1
Deep in the Wuyi Mountains,
there laid a mysterious well
which contained a powerful form of
chi known as the Golden Nectar.
Lord Pi,
a renegade monk, learned
whoever controlled the Golden
Nectar could gain immortality.
So he pursued the prize
with a savage onslaught.
The monks, who had protected the
source of chi for centuries,
were not strong enough.
But the Abbott, a man of peace,
was prepared for war.
The Gemini Killers.
They delivered both
the element of surprise
and the extreme force needed
to vanquish this dark enemy.
Lord Pi had finally
overplayed his cosmic hand.
That was 10 years ago.
Now, legend has it
that the ghost of Lord Pi
still haunts these
remote mountains,
stealing chi from any
source he could find.
They say Lord Buddha
laughs at the world,
and I'm sure
he's laughing down at me.
After leaving Jungle Village,
I decided to return back to the monks.
My challenge would
be to find peace,
reawaken my chi
and atone for my sins.
Maybe this Golden Nectar
at the Wuyi mountain
could help build
me a new future.
Lord knows I need it.
But even though you may try
to leave your past behind,
in the end,
it always finds you.
Whoever you are,
I don't have no quarrel with you.
Oh, but you do.
You murdered my brother,
Silver Lion.
I should have recognized
the stupid hairstyle.
Kill him.
Look.
Look what he has
done to my daughter.
What has this evil
spirit done to my angel?
How many more will the ghost of
Lord Pi take before we stop him?
You...
You are the mayor of this town!
It's your responsibility
to protect our children!
Master Ho! You didn't
protect her either.
Such a pretty little thing.
What a waste.
Your grieving time's over.
Get back to my mine before
my silver turns to dust.
Okay, everybody.
Let's carry on.
If we want Master Ho's
full cooperation
in catching this
perverted demon,
we must show him our dedication.
I hear you all think the
tools I provide are inadequate.
You bastard maggots
of whoring mongrel dogs.
Do you think this
is fit for the job?
Do you think
this is a good tool?
Well, let's see!
No!
Who here thinks this
is not a good tool?
A bad craftsman
blames his tools.
All of you miners are
under contract to me!
When you are in this mine,
you belong to me.
If you're not convinced,
I'll have the heads of the five
slowest miners today.
Hey! Back to work!
Back to work, now!
Stay back.
What are you all
standing here for, huh?
Get back to work!
All of you!
Back to work.
Will you trust me?
This is not the time.
You.
Outside with me.
Now!
Go!
The Beetle Clan
are killing our men!
We must stand up for ourselves.
We may not have the right weapons,
but we are ready.
I ask you, Li Kung,
when do we take
the fight to these bastards?
We must remain composed
and only make our move
when everything is in place.
Patience is the key to victory.
You've been preaching
patience for many months now.
Where has that gotten us?
Are you questioning
my leadership?
Come on, let's go.
It's getting late.
So, who among
you has a complaint tonight?
Step forward and
challenge your opponent.
From the shadows you attack me?
Master Ho will
challenge any of you
to step in the ring
and fight me with honor.
I'll take all of you on.
Who among you wants
to take on Master Ho?
Fools.
Show me your face.
I came here for you, Master Ho.
Let me tell you
how this will end.
I've been hanged once.
I've been bullwhipped twice.
I've been shot at eight times.
I've been dragged
behind horses 15 times.
An overzealous whore in Manchukuo
chewed off my left testicle
before I cut off her head
and had my way with her.
It takes more than
bad intent to kill me.
The stars must align.
The birds must swim.
The fish must fly,
before I will die.
You see, gentlemen,
you just walked into a windstorm
of flying elephant shit.
Attack!
No!
Stop it!
No!
You feeling brave today, Kung?
You keep your gaze on your boots
or you'll end up
like my friend here.
Keep on walking.
Someday, I'll shove
my shovel down his gullet.
You keep your nose
on the grindstone, brother.
He's itching for a fight today.
A girl is dead!
They found another
girl near the village!
A girl is dead!
