During the Republican era, Japan's aggressive ambitions to invade China were increasingly obvious. Ip Man, a grandmaster from the Southern Territories, defeated five top Japanese martial artists in a row with Wing Chun on the Southern Territories arena, killing Ichiro Miura, which caused a huge sensation. The Japanese army issued a warrant for Ip Man on charges of "murder". Ip Man and his wife Echo Ip fled to the Northern Territories, hiding under the alias "Qi Ip" at Dragon Tiger Gate. To protect Ip Man's identity, his father-in-law Todd Chang passed the position of Sect Leader to Ip Man, which was questioned by senior disciple Frank Chandler and other followers. Ip Man impressed Frank Chandler with the martial virtue of "strike the enemy seven points, keep three points for yourself", but when Zane Zeller, a lackey of the Black Dragon Society, came to provoke him, he was forced to hold back and admit defeat to protect the safety of Dragon Tiger Gate, and was spurned by his disciples.
