Chapter 11: Rooted in Defiance

Wu Tian awoke before dawn, his mind sharp and his body brimming with newfound energy. The breakthrough into The First Gate—Unshackled Flesh had granted him more than just physical enhancements. He felt connected to something deeper, as if he had taken his first step in defying the laws that bound ordinary cultivators.

But the journey was far from over.

The book had spoken to him again, revealing the next step: The Second Gate—Rooted Bones.

His first instinct was to test the limits of his body. He dropped to a crouch, his hands pressing against the cold earth. With a quick inhale, he propelled himself upward, leaping nearly twice as high as before. He landed softly, the sensation of his muscles absorbing the impact with ease confirming that his transformation had truly begun.

Still, he was not satisfied.

He made his way to the secluded forest path beyond Cloudrest Village, an area rarely visited by anyone but hunters. The morning mist curled around the trees as he found a clearing and sat cross-legged.

Focusing inward, he searched for the energy that had awakened within him. He found it, a small but potent flame burning in the depths of his being. However, the moment he attempted to draw upon it, he felt a sharp resistance.

His bones ached, as though they were rejecting the power flowing through him.

Wu Tian gritted his teeth. The First Gate strengthened his flesh, but the Second Gate must refine his very foundation. His bones.

He understood now—this was not something that could be achieved passively. He needed to put his body under extreme pressure, to force his bones to adapt, to grow stronger than they had ever been.

A Brutal Training Begins

Wu Tian stood and looked around the clearing. A massive tree stood at the edge, its bark rough and unyielding.

He walked over and clenched his fists. There was no hesitation. If his bones needed to be rooted, they needed to be tempered.

He struck the tree.

Pain shot through his knuckles, radiating up his arm. He staggered back but did not stop. Again, he drove his fist into the wood, each strike sending shockwaves of pain through his body. His mind screamed for him to stop, but he refused.

Strike after strike.

Minutes passed. His hands bled. His bones throbbed.

But something changed.

A heat surged through his limbs, and the pain, though still sharp, became bearable. His body was adapting, his bones absorbing the punishment and hardening.

"The body is like a tree," he murmured, realization dawning on him. "Its roots must dig deep if it wishes to stand tall."

This was The Second Gate—Rooted Bones.

A Challenge from the Sect

The following evening, as Wu Tian returned to the Emerald Moon Sect, he found himself facing an unexpected confrontation. Liu Heng and Zhang Wei stood in his path.

"Still alive, janitor?" Liu Heng smirked, arms crossed. "We've been hearing some ridiculous rumors. Apparently, you've been training."

Zhang Wei scoffed. "A cripple training? That's like a blind man trying to paint."

Wu Tian met their gazes without flinching. The old him would have lowered his head. But he was no longer that person.

Liu Heng stepped closer, his voice dropping to a taunt. "Why don't we see if those rumors hold any truth? A little test, if you will."

Zhang Wei cracked his knuckles. "Think you can last more than a few seconds this time?"

Wu Tian exhaled. He had no delusions—Liu Heng and Zhang Wei were trained disciples, already at the Qi Refining Realm, while he had only barely begun to tap into his own potential. But strength was not the only thing that determined victory.

It was will.

"I accept," Wu Tian said, his voice steady. "Let's see if you can break me."

The two senior disciples exchanged amused glances before stepping into a makeshift circle formed by curious onlookers.

The fight had begun.