The clouds hide the sun. A cold wind is blowing and the sound of birds singing can be heard all over the forest of bamboo and trees. The air is moist and the ground is muddy. It had been raining for the past two days. Suddenly, the sound of steps interrupts the singing of the birds and the sound of the wind blowing is replaced with the sound of fallen leaves being cracked. The man walking wears a white gown and is none other than Lung Chang. As he walks, he takes large gulps from a jar with wine and occasionally shouts "Good wine!" or "Excellent wine!". Drops of water fall over his head sometimes, as the trees have not completely dried from last two days' rain yet. But this seems not to bother at all Lung Chang.1399Please respect copyright.PENANAQ2cP7ikD2x
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Everything seems to be calm and in peace. Everything seems to be in harmony: but for long this will not last. Suddenly, the sound of shouts and fighting is heard. Lung Chang is at first not bothered at all. But after the sound of fighting becomes move violent and the "clang" sound of swords clashing is heard again and again, his curiosity gets the best of him and he decides to walk towards the direction of the sound and see what is happening. What he sees is three men dressed in black garb and with swords in their hands fighting a middle-aged lady and a young woman, probably her daughter. Lung Chang does not pay much attention at the two women, but he sees that they are both beautiful and have white like snow skin.1399Please respect copyright.PENANA1hd4iN05DV
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"Hey!", Lung Chang shouts. "Why are you harassing them?". Although Lung Chang wants to avoid gaining attention, when he sees women in danger, his heroic and chivalrous nature wakes up in him. He just cannot stand it and no matter how cautious he is, he has the urge to interfere.1399Please respect copyright.PENANAaucaoT0fzn
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"Hey, you kiddo.", one of the men laughingly says. "What business is this to you? Maybe you like the girls because they are pretty?"1399Please respect copyright.PENANAi15crMydta
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Lung Chang blushed when he heard of this. Seeing his reaction, the other two comrades of the man also laugh. Finally, after a few seconds, Lung Chang replies: "Whenever the weak are bullied, it is my business."1399Please respect copyright.PENANA9Wo8o2oIOP
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"Oh! You think that you are a great hero? Hahahaha!". The man's face becomes red because of how hard he laughs. He points at Lung Chang and says to his comrades: "Look! This kid believes that he is really a hero!"1399Please respect copyright.PENANA2v9ZOcQk2E
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"Maybe he is Piao Zhen.", an other man jokingly says.1399Please respect copyright.PENANA6iQsxYaKaZ
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"Or is he Abbess Meijoui?"1399Please respect copyright.PENANAs6NRSqwcUw
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Hearing this, the younger of the two women lets out a laugh. Although they are mortal enemies and before a few minutes they were fighting to death, the man's words were nevertheless too funny for her not to laugh. The other woman, the middle-aged one, looks harshly at her, scolding her.1399Please respect copyright.PENANA6ws4M6GUmj
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Lung Chang also laughed when he heard this and replied: "Nuns, that's right. I am your Abbess."1399Please respect copyright.PENANApZXUFvarka
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Now, the young girl laughs even more heartily, but the three men grunt instead.1399Please respect copyright.PENANAeWUiaDkLDU
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"Bastard, I shall teach you a lesson!", one of them says and the three men form a triangle.1399Please respect copyright.PENANAKFfx20s679
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The "Triangle Formation" (三角形的形成), although it is not very sophisticated, it is nevertheless a very dangerous formation for anyone to face, as long as the three members of the formation are at least competent fighters. The fighter in the center of the formation aims to tie down the enemy while the other two men outflank and encircle him. Then, the enemy will be quite easily killed. The main idea for this formation came from military strategy and warfare. The fighters of the triangle represent an army and the enemy represents an other army. The center of the army ties down the enemy army and the other two wings encircle and then destroy it. This military strategy was applied to pugilistic fights by a General who had outstanding abilities, in both War and Martial Arts. Unfortunately, his name has been lost.1399Please respect copyright.PENANAkyeN0E1gS9
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The three men point their swords at Lung Chang, but they do not dare to make the first move. Although they gave the impression that they are arrogant, they are in fact cautious and they know that in pugilistic fights, one must never be too overconfident. So, while in the fight of words they are arrogant, because words cannot kill, in the fight of swords and fists they do not dare to act rashly. They want first to see what move their enemy will make and how strong and able he is. Lung Chang would usually have attacked by now, but seeing the formation the three men formed, he does not dare to act rashly either. Instead, he monitors closely the formation and strives to find a weakness. For a few seconds, there is silence. The four men do not move at all. The one, Lung Chang, observes the formation and wants to find a weak point, the other three wait for him to show his abilities.1399Please respect copyright.PENANAWk7f5LDhmX
