Li Dingfang

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Li Dingfang (黎定方)
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Six Gates
Occupation/Role	Green-Clad Officer; constable head; Six Gates commander and mentor to Chen Jing 12 76 102 139
First Appearance	12

Power Progression

Chapter(s)	Development / Demonstration
12–15	Arrives in Shuang'an Town as a Green-Clad Officer leading eight fellow Six Gates constables. He demonstrates exceptional lightness skill during the night raid and personally cuts through multiple bandits before beheading their leader. 12 13 15
76	Receives Yin Zhengping's token and commands Clove-Clad Officers and Blue-Clad Officers in the attempted reinforcement of River Temple Village. 76
108–110	Leads the covert arrest of the traitorous constable chief Xu Anyuan, displays movement speed superior to Shao Yunhe's, breaks a barred door with palm force, and battles Xu Anyuan with his saber. He later confirms that his own movement art is the Star-Chasing Moon-Catching Steps. 108 109 110
145	Joins Yin Zijing's expedition against Clear Wind Stronghold, organizes veteran Six Gates personnel for the operation, and voices concerns over committing his men without knowing the full strategy. 145
160	Takes on extensive administrative responsibility for the assets, prisoners, weapons, and medicinal materials seized after the Clear Wind Stronghold campaign; these duties appear to have reduced the time available for his cultivation. 160

Li Dingfang's exact cultivation realm has not been disclosed.

Personality

Li Dingfang carries the commanding presence of a senior Six Gates officer. When he leads nine officers to Shuang'an Town, even the veteran Wang Chong responds with instinctive obedience to his authority. 12

He is perceptive in judging both martial talent and operational danger. He recognizes that Chen Jing's tournament performance should not be dismissed because of his humble origins, later suspects an insider after hearing that bandits attacked immediately after Chen sent information back, and repeatedly warns Chen to remain cautious. 71 81 132

Li also acts as a practical mentor. He rewards Chen’s accomplishments, personally teaches him a movement technique, advises him on promotions and the handling of seized assets, and supports his advancement within Six Gates. 102 110 132 139 176

Li is disciplined and pragmatic in command. He plans operations from reconnaissance, mobilizes support promptly when Chen Jing sends intelligence, and is willing to challenge Yin Zijing's strategy when he believes his subordinates may be sent into an unwinnable battle. 13 76 145

Though he appreciates Chen's ability, Li remains concerned by the young man's ruthlessness. He directly warns Chen that his killing nature is too heavy after the River Temple Village incident, and later intervenes to stop Chen from potentially killing Qin Sang in public. 81 137

Abilities & Authority

Martial Arts Instruction

Li Dingfang personally instructs Chen Jing in the Star-Chasing Moon-Catching Steps after Chen is rewarded for helping uncover a Six Gates mole. 110

• Li explains that the art combines footwork with the circulation of True Qi, and that its full power requires opening the appropriate leg meridians. 110
• He personally breaks down its footwork, force-release principles, and qi-circulation method for Chen Jing before demonstrating the completed technique. 110
• Chen estimates that, even after reaching the Entering the Hall stage in the technique, his own leaping speed remains below Li Dingfang’s. 112
• Li uses the Star-Chasing Moon-Catching Steps himself, and his movement speed is stated to exceed Shao Yunhe's. 108 110
• Li fights with a standard Six Gates horizontal saber and has demonstrated sufficient palm force to shatter a wooden door bolt. 108 109
• Li’s precise cultivation realm and the full extent of his saber arts remain undisclosed.

Six Gates Command

Li directs operations and manages rewards, ranks, and resources for Six Gates personnel.

• Leads the Shuang'an Town bandit-suppression operation after his men scout the surrounding bandits' positions and numbers. 13
• Promises to report the merits of Wang Chong's militia after the successful night raid. 15
• Takes Sun Ping into custody after Chen Jing exposes him as a Clear Wind Stronghold spy, then offers Chen a place as a Wind-Catching Scout. 67 70
• Orders Chen Jing to investigate the Sun Ping case in West Mountain and later to intercept the fleeing mole Lu Xiucheng at Turbulent Cloud Ferry. 71 91
• Mobilizes support through Yin Zhengping after receiving Chen's urgent intelligence from River Temple Village. 76
• Leads the covert operation to arrest Xu Anyuan and summons only trusted officers to avoid alerting the enemy. 108
• Rewards Chen with a ninth-rank Secret Agent identity, stipend, Qi-Condensing Pill, introductory inner cultivation method, and future access to another martial skill. 102 103
• Receives Chen’s reports concerning attacks and cultivation progress. 106 132
• Supports Chen’s promotion to eighth-rank Green-Clad Officer and briefs him on the rank’s responsibilities and the coming campaign against Clear Wind Stronghold. 139 140
• Helps arrange personnel for Yin Zijing's Clear Wind Stronghold campaign and accompanies the expedition as one of Green Mountain City's Green-Clad Officers. 145
• Oversees the subsequent registration and disposition of seized weapons, medicinal materials, captives, and other campaign assets. 160
• Strengthens Six Gates patrols in and around Green Mountain City, particularly around North City families, following later unrest. 167
• Advises Chen to keep a low profile while Jin City inspectors handle the aftermath of the Clear Wind Stronghold case. 132

