Two thousand years ago,
China was divided into seven kingdoms:
Qin, Zhao, Han, Wei, Yan, Qi and Chu.
They have been fighting for many years
in order to rule the whole China.
Qin is the strongest kingdom among them.
Ying-Zheng, the king of Qin,
who intended to obtain
other kingdoms to unify China,
was considered to be the biggest enemy.
ln the history of China,
there were many stories about
assassinating the king of Qin...
l lost my parents since l was very young.
l don't even have a proper name.
They just call me Wu-Ming.(anonymous)
Without a name, one could
practice swordsmanship intently.
l spent ten years to learn
an unique swordsmanship.
King of Qin wants to see me right now,
because l just accomplished
a mission that caused a stir in Qin.
At His Majesty's command,
l bring back the hero
to meet the chancellor at once!
Chang-Kong, Fei-Xue, Can-Jian.
These three assassins from Zhao
has been trying to assassinate
my king for the last ten years.
His Majesty couldn't even rest
one day without anxiety.
But now,
they have all been wiped out by our hero.
From now on,
His Majesty could rest contentedly!
Congratulations to my king.
The hero sent by heaven
has wiped out the assassins!
His Majesty commands to meet the hero!
Please remember, you must be away
from His Majesty for at least 1 00 paces.
Or you'll be killed!
For the last ten years, no one has entered
here and stay within 1 00 paces to me.
Do you know why?
Assassins was rampant.
Correct. l can't take off my corselet
if the assassins are still around.
Now you have solved this big
problem for me.
How would you like to be rewarded?
l killed the assassins for Qin.
l wouldn't ask for any reward.
Under the ruling of Qin,
the merits would be rewarded.
Chang-Kong's silver spear
wounded many Qin warriors!
Announce my order!
At his Majesty's command,
anyone who killed the assassin Chang-Kong
would be rewarded with a thousand of gold
and honored as thousand-house vassal.
He may move forward 20 paces
and drink with His Majesty.
From what l heard,
you are from Qin as well.
l am Wu-Ming,
a booth chief in Lang-Meng County.
A booth chief governs a place
not more than 1 0 miles.
lt's the lowest post in Qin bureaucracy.
How is it possible for you to wipe
out the three assassins from Zhao?
l struck them one by one.
Tell me the detail.
Does your majesty know that
Can-Jian and Fei-Xue were a couple?
l know.
Does your majesty know that they hadn't been
talking to each other for three years?
For three years? Why?
Fei-Xue had one-night stand
with Chang-Kong before.
And Can-Jian just couldn't forgive them.
How come l haven't heard of that?
l have been trying very hard to get this secret.
ln order to split Can-Jian and Fei-Xue,
l must first defeat Chang-Kong.
l now understand your plan.
Of course, Your Majesty.
What did you use to fight with Chang-Kong?
Sword.
ln Lang-Meng county,
my responsibility is to arrest burglars.
On the fifth of June,
Chang-Kong appeared in a chess house.
l have found out that
he always went there to enjoy the music.
Seven warriors from Qin Palace.
We've been following you for days.
Today we'll arrest you!
Show your spear to prove your identity!
Wait!
What do you want?
l govern this place.
So?
You are a wanted outlaw.
l shall arrest you!
Old man,
please play another music for us.
Though martial arts is different from the music,
their principles are the same.
They both require a stage of
''nothingness''.
l stand before Chang-Kong
for around an hour.
None of us moved a bit,
but we've been fighting
each other in mind.
What a fast sword.
l thought l know everything in Qin.
But l never knew that in Lang-Meng County
there's someone brilliant like you.
Can-Jian.
Fei-Xue.
At his Majesty's command,
the assassins Can-Jian and Fei-Xue
always cooperate in assassination.
Anyone who could kill either of them,
would be rewarded with 1 0 thousands of gold
and honored as 5-thousand-house vassal.
He may move forward 1 0 paces
and drink with His Majesty.
Three years ago, both of them
attacked into the palace together.
Three thousands of amours
couldn't even stop them!
After that, l clear out this hall.
So that the assassin can't hide in here!
ls your sword faster than both of them?