What's going on in here?
Get back to work!
Unless you want to
join your dead friend!
The ghost of Lord Pi
has killed another girl.
Why can't you stop him?
I'll kick your teeth in
if I hadn't done it already!
A girl is dead
and you threaten us?
You dare talking
back to me, my monkeys?
Li Guang! Li Guang!
Never, ever
lay hands on me again.
Get back to work.
All of you.
Duyan will resolve
this issue with you later.
You know how.
You all know
the rules and the law.
I hate this hole.
Almost as much as you.
Work!
I don't need you defending me.
Next time, just mind
your own business.
Li Guang,
you are my younger brother.
But your temper often
gets the best of you.
While you stood there
and did nothing for us!
Master Ho, I need to talk to
you about the murdered girls.
Can you do nothing?
If you have a grievance,
take it up with the mayor.
Master Ho, you must
protect this village!
Kung!
Look who saved your day.
Get this pathetic,
ignorant insect out of my sight.
Come.
Come.
We will all come together.
The villagers want justice.
Not just for the murdered girls,
but they're killing
miners as well.
Two more yesterday.
I will appeal to Master Ho.
Words are not enough, Mayor.
Yes, I understand.
I'll take care of it, trust me.
Kung, rumor has it
that your brother
is going to challenge Duyan
at the fight court tonight.
I'm concerned for his safety.
Li Guang can take
care of himself.
Duyan is not a small man.
If he crushes him,
and I suspect he will,
what will be the miner response?
These are the Honor
Fights, Mayor.
So whatever the outcome,
our people will accept it.
If you get Li Guang
to apologize,
to sacrifice a week's wages...
My brother is a very,
very proud man.
He would never apologize.
So be it.
I understand your fear.
But Mayor Zhang has promised me
that Master Ho
and his Beetle Clan
is doing everything they
can to find the murderer.
But what if it is
the ghost of Lord Pi?
How will they protect us?
How will you protect us?
Enough with this
superstitious nonsense.
Well, maybe it is Ho himself?
Ever think of that?
We all know of his insatiable
lust for the young flesh.
Innocence.
I will get to the bottom
of this, I promise you.
Right.
Where are you going?
To the tavern.
You're going to the duel.
Everyone is talking about it.
Please don't have him fight.
He has made up his mind, Ah Ni.
It will kill him
if he doesn't fight.
Well, at least someone in this
family is willing to take a stand.
Innocence!
I will be back before midnight.
Evil spirits, go away.
My name is Li Guang.
I represent my venerable
home village of Tsai Fu.
Today, one of your guards
displayed unwarranted cruelty
toward my fellow worker
and must be taught humility.
Yes.
But your actions insulted
the entire Beetle Clan!
Therefore, you must face Shou.
Fighters, prepare to battle.
Come on, Li Guang!
Come on, Li Guang!
Get in there!
Come on, now. Come on.
Yeah!
Come on, Li Guang! Come on!
Watch out.
Come on, Li Guang!
That's right! You did it!
Cheers.
Cheers.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It was a thing of beauty.
I can't remember the last time
that a miner saw such a victory!
It won't be the last!
It's time we stood
up to these bullies!
Stand up! Yes! Yes!
Yeah.
Right, Kung?
You got it, two more.
All right, everyone.
Enough for one night.
Time to go home to your wives.
Kung. Leave it to you,
Li Kung, to spoil all the fun.
Let's go.
We got work in the morning.
Same old Kung.
That's...
What else could?
Next time.
All right, take a drink.
Let's get out of this place.
Congratulations, brother.
You deserved to win.
But watch your back.
They're gonna be looking for payback.
We can take on these thugs.
You and me.
Li Guang.
You can't forget
your past forever, Kung.
You're drunk.
Go home.
Sleep it off.
Li Guang. Li Guang.
Are you okay?
Hang on, okay?
Wait! Wait!
I'll get someone.
Come help me.
Come on.
Good morning, Bing.
Ah, beetles.
Hey.
My favorite.
Your favorite?
