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

Ling Tuisi's brow twitched slightly: "Escape?"

“That’s right,” Sun Fan said. “Di Yun has been locked up in prison for so long, Qi Changfa couldn’t possibly not know. But why didn’t he come to rescue him? Because he was waiting—waiting for Lord Ling to lower his guard, waiting for the storm to pass, waiting for a suitable opportunity.”

"If we give Di Yun a chance to escape 'accidentally,' what will Qi Changfa do?"

Ling Tuisi's eyes lit up.

"He will come looking for Di Yun," he said. "Di Yun is his apprentice and the person he trusts most. If the secret of Liancheng Jue is really in Qi Changfa's hands, he will definitely come looking for Di Yun."

"At that time," Sun Fan lowered his voice, "Lord Ling only needs to set up the net and wait for people to come."

Ling Tuisi paced back and forth in the study several times, tapping his fingers incessantly on the table.

"This plan," he stopped and looked at Sun Fan, "how long have you been planning it?"

"It started the day I found out that Di Yun was being held in the cell next to Chu Huai'an," Sun Fan said.

Ling Tuisi suddenly laughed.

"Young Master Sun," he walked back and sat down again, "you are indeed no ordinary person."

He picked up his teacup, took a slow sip, as if savoring something.

"I'll handle Di Yun's matter," he said. "But there's one thing—if even one of what you said is false..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.

Sun Fan bowed respectfully: "Lord Ling, rest assured, every word I have said is true. However—"

He paused, then looked up and met Ling Tuisi's eyes.

"Some things are true, but it takes time to verify them."

Ling Tuisi looked at him and suddenly burst into laughter.

"Fine!" He slammed his hand on the table. "I'll give you this much time."

Will Qi Changfa really come to save Di Yun?

Ha! A beast who would even sacrifice his own daughter, how can you expect him to save his disciple?

Go dream!

Three days later, an "accident" happened in the prison: a serious offender escaped.

Ling Tuisi was "furious" and launched an overnight investigation, but Di Yun seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving no trace of his body.

When the news reached Sun Fan's ears, he was drinking tea in the villa.

Dong Dahai stood in front of him, his expression somewhat complicated: "Squad leader, Ling Tuisi really did fall for it. He released Di Yun, but sent people to keep an eye on him in the dark. As soon as Di Yun goes to Qi Changfa, or Qi Changfa comes to Di Yun, he will close the net."

"He won't close the net." Sun Fan put down his teacup.

Why?

"Because there are no fish in the net." Sun Fan stood up. "Di Yun won't go to Qi Changfa—because he has no idea where Qi Changfa is. Qi Changfa won't come to Di Yun either—because he doesn't care about this disciple at all."

Dong Dahai was taken aback: "Then Ling Tuisi..."

"He'll soon realize he's been tricked," Sun Fan said, walking to the window. "But he won't have time to settle accounts with me."

"Because someone wants to settle scores with him."

"Who?"

"How long until the Blood Blade Sect arrives in Jingzhou City?"

"Ten days?"

"Hmm, what would they do if they accidentally found out that Ling Tuisi was the former leader of the Dragon Sand Gang, the biggest fugitive who escaped the net?"

Upon hearing this, Da Hai frowned.

"Jingzhou City is garrisoned. They wouldn't actually dare to attack from within the inner city, would they?"

"Ling Tuisi was previously a江湖人士 (jianghu figure), but now he's an official appointed by the imperial court. Can they be considered the same?"

Sun Fan smiled.

In Jin Yong's world, government officials and soldiers are the most useless.

Martial arts masters can take the head of the enemy general amidst a vast army, so a few fast horses can easily outmaneuver the small garrison troops stationed there.

To the outlaws of the Blood Blade Sect, they posed no threat whatsoever.

"Don't worry, the madmen of the Blood Blade Sect never care about rules. How many crimes have they committed on their way south?"

Dong Dahai nodded thoughtfully.

"What about Di Yun? Where is he now?"

Sun Fan smiled.

"In a very safe place."

Outside Jingzhou City, in an abandoned local temple.

Di Yun huddled in the corner, hugging his knees, trembling all over.

He didn't know why he was there. He only remembered that last night, someone opened the cell door and whispered to him, "Come with me if you want to live."

Then he followed that person, scaling walls, passing through alleys, leaving the city, and running all the way to this dilapidated temple.

The man left him there, said "wait," and left.

Di Yun waited for a long time.

We waited from midnight until dawn, and from dawn until nightfall.

He didn't know who he was waiting for, nor did he know what to do next. He only knew one thing—he didn't want to go back to that prison.

It was too dark there.

It's so dark it's maddening.

Just when he was about to give up hope, the temple door was pushed open.

Moonlight shone in and fell on a person's face.

He was a young man, dressed in a blue scholar's robe with a long sword hanging at his waist, looking like a scholar.

"Are you Di Yun?" the man asked.

Di Yun nodded.

"Come with me."

"Where...where to?"

"Go to a safe place."

Di Yun hesitated for a moment, then stood up and followed the man.

He didn't know who this person was, or where he was being taken. But he knew one thing—this person was different from the prison guards.

Because his gaze when he looks at people is flat.

It wasn't a condescending scrutiny, nor a cold, impersonal look; rather, it was something... indescribable.

It's like looking at a person.

West of Jingzhou City, the Shen Family Villa.

When Sun Fan led Di Yun into the backyard, Ding Dian was already waiting there.

Under the moonlight, both of them were stunned.

Ding Dian looked at Di Yun, and Di Yun looked at Ding Dian.

"You are..." Di Yun spoke first, his voice hoarse.

"The one in the next cell," Ding Dian said.

Di Yun's eyes suddenly turned somewhat fearful.

The suspicious Ding Dian used to beat him up at the slightest disagreement, but Ding Dian only gained his trust after Ding Dian became disheartened and wanted to hang himself after learning that his senior sister had married Wan Gui.

The scene of him hanging himself did take place, but before Ding Dian could pass on the Divine Illumination Scripture to him, it was stopped due to Sun Fan's intervention.

Therefore, Di Yun still felt somewhat afraid of Ding Dian.

"I...I thought you were an old man." Di Yun scratched his head, a little embarrassed. "Your cough sounds very old."

Ding Dian suddenly laughed.

This was the first time Sun Fan had seen him smile.

It wasn't a bitter smile, nor a cold laugh; it was a genuine smile from the heart, with a touch of warmth.

"Sit down," Ding Dian said, gesturing to the chair beside the stone table. "Have some tea."

Di Yun sat down, picked up his teacup, and drank it all in one gulp.

"Slow down." Sun Fan poured him another glass. "Nobody's going to take it from you."

Di Yun lowered his head, looked at the tea in his cup, and his eyes suddenly reddened.

"I...I haven't had tea in a long time."

Sun Fan didn't say anything, he just waited quietly.

After finishing his second cup of tea, Di Yun wiped his eyes and looked up at Sun Fan.

"Who are you? Why did you save me?"

Sun Fan did not answer immediately. He glanced at Ding Dian, who nodded slightly.

"My name is Sun Fan," he said. "I saved you because someone asked me to."

"Who?"

"Him." Sun Fan pointed to Ding Dian.

Di Yun turned his head and looked at Ding Dian, his face full of doubt.

"Why...why did you save me?"

Ding Dian was silent for a moment before speaking: "Because you're just like me."

"The same thing?"

"Just as unlucky."

Di Yun was stunned.