"Kill with vigor. Stop for no one."
"In this world, I reign alone."
Executive Producer: Chan Hing-sau
Produced and presented by: Chan Yung
Original novel and Story: Wen Shui-on
Planning: Cheung Than
Screenplay by: Szeto Wai-cheuk
Director of Photography: Chiu Fei
Martial Arts Choreography: Stephen Tung wei, Benz Kong Do-hoi
Edited by: Choi Hung
Original Music by: Jonathan Wong Bond-yeen
Starring: Zheng Fengyi, Rosamund Kwan, Max Mok
Directed by: Billy Chung Siu Hung
"It was the Ming Dynasty. Eunuchs controlled the land.
They established the secretive West Chamber to fortify their stronghold,
and to nurture a group of cold-blooded killing machines,
so as to eliminate those who oppose them.
Even the innocents were not spared.
Thus, the Ming Dynasty had entered an epoch ruled by assassins."
"One who kills is also killed by others."
That is how my life as an assassin begins...
This way. We'll get away from them.
Po Ka, we will get away for sure.
Get down!
Looks like we're not leaving the woods tonight.
Yiu, will you regret being with a man like me?
You know I won't. I trust you.
We'll cross the river at dawn.
And we will no longer live in hiding.
Po Ka.
Yiu, look how pretty those flower beds are!
We'll be part of that land in an hour!
Since you love flowers, we'll make a living by growing them.
Hold on.
We have to grow osmanthus. I've heard that
its scent will forever stay with you if you bath in its petals.
Really?
Po Ka!
Stop right there!
Yiu! Look out!
I can't untie it. We can't escape this time.
We can. Trust me, we can!
Po Ka!!
We have done nothing wrong!! Why won't you let us go?!
Let me go!!
Po Ka!!
Let me out!!
Stop hitting him!!
No one will ever separate us!
I will take you away, Yiu! YIU!!!
PO KA!!!
Your Excellency, these prisoners have all been
sentenced to death without proof of guilt or a trial.
The more innocent they are of their crimes the better.
His Highness set up this prison specifically to get these people.
Let me go. Let me go!!
Be quiet!
He has just been sent here today, Your Excellency.
Tong Po Ka from Tung Po Tau.
He disgraced civility by eloping with a common lady.
His crime is classified for Penalty B.
He rejected his penalty and was found in contempt of court.
His crime is now Penalty A.
He has shown no remorse since his imprisonment.
He will first endure the "Eye Closing" penalty.
Then he will be locked up as he awaits his execution.
The penalty is served!
You guys were too easy on him.
Double his penalty levels,
so that he may learn the true meaning of the proverb,
"Hatred runs deep into one's bones"
Yes!
It's time. Serve the penalty!
One!
Two!
Three!
Four!
Five!
Twenty-two!
Twenty-three!
I can see it now.
Eighty-nine!
Ninety!
Ninety-one!
Ninety-two!
Ninety-three!
The big day is here again!
How many this time, Uncle On?
Exactly eight!
A feast before they die!
No need to spare. Let them eat more! - All right.
His Excellency, Eunuch Mi!
Where is Sung?
Mr. Sung is on his way.
Let them eat first then.
What's that? Smells good!
I want to eat it!
What are you doing? Hold still!
Don't stop me!
The Senior Assassin has finally appeared.
Your Excellency can do fine without my presence.
Whenever I come to this familiar place,
it always reminds me of the bloody excitement 3 years past.
Back then, Your Excellency was only a servant to His Highness.
An outstanding killer indeed possesses an outstanding aura.
Hopefully tonight's chosen candidates will have the same quality as yours.
It's time. Open their eyes!
Eat!
Give me some water to wash my eyes!
I can see! I can see the sky again!
Eat as much as you can. You only have the time of a half-burnt incense.
It's getting harder to recruit assassins.
You, Mr. Sung, had to defeat 32 opponents to get to where you are.
Look at the execution ground now. It's getting downright sparse.
Those who walk out of here alive will in turn
undertake the beginning of a killer's life.