It was my favorite
when I was young, too.
Really?
Yes. Long time ago.
But you must remember
something more important.
What?
Chi.
Chi is an energy
that encompasses us all.
And can I ever see it?
Well, no,
but that's what makes the
power of believing so strong.
What's going on?
What is it?
Come here.
Look what we found in the river.
No, no, no.
The answer is no.
He could be a criminal,
he could be a killer, or worse.
He has to go.
But, Father,
he's in no condition.
If we move him, he could die.
Well, you should
have thought about it
before you brought
him into my home.
But, Father, look.
Could it be him?
Maybe.
But with those battle wounds,
he is likely in trouble.
And more trouble, I don't need.
What, you're taking
her side, too?
I haven't spoken a word.
Well, you don't have to.
Pity the man who lives
in a house full of women.
All right. But first sign of trouble,
he's gone. You understand?
Come up.
The entire Beetle Clan
was humiliated
by your pathetic
performance last night.
You will need to
learn how to get
these cockroaches
on their knees.
Ah.
Daddy Ho's home.
Come, let me smell your
rosebud and pluck your petal.
Anyone see Li Guang today?
No. But we could sure use
his strong back right now.
Kung!
What is that?
What in hell's name?
Come on. Let me see.
Take a look.
What do you see?
It's a parallel corridor.
Beautiful.
Kung!
This vein is rich in silver!
Look at this!
Then we have to come
back and explore it.
For now, we keep all this to ourselves,
all right?
Let's get back and plug it up.
Come on.
We're coming back.
Make some room.
This is between us, got it?
Like a secret!
Okay. Plug it up
before someone sees it.
Yes, boss.
No! No!
There she is.
You can't run from us, girl.
Come out, come out,
wherever you are.
It's all right.
You're safe here.
Here.
Easy.
Where am I?
Jiangxi province.
Outskirts of Tsai Fu.
Near the Wu Chi temple.
Not many know of this place.
Does anyone else
know that I'm here?
We took great care to
preserve your privacy.
Are you in some kind of trouble?
Perhaps.
We know who you are.
Your legend precedes you,
Blacksmith.
They call you the
"Man With the Iron Fists."
Meet my only daughter,
Innocence.
My name is Li Kung.
And that is my wife, Ah Ni.
My name is Thaddeus.
You fight for
the side of good men?
What I did in my past,
and what I do in my future
are two different things.
I no longer have
desire to fight.
I'm on a quest for inner peace.
Well, you came to
the wrong town for that.
I have to move you
to a safer place.
Master Ho,
the man who owns the mines,
rules this town.
He is a ruthless man.
And if he knows of
your special gift,
he might have
other designs for you.
Innocence is in
charge of your care.
Although she is young,
but she is a gifted healer.
She and her friend
saved you from the river.
I wanna thank you
for saving my life.
I've arranged for
Cha Pow and Bolo
to move Thaddeus
to the old blacksmith shop.
We'll take care
of it, don't worry.
So no one has
seen my brother yet?
Too much celebrating, I'm sure.
And be careful.
The walls have eyes
and ears in this town.
In the meantime,
I will look for my brother.
And you be careful.
Who was he?
The last blacksmith.
I guess his customers
wasn't satisfied.
You can rest here for now.
There's water and some food.
Also, Li Kung said he'll
stop by to visit you soon.
In the meantime,
he wanted you to take a look at these.
The silver mines.
It seems like everyone in
the whole town works there.
Anyone with an able body.
The old men and the women,
they help run the village,
take care of the children.
But those that try to run away,
they end up hanging on the
stakes at the edge of town.
We may be from
different countries,
but we got a lot more in
common than you think, Bolo.
I like to chop the rocks.
I know you do, Cha Pow.
It makes me happy.
Yeah.
But it makes me sad
when the girls die.
What is he babbling about?
There's been a few
murders recently.
Young women.
Their bodies just shriveled
up like dried fruits.
They say it's evil spirits.
But I know it's
the ghost of Lord Pi.
