Walking the Great Dao Alone

Chapter 36: Walking the Great Dao Alone

Seeing his father's expression grow increasingly solemn, Xu Zimo hurriedly replied, "I really haven't thought about marriage. And don't start talking about parental orders and matchmakers. Free love is all the rage now."

"Don't you understand?" Xu Qingshan explained. "Baili Xiao is destined to receive the sect's full support, perhaps even contend for the Heavenly Mandate. I'm doing this for your own good.

Besides, feelings can be cultivated slowly!"

"So what, then? You and my mother cultivated yours slowly too?" Xu Zimo asked.

"How could that be?" Xu Qingshan hurriedly replied. "Spring breeze brushing the face, beside the willow-lined river, a graceful youth and a delicate maiden—your mother and I fell in love at first sight."

"Then I want to find someone I'll fall in love with at first sight too," Xu Zimo said.

"Do you want to contend for the Great Emperor?" Xu Qingshan looked at Xu Zimo and asked seriously.

"Who doesn't want to become a Great Emperor?" Xu Zimo retorted.

"I understand." Xu Qingshan fell silent for a moment, then said, "Go on. In another half year, the sect will hold a Seven Sects Grand Competition. Make your preparations in advance.

When the time comes, if you win the competition, I can rightfully make you the Holy Son."

In truth, Xu Zimo had no interest in the position of Holy Son, but he still nodded and left Qingshan Peak.

Afterward, he took Lin Ruhu and Xiao Guizi to Ten Mile Town.

They first went to the Beast Taming Pavilion, rented a Desert Steed each, and then set off from the True Martial Sacred Sect in grand fashion.

It was spring. The willows by the roadside had sprouted tender buds, flowers bloomed in a frantic race, and several wisps of spring breeze blew in from afar, stirring up clouds of dust.

On Qingyang Village's martial arena, a fiercely contested match was underway.

Chu Yang looked at the youth before him. The Dragon Sword left its sheath as he unleashed the Thirteen Shadow Sword Style Old Mo had taught him.

The longsword hummed through the air, transforming into thirteen afterimages that lunged toward the youth opposite him.

The youth opposite held his saber in both hands, struggling to fend off the sword shadows. He fought while retreating, nearly reaching the edge of the martial arena.

A sharp gleam flashed through Chu Yang's eyes. The sword shadows grew faster and faster, and he seized the chance to kick his opponent off the martial arena.

"I declare that the winner of Qingyang Village's martial competition is Chu Yang!" Coach Mo shouted approvingly from the side.

He had witnessed this youth's rise with his own eyes—from being so frail that he could not even hold a horse stance steadily, to reaching the fifth level of the Spirit Vein Realm and becoming one of the outstanding youths of Qingyang Town.

Yet this youth had only taken a few short weeks. Unhurried and unruffled, he had not grown proud in the slightest over his small accomplishments.

His future was boundless!

"Coach Mo, I think it's time for me to leave Qingyang Village. Thank you for taking care of me all this time," Chu Yang said earnestly after the competition ended, having found Coach Mo.

Coach Mo froze for a moment, then relaxed and smiled. "That makes sense. I should have thought of it long ago.

A hidden dragon in the abyss will one day soar to great heights.

The patch of sky over Qingyang Village is too small. It should not be your battlefield. I just never expected this day to come so soon.

Among everyone I've met, your talent is the best. Even compared to the children of those great families in the Imperial City, you are not inferior in the least."

"No matter what becomes of me in the future, I will remember that I am from Qingyang Village," Chu Yang replied firmly.

"Good, very good." Coach Mo laughed heartily, then asked, "Where do you plan to go? Have you decided?"

"I don't know. I want to head north and see the world around the Imperial City," Chu Yang said with a smile.

"When I was young, I worked in Xuanyuan City. If you don't mind, I can recommend that you go there and take a look," Coach Mo said.

"Sure. I'm heading toward the Imperial City anyway, and Xuanyuan City happens to be on the way," Chu Yang said with a smile.

Then Coach Mo took out half a jade pendant and handed it to Chu Yang. "Take this half of the jade pendant to the military camp in Xuanyuan City. Find a man named Du Tianyin and tell him you are Mo Tianqi's nephew. He'll understand."

Chu Yang accepted the jade pendant and solemnly thanked him.

Coach Mo smiled, waved his hand, and said, "Go. A broader stage awaits you outside. Your journey has only just begun!"

Early the next morning, when the sky was still dim and the pale white of dawn had yet to appear, Chu Yang had already packed his luggage.

He stepped through the night that was about to fade and left Qingyang Village.

The youth turned back to look at the little village where he had lived for more than ten years. This ordinary little village had stood through wind and rain for decades.

Chu Yang's eyes were full of endless attachment and reluctance.

"Xiao Yang, stop looking. It's time for us to go," Old Mo's voice sounded beside his ear.

Chu Yang turned around, adjusted the luggage on his back, and slowly walked toward the distance.

"Old Mo, have you ever had someone or something you missed deeply in your life?"

"You're so young, and you've already learned to sigh over life?" The old man's laughter rang out. Then he suddenly fell silent before slowly asking, "Xiao Yang, do you know what Walking the Great Dao Alone means?"

"Walking the Great Dao Alone?" The youth's voice was filled with confusion.

"The peak of the martial path,

is loneliness,

is desolation,

is a long, endless search,

is the cold no height can bear."

The old man replied with a sigh, "The martial path is ultimately one person's carnival. The strong are always alone.

When you stand at the beginning of this road, many people will be by your side.

So you silently walk forward. Along the way, you will lose some people and meet new friends.

You will endure the blazing sun, face wind and rain, shed blood and tears, and tread over mountains of blades and seas of fire.

When you look back again, you will discover that those who once accompanied you have all vanished.

Some abandoned their own martial paths. They started families, built careers, found ties to hold them back, and chose to live out their lives in such ordinariness.

Others reached the end of their lifespan and ultimately fell upon this road, turning into piles of white bones.

This road is long. The farther forward you walk, the lonelier you will become, and the fewer people will remain by your side.

Until in the end, either you, like everyone else, reach the end of your lifespan and add another skeleton to this road.

Or you step onto the peak of the martial path. Only then will you understand just how, just how lonely invincibility is."

Xu Zimo and the others had traveled for half a day when sounds of fighting suddenly came from not far ahead.

"Senior Brother Xu, it seems there are bandits robbing people up ahead," Xiao Guizi said.

"Interesting." Xu Zimo smiled. "Come on, let's take a look."

The group rode their Desert Steeds to the site of the fight and saw that a group of black-clothed, masked people had already taken control of the situation.

At the center, a rather luxurious carriage was surrounded on all sides.

The servants escorting the carriage had nearly all been killed. Only a scant few were still barely holding on.

"This is the Situ Family's carriage. You bandits have eaten bear hearts and leopard guts! Aren't you afraid of the Situ Family's revenge?" the elderly carriage guard shouted sternly.