Why did YG and the Mongols waste so much time at Passionless Valley?

[Ken Cheng]

When Yeung Gor joined Kublai Khan's newly hired retinue of mercenary warriors, their top priority was to kill Gwok Jing and penetrate Seung Yeung Fortress' defenses. Given this, it's a wonder that they got so involved in the affairs of Passionless Valley.

Yeung Gor and the Mongol mercenaries originally went to Passionless Valley to rescue Chow Bak Tung, who had supposedly been "captured" by the people of Passionless Valley. Yeung Gor, naturally, wanted to help his friend, but I don't see why the Mongol mercenaries starting with the Golden Wheel Monk were so eager to join him. *They* were not friends of Chow Bak Tung and in fact, knowing that Chow Bak Tung was one of Gwok Jing's most powerful allies, they would have welcomed the idea that Passionless Valley might eliminate Chow Bak Tung for them. Moreover, Yeung Gor fully realized that with Chow Bak Tung's martial arts might, the people of Passionless Valley really posed no threat to him: he let them capture him because it was another fun "game" he could play. Yeung Gor and the Mongol mercenaries did not have time to waste on this: they urgently needed to kill Gwok Jing (in Yeung Gor's case, for supposed revenge and in the mercenaries' case, to facilitate the Mongol invasion of southern China). As it was, getting involved with Passionless Valley got Yeung Gor into a whole new world of trouble.

[charbydis]

Maybe they thought that Passionless Valley posed as threat to them if they invaded, so they went up and to check out which side the owner was on, and what martial arts he used; just in case Passionless Valley decides to help Guo Jing against the Mongols.

[Tazzy1972]

yeap GWM is that kinda person who would check out whether the passionless people are for or against him... also he may be curious

[atlantean0208]

its one of those plot development use by JY to introduce the poison flower, the re-entry of XLN, QQC, etc etc... Yi Deng etc etc 16 years of separation...

[Laviathan]

Firstly, the mercenaries were all expert martial artists. They were humbled by Zhou Botong, but Zhou on his turn was captured by Passionless Valley disciples. This really triggered their curiosity as martial artist: what is this secret clan that is able to capture a Great of the Central Plains?

Later on, Gongsun Zhi invited them to his wedding ceremony and so they stayed out of courtesy.

Golden Wheel Monk and the others did not waste much time at Passionless Valley, they were only there for about 2 days.

[Thai guy]

I think those Mongolian fighers are afraid that if the Passionate Valley people can capture one of the greats, Zhou Bo Tong, it means that there is someone who is even above the Greats. This is obviously intimidating.

[Ken Cheng]

Kublai Khan gave them his blessing to go, but I've got to wonder if Kublai was too happy about this. He'd summoned them so they could make plans on how to attack Gwok Jing and his allies at Seung Yeung, but in a flash, five of his best martial artists go off on what seemed to be a fairly inessential fact-finding mission. I could see Kublai approving of one of them going, but all five?

If they'd gotten killed, Kublai would have been left with Fok Do and Dat Yee Ba...not nearly enough to threaten Gwok Jing and his allies.

[Laviathan]

Kublai Khan gave them his blessing to go, but I've got to wonder if Kublai was too happy about this. He'd summoned them so they could make plans on how to attack Gwok Jing and his allies at Seung Yeung, but in a flash, five of his best martial artists go off on what seemed to be a fairly inessential fact-finding mission. I could see Kublai approving of one of them going, but all five?

Khubilai treated them with utmost respect and would not have interfered with their actions. Not giving them permission would be seen as a sign of doubting their abilities. Also, he had to treat them all as equally important, so he could not let a few of them remain while allowing some to enter the valley.

[Zhuge Liang]

Perhaps they wished to see if the person(s) at loveless valley, who could capture ZBT, would be worth recruiting. There's never too many fighters when it comes to trying to kill GJ!

[Tazzy1972]

maybe Khubilai was afraid of the passion valley people as well and had to send all of them there to check them out?

