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

Chapter 118 (Later Stage)

"Ordinary martial artists at the Opening Meridian Realm have internal energy like cotton—fluffy, soft, and it doesn't hurt or itch when it hits someone." Sun Fan withdrew his internal energy and lowered his hand. "My internal energy is like cotton thread. It's still cotton, but when twisted into thread, it becomes tough, hard, and can constrict people."

Feng Congyun put down the wine pot, walked over, sat down opposite Sun Fan, and stared at him for a long time: "Continue."

.

"The essence of the Divine Illumination Scripture is to twist fluffy cotton into thread, then twist the thread into rope, and then weave the rope into a net. Compress it layer by layer, refine it layer by layer, until the internal force becomes something else—not qi, not energy, but something extremely condensed that exists between the real and the unreal."

Sun Fan paused for a moment: "Because it's compressed to the extreme, even just holding it in your hand can cause immense damage. No skill, no speed is needed; its sheer weight alone is enough to crush an opponent."

Feng Congyun tapped his fingers lightly on his knee: "What about that 'resurrection' you mentioned?"

"It's also compression," Sun Fan said. "Extremely condensed internal energy, when released, generates an extremely powerful shockwave. That shockwave, acting on the human body, can awaken a stopped heart. Like—"

He thought about it.

"Like a defibrillator. Electric shock defibrillation restarts the heart with a powerful current. The internal energy of the Shenzhaojing is released in that instant, which is the internal energy version of defibrillation."

Feng Congyun remained silent for a long time. The only sound in the practice room was the ticking of the clock on the wall.

"Where did you get these ideas from?"

Sun Fan hesitated for a moment: "I figured it out myself. When we were in the secret realm, Ding Dian only taught me the incantation and the method of circulating the energy, but he didn't teach me how to understand the Divine Illumination Scripture. He said that understanding is one's own business, and no one else can teach it."

Feng Congyun nodded: "He's right." He stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the dark night outside. "It's not that no one has thought about compressing internal energy, but very few people can actually do it. Because compression requires two conditions: first, a solid foundation, with wide and resilient meridians to withstand high pressure; second, a stable mindset, without being impatient or agitated, to grind it down slowly."

He turned around and looked at Sun Fan: "You happen to meet both conditions. Twenty years of sword practice have laid a solid foundation, allowing your meridians to be fully stretched. And your personality—you're naturally cut out for procrastination."

Sun Fan didn't know if "dawdling" was a compliment, but he knew that Feng Congyun was praising him.

"So, this is what the late-stage Qi Opening Realm needs?" Sun Fan asked, "Compression?"

"Yes, or rather, the entire Meridian Opening Realm is preparation for the final compression of internal energy."

"Moreover, your Divine Illumination Scripture already possesses a unique advantage in this regard."

Feng Congyun returned and sat down again. "Mid-stage of the Meridian Opening Realm: the meridians are connected, and internal energy is generated spontaneously. Late-stage of the Meridian Opening Realm: compress, refine, and purify the spontaneously generated internal energy to prepare for entering the Qi Gathering Realm."

What is the biggest difference between the Qi Gathering Realm and the Meridian Opening Realm?

"The internal energy of the Qi Gathering Realm can be released externally." Feng Congyun stretched out his hand, palm facing upwards, and a visible stream of air surged from his palm, forming a rotating vortex in the air. That vortex was more than ten times larger than the one Sun Fan had just demonstrated, and it was as solid as a transparent shield.

"The internal energy of the Opening Meridian Realm can only circulate within the body, at most attaching to weapons to increase their sharpness and durability. The internal energy of the Gathering Qi Realm can leave the body, forming palm wind, sword qi, and blade aura, striking people from a distance." He withdrew his internal energy and looked at Sun Fan, "The internal energy compression you understand now is the bridge between the Opening Meridian Realm and the Gathering Qi Realm. The more you compress it, the stronger your internal energy will be when you release it in the future."

Sun Fan nodded.

"But don't rush," Feng Congyun warned. "Compression isn't something that can be done overnight. Your meridians can only withstand so much pressure right now. Take it slow, increase it little by little. Haste makes waste."

"I know."

In the days that followed, Sun Fan began to try compressing the internal energy of the Divine Illumination Scripture. This was more difficult than unblocking the meridians, because it wasn't simply physical cultivation; it was delicate work. He closed his eyes, focusing intently on the warm flow of energy within his body, and then tried to use his mind to "squeeze" it—not to increase its speed, but to increase its density. He wanted to allow more internal energy to be contained within the same meridian space.

A whole day passed, and he made almost no progress. That internal force was as slippery as an eel; every time he tried to "squeeze" it out, it would slide to the side, and he couldn't catch it no matter what.

Feng Congyun sat beside Sun Fan, drinking his wine, watching the beads of sweat dripping from Sun Fan's forehead, without saying a word. He couldn't help with this. Compressing internal energy was a martial artist's own business, like childbirth; no matter how anxious others were, they could only watch helplessly.

The next day, Sun Fan changed his approach. Instead of "squeezing" out the internal energy, he "guided" it. He used his mind to draw the internal energy out of his meridians, gather it in his dantian, and then let it "settle" on its own.

Just like water. If you leave muddy water still, the silt will sink to the bottom, and the water on top will become clear. The same principle applies to internal energy—let it settle in the dantian, and the "empty" parts will naturally dissipate, leaving only the "real" parts.

He tried it the first time and felt nothing. The second time, still nothing. The third time, the fourth time, the fifth time—by the tenth time, he noticed a subtle change—the internal energy in his dantian seemed to have sunk a little.

It's not that there's too much quantity, it's that it's too heavy. It's like a ball of cotton being compressed into a cake; the volume is smaller, but the weight remains the same.

Sun Fan's heart skipped a beat, but he didn't rush to rejoice, continuing to calm himself. One day, two days, three days. His daily routine was simple—practicing swordsmanship in the morning, calming his internal energy in the late morning, having Feng Congyun help him clear his meridians in the afternoon, and continuing to calm his internal energy in the evening. Repeat, repeat, and repeat again. Like a craftsman polishing the same stone day after day, unhurried, patient, and tireless.

Ten days later, something appeared in Sun Fan's dantian. It wasn't a physical object, but a feeling—an extremely concentrated, heavy mass of internal energy, like a stone. The mass of internal energy wasn't large, only the size of a thumb, but it was "heavy." So heavy that every time Sun Fan circulated his energy, he could feel it sitting steadily in his dantian, like an anchor, holding all the internal energy in his body in place.

Feng Congyun sensed that "heaviness." He took a sip of wine, a slight smile playing on his lips, before quickly reverting to his usual languid demeanor.

"Not bad. You've reached the late stage of the Meridian Opening Realm."

Sun Fan opened his eyes, feeling as if something had pressed down on his body and then released. His muscles ached, his bones felt numb, but he was in good spirits, his eyes were bright, and the bloodshot color was almost invisible. He raised his hand, clenched his fist, released it, and clenched his fist again. It wasn't that his strength had increased, but rather that his control over his strength had become more refined. Before, when he exerted force, it was like a sledgehammer cracking a walnut—he had the power, but lacked precision. Now it was like embroidery with a needle—every bit of force was just right, neither too much nor too little.