Book One: A Sudden Astonishing Debut Chapter Seventeen: The Legend of Immortality
Inside the secret room, Dugu Feiyu and Dugu Yanzhi sighed deeply after hearing Dugu Baitian's "Martial Discourse" concerning Dugu Zhantian. Heaven had truly played a millennium-long joke on the Dugu family.
Dugu Baitian said, "Grandfather, look, the black jade has turned into supreme-grade jade. If you try to use it as liquor now or try to trick Aoyue's grandfather with it, they'll definitely fight over it."
"You brat, still daring to tease your grandfather? Hmph, how did you know about these things?"
"Pfft, everyone on Earth knows."
"What?"
"Oh, everyone in this town knows about your 'glorious history'."
"Hehe, really? I didn't know your grandfather was such a celebrity?"
"..." Dugu Baitian was speechless. He had always prided himself on having the thickest skin, but today his confidence began to waver.
"Baitian, your grandfather and I have something to say to you." Dugu Yanzhi, who was nearby, interrupted the "clash" between grandfather and grandson. "You once sacrificed yourself to become a demon. Do you know the consequences?"
"No."
"Throughout history, few masters have reached the Saint-level, and even fewer have left behind Essence Stones. Even when an Essence Stone occasionally appears in the world, it's extremely difficult for anyone who obtains it to absorb the essence within. A case like yours, sacrificing yourself to become a demon, is even rarer – the probability is almost zero. There is an ancient legend: once, there was a person who, like you, sacrificed himself to become a demon, becoming a bloodthirsty Demon King of unparalleled power for a time. Furthermore, he achieved an immortal body. When the body died, the demon was born; when the demon died, the body was reborn. Cycling back and forth, neither dying nor being destroyed."
Hearing this mythical-sounding legend, Dugu Baitian widened his eyes in shock.
Dugu Yanzhi glanced at him and continued, "Because of his appearance, the entire continent was plunged into a storm of blood and violence. The elite of the martial world were almost completely wiped out. This was not just a catastrophe for the martial world, but a great calamity for the entire continent. According to legend, a peerless genius with a semi-immortal body later appeared. He used supreme divine power and abandoned a lifetime of cultivated skill to eliminate him. Therefore, the ancients left behind the admonition: 'Those who sacrifice themselves to become demons must be killed without mercy.'"
Dugu Baitian couldn't help but turn pale. "Father, you're not going to uphold justice at the expense of your own kin, are you?"
Dugu Feiyu chuckled. "Silly child, how could your father bear to kill you? Even if he wanted to, your grandfather wouldn't allow it."
"Yes, silly child, how could you think that? You're my son, how could I kill you? Even if it meant opposing the entire continent, so what?"
Dugu Baitian felt a choke in his throat. "But, if I really later..." He couldn't continue.
Dugu Feiyu said, "Look how scared you are, hehe... Don't worry, you won't become like that. Even if you wanted to become a demon, you couldn't. You don't have the qualifications yet."
Dugu Yanzhi continued, "You've already exhausted all the essence you obtained on those friends of yours who circled the gates of death several times. The condition for becoming a demon is: after sacrificing oneself to become a demon, one must obtain the complete essence of the Essence Stone, reaching the realm of a Saint-level expert. You didn't get a single bit of essence. However, the Essence Stone still had an effect on you. Once you reach the realm of a Saint-level expert, then it's possible you could become a demon, possessing an immortal demon body."
Dugu Baitian exclaimed excitedly, "You mean I can never properly practice martial arts in my life? What if my power greatly advances? Could I potentially become the immortal demon?"
Dugu Feiyu laughed. "You brat, who do you think you are? How many people in a thousand years have reached the Saint-level realm? But rest assured, don't suppress yourself from practicing martial arts. Practice boldly and confidently. Although that fellow in the legend became a demon, perhaps you can become an immortal! The people of the continent back then, deeply poisoned by the immortal demon and filled with fear, established that bullshit rule. In my opinion, perhaps that immortal demon suffered a grievous injustice before becoming a demon. His subsequent actions were entirely out of revenge, which殃及 many innocents. Coupled with people fanning the flames, it led to the tragedy back then. Whether one becomes a demon depends entirely on one's own heart."
Dugu Yanzhi also said, "Your grandfather is right. Back in the forest, weren't your eyes blood-red, initially entering a demonic state? Yet later, you still saved your friends, didn't you? Perhaps that immortal demon really did suffer a grievous injustice before becoming a demon. His subsequent actions were entirely out of revenge. Think about it, if all your friends in the forest had truly died, what would you have done? Whether one becomes a demon depends on one's own heart."
A slight smile appeared on Dugu Baitian's face. "Right, whether one becomes a demon depends on one's own heart. Even if I truly become a demon, so what? Demons can have feelings too! Back in the forest, I realized that all good and evil depends on one's original heart."
Dugu Feiyu smiled. "Good, it's excellent that you think this way. Now we can rest assured."
Dugu Yanzhi said, "There's one more matter that needs resolving, but it's somewhat troublesome."
"Father, what matter?"
"It's regarding the fact that you once sacrificed yourself to become a demon. Absolutely no one in the martial world can know about this. If this matter gets out, not only will you die, but the entire Dugu family will vanish from then on."