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After a few more seconds, Lung Chang pulls out his white folding fan and utilizes his lightness Kung Fu to move with almost superhuman speed against his opponents. He moves so fast that a whistling sound is heard and the two women who are watching the fight do not notice that he has moved until a few seconds later. But, when his fan is only a few inches away from the chest of the man who is in the center of the formation, he retreats back by a few paces. Meanwhile, his opponents had already reacted; the man in the center had taken up a defensive stance and when he realized that Lung Chang had retreated, he moved forward by a few steps. The men in the right and left wings of the triangle had also moved forward, keeping the formation intact.1399Please respect copyright.PENANAIXM8Vq2F2c
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Lung Chang repeats the same move, this time against the man in the left wing of the formation, but the results are the same; when he retreats, his enemies do not rush forward, but they move only a few steps, keeping their formation intact. Lung Chang realizes that it will not be easy to break the formation.1399Please respect copyright.PENANA2dC74ph4RG
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In order to break the formation, he must somersault and land behind the man in the center of the formation. With him defeated, the formation will break and the other two men will be easily defeated. However, for someone to jump so high and to avoid the enemy swords, he needs to have profound internal energy. If the one who tries to somersault fails and does not manage to land behind his enemy, he will surely die as his opponents will surround him and finish him off. And even if he succeeds, he may be injured by an enemy sword as he tries to jump above the enemy. But, Lung Chang knows that if the enemy takes the initiative, it will be much harder for him to escape alive.1399Please respect copyright.PENANAtsvrcIF6rs
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So, he gathers his internal energy to the Lower dantian (下丹田), lets out a breath and charges against the enemy. When he is a few inches away from the man in the center of the formation, who has taken a defensive stance along with his comrades, he somersaults and jumps above him. Seeing this, the man, although surprised, instinctively moves his sword upwards, slashing Lung Chang's stomach, but despite his injury, Lung Chang manages to land behind the man. With a quick move, he kicks the back of the man in center. His kick was very strong and caused the man to vomit blood. As the man in the center is injured, the formation has been broken.1399Please respect copyright.PENANApk3tUqLDcV
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The other two men charge at the same time against Lung Chang. Although he had refused to use his 'Deadly Jade Sword' in order to not gain attention, Lung Chang is now forced to use it, as he is in a life and death situation. So, he pulls out the sword and with a swift horizontal move, he breaks the swords of his opponents. The 'Deadly Jade Sword' is known for being able to cut even the hardest steel, so when it met the enemy swords, of course it snapped them in two. However, the injured man had charged against him. Lung Chang was preoccupied with snapping in two the swords of his two enemies and had though that the kick he had given to the man was enough to stop him from further action, so he was surprised when he stabbed him with his sword on the back.1399Please respect copyright.PENANAxCrIRbdCI8
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Lung Chang lets out a cry and back kicks the man on his belly. The kick was even stronger than the one he had given before, because his pain made him act like an injured beast. The man is pushed back and falls on the ground, dead. At the same time, his two comrades attack again, this time with their bare fists, as their swords have been broken. But before they can reach him, the two women, who where watching the fight with great interest and anxiousness, step forward and with their swords defend Lung Chang. The two men, seeing that the women have swords in their hands, decide to run away. They know that they will be no match for them without a weapon.1399Please respect copyright.PENANAuFg3C0hJFo
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Lung Chang vomits blood and then there is darkness. When Lung Chang manages to open again his eyes, he finds himself lying on a wooden bed in a small and wooden room. The room has only a bed and a wooden table. Nothing else. Lung Chang tries to get up, but he feels a pain in his chest and has to lie down once again. Suddenly, a man enters the room. The man is a very thin Buddhist monk. It seems that he is in his forties. He wears a simple yellow Buddhist gown. His nose is symmetrical and his eyebrows are very dark.1399Please respect copyright.PENANAOE95R7NCq2
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"Buddha bless you.", the man calmly says.1399Please respect copyright.PENANAYSG2M6oK7Z
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"Where am I?", Lung Chang asks. But before the monk can reply, he feels a pain in his chest and lets out a cry.1399Please respect copyright.PENANAfCtWczbsLM
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"Do not talk. You will exhaust yourself. Lie down and rest."1399Please respect copyright.PENANAPR3Z8qWlhG
