The story takes place in the final years of the Northern Song. Jin forces invade in strength, capturing cities and territory, while Mongol tribes rise rapidly. The protagonist is a young farmer who has trained in martial arts since childhood. When his family is destroyed by the war, he resolutely joins the army. Through his own abilities, he steadily rises through the ranks and grows into an important force resisting the Jin. But as he learns more about the various factions, he realizes he may have become entangled in a vast conspiracy.
