Dao Ma recalls times long past, when the Sui Dynasty sought to conquer the Chen Dynasty and he—then still a nameless warrior—played a decisive role in the effort.

Emperor Wendi of the Sui Dynasty is dying. His sons, Guang Yang and Yong Yang, are vying for the succession. Which side will the Left Elite Guard support? What decision will Dao Ma ultimately make?

He Yixuan starts killing villagers while Dao Ma and Shu fight adversaries. The mercenary invaders are stopped by an unexpected order to retire, and Ayuya persuades a Wululu clan leader to free her. Diting and One-eye return with the hostages they have taken.

Dao Ma and his group are forced to confront the violent realities of the "Karma" sect and escalating political corruption as they push closer to the imperial center. Pursued by relentless government assassins, they must navigate shifting alliances to survive.

The intense frontier unrest deepens as Diting and One-Eye return to the fold after successfully capturing the rebel leader Zhishilang along with Dao Ma's young nephew.

After a long journey, Daoma and his companions reach the Jade Gate Pass. The Central Plains are finally in sight, but bounty hunters and imperial cavalry block their path.

Daoma's past catches up with him once again. A familiar face appears, reigniting a conflict he thought long over. Old wounds lead to a bitter battle.

Diting and One-eye return with a captured Zhishilang and Dao Ma's nephew, prompting a tense confrontation that exposes their elite military past and forces Dao Ma into a brutal, fatal duel with Diting.