During the Ming dynasty the emperor's loyal minister of defense is framed by a powerful court eunuch and executed, and his family is exiled to the remote desert outpost Dragon Inn. Secretly, the eunuch orders his top assassins to meet the children at Dragon Inn and kill them. Soon after the eunuch's men take over the inn, mysterious traveling swordsman Xiao (Shih Chun) arrives and repeatedly outsmarts the assassins, deflecting charging soldiers without bothering to stand up from his dinner, often using an umbrella in place of a sword, dazzling friend and foe alike with his disarming smile. Next to arrive are the brother and sister (the sister masquerading as a boy, but a better swordsman than her rash younger brother). Soon the stage is set for a life-and-death struggle for justice and survival, showcasing swordplay, arrows and martial arts.
| Directed by | King Hu |
| Written by | King Hu |
| Company | Janus FilmsJanus FilmsJanus Films |