Gao Laozhe

Gao Laozhe

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Gao Laozhe (simplified: 高老者, traditional: 高老者, pinyin: Gāo Lǎozhě, jyutping: gou1 lou5 ze2), meaning “Tall Elder”, was one of the Tall and Short Elders (高矮二老) of the Huashan School. Together with the Short Elder Ai Laozhe (矮老者), he mastered the school’s Reverse Two Forms Blade Technique (反两仪刀法). At the Bright Summit conference, the two Huashan elders joined He Taichong and Ban Shuxian of the Kunlun School to battle Zhang Wuji with a combined formation of blades and swords.

Biography

Bright Summit battle

When the six orthodox sects besieged the Bright Summit, the Huashan School sent the Tall and Short Elders to confront the Ming Order. The elders proposed combining the Huashan School’s Reverse Two Forms Blade Technique with the Kunlun School’s Two Forms Swordplay (正两仪剑法). Gao Laozhe explained that when blade and sword joined, “two forms become four images, four images give rise to eight trigrams”—the combined technique would be immensely powerful.

The four martial artists—Gao Laozhe, the Short Elder, He Taichong, and Ban Shuxian—fought Zhang Wuji in unison. In one exchange, Ban Shuxian used the move “Golden Needle Crossing the Tribulation” (金针渡劫) while Gao Laozhe countered with “Ten Thousand Tribulations Never Return” (万劫不复); the two moves complemented each other perfectly. Although Gao Laozhe appeared constrained when facing Zhang Wuji alone, his blade technique was highly accomplished. The four attackers, all with solid neili, surrounded Zhang Wuji in a dense formation of blades and swords. Zhang Wuji had no choice but to endure until he gradually discerned the formation’s patterns and prevailed.

Martial arts

Gao Laozhe was skilled in the Reverse Two Forms Blade Technique (反两仪刀法), the Huashan School’s signature blade art. Its changes and subtleties were said to rival the Kunlun School’s Two Forms Swordplay. When used in tandem with the latter, the combined technique became far more formidable than either alone.

See also

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