Near the end of the Tang Dynasty, police deputies Jin (Kaneshiro) and Leo (Lau) tangle with Mei (Zhang), a dancer suspected of having ties to a revolutionary faction known as the House of Flying Daggers. Enraptured by her, the deputies concoct a plan to save her from capture, and Jin leads her north in what becomes a perilous journey into the unknown.

Tipped off by Tempo, the underground escape one raid by the eunuchs. Tempo suggest they attack the eunuchs. The underground is routed because Tempo actually is working for the eunuchs. Jumbo is distressed. He suffers a nervous breakdown. It takes a good deal of Chiulin's effort and time to get him back to shape. By the time, Tempo has become a violent and bloody tool of the eunuchs. Jumbo gives him a last chance but is rebuffed. And, in a no holdbarred fight, Jumbo kills Tempo and Chiulin kills the top cunuch. Jumbo retires into the Maintains of Wutang where he establishes the Taoist School of the Octagon (Tai Chi). Jumbo is gone for centuries but the Tai Chi school is still teaching his philosophy and martial arts today.