At this time, Lin Tian was already three years old.
That morning, the Lin family home was filled with warmth as Lin Tian walked out of his room with steady, small steps. His eyes shone brightly, his face wearing a pure, innocent smile.
Over the past year, Lin Tian had gradually shown progress, from only being able to say a single word to now speaking in complete sentences fluently. What surprised everyone the most was that, this morning, Lin Tian showed that he could walk steadily, even running around while laughing joyfully.
His mother looked at him with teary eyes, hugging Lin Tian with pride. His father stood by her side, gently patting her shoulder, while his older brother gazed at Lin Tian with admiration, proud to have a younger brother who was intelligent and developing so quickly.
"This child is truly amazing…" his father murmured with a smile.
Lin Tian only chuckled softly, but deep inside, he knew this was just a small step in the grand plan he had prepared long ago.
Meanwhile, far from that peaceful scene, a hidden place shrouded in cold, thin mist lay in darkness.
Inside a vast stone hall, five figures in black robes stood with their heads lowered. Their shadows flickered under the blue flames that burned around the hall.
Atop a high throne sat a figure with a terrifying aura, his face hidden in darkness, only his glowing red eyes visible.
The atmosphere in the hall was so tense that it could make anyone's hair stand on end.
"Do you know the reason behind Li Hua's disappearance?" The Demonic Lord's voice echoed coldly, pressing heavily on the chests of all present.
One robed figure stepped forward half a step. "Lord, I have been investigating for the past year. The last time Li Hua was seen was when he was on a mission to kidnap the youngest child of the Lin Clan—"
Before the sentence could finish, it was as if an invisible hand had gripped his throat. His body was lifted into the air, hanging, then pulled closer to the throne.
"I already know that! That mission was from me! Explain the cause of his death!" The Lord's voice echoed furiously, making the entire hall tremble.
Suddenly, another figure quickly knelt down, pressing his face against the cold floor.
"Forgive us, Lord! Please allow him to explain!"
The red eyes on the throne narrowed. A few seconds of silence passed, feeling like an eternity of death, before the Lord threw the subordinate's body harshly to the ground.
"Thud!"
The body hit the floor, coughing up blood, but immediately forced himself to kneel once more.
"Explain!" The Demonic Lord's voice echoed.
"Y-Yes, Lord… From what we found at the location, the ground and trees around the battle area were destroyed. Traces of Li Hua's battle were clear, but about hundreds of meters from there, we found evidence of a massive directional explosion. The ground was split apart, trees fell as if swept by a storm, and… all that remained was this."
He raised his trembling hand, revealing a ring with a red gem engraved with the number '3'—Li Hua's identification ring.
The Demonic Lord's gaze flickered, his fists clenching tightly, the air around him swirling.
"Impossible… Li Hua couldn't have lost that easily!"
The subordinate swallowed hard before continuing in a low voice, "And… Lord, we also found remnants of torn clothing that appeared to belong to someone from the Zhou Clan."
"The Zhou Clan?!" The red eyes glowed brighter.
"Yes, Lord. We are certain there is a connection between the Zhou Clan and Li Hua's disappearance."
The Demonic Lord fell silent. The hall became deathly quiet, the only sound being the pounding of their hearts in their ears.
"If I judge correctly… Li Hua's strength should have been enough to defeat a martial artist from the Zhou Clan who only relies on their fists…"
The Lord's gaze turned blank, his mind rapidly analyzing what had truly happened.
"For now…" his cold but firm voice finally rang out. "We will hide. Do not show yourselves in the martial world for the time being. Gather our strength in secret, expand our influence quietly, place spies to monitor the Zhou Clan, and investigate the mystery of Li Hua's disappearance."
All the figures lowered their heads in respect.
"Yes, Lord!"
One by one, they faded into the shadows, leaving the stone hall, while the Demonic Lord's red eyes continued to glow in the darkness, staring at Li Hua's ring now tightly clenched in his hand.
Back at the Lin residence, that morning marked Lin Tian's first time practicing swordsmanship with his older brother in the backyard. The morning breeze blew gently, carrying the scent of flowers from the side garden, creating a warm and peaceful atmosphere.
Clack. Clack.
"Come on, Tian'er, you can do it!" Lin Yu called out excitedly, holding a wooden sword while demonstrating the basic movements with full energy.