Dugu Baitian smiled. "Besides us, only Li Shi knows about this. I have a way to prevent her from talking."
Dugu Feiyu became interested. "Oh? What method do you have, you brat? We were just worrying about whether we'd have to offend people from Misty Hidden Peak."
Dugu Baitian笑嘻嘻 recounted the "Dugu Baitian version of events" that happened in the forest. After finishing, he took out Li Shi's jade pendant statue for them to see. "We can give her the Essence Stone, which now has no essence left, for her to take back to her sect. On the surface, we're giving her sect plenty of face. Actually, we can secretly reach an agreement with her: she must not reveal what happened in the forest, and we won't make an issue of the jade pendant. However, doing this is somewhat unfair to her."
Dugu Feiyu said, "For the survival of the family, we have no choice. Your father and I shouldn't get involved. You handle this matter yourself."
"Yes, Grandfather."
These past few days, the Dugu household was very lively. After Dugu Baitian woke up, all his friends came to celebrate, making merry for several days in a row. Dugu Yanzhi let them be. After all, these youngsters had experienced life-and-death partings; it was inevitable they felt happy and excited. Youthful recklessness – wasn't he the same in his youth? Dugu Feiyu even personally joined in. After the old man drank a few cups of wine, he displayed the demeanor of his former dissolute self – competing in drinking, gambling, even proposing a trip to the Spring Establishment House. Dugu Baitian's friends enthusiastically agreed, but the old man quickly came to his senses, found an excuse, and slipped away, leaving everyone in uproarious laughter.
Today, Li Shi bid farewell to the Dugu family. Gazing at her misty pupils and calm, serene face, Dugu Baitian somewhat dared not look directly at her. Today, he brought up the old matter again, using the jade pendant to threaten her into agreeing to an "unequal treaty," feeling quite guilty inside.
As Li Shi was leaving, she instead gave a calm smile.
Gazing into the distance where her lovely figure had already vanished, Dugu Baitian felt a slight sense of loss in his heart.
Growth is our inevitable fate. Youth is our eternal reluctance. Who is the passerby in whose life? Who is the wheel turning in whose destiny? The dust of past lives, the wind of this world, The endless sorrowful spirits. I see your face floating in the azure blue sky above, So I smile, because I see you, Happy like a child who never grows up.
Dugu Feiyu waved his hand in front of Dugu Baitian's eyes. "Come back to earth. She's gone, what are you still staring blankly at?"
"Grandfather, I want to go out into the martial world."
This abrupt statement stunned the whole family.
Dugu Yanzhi said, "We always knew you belonged to the martial world, but we didn't expect this day to come so suddenly."
"I want to go into the martial world to realize my dream."
"What dream?"
"To roam the martial world freely, to savor life. The vast martial world holds countless wonders waiting for me. The sea is vast for fish to leap; the sky is high for birds to fly. Life should be diverse and colorful. This town is too small. There's a broader sky waiting for me to make my legend. I want my whole life to be filled with legendary colors. I want the entire continent to know the name Dugu Baitian."
Seeing his son's spirited, radiant face full of anticipation, Dugu Yanzhi knew he couldn't stop his determination to enter the martial world.
Dugu Feiyu said, "You really want to venture into the martial world?"
"Yes, I must go."
The old lady and Dugu Baitian's mother couldn't help but look dismayed. The child was grown; he理应 have his own piece of the sky. But the martial world was perilous, filled with danger everywhere. The martial world was also a great dye vat; once entered, one was no longer in control of oneself. The Dugu family had only this one heir; it was truly worrying.
"Since you've decided, your grandfather supports you. Wherever you go, remember you still have a family. If not for yourself, then for your family, you must preserve your life."
"Hehe... Grandfather, you underestimate me too much."
"Your grandfather speaks the truth. Your martial arts are only second-rate at best. The martial world is a place where strength matters. You can't leave just like that. Stay home for a while. Your father and I will teach you some unique skills."
"Haha... Father, I've been practicing our family's third-rate martial arts for over a year. Practicing those 'unique skills' would be worse than practicing that nine-deaths-one-life 'Thousand Layer Surging Tides'. This time, I'm going into the martial world precisely to witness the divine skills and unique techniques of various schools and sects, and combine them with the 'Thousand Layer Surging Tides' to create a set of martial arts that belongs to me alone."
Dugu Feiyu said calmly, "Child, do you remember the 'Steadfast Immovable King' I told you about before? I didn't teach it to you earlier because I felt your temperament was completely unsuited to cultivating this skill focused on mental cultivation and nurturing one's nature. But now, I can bring it out for your reference."
Steadfast Immovable King – a method focused on mental cultivation and nurturing one's nature, primarily for training qi. Once mastered, it provides an endless, continuous flow of internal strength. For someone of Dugu Baitian's temperament, practicing it alone was indeed unsuitable.
Thousand Layer Surging Tides could be described as extremely firm and fierce, and its method was peculiar. In combat, internal strength comes like raging waves crashing on the shore, one wave after another, making it difficult for opponents to withstand. But before mastery, it easily damages tendons and meridians. The greater the benefit, the greater the drawback.
Now, the combination of Steadfast Immovable King and Thousand Layer Surging Tides gave him much inspiration. One stillness, one movement – each had its own merits.