Backgrounds and histories of Lee Chum Foon and Ah Fei

[Ken Cheng]

Lee Chum Foon's life history up until his first appearance in SENTIMENTAL SWORDSMAN, RUTHLESS SWORD is generally well-documented, though a few mysteries remain that I would like to clarify. Ah Fei's past is shrouded in much greater mystery that I would like to explore.

First, Lee Chum Foon: obviously, he is famous for his flying dagger skill, and he had descendants who inherited his dagger skill and appeared in later stories. Question: was Chum Foon the *first* member of his line of the Lee Family known for the flying dagger skill (or martial arts in general), or were his ancestors also flying dagger throwers and martial artists as well as court officials? Did Lee Chum Foon invent the Lee Family dagger skill, or did he inherit it from his ancestors as well?

Second, Ah Fei: rumor has it that he is the descendant of the famous Shum Long, one of the most powerful martial artists ever to appear in Gu Long's wuxia universe. That would go a long way to explaining Ah Fei's martial arts talent, but it also raises a few questions: 1). How did Ah Fei end up living in the wilderness/poverty, basically a homeless vagrant at the point he met Lee Chum Foon? 2). If Ah Fei is indeed the descendant of Shum Long, then why does Ah Fei seem ashamed/embarrassed by his heritage, to the extent that he would not confide his surname or life history even to his best friend Lee Chum Foon?

[daydreamer_gal]

Wasn't Ah Fei raised by a single mother (well, at least until she died when he was a kid)? I've read older threads in which it was speculated / deduced that his father is Shen Lang and his mother is Bai Feifei, who was one of the villains in Wulin Waishi. I haven't read or seen this story, but as far as I know, Shen Lang and Bai Feifei did not end up together. It seemed that though Ah Fei may have heard of his father, he has never actually met him or been acknowledged by him.. Reason enough to be embarrassed, I guess.

No idea about the origins of the flying dagger skill, but I do have another question about Li Xunhuan: Was it ever explained why he decided to return from the hinterlands after 10+ yrs? It seemed that he had been living quite peacefully there until the beginning of the story, so why come back at that point (other than to advance the plot)?

[Ken Cheng]

No idea about the origins of the flying dagger skill, but I do have another question about Li Xunhuan: Was it ever explained why he decided to return from the hinterlands after 10+ yrs? It seemed that he had been living quite peacefully there until the beginning of the story, so why come back at that point (other than to advance the plot)?

I think he just wanted to see Lam See Yam again.