Chapter 17: The Legend of Immortality

In the secret room, Dugu Feiyu and Dugu Yanzhi listened to Dugu Baitian's "Martial Theory" about Dugu Zhantian with deep sighs. It seemed like the heavens were playing a thousand-year joke on the Dugu family.

Dugu Baitian said, "Grandson, look, the Black Jade Stone has turned into top-quality jade. Now if you go and drink it or deceive your Aoyue's grandpa, they will definitely fight for it."

"You dare to make fun of grandpa, huh? How do you know all this?"

"Pfft, everyone on Earth knows."

"What?"

"Oh, the people in the town know about your glorious history."

"Hehe, is that so? I didn't expect your grandpa, me to be famous."

Dugu Baitian was speechless. He had always prided himself on having the thickest skin, but today his confidence was shaken.

"Baitian, I have something to tell you about me and your grandpa." Dugu Yanzhi interrupted the banter between the grandfather and grandson. "You once turned into a demon, do you know the consequences?"

"I don't know."

"Few people in history have been able to reach the level of Martial Saint, and even fewer have left behind essence stones. Even if essence stones occasionally appear in the world, it is very difficult for people to absorb the essence inside them. Cases like yours, willingly turning into a demon, are extremely rare, almost zero chance. There is an ancient legend: there was once a person who turned into a bloodthirsty demon king, becoming unbeatable for a time. In addition, he achieved an immortal body that couldn't be killed. He died as a demon, and the demon died as him, repeating this cycle, immortal and indestructible."

Dugu Baitian listened to this mythical legend with wide eyes, shocked.

Dugu Yanzhi glanced at him and continued, "Because of his existence, the entire continent was shrouded in blood and chaos, and almost all the elites of the martial world were wiped out. It was not only a catastrophe for the martial world, but also a calamity for the entire continent. According to legend, later a peerless genius with a semi-immortal physique appeared, who used supreme divine arts to sacrifice his lifetime cultivation to finally eliminate him. So, the ancients left a warning: 'Those who willingly turn into demons must be killed without mercy.'"

Dugu Baitian couldn't help but turn pale and said, "Dad, are you planning to kill your own son in the name of righteousness?"

Dugu Feiyu laughed and said, "Silly child, how could your dad bear to kill you? Even if he wants to, your grandpa wouldn't agree."

"Yeah, silly child, why would you think that? You are my son, how could I ever kill you? Even if it means going against the entire continent, so what?" Dugu Baitian couldn't help but choke up a little. "But, if I really..." He couldn't continue.

Dugu Feiyu said, "Look at how scared you are. Don't worry, you won't turn out that way. Even if you want to become a demon, you don't have the qualifications. You have already used up all the essence you obtained on your friends who have been through the ghost gate several times. The condition for becoming a demon is that after sacrificing oneself to become a demon, one needs to obtain all the essence from the essence stones, reaching the level of a Saint-level expert. You haven't obtained any essence at all, but the essence stones still had an effect on you. Once you reach the level of a Saint-level expert, you may have the chance to become a demon and obtain an immortal demon body."

Dugu Baitian exclaimed excitedly, "So you mean I can't practice martial arts properly for the rest of my life? What if my cultivation advances greatly and I become an immortal demon?"

Dugu Feiyu laughed and said, "You brat, who do you think you are? How many people have reached the level of a Saint-level expert in a thousand years? But don't worry, just practice martial arts without suppressing yourself. That legendary guy may have become a demon, but maybe you can become an immortal instead. The people on the continent at that time were too deeply affected by the terror of the immortal demon, which is why they established those stupid rules. In my opinion, maybe that immortal demon was greatly wronged before becoming a demon, and everything he did afterwards was out of revenge, affecting many innocents. It was also instigated by others that led to the tragedy at that time. Whether one becomes a demon or not depends entirely on one's own heart."

Dugu Yanzhi also said, "Your grandfather is right. Back in the forest, weren't your eyes also blood-red and you were starting to become a demon? But later on, you still saved your friends. Maybe that immortal demon before becoming a demon was truly wronged, and everything he did afterwards was out of revenge. Think about it, if all your friends really died in the forest, what would you do to become a demon or not, it depends on your own heart."

Dugu Baitian smiled and said, "Yes, whether one becomes a demon or not depends on one's own heart. Even if I really become a demon, so what? Even demons have feelings. In the forest, I already understood that everything is determined by one's own heart, whether it is good or evil."

Dugu Feiyu smiled and said, "Good, it's good that you have such thoughts. Now we can rest assured."

Dugu Yanzhi said, "There is one more thing that needs to be resolved, but it's a bit troublesome."

"Dad, what is it?"

"It's about the fact that you once sacrificed yourself and became a demon. No one in the martial arts world must know about it. If it leaks out, not only will you die, but the entire Dugu family will disappear forever."

Dugu Baitian smiled and said, "Except for us, only Li Shi knows about this. I have a way to prevent her from talking about it."

