Jumping Ahead

The car ride home was a daunting one. The only reason Hao Tian wasn't yelled at was because of the presence of their neighbor who had driven them there.

Hao Tian looked over to Cui Lei, "Ma, why didn't uncle come?"

She said he would be driving them since it was an emergency. Cui Lie kept peering out the window in silence before replying a few seconds later.

"He is busy at work. Don't think about useless things. You're grounded for the next 2 weeks. And no more playing in the mud either."

Hao Tian lowered his head in shame, "Yes..." giving a meek reply but inwardly he was jumping with joy.

Being grounded meant he could be in his room for extended periods of time without being suspected of 'foul play' which was essential since the procedure for the 'Subsistence Texts' needed to be repeated 13 more times.

The neighbor drove them home. Cui Lei thanked him and after some small talk dragged Hao Tian into the house by the ear.

"Go to your room and stay there. I will call you when dinner is ready," she ordered and sent him on his way.

Hao Tian tried his best to hide his happiness but still skipped a step or two. He closed the door and went up to the window, peering down and seeing a green military jeep. That was his younger uncle's car that he took everywhere.

He had never served a day in the military but that didn't stop him from dressing up as a soldier.

"Liar. He is home," Hao Tian mumbled in a low voice.

He had missed all these signs the first time around because of his own naivety. Both he and his mother were often treated as strangers or even worse, hired help in their own home.

"I'll see if you people have the balls to pull that shit again," he said with a smirk before closing the window.

He needed rest for now.

One by one the days went by and seven months passed in the blink of an eye. The weather got colder and colder before getting warmer again. It had now been a full year since Hao Tian returned to the past.

5:34 A.M.

Currently he was frozen in a squatting position on the tip of his toes with both his arms cocked back. He was on the roof facing the direction of the rising sun. Today was his 10th birthday but he looked nothing like his actual age.

Standing straight he came out to be around 1.7 meters (5.6 feet) of height, almost half a meter taller than the average age for someone in his age group.

His body was muscular but not too extreme although when he flexed each well-defined muscle would expand to almost three times the original size.

And it was all because of the 'Subsistence Texts'.

After completing the full procedure Hao Tian found out that not only did the texts allowed him to absorb 97% of the nutrients through the foods he ingested but after the last procedure most of the impurities within his body had also been expelled.

This was because of the extremely young age at which he conducted the procedure. Once the person had turned twenty there would be no easy way to remove the impurities since they would have already bonded with the body.

Now, not only had his own physical potential been unlocked to a great extent but because of the texts he could consume almost anything and benefit from it. What could not be ingested would be excreted through the normal means.

It was easier for him to gain muscle and maintain it. There was almost no fat on his body despite him binging every unhealthy fast food and snack known to man. It was a dream come true for many.

Beads of sweat dripped down his naked back, snaking up and down the many crevices that were created due to the bands of muscles decorating his body.

A few minutes later the sun finally rose all the way. Hao Tian slowly opened his eyes that looked clearer and purer than ever before. They had turned a shade of light brown.

"Phoooo"

He let out a turbid breath of air which he had been holding for more than 15 minutes. Every single aspect of his physical body had reached new heights. He could see better, hear further, think faster, heal quicker etc.

"Haaaaah!"

Opening the palm of his hands he thrust them forward and a jet of air was created. It left scratch marks on the roof's surface and this was him only using 30% of his total strength.

His fingers curled as he pulled back the left arm, moving it anti-clockwise while the right arm snaked through the air so quickly that it didn't even make a sound.

These were the various battle skills of the Durand Empire that every soldier had to learn. He had not lazed around for a single minute these past few months and finally managed to learn every basic fighting techniques that included grappling, hand to hand and unarmed combat to even an advanced one.

This was a battle skill specific to his battalion, the Iron Wolves.

Hao Tian's hands continuously weaved through the air in a completely disorganized manner. Changing position from up to down, left to right without a single warning or forethought.

The tips of his fingers had started to turn a shade of a grey and when they touched loud clanging noises would be produced as if they were not made of flesh but a heavy metal.

This battle skill was aptly named 'Zephyr's Talons' due to its unpredictable movement and the ability to turn one's hands to stone.

"HAH!"

Without a single warning Hao Tian changed positions and started slicing the air while making short but extremely quick movements. When he finally came to a stop the roof had streaks of black all over it.

If someone said there were people drag racing on it even that wouldn't be too far-fetched looking at the marks he had left behind.

"Phoooo"

Hao Tian let out another deep breath as most of his muscles slowly retracted back into his body.

He looked at the snaky veins on his forearms and legs and smiled. This truly was a dream come true for him.

Standing there basking in the light of the sun, healthy and at peace. If only it was this easy the first time around. Having lost both arms and a leg for nearly a century, he had never expected to feel 'whole' again.

He walked over to the back wall where a small shed had been created with a chair, a water cooler and a small mirror.

On the left side of the shack were white chalk lines. He stood with his back against the same spot and marked the top of his head. It was a little higher but barely noticeable.

"Phew, looks like it's working."

He had grown so much and in such a short span of time that Hao Tian had to forcefully suppress his growth.

It had already brought too much unwanted attention towards him, although not 'all' of it unwelcome.

Seeing this sudden growth spurt Hao Tian managed to convince Cui Lie to let him take the test for some advanced classes, which he obviously passed with ease. Today, at 10 years of age would be his first day in high school.

He would start in grade 9 and after a few months could take another test to jump a grade or two, which was extremely important since he needed the freedom that came with it.

Because of his so-called 'genius' capability, Hao Tian was able to get admission to a private school that catered mostly to the rich and the powerful.

Cui Lie had to go talk to her father, Hao Tian's maternal grandfather and ask him for this favor. He was more than happy to oblige and since then had kept a close eye on him.