Time flew by, and two years passed in the blink of an eye.
Today, Situ Aoyue, the second young master of the Situ Clan, finally mastered the family's "Bright Moon Heart Sutra" to the eleventh level. Situ Jingyun was overjoyed, holding Situ Aoyue's hand and saying, "My son, you've mastered the family's divine skill to the eleventh level at the age of nineteen—something rarely seen in the clan's history over the past century. If you continue to practice at this speed, by the age of fifty, you will have mastered the 'Bright Moon Heart Sutra' to its eighteenth and highest level. At that time, you will be among the supreme Emperor-level experts, and the clan will flourish under your leadership."
Looking at his father's excited face, Situ Aoyue's heart was filled with lofty ambition. Dominating the martial arts world, roaming the continent, and being invincible—who didn't yearn for that? Especially at his age, when he was at the stage of admiring heroes and dreaming of becoming one himself.
"Father, I will make the Situ Clan famous throughout the continent."
"Good! I'm so proud of your ambition, Aoyue. I'll give you and your two brothers three days off—go enjoy yourselves."
"That's wonderful! Thank you, Father. I'll go tell Big Brother and Little Brother." With that, he turned and ran toward the martial arts training ground in the backyard.
It was no wonder—these three brothers hadn't stepped out of the house for three whole months. The Situ Clan had extremely strict requirements for the next generation. If their martial arts didn't reach the corresponding standard by a certain age, they were not allowed to leave the house at all. That was why all the members of the Situ Clan who wandered the martial arts world were top martial artists.
In fact, the three sons of the current clan leader, Situ Jingyun, were all gifted. Their martial arts had long since met the required standards. But as the clan leader, Situ Jingyun set even higher standards for his own children, and the three of them were outstanding among their peers in the clan.
The eldest brother, Situ Haoyue, was twenty years old and had already mastered the "Bright Moon Heart Sutra" to the eleventh level—he was currently the top martial artist among the younger generation of the clan. The second brother, Situ Aoyue, was nineteen and had just mastered the sutra to the eleventh level, showing signs of surpassing his elder brother. The youngest brother, Situ Minyue, was sixteen—he and Situ Mingyue were twins, born half an hour after her. Due to his age, he had just mastered the sutra to the ninth level, but even so, he was considered a top martial artist among the younger generation.
Soon, the three brothers came to the main hall from the backyard. The eldest was tall and robust, exuding masculine charm. The second was handsome and extraordinary, with a striking appearance. The youngest looked very similar to Situ Mingyue—extremely handsome, and if he dressed as a woman, he would also be a great beauty.
"We pay our respects to Father." The three of them bowed to Situ Jingyun in unison, unable to hide the joy on their faces.
"Rise."
"Yes."
"You three are in such a hurry to go out—are you going to find Baitian?"
The three nodded.
"If that little fighting maniac asks to fight you again, be sure to seal off sixty percent of your power. Although that boy's body is incredibly strong, you are no longer what you used to be. Be careful not to hurt him."
The three brothers nodded, and Situ Aoyue said, "We understand. Last time, the three of us let him win on purpose. But that boy is too arrogant—he actually laughed at our martial arts for being useless. This time, we must teach him a lesson."
Situ Jingyun said, "That boy Baitian is an extraordinary talent—he was born for martial arts. I used to regret that he didn't like practicing martial arts, but now it seems I was worrying unnecessarily."
Situ Haoyue said, "That fighting maniac?"
Situ Jingyun nodded. "That's right. With my current cultivation, I can finally sense the blazing fighting spirit within him. Sooner or later, he will embark on the path of martial arts—even if he hasn't realized it himself yet."
Situ Aoyue said, "Is he really that powerful? But he's already so old—isn't it too late for him to start practicing martial arts?"
Situ Jingyun replied, "He has been fighting since he was a child, so his body and bones have long been tempered. It's not too late at all. Moreover, he is no ordinary person—there are no ordinary people in the Dugu family."
Situ Minyue said, "I knew Brother-in-law was no ordinary person. Could Uncle Dugu and Grandfather Dugu also be extraordinary?"
