Ming partisan Chu who is on the run from Manchu forces. Local merchant and kung fu enthusiast Li Chen-chau gives the fugitive shelter in his pawnshop and quietly recruits some of his fellow martial master associates to help protect the lad. When Li's professional rival rats him out, Manchu official Liang not only orchestras his army but fools a couple other kung fu masters including Beggar Su into helping his cause. After a heated battle, Li manages to convince Su to joining his cause, thus forming the Ten Tigers.

Chin Siu Ho plays a young man who believes himself to be an orphan. Until one rainy night when he and three different men find themselves taking shelter from the storm in the same place. Here the man who raised him tells him at last the story of who his parents were. His father (Lu Feng) was a great swordsman trying to dispel rumors of a wrongdoing and return a lost sword to its rightful owner. Kuo Choi and Chiang Sheng (also master swordsmen) are the parties that Lu Feng is trying to rectify things with. Through cowardly trickery on Chiang's part, a duel ensues and it all winds up with Lu's death. His son is taken to safety by a servant (the man who since raised him). Now with the truth told, Chin Siu Ho seeks out Kuo Choi's aid and seeks vengeance for the wrongful death of his father.

Shaolin warrior Tung Chien-chen is injured in battle against the hated Wu Tang clan, and nursed back to health by a knife-throwing master. As he recovers, Tung learns this deadly art, and also falls in love with his teacher's daughter. But when a Wu Tang attack disrupts the young lovers' wedding, Tung must put his new skill to use as he seeks revenge.

China is ripped apart by a civil war, and thousands of displaced refugees swarm into towns not yet ravaged by war. Three such refugees arrive in one town. They join forces with local rebel leaders to escape to the south before getting into trouble with Lu Feng who is out to exterminate all rebels.

Loyal gang member Iron Panther takes the heat for his boss after a dustup with their rivals, only to end up betrayed in this vintage kung fu yarn.