Sun Chung had been recognized as an expert comedy and crime thriller director, but he was to gain even greater acclaim for his soulful, powerful, intelligent, and beautifully-made martial arts epics. This stands alongside The Deadly Breaking Sword and The Kung-fu Instructor as one of his very best. It’s not so much the plot – a master swordsman protects a treasure chest on a dangerous journey – that makes this great, but what Sun does with it, inspiring the cast and crew to some of their finest work.
as Xinshuan (Miserable) / Gu Jian
as Beggar Yang Feng
as Prince Yan Yikang
as Chi Sifang
as Golden Rod Gu Feitian
as Shui Xian Hua
as Master Huo
as Courtesan Sisi
as 2nd Sister
as Black Lunatic Shen Shan
as Poison Scholar Jin Ju
as Restaurant attacker with chopper
as Tao Yao
as Panda (One of the Four Killers)
as One of the Four Killers
as One of the Four Killers
as Adviser Wang
as Soldier
as Sifang's thug
as Gu's man