Heir of the Supreme Sky Throne

CHAPTER 3 THE HEIR AND THE STORM

Theewhere, far frore Tian Chen trained, a rather grand palace stood firmly in the heart of the capital of the Sampong Kingdom. Although not a large kingdom, this palace still reflected the greatness of its ruler. Tall pillars supported a roof carved with gold, while the walls were decorated with ornaments of dragons and phoenixes that symbolized power and majesty. Light from the large torches along the hallway reflected a faint shimmer on the polished marble floor, creating dancing shadows on the palace walls.

Inside the main hall, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Several martial arts experts and the kingdom's best warriors knelt before a middle-aged man sitting on a large throne adorned with intricate carvings. The man's gaze was sharp, his eyes filled with suppressed anger. He wore a black silk robe with gold embroidery depicting the Sampong kingdom symbol—a tiger leaping at its prey. His crown was simple, but enough to denote his status as the king of this small kingdom.

"I don't want to know!" His voice echoed through the room, filled with pressure and undisguised anger. "No matter what, you have to find my son!"

The kneeling warriors bowed their heads even lower, not daring to look directly at the king. Several of them were even sweating coldly, realizing how serious this situation was.

A man who appeared more experienced than the others finally dared to speak. He wore light silver armor, a sign that he was one of the kingdom's army commanders.

"Your Majesty," his voice trembled slightly, though he tried to sound as calm as possible. "We have searched for Young Master Wuya in every place he often visits. However, we haven't found any trace of him at all."

The room fell silent. The air felt oppressive, as if hinting at a storm of anger about to erupt.

The king clenched his hand on the armrest of his throne, his knuckles turning white from the strength of his grip. His breath was heavy, his chst rising and falling as he held back his almost overflowing anger.

"Damn it!" He finally roared, his voice booming so loud that several warriors in the back rows shivered slightly. "Search again! If not, I will dismiss you all and make you regret being born into this world!"

The thre?t was no mere empty words. Everyone in the room knew how cruel their king could be when angered. For those who failed to fulfill his orders, punishment could be horrific—ranging from loss of status, torture, to inhumane executions.

Without waiting any longer, the kingdom's officials immediately stood up and rushed out. They didn't want to imagine what would happen if they returned without news of Young Master Wuya.

Outside the palace, groups of soldiers immediately dispersed, using all the methods they had to track down the prince's whereabouts. Some used tracking dogs, while others relied on information from the kingdom's spies scattered in various places. Some of them even re-examined locations that had been searched before, hoping to find any clue, however small.

Although Sampong Kingdom was just a small kingdom under the dominion of a second-class kingdom, its territory was quite vast. Its area encompassed mountains, dense forests, and several remote villages. That was why searching for a missing prince was no easy task.

But for the King of Sampong, there was no other choice. Wuya was his only heir, and losing his son was tantamount to losing his kingdom's future.

The night wore on, but the tension inside the palace didn't ease. The king remained seated on his throne, his eyes fixed intently on the main entrance of the hall, waiting for news from his subordinates. Outside, the wind blew strongly, carrying the scent of rain that was about to fall. In the distance, the sky, which was originally dark, began to be illuminated by faint flashes of lightning. It was as if nature itself was echoing the anger and anxiety of a king who had lost his son.

***

Night began to creep over the sky as Tian Chen returned to his home. After training all day, his body felt tired, but his eyes still shone with determination. His home was simple, made of wood with a neatly arranged thatched roof. Inside, there were only a few simple furnishings, suggesting a life that wasn't luxurious, but comfortable.

Just as he was about to rest, his mother suddenly approached him. The woman had a gentle face with eyes full of affection. In her hand, she carried a book that looked rather old, its leather cover aged with a brownish color, but still well-maintained.

“Chen'er, you are old enough now. It's time Mother tells you something.”

Tian Chen looked at his mthe other with curiosity. He could feel there was something important in this conversation.

“Mother, what is it?” He asked with a curious tone.

His mother smiled slightly, then handed the book to her son. “Chen’er, Mother knows you reant to learn martial arts and become a strong warrior. So, Mother will give you this book.”

Tian Chen received the book carefully. When his fingers touched the surface of the animal skin that served as its cover, he could feel how precious this object was. However, when he was about to open the first page, his mother's hand suddenly closed it gently.

“Don't be too eager, listen to Mother first,” said his mother with a gentle smile.

Tian Chen nodded, holding back his curiosity.

“Chen Chen, before you start practicing martial arts, Mother wants to tell you something.”

The woman took a slow breath, as if she wanted to calm herself before speaking further.

“We live in the Eastlands, a land filled with many great kingdoms and high-level warriors. But, don't limit your vision to just this land. There are still many large islands out there, where kingdoms no less distinguished stand. In fact, i is still a small part of this world.”

Tian Chen was silent for a moment, trying to understand his mother's words.

“Mother, what do you mean, is this world still much wider?” He asked with great interest.

His mother nodded slightly.

“Yes. Out there, there are still many kingdoms, even several Empires whose territorsomething was frighteningire where we live. Many of them receive direct protection from the Gods. But, that is knowledge that you will understand yourself as you sail this world.”

Tian Chen looked at his mother with sharp eyes. There was one thing that made him even more curious.

“Mother, how do you know all of this? You've always lived with me in this place,” He asked with confusion.

His mother smiled slightly, then gently stroked her son's hair. “Mother has always been here, but your Father is different. He has sailed this world. In fact, he has already ascended to a realm that is beyond our comprehension.”

Tian Chen was shocked. His father—the figure he had only known from his mother's stories—was still alive and had gone to a wider world.

“Father... Is my father not dead?”

His mother shook her head.

“No. Your father is still alive, but he has a big task, so he can't live with us.”

