Painted Skin

In the desert during the late Qin to early Han transition, General Wang Sheng leads an attack on a Xiongnu camp. He encounters a maiden named Xiaowei, who is secretly a fox spirit that feeds on human hearts to stay young. He brings her back to his home, setting off a chain of dangerous consequences.

Wang Sheng brings Xiaowei to his home and treats her as a captive survivor. Xiaowei hides her true nature behind a courteous exterior as a fragile romance and alliance begin to form. The arrangement foreshadows conflicts with his wife and the city’s secrets.

A series of city murders erupts, with victims found missing their hearts. The killings suggest a supernatural link and threaten the lives of the populace. Peirong and others begin to piece together the pattern behind the deaths.

A diviner warns that Xiaowei is a demon, heightening Peirong's suspicions. When Peirong accidentally cuts Xiaowei, the demon shows no sign of bleeding, exposing her true nature. Peirong resolves to uncover the truth and safeguard Wang Sheng.

Pang Yong, a former general, encounters Xia Bing, a novice demon hunter who becomes an ally in the fight against the supernatural threat. The two form a wary partnership that complements Peirong's escalating peril. Their meeting adds a new edge to the investigation.

Xiaoyi, a chameleon spirit who secretly loves Xiaowei, orchestrates the city murders to feed her needs. He fights with Pang Yong and occasionally escapes capture. His jealousy fuels the conflict between humans and demons.

Pang Yong and Xia Bing confront Xiaowei at Wang Sheng's residence and accuse her of being the demon. Xiaowei maintains her disguise, leaving them unable to prove the truth and keeping the tensions high.

As Xiaowei grows closer to Wang Sheng, Xiaoyi attacks him and is driven away. He warns that love between a demon and a human is impossible, while Xiaowei pleads for him to stay by her side.

Peirong confronts Xiaowei and witnesses her true demon form when Xiaowei peels off her human skin. The two agree that Xiaowei will stop killing humans in exchange for Peirong taking the place as Wang Sheng's wife and bearing the blame for the murders. Xiaowei then gives Peirong a potion, turning her hair white and giving her demonic features.

The city reels as Peirong's altered appearance spreads fear. Pang Yong and Xia Bing intervene, saving her and escorting her to a cave for safety away from the mob.

Xiaowei's demonic influence is revealed as Peirong is poisoned; the lighter the color of the poison, the more fatal it is. Peirong's complexion pales toward white as the poison advances toward death.

Wang Sheng swears to kill Xiaowei if she is the demon, then Peirong sacrifices herself with a dagger and dies in Wang Sheng's arms. Xiaowei, moved by the loss, contemplates bringing Peirong and Wang Sheng back to life using a magical orb.

Xiaowei reveals her true demon form and questions what she gains by resurrecting the lovers. Xiaoyi interrupts, snatching the orb and vows to take Xiaowei home, triggering a confrontation with Pang Yong and Xia Bing.

Pang Yong and Xia Bing fight Xiaoyi and slay him in the cave. Xiaowei then retrieves the orb containing Xiaoyi's powers and uses them along with the other orb to begin reviving the dead in the cave.

With the lives of Peirong and Wang Sheng restored, Xiaowei appears in her white fox form without powers, having given up her powers to save them. The film closes on her quiet, powerless presence as the cost of love is revealed.