Heir of the Supreme Sky Throne

CHAPTER 2 TiAN CHEN'S AWAKENING

Both men were filled with shock. How could a nine-year-old child have the aura of a sixth-class warrior? Their pupils trembled, their breaths caught in their throats. It didn't make sense. A child that age should still be at the basic level; even reaching a first-class warrior was difficult. Yet, the aura they sensed from this boy was so real—the pressure, the creeping dread in their bones, all told them that they weren't dealing with an ordinary child.

They looked at each other, communication happening silently through eye gestures and subtle movements of their fingers. They both understood that this situation was dangerous. If this boy was truly as strong as they sensed, they couldn't act rashly.

After a few seconds of silence, they nodded almost simultaneously. Their bodies tensed, muscles ready to explode at full speed. They decided to move in one swift attack—eliminate the boy before something more dreadful happened.

But... before they could move, Tian Chen's body vanished from his spot. In a flash, he was beside them. They didn't even feel the wind created by his movement—as if he had just jumped over the boundaries of time and space.

PLAK!

PLAK!

Light slaps landed on their faces. But the effect... was beyond reason.

The two large bodies were thrown far away, like dry leaves caught in a storm. They spun through the air several times before finally crashing onto the ground hard. Their teeth scattered, blood poured from their mouths, and their cheeks swelled with a terrifying shape—as if their faces were turned into pig heads beaten by a giant hammer.

They groaned in pain, but before they could process what had just happened, Tian Chen's cold voice pierced their ears. "You think you can just leave after blocking my way?"

Just one sentence, but the pressure it carried made their blood feel like it was freezing.

Both of them crawled up, their bodies trembling violently. They tried to calm down, building courage to fight back. They still couldn't believe this boy was truly that strong. Maybe he was just relying on some strange technique? Maybe there was a weakness in his strength?

But... when they raised their heads and truly looked at Tian Chen, they immediately shivered.

It wasn't because of the terrifying pressure of his aura. It wasn't because of the boy's impossible speed.

But because... the creature in front of them was no longer a boy.

Tian Chen's hair, previously jet black and only shoulder-length, had now changed drastically. It had become white as unblemished snow, extending past his back. His eyes, previously black, now glittered like diamonds reflecting moonlight.

He didn't look human. He looked more like... a demon.

The two men couldn't even scream. Their voices choked in their throats. That fear wasn't just ordinary fear—but fear that came from their souls, from their instincts telling them that what was in front of them was not something they could fight.

FLOP!

They didn't even have time to react. Tian Chen was already in front of them. His small hand rose, but this time, it wasn't a casual slap.

Like a sharp knife, his hand pierced their chests.

There was no scream. No resistance.

The two large bodies froze in place. Their eyes widened, their pupils shrinking until they were almost invisible. Blood began to seep out from the corners of their lips, dripping slowly onto the ground that was now stained a deep red.

A few seconds later, their bodies collapsed.

Dead.

In the distance, another boy who witnessed the event was unable to control his trembling body. Wuya, who had been acting like an arrogant young master, was now no more than a little boy shrouded in deep fear.

Cold sweat poured down his temples. His body tensed, his muscles seemingly paralyzed.

"Demon..." he muttered in a barely audible voice. His lips trembled violently. "You must be a demon..."

Tian Chen looked at him. His gaze was empty.

With a casual movement, he raised his index finger.

On his finger, internal energy began to gather. Slowly, the energy spun, forming something resembling a small windmill. Dim light radiated from the swirling energy, but its power could not be underestimated.

Wuya and his friends didn't have time to think.

WHOOSSHH!!!

In a flash, the internal energy windmill shot out.

As fast as lightning, it cut through the air, moving straight without sound, without rumble, without warning.

And in the next second... Wuya's head and the heads of his friends separated from their bodies.

There was no scream. No blood spurted wildly. Only the muffled sound of heads falling to the ground, rolling around before finally stopping in a chilling silence.

They were all dead.

After that, Tian Chen's body slowly trembled. His white hair changed back to black, its length returning to normal. The aura that had been so terrifying, which had pressed on the entire area with tremendous power, now disappeared completely.

And his body... began to sway.

Tian Chen gasped, his breath racing. His entire body felt excruciatingly painful, as if his bones were crushed and reassembled repeatedly.

He looked down, staring at his hand.

Blood covered his palm. But it wasn't his blood.

It was the blood of the people he had killed.

His eyes widened. His mind was blank.

"What... happened?" His voice trembled.

His heart pounded. He didn't remember ever wanting this. He didn't remember ever intending to kill anyone.

His body weakened, his knees buckled. Tears began to flow down his cheeks.

