Emperor Huang, first to unify China as a single empire, fears death. He has posted notices across the four corners of ancient China, calling for all who know of ways to extend life to visit his court and share their methods for Imperial boons. Two mystical, semi-spirit animal creatures that have long been at odds, the turtle Fahai and white serpent Bai Suzhen, sense an opportunity to curry favor with the powerful monarch, and set out to impress him. However, it is the girl-hungry snake witch Bai, with her promises of the life-extending effects of mercury, that earns Huang's imperial seal of approval.