[putrihuanzhu]

so yang guo maybe has some agenda when he rescued zhou bo tong
interesting

[Ken Cheng]

so yang guo maybe has some agenda when he rescued zhou bo tong
interesting

No, I don't think Yeung Gor had any secret agenda here; he just wanted to rescue his friend and perhaps, satisfy his curiosity. This was a strange time for him to be doing it, however, considering he had just concluded that Gwok Jing and Wong Yung had killed his father and was bent on killing them in revenge; he was so focused on that goal that I was surprised he let this distract him. With Little Dragon Girl missing (although he'd find her again soon enough) and the entire vengeance kick, this was an unusual time for Yeung Gor to get curious about something he really didn't have much to do with.

[CrazyT]

Maybe his sub-conscious mind was telling him that GJ is innocent all-along and that delaying it won't be such a bad thing.... nah, couldn't be.

Anywho, I thought the first time ZBT and YG met was 5 minutes prior to ZBT getting captured. YG doesn't seem like the type who can make friends so quickly.

[Gunner]

I think Kublai Khan saw the people of Passionate Valley as a potential ally and anyone who could 'capture' ZBT had to be of some calibre. It's no wonder he agreed to send JLFW and gang to investigate and mebbe even size up the possibility of recruiting them. After all, ZBT was an enemy of the mongols and anyone who captured him would seem like a potential ally using 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' theory.

[kangkang]

hi guys
please don't focue on such tiny topics.maybe just caz Mongols want to test out how aweful the people in passionless valley are so they go there
things that happened backward are real things they'll be real turning points in their lives
i'm thinking to post the remianing chapters' main points for you but i'm afraid my english is not good to create the level of noodles i'm just a student who has learned some english in school

[Ken Cheng]

hi guys
please don't focue on such tiny topics.maybe just caz Mongols want to test out how aweful the people in passionless valley are so they go there
things that happened backward are real things they'll be real turning points in their lives
i'm thinking to post the remianing chapters' main points for you but i'm afraid my english is not good to create the level of noodles i'm just a student who has learned some english in school

kangkang:

A worthwhile topic is whatever readers feel like discussing. We don't permit SPAM, obscene posts, deliberate flaming, or completely off-topic threads, but anything wuxia-related is fair game.

And with all due respect, with a grand total of five posts to date, you really should not be telling people what they should and should not be posting here.

[letalforever]

kangkang:

A worthwhile topic is whatever readers feel like discussing. We don't permit SPAM, obscene posts, deliberate flaming, or completely off-topic threads, but anything wuxia-related is fair game.

And with all due respect, with a grand total of five posts to date, you really should not be telling people what they should and should not be posting here.

STAB

meanie

[Anonymous]

Comment on Passionless Valley:
1. The reason for Passionless Valley scene is mainly for YG to take "passionless" grass [subduing the ego/passion]. From temporary passions to a more long-term relationship [aka fruitful marriage].
2. The first-rate fighters [first-rate fighters and above][ie. GWM and Mongolian candidates for Mongolian Hero-ship] usually have a first-rate ego [ie. the Mongolian-hero championship is just prior this event][ie. Moin's translation of the "red-shoe" thief that wants everything first-rate.][ie. YG too.]
3. What can stir these first-rate egoes to Passionless Valley? One reason can be: Passionless Valley represents the ultimate aim for an ego. The ego wants to evolve into a being that is flawless [ie. no weaknesses: passions cannot control it]. The fact the disciples of the valley can capture a Great-level fighter like Old Urchin can be one incentive in this direction.
4. The valley in actuality [hides] represents a pseudo-passionless [undesirable passionless] state. This is represented by the behavior of the Valley lord and his abandoned wife [ie. crazy couple]. True passionlessness has no weaknesses [like the Valley lord lusting over XLN, the wife bent on revenge, etc]
.
.
Feel free to correct me. Oh yeah, I agree with the replies in this thread too.

[Zhuge Liang]

YG doesn't take the passionless grass till a later visit to the valley.

[Tazzy1972]

but the 1st visit was jus a brief intro....