No.
Then how did you defeat them?
l disguised as a Zhao
to look for Can-Jian and Fei-Xue in Zhao.
l enquired that both of them
used the names of Gao-Shan and Liu-Shui
and hid in a school in Xing city of Zhao.
Few days ago, rumour says that
Qin army would attack Zhao .
Xing city was deserted at once.
Except for the students in the school.
Why do you come to this place now?
Who are you?
l come from Yi County of Zhao.
ln my father's will before he died,
he wished to obtain a calligraphy
from your school.
Today is the last day of my school.
Whose calligraphy do you want?
Sir Gao-Shan.
Virtually, Gao-Shan is Can-Jian.
Rumours say that he learned
a swordsmanship through calligraphy
with a mighty power.
l was worried about that.
So l want to look at his calligraphy first.
What word do you want?
Sword.
Do you cherish sword?
l just wish to fulfill my father's will.
How big do you want?
Eight feet.
An eight-feet word needs vermilion.
There's a guest asking for calligraphy.
Master would like to borrow lady's vermilion.
Master would like to borrow lady's vermilion.
Does lady listen to what l said?
Master would like to borrow lady's
vermilion.
Ask him to come over himself!
l come to borrow vermilion.
You still haven't written
the ''Sword'' word that l ask.
Qin army that come to attack Zhao
has arrived outside of Xing City.
Shoot!
The reason His Majesty's army
always wins
not only because their strategies are good,
they have the best bowmen.
The other six kingdoms
couldn't compete with Qin at all.
Wherever Qin army goes,
their first routine is archery.
To check and menace their enemy.
Wind! Wind! Wind!
Remember.
No matter how strong
are Qin arrows,
though it can destroy
our city and country,
but it can never eliminate
the Zhao language!
Today,
you must learn the
essence of Zhao language.
Wind! Wind! Wind!
The Zhaos really didn't move at all?
Zhao's calligraphy is very forceful.
Why is it so difficult to write the
word ''Sword''?
There are 1 9 different methods to
write this word.
What l asked from Can-Jian
is the twentieth writing method.
Calligraphic
swordsmanship is based on
strength from the wrist and breath
from the chest.
The twentieth method combined
his essence of
swordsmanship in the word.
A word has 1 9 different
writing methods
and not everybody
would recognize it.
lt's really inconvenient.
After l destroy
the other six kingdoms,
l would demolish
the small countries as well.
And l would abrogate
all these immethodical languages.
Everyone would use a unified
language. lsn't that great?
l thought Your Majesty just wish
to destroy the six kingdoms.
Six kingdoms are nothing.
l want to lead Qin army
to invade a huge land!
Wind! Wind! Wind!
You must be Lady Liu-Shui.
Why do you leave?
l can stop the arrows.
We don't need you. Back off.
Qin's archery is famous
in the world.
Lady Liu-Shui might
not be able to stop them.
Wind! Wind! Wind!
You're good.
Lady Liu-Shui is even better.
You're not coming for the calligraphy.
Who are you?
l come to show lady something.
Meet me at midnight in the library.
Good calligraphy.
Good swordsmanship.
Sir has never watched my
swordsmanship.
There'd be no word
without your sword.
Please go to the library
tonight at midnight.
l have something to show you.
That night,
hundred thousands of Qin army
camped at the foothill
to get ready to attack Zhao.
l looked at the word
for the whole night.
Tried to figure out the swordsmanship
tendency of Can-Jian.
You mean,
there's swordsmanship in this word?
But from what l see,
it's just a normal word.
Calligraphy and
swordsmanship are the same.
The profundity depends on perception.
So you managed to perceive it?
Not yet.
Not yet? Then how did you
challenge them?
Was Chang-Kong defeated by you?
Yes.
Who are you? What do you want?
Actually l'm a Qin.
l come to pass
a few words for Chang-Kong.
Go on.
Chang-Kong said,
He had been living
freely for his whole life.
Only one woman
that always stayed in his heart.
Who is that?
Fei-Xue.
Chang-Kong said,
Fei-Xue would revenge for him.
lf you want to challenge me,
come to Qin's army camp tomorrow.
