Lu Zhangke

Lu Zhangke (simplified: 鹿杖客, traditional: 鹿杖客, pinyin: Lù Zhàngkè, jyutping: luk6 zoeng3 hak3) was one of the Xuanming Elders (玄冥二老), together with his shidi He Biweng. He was a master of the Xuanming Divine Palm (玄冥神掌) and served Zhao Min’s father, Chaghan Temür, the Prince of Ruyang. Known for his lechery and cunning, Lu Zhangke was considered the more intelligent and crafty of the two Xuanming Elders.

Biography

Early life and training

Lu Zhangke and He Biweng were disciples of Baisun Daoren (百损道人), the creator of the Xuanming Divine Palm. The two had studied together since childhood and had been inseparable from youth to old age, having no wives or children and relying on each other for companionship.

Lu Zhangke was the senior brother and was known for his superior intelligence and cunning compared to He Biweng, who was slower-witted. While their martial arts abilities were originally equal, Lu Zhangke’s greater wisdom and strategic thinking earned him He Biweng’s respect and deference.

Service to the Prince of Ruyang

Despite their exceptional martial arts abilities, the Xuanming Elders were primarily motivated by wealth and position. They joined the service of Chaghan Temür, the Prince of Ruyang, in exchange for power and status, becoming the strongest martial artists in the Prince’s household.

As Xuanming Elders, they served under Zhao Min, the Prince’s daughter, and participated in various operations against the Ming Order and the jianghu. They were instrumental in the capture of the Six Major Factions’ leaders after the expedition to Bright Peak.

Attack on Zhang Wuji as a child

While the Xuanming Elders were in the Prince of Ruyang’s service, He Biweng once disguised himself as a Mongolian soldier and captured the young Zhang Wuji, striking him on the back with the Xuanming Divine Palm. This attack left Zhang Wuji with a fatal cold poison that even Zhang Sanfeng could not fully cure, requiring constant neili infusion to keep him alive.

This incident set the stage for Zhang Wuji’s long struggle with the cold poison, which would ultimately lead him to discover the Nine Yang Manual and master the Nine Yang Divine Skill.

The Wan’an Temple scheme

During the imprisonment of the Six Major Factions’ leaders at Wan’an Temple, Fan Yao (disguised as Bitter Dhūta) devised a scheme to obtain the antidote to the Ten Fragrance Soft Tendon Powder (十香软筋散). Knowing that Lu Zhangke was lecherous, Fan Yao drugged Lady Han (韩姬), one of the Prince’s concubines, and placed her in Lu Zhangke’s bed while he was sleeping.

When Lu Zhangke awoke to find the beautiful woman in his bed, he was overwhelmed by lust and took advantage of the situation. However, Fan Yao had arranged the trap so that Lu Zhangke would be caught, forcing him to provide the antidote in exchange for Fan Yao’s silence and help in hiding Lady Han.

Fan Yao suggested hiding Lady Han in the pagoda where the prisoners were held, reasoning that no one would suspect the Prince’s concubine to be hidden in the most heavily guarded location. Lu Zhangke, caught in the trap and fearing exposure, agreed to provide the antidote.

This scheme enabled Zhang Wuji and the Ming Order to rescue the Six Major Factions’ leaders, demonstrating how Lu Zhangke’s weakness for women could be exploited by his enemies.

Battles with martial arts masters

The Xuanming Elders fought against numerous masters throughout the novel. They battled Zhang Sanfeng, Yu Lianzhou, Yang Xiao, Wei Yixiao, Miejue, and Zhou Zhiruo, defeating all except Zhang Sanfeng. Their mastery of the Xuanming Divine Palm made them formidable opponents, and their combined fighting style made them even more dangerous.

The Slaying Lion Heroes Assembly

At the Slaying Lion Heroes Assembly, the Xuanming Elders attempted to seize the Nine Yin Manual from Zhou Zhiruo. They attacked Zhou Zhiruo while Zhang Wuji was occupied with other matters, demonstrating their opportunistic nature and their willingness to take advantage of situations for personal gain.

However, Zhang Wuji intervened, and in the battle that followed, Zhang Wuji used the Dragon-Slaying Dao (屠龙刀) to cut off the head of Lu Zhangke’s deer antler staff and break He Biweng’s crane-beak pens. Despite their formidable abilities, they were ultimately defeated by Zhang Wuji’s superior power.