Dugu Feiyu became interested, "Oh, brat, what method do you have? We were worried about whether we should offend the people from the Misty Peak."

Dugu Baitian chuckled and recounted the events in the woods from his perspective as "Dugu Baitian." After finishing, he took out Li Shi's jade pendant statue to show them. "We can give her the jade pendant without any essence stone, and let her bring it back to her sect. On the surface, it looks like we are giving face to her sect, but in fact, we have a secret agreement with her: she is not allowed to talk about what happened in the woods, and we won't make a big deal out of the jade pendant. However, this is not fair to her."

Dugu Feiyu said, "For the survival of our family, we can only do this. Your father and I can't interfere. You handle this yourself."

"Yes, Grandfather."

These days, the Dugu family was very lively. After Dugu Baitian woke up, his friends came to celebrate, and it lasted for several days. Dugu Yanzhi let them be, after all, these people experienced separation and reunion, and it was inevitable for them to be happy and excited. They were young and impulsive, just like he was when he was young. Dugu Feiyu, who had personally participated in the events, was even more lively. After drinking a few cups of wine, the old man revealed his past flamboyant demeanor, drinking, gambling, and even suggesting going to the Lichun Courtyard. Dugu Baitian's friends readily agreed, but the old man soon realized what was going on and made an excuse to slip away, causing everyone to laugh heartily.

Today, Li Shi bid farewell to the Dugu family. Looking at her misty eyes and serene face, Dugu Baitian couldn't face her directly. He brought up the old matter again today and used the jade pendant to threaten her to make an "unequal treaty," feeling guilty in his heart.

Li Shi smiled calmly as she left.

Watching her disappearing figure in the distance, Dugu Baitian felt a little lost in his heart.

Growing up is inevitable for us,

Youth is something we never want to part with.

Who is a passerby in whose destiny, who is a cycle of life.

The dust of the previous life, the wind of this life, endless sorrowful souls.

I see your face appearing in the blue sky,

So I smiled, because I saw you,

Happy like a child who never grows up.

Dugu Feiyu waved his hand in front of Dugu Baitian and said, "I'm back to my senses now. Everyone has left, why are you still staring blankly?"

"Grandfather, I want to go out into the world."

The sudden words startled the whole family.

Dugu Yanzhi said, "We knew you belonged to the Jianghu, but we didn't expect this day to come so suddenly."

"I want to go to the Jianghu to fulfill my dreams."

"What dreams?"

"To roam the Jianghu, taste life, and experience the countless wonders that await me in the vast world. The sea is wide enough for fish to leap, and the sky is high enough for birds to fly. Life should be colorful. The small town is too small for me. There is a broader sky waiting for me to create my legend. I want to make the name Dugu Baitian known to everyone on the continent."

Seeing his son's eager and hopeful expression, Dugu Yanzhi knew he couldn't stop his determination to go to the Jianghu.

Dugu Feiyu said, "Do you really want to venture into the Jianghu?"

"Yes, I must go."

The old lady and her daughter-in-law couldn't help but feel gloomy. Their child had grown up and deserved to have their own space, but the world of Jianghu was dangerous and full of risks. Jianghu was also a big melting pot, and once one entered it, one would lose control. The Dugu family had only one seedling, which made them worried.

"Since you have already decided, grandfather supports you. Wherever you go, remember that you still have a family. Not for yourself, but for the sake of the family, you must protect yourself."

"Hehe, grandfather, you underestimate me."

"Your grandfather is telling the truth. Your martial arts are only at a second-rate level. Jianghu is a place where strength is respected. You can't just leave like this. Stay at home for a while, and your grandfather and I will teach you some unique skills."

"Haha, dad, I have been practicing our family's third-rate martial arts for more than a year. I might as well practice the dangerous technique Thousand Waves than those 'unique skills'. This time, I'm going to Jianghu to see the amazing martial arts of various factions, and create my own martial arts based on the Thousand Waves technique."

Dugu Feiyu said lightly, "Child, do you remember that I once told you about Mingwang Budong? I didn't teach you before because I felt that your temperament was not suitable for cultivating this skill that emphasizes cultivating the heart and nature. But now I can give it to you for reference."

Mingwang Budong is a skill that focuses on cultivating the breath and nature. After it is cultivated, its strength continues to grow, but with Dugu Baitian's temperament, it is not suitable for him to cultivate it alone.

The Thousand Waves technique is incredibly strong and fierce, and its techniques are strange. When used against an enemy, the internal strength is like waves crashing against the shore, one wave after another, making it difficult for the opponent to resist. However, if not mastered properly, it can cause injuries to the tendons and meridians, with its advantages and disadvantages.

Now, the combination of Mingwang Budong and the Thousands Waves technique has given him a lot of inspiration, with one focusing on stillness and the other on movement, each with its own strengths.

...

Ps: go through the ghost gate, means die

Jianghu: martial art world