The new role for Hong Kong action star Donnie Yen has been revealed in the upcoming romantic martial arts flick "14 Blades," the Sina.com reports.

Yen will continue his action hero routines to play the head agent of the royal espionage network during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), a relatively dark period in China's history when the feudal court made unprecedented use of a spy system to run the ruling machine.

The action veteran's character, named Qing Long, is forced to trek on a desperado journey after being embroiled in a court conspiracy.

"14 Blades" also casts mainland actress Zhao Wei and rising star Goh Kiat Chun (or Wu Zun), a Bruneian heartthrob popular among teenage girls.

Director Daniel Lee, who designed the royal spies' costumes based on his in-depth research of historical documents, will lead the cast members in promoting the film at the 18th Golden Rooster Film Festival, the best-known film event in China, to be held on October 14-17 in southern China's Nanchang city.

The film is slated for screening during the blockbuster-filled Chinese New Year season in next January.