You have to go.
Go!
l know you saw everything!
l meant to let you see it!
l don't love you at all!
Both of us are so stupid.
l won't fight with you.
Go away.
l will kill you.
l'd revenge for master!
l'd kill you, since you ask for it.
Why are you laughing?
l laugh at what you did last night.
When Fei-Xue fought with me,
my ruse has succeeded.
She has become
furious and out of control.
l defeated her easily.
l'd never imagine such unearthly
people like Can-Jian and Fei-Xue
would also fall into a
dilemma of affection.
You mean,
you won because of their disunity?
Yes.
lf there's disunity between them,
both of them must be illiberal.
Yes.
Your story sounds reasonable.
But in my opinion,
You underestimate someone.
Who is that?
Me.
Would you like to know
what do l think about them?
l fought with them three years ago.
ln my opinion,
Both of them are liberal and lofty.
Not some pipsqueak.
One-night stand is not true.
Their quarrel is not true.
And your story is not true!
Only one thing is true.
Chang-Kong knew one of you.
Who is that?
You.
l think you knew
Chang-Kong for a long time.
There's only one reason why
Chang-Kong would be defeated by you.
What reason then?
He meant to be defeated!
You and Chang-Kong colluded
to assassinate me.
You let my warriors watched and
proved that both of you fought.
lt's not difficult to set this trap.
The difficult part is,
Chang-Kong gave you all his trust.
Your sword is fast,
but unlikely to defeat Chang-Kong.
But Chang-Kong was willing to be
killed by you.
What a liberal man he is!
Chang-Kong is your first contributor.
l'm just wondering.
Chang-Kong was such a proud man
who thought he's the best in the world.
Why would he think that
you can succeed the task he
couldn't accomplish?
Do you practice swordsmanship
for ten years just for the assassination?
ln your swordsmanship,
is there one part
that is so powerful and irresistible?
By defeating Chang-Kong,
you can walk 20 paces forward.
Why did you need
to find Can-Jian and Fei-Xue?
l think, your assassinating
swordsmanship
can only be done within 1 0 paces.
ln order to use my reward order,
you have to find the second contributor,
and move another 1 0 paces forward!
ln my opinion,
although Can-Jian and Fei-Xue
had never met Chang-Kong before,
they understood the reason
of Chang-Kong's death at once.
How far is it from here
to reach the books?
Around 1 0 paces.
All right, 1 0 paces then.
l just need help from one of you.
Please decide among yourselves.
Tomorrow morning,
at Qin's army camp.
What a fast sword.
Yes.
Chang-Kong is a hero.
But he gave his life to him!
So that he could accomplish the
assassination.
We must go.
lf we go, we'll die.
Let's die together then.
l'm slower than you.
l don't want to hurt you too much.
l should be the one who go there.
l want you to stay alive.
How could l live without you?
Promise me, you'll stay alive.
Say it.
All right.
Ru-Yue will arrive soon.
l have to go.
l am Wu-Ming,
a booth chief in Lang-Meng County.
l come to arrest Zhao assassin.
l wish to fight her myself.
This woman is a wanted outlaw.
Since she appears here,
l must arrest her now.
l have a commitment with the assassin.
l'd fight her alone.
lf l couldn't defeat her,
General would have
to take the bother then.
l beg for your consent.
Take out your sword!
Wind! Wind! Wind!
Kill me!
Wind! Wind! Wind!
l'm willing to be killed
for the assassination!
Wind! Wind! Wind!
Wind! Wind! Wind!
Wind! Wind! Wind!
What a fast sword.
l think,
you fought once
with Can-Jian as well.
Same as Chang-Kong,
your fight was executed in your mind.
But that was not a vital war.
lt was felicitous in the imagination.
And as a sacrifice to Fei-Xue.
Master wants you to keep this sword.
Why?
Can-Jian and Fei-Xue
live and die together.
Both of them and
the swords would never apart.
The master's sword would help you
to accomplish the assassination.
Chang-Kong, Fei-Xue, Can-Jian
contributed themselves in different ways.
