The eponymous character, played by Jimmy Wang, has hung up his signature broken sword and is living peacefully with his wife. Meanwhile, a band of tyrannical sword masters called the Eight Sword Kings are challenging the masters of all rival schools in an effort to take over the martial arts community. Any that refuse are murdered by the Eight Kings' twin enforcers, the Black and White Knights. After capturing all the rival masters, the Eight Kings deliver an ultimatum; all the rival schools' students must cut off their sword arms and surrender the severed limbs to the Eight Kings, or the students' beloved teachers will all die. The students turn to the legendary One-Armed Swordsman, who is at first reluctant, especially when one student kidnaps his wife to force him to help, but is convinced when a student actually does sacrificially chop his own arm off in despair. The One-Armed Swordsman must then contend with the unique styles and weapons of the Eight Kings: