An elite force of secret agents, the Jinyi Wei, devote their lives and lethal prowess to the service of the Emperor alone. When the Imperial Court is taken over by an evil eunuch, Qinglong (Donnie Yen) is assigned to steal a list identifying those still loyal to the Emperor. However during the mission Qinglong is betrayed and barely escapes with his life. Now the most wanted man in the land, Qinglong must seek out and rally the loyalists to restore the Emperor to power but in his way are his former comrades ? the deadliest assassins in the land.