Help you to walk 1 0 paces forward to kill me.
Three of them gave their lives to you.
They are your true confidants.
So you are the most dangerous assassin!
How does Your Majesty know the truth?
The candle lights in front of me
could feel your killing desire.
Three of them, and you too
are willing to sacrifice for righteous.
l couldn't compare with you.
But Your Majesty manage
to know the truth.
l just know it.
lf not, l won't let you come
forward for another 1 0 paces.
Someone from Qin would never
assassinate me. Who are you?
l'm actually from Zhao.
My family was killed by Qin army.
l was an orphan adopted
by a Qin family.
l got to know my family
background 1 0 years ago.
Since then, l determine
to assassinate Your Majesty.
You come for Zhao.
l understand now.
l'd like to know
the name of your swordsmanship.
As Your Majesty has guessed,
there's one part hidden.
Which one?
A ten-pace kill!
Ten-pace kill! Good name.
All my guards are outside of the
hall, more than 1 00 paces from here.
And you're closer to me 1 0 paces.
l'm unlikely to be saved this time.
Your desire is in a hash?
Your Majesty is really brilliant.
But...
Your Majesty underestimate
someone too.
Who is that?
Can-Jian.
l must prove to them
my sword is not only fast,
but accurate too.
The swordsmanship that l practice
would never miss within 1 0 paces.
lf the sword goes in through Ge-Su chakra
and come out from Bu-Lang chakra,
the organs won't be wounded,
and the person will not die.
l demand to stab one of you in front of others
so that l could defraud the trust of Qin.
lt's not kidding to be stabbed by you.
How is Chang-Kong right now?
He's safe now.
He really trusted your
swordsmanship.
The King of Qin is cautiously
defended and hard to access.
This is the only way.
The Qin warriors are nothing.
The King of Qin should be dead
three years ago.
Why would you fail?
l gave up.
King of Qin can't be killed.
Can-Jian said so?
Yes.
Why?
l asked him so.
What did he answer?
Can-Jian didn't wish
to say much on that day.
Among Chang-Kong,
Fei-Xue and Can-Jian,
only Can-Jian's swordsmanship
could compete with me.
What Can-Jian told me afterwards
really worries me.
l would stop you from the
assassination.
l would help you.
Three years ago,
someone gave up the chance.
This time, we must make it.
See you tomorrow
morning at Qin's army camp.
Do me a favour.
Use your sword to help me.
Master!
Take out your sword!
Although l promised
Fei-Xue that l'd help her,
but it was not a liberal behaviour.
That's why l was hesitated to help her.
But Fei-Xue and l both understood that
if we couldn't stop Can-Jian,
there won't be a chance to make it.
Stop it, Ru-Yue!
You can never defeat him. Stop it!
l know you would do it.
You can't stop me anymore.
l'd still stop you from assassination.
Then l have to kill you!
l hurt him too badly.
With lady's medicine,
he should recover after a day.
Have you sent the medicine?
l plastered him myself.
After today's fight,
bring along my sword
and follow him to Qin palace.
Yes.
Qin won't bother a slave like you.
lf the assassination succeeds,
raise the red flags while you're back.
lf it fails, raise the yellow flags.
lf lady would definitely die in this fight,
what good would it does to bring
back the news?
When l see the red flags
l would smile in heaven.
How is Fei-Xue?
She's been taken care of.
She doesn't know l come to see you.
You said you would stop
the assassination no matter what.
Please give up the assassination.
Do you know that l'm Zhao?
Me too.
ls it true that Qin would destroy Zhao?
Yes.
ls King of Qin the enemy of Zhao?
Yes.
Then whom are you helping?
How dare you said you're Zhao?
Fei-Xue asked me the same
question before.
l met Fei-Xue when l was
wandering around.
Fei-Xue is the daughter
of a Zhao general, Zhao Zheng.
Zhao Zheng was killed
in a war between Qin and Zhao.
He passed his Fei-Xue sword to her.
l know Fei-Xue determined
to assassinate King of Qin
to revenge for his father.
And l want to help her.
The principles of calligraphy
and swordsmanship are the same.
l practiced calligraphy
with Fei-Xue everyday.
