Adventure of Yi Zaifu 1

Two days pass within the Nine Peaks compound. Near the guest room, Yi Zaifu practices against a wooden dummy, each measured cut stopping short of splintering it.

His injured wrist remains supported beneath a fresh medicinal wrap. Guards and summoned witnesses stay assigned to the sealed evidence room, while no one disturbs his quiet practice.

Elder Qiu approaches without announcement, carrying a narrow archive slip sealed in dark wax. His expression is composed, though his careful pause withholds more than it reveals.

Yi Zaifu stops before the wooden dummy, lowers his jian, and joins Elder Qiu at the guest room table. The medicinal wrap remains firm around his wrist.

Elder Qiu breaks the dark wax and unfolds the narrow archive slip. Fine columns record provincial payments, delivery dates, and approving marks from the Nine Peaks registry.

The discrepant line names a private transfer routed through an old quarry account. Beside it, a black crescent has been pressed into the paper after the ink dried.

Elder Qiu turns the slip toward Yi Zaifu, leaving the evidence fully visible. Outside, disciplined footsteps pass the door as the compound maintains its guarded silence.

Shouting and hurried footsteps erupt near the entrance gate. Elder Qiu turns from the archive slip, and Yi Zaifu follows him through the compound toward the disturbance.

The gate courtyard is crowded with Nine Peaks guards and elders. Beyond the barred entrance stands a burly, grizzled old man with a broad two-handed dao across his back.

An orange enamel guard blazes at the dao’s hilt, unmistakably bearing the mark of the Burning Blade Sect. The old man stands alone before the gate, refusing to step inside.

Murmurs pass through the assembled elders. Elder Qiu studies the challenger’s orange clasp, then glances toward Yi Zaifu as the gate remains firmly barred.

His laughter rolls across the courtyard. Several Nine Peaks guards tighten their grips, while the elders exchange wary looks beneath the barred gate.

Elder Qiu raises one hand, stopping the guards from answering with steel. His gaze settles on Yi Zaifu, then returns to the challenger.

A gust slams the gate banners against their poles. The confrontation is no longer rumor or covert pressure, and the assembled witnesses now stand beneath an open threat of war.

Elder Qiu and the Burning Blade challenger confer before the witnesses. By sunset, the terms are recorded: five champions each, three days hence, at the provincial stone court.

The challenger leaves beneath an escort’s watch. The gate closes behind him, and Elder Qiu orders an emergency council within the inner hall. Yi Zaifu is not summoned.

Later, Yi Zaifu hears guarded voices through the guest-room corridor. Names are withheld, but the strained pauses and repeated questions about injured disciples reveal the sect’s unease.

The conversation ends before Yi Zaifu can learn which champions will fight or what the council plans. Yet a discarded council notice remains beneath the corridor bench, bearing the stone court’s date and witness seal.

The notice gives Yi Zaifu a lawful place to observe the contest, while the sect’s doubt exposes a weakness: its chosen champions may need protection more than encouragement.

The sparring court fills with witnesses before midday. Yi Zaifu faces a seasoned disciple in plain training robes, while Elder Qiu watches from the stone steps.

The disciple attacks with disciplined footwork and a blunted saber. Yi Zaifu’s injured wrist stays guarded as he turns aside each pressure, yielding no opening.

When the disciple overextends on a testing cut, Yi Zaifu redirects the blade, steps inside its reach, and places his jian at the opponent’s throat. The court falls silent.

Elder Qiu leads Yi Zaifu into the training grounds, where champions practice beneath the watch of senior instructors. Drums mark running, stance work, strength drills, and controlled weapon exercises.

Across the long afternoon, Yi Zaifu conditions beside the disciples and spars through measured exchanges. Blunted weapons meet, footwork sharpens, and his supported wrist withstands the work without worsening.

That night, after training ends, a Nine Peaks healer enters Yi Zaifu’s guest room with clean linen, warm water, and a small jar of salve.

The healer loosens the old wrapping, inspects the swelling and range of movement, then cleans the skin before spreading fresh medicinal salve across the strained wrist.

She winds clean linen around the wrist and secures it with a careful knot. The tighter support eases movement, but leaves Yi Zaifu’s fingers tingling briefly.

The healer records the treatment by lamplight and carries away the soiled bindings. Outside, the training grounds settle, while tomorrow’s preparation waits beyond the closed door.

Each night after training, Yi Zaifu presents his wrists to the Nine Peaks healer. She removes the bindings, washes the skin, and checks the joint’s movement.

She spreads fresh salve across the strained joint, then winds clean linen around it in even layers. The new binding supports the wrist without restricting his fingers.

The healer records the examination beside the previous entries, noting stable progress after each day of conditioning. Soiled bindings are carried away for washing.

This becomes the compound’s nightly rhythm. Fresh linen, medicinal salve, and a careful examination follow every evening before Yi Zaifu rests.

Beyond the guest room, morning preparations continue for the stone-court challenge. The guarded archive and Han Luren’s trail remain waiting within the sect.

Yi Zaifu sleeps through the night beneath the fresh binding. He wakes before the compound drums, with the joint supported and the morning air cool beyond the shutters.

At first light, he joins the Nine Peaks disciples in the training grounds. Running, stance work, and controlled strength drills fill the early hours.

Yi Zaifu trains beside the champions through the morning and afternoon. He practices paired footwork, guarded exchanges, and recovery steps while the medicinal wrap holds firm.

Before sunset, Yi Zaifu leaves the group for the quiet sword court. He works through measured cuts, turns, and precise stops until his form settles into practiced rhythm.

The final blade arcs end cleanly beneath the reddening sky. His wrist is tired but sound, and the day’s conditioning has sharpened both endurance and control.

As Yi Zaifu lowers his jian after the final cut, a figure steps from the shadow beyond the sword court. His robes bear the muted peaks of a senior elder.

Elder Chu approaches the practice line but does not touch Yi Zaifu’s weapon. His gaze follows the sword’s path, studying the transitions rather than the force behind them.

He demonstrates with an empty hand, shifting his weight through a smaller turn. The motion is plain, but its balance makes the wooden court seem suddenly narrower.

Elder Chu offers several further corrections on distance, timing, and conserving the injured wrist. Each pointer settles into Yi Zaifu’s practiced rhythm, giving his swordwork a cleaner, more economical line.

Yi Zaifu repeats the three-cut sequence. His jian traces three clean arcs, and his recovery step shortens beneath the final turn, keeping his center aligned.

The adjustment preserves his balance and brings the point back into guard sooner. His injured wrist remains supported, bearing the motion without renewed strain.

Yi Zaifu performs the sequence again, then a third time. Each cut finishes at the same measured distance, while the narrowed recovery makes the wooden court feel more contained.

From the training grounds, the evening drum sounds. Elder Chu glances toward the compound halls, where preparations and the unresolved black-crescent investigation continue.