As Cheong stepped into the banquet hall, she was momentarily dazzled by the light. A large chandelier illuminated the room's center, gleaming off a monk’s bald head with a sheen that caught her attention. Did he oil his head? she wondered, examining the glossiness of the monk’s scalp. She realized it was indeed polished—monks here apparently took pride in the radiance of their shaved heads.

This shining figure was none other than Wolbong, a young high-ranking monk of Shaolin, renowned for his prowess in the Shaolin Absolute Divine Fist and Vajra Indestructible Techniques. Despite his formidable reputation, his first impression …