Dance of Death

Fei-fei, an orphan, meets the aging masters Madman Lu and Hu, who duel every five years to settle whose martial arts reign supreme. She asks them to teach her their skills so she can test a worthy opponent against the standard. Her proposal sets the stage for a competition of technique rather than mere brute strength.

Fei-fei helps Ku Cheng-yuan fend off the pursuing Three Birds. Ku reveals he is hunted by Lo Kuan-tien, chief of the Hundred Birds School, and Ma Fa-chun, who killed Ku's sifu Lin Nien-hai. Ma swore to wipe out all Five Forms Disciples, setting a larger threat in motion.

Lo Kuan-tien orders Bird Egg, his top disciple, to track Ku after the Three Birds fail. Bird Egg and the Three Birds intensify their search across the region. The pursuit signals the widening danger for Five Forms disciples.

Fei-fei attempts to use Five Animals Style against Bird Egg but is rapidly outmatched. Bird Egg dispatches Hawk to shadow her movements and tighten the net. The encounter shows the growing gap between Fei-fei and Bird Egg.

Bird Egg and Hawk locate Ku hiding at Willow Bridge near Hsu Chia-wu's school. Lo, Ma, Bird Egg and Ma's disciple Shui Chang-liu raid the school, killing Hsu, Ku, and Lung-yu. Fei-fei escapes amidst the chaos and begins to plot her revenge.

Fei-fei returns to Lu and Hu and begins a rigorous, days-long training regimen. Her efforts push her to higher levels of skill as she swears revenge for her fallen allies. The intense practice sharpens her resolve and abilities.

A renewed clash erupts with Three Birds and Bird Egg. Fei-fei's intensified abilities allow her to defeat Bird Egg, signaling a shift in the balance of power. The victory raises the stakes for her looming confrontation with Ma.

Fei-fei travels to the Hundred Birds School to confront Lu and learn Ma's whereabouts. The duel ends with Fei-fei killing Lu; Hu is present and notes how many of their own techniques Fei-fei used. The death underscores the cost of pursuing Ma and the thin line between mastery and danger.

Fei-fei and her mentors witness female dancers using hidden martial arts in a brothel. Fei-fei defeats Shui Chang-liu and sends him to deliver a message to his sifu to meet at Wan Mountain. The scene introduces a stylistic shift that will influence Fei-fei's strategy.

The trio arrives at Wan Mountain the next day, where Fei-fei fights Ma but is outmatched by Ma's Upside-down Horse Boxing. Lu and Hu attempt to intervene, but they are also overwhelmed, forcing the group to retreat. The encounter highlights Ma's dangerous technique and the need for a new approach.

Lu and Hu realize that dancing can complement boxing and counter Ma's style, so they create a Dance-Boxing approach. They train Fei-fei in the new method, hoping to turn the tide in the upcoming battle. The fusion of grace and power becomes Fei-fei's new edge.

Ma and Shui arrive to finish Fei-fei and claim Wan Mountain as their own. Fei-fei fights Shui first; when Ma steps in, he accidentally kills his own disciple. The tragedy intensifies Ma's wrath and the stakes of the impending duel.

Fei-fei employs Dance-Boxing, with Lu and Hu guiding her, to counter Ma's Upside-down Horse Boxing. She overpowers Ma and kills him, ending the immediate threat from Ma's faction. The triumph showcases the effectiveness of their new approach.

In the aftermath, it is still unclear whose martial arts are superior. Lu suggests using Fei-fei as the test subject to settle the matter once and for all. Fei-fei bows to her mentors, and they receive her gesture with delight and respect.