Li Chao, courtesy name Kuiwu, hailed from Zichuan County, possessing a forthright nature and a generous spirit that delighted in aiding others. One day, a passing monk came seeking alms. Li Chao entertained him lavishly, earning the monk's deep gratitude. The monk declared, "Your humble servant studied at Shaolin and is moderately skilled in martial arts. Since fate has brought us together, I wish to take you as a disciple." Li Chao was overjoyed, immediately inviting the monk to stay. He served his new master diligently, learning the martial arts morning and evening.
Three months later, Li Chao's skills were polished, and his heart swelled with pride. The monk inquired, "Have you mastered it all?" Li Chao replied confidently, "I have fully absorbed my master's true teachings." The monk chuckled, "If that is so, then show me your prowess."
Li Chao promptly stripped to his waist, spat a mouthful of saliva into his palm, assumed a stance, and began to execute the Shaolin fist forms. His movements were agile, now like a soaring ape, now like a falling bird. After a lengthy display of leaps and bounds, he drew his hands back and stood still, his expression one of supreme arrogance and self-satisfaction. The monk laughed. "Not bad. Since you hold yourself in such high regard, do you dare exchange a few blows with this old monk?"
Li Chao cheerfully agreed. As they began to spar, Li Chao was eager for victory, intent only on finding the monk's weak point to end the contest swiftly. Unexpectedly, the monk launched a kick that struck Li Chao squarely in a vital spot. Li Chao cried out, his body flung several yards away, crashing to the ground unable to rise.
The monk clapped his hands and laughed, "It seems your abilities are nothing more than this." Li Chao brushed the dust off his backside and stood up, utterly ashamed. He immediately shed his haughtiness and sincerely sought the monk's guidance on martial techniques. Several days later, the monk bid farewell and departed.
From that time onward, Li Chao's martial arts advanced by leaps and bounds. His fame spread across the land, and he journeyed north and south, testing his skills against challengers, rarely finding an equal. One day, arriving in Jinan, he observed a young Buddhist nun performing feats in the street to a sizable crowd. The nun spoke, announcing, "Performing alone is cold and dull. Is there any brave soul among the audience who believes their martial arts superior enough to step forward and offer instruction?" She repeated the challenge three times. The onlookers exchanged glances, but not a single person dared mount the stage.
Li Chao, jostling in the crowd, heard the little nun's provocative challenge and felt an irresistible itch to test his own skill. Full of spirit, he immediately called out, "I shall spar with you!" He pushed through the throng and walked into the performance area.
They exchanged blows, but after only one round, the nun suddenly stopped fighting, saying, "Wait a moment. Observing your movements, Young Master, you appear to be a Shaolin disciple. May I respectfully ask your master's name?"
Li Chao was initially reluctant to answer, but when pressed repeatedly, he had no choice but to confess. The young nun smiled faintly. "So, your master is Monk Han. There is no need for us to compete; I willingly concede defeat." Li Chao exclaimed, "You can't just decide not to fight! No, we must fight; it must happen." The crowd below began to egg them on. The young nun, cornered, conceded, "Very well. Since you are Monk Han's disciple, we are colleagues of a sort. Let us keep it light."
Li Chao agreed, yet he thought to himself, "This little nun looks frail; defeating her will be effortless. I will end this fight quickly and use it to cement my reputation." As he pondered this, the young nun suddenly changed her mind again, stating, "Perhaps we should not fight after all." Li Chao asked, "Are you afraid?" The young nun merely smiled without answering.
Li Chao insisted again and again until the nun, having no recourse, finally attacked. After a few breaths of close combat, Li Chao threw a kick aimed directly at her chest. The nun, unhurried, brought her five fingers together and lightly struck a critical point on his body. Li Chao felt as if his legs below the knee had been cleaved by axes; the pain was unbearable, and he collapsed, unable to rise again. The young nun laughed softly, "Your attack was rash, Young Master; I offer my apologies for the offense."
Li Chao was carried home and confined to rest for over a month before his leg injury finally healed. A year later, the monk visited again. As Li Chao recounted the events of that day, the monk turned pale with shock. "You were truly reckless! How dare you provoke her! It was only because you announced your master's name before the match that your entire leg wasn't permanently crippled."
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