The film is set in 1627, towards the end of the Ming dynasty, when a young emperor decides to end the influence of all-powerful eunuch Wei (Chin Shi-chieh) and purge his supporters.Caught in the midst of the intrigue are three lowly cash-strapped warriors from the Imperial Assassins, the secret police, who are given orders to find and kill Wei.
The film is set during the Tang Dynasty-period in Chinese history, in 9th century China. The film centers on Nie Yinniang (played by Shu Qi) a female killer appointed to slay corrupt government officials by her master, Jiaxin, a nun who raised her from the age of ten. When Yinniang displays mercy by failing to kill during her duties, Jiaxing punishes her with a ruthless assignment designed to test Yinniang’s resolve. She is sent to the distant province/circuit of Weibo in northern China, which is led by the military governor Tian Ji'an, her cousin and former lover.
The evil Lord Conqueror, head of Conqueror's Clan, is given a prophecy by Mud Buddha when quizzed about his delayed duel with Sword Saint. The prophecy translates that if Conqueror finds two young children by the name of Wind and Cloud he will have good fortune. Mud Buddha provides the birth charts of these two and gives him a puzzle box stating that finding Wind and Cloud is but one half of his destiny, the box will provide him with the latter half once he unlocks it. Conqueror issues an order that every boy with a birth chart matching Wind's or Cloud's must become a disciple of the Conqueror's Clan. Whispering Wind is discovered as the son of long time rival Whispering Prince, who Conqueror had beating 2 years previously and stole Prince's wife. As they fight again for Prince's Blizzard Blade he reveals he only took his wife to anger him into battle to possess the blade. At the climax of the duel Prince's wife kills herself and Prince is captured and killed by the fire beast in the nearby cave. Conqueror finds Whispering Wind has fainted and claims him. Striding Cloud's father, a blacksmith named Striding Sky, is forging the Ultimate Sword and completes the blade just before Conqueror's forces raze his village. As he is killed he reveals that the sword can only be used by a true hero and Cloud is taken by the invading forces.
Linghu Chong, Yue Lingshan and members of the Mount Hua Sect are planning to retire from the jianghu (martial artists' community). They learn that Dongfang Bubai has seized control of the Sun Moon Holy Cult and is secretly plotting with some Japanese rōnin to rebel against the Ming Empire and dominate China. Dongfang Bubai had castrated himself in order to master the skills in the Sunflower Manual, and his appearance has become more feminine, even though he is now a formidable martial artist.
Une lutte de pouvoir entre l'amant traître de la reine et une princesse se déroule au milieu de numéros musicaux, de batailles burlesques et d'acrobaties d'arts martiaux.
The story begins in early Republican China. Hero Hua (Ekin Cheng) is given his family heirloom, the Red Sword, and is accepted by Pride (Anthony Wong), a martial arts master, as a student after passing a test. When he returns home, he is horrified to see that his family have been murdered by Westerners for opposing the opium trade. That night, Hero breaks up the Westerners' party and kills them in revenge. He spends the rest of the night with his lover, Jade (Kristy Yang). The next morning, he flees from China and sails to America.
Ching, May-kwan and Siu-chuen are famous mercenaries who capture wanted criminals for a living. However, they are involved in a love triangle, as Siu-chuen is in love with May-kwan, but May-kwan is in love with Ching and has been expressing her feelings for him all the time. May-kwan killed the Silver Fox's friend earlier and the Fox seeks vengeance on her. When Ching finally decides to propose marriage to May-kwan, Siu-chuen is killed by the Fox while trying to save May-kwan. May-kwan leaves Ching secretly to keep him out of trouble, but Ching constantly seeks her. One year later, Ching finally finds May-kwan, but learns that she has been poisoned by a spell. Ching and May-kwan join forces to defeat Silver Fox and the villains and they roam the world together as a couple.
Zhuo Yihang was raised by Taoist Ziyang of the Wudang Sect and groomed to become a young chivalrous swordsman. He is placed in command of a coalition army formed by the eight major orthodox martial arts sects, which aim to prevent an evil cult from infiltrating China. During a battle against the cult, Zhuo Yihang meets a young woman called Lian Nichang and falls in love with her. She is an orphan and was raised by wolves as an infant before being adopted by Ji Wushuang, the Siamese twins who lead the cult. After consummating their romance, Lian Nichang decides to leave the cult and follow Zhuo Yihang in pursuit of an ordinary life away from the jianghu (martial artists' community).
Every 18 years, the martial artists' community hold a martial arts contest to elect a new leader. Eva Palace's ruler wins the title and is tasked with eliminating the Ten Villains, who live in the Villains' Valley, a sanctuary for criminals. Yin Nam-tin (Eva Palace ruler's husband) believes that the villains are innocent and attempts to stop his wife from killing them. The couple turn against each other and Yin eventually manages to defeat his wife, but becomes paralyzed and mute. Eva accepts a girl called More as her disciple and intends to groom her as her successor. Meanwhile, the Ten Villains accept Yin's son (Fishy) as their student and plan to "nurture" him to become the greatest villain ever. 18 years later, the grown-up Fishy coincidentally meets More and falls in love with her. When he participates in the contest later, he is shocked to discover that Eva is actually his mother, and More is in fact Eva's student.
Dans les montagnes sacrées de Zu, un monstre aux pouvoirs immenses tente de renaître. De courageux chevaliers, avec l'appui d'un jeune éclaireur, ont 49 jours pour sauver le monde.
Set in the present and based on allegedly true events from the recent past, the film also draws on the history of wuxia stories. The title in Chinese, 天注定 (Tian zhuding) is literally translated as "heavenly fate" or "fated doom," while its English title is a reference to King Hu's 1971 action epic A Touch of Zen, one of the most influential wuxia films.
Advertising company staff Mo Tak-fai and his friend Lai Chi are going to mainland China for a business trip during which Chi smuggled some relics which leads them being chased by the police and they strayed into a cave. Chi was bitten by a poisonous snake in the cave but was saved by medicine from hero Lung Kim-fei from centuries ago and shares it with Tak-fai. Not only does the medicine detoxifies Chi, it also gave Tak-fai and Chi internal strengths. There, they also rescue Princess Wan-lo and her maid Siu-man who were frozen for eight hundred years from the Yuan Dynasty while also allowing two-hundred-year-old evil martial arts expert Tin-chan escape.
Zhang Wuji and his parents return from an isolated island and travel to Mount Wudang to celebrate his grandteacher Zhang Sanfeng's 100th birthday. Several martial artists attempt to force Zhang Wuji's parents to reveal the whereabouts of his godfather, Xie Xun, but they refuse and commit suicide in defiance. Zhang Wuji has been seriously injured by the Xuanming Elders and almost dies, but Zhang Sanfeng shows special care towards him and attempts to preserve his life. However, that incurs the jealousy of his senior Song Qingshu, who collaborates with Zhou Zhiruo of the Emei Sect to harm Zhang Wuji.
The Emperor's eunuchs have gained power and influence, the East Bureau and West Bureau spy and police the nation. They visit the shipyards, but only as a cover to execute those who would try and report their taking of bribes to the Emperor. Wandering hero Zhao Huai'an fights the leader of the East Bureau, defeating him and putting his head in a box and hanging it as a warning to other corrupt officials.