Relationships

• Chen Jing — Superior, recruiter, mission commander, and mentor. Li recognizes Chen’s potential, recruits him as a Wind-Catching Scout, assigns him major investigations, rewards his service, and personally teaches him movement techniques. 67 70 91 102 110 132 139
• Duan Mu — Six Gates colleague and trusted subordinate who discusses Chen Jing’s abilities and the dangers of underestimating him with Li. The two repeatedly coordinate investigations, reinforcements, and arrests. 43 71 76 81 132
• Yin Zhengping — Senior Six Gates official. Li attends command meetings with Yin Zhengping and Chen Jing, operates within Yin’s command structure, and is increasingly entrusted with the management duties expected of a successor. 76 110 160
• Yin Zijing — Jin City Copper-Badge Constable and inspector who leads the campaign against Clear Wind Stronghold. Li serves alongside him, questions the apparent risks of his initial plan, and later assists with the campaign's aftermath. 138 145 155
• Wang Chong — Shuang'an Town militia leader who defers to Li's authority and agrees to lead militia elites in Li's night raid against the surrounding bandits. 12 13 15
• Xu Anyuan — Fellow Green-Clad constable chief revealed to be a Clear Wind Stronghold mole. Li leads the covert operation to arrest him and engages him in a saber duel. 76 108 109
• Cheng Lianshan — Li knows the history of Cheng’s feud with the Shangchuan Sect and uses Cheng’s past as an example when explaining the power of qi-and-blood tempering. 71
• Clear Wind Stronghold — Opposing force whose infiltration of Green Mountain City and Six Gates becomes a central concern in Li’s investigations and planned campaign. 81 140

Story Role / Major Arcs

Arrival in Shuang'an Town

Li Dingfang first appears leading a group of nine Six Gates officers to Shuang'an Town. His authority immediately dominates the local militia, including Wang Chong. 12

After scouting the bandits' three-sided encirclement of the town, Li presents their deployment map and directs a night raid against the bandit leader. During the attack, he cuts through the bandit ranks, kills the leader, and formally recognizes the militia's contribution. 13 15

Recruitment and Advancement of Chen Jing

After Chen exposes Sun Ping as a Clear Wind Stronghold spy, Li takes Sun into custody and offers Chen a position in Six Gates. He warns Chen of the solitary dangers faced by Wind-Catching Scouts before arranging his entry into the organization. 67 70

Li later assigns Chen to investigate the Sun Ping case and sends him to intercept Lu Xiucheng after the mole escapes. 71 91 Following Chen’s service, Li oversees rewards that elevate him to ninth-rank Secret Agent, then supports his promotion to eighth-rank Green-Clad Officer. 102 139

Clear Wind Stronghold Investigation

Li becomes increasingly alert to Clear Wind Stronghold’s infiltration after Chen reports that bandits attacked shortly after intelligence was sent back. 81 He continues receiving Chen’s reports during the investigation into the attempted attack on Lianshan Martial Arts Hall and prepares Chen for the campaign against the stronghold. 106 140

After Chen and Li infer that Xu Anyuan is a mole, Li leads a small force of trusted officers to arrest Xu in secret. He subsequently fights Xu during the traitor's capture and helps expose the wider extent of Clear Wind Stronghold's penetration into Six Gates, the yamen, and the government troops. 107 108 109

Clear Wind Stronghold Campaign

Li participates in planning the assault on Clear Wind Stronghold and warns that a direct attack on its fortress-like position could cost Six Gates heavily. 123

When Yin Zijing summons Li and Chen to join the campaign, Li questions the urgency of committing their elite personnel without a clear advantage. Yin Zijing then reveals that he has already deployed eight hundred armored troops to encircle Ox-Crouching Mountain, with Li responsible for organizing the remaining Six Gates manpower. 145

Aftermath of the Campaign

After the Clear Wind Stronghold case progresses to Jin City for trial, Li advises Chen on the proper handling of seized assets and shows consideration for the officers under his command. 176 During the aftermath, he appears exhausted by his increased official responsibilities and joins Yin Zhengping and Chen Jing for an urgent meeting at the Chief Command Hall. 160

Li's workload includes coordinating the registration and disposition of weapons, medicinal ingredients, captives, and other assets seized during the campaign. Yin Zhengping appears to be deliberately giving him greater management responsibility as a possible successor. 160

Notable Quotes

“Although his background determined that his starting point wasn't high, if you use background to measure a person's strength, you'll suffer a great loss in the end.” 71

Trivia

• Li’s aura is strong enough that Wang Chong—an experienced former border-army soldier and militia leader—instinctively defers to him. 12
• Chen Jing later believes he may have a meaningful chance against Li, but explicitly allows that Li may have hidden strength during his prior battle with Xu Anyuan. 112
• Li's handwriting is described as thin, hard, and powerful. 69