Final defeat

During the final confrontation, Zhang Wuji used his Nine Yang Divine Skill to neutralize most of the Xuanming Elders’ Xuanming cold energy. This defeat reduced them from top-tier masters to third-rate martial artists, effectively ending their dominance in the jianghu.

Personality & traits

Lechery and moral corruption

Lu Zhangke’s defining weakness was his lechery. His sexual desire led him to take advantage of Lady Han when she was placed in his bed, despite the obvious danger and the consequences. This weakness made him vulnerable to Fan Yao’s scheme, demonstrating how personal vices could be exploited even by the most powerful martial artists.

Cunning and intelligence

Lu Zhangke was known for his cunning and superior intelligence compared to He Biweng. He was able to think quickly in dangerous situations and devise strategies to protect himself. However, his intelligence was often used for selfish purposes, and his cunning sometimes led him into traps when his desires clouded his judgment.

Ambition and greed

The Xuanming Elders joined the Prince of Ruyang’s service primarily for wealth and position, demonstrating their ambition and greed. Their willingness to serve the Yuan government against the jianghu showed their prioritisation of material gain over moral principles.

Close relationship with He Biweng

Despite their faults, Lu Zhangke and He Biweng maintained a close relationship throughout their lives. They had been inseparable companions for decades, with no wives or children, and relied on each other for companionship and support. This relationship demonstrated a loyalty between them, even if their loyalty to others was questionable.

Martial arts abilities

Xuanming Divine Palm

Lu Zhangke was a master of the Xuanming Divine Palm, a powerful and sinister palm technique that inflicted a deadly cold poison. The technique was created by Baisun Daoren and was considered one of the most dangerous techniques in the jianghu. The palm strike could cause the victim to feel as if their blood was freezing, with the cold poison gradually penetrating the internal organs.

Deer Antler Staff Technique

Lu Zhangke was skilled in the Deer Antler Staff Technique (鹿杖法), using a deer antler staff as his weapon. The staff had antlers that could be used for striking, and Lu Zhangke demonstrated his skill with it in various battles. However, the staff was ultimately cut by the Dragon-Slaying Dao during his final confrontation with Zhang Wuji.

Xuanming Neili

Lu Zhangke cultivated Xuanming Neili (玄冥内力), which gave his techniques their cold, deadly power. This neili was the foundation of the Xuanming Divine Palm’s effectiveness, allowing it to penetrate opponents’ defences and inflict the fatal cold poison.

Relationships

With He Biweng

Lu Zhangke’s relationship with He Biweng was one of lifelong companionship and mutual reliance. As the senior brother, Lu Zhangke was respected by He Biweng, and their decades together had created a bond that transcended their individual faults. They fought together, lived together, and relied on each other for support throughout their lives.

With Baisun Daoren

Lu Zhangke and He Biweng were disciples of Baisun Daoren, who created the Xuanming Divine Palm. Their mastery of this technique demonstrated their skill as martial artists, though they used it for questionable purposes.

With the Prince of Ruyang

Lu Zhangke served Chaghan Temür, the Prince of Ruyang, primarily for wealth and position. This relationship was based on mutual benefit rather than genuine loyalty, as the Xuanming Elders were motivated by material gain.

With Zhao Min

Lu Zhangke served under Zhao Min as one of the Prince’s household martial artists. However, his service was based on his position in the household rather than personal loyalty to Zhao Min.

With Fan Yao

Lu Zhangke’s relationship with Fan Yao (as Bitter Dhūta) was one of mutual suspicion and manipulation. Fan Yao successfully exploited Lu Zhangke’s weakness for women to obtain the antidote, demonstrating how Lu Zhangke’s vices made him vulnerable to clever opponents.

Behind the scenes

Character significance

Lu Zhangke represents the corrupting influence of power, wealth, and desire. Despite his exceptional martial arts abilities, his moral corruption and personal weaknesses made him vulnerable to manipulation and ultimately led to his defeat. His character demonstrates that martial arts prowess alone is not enough to ensure success or respect in the jianghu.

Role in the narrative

Lu Zhangke’s role in the narrative includes his attack on the young Zhang Wuji, which sets up the protagonist’s struggle with the cold poison and his eventual discovery of the Nine Yang Manual. His defeat at the hands of Zhang Wuji represents the triumph of righteousness over corruption and the power of genuine cultivation over techniques gained through questionable means.

His lechery and the scheme involving Lady Han also demonstrate the cleverness of Fan Yao and the Ming Order’s ability to exploit their enemies’ weaknesses, contributing to the narrative’s exploration of strategy and intelligence in conflict.