Situ Jingyun scolded, "Your sister hasn't married that brat yet!" Then he added, "Children, the truly powerful experts are often obscure. Remember that. Alright, you can go now."
Having been cooped up at home for three months, the three brothers felt as free as birds just released from a cage, overflowing with joy and ease. Walking on the street, everything seemed fresh and new.
The Dugu family lived almost next door to theirs, separated only by a street. As soon as they entered, Situ Haoyue and Situ Aoyue shouted, "Fighting maniac!" Situ Minyue was even more exaggerated, yelling, "Brother-in-law, we're here to see you!"
The servant, seeing that it was the three young masters of the Situ Clan, hurried inside to report. He was already accustomed to these strange titles.
Soon, a tall and robust young man walked out—fully one and a half heads taller than most people, around eighteen or nineteen years old. With long eyebrows reaching his temples, 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. The young man was only wearing a pair of trousers, his upper body bare, his skin a bronze color, and his well-defined muscles coiled like dragons, exuding raw power. A black ribbon tied his long hair, which flowed freely over his shoulders—wild yet elegant, with an air of looking down on the world and considering himself unparalleled.
This was none other than Dugu Baitian, who had just woken up from his afternoon nap.
Dugu Baitian smiled mischievously. "Ah, it's my three brothers-in-law. Forgive me for not coming to greet you earlier."
Situ Haoyue glared angrily. "Fighting maniac! My sister hasn't married you yet. Even if she did, you would have to address me respectfully as 'Eldest Brother-in-law'."
Situ Minyue ran over and smiled. "Brother-in-law, you look even more heroic and extraordinary than before—we haven't seen you in three months!"
Like his sister Situ Mingyue, Situ Minyue had admired Dugu Baitian since childhood. Even though his martial arts had improved greatly in recent years and he was no longer inferior to Dugu Baitian in fighting, he still looked up to him infinitely.
"Only my little brother-in-law has good taste, knowing that I'm always so wise and powerful."
Situ Aoyue said, "Fighting maniac, stop being so narcissistic. Be careful we beat you to your knees begging for mercy later."
Dugu Baitian replied, "Second brother-in-law, if you hadn't come, I would have gone crazy with boredom. I just learned some martial arts and was looking for someone to practice with—you came at the perfect time. Eldest brother-in-law, you're so irritable—I'll help you vent your anger first later."
The three of them were greatly surprised. They had never imagined that this maniac, who had hated practicing martial arts since childhood and only loved fighting, would suddenly start learning it.
Situ Haoyue couldn't help but ask, "You're practicing martial arts? When did you start? And who are you learning from?"
"About three months ago. I learned some common third-rate martial arts from my grandfather. It should be more than enough to deal with you guys."
Situ Haoyue flew into a rage. "Fighting maniac, let's go to the outskirts of the town to compete right now."
Situ Aoyue also said, "Originally, we wanted to pay our respects to Uncle Dugu and Grandfather Dugu first, but it seems we'll have to do that later."
Situ Minyue was obviously used to this kind of situation, standing aside and watching with a smile.
Dugu Baitian said, "Alright, wait for me."
He turned and ran toward the backyard, then quickly returned wearing a shirt.
It was a sunny spring day, with gentle breezes and a cloudless sky. The warm spring wind blew softly, making people feel light and refreshed.
The grass by the roadside was tender and green, and the willow branches hung down like green silk ribbons—everything was full of vitality. The air was filled with a mixed fragrance of soil and grass, permeated with the breath of spring.
Dugu Baitian and the other three had arrived at the outskirts of the town, chatting as they walked.
The four of them had forged their friendship through fighting. Although Situ Haoyue and Situ Aoyue were older than Dugu Baitian, they had been bullied by him countless times when they were children—until the day he stopped picking on "weak children." Later, because of Situ Mingyue, their friendship deepened into something more like family. Even though they bickered and fought whenever they met, the friendship between the four was sincere.
Situ Minyue said, "Brother-in-law, what kind of moves have you learned?"
