20yo ZWJ would annihilate 20yo YG without HIS. Even LMC, GSZ et al would beat non-HIS YG.
With HIS, YG would stand a better chance. However, HIS YG relied on pure strength to overpower opponents. HIS YG had no sophisticated technique. ZWJ only struggled against strong techniques like the 3 monk formation. So YG's HIS power has no effect on ZWJ's 9Yang power, not even to mention ZWJ could easily neutralize it with Taiji Sword.
Compared to 20yo ZWJ, 20yo YG was inferior in both power and technique. At this reference point, their battle exeperience was the same (ZWJ after the 3 monk battle and YG after the QQR battle). ZWJ would beat YG, HIS or no HIS.
However, we must also take into account talent. YG took everything he was taught and made it unique to himself, creating a set of martial arts before he was forty that could rival anything the Greats in the 80's could do. I would say innate talent YG wins.
We must also remember he fought Golden Wheel Monk to a stalemate and bested QQR with HIS while only having one arm. I do not see ZWJ internal power being stronger than GWM and his technique inferior to a veteran like QQR. Although ZWJ survived the 3 monks he definitely could not beat them.
Talent is important, no doubt. YG is certainly talented. But even with talent alone, I doubt he could defeat ZWJ if they’re both in their early twenties. Maybe if he has HIS and ZWJ is barehanded.
YG would’ve lost to GLFW if not for XLN. As for QQR - ZWJ would win against him too if he was wielding the HIS.
At the end of their respective novels, ZWJ would probably lose in terms of experience. But it would probably be close. ZWJ tend to match his power proportional to his opponent’s power.
Agree ZWJ lack of experience really would be a handicap, like when he faced the Persian Emissaries. On paper he should have walked the fight but their strange moves caught him by surprise. Could YG? He definitely had the experience but has he got the skills? Hard to say, XLN with left & right hand skill though definitely would have.
By “not his match”, the author was referring to JLFW’s defeat at Chongyang Palace. But that defeat itself was because of XLN’s interference. But I digress, without XLN, YG may have performed better as he would be able to move around and use the HIS to it’s full potential. But without that sword, he would have lost.
The HIS is a simple weapon. By it’s very own nature, it represents “simplicity bring superiority”. There’s not many other way you can apply such a weapon. It’s a blunt and heavy weapon. If you swing it at someone, they would likely be forced to avoid it. It’s prioritises raw power over flashy technique. Anyone who is capable of using the weapon should be able to employ that advantage. But it takes serious training to attain the kind of ability to wield it. ZWJ should be amongst the small handful of individuals with innate strength to be able to employ the HIS.
Somewhat debatable that YG would definitely lose to GWM, because with HIS he could defeat QQR who is generally regarded as 90-95% of a Great. So at this stage YG with HIS would have been minimum 91% and could have been up to 96% Great level. Could he beat GWM on his own, probably not, but would he survive and flee if he had to, definitely yes.
HIS is not a magical weapon and does not in of itself enhance a person's fighting ability. It is a heavy blunt piece of metal and would be a hindrance when used in executing conventional martial arts. Any one but YG wielding it would have been severely handicapped, more so for ZWJ whose sword style is Tai Chi, which emphasis foot work, evasion and striking last but suppressing first. It would be suicide for him to use HIS.
Agree
ZWJ united all the parties and kicked out Mongols from mainland while others greats can't resist mongol attacks. 80 years old GJ one whole familiy (minus GX) died in battles, YG is somewhere else and didnt joined final battles. I don't see the used of many greats in one era
It's not really fair to judge those 3 heroes by their performance against the Mongols because the situations are very different.
However, of the 3, of course GJ had the most contribution and devotion to his country.
ZWJ did lead Ming Cult and turned it around from an absolute mess. Even though he chose to retire before they overthrew the Mongols, you could make the argument that he made the right decision in stepping down. At that point, China needed a ruthless war general in the mold of their previous founding kings more than someone of ZWJ's benevolent dispostion.
YG killed some key enemy leaders and helped brought temporary peace to China but in the end, when his country needed him most, he still chose to hide away.
No debate when it comes of GJ, but I would say ZWJ's contribution was minimal. He saved the Ming Cult members at Bright Summit Peak, but the Ming army was under no threat at the time and the Yuan Dynasty was already on the decline. With or without him the Yuan Dynasty would have fell and a native Han Dynasty rise.
YG did save GJ on multiple occasions during his time, so on a certain level GJ's later achievements can be accredited to him. Also YG unlike the other two was always an outcast like Eastern Heretic, so we can't really blame him for turning his back on a society which had long discarded him.