Handmade heroics

Adapted from artist Xu Xianzhe's comic series of the same title, the film fictionalizes a tale set during the turbulent final years of the Sui Dynasty (581-618). Actor Wu Jing stars as Dao Ma, a former member of the royal army, who flees into the vast desert of China's sparsely populated western regions after rescuing the infant son of his younger sister — a concubine of the deposed crown prince. Though a fugitive himself, Dao makes a living by tracking down wanted criminals and collecting bounties.

When he accepts a special mission from an old friend — to escort the empire's most wanted man, a spiritual leader seeking to overthrow the tyranny of the Sui Dynasty — Dao embarks on a perilous journey across the desert toward the capital. Facing deadly threats from a pursuing army and two vengeful former colleagues, he is joined by Ayuya, a headstrong woman determined to avenge her father's death — Dao's old friend and the leader of a utopian-style clan — as well as a young bounty hunter with a mysterious background. Together, they battle their enemies.

During a recent seminar held in Beijing, Yuen recalled spending a week immersed in the comic series after discovering the work four years ago.

"I was immediately captivated by its vivid, multidimensional characters — Dao, who seems driven by profit yet harbors a burning sense of justice and responsibility deep within, and the others, each real and fully fleshed out, flawed yet resilient and unwavering. They reminded me very much of modern young people — those striving to live with integrity and stay true to themselves," he says.

"We wanted to take that chivalrous spirit and present it to today's audience, so more people could experience something uniquely Chinese — the essence of our martial arts culture," he adds.

Yuen also explains why the big-budget film was shot in Xinjiang. He says he wanted to capture the atmosphere often depicted in ancient literature — windblown sand, the biting cold of snowy nights, and confrontations flickering in firelight. These natural settings, he says, are not merely visual backdrops; they are integral to the story, reflecting the characters' inner worlds.