Gang Xiang

Gang Xiang

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Gang Xiang (simplified: 刚相, traditional: 剛相, pinyin: Gāng Xiàng, jyutping: gong1 soeng3), also known as Kong Xiang (空相), was a disciple of the Vajra School who disguised himself as a Shaolin monk to infiltrate Wudang Mountain and assassinate Zhang Sanfeng.

Biography

Infiltration of Wudang Mountain

Gang Xiang disguised himself as a Shaolin monk named Kong Xiang (空相), claiming to be a member of the “Kong” generation of Shaolin monks. He arrived at Wudang Mountain claiming that Shaolin had been destroyed by the Ming Order and that he was the sole survivor.

Assassination attempt

Gang Xiang brought with him the severed head of Kong Xing, one of the Three Divine Monks of Shaolin, claiming it was proof of Shaolin’s destruction. He met with Zhang Sanfeng and Yin Liting, feigning grief and claiming that the Ming Order was planning to attack Wudang next.

When Zhang Sanfeng reached out to comfort him, Gang Xiang suddenly attacked, striking Zhang Sanfeng in the abdomen with both palms using the Diamond Prajna Palm (金刚般若掌) technique. The attack caught Zhang Sanfeng completely off guard, as he had no reason to suspect that a grieving Shaolin monk would attack him.

Death

Despite being severely wounded, Zhang Sanfeng immediately retaliated, striking Gang Xiang on the crown of his head with a palm strike that appeared soft as cotton but was harder than iron. Gang Xiang’s skull was shattered instantly, and he died without making a sound.

Personality and traits

Gang Xiang was a skilled actor who could convincingly feign grief and desperation. He was ruthless and willing to use deception to achieve his goals, even going so far as to bring the severed head of Kong Xing as proof of his false story.

Martial arts

Gang Xiang was skilled in the Diamond Prajna Palm (金刚般若掌), an external martial art technique from the Western Regions Diamond Gate. He was able to channel all his power into a single devastating strike, though his neili was far inferior to Zhang Sanfeng’s.

See also

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