Elder Kurong (simplified: 枯荣长老, traditional: 枯榮长老, pinyin: Kū Róng Zhǎnglǎo, jyutping: fu1 wing4 zoeng2 lou5) was the highest-ranking monk at Tianlong Temple and a master of the Six Meridians Divine Jian, who protects the temple’s secrets.
Biography
Elder Kurong was the most senior monk at Tianlong Temple in the Dali Kingdom. He was a member of the Dali royal family who chose to become a monk in his youth. For decades, he practiced the Life’s Vicissitude Meditation, a profound Buddhist meditation technique that gave him extraordinary abilities.
Elder Kurong was the guardian of the Six Meridians Divine Jian manual, one of the most powerful martial arts techniques in the world. When the Tibetan monk Jiumozhi came to steal the manual, Elder Kurong demonstrated his mastery by using the Shaoze Sword to injure the intruder, then destroyed the manual to prevent it from falling into enemy hands.
Personality and traits
Elder Kurong was a wise and compassionate monk who had achieved a high level of spiritual enlightenment. He was deeply committed to protecting the temple and its secrets, willing to sacrifice valuable knowledge rather than let it be used for evil purposes. His meditation practice had given him a calm and detached demeanor, but he showed great care for his disciples and the temple’s safety.
Martial arts abilities
Elder Kurong was a master of the Six Meridians Divine Jian, particularly the Shaoze Sword technique. His decades of meditation practice had given him extraordinary neili and control. He could perform miraculous feats such as instantly removing all of someone’s hair with a touch, demonstrating the power of his “Withered and Flourishing Meditation.”
Relationships
Elder Kurong was the teacher and mentor to the other monks at Tianlong Temple, including Abbot Benyin, Benxiang, and Benxiang. He had a special relationship with Duan Zhengming (the Baoding Emperor), whom he accepted as a disciple and gave the Dharma name “Tianchen.” He also protected Duan Yu during the confrontation with Jiumozhi.
Behind the scenes
Elder Kurong appears in two key scenes in Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils. His first appearance shows him accepting Duan Zhengming as a disciple and preparing the temple’s defenses against Jiumozhi. The second appearance occurs during the confrontation with Jiumozhi, where he demonstrates his martial prowess and ultimately destroys the Six Meridians Divine Jian manual to protect it from falling into enemy hands.
See also
- Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils characters
- Tianlong Temple — His temple
- Dali Kingdom — His homeland
- Six Meridians Divine Jian — His signature technique
- Life’s Vicissitude Meditation — His meditation practice
- Duan Zhengming — His disciple
- Duan Yu — His protector
- Jiumozhi — His opponent