It's like they're voided of...
Chi.
Yes. Yes. Play with each other.
Make each other wet.
Giggle, laugh, enjoy.
I have three rules
I will tell you now.
The first rule,
if you bite me,
I'll rip out your teeth.
If you talk to me,
I'll rip out your tongue.
If you look at another man,
I'll rip out your eyes.
But aside from this,
I'll give you the finest food
and the finest wine,
and we will have a fine time.
Now, play with each other.
Master Ho.
Duyan.
Everything has
been taken care of.
He won't be causing
any more trouble.
This is madness.
No one has ever
been down there before.
Well, Master Ho ordered that we
explore the cave floor below.
He wants to leave
no stone unturned.
Boss, I got a bad
feeling about this.
What if a dragon's down there?
I don't like dragons.
Then I drown him like a rat.
I don't like rats either.
We're supposed to keep you safe.
Let me go down instead.
I wouldn't ask my men to do
something I wouldn't do myself.
Let's go.
Let's.
Li Guang.
Li Guang.
I'm sorry, Li Guang.
Hey, you!
Over there! Back to work!
What's the problem, Kung?
Was your brother not careful?
I made a vow to
always protect my family,
including my brother.
Having failed at this,
I now have no choice but to honor
his legacy and demand justice.
Cease!
For you, he's family.
For me, he's another dead miner.
And if any of you other miners
decide to lose your way,
there will be more accidents.
Get used to it.
He was a good man.
A proud man.
He won fair and square.
And now he's dead.
That's not right.
It could have been an accident.
No sign of foul play.
Your words spill out
like dung from a cow, Zhang.
He was my brother!
You tell your boss
I'm not letting this one go.
You're in no position
to demand anything, Kung.
We must keep our wits about us.
We don't want to feel the
full force of Ho's wrath...
I have always been
willing to stay in my place
and do Ho's bidding,
as long as it protected my family,
but now?
I know, I know.
It doesn't seem right.
But I have to warn you,
Ho is not happy you've been
stirring rebellion in the mines.
Watch your back.
So, Mr. Kung, tell me.
These tools?
What's the story?
I hope you didn't
find me presumptuous.
But I wanted to get your
professional opinion on these.
Well, they're made of the
cheapest pig iron I've ever seen.
And if the goal is
to get as much silver
out of the mines as
quickly as possible,
you'll never reach your quota.
So you understand my problem.
Can you help us?
I can fill your
pockets with silver.
That won't be necessary.
I'm in your debt.
After all, you did save my life.
That was my daughter's doing.
Me? I would have
thrown you out.
Well, so much for
southern hospitality.
We are desperate people,
Thaddeus.
I need to liberate us from
the ruthless Beetle Clan.
And when that fight comes,
my people need a way
to protect themselves.
I know you forge
the best weapons.
Will you make them for us?
Mr. Kung,
with all due respect,
I've made many devices
that killed many men.
Even my hands
have become weapons.
I'm on a path to Buddha.
And making weapons
is not on that path.
Doesn't Lord Buddha
protect the weak
and punish evil?
I'll fix your tools for you,
then be on my way.
How you use them is up to you.
That's very kind of you.
It's nothing.
My bandages,
did you wrap them?
My father did the dressing.
Your father seems
like a good man.
He's a very gentle and kind man.
Sometimes I think too kind.
I wish he was more like you.
Brave.
Strong.
You shouldn't take
kindness for a weakness.
Sometimes it takes more courage
not to fight than to fight.
My best friend,
Chow-Li, was murdered,
and then my uncle.
My father did nothing.
I'm sure he has his reasons.
Well, someone
has to do something.
We can't just wait
for Master Ho to act.
We, Beetle Clan,
challenge Li Kung to a duel.
I have no fight with any of you.
So I humbly decline
your challenge.
Kung.
You cowardly dog.
You vile clown.
Is it that easy for you
to disrespect your village,
your family,
forget about your dead,
rotting brother?
You know, the guards
tell me that your daughter
is quite the budding rose.
