In LOCH, we all know that West Venom is the main villain of the story. AYF killed GJ's teachers (with the help of YK and his cronies) using his lethal poisons and later, the poison also killed YK. AYF was also the baddie who tried to ambush HYS, luckily MCF was there to save East Heretic. In addition, AYF tried to kill H7Q. West Venom also worked for the Jins and tried any ways he could to get his hands on 9 Yin Manual, by kidnapping HR and forcing GJ to recite and write it down for him.
However, in the end, GJ seems to have forgiven his sins and let him go, yet GJ went beserk and falsely accused HYS. Some suggest that AYF's insanity is enough to pay the price of his crime. In fact, I have the impession that he's not as bad in ROCH. He also became Yang Guo's foster Dad and taught him martial arts. But don't you think he got away too easily ?
In ROCH third edition, GWM terrorised the Central Plains with his ambition and martial arts supremacy. The guy caused so much havoc in the martial arts world. The only guy that he seems feared the most is off course, none other than Guo Jing. He would do anything to destroy Guo Jing. Yet, at the end of ROCH, Guo Jing's most talented daugther, Guo Xiang became his disciples and perhaps she passed down and integrated all his martial arts into E Mei techniques as well.
In the end of the third edition, GWM no longer killed by Yang Guo, instead he died to save Guo Xiang. This really changed the whole attitude of the novel. And it's indeed another irony, GWM can be perceived as not as bad as he is the second revision, in fact he becomes a good guy saving his disciple. Yang Guo will be no longer credited as the guy who took out GWM with his awesome sad palms, and Guo Xiang's credibility also suffers, she's not as loyal and honorable as we used to know, since she became GWM's disciples. Again, although he still got killed at the end, it seems like he got away from painful death too easly,
Looks like in both novels, JY is trying to create an irony. The bad guys are not that bad after all, and the good guy is not as good after all. The bad guy can repent and at least gain some recognition for good deeds.
So.. Why do you think JY revised and wrote these stories in such a way to create this ironies ? Is it puposedly to tell us and give us a message that one should have a second chance and nothing is what it seems on the outside. No matter how bad a person is, he can also have a good side.