Originally Posted by
WuxiaMaster
This is a good place to continue discussion on QQR, since the other thread was "kidnapped" by ZWJ...
Regardless of whether you think ZWJ underperformed or not, he was at least supported by his Great LV skillset. That makes it possible to rate him at ROCH Great at worst(for people who do think so), to as good as GJ/YG.
For QQR, he has no such imba skillset to fall back on. Hence, we can only rely on his actual performance to verify jinyong words (that he is 98% of a Great). And his track record looked TERRIBLE:
LOCH GJ was constantly dominated by OYF/HYS through the entire series. OYF absolutely destroyed GJ in a single blow that he had to recuperate for 7 days 7 nights. Even 'late-story' Mongol Desert GJ, OYF had no trouble capturing him and toying around with him for practice. Browsing some excerpts, even as late as Chapter 38 (the 3rd last chapter):
拆了三十余招,郭靖究竟功力不及,被欧阳锋抢上半步,右掌抹到了胁下。郭靖难以闪避,只得停手 待毙,哪知欧 阳锋竟不发劲,笑道:“今日到此为止,你练几招真经上的功夫,明日再跟你打过。
GJ could only take 30+ exchange with OYF. Basically, GJ pose little threat to OYF.
On the other hand, 'mid-story' GJ was able to hold up surprisingly well against QQR. He exchanged palms with QQR as early as at Beggar meet.
裘千仞一招接过,已试出郭靖的真实功夫,以内力修为而论,自己尚胜他半筹.
“After the exchange, QQR already know GJ skill LV. In terms of internal, he’s still ahead by half a tier.”
Jinyong even say that QQR internal is only half a tier higher than GJ. (Another evidence that his words can't be trusted... or can it? )
And then, at Mt Iron Palm, this happened:
两人掌力相交,砰砰两声,各自退出三步。只不过裘千仞稳稳站住,郭靖却身子连晃了两下,这一掌 既交,双方可 说高下已判,昨晚在君山借着丐帮弟子的身子较劲,两人似乎打成了平手,然而那是由于郭靖出手中 带着天罡北斗 阵的巧劲,此刻硬碰硬的比拚,毕竟还是输了一筹。
“The 2 palms clashed, ‘pak! pak!’ and both took 3 steps backwards. However, QQR stood firmly while GJ body shooked twice.”
Really?! I can't help but feel the description seems to suggest that GJ is only 1 tier behind QQR, which is obviously not the case if he's 98% of a Great. If it was OYF, it would have been “OYF stood firmly while GJ flew back 10 steps”.
And the best part, not long after, GJ was able to scare off (defeat?) QQR by teaming up with Huang Rong and Ying Gu. I cannot imagine a greater discrepancy between characters of supposedly same LV.