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

He was unusually calm.

A martial artist at the Opening Meridian Realm should not be so calm when facing a Qi Gathering Realm expert.

Unless—he has a trump card up his sleeve.

Hua Tiegan didn't know what Sun Fan's trump card was, but he knew one thing—this martial arts competition wouldn't be as simple as Yan Gaotian thought.

Meanwhile, at the Shen family's villa.

As soon as Sun Fan entered, Dong Dahai came to greet him.

"Squad leader, Mr. Shen is here and waiting for you in the study."

Sun Fan nodded and strode towards the study.

Shen Huaishan sat behind his desk, holding a cup of tea that had gone cold. He didn't drink it, just held it. When he saw Sun Fan enter, he put down the teacup and gestured for Sun Fan to sit down.

"Young Master Sun, you've agreed to a duel with that person?" Shen Huaishan asked bluntly.

"Yes."

"Do you know that person is a Qi Gathering Realm martial artist?" Shen Huaishan's voice was very low. "What are your chances of winning against him, you're only at the Meridian Opening Realm?"

Sun Fan was silent for a moment, then said, "I know."

"You knew?" Shen Huaishan tapped his finger on the table. "You knew and you still dared to agree?"

"Old Shen, there are some things that must be done," Sun Fan said. "If he comes to me and I don't answer, he will keep putting pressure on me."

"Some things, if left unresolved for too long, become a mountain."

"I want to move, but I can't."

Shen Huaishan stared at him for a long time, then suddenly sighed.

"Young Master Sun, I know you are no ordinary person. But when it comes to martial arts, a difference of just one realm can make all the difference. For someone like you, who is only at the Meridian Opening Realm, to go head-to-head with someone at the Qi Gathering Realm is likely to be extremely dangerous."

He paused, then lowered his voice: "I've already had a carriage prepared, and there are people waiting for you outside the city. You should leave tonight, head north, the farther the better. That person won't be able to catch you."

"I did this because I didn't want the literary world to lose a genius."

"Your talent should be used in literature, not in fighting and brawling like a江湖客 (jianghu kè kè, a wandering swordsman)."

Sun Fan shook his head: "I appreciate Elder Shen's kindness. But I cannot leave."

Why?

"Because once you're gone, you'll never come back." Sun Fan looked into Shen Huaishan's eyes. "Old Shen, have you ever seen a rabbit being targeted by a tiger? The faster it runs, the fiercer the tiger chases. Only by turning around and facing it head-on can it survive."

Shen Huaishan remained silent for a long time.

He saw Sun Fan's determination.

More like a wandering swordsman than a literary giant.

He has the heart of a江湖人 (jianghu person, someone who lives a life of chivalry and adventure).

He stood up, walked to the window, his back to Sun Fan, and said in a very soft voice, "Think about it again. Once you've made up your mind, have someone pass on the message. The carriage can depart at any time."

After saying that, he pushed open the door and went out.

Sun Fan was left alone in the study.

He sat in the chair, staring at the nearly burnt-out candlestick on the table, remaining motionless for a long time.

"Squad leader," Dong Dahai walked in from outside, "Red Wolf and the others are waiting in the yard, wanting to say a few words to you."

Sun Fan stood up and walked out of the study.

Four people stood in the courtyard—Dong Dahai, Honglang, Du Ming, and Mu Xue'er. The moonlight shone on their faces, each with a different expression, but their eyes all carried the same thing—worry.

"Squad leader, are you really going to fight that ferocious tiger?" Red Wolf was the first to speak. His voice was still as loud as ever, but it lacked the usual recklessness and was more serious.

"Um."

"Can you beat him?" Red Wolf pressed.

Sun Fan did not answer immediately. He walked to the stone table, sat down, poured himself a cup of cold tea, and slowly drank it.

Whether we can win or not, we'll only know after we fight.

"You're courting death!" Red Wolf exclaimed anxiously. "You've only just entered the Qi Opening Realm, fighting someone in the Qi Gathering Realm? Isn't that suicide? No matter how skilled your swordsmanship is, the difference in realm is too great. They can kill you with a single palm strike!"

"Red Wolf, shut up." Du Ming pulled him aside, then looked at Sun Fan. "Squad leader, Red Wolf's words aren't pleasant, but his reasoning is sound. Can you tell us exactly how confident you are?"

Sun Fan looked at them and remained silent for a while.

"I don't know. Some things are better left unsaid; you have to experience them to know."

Red Wolf's eyes widened. "Attack! But it'll be too late!"

