arguably speaking, the most powerful person in Tian Long is indeed Wu Ming Shen Sheng, as he became the only person since the founder of Shaolin, Da-muo to reach the 7th level of Yijinjing, the white stage.
However, the diff btw the white stage and the black stage is actually the ability to let go of all things. he actually lost his black stage Yijinjing power to Murong Fu who sucked it up using Beiming. But the loss gave him a higher understanding and enabled him to reach nirvana.
At the end of Tian Long, arguably, the most powerful person is Duan Yu. Simply because he absorbed Jiumozhi's internal strength (blue stage Yijinjing power) and a large part of Murong Fu's black stage Yijinjing power. Xuzhu never mastered any Xiaoyao Sect skill. Tianshan Liuyang Palm was developed by Tonglao and not a true Xiaoyao skill.
There's another way to look at it. Wuyazi, as the last real head of Xiaoyao Sect could be the most powerful. He was actually poisoned by Ding Chunqiu before being knocked off the cliff. Xiaoyao sect has 5 powerful skills, 4 about internal strength (like Yijinjing) and Ling Bo Wei Bu. They are Da Wu Xiang Gong, Xiao Wu Xiang Gong, Bei Ming Shen Gong and the last one, the most powerful. Can't remember the name, but it's Ba Gua something. This skill can only be learnt by men. Tonglao ended up in her state as she modified the skill herself and learnt it forcefully. Of course Li Qiushui screwed up her training. The Ba Gua skill was supposed to be the most powerful internal strength skill, but we can't really tell as no one used it. Tonglao was badly injured and her version was supposedly not as good as the original anyway.
The TV series changed a lot of things. esp the whole saga about Wang Yuyen. She's NOT the dunno wat girl's grandchild. She should be Li Qiushui's granddaughter. Wuyazi dumped her after Tonglao proved that Qiushui was the one who poisoned Li Qiushuang, her twin sister and the girl Wuyazi actually liked.
They cut out Li Qiushuang as the actress would have too many roles. Mdm Wang, Wang Yuyen, Li Qiushui and Li Qiushuang all look alike. In fact, the portrait is that of Qiushuang. Qiushui died due to shock after finding out that the girl in the portrait is Qiushuang. The diff btw the 2 is the look in the eyes. Tonglao died laughing as she found out that the girl was not Qiushui.
The brilliant thing about Tian Long is the complex family ties and intrigue. esp when u find out that everyone is related to each other in some ways.
All the protagonists in Jing Yong's novels are all damn lucky people who, by rights, shouldn't get their skills. Think Guo Jing (if not for Huang Rong's cooking, where would he be? and his lucky meeting with Zhou Botong which gained him Jiuying), Yang Guo (he lost an arm...ok, but c'mon, he met the Condor...how lucky...), Zhang Wuji (sheer luck of being born to those parents and kena whacked by Xuan Ming Shen Zhang. All his skills are learnt to save his life. Jian Kun Da Nuo Yi included. Where would he be without Jiuyang and Jian Kun?) and Ling Hu Chong (c'mon, he just met a old man by chance who just liked him and taught him Du Gu Jiu Jian)
Even Duan Yu is a lucky guy. he's a peacelover who refused to learn martial arts remember?
But the luckiest of all heroes in Jing Yong's novels has to be Xuzhu. He really did ABSOLUTELY nothing, just happened to be at all the correct places at all the correct times, and got all the damn powerful pple pass all the good skills to him. He didn't even do nuts and he got the Xixia princess to!!!!! Even Duan Yu had to go through a lot to get Wang Yuyen, Qiao Feng never had A-zhu, Guo Jing had trials to get Huang Rong, Zhang Wuji was ruined by the women in his life and Yang Guo had to wait 16 years for Xiaolongnu.
Anyway, what do u think is the most powerful skill in all Jing Yong novels? or brilliant skill?
i feel that it's.....
for weapon skill, Du Gu Jiu Jian (c'mon, Du Gu Chiu Bai was probably the most powerful character in the books...)
for palm stroke, An Ran Siao Hui Zhang. (Xiang Long is generally considered the most powerful but An Ran is more versatile and projects equal force)
for internal strength, Jiu Yang Sheng Gong (c'mon....look at Zhang Wuji...moreover, it comes from Shaolin too..it's so good u can't be poisoned with it....enuff said)
for qing gong, Ling Bo Wei Bu (no contest..)
special award, Bei Ming Shen Gong (quite unmatched in uniqueness and more versatile than it's 2 competitors, Hua Gong Da Fa, which is nothing more than a screw-up Bei Ming in the first place and Xi Xing Da Fa)
