Issue: 696 / Heroes Invitation - gold edition
Cover: The Supreme, Tiger Wong, Barbarian and Gold Dragon
Published: March 17, 1989

Summary Added: October 30, 2000

Henceforth, I shall refer to Chan Ou Wan's poison spewing opponent as Strange Creature. His name literally translates to Strange Man.

Chan Ou Wans' face begins to swell, discolor and emit a foul odor thanks to the burning poison that Strange Creature spit on him. Despite being in tremendous pain Chan remains calm, after all he's a master of poison and his enormous resistance should keep this fight from becoming life threatening. Chan quickly splashes some water on his face to wash off the disgusting liquid but has to leap away when Strange Creature attacks again. The massive Creature is toying with Chan, like a cat playing with a rat. Utilizing his speed, Chan manages to avoid his opponents attacks but eventually finds himself blocked by the Creature's mountainous frame. While turning to flee Chan gets pounded in the back with a barrage of punches and a thundering palm shot that knocks him forward to the ground. As Strange Creature slowly walks towards his fallen opponent a sound begins to well up from within his belly. While the sound works it's way up to his throat, Strange Creature pounces, driving a knee into Chan's back. With Chan pinned to the ground Creature grabs his arm and spits up some thick green poison on to it. Chan's cries of pain are met with a punch to the back that drives him forward breaking several ribs. Twisting around Chan tries to regain his balance but lands right into a patch of mud. As the poison begins to spread from his forearm Chan begins to wail in pain, thrashing about. Taking a step towards Chan, Strange Creature discovers that the mud is infact quicksand. It's too late when Chan realizes his situation and he quickly sinks under. Strange Creature waits about ten seconds but has to assume that Chan has drowned so he turns and walks away. Is it possible the this strange man has achieved in mere moments what the Oriental Heroes have failed to do in all these years? To kill Chan Ou Wan.

This is the last time Strange Creature will appear for a looong time but eventually he will return.

Elsewhere, Old Supreme has just received a printed invitation from a highly revered monk/teacher named Cloudy Crane. It's a get together to celebrate the birthday of The Golden Buddha. Old Supreme informs the messenger that he will certainly show up. The two chat for a while but it's difficult for me to tell what there saying. They discuss Old Supreme's rejuvination and seem to be talking about the Golden Buddha either rejuvinating itself or granting rejuvination. They also talk about a white sun rising whatever that means. Old Supreme then heads to visit Ancestor who is kneeling in front of a huge statue of Buddha, looking at himself in a mirror. Old Supreme suggests to Ancestor that maybe he should go through the process of rejuvination and begins describing the technique. It's a month long process that involves shutting your body down and managing you blood flow. When Ancestor seems reluctant, Old Supreme insists that he will protect him during the process. The Supreme has also received an invitation as well as Barbarian and Tiger Wong. It will be a big get together with Global Cult, Red Sect, the Oriental Heroes and Ancestor.

But what about Chan Ou Wan. Has Strange Creature finally finished him off? The quicksand in which he sank begins to swirl and from beneath the muck rises Chan, fully healed. Chan sat beneath the sand while expunging all the poison toxins from his body. Chan meets up with Incredible Chap and tells him about his shocking encounter with Strange Creature.

Gold Dragon and Tiger Wong have arrived at the monk mountain temple. The are carried on chairs up to the temple itself. The Supreme and crew have also arrived via helicopter.

Heroes info: Many of the fighters in the Oriental Heroes universe use poison as a weapon but none more effectively than Chan Ou Wan. Chan once challenged one of Old Supreme's top assasins, Poison Fang to a test of poison. Chan drank Poison Fang's most lethal concoction while Fang tasted Chan's black blood. Using a technique called The Gulping Toad, Chan was actually able to gain strength from the poison while Poison Fang was forced to beg Chan for an antidote or die. In issue 688, Chan demonstrated his ability to exhale a cloud of black poison. Interresting how in this issue Chan meets an opponent whose poison may be an equal to his own.