I doubt any outsiders will be able to fathom the treacherous road ahead.
I agree with your theory, Mr. Sung.
The road to success is indeed a difficult climb.
But outsider or insider, no one can predict the outcome
until the road reaches its end.
Like Buddha, His Highness has a genuine heart.
He now gives you a chance to live.
The eight of you can use any means and any weapons.
As long as you get to leave this site alive,
you will be exempt from death!
I don't want to die! I want to get out of here!
I don't want to die! I don't want to die!!
I want to get out of here!!
Break his nuts!
You're the only one left.
You want to kill me?!
I won't die! I won't die!
Let me go...
I have won.
Winners and losers have been determined.
"Two tigers on one mountain".
The days ahead will be interesting for sure.
Why did you help me?
Because among the 8, you're the most suitable one.
Your life belongs to His Highness from now on.
I will repay you for helping me.
Nonsense! You only need to know that I am
Sung Chung (Farewell to life).
There is a long road ahead.
I'm afraid you may not be able to finish it.
I will walk my own path. Thanks.
Come on, Your Highness. Open your mouth. Let me serve you.
Are you comfortable, Your Highness?
Very.
Your fingernails are so pretty!
Here, let me serve you wine. Have a drink.
Your Highness. I have brought the man you want.
Not bad indeed.
You were the last to attack among the 8 prisoners.
How could you be so tolerant?
Because...
I want to live.
Good! To live, you must look for opportunity.
From now on, you will be my man. What is your name?
Tong Po Ka (Protect Home)
I don't need you to protect my home and country.
I just want you to kill each and every enemy of mine.
From now on, you will be known as...
Tong Jan (Slash).
"One blade, two halves" Tong Jan.
I am Tong Jan?!
"THE TEMPLE OF THE NINTH SON"
I thought I was the early bird.
You came even earlier than me.
Hey, doggie. Are you hungry? Want some buns?
Let's see how fast you can run for it.
Silly doggie. You should go somewhere else for your food.
There's hardly anyone around here.
You're lucky to meet me.
Otherwise you would starve to death.
What? How could you have eaten so fast?
Fine, since both you and I are wanderers,
I'll let you have another one.
I only kill men, never dogs.
Why, you ask?
I can't make a living by killing dogs.
What's with you?
You can't be that hungry!
Someone's coming!
Halt!
Be careful, Your Excellency.
Who's there? Identify yourself now!
Assassin Wong Kau, "Kings win, bandits lose".
You're here early. Why did you not follow your team?
I wanted to see if the Tung Lam Tong had planned an ambush or not.
So you have been here for quite some time. Did you find anything?
I've checked. There's no one around the perimeter.
Your Excellency must have scared them off.
I really appreciate your intentions.
However, you still are not qualified.
I do not understand.
How many missions have you taken?
This is my seventh.
You are too anxious.
As an assassin, you can't even sense the aura of death around here.
You should learn from a certain someone.
Not only has he arrived here an hour earlier than you,
he has also killed all the Tung Lam Tong men that were hiding here.
Wong Kau, it's a long road to become an assassin.
Entering the Temple!
Those who enter must kneel thrice and bow nine times,
and call out the name of His Highness, Eunuch Ngai!
Longevity to Eunuch Ngai!
So you're the one Eunuch Mi was talking about.
That's right.
Why didn't you show yourself?
Once I have taken the order, I wait.
An assassin should always be alert.
Wasting food is no different from wasting your life.
A hungry assassin has already lost 70% of his fighting power.
Remember. All living things have their ways of survival.
There's no need for you to worry about that dog.
May I know your name, brother?
"One blade, two halves" Tong Jan.
I am Wong Kau.
Per the order of His Highness,
I have assembled all 19 Assassins here.
The Imperial Order!
Tong Jan will lead this mission.
The location is Main Street at the capital.
We leave at 3 am. Mistakes will not be tolerated!
The Main Street is quiet before dawn.
It is the best time to take action.
Also, to escape tax collection and army recruitment,
the once-prosperous Main Street is no more.
