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

[chickenfeet]

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


QF

You just spoiled it there As I said, Lu Xiaofeng died but (well since you revealed it) ...

click to show/hide spoilers

it was just a scheme to misled the gang of thieves he was dealing with

I didn't want to spoil it

[CC]

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.
.

Yes, a great detective novel would invite the reader into solving the plot together as the story unfolds.

This is BLOODY IMPOSSIBLE with virtually all Gu Long novels due to his insane plot twists and OUTRIGHT LYING to the reader using his in-story retcons.

[kidd]

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.

You made me believe that Hua Man Lou will appear in this book my your reply. I finish reading the whole book just now. HML didn't appear at all. So disappointed.

[hyoyatika]

It's been shown time and again in wuxia fiction that those who attain the very pinnacles of martial arts tend be those who are humble and have no ambition to be great martial artists. We see this with Jin Yong's Janitor Monk, Hui Juk, Deun Yu, and Cheung Mo Gei, among others. Not to say the ambitious don't become great martial artists as well (they frequently do), but the humble, selfless ones tend to end up transcending mere greatness.

I wonder if Fa Mun Lau from Gu Long's LUK SIU FUNG was such a character who would eventually, in his old age, become one of those supreme enlightened masters (with martial arts far beyond such peers as Luk Siu Fung or Sai Mun Chui Sheut). Fa Mun Lau was one of the most humble, pure characters in all of wuxia fiction. He seemed to be especially enlightened, and there was an extraordinary spirit of calmness and benevolence within him. Even though he was quite young during the LUK SIU FUNG saga (most likely mid-20s and certainly not more than early-30s), he had already attained the insight that there is really only one sword art (a principle that one of his opponents, the Ngor Mei Sect's Soo Siu Ying, could not comprehend). This leads me to believe that an older Fa Mun Lau might have been able to ascend to the highest levels of martial arts.

But it is not a JY novel...

Having said that, I do believe that HML's martial arts were probably better than he let on. I don't think he was someone who could easily take out another opponent, but something about him tells me that even if very skilled fighters wanted to kill him, HML would not be easily defeated. I think of him as a video game character that has strong defense and moderate attack...if you guys get the drift.