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"Bu-"1399Please respect copyright.PENANAwOXFMzyYy0
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"I insist. And do not worry. You are in Shaolin."1399Please respect copyright.PENANAZTBWJL98Z0
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"Shaolin?!", Lung Chang thinks. "If they find out my identity, they will surely hand me over to the other Orthodox Sects, who will surely kill me!". Lung Chang then realizes that his 'Deadly Jade Sword' has been taken away. He just hopes that they will believe that he is a Wudang disciple and that's the reason why he has Priest Yue Li's sword. While he is thinking about those possibilities, the monk leaves the room. A few hours later, the two women he had rescued enter the room. The middle-aged one talks first: "Greeting hero. Thank you for your help. I am Yang Youjia and this is my daughter, Yang Liqiu."1399Please respect copyright.PENANAqWIjk9OMjl
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Liqiu means beautiful autumn. And the young girl is indeed beautiful. Before, Lung Chang had not noticed her because he was focused with fighting the Triangle Formation, but now that he sees her again, he is mesmerized by her beauty; she has a slim waist, porcelain-like skin, a beautiful face with big round hazel eyes and raven-black long hair.1399Please respect copyright.PENANAQhLhwjqwXE
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"Thank you for your help.", Liqiu says with a sweet voice.1399Please respect copyright.PENANAgYY70zXiHM
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"It was nothing."1399Please respect copyright.PENANA7xmmiL8Ajb
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"Could you tell us your name?"1399Please respect copyright.PENANAGuTPOGxaqT
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Lung Chang thinks for a few seconds. He then finds the right name: "I am Chong Guozhi."1399Please respect copyright.PENANAtIV14GfpPp
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"Brother Chong, my mother has prepared some medicine for you."1399Please respect copyright.PENANAMr68MCL0dS
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Indeed, Youjia gives Liqiu a bowl, who in turn gives it to Lung Chang.1399Please respect copyright.PENANAMrbCVIc5du
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"Drink it. It will help you recover."1399Please respect copyright.PENANA2Ce9sMY2iI
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"I thank you."1399Please respect copyright.PENANAys4ah82KaT
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Lung Chang drinks all of the medicine and the two women leave. A few minutes later, he feels much stronger and is able to get up without hurting his chest. "That medicine is really effective.", he thinks.1399Please respect copyright.PENANARcZIxCsOPx
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When he gets out of the room and walks around the monastery, he sees how monks live; some practice martial arts, others pray to Buddha, others sweep the floor, cut wood or carry water on two huge wooden water buckets. They all seem to be harmonious and live in peace. Lung Chang sighs. "If only I could be a monk and live in peace like them. But before I am able to fulfill this dream, I must clear my name or else I will bring trouble to the temple if I become a monk here."1399Please respect copyright.PENANALDvrS7F7l3
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The monk he had met a few hours earlier, seeing that Lung Chang has gotten up, walks towards him with slow movement.1399Please respect copyright.PENANAymB4EmBxfz
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"Buddha bless you. You managed to get up?"1399Please respect copyright.PENANABjObZXZmjl
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"Yes, thanks to Miss Yang's medicine. Thank you for helping me recover. But, I have a question. How may days was I unconscious?"1399Please respect copyright.PENANAU3aGt3oaPW
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"A whole week. Miss Yang and her daughter brought you here."1399Please respect copyright.PENANAQie8byZKud
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"Oh, I see."1399Please respect copyright.PENANAoCiMOt4w2l
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"But, I also have a question. Who are you?"1399Please respect copyright.PENANAwYenbsbVux
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"I am Chong Guozhi?"1399Please respect copyright.PENANAoCVMwZj5QG
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"You seem like a pugilist. To which Sect do you belong?"1399Please respect copyright.PENANAWoUbeUV1ep
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"To Wudang Sect."1399Please respect copyright.PENANAfgDlACPli2
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"Oh, that's why the 'Deadly Jade Sword' of Priest Yue Li is in your possession."1399Please respect copyright.PENANAMn3Xr0Rm0U
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"Can you give me back my sword? It is an important treasure of Wudang and must not be lost."1399Please respect copyright.PENANAlIPbPEmT5C
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"Do not worry. I will give it to you when the time comes. For now, could you please come along with me?"1399Please respect copyright.PENANAGogH5BnEvK
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"Of course."1399Please respect copyright.PENANANSlnEZy05c
