zhang Jizhong (张纪中).
5
龙女之声 (Long Nü Zhi Sheng)
2:58
vocal performed by Fan Zhuqing (樊竹青)
6
落花 (Lou Hua)
5:58
performed by Pan Yueyun (潘越雲)
7
恨苍天 (Hen Cang Tian)
4:56
8
路途 (Lu Tu)
4:48
9
问世间 (Wen Shi Jian)
4:24
performed by Zhang Xin (張芯)
10
一帘幽梦 (Yi Lian You Meng)
2:39
11
水中月 (Zhui Zhong Yue)
4:10
12
孤风残影 (Gu Feng Can Ying)
4:56
13
比翼双飞 (Bi Yi Shuang Fei)
5:14
14
星光 (Xing Guang)
4:25
15
战舞 (Zhan Wu)
2:02
16
戀著多喜歡 (Lian Zhuo Dou Xi Huan)
3:53
Bonus track - performed by Fish Leong (梁静茹)
17
你還我記得嗎 (Ni Hai Ji De Wo Ma)
3:54
Bonus track

[edit] Trivia
Producer Zhang Jizhong had previously adapted two other Jinyong's novels, Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils (天龍八部) and The Legend of the Condor Heroes (射鵰英雄傳) (2003) for CCTV to great acclaim.
Actor Wang Luoyong (王洛勇) and actress Kong Lin (孔琳) took over the roles of Guo Jing and Huang Rong from Li Yapeng (李亞鵬) and Zhou Xun (周迅) of The Legend of the Condor Heroes (射鵰英雄傳) (2003).
Segments from The Legend of the Condor Heroes (射鵰英雄傳) (2003) were featured as flashbacks including the scene depicting how Yang Kang died, who was portrayed by Zhou Jie (周杰).
Some of the cast of the cast members from The Legend of the Condor Heroes (射鵰英雄傳) (2003) reprised their roles for this remake, including Chao Liang (赵亮), Huang Xiaolei (黄晓雷), Leung Li (梁丽), and Wang Wei Guo (王卫国).
Motion picture scores from the United States's movies were used for this remake, including Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow, Van Helsing, and Batman Begins.
The chorus from Iwasaki Taku's "Shades of Revolution", a Rurouni Kenshin OVA musical score, was used in a minor fight scene between Yang Guo and Li Mochou (Ep 30).
Actress Liu Yifei (刘亦菲) previously played another Jingyong's character as Wang Yuyan (王語嫣) from Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils (天龍八部).
Huang Xiaoming worked with actress Zhou Xun on the movie The Banquet, who previously played Huang Rong on Zhang Jizhoung's The Legend of the Condor Heroes (2003).
Huang Xiaoming previously worked with Zhou Jie and Shui Ling previously on 還珠格格3 television series. They both played Yang Guo's parents on Zhang Jizhoung's The Legend of the Condor Heroes (2003).