The drama follows the life of historical medical practitioner Hua Tuo, who was well known for his surgeries as well as his use of anesthesia. As he develops his skills as a doctor, he comes across a case that makes him take on a journey in the search of anaesthetic mafeisan (麻沸散). Along the way, he comes across people such as Guan Yu and Cao Cao and inevitably becomes embroiled in politics, and even passes by the famed Battle of Red Cliffs.