People become extraordinarily strong when they are extremely upset. It's the adrenalin rush that comes with strong emotional reactions. A person in the thrall of a powerful emotional episode might have much more than his/her regular strength...so much so that they could probably beat the living hell out of people they normally couldn't hurt.
Let's say Yeung Gor, at the end of those sixteen years, discovers that Little Dragon Girl had died after all. He freaks out and becomes suicidal. Those who care about him, of course, don't want him to die. Say that Gwok Jing, East Heretic Wong Yerk See, South Emperor 1 Deng, and Chow Bak Tung are all there. Normally, each of these guys could probably fight Yeung Gor to a draw. With Yeung Gor in suicidal mode, however, could even the four of them together hold him down (note: they're not trying to beat him in martial arts or hurt him; they're trying to restrain him from hurting himself)?