在《神雕俠侶》的最初版本中，小龍女並未與楊過重逢，她身中劇毒，在臨終前選擇離開楊過，留下「十六年後在絕情谷底再見」的承諾，其實只是為了讓楊過放下悲痛、懷抱希望地活下去。然而在原構思中，小龍女最終仍是香消玉殞，楊過雖傷心欲絕，但最終與小東邪郭襄建立起曖昧深情的關係，也展現出楊過歷經生離死別後對人生的重新認識與成長。

這樣的結局原本符合金庸一貫「悲中有美、情中帶殘」的創作風格。他筆下的愛情故事，常常帶有命運無情、造化弄人的痕跡，也因此顯得更為真實動人。然而，隨著小說的連載影響力日漸擴大，讀者的情感投入與期待也越來越高，「神雕俠侶」四字幾乎已成為楊過與小龍女之間堅貞愛情的象徵。許多讀者無法接受小龍女的死亡，他們寫信給報社、給金庸本人，希望能讓楊過與小龍女最終團圓。這種極大的群眾反響，也讓金庸開始重新思考故事的收尾方式。

最終，金庸在再版時修改結局，讓小龍女在十六年後如約出現在絕情谷底，與楊過團圓，兩人攜手遠離塵世，隱居於終南山之中。這個修改版本雖然較符合大眾對「圓滿」的期待，但在某些評論者眼中，也失去最初版本中那種「無常中的深情」、「虛幻中見真」的藝術力量。楊過與郭襄的感情也因此被淡化，轉為一種帶有遺憾的單戀，成就郭襄日後創立峨嵋派的孤絕氣質。

金庸曾在訪談中坦承，他自己對原本的結局其實更為偏愛，但他同時也表示：「寫小說不是為了自己一個人開心」，創作本就需在藝術性與讀者接受度之間取得平衡。這段修改也顯示出金庸在面對群眾情感、文化價值與商業考量時的調整能力，讓《神雕俠侶》不只是武俠小說，更成為一代人對愛情信仰的象徵。

In the original version of The Return of the Condor Heroes, Xiaolongnü (Little Dragon Maiden) does not reunite with Yang Guo. After being poisoned, she chooses to leave him, knowing that she is near death. Before dying, she tells Yang Guo to meet her again sixteen years later at the bottom of Passionless Valley — a promise meant to give him hope and a reason to live, even though she never intended to keep it. In this early version, Xiaolongnü ultimately dies, and although Yang Guo is heartbroken, he eventually finds emotional solace and a subtle connection with Guo Xiang, which marks a new stage of personal growth and healing for him after enduring love and loss.

This ending originally aligned with Jin Yong's signature narrative style — a blend of sorrow and beauty, where love is often shadowed by fate and impermanence. His romances were known for their tragic beauty and emotional depth, rooted in the complexities of human nature and destiny. However, as the novel gained popularity during its serialization, the bond between Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü became iconic — the very title The Return of the Condor Heroes evoked an image of their undying love. Readers grew emotionally invested in their story and were devastated by the thought of a final separation. Many wrote letters to newspapers and directly to Jin Yong, pleading for a reunion between the two.

Faced with overwhelming public sentiment, Jin Yong eventually reconsidered the ending. In later editions of the novel, he revised the story so that Xiaolongnü reappears at the valley sixteen years later, keeping her promise and reuniting with Yang Guo. The lovers finally leave the world behind to live in seclusion on Mount Zhongnan. This revised ending satisfied the audience’s longing for a happy ending, even if, according to some literary critics, it weakened the original’s tragic poeticism and the powerful sense of impermanence. The bond between Yang Guo and Guo Xiang was also diminished, transformed into a one-sided affection, which in turn shaped Guo Xiang’s character as a solitary and independent figure, eventually founding the Emei Sect.

Jin Yong later admitted in interviews that he personally preferred the original, more tragic ending. However, he also acknowledged, “A novel is not written for the author alone.” His revision reflects his sensitivity to readers’ emotional needs and his willingness to balance artistic integrity with public expectation. In the end, The Return of the Condor Heroes not only became a classic martial arts tale but also a cultural symbol of eternal love — its legacy enduring not just in literature, but in the hearts of generations of readers.