Fa Mun Lau - a higher martial arts potential than most realize?

[Ken Cheng]

As I remember all this guy did was hang around near the peripheral of the story...

Fa Mun Lau was pretty integral to the first volume of the LUK SIU FUNG saga. His role diminished in the later stories, but during that first story, you sometimes wondered if the story was supposed to be about Luk Siu Fung or about him.

[kidd]

I wonder why HML's role diminishes so much after book 1. XMCX still play some important roles in subsequent stories.

I was most disappointed by book 5. It's so inconsistant. Sometimes he's there, sometimes he's not. So, at the end, I'm not even sure where is HML. Near the end, LXF met him at the hero's gathering (indisguise or hiding, I forgot), after that no mention him.

[Ghaleon]

Blind people can have really heightened senses. In fact their blindness may motivate them further to achieve great results in martial arts.

It reminds me of the Blind Swordsman Zatoichi

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[Cesare]

Hua Man Lou is a great fave of mine. Probably my favorite in LXF series (at least based on what I've read so far). I think I even like him somewhat better than LXF himself.
As for the handicap - I think in Hua Man Lou's case, it might actually have been an element that played a crucial part in unlocking the guy's potential. If there are lessons to be learned from becoming blind, Hua Man Lou probably learned them all...
It definitely is sort of a hindrance in many respects, but the question is whether - in this particular case - the benefits were not greater...

[Ken Cheng]

I think one of the great, understated moments during LUK SIU FUNG was the first meeting and subsequent discussion between Fa Mun Lau and Sai Mun Chui Sheut about martial arts. You couldn't get two more contrasting personalities and styles: one was gentle and humble, and the other was all flash and fury. And yet, between them, Fa and Sai Mun seemed to embody the yin and yang of martial arts. Their respective outlooks on martial arts, justice, and life were diametrically opposed, and yet, they also complemented each other, and each walked away from that first meeting with some new insights.

[Cesare]

Yep, that was a great moment...

[Ken Cheng]

Yep, that was a great moment...

I think if you read between the lines, Fa Mun Lau had a greater influence on Sai Mun Chui Sheut than even Sai Mun realized. I think without that meeting with Fa Mun Lau, Sai Mun Chui Sheut never would have taken Sheun Sau Ching as his wife and started a family. I think meeting Fa Mun Lau helped Sai Mun realize there was more to life than the sword.

[kidd]

I think if you read between the lines, Fa Mun Lau had a greater influence on Sai Mun Chui Sheut than even Sai Mun realized. I think without that meeting with Fa Mun Lau, Sai Mun Chui Sheut never would have taken Sheun Sau Ching as his wife and started a family. I think meeting Fa Mun Lau helped Sai Mun realize there was more to life than the sword.

On the other hand, I don't think XMCX influenced HML very much in that meeting. He's still the same old HML.

[chickenfeet]

I think if you read between the lines, Fa Mun Lau had a greater influence on Sai Mun Chui Sheut than even Sai Mun realized. I think without that meeting with Fa Mun Lau, Sai Mun Chui Sheut never would have taken Sheun Sau Ching as his wife and started a family. I think meeting Fa Mun Lau helped Sai Mun realize there was more to life than the sword.

It might have helped to a certain extent, but later Ximen was back to his old self, he abandoned his wife and kid, maybe HML did change him for a while and it was a good thing, but Ximen was still Ximen at the end.

Even when Lu Xiaofeng died in the last book, Ximen's cold heart didn't change a little bit, his heart was still as icy as his desire to reach the ultimate swordsmanship.

[kidd]

Even when Lu Xiaofeng died in the last book, Ximen's cold heart didn't change a little bit, his heart was still as icy as his desire to reach the ultimate swordsmanship.

I didn't read the last book. But, Temujin said HML didn't appear in the novel. Has the book mention where has HML gone to? How come his bestfriend died and he didn't appear at all?

[chickenfeet]

I didn't read the last book. But, Temujin said HML didn't appear in the novel. Has the book mention where has HML gone to? How come his bestfriend died and he didn't appear at all?

Maybe you should talk to Temujin again, Lu Xiaofeng died in Laughter of the God of Sword (劍神一笑) but .... I don't want to spoil it here.

[QF]

Lu Xiaofeng died in Laughter of the God of Sword (劍神一笑) but .... I don't want to spoil it here.

Dont' want to spoil it????


QF

[KJ]

Maybe you should talk to Temujin again, Lu Xiaofeng died in Laughter of the God of Sword (劍神一笑) but .... I don't want to spoil it here.

That's a major spoiler right there.

[Ken Cheng]

I don't remember Luk Siu Fung dying in this story. Are you sure you got your info right, feet?

[QF]

I just read 劍神一笑劍, Luk Siu Fung didn't die....


QF

[Ken Cheng]

I just read 劍神一笑劍, Luk Siu Fung didn't die....


QF

That's what I thought.

From what I gleaned, Luk Siu Fung finally got married (although I'm not sure to whom; I think it was Beef Soup, but I'm not sure) and sired a few dozen children or something.

[kidd]

Damn. So much spoilers. No need to read liao. I think QF's spoiler is the biggest of them all akin to revealing who is Midnight Orchid in CLX.

[Ken Cheng]

Damn. So much spoilers. No need to read liao. I think QF's spoiler is the biggest of them all akin to revealing who is Midnight Orchid in CLX.

Remember: the enjoyment of the story isn't finding out what happens in the end, but seeing how the story got there.

Often, when I read a story, I check out the end *first* to make sure it doesn't end stupidly. If it does, I'd just be wasting my time. If it ends well or decently, then I can go back to the beginning and enjoy the journey. I don't need "shock" or "surprise" to make a story work for me; I need to see it develop logically and meaningfully towards its endpoint.

[kidd]

Remember: the enjoyment of the story isn't finding out what happens in the end, but seeing how the story got there.

Often, when I read a story, I check out the end *first* to make sure it doesn't end stupidly. If it does, I'd just be wasting my time. If it ends well or decently, then I can go back to the beginning and enjoy the journey. I don't need "shock" or "surprise" to make a story work for me; I need to see it develop logically and meaningfully towards its endpoint.

Well, that works for you but not me. Suspense, surprises and shock add a lot of enjoyment for me in reading a novel. The only type of novel I've ever flip to the end is romance novel. Other novels, I will not do so however much I'm tempted to.

Spoiler is especially damaging to detective novels like the LXF series. Part of the enjoyment of a detective novel is moving along with the detective to solve mystery. If a reader know the answer beforehand, the reader will be look for clues base the answer instead of figuring out along the way.

For me, you can spoil everything in the middle, but, not the final answer/twist.

[Han Solo]

Agree with kidd.

Use spoilers if you can pls, everyone.

Han Solo