This street is 430 feet long and 20 feet wide.
There are 24 merchant shops on the left and 18 on the right.
There are 11 places and hidden spots suitable for ambush.
The first group will station at the street's main spots
such as the clinic, tavern, inn, bakery, fabric and grocery stores.
We expect to destroy 80% of the enemies' power.
Even if the target can escape from the Main Street area,
he will only be left with 20% of his force for protection.
Also, in order for him to escape alive,
he must cross the Wu Sun Bridge.
The bridge is narrow and treacherous.
We only need to conceal 6 assassins there.
Even if they cannot kill the target,
they will be able to destroy the remaining 20%.
Beyond Wu Sun Bridge lies the target's grave
and the mission's final destination, Red Alcove.
One assassin there is sufficient to complete the mission.
The mission must be carried out before 6 am.
You only have a limited time.
Eunuch Ngai has named this operation "Flower Mission".
As it is now Winter, the snowflakes flow down like petals from the sky.
No one can escape them.
Tong Jan, it's time to deploy.
1000 taels for every head. Have fun killing!
It will be very cold today.
Say, does this statue look like me?
We dare not say...
There are always less humorous people around in times of survival.
Yuen Tai.
Here!
Chan Yuen.
Here.
Ti Ping, Lui Tung.
Here.
The Ting Brothers.
Here... Here.
Let's rest while we await our enemies.
Yes.
Why are you sitting here?
The Magistrate is approaching. Get out of the way!
Do you want to die?
Protect the Magistrate!
One blade, two halves!
You crazy bastards! How dare you kill for that castrated eunuch dog?
I must save my life and report this to His Majesty!
Sir, we will be safe after crossing the bridge.
Let me stop him!
No one can stop me!
I just want to kill him!
We will fight to our death!
Tong Jan, let me get the merit for this!
Stay right here!
You can kill me, but you can never kill righteousness!
Wong Kau, we have fulfilled our mission.
Your swordplay was lightning fast.
I have to be fast, because I don't want to die.
I only kill so that I can live another day.
But I have only used my sword once.
No one cares about that. You will become known from now on.
Here.
You slashed him last, so the head is yours.
Take it back to claim your reward.
Flower Mission was a total success.
This was my first time working together with Tong Jan.
However, up to this day, I still wonder
if it were not for my last move,
could Tong Jan have killed him?
Or was my last move superfluous?
I don't know.
I only knew that, after Flower Mission,
every one of my subsequent missions were successful.
I gained the admiration of His Highness.
It wasn't long before I had my own place and my own woman.
Of course, the scars on my body also increase day by day.
But compared to Tong Jan, who is still the best in my view,
even "Farewell-to-life" Sung Chung is not in his league.
Tong Jan, you are a born Assassin.
What is this? An open graveyard? It stinks!
Hey, why did you take me here?
Come up here.
I want you to grow to like this place.
So you come here all the time?
That's right. I want you to feel this stench.
My friend. You have to learn how to preserve your strength.
Also, you have to constantly improve yourself.
I've begun to feel more and more that it was worth following Tong.
A supreme assassin must first breathe the air of Hell.
I've finally uncovered the secret.
I must become the third most outstanding Assassin,
after Tong Jan and Sung Chung!
Tong Jan, you will be my best friend
by the time I catch up with your skills.
By taking the same road as mine,
you have already become my best friend.
We must carry out another mission on a full moon night.
This will be the biggest since Flower Mission
because our target this time is the Imperial Advisor,
a confidant to the Emperor.
Only he can say harmful things against Eunuch Ngai
in front of the Emperor.
This one is called the Lantern Mission.
All of you will get one. No need to fight over it.
I want that one! I want that one!
You want this one? Sure!
- Hold on to it. - Mother!
Why are you running around, Sam Po?
You almost scared Mother to death!
Be good.
Frosted Apple!
I got a yellow one. Take a look!
Come and play with me!
- Go ahead. - Come on!
Bravo!
The lanterns are on fire!
Assassins!
