The Dragon Chronicles – The Maidens

In the martial arts world, the Tin San Sect is considered the strongest of all. They possess the powerful Exquisite Jade and Bakming Stance, and those who master the stance are able to achieve eternal youth. The leader of the sect is Siu Yiu-ji, along with three junior apprentices: Mou Hang-wan, and identical twins Lei Chau-shui and Lei Chong-hoi. Both sisters are in love with Siu, while Hang-wan is in love with Chong-hoi. Sensing ill intentions from Chau-shui and Hang-wan, Siu elopes with Chong-hoi to Piu Miu Peak. Unfortunately, he was poisoned by his treacherous former apprentice Ting Chun-chau, whom he exiled from the sect years ago.

In order to eliminate the threats posed by Ting, Siu seeks out a suitable candidate to inherit his powers before he succumbs to the poison, through a mystical game of Go, which simulates challenges the candidate must defeat.

After years of searching, Hang-wan finally locates Chong-hoi at Piu Miu Peak, and yearns to reunite with her again. She is stopped by Chau-sui, who continues to vie for Siu's attention. When Siu ridicules her, Chau-sui departs angrily.

Siu sends Chong-hoi away as he continues his search for the candidate, and announces his death to the martial arts word. Meanwhile, Ting and his Sing Suk Sect rampages throughout the martial arts world, killing lesser sects and stealing their manuals. They attack the Shaolin sect and brutally murder their master. Hiding in the Shaolin library with the Yi-kan Sutra is Hui-juk, a junior monk. He is discovered by Ah-tsi, Ting's apprentice and an ambitious woman, who kidnaps him so he could translate the Yi-kan Sutra for her.

Chau-shui now leads the hedonistic Horizon of Heaven sect. She receives Ting as a guest, who taunts her about Hang-wan's status as the Heavenly Maiden, a title bestowed upon whoever leads Tin San Sect. Chau-shui arrives at the Tin San Sect palace to challenge Hang-wan, who was in the midst of a cruel display of power against her followers. They start a fight outside the palace, with Hang-wan gaining the upper hand from the full moon. When a lunar eclipse occurs mid-fight, Hang-wan is overpowered by Chau-sui, and is seemingly defeated. Chau-sui takes over Tin San Sect as its new leader.

Hui-juk learns the Yi-kan Sutra, which leaves him in an uncontrollable frenzy. He ends up in a cave and faints before a heavily injured Hang-wan. In a fever dream, she imagines Chong-hoi take care of her while she heals. At the same time, Chau-sui, dissatisfied with the strict, bland lifestyle of Tin San Sect palace, reminisces happier times with her sister, Siu, and Hang-wan.

Upset over Chau-sui's treatment towards him, Ting searches for Siu to master the Bakming Stance. Hui-juk does the same under the instructions of his late master, and manages to defeat the Go game's challenge. He inherits Siu's powers before Ting arrives to find the Bakming Stance manual etched onto Piu Miu Peak's inner walls. Hui-juk bumps into an injured Ah-tzi at the foot of the peak, and they retreat to the cave that Hang-wan is hiding at. They were subsequently recruited to eliminate Chong-hoi.

The trio arrive at Tin San Sect's palace and reveals that Hui-juk now possesses Siu's powers. Chau-sui tricks him into revealing Siu's last words by impersonating Chong-hoi, while Hang-wan observes the interaction using astral projection. When Hui-juk discovers the ruse, he teleports away with Ah-tzi and ends up finding Chong-hoi's well-preserved body in an underground cave. Hang-wan appears to protect Chong-hoi when Chau-sui attacks her sister, and a fight ensues.

Ting arrives to confront Chau-sui, but is eventually defeated when Chau-sui, Hang-wan, Ah-tzi, and Hui-juk work together to fight him off. Chong-hoi revives momentarily to eject the Exquisite Jade from her body, which Ah-tzi ends up absorbing. Ting resurrects into a younger, stronger version of himself as he had mastered the Ping Ming Stance, but is once again defeated when Ah-tzi destroys his shadow to prevent him from completing the process.

Chau-sui and Hang-wan release their grudge against each other, and retire from the martial arts world. Ah-tzi becomes the new leader of the Tin San Sect, and receives the title of Heavenly Maiden.

Note: Some of the characters' names are in Cantonese romanisation.

• Brigitte Lin as Lei Chau-shui / Lei Chong-hoi, identical twin sisters
• Gong Li as Mou Hang-wan (Tin-san Tung-lo), Heavenly Maiden and the leader of the Tin San Sect
• Sharla Cheung as Ah-tsi, Ting's shrewd, ambitious apprentice
• Frankie Lam as Hui-juk, a junior Shaolin monk
• Norman Chui as Ting Chun-chau, Siu's treacherous former apprentice
• Ku Tin-yi
• Liu Kai-chi as So Sing-ho
• James Pax as Tai-hung

The end credit soundtrack is 只有我自己 by Faye Wong, who was credited as her former stage name Shirley Wong (王靖雯) at the time.