Lin Tian stood with his small legs still slightly trembling, holding a child-sized wooden sword, trying to imitate his brother's movements seriously. Each of his swings looked cute and uncoordinated, making Lin Yu chuckle softly.
From a distance, their parents sat on wooden chairs, enjoying warm tea while watching their children practice.
"Look at Tian'er, he learns so quickly," their father said with a proud smile.
"Yes, he's only three years old, but he can already walk, speak fluently, and now he's learning swordsmanship too," their mother replied softly, her eyes filled with affection as she gazed at Lin Tian.
Under the morning sunlight, Lin Tian lifted his wooden sword and attempted to swing it toward a wooden training dummy. His movements were still stiff, but his face was serious, showing his eagerness to learn.
Lin Yu walked over and carefully adjusted his younger brother's hand position. "Don't grip it too tightly, Tian'er. Your hands should be relaxed, but still firm."
Lin Tian nodded with innocent eyes, looking up at his brother enthusiastically. In his heart, Lin Tian was only pretending to learn slowly. He could easily destroy the training dummy with a single touch, but for now, he wanted to enjoy his childhood with his family, experiencing the warmth he never had in his previous life.
He decided to hide his true strength. Slowly, he learned the Lin family's sword techniques at a normal pace like any other child, so his parents would remain at ease.
During the day, Lin Tian practiced with Lin Yu in the yard. The sound of wood striking wood echoed repeatedly, accompanied by their laughter whenever Lin Tian fell but got back up with an innocent smile.
Meanwhile, from afternoon until evening, Lin Yu would train with their father with much higher intensity. Lin Tian often sat on the edge of the yard, hugging his knees while watching his brother train hard until his clothes were soaked with sweat.
Occasionally, Lin Yu would glance at Lin Tian, smiling and giving him a thumbs-up to encourage him. Lin Tian would smile back softly, his eyes shining with admiration for his brother, even though he knew his brother's strength would never surpass his own.
The yard often echoed with the sounds of footsteps and the wind generated by their father's sword swings as they practiced basic movements, deflection techniques, and breathing exercises to strengthen the body.
Lin Tian deeply enjoyed the atmosphere of their home. After training, they would have dinner together in a simple yet warm dining room.
That night, they sat around a round wooden table, enjoying chicken soup, boiled vegetables, and warm rice. Lin Tian ate heartily, his cheeks puffing out each time he took a bite, making everyone at the table laugh.
"Tian'er, mother wants to ask. What do you want to be when you grow up?" his mother asked softly, looking at her youngest son with love.
Lin Tian paused his eating for a moment, turning to his mother while tilting his head, thinking with an innocent face. He then stood on his chair, clenched his small fists, and raised them high.
"Tian'er wants to become the greatest swordsman in the world! Tian'er wants to protect everyone!" he shouted with a clear voice, his eyes shining with determination.
The table was filled with warm laughter and smiles.
"Hahaha, my child is amazing! If you truly want to become the strongest swordsman, one day you will have to surpass your brother and father in strength. Do you think you can do that, Tian'er?" his father asked with a proud smile.
His mother glanced over, frowning slightly. "Dear, Tian'er is still young, he doesn't understand these things yet."
Before his mother could finish, Lin Tian quickly replied, "Of course I can! Tian'er will definitely become the strongest, stronger than brother and father! If needed, Tian'er will even defeat the gods!"
Lin Yu, sitting beside him, laughed at his brother's words. He gently ruffled Lin Tian's head. "Wow, Tian'er is incredible. In that case, you need to practice diligently with brother, okay? I'll teach you many things."
"But don't be mean, okay, brother…" Lin Tian pouted, looking at his brother with a pitiful face.
Lin Yu chuckled and pinched his brother's chubby cheeks. "Don't worry, I won't be mean. But if you get lazy during training, brother might turn into a demon, you know!"
"Ehh… Mother, father, look at brother…" Lin Tian complained with a cute expression, making everyone laugh again.
His mother gently stroked Lin Tian's head, saying, "It's okay, Tian'er, your brother is just joking."
"Really?"
"Yes, dear," his father replied with a smile.
Lin Tian let out a relieved smile, then sat back down and continued eating enthusiastically. That night was filled with laughter, light conversations, and warm jokes that made Lin Tian's heart feel at ease.
Deep inside, Lin Tian swore to protect this happiness, no matter who dared to threaten it.
That night, a gentle breeze blew outside, carrying the sounds of crickets, accompanying the Lin family in warmth, in a home filled with love and laughter.
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