He didn't know what had happened. He didn't understand why all of this had happened.

But... he was aware of one thing.

He had killed them.

With trembling hands, Tian Chen began to dig the ground with his own hands. He buried the bodies one by one, even though the pain in his body was almost unbearable.

After it was all done, he began to climb the hill. He had to go home. He had to go back to his mother.

But... on the way, his vision blurred. His head throbbed. The world around him began to spin.

And finally, his body collapsed.

Just then, the figure of a woman appeared beside him. Her face was calm, elegant, and filled with tenderness.

She was none other than his mother.

"It seems the blood your father gave you has been activated." Her voice was soft, but firm. "I must train Chen'er until he can freely use the power of his blood."

Without hesitation, the woman lifted Tian Chen's body into her lap.

Then... she flew.

And if anyone saw this sight—let alone ordinary warriors, even kings would be shocked.

Because in these Eastlands... no warrior could truly fly. ***

When consciousness returned, Tian Chen found himself already in his room. Sunlight breaking through the window crevice dazzled his eyes, making him blink several times to adjust to the light. His body felt tired, and there was a slight ache that reminded him of the events before he fainted.

He quickly got out of bed, then walked out of his room. This simple house was filled with the distinctive aroma of herbs, mixed with thin smoke from medicinal ingredients being boiled. His steps stopped at the threshold of his mother's workroom.

Inside the room, an elegant woman in simple clothes sat calmly in front of a clay stove, stirring a concoction with a wooden spoon. Hot steam rose, filling the room with a bitter but calming scent.

Just as Tian Chen was about to open his mouth to ask, his mother had already realized his presence.

"You're awake?" The soft voice greeted him, without the slightest sign of concern.

Tian Chen looked at his mother for a moment before nodding. "Mother, how did I get here? Did someone bring me home?"

He still remembered how his vision blurred in the middle of the road before finally losing consciousness. It was impossible for him to get home by himself.

"Oh, that," his mother replied calmly. "Someone came to be treated earlier. He found you fainted on the road and brought you home."

Tian Chen breathed a sigh of relief at that explanation. If it was just someone passing by, then there was nothing strange to think about. However, the tranquility he had just felt immediately vanished. His expression changed, his eyes filled with a deep shadow of sadness.

"Mother, I..."

His words were cut short. He wanted to tell the truth, that he had killed someone. But his heart hesitated. His mother was a healer who valued every life. Let alone humans, even injured animals would be treated by her.

"What's wrong with you, Chen'er?" His mother's tone remained soft, but now there was a slight note of concern. "Your face looks very sad. Did you have trouble in the market?"

Tian Chen was silent for a moment before finally looking down deeply. His voice trembled as he said, "Mother, I have committed a great sin. I am no longer human..."

His shoulders shook, and he sat down limply, hugging his knees. His head was bowed, tears falling uncontrollably.

"Although I don't know what really happened," he continued in a hoarse voice, "I'm sure I did it. I killed a human."

His mother looked at him with deep eyes. Her expression showed no shock or anger.

"Chen'er," she said in a gentle but firm tone, "if it's true, Mother wouldn't condone your actions. But, Mother won't blame you either."

The woman rose from her seat, walked towards Tian Chen, then knelt in front of him. With her two warm hands, she lifted her son's face, which was still wet with tears.

"Get up," she said gently.

But Tian Chen remained bowed, refusing to look at his mother.

"Mother understands how you feel," the woman continued. "But, you shouldn't keep mourning like this. Mother believes that you didn't kill people without reason, so Mother won't blame you."

Tian Chen bit his lip. He wanted to believe his mother's words, but the image of blood on his hands was still too clear in his mind.

"Mother..." His voice sounded desperate. "But... the person I killed wasn't an ordinary person. He was the son of a nobleman, a prince. With his background, it's not just me who is in danger, but Mother will also be dragged into a big problem because of my actions."

His mother was silent for a moment, then sighed softly.

"Chen'er," she said calmly, "if that's our destiny, then we'll face it together. Now, rather than keep blaming yourself, it's better for you to eat and rest to calm your mind."

Tian Chen knew that there was no point in dwelling on his sadness. He nodded slightly, accepting his mother's words. But after eating, instead of resting, he went to his training ground. _______

Before him stood a tall cliff with rough and steep walls. The evening wind blew strongly, hitting his small body that stood firmly beneath it.

"Everything that has happened can't be changed," he thought. "If I don't want Mother to be in danger, the only way is to become stronger!"

With burning determination, he began to climb the cliff. At first, he used both hands to hold onto cracks in the rocks. But as time passed, he began to limit his movements—forcing himself to only use one hand.