Look!
Stop killing!
STOP KILLING!
Elder!
We will protect The Elder with our lives!
Get up and leave!
We will not get up!
PO KA!
Po Ka!
The first time Tong Jan hesitated was also his last time.
From now on, I will have to walk Tong's path
and also the road that he never completed.
There will be no more Tong Jan in the days ahead.
Those who do not follow me will be made into ghosts.
Order the West Chamber guards to kill Tong at all costs.
Yes, Your Highness!
Your Highness, you must take care of yourself!
Allow us to serve you.
Fine, fine...
Good girls.
Have a drink first.
I'll share with you.
You drink first then.
Fine. I'll drink first.
I want to drink with you too.
Sure...
That's enough.
Your turn now.
This wine smells good.
Well? How was the wine?
Your Highness, you're hurting my neck.
The wine is poisoned?! You bitch!
Siu Ching!
He can't hold out much longer. Let's attack!
All of you are heartless!
Go after him!
This is not a big place. We'll see where you can hide!
You don't even know how big this place really is!
I give the people everything, but they give me nothing in return.
Those who desert and betray me...
Kill! Kill! Kill!
KILL!!!
It's so rare to get a chance to make a move,
yet we failed to kill that old bastard.
His assassins always achieve their objectives,
and ours were a complete failure!
Of course it was a failure. We chose the wrong people!
Perhaps we didn't pay enough?
That wasn't it.
"The winners win, the losers lose" indeed.
How reasonable!
I don't want reasons now. I want solutions!
His assassins will come for us. We must think of something.
We wouldn't have failed if it weren't for Chong, Chin and Lee!
You recommended them. You are to blame!
Hey! Stop pushing me!
Calm down!
That's enough!
In that case, why not use his own enemies to kill him?
But where are we going to find his enemies?
He has already killed them all.
"One blade, two halves". We have to look for Tong Jan.
But he has vanished for quite some time now.
So this is all just talk then.
But some say that they saw him at the flower farm!
How can we, Tung Lam Tong, hire a West Chamber man?
That's ridiculous!
I say we find him. Who else can we get?
Please reconsider...
You talk too much.
Those who are about to die bore me.
Guards! Guards!
They're all dead.
Go to hell!
Wong Kau, you have killed enough.
You are now qualified to compete with me.
The smell of corpses fills my body.
This is the true feeling of a killer, and also
the highest level a superb assassin can obtain.
I understand now.
Tong Jan.
I know you are still here.
Don't be upset. Here's something for you to play with.
Isn't it cute?
Sam Po, what is it?
Over there.
Ah San!
What is it?
Come out, quick. I think it's a wolf.
Where?
Let me take a look.
Be careful.
I'll go over there. You just stay here and don't move.
Oh, no. I've hit him.
Let me.
Have some more.
Look how dirty you are. It's all over your face!
Eat your rice.
It gives me great energy to go to the farm
after having such a good meal!
Sam Po, that man must have been lost in the woods
for a long time. That's why he's afraid of people.
Remember to give him a bowl of hot porridge later.
Don't forget.
Let's go.
Don't be afraid, Uncle. Have some porridge.
What is your name?
Sam Po. My mother named me that.
Don't be so sad.
You can play around with this. It's really cute!
Come on.
Father! Mother!
It's funny. I never thought flower fields could be this pretty.
But you were the one who risked your life to bring me here, Po Ka.
I am now West Chamber's top assassin.
My name is Tong Jan, not Tong Po Ka.
Stay here.
There's no turning back for me.
How can my hands plant flowers now?
Yiu! Go and help Uncle Zai quick.
Has he fallen ill again?
That's nothing compared to the big trouble this time.
His horse may be having a stillborn!
Let's go! Hurry!
They are coming back!
I couldn't find a doctor in the village!
Go and get Chan Yung then.
Right! Why didn't I think of that? I'll go right now!
Uncle Zai, how is it? How's the horse?
Let me have a look.
She's hemorrhaging. Even a doctor won't be of any help!
