Handsome, kind-hearted scholar Lao Chih-Chiu (Anthony Wong), en route to meet some silk merchants at Black Mountain, saves a golden swallow, meets and befriends two sword bearing priests, is nearly killed by a hoard of thugs, and is nearly chilled by demon Hsiao Hsueh (Cherie Chung). But actually Hsueh was the golden swallow that Chih-Chiu saved and due to his humane act, she falls for him, which is forbidden for demon Hsueh, because according to her beastly looking matron, "There's only one kind of man...edible."