Time flows like water, and the fleeting eight years passed in an instant.
This year, Dugu Baitian was sixteen years old. The once-famous child fighter and hooligan leader had grown into a heroic young man. With sword-like eyebrows, tiger-like eyes, a straight nose, and a square mouth, his most striking feature was a pair of eyes as bright as the cold stars in the night sky. His tall and sturdy figure, half a head taller than most people, made it hard to believe he was only sixteen.
Dugu Baitian stood beside the forest outside the town, waiting for a girl—the girl he deeply loved, the girl who had shouted since childhood that she wanted to marry him: Situ Mingyue.
Before long, a green cloud drifted from afar, and a graceful green figure appeared before him in the blink of an eye.
"Brother Baitian!"
A stunning young woman threw herself into Dugu Baitian's arms.
The once doll-like little girl had now grown into a graceful and beautiful young woman. With bright eyes, white teeth, and skin as crystal clear as jade, she was as beautiful as a fairy.
"Brother Baitian, I missed you so much! But Father wouldn't let me go out until I mastered the 'Bright Moon Heart Sutra' to the seventh level. I worked hard for a month, and I finally did it. Did you miss me?"
Dugu Baitian smiled. "Of course. If you hadn't come out soon, I would have gone to fight that old man of yours."
Situ Mingyue pouted playfully. "Don't speak ill of Father. He only did it for my own good."
"How dare I speak ill of my future father-in-law? If he finds out, he might hide his precious daughter away—and then who would I marry?" Dugu Baitian laughed.
Situ Mingyue's face was filled with happiness as she pulled away from his embrace. "Brother Baitian, let's walk in the forest, shall we?"
"Sure!"
It was early summer, and the forest was lush and green. The melodious singing of birds and the occasional scurrying of small animals fleeing in fright added endless vitality to the forest. This forest was not only a favorite among hunters but also a treasure trove for Dugu Baitian and his hooligan friends. Here, they could hunt game and fight to their hearts' content, free from the constraints of the mortal world—it was a world of their own.
Dugu Baitian knew this place like the back of his hand, but Situ Mingyue rarely came here, as her father had forced her to practice martial arts at home.
Now, with his beloved by his side, Dugu Baitian eagerly shared stories about the forest.
"Brother Baitian, why don't you ask my father to be your master and learn martial arts from him?"
"Is his martial arts really that good?"
Situ Mingyue rolled her eyes. "Father is at least a Sub-King level expert—one of the rare top martial artists in the Han-Tang Empire. Isn't he qualified to be your master?"
Dugu Baitian imitated her tone. "My father-in-law is at least a Sub-King level expert—one of the rare top martial artists in the Han-Tang Empire. He might barely be worthy of being my master."
"You're annoying, imitating a girl's voice!"
"Yue'er, when I was a child, I really didn't like martial arts. But as I grew older, I found myself gradually falling in love with it."
Situ Mingyue shouted with joy. "That's great! Hurry and ask my father to be your master. Not only can you learn martial arts, but we can also stay together every day."
"Yue'er, let me finish. I do want to learn martial arts, but I want to learn the best martial arts in the world. For other martial arts, I'll only use them as references." Dugu Baitian's voice was filled with lofty ambition.
"But where will you learn it?"
Dugu Baitian reached into his pocket and pulled out the long black jade stone. "This is my master. The martial arts I want are hidden inside it."
Situ Mingyue looked surprised. "Brother Baitian, isn't this the weapon you use for fighting? I remember when we were children, you hit my second brother's head with this black stone until it bleed. Second brother went to your house to complain, and you were so scared that you didn't dare to go home until dark."
Dugu Baitian scratched his head awkwardly and smiled. "You have such a good memory, Yue'er—even remembering such a small thing."
"I also remember that I begged Father to go out and find you, to send you home. As a result, Second Brother was so angry that he didn't speak to me for three days."
Dugu Baitian said, "Still, my little Yue'er is the best. That guy was a sore loser. But I do miss him—it's been a long time since we fought. When can you sneak your second brother out?"
Situ Mingyue laughed. "All you think about is fighting. I dare not sneak him out again. Last time, I secretly passed a note from you to him, and Father punished me severely. Second Brother is Father's key protégé—he's stricter with him than anyone else. But even if I did sneak him out, you wouldn't be his match anymore."
"Tch, he's always been my loser." Dugu Baitian scoffed.
"After not seeing someone for three days, you should look at them with new eyes. Second Brother has been making rapid progress every day, while you only rely on brute force. One is advancing by leaps and bounds, the other is standing still—you can guess the outcome."
Dugu Baitian said, "Very well. Next time, I'll prove it to you with facts. But I really don't understand this black stone—where exactly is its secret hidden?"
Situ Mingyue smiled and said, "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. I learned a new lightness skill, Brother Baitian—come catch me!"
With that, her graceful figure fluttered away like a beautiful butterfly, her clothes dancing in the wind as she darted into the depths of the forest.
Dugu Baitian shouted from behind, "Wait for me—I'm coming!"
He ran after her, his footsteps light and swift.
The forest was filled with the sound of their laughter.