Jet Li stars in this Academy Award-nominated martial-arts masterpiece takes place amidst the turmoil of China's "Warring States" period. An orphan fighter (Jet Li) presents himself to an avaricious king, bearing the weapons of three assassins (Donny Yen, Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung) in exchange for a generous bounty. But after listening to the stranger's incredible stories of how he vanquished his deadly opponents, the skeptical ruler suggests an alternate version of events.