An abandoned baby girl adopted by Shailan monks in ancient China grows up steeped in the monastery's kung fu culture. She is particularly taken with tales of the Grand Tournament battles between the monastery's grand master and the mysterious masked competitor Black Dragon. Treated differently from the boys in the monks' keeping, she becomes increasingly isolated, nourished primarily by her dream of becoming a great kung fu master. When she learns the monks have no intention of initiating a girl into the art, she flees the monastery and wanders alone until she meets an old man who offers her not only a home, but initiation into the art of kung fu. The girl soon finds that her doubts about the old man's ability are groundless, although her training lacks much of the glory she imagined. Thus begins Black Cat's journey toward her cherished goal of competing in the Grand Tournament and becoming a great master of the art of kung fu.