Buddhist Palms

(Volume 2, Issue 14)

The person behind Lang But Fong is Sik Mo Juen, using his Buddhist Palms against Bo Ging Wan.

As the two battle, Bo notices that his Sweeping Cloud Palm's force is being absorbed by the Buddhist Palms. Realizing that the Buddhist Palms are of the "hardweight" type of martial arts, Bo switches tactics to use "softweight" (*martial arts theory that all opposites are each other's weakness, i.e. yin/yang)

(*Martial arts moves also separated into actual and fake moves. Faking moves are used to distract the opponent and lead them in one direction whereas actual moves are the real intended strikes)

Bo Ging Wan removes his cloak to use in battle for his new strategy. Sik Mo Juen is hard hit after exchanging a few moves and flees. As Bo Ging Wan chases after him, Shuet Kam Tin blocks the way to challenge Bo.

Shuet Kam Tin lashes out a move that he has worked on for these past years. Yet Bo Ging Wan had already figured out all of Shuet's progress in those years too and easily defeats Shuet.

However, Bo Ging Wan lets Shuet Kam Tin go...that even though Shuet has faked his loyalty all these years and secretly hated Bo Ging Wan, he really did serve Bo well--faked or not!

Shuet Kam Tin: "Bo Ging Wan...you've always said you only needed enemies and never friends! Yet now, you value even me--this fake friend! How sad!"

At Lip Fung's end:
As Tuern Suern and his wife Hung Ti are escorting the Mud Buddha and his granddaughter back to Tin Ha Clan in a horse carriage, the Mud Buddha cries out in pain from the poison in the sores on his head. Tuern Suern decides to stop at the nearby town for a rest. As they are talking, some ambushed people to capture the Mud Buddha are struck down by Lip Fung, who has returned.

The Mud Buddha says that the poison is "Heaven's Poison" and only if the Fire Monkey is found within 3 hours can the poison be relieved.

Lip Fung, who is keeping watch at the top of the roof sees Dragon Sleeve approaching with the Fire Monkey inside a box. Seeing that he is alone, Lip Fung knows that Phoenix Dance must be nearby and searches for her in the forests. He finally finds her sitting atop a huge rock looking above the town. Phoenix Dance, though not an extraordinary beauty, still exudes a noble air and calmly explains that she and her husband, Dragon Sleeve, are not here with evil intentions. At Clear Sea's Forest, they wanted to keep their word to return the Fire Monkey but under circumstances could not. Thus, they are returning the Fire Monkey back.

After the Fire Monkey has sucked out the poison from the Mud Buddha, his face's color reverts to normal. The Mud Buddha has great skills in predicting the future and the ability to change one's fate, but every time he reveals and alters someone's fate, the Heavens punish him, and the poison in his body becomes even deeper and can not be cured. That is why he is nicknamed as the Mud Buddha. (*Chinese proverb that the mud buddha crossing a river can't even help himself, much less help others. Since a mud buddha is made out of mud, he will easily melt or crumble away when he meets water.)

People of the pugilistic world went to all kinds of means to try to see the Mud Buddha, and killed off most of his family. In order to evade from them, the Mud Buddha and his granddaughter left to roam the world.

As Dragon Sleeve is leaving, the Mud Buddha thanks him for saving his life and says he'll answer Dragon Sleeve's request. He asks Tuern Suern and his wife to wait outside as he examines Dragon Sleeve's palm. It turns out that 5 years ago, Dragon Sleeve has already seen the Mud Buddha and now wants to know why the prediction that Phoenix Dance would bear a child within 3 years of their last meeting did not come true. The Mud Buddha sighs and explains that because in the past few years, in order to achieve higher martial arts, Dragon Sleeve and his wife has fought and killed too many so that their fate has changed. If the couple continued along this same path, their lives would even be shorter too. Dragon Sleeve asks in shock how they could alter this.

Meanwhile, as Lip Fung is keeping watch on Phoenix Dance, a messenger eagle flies near with a letter for Lip Fung. The usually cold face of Lip Fung's brightens up as he reads the letter. It is a letter from a person named "Dream" and says that knowing Lip Fung was nearby at the town, to meet in an hour at the watermill.

At the same time, a mysterious figure wearing a hood that covered his whole face comes charging forth on a raft and crashes into the temple where the Mud Buddha and Dragon Sleeve were in. The man quickly stops Dragon Sleeve from resistence and has grabbed both the Mud Buddha and his granddaughter. Tuern Suern also comes charging in at this moment.