In the late Qing and early Republic of China period, there is unrest, bandits and warlords wreaking havoc, and rampant crime. A series of murders breaks out in Jiuhe Town, a small county in the northwest of China, in which many died in strange and mysterious ways, as if they were harmed by evil forces. This causes panic in the town and puts everyone in danger. So, the county’s female constables, San Geng and Qi Xi, are ordered to conduct in-depth investigations. Surprisingly, red phosphorus powder, commonly known as Gumizi, is found on the corpses and at the scene of the murder. This powder is commonly used by magicians in the martial world as a prop. To seek clues, the two of them invite the Western magician Xin Shi Si, who is deeply hidden in the mountains, to assist in solving the case.

At the beginning of the Republic of China the remote town of Gulou in the North has been plagued by the mysterious disease - 'Skeleton Syndrome'. Patients suffer from speech and behavioral disorders, suffer from anorexia, and soon become living skeletons. In the town of Bones, a young girl Sanjian has been learning the art of hunting under her master, Sun Laohai, since she was young, and has developed an excellent archery skill. So the girl secretly vowed to hunt the notorious Black Beast for life as their mission, so often wandering in the nearby hazelnut forest to find the monster traces.

The movie tells the story of the scientist Chen Jing who learned that the fiancé was attacked by a giant crocodile and resolutely joined the expedition. However, the initiator of all this is the boss of the fiance. In the position of protecting the environment and ethics, Chen Jing fought against the evil forces and eventually won the victory. The film mainly shows the choice between scientists in the face of illegal scientific research and personal ethics. The protagonist Chen Jing has always stood firm and determined to draw a clear line with illegal behavior, to protect the environment and fight against evil forces, and ultimately to defeat. The villain protected the experimental results.

After incident at Tumu Fort, bodyguard Yang Shan and his team to escort the emperor Zhu Qizhen back to the capital, and Dragon Gate became a crucial turning point.