The film is set in ancient China, where Qin Shi Huang, played by Vincent Perez, is on a quest to achieve immortality. Believing that the elixir of life lies in a magical island, he sends his trusted advisor, Zhao Gao, played by John Lone, to find it. Meanwhile, a beautiful and mysterious woman, Madam Butterfly, played by Fan Bingbing, becomes embroiled in the emperor's plans, leading to a complex web of power struggles, romance, and betrayal.