league with Wei and attempts to kill Shen to cover up his treason along with Miao Tong a prostitute Shen has fallen in love with and attempts to free from the courtesan academy. Zhao pays Yi Chuan's brother, Yan, to kill Yi Chuan to silence him and conceal knowledge of his treason, but Yi Chuan sacrifices his life to save Yan from assassins. Zhao and Shen fight in a brothel however Shen narrowly escapes with Miao and Zhao is left unconscious. Zhao goes ahead and burns Wei alive. The film ends with Zhao and Shen fighting to the death as Zhao attempts to join hands with the Manchu on the edge of the Ming empire. Shen kills Zhao while Yi helps and is scheduled for death row however receives a pardon from the newly crowned Chongzhen emperor. Cast Chang Chen as Shen Lian Cecilia Liu as Zhou Miao Tong Wang Qianyuan as Lu Jian Xing Ethan Li as Jin Yi Chuan Nie Yuan as Zhao Jingzhong Chin Shih-chieh as Wei Zhongxian Ye Qing as Zhang Yan Zhou Yiwei as Zhou Yi Wei Zhu Dan as Wei Ting Zhao Lixin as Han Kuang Ye Xiang Ming as Emperor Chongzhen Production The story of Brotherhood of Blades was written by directors Lu Yang and Chen Shu. The script was already completed by the time Yu's debut feature My Spectacular Theatre was released in 2010. The film received funding only after Chang Chen had committed to the role of Shen Lian. The film received RMB30 million (US$5 million) from China Film and was shot in 67 days. Release Brotherhood of Blades was released on August 7, 2014, in China. Derek Elley of Film Business Asia wrote that the film was shown "with relatively little fanfare and a poor marketing campaign that harmed its box office in a strong field". At the end of its run, the film has earned ¥90 million ($14 million) in China. The film was shown at the Busan International Film Festival in October 2014. Reception Derek Elley of Film Business Asia gave the film an eight out of ten ratings, calling it a "Top-notch martial-arts drama boasts a meaty script and performances to match" and "the most satisfying Chinese wuxia movie since Reign of Assassins" Film and arts writer Philippa Hawker of Sydney Morning Herald gave the film 4.5 out of 5, praising the movie as "a gripping, entertaining