Shaolin Wooden Men

Little Mute enrolls as a new Shaolin student but remains mute. He struggles to keep up with the grueling tasks and training. The memory of his father's murder at the hands of a masked, skilled fighter haunts him and motivates his discipline.

One night, a drunken monk leads him to a hidden cave behind a waterfall where a man is imprisoned. The prisoner is a formidable martial artist who is developing a technique called Lion's Roar to escape. Little Mute senses the danger and the power of this captive fighter.

Little Mute begins bringing the prisoner food, forging an unusual friendship. Through their exchanges, he learns about the prisoner's desire to escape and the deadly Lion's Roar.

The prisoner agrees to train Little Mute in the Lion's Roar, a style designed to kill quickly. Little Mute also senses the need for discipline as he balances this brutal technique with the restraint being taught by others. The training deepens his understanding of power and consequence.

A Shaolin nun observes him practicing the killing techniques and admonishes that martial arts are for self-development, defense with minimal violence. She trains him in the Gliding Snake style, emphasizing grace and restraint. The clash between the two approaches marks a turning point in his philosophy.

Little Mute studies both Lion's Roar and Gliding Snake, trying to integrate their philosophies. The tension between lethal speed and non-lethal defense challenges his judgment and self-control. His growing discipline begins to shape how he fights.

The prisoner judges Little Mute ready to face the Shaolin Wooden Men Alley, a narrow hallway of 36 mechanical dummies. He fights through the wooden guardians, showing his improving reflexes and endurance. The triumph foreshadows the broader conflict to come.

Shortly after the Wooden Men Alley test, the prisoner perfects Lion's Roar and uses it to escape, reclaiming leadership of the Green Dragon Gang. He begins killing those responsible for his imprisonment. The prisoner’s backstory as a renegade Shaolin student is revealed as part of his plan.

The current head abbot and Little Mute seek the hermit monk who once protected Shaolin. The hermit hands over a book containing the ultimate martial arts style, and Little Mute begins to master it under the head abbot's guidance. This new style forms the core of his defense against the invader.

The escaped prisoner arrives to destroy Shaolin, and Little Mute prepares to defend the monastery. He learns that the killer of his father stands before him, deepening his personal stake in the fight. The looming confrontation binds old wounds to the present crisis.

In the climactic duel, Little Mute counters the killer's moves and creates openings while striving not to kill. The prisoner makes a last desperate attempt to kill him, but his strike rebounds and hits his own throat, killing himself. The Green Dragon Gang flees in the aftermath.

With the threat ended, Little Mute returns to the Shaolin monastery and is ordained as a monk. He commits to living within Shaolin's peaceful path and honoring his father by protecting the temple.