Huang Rong from The Return of the Condor Heroes: Guo'er, calm down.

Yang Guo cleared his throat and struck a pose like a storyteller.

"There are plenty of stories circulating down this mountain. But the one I'm going to tell you today is earth-shattering and a thousand times better than this so-called vixen."

Little Dragon Girl leaned forward slightly, clearly intrigued.

Yang Guo didn't keep anyone in suspense and immediately began to speak: "In the beginning of time, on the banks of the Spirit River in the west, there grew a Crimson Pearl Immortal Herb."

"A magical herb?" Little Dragon Girl blinked.

"That's right. This immortal herb is extremely beautiful, absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth every day. And next to it, there is a stubborn rock left over from Nuwa's patching of the sky."

Yang Guo started making things up, mixing up all the novels he had read in his previous life.

"This stubborn rock has become sentient. Seeing the fairy herb suffering from the sun and rain every day, it felt sorry for her, so it moved its body and stood close to the fairy herb to shelter her from the wind and rain. It has been doing this for three thousand years."

Little Dragon Girl listened intently.

The story of the stone and the grass is much more interesting than the story of the scholar and the fox.

Moreover, this "silently protecting for three thousand years" plot is extremely damaging to someone like her who lacked love since childhood.

"And then?" Little Dragon Girl couldn't help but ask.

"Later, this fairy herb transformed into human form, becoming an exceptionally beautiful woman. Grateful for the kindness of the stubborn stone, she vowed to repay it. So she descended to the mortal realm and was reborn into a wealthy family surnamed Lin, becoming their eldest daughter."

Yang Guo paused deliberately at this point, picked up the teacup on the table, and took a sip.

The tea was cold, but he drank it with great relish.

Little Dragon Girl grew anxious: "Tell me quickly, where's the stone? Where did it go?"

"That stone..."

Yang Guo put down his teacup, leaned closer mysteriously, and said, "That stone got anxious when it saw the immortal herb leave. In its anxiety, it exploded!"

"It exploded?" Little Dragon Girl's eyes widened.

"That's right! With a loud bang, it exploded into pieces! And out of that crack in the rock, a golden-haired monkey sprang out!"

"Monkey...monkey?"

Little Dragon Girl was completely dumbfounded.

Just a moment ago it was a tragic love story, how come a monkey suddenly popped up?

That's quite a leap!

"That monkey is something else!" Yang Guo exclaimed, gesturing wildly. "Although he looks like a monkey, he's still thinking about that magical herb. So he pulled a thick iron rod out of his ear and traveled 108,000 li in one somersault, searching the whole world for his Lin Daiyu."

"He went to heaven and earth, causing chaos in the Heavenly Palace, smashing the Jade Emperor's Lingxiao Palace to pieces, and grabbing the Jade Emperor by the beard, asking: 'Where is my Lin Daiyu?'"

Little Dragon Girl was stunned.

This imagery is so vivid.

A monkey wielding an iron rod turned the heavens upside down in its search for a single blade of grass.

Although it sounded absurd, for some reason, she felt a little...excited?

"And then? Did he find Lin Daiyu?" Little Dragon Girl had unknowingly moved closer to Yang Guo, her clear, cold eyes filled with curiosity.

Yang Guo was overjoyed to see her adorable, bewildered expression.

Serves you right for locking me up! Serves you right for acting all high and mighty!

Now we still have to beg the young master to tell us stories.

He stretched and yawned, "Ugh, I've been talking for ages, my mouth is dry and I'm hungry. Um... I'll go find something to eat first."

After saying that, he stood up and was about to leave.

"you……"

Little Dragon Girl was furious.

Just when I was getting really into it, it was over?

It's like eating half a meal and then having your bowl taken away – it's incredibly frustrating.

"Stop right there!" Little Dragon Girl shouted.

Yang Guo turned around, looking completely innocent. "What's wrong, miss? Didn't you tell me not to hang around in front of you?"

Little Dragon Girl bit her lip, her face flushing red and then turning pale.

She really wanted to hear if the monkey behind her had found Lin Daiyu.

But she couldn't bring herself to ask Yang Guo for help.

After holding it in for a long time, she finally managed to squeeze out a cold sentence: "There are some warm steamed buns in the kitchen, made by my mother-in-law."

Yang Guo's lips curled into a smile.

It became.

"Since you are so kind, young lady, then I shall accept your offer."

Yang Guo chuckled and sat back down. "But these steamed buns are so dry, they're not very appetizing. If only there were some honey water to moisten my throat..."

Little Dragon Girl glared at him, but still got up to get a bottle of jade bee jelly and slammed it heavily on the table.

"Eat! Finish eating and then tell us!"

……

For the next few days, Yang Guo lived a very comfortable life.

During the day, he would go to the stone coffin in the western stone chamber and, under the guise of "meditation," transcribe the remaining parts of the Nine Yin Manual bit by bit.

This work requires meticulousness and cannot be rushed.

He only copied one section at a time; trying to copy too much would easily get him caught.

When you get tired of copying, practice your exercises for a while, circulating the Yi Jin Duan Gu Chapter through several cycles.

Over the past few days, his appetite has increased, and he has become much stronger. His shoulders, which were once somewhat thin, now look much broader.

In the afternoon, he went to find Little Dragon Girl to "tell stories".

It is said that Lin Daiyu was living a very good life, but it was as if she had forgotten her past. Later, her family fell into poverty, and she went to rely on her relatives. Who knew that her relatives would scheme against her every day.

In a fit of rage, she led the 800,000 imperial guards left by her father and razed her relatives' mansion to the ground.

The plot was completely altered by Yang Guo, but he told it in vivid detail.

At first, Xiaolongnu struggled with the logic, but later she simply gave up thinking and listened with great interest.

Occasionally, when Yang Guo got tired of talking, he could ask Xiaolongnu to pour him some water or ask Granny Sun to prepare some delicious food.

In the Tomb of the Living Dead at the foot of Zhongnan Mountain, Yang Guo actually felt like a wealthy landlord.

As for his cheap master, Yin Zhiping, who was still squatting in the thatched shed at the entrance of the ancient tomb, eagerly waiting for him to deliver the blueprints...

He had long forgotten about it.

……

Outside the ancient tomb.

The night wind was bleak.

Yin Zhiping hugged his knees and huddled in the corner of the dilapidated thatched shed.

He was still clutching half a cold, uneaten steamed bun in his hand, his hair was a mess like a bird's nest, his eyes were sunken, and his beard was unkempt, making him look like a refugee who had just been released from prison.

It's the eighth day.

It's been eight days!

"Yang Guo..."

Yin Zhiping's voice was hoarse and choked with sobs, "You heartless little beast..."

"What happened to the drawing you promised?"

"What happened to the planned inside-outside cooperation?"

"Even if you don't come out, you could at least leave a note to let us know you're safe!"

He stared at the tightly closed stone door, despair in his eyes.

Is he really dead?

Or is it that... this kid is so happy he's forgotten about his master?

The thought that Yang Guo might be spending his days and nights with Long Niang in the Ancient Tomb made Yin Zhiping feel like he was being fried in oil.

"ah--"

He slammed the cold steamed bun in his hand to the ground and let out a low growl.

"I'm not waiting anymore!"

"Three more days... If there's still no movement after three days..."

A ruthless glint flashed in Yin Zhiping's eyes. "I'll... I'll go and beg the sect leader to lead people and level this ancient tomb!"