Chapter 14 - Hidden Expert

Han Zhen's words were resolute, leaving no room for doubt or hesitation. Han Mei, standing beside him, wore a concerned expression as she looked at her son.

"Zhen'er…" Her voice trembled, laced with concern. She had given everything to the Iron Sword Hall, dedicating her life to preserving its legacy. Now, the burden had fallen upon Han Zhen. He could not falter.

He turned to her, his expression firm yet gentle. "Mother, you need not worry. I will emerge victorious." His tone carried no arrogance, only an unshakable resolve.

Across from them, Han Yun let out a scornful laugh. "Victory? Ha! Do you truly believe that fluke from earlier means you can stand against me? I was merely careless, nothing more. If you think you can challenge me, you are nothing but a frog at the bottom of a well."

The sneer on his face reflected his utter disdain. As one who stood at the peak of the Essence Refinement Realm, he had no reason to take Han Zhen seriously. To him, this so-called challenge was nothing more than an amusing joke.

Yet, Han Zhen remained unfazed. His gaze remained steady.

"Seven days from now, all will be decided," he said evenly. The time he had chosen was not without purpose. He needed to prepare, not just to fight, but to prove his innocence, to stand tall before those who sought to trample upon him.

Han Yun's smirk deepened, his amusement barely concealed. Just as he was about to taunt him further, Han Zhen's voice cut through the air like a sharpened blade.

"Don't mistake my patience for fear. If I fail to stand before you in the arena after seven days, then I will concede the Iron Sword Hall to you." His words were neither loud nor boastful, yet they carried a dominance, words that could not be taken lightly.

Watching from the sidelines, Han Huang's lips curled into a satisfied smile. Everything was proceeding just as he had envisioned.

For years, he had schemed and waited, his ambitions buried beneath a facade of patience. Now, the Iron Sword school was nearly within his grasp.

"Very well," Han Huang declared. "Seven days from now, the outcome shall be settled in the ring."

He was not concerned in the slightest. Whether Han Zhen cleared his name or not was irrelevant, Han Yun's strength was absolute, and a mere boy who had yet to solidify his footing in the martial world stood no chance.

"Yun'er, take your brother and return to recover. Prepare yourself well," Han Huang commanded, his tone filled with confidence. In his mind, the battle had already been won.

After their entourage left, Han Mei worriedly approached Han Zhen. "Zhen'er, you… you can cultivate? How is this possible?"

Han Mei's voice trembled between disbelief and relief as she grasped her son's arms, pulling him inside the house with a mixture of urgency and confusion.

Her fingers tightened instinctively around him, as though afraid he would slip away like an illusion conjured by her desperate hopes.

For as long as she could remember, Han Zhen had been unable to cultivate, a truth that had weighed heavily on both of them.

No matter how many methods she sought, no matter how many remedies she tried, he had remained incapable of absorbing even a trace of the world's spiritual energy. It had been her greatest regret, the unfulfilled wish she had long carried in her heart.

And yet, standing before her now, Han Zhen was no longer the helpless boy shackled by fate. The change was undeniable, his presence alone carried a strength she had never before sensed. His aura, once quiet and subdued, now radiated with power.

The very same son she had feared would never step onto the path of cultivation had now shattered the limitations once placed upon him.

She had heard the rumors. How her son had fought off the guards of the main family without effort. How he had stood unyielding against those who wanted to suppress him. But seeing him now, feeling the warmth of his arm beneath her trembling grip, was something else entirely.

Beside them, Jin Shuiyue remained silent, but her dark eyes also stared at him with sharp curiosity. She, too, could sense the transformation in Han Zhen, and for the first time, uncertainty flickered across her usually composed face.

How? What had changed? What power had allowed Han Zhen to break through the shackles that had bound him for so long?

Han Zhen, however, had already anticipated their questions. His expression remained calm, his voice steady as he met their gazes.

"Mother, Shuiyue, some time ago, I encountered a hidden expert, someone who saw my potential and chose to guide me. Under their tutelage, I began my journey on the path of cultivation."

His words were spoken with such confidence that, for a moment, neither woman doubted him.

If the situation had been different, if their minds had not been weighed down by the uncertainties of the present, perhaps they would have noticed the slight hesitation in his tone, the careful way he crafted his explanation.

But at this moment, both Han Mei and Jin Shuiyue were too overwhelmed to challenge his claim. Relief, confusion, and lingering fear blurred their thoughts, and so, for now, they accepted his answer.