The secrets of the 'Radiant Nine Scroll' was lost for centuries but was recently discovered again. An archaeologist found the secret quite by accident when a minor earthquake in the mountains collapsed part of the ruins he was mapping out and trapped him, separated from his team. But it also opened a crack to a previously overlooked chamber where wall carvings described a system of energy circulation meant to strengthen the body. He was trapped with limited food and he had nothing better to do while waiting for his team to reach back to civilization and hurry back with the heavy machinery required to save him. So he studied the system to pass the time but he grew more powerful than he could've expected. In the end he broke himself out by shattering the rock with a single punch, transformed from a normal man into a powerful fighter thanks to Radiant Nine energy. After a long and heroic career he retired and founded a school to teach worthy young students the same secrets.
This young daoist learned a method to call forth a sword out of thin air, perhaps summoned with a version of Submissive Steel that transcends space, perhaps created from nothingness. Now with Radiant Nine energies coursing through her she can summon more than one sword at a time. Many, many more. She fights with swarms of swords that fly like locusts, crash down like rain, and whirl like tornadoes.
The Reforged Dragon was once a promising young addition to the Jade Dragon school named Dragon Princess but got so injured that she wouldn't ever be able to practice martial arts again. But she found help by getting the doctor Black Razor Scalpel to replace her damaged organs and also by learning some of Radiant Nine to re-ignite her dormant chi. Now she's back and almost as good as new. She and Monkey Princess still regard each other as intense rivals but also good friends (though neither of them will admit it).
The concept of Samsara is, briefly said, the continual cycle of reincarnation into which people are trapped. Buddhism seeks to teach people how to free themselves of suffering and ignorance, so that the cycle can be broken.
The girl who is also named Samsara has a fearsome ability that lets her inflict great suffering and ignorance upon her enemies, so that her terrible attacks can diminish the spirit and mind of her enemies. It used to be that she herself would be terribly drained after using her ability as well, but learning some of the Radiant Nine Scroll has lifted this limitation. Samsara might become one of the most feared warriors of her generation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMbMKdOYRxk Theme song: The Prodigy - Narayan
In an unexpected turn of events, the Radiant Nine school recruited four average students, one each from the Dragon, Tiger, Crane, and Turtle schools. By teaching them how to generate Radiant Nine energies they will accelerate the growth of their power, showing once and for all that their school is superior.
This young swordsman left the Black Crane School because he considers Ping to be an unsuitable leader, even though he doesn't really disagree with her philosophy itself. His swordplay is quick and wild, whipping up gusts of wind that drag along dust and small objects in its wake.
The Grave Sand family is a small, semi-retired gang of mountain bandits best known for their secret recipe of producing a toxic, powdery substance that somewhat resembles freshly overturned soil. Because of her reliance on poison she was never really taken seriously at the Scarlet Tiger School.
This shy and polite girl likes to listen to music and read, particularly spooky stories. Her kung fu is average at best but she does have a bloodline power that lets her sense the bones of others. If properly trained she could become a warrior who can pin-point weak spots with uncanny insight. Unfortunately she didn't receive any such training at the Jade Dragon School so she defected when offered the chance to surpass her limits.
This scholar has a most unusual fighting style: she dips her sword in ink and attempts to write characters on her opponent! Supposedly if she can perfectly execute this technique she'd be able to impose various alterations and commands upon her victims. But that level of precision is hard so she's never really managed to pull it off. Her repeated failures got notorious enough that some of her fellow students at the White Turtle School got to calling her "chicken scratch" because of the imperfect characters she'd draw on her opponents.
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