The Resurrection Of The God Owner Of The Sky

Chapter 02

Many crocodiles were retreating to the riverbank because the rain was pouring so heavily. They only watched a figure being swept away by the rapid current and paid no attention, for some reason. Perhaps that was the good fortune of a small child still protected by the will of the Gods.

An old man was still fishing in the middle of the heavy rain. He had been waiting a long time for a fish to bite and get hooked. Yet after half an hour of sitting there in the cold, all for the blessing of food, he finally noticed something floating in the water. He quickly pulled it in, only to be shocked and fall back when he realized it was a person—not a bundle of food.

Doubt filled his heart as he asked himself, why was there the corpse of a child in the river? But his compassion for others made him lift the child’s body again and check for a heartbeat by pressing his ear to the chest.

"He’s still alive. I must bring him to the hut!" Leaving behind his crude fishing tools, he carried the limp body of Chen Nian, who had probably swallowed too much water.

Not far from the river, the old man brought him inside his hut and lit a fire to provide warmth while pressing on Chen Nian’s chest.

"If you wish to be my child, then live!" the old man declared. As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Nian coughed, spitting out a large amount of water from his mouth.

Afterward, he opened his eyes while trying to steady his breath. "Thank you for your help, Grandpa!"

The old man smiled. His heart had intended to adopt him as a son, but since he was already called Grandpa, what more could be said? "We must help one another. Why did you end up drifting in the river? Luckily you weren’t eaten by crocodiles!" While talking, the old man prepared a cup of plain warm tea for Chen Nian to drink.

"I was struck by disaster, Grandpa. My family is gone, and now I am all alone. On top of that, I will become a fugitive," Chen Nian replied, worried for his savior. If the Han Clan discovered this man had helped him, he too would be dragged into trouble.

"It seems you’ve just experienced a great tragedy, my grandson!?"

"Yes, Grandpa. My parents were killed by an elder from my clan, and I jumped into the river hoping to survive!" The boy lowered his head, unable to hold back sobs as the image of his mother being stabbed in the back with a sword filled his mind. "Grandpa, could you take me somewhere far from the bustling city? Even if it’s in a village or deep in the forest, what matters is that I must leave now."

"But your body is still weak!"

"I don’t have much time, Grandpa. I’m sorry if I’m troubling you so much," he pleaded sincerely.

The old man’s heart was moved once again. "Very well, we shall follow the river by boat. Climb onto Grandpa’s back."

The boat was rowed tirelessly all night without direction, simply following the current that led to the great river. In the middle of the river, strong winds blew, pushing the wooden boat toward the shore where it shattered. Fortunately, both of them jumped before the boat was dashed against the massive rocks.

But misfortune struck the old man. When he leapt from the boat, his head struck a rock, causing heavy bleeding. Chen Nian didn’t realize at first. Struggling with all his might, he swam to help the unmoving old man. Though burdened by his weight and his own lack of strength, he refused to let go.

Luckily, the waves themselves pushed them to the shore.

"Grandpa! Grandpa!" Chen Nian shook the old man’s body while calling out, but no response came. He examined him carefully and was horrified when his hand touched the blood on his head.

In disbelief, Chen Nian lifted the old man’s head into his lap and checked thoroughly. His fears were confirmed—the head was cracked, and no breath could be heard, not even the faintest.

"Oh Gods! Why is my life so painful!" Chen Nian cried, lifting his gaze to the clear sky. "Why!?" His voice broke into a whisper as his head fell, tears streaming endlessly, recalling his grief. Two tragedies had struck him in succession, cruel and unforeseen.

After crying too long, drained of energy to survive, the boy fainted.

News spread quickly: the death of Patriarch Chen Long, his wife, and their son, who supposedly committed suicide to avoid bearing the shame of being caught embezzling clan funds for their disabled child’s treatment. This was, of course, a scheme ordered by Chen Rui so that everyone would believe even the most upright could fall for wealth.

Still, many didn’t believe the news, prompting some to visit the Chen Clan to see for themselves.

Yet what they found was shocking—not a funeral, but a celebration.

"This is unbelievable… do great clans really behave like this?"

There was no sorrow, no sign of loss on the faces of anyone in the Chen Clan, as if they had never lost any of their kin.

"Today we feast for the prosperity of our clan! After this, we may even expand our territory. If anyone dares oppose us, eliminate them!"

"Long live Patriarch Chen Rui!"

Cheers erupted, laughter filled the night as they reveled in their merriment.

Meanwhile, on the distant shoreline, a boy began to blink open his eyes. He raised his right hand to hold his slightly dizzy head while using his left to push himself upright.

Chen Nian scanned his surroundings but did not see the old man who had saved him. Only bloodstains on his thigh remained, proving the events were real.

"Where is Grandpa? Did the waves drag him into the great river? Forgive me, Grandpa! Because of me, you suffered this fate. If we had never met, perhaps you would still be alive for many more years. I couldn’t even bury your body…"

He slowly stood, but hunger overwhelmed him. Ever since he lost his inner strength, the pangs of thirst and hunger assaulted his stomach. Clutching his belly in pain, he searched desperately for food.

"This seems like an uninhabited island! Where can I find food?" Unknowingly, his steps carried him further inland, where he spotted coconut trees. His thirst grew stronger, yet he lacked the strength to reach them.

"Truly, how pitiful you are, Chen Nian!" he muttered, pitying himself. He removed his upper garment, wrapped it around his arms, and convinced himself he could climb the tree.

In this desolate place, the spirit to live was a necessity if he wished to one day avenge his family. Without that spirit, how could he ever hope to reverse his fate?

"I must be healthy, strong, and grow bigger—my body must become sturdy. Even if destiny never allows me to wield Qi again, that no longer matters. What’s important now is to build physical strength that can rival any realm." He kept murmuring until finally he shouted, "I, Chen Nian, will surpass all limits!"

With that, he ran, leapt, swung the cloth in his right hand to catch with his left, and swiftly began to climb the coconut tree.