"A lot. For example, 'Wild Horse Splits Mane', 'Golden Rooster Stands Alone', 'Catch the Turtle in the Jar'—specially prepared for my eldest and second brothers-in-law, and 'Wait by the Stump for the Rabbit' for you."
Situ Haoyue shouted angrily, "Dugu Baitian, I'll say it one more time—my sister hasn't married you yet. Even if she does, you have to call me 'Eldest Brother-in-law', not 'brother-in-law'!"
Situ Aoyue also shouted angrily, "Dugu Baitian, stop talking nonsense. We'll make you beg for mercy later."
"Bring it on—I can't wait."
Bickering all the way, the group arrived at their "fighting sacred ground"—the forest outside the town.
That's when they noticed a young couple sitting by the forest, looking intimate. The girl was wiping sweat from the young man's forehead. It seemed they had stopped to rest after a long journey.
Dugu Baitian didn't pay much attention at first, but he suddenly noticed that the smiles on the faces of the three Situ brothers had frozen. Curious, he turned to look at the couple—and they were looking back at them.
"Boom!"
Dugu Baitian felt as if he had been struck by lightning. His mind went blank, and it took him a long time to recover. That girl—wasn't she the Yue'er he had been longing for day and night? After two years apart, Situ Mingyue had grown even more beautiful, so stunning that she took one's breath away. The once slightly immature little girl had transformed into a breathtakingly beautiful young woman, her charming face exuding grace and charm. Yet the person he had been pining for was sitting intimately with another young man—a young man who was handsome and heroic, with an extraordinary bearing. Dugu Baitian understood: betrayal. His former lover had betrayed him.
Situ Mingyue obviously recognized the four of them. Her expression turned awkward as she stood up, reaching out to pull the young man up with her—but then she hesitated and pulled her hand back. The young man, however, stood up naturally, looking calm and composed.
"Big Brother, Second Brother, Little Brother."
"Hmph!"
The three brothers snorted in unison. They had never imagined they would meet Situ Mingyue under such circumstances. Situ Haoyue and Situ Aoyue had long regarded Dugu Baitian as their future brother-in-law, and Situ Minyue even called him "brother-in-law" wherever he went. That Dugu Baitian would be the future son-in-law of the Situ Clan was an open secret. Yet the sight before them was unbearable to accept.
"Brother Baitian, I... I..."
Situ Mingyue looked even more awkward, not knowing what to say.
At this moment, Dugu Baitian's heart was shattered into pieces. Was this the girl who had once loved him deeply? Was this the girl he had loved so passionately? Was this the girl who had begged him to wait for her two years ago, telling him over and over again not to forget her? Was this the girl who had shouted since childhood, "Brother Baitian, when I grow up, I want to marry you"?
Dugu Baitian could hear the sound of his heart breaking. All the memories of the past flooded his mind in an instant, as if the scenes were unfolding right before his eyes.
A doll-like little girl chasing after a boy, her voice sweet and innocent: "Brother Baitian, slow down—I can't keep up!"
"Brother Baitian, carry me." The little girl climbed onto the boy's back, smiling happily.
"Brother Baitian, when I grow up, I want to marry you." The little girl's tone was firm, her expression cute.
In the blink of an eye, the little girl had grown into a beautiful young woman. She hid behind the boy, covering his eyes with her hands. "Guess who I am?"
The young woman took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped the boy's sweat, her voice gentle: "Brother Baitian, stop fighting with them—play with me instead."
The young woman leaned affectionately on the boy's shoulder. "Brother Baitian, when I grow up, I want to marry you."
In an instant, the scene changed again. The beautiful young woman was now a stunning girl, her charming face exuding grace and charm. She was wiping sweat from a young man's forehead—but that young man was not him. Her graceful figure sat intimately with another young man.
Tears blurred Dugu Baitian's eyes.
"Ah!"
He let out a roar and ran toward the town as fast as he could. He heard Situ Mingyue calling out to him, "Brother Baitian, stop!" But he didn't dare to look back. He was afraid that Situ Mingyue would see the tears in his eyes, afraid that she would hear the sound of his heart breaking.