Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon

Luo Ping'an was tasked with escorting Liu Bei's family to safety during the retreat to Phoenix Heights, but he failed in his mission. His failure nearly cost the young boy Liu Shan his life when the enemy closed in. This failure was serious enough that Zhang Fei wanted to execute Luo Ping'an for his negligence, but Zhao Zilong intervened and defended his fellow soldier from Changshan.

During the chaos of the rescue mission, Zhao Zilong fought his way through enemy lines directly toward Cao Cao, who was observing the battle from a cliffside. In the midst of the combat, Zhao Zilong seized Cao Cao's sword and made a daring leap across the battlefield to safety on the opposite cliff. This bold act impressed Cao Cao and his granddaughter Cao Ying, who witnessed the feat from above.

Before the final campaign, Zhuge Liang gave Zhao Zilong two sealed envelopes with instructions to follow at critical moments. The first envelope instructed Zhao Zilong to split his forces at a fork in the road, sending Guan Xing and Zhang Bao one way while he led another group. The second envelope revealed Zhuge Liang's plan to use the split forces strategically - Zhao Zilong was to distract the Wei army while Guan Xing and Zhang Bao captured enemy territory.

Cao Ying is Cao Cao's granddaughter who now leads the Wei army. She orchestrated a trap that Zhao Zilong fell into during the campaign against Wei. Recognizing Zhao Zilong as a legendary Shu general, she used strategic deception to lure his forces into an ambush at Phoenix Heights, where they suffered heavy casualties before realizing they had been trapped.

Cao Ying first witnessed Zhao Zilong's bravery during his earlier rescue of Liu Shan, when she observed him seizing her grandfather's sword.

Luo Ping'an betrayed Zhao Zilong out of jealousy. After both soldiers enlisted from Changshan, Zhao Zilong's fame and reputation grew rapidly, earning him the title of Five Tiger General and becoming a legend. Meanwhile, Luo Ping'an remained a foot soldier and felt overshadowed by Zhao Zilong's rising glory. In his jealousy, Luo Ping'an revealed the army's location to the enemy, which contributed to the Shu forces being ambushed.

Earlier tension arose when Zhang Fei wanted to execute Luo Ping'an for his failure, and Zhao Zilong saved him - a moment that may have deepened Luo Ping'an's complex feelings about his own standing.

After defeating Cao Ying in their duel, Zhao Zilong was injured but chose to conceal his wounds from his troops. He ordered his subordinates to keep the victory secret to maintain morale among his soldiers. As the commander, he understood that showing weakness or exhaustion could demoralize the army during the ongoing siege at Phoenix Heights, so he endured the pain to preserve their fighting spirit.

Phoenix Heights became the site of a devastating defeat for the Shu army. After falling into Cao Ying's trap, Zhao Zilong's forces retreated to the fortress. When the Wei army approached, Zhao Zilong ordered his soldiers into battle. Wei forces used gunpowder traps that caused massive casualties, killing generals Han De and Deng Zhi along with many soldiers. The Shu army suffered devastating losses in this battle.

Zhao Zilong earned his place among Liu Bei's Five Tiger Generals through his unmatched courage and undefeated battle record. After his heroics in rescuing Liu Shan and seizing Cao Cao's sword, he returned to Changshan as a celebrated legend. Later, when Liu Bei ascended to become emperor of Shu, he granted Zhao Zilong the prestigious title of Five Tiger General, placing him alongside Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Ma Chao, and Huang Zhong as the elite warriors of the Shu kingdom.

After the devastating defeat at Phoenix Heights and discovering Luo Ping'an's betrayal, the two reconcile. Luo Ping'an helps Zhao Zilong remove his heavy armor and beats the war drum as Zhao Zilong makes his final charge toward the enemy. The movie ends with this tragic final stand, depicting the heroic but fatal last battle of the legendary Zhao Zilong.

Zhuge Liang's strategy involved using Zhao Zilong as a distraction, hinting at the sacrifice that would be required.

Zhao Zilong split his forces because of Zhuge Liang's instructions in the first envelope. When they reached a critical fork, Zhao Zilong opened the envelope and followed the strategic plan inside. He sent Guan Xing and Zhang Bao to lead one part of the army while he led the other with Luo Ping'an and Deng Zhi. This split was part of Zhuge Liang's overall battle strategy against Wei.