I, Li Kung,
of Tsai Fu Village,
accept your challenge...
Yes! Yes!
...in honor of
my brother, Li Guang.
And don't ever,
ever mention my daughter again.
Kung! Be careful!
We can take on
these thugs. You and me.
You can't forget
your past forever, Kung.
Yeah!
He did it! We won! Yeah!
Yeah!
Cha Pow!
Cha Pow, I need
your muscles inside.
Uh, I think I'm supposed
to watch the door.
Let him guard the door.
The beauty of iron lies
in its ability to adapt.
It offers quick
results and fast change.
You've got a knack
for this, Cha Pow.
Metal is strong, like me.
You are no ordinary miner.
You are much more than that.
Your abilities in the ring
gave you away last night.
You belong to the Praying Mantis Clan,
don't you?
Look, Kung,
I don't like Ho
any more than you do,
but I answer to
that monster directly.
And you have
a target on your back.
Anything else?
Go back to
representing the miners.
And let me work on
Ho for concessions.
But be forewarned,
don't push Ho.
Ho can make things
difficult for you and me.
And your family.
You may answer to Ho,
but I don't.
Not to you, not to anyone.
Not any longer.
Kung.
Kung.
I am not the enemy, Kung.
Kung!
Boss.
Boss. You must come
to the duel tonight.
Too much work to be
done here, Cha Pow.
What's so special
about tonight anyway?
Li Kung is going to
challenge Master Ho.
Foolish.
Cha Pow.
Yes, boss?
A gift. For you.
For all your hard work.
Cha Pow!
Cha Pow, Let's go!
Li Kung is waiting.
Come on.
Thank you.
What's this? Come here...
Boss!
You're bleeding!
Let's try to bandage
this up, when we...
When we get there.
You all know me as Li Kung.
Master Ho,
you have committed crimes
against the people
of Tsai Fu Village.
You have overseen corruption.
You have condoned
abuse and murder.
And tonight, your
reign of terror will end.
Come on!
Take him down!
We won't take anymore!
I,
Li Kung, of Tsai Fu Village,
challenge you to a duel.
I accept Kung's
pathetic challenge.
We fight.
Come on,
Li Kung! Yeah!
Let the fight begin!
Come on!
Come on!
Come on!
Come on! Yeah!
Come on!
Yeah!
You don't bring a knife
to a sword fight.
One of your guards stabbed Li
Kung on the way to the arena!
You betrayed us again!
You got something to say, Bolo?
You step forward and take
this lowly maggot's place.
And you, old man!
You still got some fight in you?
I got this.
What else you got?
I got him.
Arrest these traitors.
Hang them in the morning
so the whole village
can witness their execution.
Anyone else want to join them?
You get to hang with
a mine dog, blackie.
I'm here like
a frog on a string.
Worthless.
Never thought I'd miss
all-American stock and chains.
It's hard for me to accept
that your arrival here
is a mere coincidence, Thaddeus.
I simply was trying to make it to
the Wu Chi temple to redeem myself.
They say at the temple,
there's a spring,
a well of some sort,
with a concentrated
level of chi.
They call it the Golden Nectar.
They say with this chi,
a man can reach immortality.
Me?
I'm just trying to
replenish my soul.
Well, in the mines,
they found a water source.
Must be below the temple.
Ho never wanted the silver.
He wants the water!
Mayor Zhang!
Guess my arms still work.
Zhang, you saved our lives.
Up till now, you and I have been
partners in the business of this town.
But tonight,
you became my friend.
If only I could show an
ounce of your bravery, Kung.
But it's hard to be great man like you,
with no legs.
If only I could join your fight.
Brother Kung's right.
You saved our lives.
And to liberate this town,
it's gonna take all the help we can get.
I can make you legs, Mayor.
And you can join the fight.
I am grateful for
the sentiment, but...
But how?
I could forge you legs.
The way I forged these arms.
I never have dreamed
of such a thing.
With legs,
I can stand with you all
and rid this town
of the Beetle Clan,
once and for all.
