During the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty, the Jiajing Emperor was incompetent, and the court was dominated by the corrupt Yan faction. Corruption ran rampant within the government, and coastal pirates terrorized the shores. The entire political landscape was firmly controlled by Yan Shi Fan, son of the treacherous Grand Secretary Yan Song, placing the Ming Dynasty in grave peril. After the abbot Guan Hai of the Shaolin Temple retired to the Dharma Cave, the Shaolin monks were troubled by the national crisis and uncertain about the future.
Three new secular disciples—Cheng Wen Dao, Gao Jian Xiong, and Hai Da Li—each had a personal vendetta against Yan Song and Yan Shi Fan for the destruction of their families. Due to their exceptional talents, they were assigned to train in martial arts, medicine, and Zen at the Dharma Hall, Medicine Bureau, and Prajna Hall. Seeking to control Shaolin for his own ends, Yan Shi Fan sent the Shaolin warrior monks away under the guise of combating pirates, then colluded with the Shaolin traitor Mad Monk to seize control of the temple, turning the peaceful grounds into a living hell.
(Source: Chinese = Baidu || Translation = MyDramaList)
~~ Two versions: 42 eps (TV) || 38 eps (DVD)
