Martial Arts Secret Realm: Only I Can Know the Plot?

"I've already reported the matter." The one who spoke was the head of the Secret Realm Management Department, a tall, thin man in his fifties wearing gold-rimmed glasses. He spoke slowly and deliberately, but each word was like a nail driven into the table. "The fierce tiger Yan Gaotian entered a combat secret realm overlapping with that of lower-grade students without prior notification. According to the Dark Martial Academy's 73rd rule—higher-grade students are strictly prohibited from maliciously targeting, persecuting, or killing lower-grade students in any form or for any reason. Violators will be expelled and handed over to the Martial Arts Arbitration Court."

Yao Xiaozheng's fingers paused for a moment.

"Yan Gaotian may already be dead." His voice was flat, as flat as a smooth stone. "Even if you fire him a hundred times, he wouldn't feel it."

"Rules are rules." The minister adjusted his glasses. "The living must abide by them. As for the dead, the rules will take care of their remains."

Yao Xiaozheng looked up at the minister. Their eyes met briefly, but there was no spark, only a cold, unspoken silence.

Zhang Guangcheng stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and spoke.

"How did Yan Gaotian know that that secret realm overlapped with Secret Realm No. 55?"

The meeting room fell silent again.

Everyone wanted to ask this question, but no one dared to be the first. The answer was too obvious—someone had helped him research, someone had helped him analyze the connections between the secret realms, and someone had helped him confirm the optimal timing for using the Reverse Time Decree. This wasn't something one person could accomplish; it was a chain. One end of the chain was Yan Gaotian, and the other end must be inside the Dark Martial Arts Academy.

"I've already had someone investigate," the minister said. "The access records to the Secret Realm Database, Yan Gaotian's communication records for the past month, the people he's contacted, and the documents he's reviewed—everything is being investigated. Give me the results within three days."

"Three days?" Yao Xiaozheng sneered. "Three days? By then, it'll be too late."

"Does Teacher Yao have any better suggestions?"

Yao Xiaozheng did not answer.

He certainly had suggestions, but they weren't appropriate for this occasion. His suggestion was simple—call Sun Fan over and find out what had happened in the secret realm.

But Sun Fan hasn't come out yet.

Time flows differently in the secret realm than in the outside world; no one knows how long he's been inside. Maybe he'll come out tomorrow, maybe ten days or half a month, maybe—

They'll never get out.

Yao Xiaozheng leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

He was thinking about something. If Yan Gaotian really died in the secret realm, how much responsibility would he, as his mentor, bear?

The answer is—very large.

It's not a legal responsibility; the rules of the Dark Martial Arts School don't include a clause about "instructors being held jointly liable."

However, there is an unwritten rule in the martial arts world—the master is responsible for what the disciple does.

Yan Gaotian was trained by him personally. He taught him martial arts, mental techniques, and how to survive in the dark martial arts school.

He didn't teach him manners. Or rather, he did, but Yan Gaotian didn't listen.

"Teacher Yao." The minister's voice interrupted his thoughts.

Yao Xiaozheng opened his eyes.

Did Yan Gaotian mention his plan to you before entering the secret realm?

"no."

Are you sure?

"I'm sure." Yao Xiaozheng's voice turned cold. "You suspect I ordered him to go?"

The minister did not answer, but simply looked into his eyes.

The two stared at each other for a few seconds before Yao Xiaozheng looked away first.

"I'm not doubting you," the minister finally spoke, "but someone has to take responsibility for this."

"Then let me take responsibility." Yao Xiaozheng stood up. "Yan Gaotian is my student. He made a mistake, and as his teacher, I have a responsibility. Those who should be punished should be punished, and those who should be dismissed should be dismissed. I will take over."

The meeting room fell silent again.

Zhang Guangcheng looked at Yao Xiaozheng with a complicated expression. He and Yao Xiaozheng had been at odds for many years, arguing over almost everything from teaching philosophies and standards for accepting apprentices to seating arrangements at the round table and resource allocation. But at this moment, he had to admit that Yao Xiaozheng, at least, had backbone.

"Sit down," Zhang Guangcheng said. "It's not your turn to take responsibility yet."

Yao Xiaozheng glanced at him and slowly sat back down.

The minister cleared his throat and continued to chair the meeting.

"The most important thing now is not assigning blame, but confirming what exactly happened in the secret realm." He opened the file in front of him. "Secret Realm No. 55, codenamed 'Snow Valley,' medium danger level. According to system records, three days after Sun Fan and his group entered the secret realm, Yan Gaotian entered a related secret realm, and it is very likely that he has already started a faction-versus-faction mission."

"A faction-versus-faction mission?" Zhang Guangcheng frowned. "So, a bunch of second-realm kids are going to fight against Old Yao's fourth-realm disciple?"

"Hmm." The minister nodded.

"So Sun Fan may already be—"

"He may be dead, or he may still be alive," the minister interrupted him. "Until the system confirms, anything is possible."

The meeting ended in a somber atmosphere.

When Zhang Guangcheng walked out of the meeting room, he stood in the corridor for a while and lit a cigarette. The glow of the cigarette butt flickered in the dim corridor, like something weak and unwilling to go out.

"Old Zhang." A voice came from behind.

Zhang Guangcheng turned around and saw Yao Xiaozheng standing at the other end of the corridor. He didn't come over; he just stood there, his expression unclear in the shadows.

"What is it?"

Yao Xiaozheng remained silent for a while before speaking: "I was wrong about Yan Gaotian. I taught him for three years, but I didn't teach him what rules are."

Zhang Guangcheng did not respond.

"But if Sun Fan comes out alive—" Yao Xiaozheng paused, "tell him for me that I'm sorry."

After saying that, he turned and left.

Zhang Guangcheng stood in the corridor, watching Yao Xiaozheng's figure disappear at the stairwell. The cigarette in his hand burned to the end, burning his fingers, before he came to his senses, threw the cigarette butt into the trash can, and walked towards the principal's office.

The principal did not see him.

The secretary said that the principal is in seclusion and will be available in three days.

Zhang Guangcheng stood at the door of the principal's office, staring at the bronze plaque on the door for a long time, before turning and leaving.

Three days later, the entrance to the secret realm.

When Dong Dahai emerged from the secret realm, it was almost dark.

The moment Dong Dahai emerged from the secret realm, he felt a lightness in his body. The slight dizziness from returning to the real world after spending so much time in the secret realm made him sway. He steadied himself by leaning against the wall, took a deep breath, and smelled disinfectant and a faint odor of smoke in the air.

The lobby of the Secret Realm Management Department was brightly lit, but there weren't many people. There were only a few staff members on duty, and—Zhang Guangcheng.

When Dong Dahai saw Zhang Guangcheng, he was stunned for a moment. This eccentric man, one of the Eight Masters of the Round Table, was wearing a slightly worn gray jacket, his hair was a bit messy, and he had heavy dark circles under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept well for several days.

"Where is Sun Fan?" Zhang Guangcheng asked bluntly.

Dong Dahai opened his mouth, about to answer, when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned around and saw Sun Fan walking out of the entrance to the secret realm.

Sun Fan wore a light blue robe—made by someone in the secret realm; the material was average, but the cut was perfect. His face was still a little pale, but his spirits were much better than when he was on the snow mountain. His ordinary longsword hung at his waist, the nick still visible on the blade; he hadn't replaced it.

The moment Zhang Guangcheng saw Sun Fan, his pupils contracted slightly.

He figured it out.

Sun Fan's level has changed.