It has been forty years since the "Prodigal Son" passed away. Who still thinks of Gu Long fondly?

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“Sword energy sweeps across thirty thousand li; a single sword’s cold light illuminates nineteen provinces.”

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Gu Long’s death.

Forty years—when people see that number, their first reaction is often one of surprise.

Has it been forty years?

Yet Gu Long’s martial arts world seems to be an eternal presence—silent and unassuming, yet towering and imposing.

From the comic books of *The Two Heroes* to memories of *The Butterfly and the Sword* in internet cafes, from the *Legend of Lu Xiaofeng* movies to the *Little Li Flying Dagger* TV series, Gu Long’s name always seems to pop up around every corner.

The wandering knights, fine wine, lone heroes, and tales of revenge and redemption that flowed from his pen have long served as the cornerstone of the martial arts world in the hearts of generations, leading us to believe that this master of solitude has always been waiting in some tavern, ready to raise a glass with us.

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“If the beauty of spring in the Jiangnan region were rated on a scale of ten, at least seven points would belong to Hangzhou.”

—Gu Long, *The Jade Dagger*

Though the prodigal son has gone far away, by the shores of West Lake, the wine poured in his honor remains warm.

On November 13, the “Flying Dragon in the Sky—Series of Events Commemorating the 40th Anniversary of Gu Long’s Passing” kicked off in Hangzhou. A signing ceremony marking the establishment of Gu Long’s martial arts IP in Hangzhou was held concurrently at the event, and on the same day, the Gu Long Research Center was officially inaugurated in Hangzhou.

Although he never set foot in Hangzhou during his lifetime, Gu Long never hesitated to praise the city in his works, expressing a unique longing and fondness for it. Indeed, his descriptions of West Lake vinegar fish are enough to make one’s mouth water and stir a deep yearning.

Though he has never set foot there himself, the heroes and knights of Gu Long’s martial arts world have long since visited Hangzhou on his behalf, lingering amidst the misty rains of Jiangnan and the scenic beauty of West Lake, leaving behind many timeless tales of the martial arts world.

And now, Gu Long has taken up permanent residence in Hangzhou in this unique way.

During the speech segment of the Gu Long memorial event “Flying Dragon in the Sky,” Hu Zhipeng, Executive Vice President of NetEase and Deputy Secretary-General of the Chinese Wuxia Literature Society, remarked: “For 40 years, Gu Long has been gone, but his martial arts world has not ended; it simply continues to exist in a different form.” Perhaps it lives on in the lens of every adapter, in the sigh of every reader, and in the code of every game developer.

And perhaps we, as players, are the new sword-bearers in the stories Gu Long never finished writing.

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As the master of Chinese wuxia fiction, Gu Long’s IP has long been a landmark that wuxia games look up to. *Meteor Butterfly Sword.net*, which took internet cafes by storm over two decades ago, remains the action game that introduced countless players to the genre.In an era dominated by turn-based wuxia games, it revolutionarily fused the essence of wuxia with real-time combat, creating a realistic martial arts world where players could engage in hardcore combo battles like true martial arts masters, fulfilling players’ most thrilling imaginings of the wuxia universe.

"There will always be heroes in the martial arts world who yearn to wield a sword, and Chinese gamers deserve a more refined combat aesthetic." — This was producer Guan Lei’s message as *Meteor Heroes* came to a close.

A group of die-hard fans who’ve been obsessed with one thing for years—from *Meteor Butterfly Sword.net* to *Meteor Heroes* and on to *Eternal Return*—need no explanation as to which is the spiritual successor to which; anyone who’s played them knows what it means to carry on a consistent legacy.

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Gu Long’s martial arts world has never faded from memory, for there are always those who cherish it dearly.

On November 6, *Onmyoji Arena* officially launched a long-term collaboration with the Gu Long IP. The first phase introduced a new collaboration hero—Li Xunhuan, the "Flying Dagger"—who brings his peerless, never-missing throwing daggers to the *Onmyoji* universe, igniting a refreshing wave of chivalry.

Li Xunhuan’s skill, “Three-Step Dragonfly,” captures the essence of the “Dragonfly Skimming the Water Three Times” lightness technique from the original novel, while his ultimate technique, “Not a Single Leaf Touched,” brings to life the “never misses” flying dagger mastery. The moment the dagger is launched, it embodies all the grace and resolve found in Gu Long’s writing.

The romantic swordsman leads the charge; someone approaches the summit of the Forbidden City.

In addition to Li Xunhuan, the new hero featured in the first collaboration, Ye Gucheng, the Lord of White Cloud City from Gu Long’s novels, and Ximen Chuixue of Wanmei Manor will also be joining the world of Eternal Return as hero skins.

The interplay of poetic imagery and raw realism in the world of swords and sorcery is the very soul of Gu Long’s martial arts universe.

With its realistic art style and focus on melee combat with cold weapons, *Eternal Return* may be the perfect platform for the Gu Long IP.

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From its collaboration with Bruce Lee to the launch of the "Infinite Martial Arts" initiative aimed at preserving Chinese martial arts traditions, and now its partnership with the Gu Long IP, *Naraka: Bladepoint* has demonstrated a solid grasp of its brand identity.

——To create a martial arts story, it must have both martial arts and chivalry.

Martial arts are the essence of competition—a discipline of steady, methodical movement that draws inspiration from Chinese martial arts and carries on the martial way.

The spirit of chivalry is a passionate force, a millennia-old obsession with righteousness deeply ingrained in the Chinese people.

Although the wuxia genre is no longer new, and wuxia enthusiasts are no longer young, wuxia will never grow old.

Wuxia isn’t just a person or a book; it’s a spirit, a sentiment—it flows through our veins.

This spirit of sword-wielding chivalry and the thrill of settling scores has drawn generation after generation of players to seek a second self in the virtual martial arts world.

We are all ordinary people, yet we all harbor a sharp edge within.