Ryo has heard that before training "Yi Yang Finger", Luan was trained by Lin of West Venom sect. This means Xiao Lon is a martial art senior of his daughter.

The Karateka also understands that Xiao Lon does not have any hostility toward him or his daughter. Anh Thư might be fast, however she is not significantly faster than her senior, meanwhile the Xiao Lon has longer reach and superior strength. If she chose to trade blows instead of blocking, a young girl's front kick in mid-air would not cause as much damage as an elite assassin's strike.

"Please forgive our rudeness.", Ryo says as he waves his hand, inviting the woman to sit on a rock near their campfire. "This is the best we could offer."

Xiao Lon slightly lowers her head. then calmly sits where the man asked her to. Ryo sits in front of her, the flame lies between them, and Anh Thư stands behind her father. Judging from how she talked to the assassin earlier, it looks like the girl does not hold her senior in high regard. However, she still performs proper manner toward her martial art senior.

"Kyokugen-ryu Karate school and Hizoku clan do not have any relation.", Ryo says. "What is the purpose of you coming here?"

"This is about my martial art senior, Luan.", Xiao Lon replies. "After her infiltration to Shaolin Temple, she was caught and is prisoned there."

"What are you saying?", Anh Thư angrily asks.

Before taking this child in, Ryo heard from Luan that she planned to interrogate A Song in Shaolin Temple about Ron's whereabouts. He had warned her that Shaolin monks' martial arts were formidable, this outcome is among the possibilities he had predicted. He answers the little girl: "Your mother left you with me before going to Shaolin Temple. If the monks found her infiltrating their place, they wouldn't let her escape."

"My mother's martial arts are formidable.", Anh Thư says. "How can a bunch of monks caught her?"

"Naive child.", Ryo replies. "There are Hizoku assassins that are even more fearsome than her, and they wouldn't dare to attack that place."

The Karateka remembers that Ron was hesitated to kidnap Bao in Shaolin Temple, he was referring to that man while explaining to the girl.

"I remember Luan was a Deva of your clan.", Ryo talks to Xiao Lon. "Shouldn't the Hizoku be planning on rescuing her?"

"Unfortunately, currently we are incapable of attacking that place.", the female assassin replies. "When my father betrayed the clan, many of us were killed in the conflicts. After the downfall of NESTS most members from East Heretics, South Emperor and North Beggar also joined his force. The current Hizoku is made of mostly members of West Venom sect, the Deva of South Emperor is captured and the Devas of East Heretics and North Beggar are also missing. Meanwhile, Luan is being guarded by 3 Shaolin Elders forming "Vajra Ring Subdues Evil" Formation. When fighting someone using unorthodox martial arts, this formation will eventually crush their mind. If our Hizoku assassins cannot break the formation in time, we will be paralyzed temporarily or permanently."

"So that's why Ron was so afraid of attacking Shaolin Temple.", Ryo remarks. "As its name suggests, "Vajra Ring Subdues Evil" is the perfect counter against martial arts of evil roots."

"Indeed.", Xiao Lon says. "That's why I am here. We hope that you can help us saving Luan. Their "Vajra Ring Subdues Evil" Formation should not be able to corrupt a Karateka's mind as it does to us."

Ryo is shocked that the Hizoku clan would rely on him to rescue one of their high ranked member. Although he and Luan were in intimate relationship, there is no reason for the current chief of Kyokugen-ryu Karate to challenge another righteous sect for a group of assassins. The Karateka says:

"Kyokugen-ryu Karate does not any collaboration with either Shaolin or Hizoku. We will not get ourselves involved in your matters."

"Father, she is my mother.", Anh Thư suddenly raises her voice. "Even if she has no relation to the Sakazaki household, I will not abandon her."

Ryo turns his head back to look at the girl. He now realizes the Hizoku's scheme. Ryo may be a martial art fanatic, however he would not challenge a school for an assassin. The only reason he would get himself involved in this task is to save the mother of his daughter. The Karateka stays silence for a few minutes, he then turns to Xiao Lon and says:

"I will go to Shaolin Temple and rescue Luan. Please tell the other Hizoku not to get involved. I don't want to create any grudge between Kyokugen-ryu and Shaolin school."

Hearing that, Xiao Lon slowly lowers her head as a sign of gratitude, then stands up. Her movement is so gentle that Ryo cannot believe this woman is among the Hizoku assassins. She says: "I will inform my comrades of your demand. I shall leave."

As Xiao Lon turns away, Ryo stops her: "I will travel to Shaolin tomorrow. Can you take this child back to my family dojo and inform the people there about me going to China?"

Before the female assassin could reply, Anh Thư refects her father's suggestion: "I will go with you, father. I'm not afraid of those baldies."

"With that foul mouth of yours, you will only cause troubles.", Ryo says. "I know people that have good relationships with that school. I don't want to create any grudge between Kyokugen-ryu and Shaolin."

"I will be completely silent then?", the girl says. "Please, I want to meet mother."

Ryo intended to deny all her demands, however Thư's begging to meet her mother really touches his soft spot. The Karateka lost his mother when he was a child, he can sympathize with the girl's emotion to some extent. He also remembers his fights against the bullies and thugs picking on his younger orphaned self. Those memories suddenly raises his rebellious character: "What if they hold a grudge against me? If they want to fight me, I'm going to give them the toughest fight of their lives."

"All right.", Ryo says. "But you are going to behave and strictly follow my order. No stupid sarcasm, no picking fight."