Tian Chen didn't know fatigue. Days passed, but he never went home. Day and night, he continued to train, honing his body to its limit.

After feeling satisfied with his climbing training, he started digging the ground using makeshift tools. Every swing of his hand dug deeper, forming a large depression.

Day after day, until finally fifteen days had passed. Now, before him lay a dry lake formed from the result of his hard work.

But it wasn't enough. Tian Chen prepared two wooden barrels, then started walking along the steep path to take water from the river. The journey wasn't easy—the rocky road and steep inclines made every step feel heavy. But he didn't care. He kept carrying water, pouring it into the dry lake he had dug.

Whenever he rested, food was always available near him. He knew that his mother was the one who prepared it. But seeing that his mother didn't stop his training, Tian Chen became increasingly convinced that he had to continue.

In the distance, unbeknownst to him, his mother watched from the air, standing on a thin cloud invisible to ordinary eyes. The evening wind blew her long, jet black hair. Her gaze contained deep pride.

"Tiandhi..." she whispered to herself. "Do you see our child? He has grown. If you were here, you would be proud of him." ***

In the daytime, Tian Chen carried barrels filled with water from the river to his dry lake. At first, he only used small barrels, but over time, he started making larger barrels to increase his load. Every trip from the river to the lake was not just about carrying water, but also part of his training.

The path he had to take was not easy. The route he took was full of sharp rocks, uneven ground, and steep climbs that tested his strength. Under the scorching sun, sweat soaked his body, forming lines of dirt on his dusty skin. Every step felt heavier, but Tian Chen didn't stop. The muscles in his shoulders tensed, his back ached, and his legs were almost numb from exhaustion, yet he kept going.

When he reached the dry lake, he poured the water from his barrel. The water flowed slowly into the vast earthen depression, soaking into the hard ground from the lack of moisture. After emptying the barrel, he returned to the river to collect more water. Every day, this journey was repeated—without complaints, without pause.

When the sun sank below the western horizon and the sky began to turn a purplish orange, his body was already filled with small wounds from friction with ropes and wood. His hands were rough, the soles of his feet full of blisters. But even after a day of exhaustion, Tian Chen didn't rest immediately.

Night came, and silence began to envelop the forest around his training ground. The trees swayed in the evening wind, nocturnal insects began to sing, creating a quiet and ominous atmosphere. Tian Chen lay on the ground, letting his body rest for a moment.

But not long after falling asleep, he woke up in the middle of the night. His eyes, which had been closed, slowly opened, staring at the star-filled sky. Without hesitation, he got up. Pain still stabbed at every part of his body, but he ignored it. He knew that if he wanted to be stronger, he had to push his body beyond its limits.

Tian Chen walked towards the waterfall that was located not far from his dry lake. Moonlight illuminated his path, reflecting its rays on the surface of the rushing water. The roar of the waterfall echoed in the air, hitting the large rocks below with tremendous force.

Without hesitation, he stepped under the waterfall.

As soon as his body touched the flow of water falling from a height, excruciating pain immediately seized him. The powerful water hit his shoulders like thousands of relentless punches. His bones vibrated, his skin felt like it was being torn apart by the cold, sharp water whip.

He sat cross-legged under the waterfall, his body shaking from the intense pressure. His breath was ragged, his chest rose and fell rapidly, but his eyes remained closed, trying to withstand the pain that was piercing deeper and deeper into his very marrow.

Time continued to pass. Every second felt like torture. The waterfall continued to hit his head, his back, and his shoulders. But Tian Chen didn't move, didn't give up. His muscles adapted, slowly becoming harder. His body tried to adjust to the tremendous pressure hitting it.

CRAAKKK!!!

A strange sound came from within his body—the sound of bones seemingly cracking and shifting. But it wasn't because his body was injured, but because of transformation. The structure of his bones changed, his organs developed to become stronger. His muscles tightened, strengthening every part of his body.

Tian Chen moved his fingers, feeling the difference in himself. A new power flowed through every fiber of his muscle, in every stream of his blood.

His eyes opened slowly. In the darkness of the night, his pupils shone sharply, reflecting an unwavering determination.

"Finally, I have a strong physical body," he murmured softly, his voice drowned out by the roar of the waterfall.

He clenched his fist, feeling the energy that now flowed more stably than ever before. There was no longer any weakness in him. He had passed the threshold of ordinary humanity.

Tian Chen took a deep breath, then slowly rose from under the waterfall. His body was still soaked, but his steps were firm, full of confidence.

"Now," he whispered, "it's time for me to practice martial arts.”