During the Wude reign, the Huben Dark Guards ruled Chang'an, but when feudal lord Xiao Wu Yang seized power, they vanished along with the dethroned emperor, Rumors claimed their leader, Yan Feng Shan, sought to use the fallen ruler for his own gain. Tasked by Xiao Wu Yang to eliminate the Huben, Xie Huai An, a brilliant official from Huainan, saw his chance for revenge - Yan Feng Shan had killed his father, and he had spent a decade preparing.
With the dethroned emperor as a pawn and later part of Xie Huai’an’s alliance, which included General Gu Yu, swordsman Ye Zheng, and many others, working behind the scenes, together, they waged a shadowy war against the Huben, a battle that would determine the empire's fate.