In the late Ming Dynasty, when eunuchs were in power, harsh taxes and tyranny made life miserable for the people. Zhang Junbao (Jet Li) and Dong Tianbao (Qian Xiaohao) are brothers who grew up in Shaolin Temple since childhood, but they have very different personalities. Zhang Junbao is kind and honest, while Dong Tianbao is cunning and insidious. When they were competing for the qualification to practice in Damoyuan, they had a dispute with their uncle and were expelled from Shaolin. After leaving the temple, the two parted ways because of their different ambitions. Dong Tianbao joined the army for glory, while Zhang Junbao joined a group of people with lofty ideals to rob the rich and help the poor. In order to seek a high position, Dong Tianbao betrayed a large number of old friends to the eunuch Liu Jin, and blood flowed like a river for a while. In order to avenge the righteous and to help the people get rid of harm, Zhang Junbao, with the help of Qiu Xue (Michelle Yeoh), realized a set of martial arts "Tai Chi" from his master's Qigong mind method, and began to practice diligently, preparing for a bloody battle with his opponent soon.