The game for you, however, is different: read it and find the in-jokes!
Ai Xun (Lover of Meritorios Deeds) was a middle-aged scholar who had already startted on the path of Cultivating his Qi. It was a nice quiet summer of the 9th year of the reign of Emperor Taizong (1238), but worrisome news made him realize that his application of the internal skills for longevity and calmness are incomplete. For what self-respecting scholar could pass the opportunity to apply his cultivation-derived abilities to martial deeds? And what insane scholar would fail to do so, given the number of bandits around?
The Yuan troops were numerous, but some Han claimed it's easier to negotiate with actual bandits...
Be it as it may, Ai Xun seeked a master of the spear and the sabre, and trained at his feet for 6 years, having cast - not by his own choice, some would imply - all connections to the bureaucracy.
After the six years, he bowed one last time, and soon was to become well-known for his martial prowess, wiping gangs of bandits single-handedly.
That is, until he was defeated by an unarmed old Taoist.
As any normal scholar would do, Ai Xun bowed to him and asked him to teach him.
But the man laughed at him, told him he has been squandering his skills by using a weapon. "That's the first step, but you can't become one with the weapon, for it's always in your hand. Once you cast it away, you have to become the weapon. First, it will be in your spirit only; later you will become the weapon, and shall never look back. For this, you have to swear now to never use an weapon again."
Having learned the weapons painstakingly, Ai Xun was shaken. But he couldn't doubt the man's skill, so he swore off. They left the town as teacher and student.
Three weeks later, Ai Xun understood why his teacher was making him write his teachings. Singing immortals came to take away his teacher, and lead him to the Western Paradise.
"If you persist, you could become one of us, too. Remember: I told you how to become the weapon. You'll have to find by yourself how to become the Universe", his teacher said. And Ai Xun watched how with each step he lost decades, until he was an youngster again.
"But what if I can't think of a way?", he called.
"You will die of old age, as a hermit nobody knows, of course!", the teacher shrugged, without looking back. "Who told you the path to perfection is easy? Make sure to give your notes to a simpleton, if you feel you wouldn't make it: maybe one like him could succeed where you'd failed!"
Ai Xun only bowed to his bacj, and applied himself to mastering the teachings.
He extended his life a lot, seeking enlightenment through the time-honoured tradition of dodging fists that would otherwise hit his face, disarming armed opponents, and wrestling with tigers. The way of Kung-Fu is hard, even when the kung-fu is soft!
Be it as it may, he ascended - after being sentenced to death under the name Lan Yu, and the day before the sentence was to be carried out, some say - and went on to the Western Heavens.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lan_Yu_(general)
He became young again, but he wasn't content. For his old teacher met him with a frown.
"Did you learn to fly?"
"I can float through the skies, Teacher!"
"Did you learn to control the weather?"
"I am the wind, and the lightning. But it takes me some time to affect radical changes!"
"Impossible! After so many decades, you're still not getting it?"
"But Teacher, isn't that proof I succeeded?"
"Had you really learned to become the Universe, how could you have restrictions? If you raise your hand, do you need time? No - you think, you do! Go find a simpleton, give him your notes, and never mentioned I've been your teacher!"
Dutifully, Ai Xun obeyed. But then he turned back.
"But teacher...if I'm not worthy, how come I've found myself here?"
"The criteria are rather lax these days! It seems you enjoy the favour of a celestial nymph, who decided to save you. Do as I said!", the old man in young body grumbled...much as his followers, collectively known as the grognards, were going to do centuries later.
Crestfallen, the student obeyed, and found a simpleton who received the teachings. (It is said that later in life, the boy became known as an avatar of Patriarch Huineng... http://www.iep.utm.edu/huineng/)
The unhappy Ai Xun went back to the Western Heavens.
***
The nymph needed a few centuries, but eventually tired of him. Then he was summoned by the Celestial Dragon of the Door, and got a hint that some work needed to be done...an offer no sane scholar would refuse, as the Dragon put it - so Ai Xun accepted. In the company of other young Immortals, who could face them?
However, things were not as good as they seemed. In the company of another Immortal, Bao Zhao, he fought the seductive, mind-boggling powers of Lin Ai Ming.
In the heat of battle, she teleported. Soon after, he spotted her back, and unleashed a terrible "Mantis Strike"!
That's when he learned that Lin Ai Ming was also a mistress of illusions. Looking at Bao Zhao's body in his feet, it was rather obvious!
Needless to say, the Dragon was unhappy. But he roared only once, and said:
"I lost a bet last night, so I'll send you to the lands of the barbarians. You need to build a temple of Buddha in each of thier major cities, and translate this scroll for the temple library. Now go! And bring her head back, unless someone else I sent is faster!"
And thus Ai Xun was chased by Heavens.
However, upon arriving in New York City, things just turned out unexpectedly. Soon, Ai Xun was carrying the name Wind Fist, and fighting crime!
