CHAPTER 4 FA WA

Xiao Tian felt warmth as the older man continued channeling his internal energy into him.

The older man frowned, astonished by Xiao Tian's healing ability. Even if he hadn't treated him, Xiao Tian would have healed alone. If he had continued drifting in the river, his body could have been torn apart by the fierce water.

After some time, Xiao Tian woke up and clasped his hands.

"Senior, thank you for saving me."

Xiao Tian didn't call the old man grandpa because he felt that was only appropriate for his relatives, so he just called him senior.

Hearing Xiao Tian's thanks, the older man didn't immediately respond. He was still amazed by the child's healing ability. Moreover, he was perplexed; he couldn't discern the type of bones and specific areas in Xiao Tian's body.

The older man was sure this child was not ordinary. An ordinary child would have indeed died in that great river. Not to mention the ferocious beasts; even the fierce river current and hitting the rocks should have killed him.

Instead of answering Xiao Tian's question, the old man asked, "Child, how did you end up in this river? And where is your home? Let me take you back."

Xiao Tian shook his head until the old man asked again, "Do you not remember what happened?"

Xiao Tian shook his head again. "No, I remember. But I no longer have a home to return to. My village was attacked by bandits who not only looted but also slaughtered all the villagers and burned our houses. Both my parents were killed in that incident. I managed to escape by jumping into this river. Now, I have nowhere to go."

Xiao Tian's face, still that of a child, looked very sad. His sadness was genuine. Although he didn't tell the whole truth, fearing the older man might be a subordinate of the Wang kingdom, the mix of anger and sorrow on his face was not fabricated.

The older man understood Xiao Tian's feelings. Judging by his expression, the child wasn't lying. Besides, he was just a child, unlikely to be good at making up stories. The older man decided to take him. "If you have no home, come with me. I am the head of a Sect not far from here."

"If the senior allows it, I won't refuse." Xiao Tian saw this as an opportunity. If he lived in a Sect, he could train to become strong.

"Hahaha, good. However, in the future, don't call me senior; call me Grandpa Fa Wa. From now on, I'll take you as my grandson. Since you no longer have a family, there's no harm in me becoming your family. Now, tell me, what's your name?"

Initially, Xiao Tian didn't want to call him Grandpa. But Fa Wa's words were true; he no longer had relatives. As for Wang Chong, even though he was a relative, he was someone Xiao Tian wanted to eradicate from the world.

"Thank you, Grandpa. My name is Tian." Xiao Tian didn't want to mention his clan name, fearing the Wang kingdom would discover his identity.

"Hahaha, good, good. How old are you, Tian?" Fa Wa asked, smiling with his wrinkled lips.

"I am six years old." Xiao Tian answered honestly.

Fa Wa didn't expect the child in front of him to be only six years old because Xiao Tian's physical appearance was almost that of a ten-year-old. "This little girl is my granddaughter; her name is Ziyan Rouxi. You can call her sister when you are younger. Now, please wait a moment; Grandpa will catch some fish for us. Tian must be hungry."

While Fa Wa was catching fish in the river, Xiao Tian stared blankly at the blue sky, his fists tightly clenched around painful memories.

Suddenly, tears began to flow from the corners of his eyes, falling to the ground and forming a small puddle. However, these were not ordinary clear tears but tears of blood, deep red, reflecting the depth of his pain. Xiao Tian recalled the moment his parents were killed by enemies from the Wang Kingdom and the Ming Dynasty, who had destroyed his family.

In his heart, he vowed to avenge his parents. “Mother, father. Tian'er swears to avenge you! Tian'er will not let the Wang Kingdom and the Ming Dynasty, who caused your deaths, go unpunished. I will make them pay a hundredfold, and if I cannot, I swear not to live as a human!”

Ziyan Rouxi saw Xiao Tian shedding tears of blood. "Tian, you must calm your emotions. If you want to avenge your parents, there's only one way—you must grow stronger than anyone else!"

Xiao Tian did not respond; he merely nodded his head.

****

Fa Wa arrived with a large fish he had just caught from the river; then, he cooked it over a fire. Once ready, Fa Wa invited Xiao Tian and Ziyan Rouxi to return home.

When they arrived at the sect’s gate, Xiao Tian noticed the large inscription above it. He paused for a moment, reading it carefully. "Supreme Sword Sect," Xiao Tian murmured, trying to recall if he had ever heard of a sect named Supreme Sword. However, he could not remember any Supreme Sword Sect in the Ming Dynasty.

Xiao Tian was surprised to realize he was in the territory of the She Dynasty. "Did the river’s current carry me to the She Dynasty?" he wondered, confused and shocked. Xiao Tian inhaled the cold air that enveloped his body.

Recalling the knowledge he had gained from reading books, Xiao Tian understood the vast distance between the Ming Dynasty and the She Dynasty.

Xiao Tian was an avid reader, and his mother always encouraged him to read books on various subjects. Not just martial arts but general knowledge as well. Although he was still young, Xiao Tian had a broad understanding, especially since he had a unique memory that allowed him to remember everything he saw without forgetting.