CIRCLE OF IRON

At a martial arts tournament, fighters compete for the right to begin a quest to challenge Zetan, a famous wizard who possesses a special book of enlightenment that is supposed to contain all the world's wisdom. An arrogant barbarian fighter, Cord, defeats every opponent, but he is disqualified for fighting dishonorably. Cord decides to follow the eventual winner, Morthond, hoping that he can lead Cord to Zetan.

While the two fighters are resting, a blind flutist walks by them and into a nearby building. Cord follows the blind man and sees him easily dispatch a gang of thugs who attack him. Impressed by his fighting skills, Cord asks the blind man to be his teacher. The blind man refuses, but Cord follows him anyway. Cord becomes frustrated with the way the blind man teaches his lessons in riddles, after which the blind man disappears.

Cord finds Morthond wounded from the first trial. Morthond asks Cord to help him end his suffering and pursue his quest to find Zetan. Cord does, and he faces a tribe of monkey men whose leader, the Monkeyman, is a great fighter. Cord challenges and eventually overcomes the Monkeyman, who then tells him how to find his second trial.

On the way, Cord encounters a man in a large cauldron of oil who is attempting to dissolve the lower half of his body. The man is hoping to end his sexual urges in order to find enlightenment. He invites Cord to join him in the cauldron, but Cord refuses, and the man warns him that Cord will eventually break his own vow of celibacy.

Cord then comes upon a band of travelers holding a festival. Cord meets with their leader, Chang-Sha, who offers to let Cord have sex with one of his wives, Tara. Cord declines due to his vow and instead challenges Chang-Sha to combat. The contest is set for the following day, as Chang-Sha has already agreed to fight a muscle-bound African warrior. Chang-Sha defeats the African, killing him. During the night, Cord is joined in his tent by Tara and they have sex. Cord, enthralled with her, asks Tara to stay with him forever. The next morning when Cord awakes, he finds that the entire band has left, and that Tara has been crucified, enraging Cord.

Resuming his journey, Cord has a vision of Death, but he dispels the spirit by demonstrating his lack of fear.

While trying to find Chang-Sha, Cord reaches an oasis, where he again meets the blind man. Cord again asks him to be his teacher; the blind man agrees, and they travel together. Encounters with a poor ferryman and his wife, a band of raiders and a spoiled child become opportunities for the blind man to teach an exasperated Cord a few life lessons before they go their separate ways once again.

Cord finally finds Chang-Sha and his band. Cord now holds himself responsible for Tara's death, but he insists on fighting Chang-Sha to learn the location of Zetan. After pummeling each other for several minutes the fight ends in a draw, but Chang-Sha tells Cord how to find Zetan anyway.

Cord reaches the island where Zetan lives. He encounters Zetan and the sect that protects the book of enlightenment. Cord expects to fight, but Zetan explains that Cord has passed the trials and is entitled to read the book. He even asks Cord to replace him as the new keeper of the book. Opening it, Cord finds that the book's pages are simply mirrors. Zetan explains that there is no book of wisdom, and that enlightenment is found only in oneself. Cord walks off laughing, declining to take the frustrated Zetan's place, and leaves the island. Having found a measure of peace in his life, Cord rejoins the blind man who passes on his flute to him, indicating that Cord will now take on the role of teacher.