The Brave Archer 3 1981

On the trail after the Iron Palm Sect, Guo Jing and Huang Rong press their pursuit to Iron Palm Peak, the fortress of the Iron Palm Sect led by Qiu Qianren. Huang Rong is seriously wounded in a duel with Qiu, and with Guo Jing’s aid she narrowly escapes. The pair search for a cure to heal her injuries and their wandering leads them to a swampy house, home to a mysterious woman named Yinggu. Yinggu hints that the only person who can save Huang Rong’s life is Duan Zhixing, the former ruler of Dali who has since taken monastic vows.

To reach Duan Zhixing, Guo Jing and Huang Rong must first outsmart and defeat Duan’s four bodyguards in a tense, clever game of wits. They manage to rise to the challenge and finally come face to face with Duan Zhixing. He explains that Yinggu had steered them toward him on purpose, because saving Huang Rong will require him to unleash a rare inner energy skill that could cost him his life. He then shares a painful memory from his past: Yinggu was his concubine when he ruled Dali, but he neglected her in his single-minded pursuit of martial prowess, and she began a forbidden affair with Zhou Botong. Yinggu becomes pregnant with Zhou’s child, yet the infant is grievously harmed by a masked man who forces Duan to use that dangerous skill to save the child. When Duan refuses, the child dies, and Yinggu blames him and retreats to a life in the swamp, nursing a private vendetta. Despite this, Duan expresses remorse for his earlier choices and resolves to save Huang Rong, even if it costs him his own life.

While Duan works to heal Huang Rong, Yinggu infiltrates Duan’s residence and nearly kills him, but she spares him at the last moment. Soon after, Qiu Qianren and the Iron Palm Sect come calling to challenge Duan Zhixing. Yinggu recognizes Qiu’s martial arts as the same technique that harmed her child and she chooses to join the defense. Zhou Botong appears, and his presence helps reveal the weaknesses in Qiu’s approach. Together, the protagonists exploit those openings and defeat the Iron Palm Sect’s members. The tale closes with Yinggu in pursuit of Zhou Botong, leaving a sense of unfinished business and a haunting prelude to what lies ahead.