Look at the blood! She'll die if we don't stop the bleeding!
Mother, I don't want the horse to die.
It won't.
What should we do, Uncle?
I think we'd better block her anus with styptic and sulfur powder.
She may be saved, but her baby will die if we do it your way!
No way!
No more crying, Aunt Zai. Your cries are irritating me!
Even the water is breaking!
What are you doing?
There's no time, Uncle Zai. We must pull the baby out!
Oh no. The head is caught by the umbilical cord! It won't come out!
Quick! Come and help!
Why is he carrying such a big sword?
Cheers!
Why do you all treat me so well?
That's how it should be. Right?
Just drink!
Why don't you go out there and join them?
They are really having a good time.
You can still get along with others.
Both my hands and my sword are soaked with blood.
The better they treat me the more shameful I am.
You're wrong. Didn't you bring life with your hands just now?
A sword can take a life. But it can also save lives.
After all these years, I no longer know how to get along with others.
Po Ka...
Say no more.
I can forget about my past.
It's worthless for you to worry about my future.
Stop lying to me, silly.
If I cannot forget about the past, how can you?
Of course I am very happy here.
But, I won't mind having you as my neighbor.
I would rather see you becoming old and ugly
than see you becoming bad.
Why don't you just stay here? Everyone seems to like you.
That's right. You're our savior.
Please accept these flower seeds as our appreciation.
Thank you so much!
Here. Let me.
Okay.
Come. Have some tea.
Thanks.
Halt!
Look at this picture. Have you seen this person?
I've seen him somewhere.
Have you seen him?
He looks just like my late father.
That means you haven't seen him. Your father's been dead for ages!
Let's go back.
Yes.
Don't go just yet!
You, stop right here!
Bring the picture over.
Kid, you're more honest than adults.
Tell me. Have you seen him?
Hey! I said stop!
What are you doing?
Speak up, kid! Have you seen him?
I'm sure I haven't seen him these past 4 years.
But before that? I was too young to remember.
Before what? You're only 3 and a half!
Let's just go.
The kids these days!
Catch!
Fire! Ah San, it's on fire!
Inform the others!
It's about to collapse! Go now! Go!
Po Ka!
My flower seeds!!
It's all over!
Stop putting out the fire! Drop your buckets!
Stop! No one is allowed to leave here.
I want you to watch them burn!
I must put out the fire!
I must put out the fire too!
No one is allowed to put out the fire
until the one I am waiting for appears!
I don't care! This flower field is our livelihood.
No one can take it away from us!
That's right! We will protect the field until death!
I can take your life as long as I like it!
You show yourself at last.
I hide because I no longer want to kill.
Why won't you let me go?
And kill my friends too?
It is you who pushed me to break my oath!
Can my sin be cleansed only by blood?
That's right. There is no turning back for both of us!
You shouldn't have burnt this flower field, Sung Chung.
In the world of assassins, other than one's own life,
everything can be destroyed.
You should know that, Tong Jan.
I have forgotten.
Why?
Because Assassin Tong Jan is already dead.
You don't have to go, Po Ka.
My departure is the only thing I can do for this place.
I actually love this place very much.
Stay here and help us rebuild this place, will you?
I'm sorry. Regardless, I am still a swordsman.
Uncle! Uncle...
"Steel is made after hours of forging."
Now that you have returned, Tong Jan, you look better than ever.
That's wonderful.
Remember. Failure is nothing to be ashamed of.
As long as you maintain your fighting state of mind,
you will continue to be "One blade, two halves".
You are the madman type, while Wong Kau is the arrogant one.
"The wrath of the blades brings only countless corpses"
You are both my favorite henchmen.
Your target this time is the leader of Tung Lam Tong,
my nemesis.
We are walking the same road together again.
But I feel that I wasn't a real assassin... until today.
You've been to the graveyard?
You must've smelled the stench of the corpses from my body.
Wong Kau, you are just like me.
I am not like you. I am almost at your level.
You know, Wong Kau, an assassin is like your first love.
There is only one in your life.