Issue: 697 / Holy Ground Rises into the Clouds
Cover: Tiger Wong in front with Barbarian, Ancestor, The Supreme and Chan Ou Wan surrounding
Published: March 24, 1989

Summary Added: Dec. 11, 2000

The Red Sect deligation arrives in another helicopter. They are led by Barbarian who is flanked by Green Serpent (for more information on Green Serpent see mini bio below) and Island. Being a good brother, Barbarian assists Silver Chime out of the helicopter. Pterosaur (for more information on Pterosaur see mini bio below). has also shown up for the big meeting. The two sect heads, Barbarian and The Supreme, exchange some phony pleasantries and then approach each other with fists clenched. They clasp hands in a show of respect but beneath the surface is a violent test of inner power. The energy generated from the two titans cracks the very earth beneath them. One of the monks nervously suggests that it is time to meet there host. Although they are on holy ground and violence is prohibited, nobody has the courage to tell Barbarian and The Supreme to stop. The Supreme laughs and suggests that this may not be the time or place to match skills. They release their grips to the relief of the monks gathered around. Barbarian seems to take a very cordial attitude. He tells The Supreme that he (The Supreme) spends to much time in seclusion working on his kung fu and needs to get out more. The Supreme thanks him for the advice and mentions that he heard that Red Sect would soon be hiring more soldiers. Global Cult, he claims, is just struggling to survive at this point. Now I must say that through this conversation I didn't detect any sarcasm or anger. They called each other brother and seemed to be sincere in their mutual respect. Silver Chime however, is not so diplomatic and states that Global Cult is only striving to destroy. She says that they're a bunch of rats and like rats tend to multiply. Chan laughs, telling her that the Buddhist temple is a quiet place and she shouldn't speak so wickedly. Finally everyone is lead to their sleeping quarters.

Elsewhere, Old Supreme and Ancestor are on their way to the temple by horseback. Old Supreme is standing on his horse, playing his zyther while Ancestor lays back on his horse reading his invitation. Ancestor uses his inner power to disolves the paper into dust. Above, in the mountains are three monks including the head monk who sits in a tiny pagoda. The head monk rubs his eyes when he spots the two riding up. Ancestor, who is seated backwards on his horse indian style, slowly turns to face him. The monks can clearly sense his immense power. Ancestor bristles as he sees a glowing image of Buddha hovering over the pagoda and his horse topples over. Ancestor and Old Supreme greet the head monk and then are lead up to the mountain temple.

Meanwhile, Tiger Wong, Gold Dragon, Baldy and Guy are led to a small building where they bed down. Guy walks out to the back of the house which faces a mammoth, mountain size relief of the symbol for Buddha and a religious picture below. He prays as light shines down on him.

Finally, everyone is seated around a U-shaped table. On the right is the Red Sect represented by Barbarian along with Pterosaur, Silver Chime and Green Serpent. On the left is Global Cult represented by Old Supreme along with The Supreme, Chan Ou Wan and Lone Kwoon Tin. The Oriental Heroes are represented by Tiger Wong, Gold Dragon, Guy and Baldy. At the open end of the table sits the head of the Monks. Ancestor is conspicuous by his absence.

Gold Dragon is surprised to see that Barbarian has brought along Silver Chime. There is, understandably, a lot of tension around the table. The monk explains that he is trying to bring a truce between the three groups.

Mini Bio: Green Serpent is one of Red Sects' best fighters. He has enormous inner power and seemingly endless stamina. Serpent is able to launch his inner power like a missle ala Ken and Ryo from Street Fighter. In the american version of Oriental Heroes he took on Lone Kwoon Tin in a best of three fight and got demolished.

Mini Bio: Pterosaur is another one of Red Sects' top men. He's old but tough as shoe leather. Like Green Serpent he is capable of withstanding enormous punishment and continue fighting. Pterosaur is the man who dealt the final killing blow to the leader of White Sect, Infinite White. Pterosaur and Green Serpent have much smaller roles than in the engish translated comics and have practically faded into the background.