A local swordsman and other followers of the Sun Moon Sect are making a journey to the mountains to abandon the violent swordsman’s life. But upon their arrival, they find their people are at war. Overview: Disillusioned with their master’s ruthless obsession with the Sacred Scroll, a manual of supernatural martial power, swordsman Ling (Jet Li) and his martial arts brothers have decided to renounce violence and go into seclusion. On the way, they meet up with Ying, a clan chieftain’s daughter with whom Ling has had a relationship. Ying is father has been betrayed and imprisoned by a former ally, named Invincible Asia, whose ambitions to overthrow the Ming emperor have been aided by the recent acquisition of heightened martial powers. Despite their vows to leave the martial world behind, the swordsmen are unwittingly drawn into the clan conflict. Be sure to check out the sequel, The East is Red AKA Swordman III starring Brigitte Lin.