Tian Chen clutchedbecomingook in his hand Finallyeling of confusion and curiosity mingled within him.

“Doesn't Father love us?” He asked in a low voice, almost a whisper.

His mother smiled gently, but a faint sadness lingered in her eyes. “Your father loves us very much. You will know the reason yourself later. Now, focus on training. If you can become invincible, maybe you will find your Father and can ask him for an explanation directly.”

Tian Chen looked at his mother in silence, then nodded firmly. Without saying another word, he rushed to his room.

Inside the simple room, lit only by the light of an oil lamp, Tian Chen opened the book. On the first page, he found an illustration of the human body with many points marked. Each point seemed to be arranged in a systematic pattern, showing a path that seemed very important.

Then, he began to read the writing on the page:

"To practice true martial arts, you must first open every blood circulation network. After that, you must also open the nerve circulation network. Then, you must open the 12 major meridians and 361 minor meridian points. Once you have done that, you will be able to absorb the energy of nature to become internal energy. In fact, after you reach a certain level, you will begin to know Qi, energy that is stronger than internal energy. If the meridian points are not fully opened, then the amount of energy a human can hold is very limited."

Tian Chen continued to read with great attention. This book didn't just explain about meridian points, but also about dantian, a container in the human body used to hold energy.

"The wider the dantian someone has, the more internal energy they can hold."

Tian Chen closed his eyes for a moment, pondering what he had just learned. After several hours immersed in understanding, he finally rose from his seat. With a stronger determination, he left his room and returned to the waterfall where he trained.

Under the torrent of the waterfall that flowed with tremendous force, Tian Chen sat cross-legged. The water falling with extraordinary force hit his body, as if trying to destroy him. But he persisted.

His eyes were closed, his mind focused. He began to cultivate, trying to feel the natural energy around him. But this place wasn't safe. Mount Salke was known as a haunted area, inhabited by wild animals and spirits lurking in the darkness. Many warriors were reluctant to explore it, because they knew the risks lurking within it.

As time passed, those creatures began to approach Tian Chen. Some of them just watched from afar, but some of them intended to attack him.

But, just as they were about to launch an attack, suddenly Tian Chen's stomach emitted a faint light. The glow wasn't ordinary light—there was something frightening to the spirits in its shimmer.

The creatures who had been lurking immediately turned around and fled in terror. It was as if, if they stayed longer, that light would destroy them instantly.

Days turned into days. Three full days, Tian Chen remained in the same position, cultivating under the waterfall that continued to hit him relentlessly. If anyone saw this scene, they wouldn't believe that a small child could survive in such a dangerous place.

But Mount Salke was no ordinary place. This was where many kings of the Eastlands once meditated, sought enlightenment, and faced tests that changed their lives. ***

Four days had passed since Tian Chen first sat cross-legged under the ferocious waterfall. His body remained as firm as a rock, unshaken by the torrent of water that should have been able to crush an ordinary human. The pain from the immense pressure had now merged with his body, become part of him.

Until finally, in the silence and firmness of his heart, Tian Chen began to feel something. The natural energy around him was so pure, far more dense than anywhere else he had ever explored. He not only felt its presence, but also saw it with his inner eye.

Like a thin, rainbow-colored mist, the energy flowed towards him, seeping into his pores, penetrating his body's network, and gathering inside his dantian. At first, the amount was small, just tiny drops in the empty ocean within him. However, over time, those drops turned into streams, and streams into waves that swirled in his dantian.

Instantly, Tian Chen's spirit soared. He felt an extraordinary transformation inside his body. His dantian, which was once empty, was now completely filled with natural energy that had turned into internal energy. He could feel the difference—his strength increased dramatically in just a matter of days.

BUZZ!

A violent vibration suddenly shook his body. Like an invisible explosion, his internal energy burst out, creating a shock wave that flung the waterfall in all directions. The water that had been hitting his body now flew everywhere, splashing onto the rocks around him before falling back down with a roar.

Tian Chen opened his eyes. His gaze was sharp, full of confidence. He stood up, then curiously tried to channel his internal energy to the soles of his feet. His body floated lightly as he stepped forward, and without realizing it, his feet touched the surface of the river.

But instead of sinking, he remained standing on the water.

Tian Chen was silent for a moment, surprised by his own ability. This sensation was extraordinary, like defying the laws of nature. He tried to take another step, and his body remained balanced on the surface of the constantly flowing water.

“Amazing...” He whispered, his eyes sparkling.

In just a few days, he had broken through from a second-class warrior to a fifth-class warrior. In fact, the amount of internal energy he had almost rivaled that of a seventh-class warrior! This wasn't just ordinary growth—this was a leap beyond limits.

But strength alone wasn't enough. He needed fighting experience.

"I have to go back first," he murmured. "Mother must be worried about me..."

Without hesitation, he jumped from the surface of the water and ran down the mountain, leaving the waterfall that had silently witnessed his transformation behind.

The sun began to set as Tian Chen finally reached his home. But instead of the warmth he expected, something strange happened.

In the yard of his house, four middle-aged men stood. Their aura was filled with ill intent, their eyes burning with anger and greed.

The gruff voice of one of them pierced the air. “Healer Siyo, don't make us wait any longer! You have to give us an explanation about your son! If not, I'll burn your house down, let you die inside it!”

Tian Chen stopped in his tracks. His eyes narrowed, his body tensed.

Anger flared within him. How dare these people threaten his mother?

Without hesitation, he darted forward. The lightness of his body was so extraordinary that in the space of a breath, he was already standing in front of them.

The four men turned simultaneously. Seeing Tian Chen suddenly appear like a shadow, they grinned widely. Their gaze was full of arrogance, as if they had already won before the fight began.

“Boy, you're finally here. We've been so tired of looking for you!”