Shaolin

In a ruthless campaign, Hou Jie defeats his rival Huo Long and seizes control of Dengfeng. Huo Long flees to the Shaolin Temple, where Hou tricks him into surrendering his treasure map and shoots him. Hou then ridicules the Shaolin monks as he departs.

Hou arranges a dinner in a restaurant under the pretense of arranging his daughter's engagement to Song Hu's son. The meal features a tense exchange in which Song declares his plan to retire and cede everything to Hou, while a tip off hints at an assassination. Fueled by anger at the betrayal, Hou fatally wounds Song during the confrontation.

Cao Man, Hou's ambitious deputy, betrays his master and aligns with rivals to weaken him. The betrayal foreshadows the coming attacks on Hou's family and the temple. It signals a fracture in the inner circle that will fuel the ensuing conflict.

Cao's assassins attack Song and Hou's families. Song, though mortally wounded, saves Hou during the flee, and dies from his injuries. The deaths deepen Hou's sense of loss and set him on a darker path.

Hou's wife and daughter are separated during the chaos. Shaolin monks who aid refugees steal rice to feed them at the temple. Hou's daughter falls from a cliff and dies despite the monks' efforts. The wife blames Hou and leaves him; Hou attacks the monks but is subdued.

Hou wanders near Shaolin in shock until he meets the cook Wudao, who offers food and shelter after he is trapped in a pit. Through this encounter he feels guilt about his past sins and resolves to reform. He begins to study Shaolin principles and martial arts, choosing to become a monk to atone.

Hou learns from refugees that Cao has been recruiting male laborers to unearth relics under the pretext of building a railway, intending to kill them once the job is done. He confronts the grim reality of Cao's scheme and the danger to innocent people. He then exposes the brutal plan by dragging recently buried victims' corpses to the temple gate to reveal the truth.

Cao returns with his troops to capture Hou at Shaolin. Hou volunteers to go with Cao so the monks can break into Cao's base and rescue the imprisoned laborers, buying time for the escape. He is briefly reunited with his wife, and they manage to flee together.

During the chaotic exit, Jingneng, Hou's senior monk, is killed by Cao while covering his juniors. Hou and his wife escape with the refugees, carrying with them the burden of the temple's fate.

Cao returns with heavy forces and the foreigners bombard Shaolin with artillery. Many monks and soldiers are killed, and the refugees are forced to flee while the temple is pounded into ruin. The monks decide to hold off long enough for the escape to succeed.

Hou engages Cao in a final confrontation and defeats him, but sacrifices himself to prevent Cao from being crushed by a falling beam. He falls into the Buddha statue’s palm and dies peacefully, leaving Cao guilt-ridden. The surviving monks and refugees purge the attackers and end the bombardment.

On a mountainside, the refugees cry as they look down at the temple ruins. Wudao consoles them, telling them that the Shaolin spirit will live on in them despite the destruction of the temple.

Before evacuation, Hou meets his wife for a final time. He repents for his past deeds and gives her the urn containing their daughter's ashes. She forgives him and accepts his transformed self, even as they cannot be together. He chooses to stay and defend the refugees at Shaolin.

Hou acknowledges that Cao's evil actions stem from his own past misdeeds and asserts that it is his responsibility to guide Cao toward the correct path. The moment marks a shift from vengeance to mentorship and a belief in reform.