“Luohan Fist, one of the five great famous fists, is a component of traditional Chinese martial arts. ‘Wu’ refers to martial skill, which is kung fu, the body; ‘Shu’ refers to boxing technique, which is the skill, the application; the two are inseparable, martial and technique are spoken of together—where there is martial, there is technique, and skill is manifested through boxing. Chan (Zen) school Luohan Fist emphasizes the unity of form and spirit, combining kung fu and technique, serving both for health cultivation and combat. To cultivate a kind heart is Chan; to restrain people from evil is fist. This is precisely the greatest feature of Luohan Fist: strengthening the body and establishing one’s destiny, with a Chan mind and enlightenment.”

“Martial and technique in Luohan Fist are further practiced through routines, based on training in stances, meridian cultivation, qi movement, force application, power emission, mental focus, spiritual power, magical power, and supernatural abilities. In the process of practicing routines, one leads the spirit with intention, imagines an opponent where there is none, practices repeatedly, and trains with strict discipline. Combined with the essentials of the three vehicles and nine stages of kung fu, repeated practice will surely yield mastery over time. Once true skill is achieved, the combat techniques of Luohan Fist are attained as well. The whole process is ‘rebirth, tendon-changing and marrow-washing, reaching the miraculous’—the three vehicles of kung fu and nine stages. Therefore, one must practice according to the true face and steps of Luohan Fist, otherwise it is difficult to grasp its true essence.”

Seeing the little one looking so attentive, but with eyes darting around, the master knew the disciple’s heart was moved, and that even if he continued practicing Luohan Fist, he would be somewhat distracted. So he continued:

“All right, since you’re so eager, I’ll teach you some other kung fu, but Luohan Fist must not be neglected for even a day. Only when your ‘Yijin One-Element Skill’ reaches the fifth level can it be considered complete. Moreover, Luohan Fist and ‘Yijin One-Element Skill’ complement each other. You’ve already reached the realm of qi flowing through six meridians, so your future practice will yield twice the result with half the effort. Remember this.”

“Disciple will definitely practice Luohan Fist diligently every day, but Master, what new kung fu are you going to teach me?” The little one, still persistent, pressed on.

“Though your foundation is not yet fully stable, you can start learning new skills. I will teach you several new ultimate techniques: Treading Snow Without a Trace, Bodhidharma’s Acupoint Striking Hand, Bodhidharma Sword, and hidden weapons.”

“Starting tomorrow, you are not to remove the sandbags from your feet anymore. From now on, you’ll also tie sandbags to your hands and waist. As your training deepens, the weight of the sandbags will also increase.”

“Bodhidharma’s Acupoint Striking Hand, also known as ‘One-Finger Zen Acupoint Striking Combat Technique,’ is a secret skill of the Luohan Sect, never shown to outsiders. Once you master this skill, do not use it lightly in front of others, because nowadays very few people understand acupoint striking, lest others see you as a freak.”

“Sword: Since ancient times, the sword has been called ‘the king of all weapons.’ In Buddhism, the sword is called a ‘dharma instrument.’ The Bodhidharma Sword Technique is something very few in the Buddhist world can fully master. Of course, nowadays swords are no longer used outside, but to prevent the ancestral art from being lost, I will teach it to you as well.”

“As for hidden weapons, in the Luohan Sect, the main ones are Luohan Coins, Throwing Arrows, and Luohan Beads (stones). Luohan Coins are no longer available, so use coins instead. Throwing Arrows are too fierce, so it’s better not to practice them.”

Seeing the disciple’s face full of longing, wishing he could master everything immediately, Franklin could only give him a little warning.

“Go back to your room and practice meditation right away. Tomorrow morning you’ll start learning new skills, and you’ll be exhausted! Why aren’t you going yet?” After saying this, Franklin also returned to his room, leaving Samuel alone, dazing off and imagining himself mastering all the ultimate techniques.

Samuel saw that his master had also gone back, so he had no choice but to return to his room to complete his evening homework—meditation and breathing exercises.

Chapter Six: Mastery Achieved

In the mountains, a single day passes, but in the world, ten thousand years have gone by.

It’s still that same mountain, still atop that peak, where a young man stands, sword in his right hand, left hand forming a sword gesture, practicing sword techniques one move after another. The sword’s light flashes, his body follows the sword, moving faster and faster, until in the end, only a mass of sword light can be seen, and the person is indistinct, just a faint shadow—now in front, now behind.

If any Shaolin disciple were present, they would surely exclaim, “The Bodhidharma Sword Technique has reappeared!!! My god, am I really witnessing this with my own eyes?”

The Bodhidharma Sword Technique has been lost for hundreds of years; anyone who saw it would have their jaw drop to the ground. At this moment, the young man’s swordplay has reached the final move, Flying Crane Ascends to Heaven. He points his sword to the sky, flourishes several sword flowers, leaps up, body and sword soaring straight upward. When he reaches four or five meters high, he spins in midair, reverses direction, flourishes more sword flowers, descending all the way down. Just as the sword tip is about to touch the ground, his leg moves in midair, true qi circulates within, and suddenly his body flips again, landing on both feet, face unflushed, breath steady. He finishes the move, the sword flashes, and he reverses his grip to hold the sword.

“Seven years—it’s finally the last move mastered,” the young man murmured to himself.

Indeed, this young man is the one who, at just over three years old, climbed the mountain and became a disciple of Master Franklin, studying here for twelve years—Samuel Bennett. From a tiny child, he has grown to nearly 1.7 meters tall. His face is not particularly handsome, his features only average, the kind of person no one would notice in a crowd. But if you look closely, you’ll find his eyes are very lively; when focused, there’s a flash of brilliance that makes people not dare to look directly at him—a face that grows on you.

Samuel walked back to his room, put away his sword, then stepped outside and casually picked up a palm-sized stone from the ground. With a surge of strength, the stone shattered into dozens of equally sized pebbles.

“Master went down the mountain again today. Looks like I’ll have to prepare dinner myself.”