Dugu Baitian was born into a declining martial arts clan. His ancestors had once enjoyed glorious days, standing as a myth in the continent's martial arts world. However, during a large-scale foreign invasion, even their ancestor Dugu Zhantian—once the strongest under heaven—perished in battle, and the clan was nearly wiped out. The identity of the invaders remains unknown; the truth has long been buried in the sands of time.
Dugu Baitian's father was an ordinary, honest man in the martial arts world, with no mortal enemies—and in truth, not many friends either. The once-mighty Dugu Clan had long been forgotten by the martial arts community, regarded merely as a wealthy family even by the residents of Changfeng Town.
The clan's martial arts, however, had not been lost. A black jade stone, passed down from their ancestor, served both as the clan leader's token and the family's martial arts manual. To the earlier generations of the clan, this black jade stone was invaluable—it symbolized power and held the hope of restoring the clan to its former glory. But to the recent generations, it was no different from an ordinary jade stone. When Dugu Baitian's grandfather fell on hard times, he once pawned it for wine; his father used it as a whetstone; and to Dugu Baitian, it was an essential weapon for dominating street thugs—a "brick."
Within the black jade stone resided a fragment of the ancestor's spiritual imprint: "Master all third-rate martial arts in the continent, and ultimate success shall be yours."
For this sentence, the clan's ancestors traveled the world, mastering countless third-rate martial arts—only to lead the clan into its current decline.
Strictly speaking, the Dugu family was no longer part of the martial arts world.
Changfeng Town was renowned throughout the Han-Tang Empire not for any special products or prosperity, but because it was home to a martial arts clan—a clan whose power could shake the entire Han-Tang martial arts world with a single stamp of their feet: the Situ Clan.
Over the past century, the Situ Clan had been abundant with top martial artists. Before the older generation of experts retired, the younger generation had already risen to prominence.
The declining Dugu Clan and the powerful Situ Clan lived across the street from each other, maintaining close relations and frequent interactions. Situ Jingyun, the current head of the Situ Clan, and Dugu Yanzhi, the master of the Dugu family, addressed each other as brothers. The elders of the Situ Clan were also on intimate terms with Dugu Feiyu, Dugu Yanzhi's father.
Since the Situ Clan moved to Changfeng Town a century ago, no bandits or robbers had dared to harass the town. Even during the Great War of the Nine Kingdoms, routed bandit armies did not dare to act recklessly against the town; after confronting the Situ Clan for a day, they quietly withdrew. The Situ Clan had become the town's guardian deity.
Dugu Yanzhi was a shrewd businessman, owning numerous rice shops, cloth stores, and restaurants. Wealthy yet not greedy, he often gave alms to the poor and needy in the town, making the Dugu family beloved as great benefactors by the townspeople.
The most famous person in the town, however, was neither Situ Jingyun nor Dugu Yanzhi—but Dugu Baitian, Dugu Yanzhi's eight-year-old son.
Though Dugu Baitian had no interest in practicing martial arts, he was obsessed with fighting. Almost all the children of his age in the town had been beaten by him—even the young masters of the Situ Clan who had just begun their martial arts training were not spared.
Every day, when the town's children gathered, their first question to each other was: "Did you get beaten by him today?"
Parents coming to the Dugu family to complain nearly wore down their threshold. For this, Dugu Yanzhi apologized profusely to everyone and resorted to both gentle persuasion and harsh discipline with Dugu Baitian.
Yet Dugu Baitian continued to do as he pleased. Even Dugu Feiyu, who doted on him endlessly, had no choice but to scold him angrily.
In response, Dugu Baitian would say, "Grandfather, your beard can move without wind! And when your beard moves, your eyes become big and bright—so cute!"
Dugu Feiyu was so angry that his beard nearly stood on end. But since he had only this one grandson, he couldn't bear to hit him. Helplessly, he warned, "If you keep bullying the other children, I'll lock you up at home and not let you go out."
After that, Dugu Baitian indeed stopped picking on children his age. Instead, he set his sights on sixteen and seventeen-year-old hooligans.
Though only eight years old, he was born with extraordinary physical strength. In his first fight with a hooligan, he beat the man until his head was covered in blood. From then on, he carried the family's black jade stone at his waist every day, seeking out hooligans nearby to fight. The local hooligans did their best to avoid him; if they couldn't, they ran away.
Eventually, Dugu Baitian could no longer find any opponents in the town. He once sneaked into the forest outside the town alone to provoke wild beasts. That day, the townspeople heard the furious roars of beasts, so terrifying that even the town's hunters dared not go out. By evening, Dugu Baitian returned to the town covered in blood, dragging a dead tiger behind him. His mother and grandmother were horrified, and from that day on, they sent someone to follow him everywhere, fearing that one day he might get the idea to provoke wild boars, lions, or other dangerous animals.
Overnight, Dugu Baitian's name became famous throughout the town.
Situ Jingyun, the head of the Situ Clan, became deeply interested in him, recognizing him as a martial arts prodigy and eager to take him as his disciple.
To this, Dugu Baitian shook his head violently. "No, too lazy to learn."
Situ Jingyun couldn't help but sigh. "The head of the Situ Clan takes the initiative to accept a disciple, only to be rejected. If this gets out in the martial arts world, it will surely be a big news."
Dugu Baitian—who loved fighting but hated practicing martial arts—truly became the leader of the children in Changfeng Town. Wherever he went, a large group of children followed closely behind. Even the young masters of the Situ Clan became his followers, and Situ Mingyue, Situ Jingyun's six-year-old daughter, clung to him like a shadow, becoming his most loyal little tail.
Six-year-old Situ Mingyue was as cute as a doll, intelligent and lovely. Her big, bright eyes were filled with admiration for Dugu Baitian, and she constantly shouted, "Brother Baitian, when I grow up, I want to marry you!"
"Okay, when you grow up, I'll marry you. Don't go back on your word." That was Dugu Baitian's reply to Situ Mingyue.
They were innocent playmates, bound by childhood sweethearts.
From then on, wherever Dugu Baitian went, Situ Mingyue followed.
Time flew by, and eight years passed in the blink of an eye.