After a jealous imperial concubine kills Beryl's son, the emperor's pardon leaves her without justice. Beryl feigns madness and retreats to the cold palace, where a former imperial spouse becomes her teacher. Returning to favor through a ceremonial dance, she begins a calculated challenge to the court that protected her child's killer.
Ryan Carter's martial talent earns him little respect within his family. When he meets a woman who resembles his supposedly dead mother, he challenges for the patriarch's position to protect her. The contest ends in betrayal and devastating injury, until a reclusive master offers the outcast a chance to rebuild his strength.