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Smiling, Lung Chang follows the Buddhist Monk. The two men walk until they reach a river. The current of the water is not strong, so one can go near the river with no danger. Lung Chang sees that there are two huge wooden water buckets on the banks of the river. The monk points at them and laughing, he says: "We have helped you recover. So, we wish that you can help us. I hope that you do not find this unacceptable."1399Please respect copyright.PENANAUrS6XKhd69
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"Eh....no."1399Please respect copyright.PENANAG4fmpB9OFf
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Lung Chang is confused and anxious to know what help do the monk needs.1399Please respect copyright.PENANA1qCIT4V2ng
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"I want you to carry water to the Temple. You must do this at least ten times for today."1399Please respect copyright.PENANA1BCsCIHn7j
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"Alright."1399Please respect copyright.PENANAHN2e6CUI1P
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Lung Chang, seeing how easily the monks carried the water buckets, believes that it will be an easy task. But when he tries to carry them after filling them with water, he finds them to be unbearably heavy. "How the hell do those monks manage to carry with such ease those water buckets?", he wonders.1399Please respect copyright.PENANAzkoWKVerPn
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Nevertheless, after using his internal energy and all his might, he manages to move a few steps, but then the pain on his back is too much and he almost falls to the ground; it was the monk who held him in his hands that did not allow him to fall. Smiling, the monk just says: "Please do not be lazy and complete the task." and leaves. Lung Chang, after two hours, manages to bring the water buckets to the temple. But he is in much pain and his back is bleeding. "At last, I will rest a bit."1399Please respect copyright.PENANAVPs1TmsaaQ
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Lung Chang lets out a breath and is ready to lie down and rest when the monk rushes toward him and laughingly says: "You have to carry the water buckets back to the river, fill them and bring again water here. You must bring water here nine more times for today."1399Please respect copyright.PENANA4yc9kQJ42Y
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Lung Chang sighs. He wants to refuse, but his nature does not allow him to do so. After all, the monks saved him from certain death. So, he just carries the water buckets with whatever strength he has back to the river. Using his internal energy and his might, he brings water three more times, but the fourth time, he feels like he is ready to collapse. It is then when the monk appears again. He approaches Lung Chang and whispers in his right ear: "Move your internal energy from the dantian to your laogong". Laogong is an acupuncture point in the hands of a person. Lung Chang follows the instructions of the Monk and he feels far stronger than before. "Open your Shanzhong and transfer to it internal energy from your laogong."1399Please respect copyright.PENANAsO04pJLDQR
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Shanzhong is an acupuncture point in the middle of the chest. Lung Chang does what the Monk says and he feels much more energetic, even more than before he came to the Temple. "Shoot out your palms and let out a roar".1399Please respect copyright.PENANAguNTueyWhu
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Lung Chang shoots out his palms with such speed and prowess that a wind gust is created and his roar shakes the ground. "Repeat the following word: 'Lang Jiang Ju Wuing Huilg Zhong Fan Cheng Cao Liu Wu Huatrang Hundraspanga Enchiang.'"1399Please respect copyright.PENANALmnvcZvLYH
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Lung Chang repeats the words and feel like his chest is burning. "Now, carry the water buckets."1399Please respect copyright.PENANAL70EkcKoO8
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This time, Lung Chang carries the water buckets with much ease and in just an hour, he completes his task. Night has come, so he goes to his room to rest. But when he is in his room, he is too excited about this new technique the monk showed to him and cannot rest. He does not even bother to think why the Monk could have teached him such a technique. So, at midnight he sneaks out of the monastery and goes to the nearby forest to practice the skill. He repeats the transfers of the internal energy and the formula the Monk taught to him and feel even more energetic and strong. So, he decides to test his new prowess; he shoots out his palms against a tree. The prowess of the palms create a wing gust and a whistling sound is heard. When his palms touch the tree, a 'bam' sound is heard and the tree is shattered to pieces.1399Please respect copyright.PENANAhGy1M5Qw97
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"That is a truly divine skill!", Lung Chang, excited, shouts. As he strolls happily in the forest, unable to rest after learning such a skill, he suddenly falls in a pit that had been covered by lot of leaves and so he had been unable to notice it. The falling lasts for a few minutes, as the pit is very deep under the ground and when he lands to the ground, his head is smashed on the surface. His head is bleeding and a few seconds later, he collapses. 1399Please respect copyright.PENANAH8BNmXhzIL
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Lung Chang
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christos200

ISSUE #5
Chapter V: Shaolin Temple
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Lung Chang
Wuxia
Last updated: Jul 27, 2014
Total word count: 22,683
Total reading time: 105 Minutes
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