Heroes of Heaven and Earth

In the year 700 during the prosperous Tang Dynasty, China had many exchanges in economy and culture with the Arabs and the Middle East. The Silk Road in the western regions served as a vital route for mutual contacts, and to safeguard its integrity, the Tang army repeatedly confronted the Turks. Captain Li (Jiang Wen), who was stationed at the border, became a wanted criminal for refusing to massacre captured old men, women, and children of the Turks, thus violating military orders. To capture him, the emperor appointed the Japanese envoy to the Tang Dynasty, Kaoru (Nakai Kiichi), a frequent request to return home, as a bounty hunter, promising that if he could capture Captain Li, his wish to return home would be fulfilled. At that time, the war situation was severe, and Kaoru, upon arriving in the western regions, was also tasked with escorting the general's daughter, Wenzhu (Zhao Wei), back to Chang'an. Along the way, he encountered Captain Li, and after a fierce battle, the two could not determine a victor and agreed to settle their fates under the city of Chang'an. Soon after, they encountered a court trading caravan transporting scriptures and bandits led by the villain Xie (Wang Xueqi), and a deadly battle was about to unfold.