We intended to learn a
swordsmanship from it
to improve our strength.
Fei-Xue knew that l wandered
around the world
since l was very young.
She always told me,
after the assassination
she would bring me back to her home.
She said, there was neither sword
nor swordsmen in that place.
Only a man and a woman.
The truth of calligraphy is its stage.
Same with the swordsmanship.
A stage of plain and simple.
l manage to perceive it.
l finished learning it three years ago.
Fei-Xue determined to accomplish
the assassination.
So l followed her to attack Qin palace.
Fei-Xue asked me why l didn't kill him.
l told her, King of Qin couldn't be
assassinated.
lt's what l learn from the stage of
calligraphy.
l didn't kill King of Qin.
And Fei-Xue never talks to me again.
Please give up.
Never.
Did you practice your
swordsmanship only for revenge?
Correct.
My sword never rests for a moment
for the last ten years.
How will you stop the
assassination?
Unless you kill me!
You must go?
Yes.
All right then.
l send you some words.
Words come from my heart.
l hope you can reconsider it.
Ru-Yue, give the sword to Wu-Ming.
l, Fei-Xue and our swords would never apart.
Sir Wu-Ming,
Although l'm menial,
l'm willing to persuade for master.
l've been following master since l was eight.
l learn martial art from master,
and l know what is right and wrong.
My master would never do anything wrong.
The words that my master wrote
have its reason.
l beg you, Sir Wu-Ming!
What words did Can-Jian write for you?
Tian Xia. (The World)
Tian Xia?
Can-Jian said,
the seven kingdoms have fought the war
for so many years, all the civilians suffer.
Only Your Majesty could stop the war
and unify the world.
Can-Jian hoped that l could
think for the whole world
and give up the assassination.
He said to me,
one's suffering is nothing
if compared to the whole world's sufferings.
The hatred between Qin and Zhao is nothing
if compared to the whole world.
l've never thought that
the people who truly understand me
is a wanted assassin by me!
l'm alone here
bearing all the blames and
assassinations.
No one could understand me.
Even my own government
thought that l'm a tyrant.
lt's unbelievable,
only Can-Jian
that doesn't really know me
truly understand me.
He understands what l'm thinking.
l'd like to know,
without a sword,
how could you kill me?
l'd seize the sword!
l brought this sword along to
wherever l invaded
for the last ten years.
l'm already satisfied to get
a confidant like Can-Jian before l die.
You can decide this
for the whole world.
l perceive it!
This calligraphy of Can-Jian
doesn't contain
any swordsmanship within it.
lt shows the highest stage of
swordsmanship.
First stage of swordsmanship
requires the combination of man and sword.
Man is the sword, sword is the man.
Grass in the hand can used as weapon too.
Second stage of swordsmanship
require sword in the heart.
Bare hands could kill within 1 00 paces
with the invisible sword.
The highest stage of swordsmanship
have no sword at all
neither in hands nor heart.
lt is to comprehend everything liberally.
lt is not to kill.
lt is peace.
Your Majesty, l must stab you once.
After this,
many people would die.
But Your Majesty would stay alive.
Your Majesty must remember those who died.
The highest stage.
Wu-Ming is 1 0-pace nearer to King of Qin.
His sword never missed.
There's only one explanation.
He's willing to give up himself.
What did you say to him?
l only wrote two words for him.
What words?
Tian Xia. (The world)
You only think of the world.
He dares to assassinate Your
Majesty, he must die!
This is Your Majesty's order!
To obtain the whole world,
Your Majesty must stop
this kind of misbehavior
and set an example for the others!
Your Majesty, kill him!
Your Majesty, kill him!
Your Majesty, kill him!
Your Majesty, kill him!
Kill him!
Wind! Wind! Wind!
Wind! Wind! Wind!
At His Majesty's command,
Wu-Ming was buried with honor.
ln order to commemorate
his three friends that died,
Chang-Kong stopped practicing
martial arts.
201 B.C.,
the King of Qin unified China,
ended all the wars, built the great
wall of China.
He became the first king of China,
called Qin Shi Huang.