That's only half of our problem.
That water source in the mines.
We gotta get moving before
they find out we escaped.
Bolo, you get the miners ready
for battle by the break of dawn.
Cha Pow, you get whatever Thaddeus needs.
Okay.
I'll meet everyone back
in front of the mines.
Thaddeus.
Brother Kung.
This is not for the
faint at heart.
You will be in pain.
I mean, a lot of pain.
When I lost my legs,
I lost everything,
even my chance to have a family.
Well, I promise you
I'll help you walk again.
I'm not touching anything else.
Cha Pow, increase the fire.
Legs.
Thought I'd lost you.
Father.
You can't get rid
of me that easy.
It's time we stand up
and take back our lives.
Are you ready?
I've been dreaming for
this moment way too long.
Chi is a universal life force,
flowing through all matter,
organic and inorganic,
but when one is able
to control this chi,
he can use it to
activate inanimate objects.
Are you ready?
Gag him.
Okay, come on.
You have my eternal
gratitude, Blacksmith.
Let's get you walking.
You're standing!
Easy. Easy, my friend.
The journey of a thousand miles
starts with a single step.
What is your purpose here?
I am Li Kung,
a simple worker from Yin Silver Mine,
near Tsai Fu Village.
What business have you here?
I believe your sacred water
source is in danger, Abbott.
It's the mine.
What we thought was
a mining operation for silver
turned out to be a mining
operation for your sacred water.
Master Ho is an evil man,
an indiscriminate killer.
He's trying to steal the Golden
Nectar out from under you.
Who is he
to walk along a path where even
the mightiest have failed?
Once, a truly powerful warrior
tried to steal the Golden
Nectar for his evil purposes.
But he was defeated.
Being of royal blood,
we could not kill him.
But we made sure
he was never a threat again.
So now we must join forces
to protect the Golden Nectar.
Leave me alone!
Good.
My chi isn't enough.
You must have patience, Mayor.
These things take time.
We don't have time.
Let him go.
He's right.
We don't have time.
Stop! Look at that!
Look. Do you see that?
What's that light?
The Golden Nectar
has reached the mountain!
One hundred men, to the village.
The rest of you,
follow me to the falls.
Ah! Here you are.
I've been looking
for you everywhere.
And this
should look
familiar to you, slave boy.
You worthless Beetles
are about to get squashed.
Take him!
Kung!
Mayor!
What are you doing?
That is not your mayor!
That is Lord Pi.
You traitor!
Lord Pi!
I spared your life,
but I made sure you will
never walk or fight again.
My legs have returned.
And I will conquer these
lands once and for all.
You have followed
a misguided path, Pi.
Because of your black friend
and the Golden Nectar,
the power of chi has fortified the
way of the Scorpion within me.
Not if I stop you first.
Bring the girl!
Father!
Innocence!
You touch her, I'll kill you!
Not if I kill you first.
You coward!
Pi!
I gave you the Golden Nectar
and I gave you the girls.
I'll take Kung.
He's all yours!
And you are mine.
Innocence!
Innocence.
No!
Thaddeus! Help!
No!
I'm here. It's all right.
It's all right.
Innocence!
She's alive!
Well, brother Kung,
the winds of change are upon you now.
Brother Thaddeus,
if fate indeed is
the master planner,
then may it smile
upon your journey.
And may fate cause
our path to cross again,
brother Kung.
So Cha Pow, he got a new job
and a new set of teeth.
The Abbott and the monks,
they continue to protect
the source of Golden Nectar
with the help of the miners.
Brother Kung,
he became mayor of the village.
He took control of the mining
operations which brought great wealth
and happiness to the
long-suffering people of Tsai Fu.
And me, my journey begins again.
You know, the Chinese say,
"Where there's iron, there's rust."
Yet rust only arrives
when the iron is not in use.
I may not find peace in this strange land,
but I will find usefulness.
You know, it's funny how a man can
be a deposed wretch in one land
and a hero in another.
I guess that's just
the way of the Tao.
So be it.