Yang Kang

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Yang Kang (楊康)is a character from Jin Yong's book, The Legend of the Condor Heroes. He was the sworn brother of Guo Jing and the father of Yang Guo. Yang Kang was also a disciple of Mei Chaofeng and Quanzhen priest Qiu Chuji. His biological father was Yang Tiexin and mother Bao Xiruo. He was known as Wanyan Kang before he knew his true parentage, and he always thought that he was the son of Wanyan Honglie, the sixth prince of the Jin emperor.

Even after learning of his true identity, as the son of Yang Tiexin, he still recognised Wanyan Honglie as his father because Wanyan Honglie was the one who raised him. Another reason was that, he was promised a share of the power of the Jin Empire. Because of this, he turned into a treacherous traitor who would stop at nothing for power. He was later killed when he hit Huang Rong, who was wearing her family's protective vest which was incidentally coated with Ouyang Feng's poison when Guo Jing's master, Nan Xiren previously hit her. His corpse was later consumed by wild crows, and what remained of it was eventually buried by his sworn brother, Guo Jing.

His death was ironic because Yang Kang killed Ouyang Feng's son in order to become his disciple.

Yang Kang's evil and treachery are stark contrasts against the illustrious family of the Yang Clan Generals of which he is a scion. More than seven generations of that clan had dedicated whole lives of zealous service to their country and were all people of noble character. However, his deeds also pivotal to the decisions that would shape his sworn brothers's life when he was torn of his loyalties between the Mongol and Southern Song Empires and his son's heroic destiny as The Condor Hero.