In the last years of Jiading in the Southern Song Dynasty, the Northern invaders pressed the territory and the court hall was dark. The "Shanhe Martial Arts", which had been lost for hundreds of years, suddenly appeared in the world. The scriptures contained both internal skills and military strategies, which caused endless disputes among various martial arts factions. It was also secretly coveted by the Jin people, and the undercurrents of the world were in chaos.
Su Jinghan, a young fisherman from Taihu Lake, grew up alone and lived in a fishing boat. He had no intention of getting involved in the disputes between rivers and lakes. In a bloody battle, he accidentally rescued Taoist Master Zhongnan, and was involved in the whirlpool of martial arts for no reason. The bloody secret of his life experience that had been sealed for many years also surfaced.
Along the long road to the rivers and lakes, he met two confidantes. Shen Qingci, the Emei Saint, is gentle and observant. She is responsible for the survival of her sect. She is shackled by moral shackles. In troubled times, her obsession cannot be eliminated. She loses her thoughts and turns against her old friend with a sword. Wen Yurao, a demon girl from Guigu, was born in an evil sect. She is unruly and can see through the hypocrisy of the world. Because of her deep love, she is willing to abandon her teacher, honor and disgrace, and follow her through life and death.
Ling Canghai, a famous Wudang warrior, has always had a reputation as a chivalrous person, but due to his obsession, he went astray. He tried to use iron-blooded means to settle the troubled times, colluded with foreign enemies, and stirred up catastrophe in the martial arts world. Suddenly, good and evil are reversed, and it is difficult to distinguish between people's hearts.
Su Jinghan experienced betrayal, separation and desperate situation, and discovered the truth amidst the light and shadow of swords: the right path may not be sincere, and the evil path also has its own intention. The smoke has cleared, the dust has settled, and all love, hate, and resentment have turned into smoke. Some people guard the mountain gate alone and spend the rest of their lives atone for their sins, while some people lose their sharpness and go into seclusion.
Once the cold river is crossed, the rivers and lakes turn into ashes. The turmoil in the world has finally subsided, leaving only a piece of chivalrous tenderness scattered in the misty world.