A very brooding David Chiang plays Lei Li who chops his own arm off in a fit of hubris after losing a duel. He gives up being a master swordsman, gets a job as a waiter and sulks furiously until the incandescant Ti Lungs' Feng Junjie turns up. These two bond in an orgy of brotherly love which sets the stage for the one armed swordsman to go really mental when Ti Lung is dismembered by the same guy who originally caused him to chop his own arm off. Both stars look even more spectacular than usual in Ming dynasty top-knots. One of the best things about the Shaws movies was the huge stockpile of costumes and scenery in their backlot featuring stunning vistas of Clearwater Bay and in this film, an amazing clifftop fortress. They had a whole Ming dynasty village in their backyard and an endless supply of cheap labour. The results are glorious. This film is also David Chiangs' finest hour, at least from what I've seen.