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

"Here you are." Sun Fan poured him a cup of tea and pushed it towards him.

Ding Dian sat down, picked up his teacup, but didn't drink it; he just watched the tea leaves float and sink in the cup.

"That kid surnamed Chu," he began, his voice still hoarse but much steadyer than in the cell, "was it you who arranged for him to get in?"

Sun Fan shook his head: "It wasn't my arrangement, but the visit was because of you."

"To get close to me?"

"Yes."

Ding Dian put down his teacup and looked at him.

"You're quite frank," he said.

"I told you, I don't need to beat around the bush with you." Sun Fan poured him another cup of tea.

"What about Di Yun?" Ding Dian suddenly asked again.

It's no wonder he's suspicious; anyone who's been through this would become more paranoid.

"Someone just as unlucky as you," Sun Fan sighed.

"Honest people always seem to have some bad luck in this world."

Ding Dian remained silent for a while.

He understood that Di Yun was a simple-minded boy, but not a bad person at heart.

"What do you want me to do by telling me all this?"

Sun Fan didn't answer immediately. He picked up his teacup, took a slow sip, and then spoke, "Brother Ding, do you know why Ling Shuanghua won't see you?"

Ding Dian gripped the teacup tightly.

"She swore an oath," Sun Fan said. "She swore an oath before her father, swearing on behalf of her deceased mother—that as long as she doesn't see you, Ling Tuisi won't kill you."

The teacup made a soft, crisp sound in Ding Dian's hand.

"She thought that as long as she didn't appear in front of you, you would be safe," Sun Fan continued. "She ruined her face and locked herself in her room because she didn't want to get married. In her heart, there was only you from beginning to end, except for burning incense every month to pray for you and your mother."

Ding Dian lowered his head.

The moonlight shone on his head, and a few strands of white hair stood out starkly in the night.

"Shuangmei, why are you doing this?" His voice was very soft, as if he were talking to himself.

"I, Ding Dian, have no merit or ability whatsoever."

Ding Dian closed his eyes, as if he was restraining something.

Sun Fan fell silent.

He had prepared many words, many reasons, and many justifications. But at this moment, he couldn't say anything.

After a long time, Ding Dian finally opened his eyes. His eyes had regained their deep, calm look.

Sun Fan then continued speaking.

He needed to say something; right now, Ding Dian was filled with nothing but death.

He needed a reason, a reason to live.

"Within half a month, the disciples and grand-disciples of the Blood Blade Ancestor have been fighting their way from Qinghai, burning, killing, and looting along the way, and have already wiped out several small sects. The four major families of Jiangnan have joined forces and are preparing to intercept them in Jingzhou."

"Does Ling Tuisi know?"

"I know," Sun Fan said. "He knows better than anyone else. But he won't interfere—he'll just wait. He'll wait until the Blood Blade Sect and the four major families are both severely weakened, then he'll come out and clean up the mess. That way, he can both curry favor with his superiors and use others to do his dirty work, eliminating those disobedient martial arts forces."

Ding Dian sneered: "Something he's capable of doing."

"So," Sun Fan looked at him, "this is your chance."

"What opportunity?"

"A chance for revenge," Sun Fan said. "Ling Tuisi has ruined you for three years, and ruined Ling Shuanghua's life. He destroyed your relationship, disfigured her, and destroyed her life. Don't you want him to pay the price?"

Ding Dian gripped the teacup tightly again.

"Yes," he said, his voice deep. "I dream about it."

"But you can't bring yourself to do it," Sun Fan said, "because he's Ling Shuanghua's father."

Ding Dian did not answer.

"That's why I'm here," Sun Fan said. "You teach me the Divine Illumination Scripture, and I'll help you deal with Ling Tuisi. Not by killing him—but by ensuring he can never do evil again."

Ding Dian stared at him for a long time.

"You're a scholar," he said slowly, "what makes you think you can handle Ling Tuisi?"

Sun Fan did not answer, but simply drew the ordinary longsword from his waist and placed it on the table.

Ding Dian glanced down at the sword, then looked up at him.

"Are you a martial artist?"

Sun Fan nodded.

"But your martial arts skills seem to be only average."

From their brief encounter, he had already discerned from the details that Sun Fan's internal strength was mediocre.

Sun Fan picked up the sword.

The moment Sun Fan picked up the sword, his demeanor underwent a complete transformation.

With just this one movement, Ding Dian knew.

His swordsmanship must be very strong, very strong.

But that's not enough.

Ding Dian frowned: "Your internal strength is too low. Ling Tuisi is, after all, the former leader of the Dragon Sand Gang. With your current strength, you'd be lucky to escape with your life if you faced him."

This point remained on the sword in his hand.

"So I don't intend to fight him head-on." Sun Fan sheathed his sword. "I have other plans."

"What method?"

Sun Fan did not answer immediately. He stood up, walked to the pond, and looked at the moon reflected in the water.

"Brother Ding, do you know what Ling Tuisi wants most?"

"The treasure of Liancheng Jue".

"Yes." Sun Fan turned around. "So, what if we give him a treasure?"

Ding Dian was taken aback.

"It wasn't a real treasure," Sun Fan said. "It was a trap. A trap that led him into it."

He walked back, sat down again, and poured a cup of tea for both Ding Dian and himself.

"When the Blood Blade Sect came to Jingzhou, the four major families came to intercept them. Ling Tui wanted to reap the benefits, so we'll let him. But we'll slip something into his profits."

Ding Dian seemed to be thinking: "You mean..."

"Let him show his true colors to the underworld," Sun Fan said. "Let them expose all his crimes—his corruption, his disregard for human life, his collusion with bandits. If even the underworld can't tolerate a prefect, how can he hold his position?"

Ding Dian remained silent for a long time.

"How confident are you?" he asked.

"Fifty percent," Sun Fan said. "If you help me, seventy percent."

Ding Dian lowered his head and looked at the tea in his cup.

The tea leaves have completely sunk to the bottom of the cup, lying quietly one by one.

"I need to think about it," he said.

"Of course." Sun Fan stood up. "Three days from now, at the same time, I'll be waiting for you here."

He turned to leave.

"Wait a minute," Ding Dian called out to him.

Sun Fan turned around.

Ding Dian took out the white handkerchief from his pocket. In the moonlight, the small chrysanthemum seemed to be glowing.

"Tell her something for me," he said softly. "Just say—'The flowers are still blooming.'"

Sun Fan took the handkerchief and nodded.

As I stepped out of the courtyard, Dong Dahai came up to me from the shadows.

"How is it?"

"He needs to think about it," Sun Fan said, putting the handkerchief away. "No rush."

Dong Dahai hesitated for a moment: "Squad leader, do you think he'll agree?"

Sun Fan did not answer.

He looked up at the moon in the sky.

"The sea," he suddenly said, "do you know what it feels like to be locked up for a long time, surviving on just a potted plant every day?"

Dong Dahai remained silent for a moment before speaking, "I don't know."

"I don't know either," Sun Fan said, "but I do know that if that potted plant is his life, he would give anything for it."

He paused, then said, "Everything."