During the reign of the Wanli Emperor in the Ming Dynasty, the imperial concubine Tong Niang Niang conspired with the eunuch Cao Hua Ruo of the Eastern Factory to elevate her son to the position of crown prince. They widely executed upright censors who dared to speak the truth, causing a bloody storm in the capital. Many honest officials who knew the truth fell victim to these killings. Serving as a killer for Concubine Tong and Eunuch Cao was Ma Xing Kong, one of Cao Hua Ruo's three adopted sons. Ma Xing Kong's father was a high-ranking court official. After his father, Ma Chang Yun, died unjustly in a political turmoil, the young Ma Xing Kong was taken in by Eunuch Cao Hua Ruo and trained in martial arts and study, developing extraordinary skills and becoming a tool of assassination for Cao Hua Ruo. Holding a list of targets for execution devised by his adoptive father and the concubine, Ma Xing Kong repeatedly took action, collecting the heads of upright censors as he began to fear and reflect on his devilish deeds. The qin player Ling Er was a pure mute girl whom Ma Xing Kong met during his time of loneliness and hardship. His genuine feelings while with Ling Er made him contemplate withdrawal from his current life. Just as he conceived this intention, his adoptive father Cao Hua Ruo, incensed by Ma Xing Kong's refusal to carry out assassination tasks, sent his other adopted sons Qiu Hu and Leng Zhan to harm him. Their schemes failed, leading to a complete rupture between Ma Xing Kong and Cao Hua Ruo. To protect Ling Er's safety, Ma Xing Kong fled the capital with her to a inn outside the city, entrusting Ling Er to a friend in the martial world, Liu Bing Yu, while hiding the assassination list that the concubine and Cao Hua Ruo had devised. Having betrayed his mentor, Cao Hua Ruo decided to clear house and ordered Qiu Hu and Leng Zhan to pursue Ma Xing Kong relentlessly. They tracked him to the inn, where Liu Bing Yu cleverly protected Ling Er and led Qiu Hu and Leng Zhan to the secluded cabin where Ma Xing Kong had taken refuge. Ma Xing Kong had prepared a burial spot for Qiu Hu and Leng Zhan outside the inn at the wild cabin. Aware they were no match for their senior, Ma Xing Kong, Leng Zhan launched poisoned darts, and Ma Xing Kong was hit and poisoned. In his dire situation, a masked hero suddenly appeared from the night to block Qiu Hu and Leng Zhan, allowing Ma Xing Kong to escape despite his injuries. Ma Xing Kong fell off a cliff, presumed dead, while Qiu Hu and Leng Zhan returned to the capital to report back to their adoptive father, Cao Hua Ruo. Ma Xing Kong's life was saved by the flowing stream beneath the cliff, where he was rescued by Master Hui Shan from the Shaolin Temple. Having escaped death, Ma Xing Kong brought a looming threat to the Shaolin Temple. Cao Hua Ruo personally took action, kidnapping Ling Er from the inn and heading to kill at the Shaolin Temple. Outside the temple, Ma Xing Kong vowed eternal enmity with Cao Hua Ruo, aided by Zhang Wu Ji, the chief bailiff of the Ministry of Punishments, with an imperial decree. Cao Hua Ruo was killed beneath Ma Xing Kong's long sword, allowing Ma Xing Kong to settle his personal grievances and national resentment, thus stepping into the Buddhist path to seek goodness.