"But I have a sword, a very powerful sword, and once it's drawn, he might not be able to withstand it."

The courtyard fell silent.

Mu Xue'er lowered her head, twisting the hem of her clothes with her fingers, and after a long while, she finally spoke: "Class monitor, do you really have to hit her? Isn't there any other way?"

"No," Sun Fan said. "He came to me not to reason with me. His brother died at my hands, and he's determined to avenge that. If I don't take his case, he'll keep chasing me. And then it won't just be me who dies."

He looked into Mu Xue'er's eyes: "You will be implicated too."

Mu Xue'er's eyes reddened.

"Squad leader, I'm not afraid of being implicated." Her voice trembled slightly, "I'm afraid of you..."

She didn't finish speaking, but everyone knew what she wanted to say.

Sun Fan stood up and patted her on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, I won't die."

His voice was soft, but firm.

"I promised someone that I would go back alive."

Dong Dahai leaned against the pillar and remained silent.

He walked up to Sun Fan after everyone had left.

How confident are you?

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

"Do you remember what I told you? I spent twenty years in the last secret realm."

"Remember."

"For those twenty years, I practiced swordsmanship every day. Not the moves, but the basics—swinging, thrusting, parrying, and dodging. I repeated each movement thousands or tens of thousands of times until I didn't need to think about it; my body would move on its own."

He turned around and looked at Dong Dahai: "Do you know what this means?"

Dong Dahai thought for a moment: "Does that mean your foundation is very solid?"

"It's not just about being solid," Sun Fan said. "It means my body has memorized the feel of the sword. No matter what the situation, my sword will move before my mind. This is an instinct I've developed over twenty years."

He walked back and sat down at the stone table.

"The ferocious tiger is at the Qi Gathering Realm, his internal energy is stronger than mine, his strength is greater than mine, and his speed is faster than mine. I admit all of that. But there is one thing he is inferior to me in."

"What is it?"

"He relies too much on internal energy," Sun Fan said. "He trained for three years in the Dark Martial Arts School, relying on the power of the Tiger Claw Extinction Hand and the overwhelming force of his internal energy. He's used to solving problems with internal energy and overwhelming his opponents with brute force."

"This kind of person will panic when they encounter someone whose internal strength is inferior to theirs but whose skills surpass theirs."

"If he panics, I'll be 70% sure of success."

Dong Dahai nodded thoughtfully.

"So your 70% certainty is based on his 'panic'?"

"Not entirely," Sun Fan said. "Out of a 70% chance, 30% is his and 40% is mine."

"What do you mean?"

"His 30% is his weakness." Sun Fan picked up his teacup, took a slow sip, and said, "He may seem fierce, but he is actually very shrewd and has already prepared an escape route."

"And I will cut off his escape route."

Dong Dahai was taken aback: "What do you mean?"

"Hua Tiegan is his escape route. He not only wants to win, but also wants to get out unscathed."

"If I cut off his escape route, won't he panic?"

Dong Dahai's eyes lit up.

He stood up and looked at the moon in the sky.

"His 30% is just a lie."

"My forty percent is my sword."

"My sword doesn't rely on internal strength. It relies on momentum."

Dong Dahai asked, puzzled, "The situation?"

“That’s right,” Sun Fan said. “Momentum is something that can’t be explained. You can think of it as an aura. A swordsman’s posture, the way he holds his sword, and the timing of his strike all affect his momentum. When enough momentum is built up, a single sword strike is not just a single strike, but the crushing force of an entire mountain.”

He looked into Dong Dahai's eyes: "In the last secret realm, I saw two people using their aura. Their swords weren't meant to be looked at, but to be felt. By the time you felt it, it was already too late."

Dong Dahai remained silent for a long time.

"So you need three days to build up your strength?"

"Yes," Sun Fan said. "Three days is enough time for me to build up my strength to its peak. At that time, the ferocious tiger will not be facing just a swordsman in the Opening Meridian Realm, but a mountain."

Dong Dahai took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled.

"Squad leader, I believe you."

Sun Fan smiled.

"Go to sleep. You have a lot to do tomorrow."

Dong Dahai nodded and turned to walk out. Reaching the courtyard gate, he suddenly stopped and said without turning back, "Squad leader, if you die, I will cut off the fierce tiger's head and place it in front of your grave."

After saying that, he strode out.

Sun Fan sat at the stone table, watching Dong Dahai's figure disappear into the night, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Don't worry, I won't die."

He muttered something under his breath, then stood up and walked towards the practice room.

He still had a lot to do in three days.