And the only one is also the best one.
Why am I the one?
In my eyes, betrayal is like making love.
Once there is the first time, the second time will easily follow.
Tong Jan betrayed me once.
I will no longer trust him.
Besides, you have always wanted to know...
Between you and Tong Jan, who is the real assassin?
I will find out the answer very soon.
Do you think the flowers will grow just by throwing the seeds anywhere?
No. I am just planting.
But I know they have their own way of survival.
No one can stop it.
I can burn this whole field down if I feel like it.
Wong Kau. Why don't we call this mission "Scorched Earth"?
Good. "Scorched Earth" it is.
Nothing will be spared or taken alive. Wonderful!
It might snow tomorrow.
After the kill, we'll drink and watch the snow at Bitter Tavern.
The latecomer will pay for the wine.
Fine. I will wait for you at Bitter Tavern.
Then you better bring the wine money.
Who's there? Stay where you are!
All those swindling in the name of worship!
Ngai Chung Yin, when will we see your last day?
Burning incense under your statue does not make you a God!
We must go now, Your Excellency. We can't stop them!
How many men do they have?
Two!
Then there's no need for us to go.
Why didn't you escape?
No one can escape from Assassin Tong Jan.
I never expected that back then, you'd leave the execution ground alive,
and that I'd die under your blade.
It was you who chose this place as your grave.
I chose this place because this will be Ngai Chung Yin's grave!
The evil Ngai thought he could fool the people by
making up legends and building temples.
Instead, he reveals his own scars and destroys the world!
The people became his enemies.
Now he hides in his own palace and is afraid to go anywhere!
He wants the reign, but now he has nowhere to go!
Ngai's days are numbered. His death is nigh!
It is a pity that he discovered my identity too early!
Tung Lam Tong is too feeble to fight him.
Otherwise, Ngai would be the one relinquishing power today!
Tong Jan, don't tread down the road to your own death anymore!
Whether you are a friend or foe of Ngai,
you are still a player in this killing game.
Good. Then you are the perfect man to finish this game.
Tong Jan, you have changed for the better.
I trust your sword will grant me a quick death.
Make your move.
"One blade, two halves". Powerful!
I must not let you make the first move if I want to kill you.
Tong Jan, your life as an assassin will end at Bitter Tavern.
Even Eunuch Mi went against Ngai Chung Yin.
How many more people do we have to kill?
In this world, there are too many things that aren't trustworthy.
You mean Eunuch Mi?
I mean Ngai Chung Yin.
I really am worried that one day Ngai will order me to kill you.
It won't be a surprise if that happens.
Tong Jan.
Don't you worry.
Tong Jan is my one and only friend.
I will remember what you said,
even though you may never say it again.
Cheers.
Tong Jan. Would you do it if you were I?
Ngai would never ask me to kill you.
But I want to know the answer.
Although my friends are few,
you are definitely one of them.
Let's go for another jar.
Waiter!
Kaoliang is the perfect wine after a kill.
It dilutes the killer's aura.
Did Ngai ask you to kill me?!
We haven't finished!
Even your "One blade, two halves" can't kill me.
You've lost!
Beware, my friend. My blade is still in my hand.
You'll never understand.
My days as an assassin are over.
So, you are the real assassin after all.
Is that Wong Kau's head?
Do you think you will become God by killing me?
God or Buddha, we will never become either.
I just want to destroy all evil with this blade from Hell.
I must send you on the road to Hell.
This palace will be your tomb!
Uncle.
Can you tell me your name again?
My name is Sam Po.
What's yours, Uncle?
I will be content as long as I know...
that there is one person who remembers my name.
"Life's turmoil is like dreams
even in pain, sentiment always lingers
My lost feelings are torn amidst the wind and the rain
My love is tireless and undying
Please let me see your face once more
In dreams, our love is rekindled
Life's turmoil is like dreams
I sacrificed much in hopes of you returning to me
Even if I don't know whether there will be tomorrow
Because of you, I hope our love remains
I wail in the wind and the rain, but you cannot be found"