The Blade That Tests Courage

A wandering swordsmith is escorting a black iron sword blank left behind by his master when he unexpectedly becomes entangled in an elaborate switching scam. As a mountain healer, a tea-stall owner, and a traveling peddler join the investigation one after another, clues—oil traces in the bamboo grove, a wooden box beneath the bridge, and wax molds in an old sword workshop—gradually piece together the truth. The group discovers that what the culprits truly covet is not the sword blank, but the Flame-Steadying Crystal that can stabilize a forge's fire. Facing traps, decoys, and layer upon layer of scheming, they dismantle every plot and guard the forge, arriving at a final showdown atop the cliff. In the end, greed is defeated by evidence and justice; the wrongdoers lay down their weapons and choose to repay their transgressions through action, bringing this martial-world conflict to a bright conclusion.