羅州州官劉彥昌因與三聖母相戀，生子沉香，三聖母被鎮於華山，劉與元配王氏另有一子秋兒。弟兄二人在塾中讀書，沉香因細故誤將太師秦燦之子秦官保打死。劉彥昌得知大駭，請夫人王氏一同盤問，沉香直認不諱，秋兒亦挺身自承，皆願往秦府償命。然劉彥昌因沉香無母，格外護持，王夫人不忍，遂由劉彥昌將沉香自後門放逃，攜秋兒赴秦處自首償命。秦燦遂將秋兒亂棍擊斃。沉香得霹靂大仙渡化得道，又得寶斧，遂至華山劈山救母。
LiuYan-chang,themagistrateofLuozhou,fallsinlovewithagoddess,ThirdHolyMother,whosoongivesbirthtoason,Chen-xiang.ThirdHolyMotheristhenimprisonedinHuashanMountain.Liuhasanotherson,Qiuer,byhisoriginalwife,andthetwobrothersaresentofftoschooltostudy.Oneday,Chen-xiangaccidentallykillsQinGuan-bao,thesonofGrandPreceptorQinCan,oversometrivialmatter.
LiuYan-changisshockeduponlearningoftheincidentandinviteshiswife,Wang,toquestiontheboyaboutit.Chen-xiangconfessesimmediately,andQiueralsoconfessesofbeinganaccompliceandvolunteerstogotofacethegrandpreceptorwithhisbrother.AsChen-xiangismotherless,hisfatherhasalwaysbeenmoreprotectiveofhim,soWangaskstheboytoescapethroughthebackdoorandgotoseethegrandpreceptorwithhersontopaywithhislife.QinCangivestheordertobeatQiuertodeath. EnlightenedbyFairyPi-li,Chen-xianglearnsmartialartsfromhimandisgivenamagicax.HesoongoestoHua-shanMountaintosavehismotherbysplittingthemountain.
