STUDY IN CHINA GLOBAL (SCG)Today,we are going to talk about a 1993 Hong Kong film, Kung Fu Cult Master (倚天屠龙记之魔教教主yǐtiāntúlóngjì zhī mójiào jiàozhǔ) is adapted from Louis Cha‘s (金庸Jīn Yōng) novel The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber (倚天剑和屠龙刀yǐtiānjiàn hé túlóngdāo). Directed by Wong Jing (王晶Wáng Jīng), it featured fight choreography by Sammo Hung, and starred Jet Li, Sharla Cheung, Chingmy Yau and Gigi Lai in the lead roles.
Plot
Zhang Wuji (张无忌Zhāng Wújì) and his parents return from an isolated island and travel to Mount Wudang (武当山Wǔdāng Shān) to celebrate his grandteacher Zhang Sanfeng’s 100th birthday. Several pugilists attempt to force Zhang Wuji’s parents to reveal the whereabouts of his godfather, Xie Xun, but they refuse and commit suicide in defiance. Zhang Wuji has been seriously injured by the Xuanming Elders and almost dies, but Zhang Sanfeng shows special care towards him and attempts to preserve his life. However, that incurs the jealousy of his senior Song Qingshu, who collaborates with Zhou Zhiruo of the Emei Sect (峨嵋派Éméi Pài) to harm Zhang Wuji.
One day, Zhang Wuji is bullied by Song and falls off a cliff together with Xiaozhao, a girl who helped him. They meet Huogong Toutuo by coincidence and Zhang recovers from his wounds completely, learning the powerful “Nine Yang Skill (九阳真经jiǔyángzhēnjīng)” in the process as well. Zhang discovers later that the Shaolin Sect is plotting with five other major sects to attack Bright Peak, headquarters of the Ming Cult, where Zhang’s maternal grandfather, Yin Tianzheng is. Zhang ventures into a forbidden place on the peak and finds the “Heaven and Earth Great Shift (乾坤大挪移qiánkūn dà nuóyí)” manual, mastering another powerful skill, and he helps the Ming Cult defeat the six sects. The cult members are grateful to Zhang and nominate him to be their leader.
Zhang Wuji discovers that the conflict between the Ming Cult and the six sects was instigated by his godfather’s sworn enemy, Cheng Kun, who has been hiding under a new identity in Shaolin all this while. At the same time, he also encounters Zhao Min, a Mongol princess, who is also an enemy of his cult. Zhao uses a special drug to poison the cult’s members and Zhang Wuji confronts her to ask for the antidote. Zhao Min makes Zhang promise to help her do three things in exchange for the antidote. At the same time, Yin Tianzheng and the cult’s members, who misbelieved that Shaolin was behind the poisoning, go to Shaolin Monastery for revenge but they are surprised to see corpses everywhere instead.
In fact, Song Qingshu had actually betrayed the Wudang Sect and defected to the Mongol government. He is plotting with Zhao Min and her men to kill Zhang Sanfeng, but Zhang Wuji returns in time and saves his grandteacher. Zhang Wuji promises not to use his newly-mastered skills and still manages to defeat the Xuanming Elders. The film ends on a cliffhanger, as Zhao Min leaves after telling Zhang Wuji to go to Dadu to find her if he wants to rescue the missing members of the six sects.
