[1][3] In the Himalayas, European antiquities hunter Hendrix and his soldiers terrorize the local people in search of a clue to the Chinese secret of immortality.

In the present day, a writer arrives at a warehouse to interview antiquities dealer Wu Xie, who relates his story.

As a young boy, Wu sneaks into a temple and tries to steal a relic, but is stopped by a figure in a bronze mask.

The two stumble across a hidden chamber, whose inscriptions relate the tale of Iron Mask, a craftsman forced to design the tomb of the Snake Empress, ruler of the ancient kingdom of Tamutuo in what is now the Gobi Desert.

Hendrix orders his team to examine video from media reports of the moth incident, confirming the artifact's link to Tamutuo.

Ning's team enters a chamber containing dormant warriors that appear human but, on analysis, are composed of plant cells.

Hendrix reveals that the Snake Empress ingested the essence of a magical tree to sleep for two thousand years and create an army of worms to destroy humanity when she awakens, immortal.

[6] The film's impressive Chinese opening weekend was helped by fans of young, popular stars Lu Han and Jing Boran, whose enthusiasm outweighed overwhelmingly negative reviews.