Chapter 24: Forging the Body

Scene 1: The Trial of Endurance

The valley did not welcome him.

Lin Feng moved forward, every step sinking into the rough and uneven terrain of Master Yen's valley. The pressure in the air was unlike anything he had felt before, dense, suffocating, a silent force pressing into his body with invisible hands. At first, he thought it was just the gravity altered domain taking effect, but it was more than that. His bones felt heavier, his breath slower and even his heartbeat struggled against the unseen weight.

He clenched his jaw and pushed forward, each step demanding more effort than the last. The rocky path twisted through the valley, rising into jagged slopes and dipping into uneven trails that made balance difficult. As he walked, he could feel the change in pressure as if the valley itself was testing him. Sometimes the force would increase suddenly, making his knees buckle, and then, just as quickly, it would lighten throwing his rhythm off.

Sweat formed on his brow. The constant fluctuation forced him to adapt, to remain aware of his body's limits and adjust before he lost control. It wasn't just his strength being tested, it was his endurance, his ability to persist under strain without losing his footing.

Master Yan had warned him. Master Yen's training would be different. There would be no precise techniques, no structured guidance, only hardship. It was up to him to overcome it.

Lin Feng exhaled sharply, adjusting his stance as he pressed on. This was only the beginning.

Scene 2: The Harshness of Training

The deeper he ventured, the more unforgiving the landscape became. Stone pillars jutted from the ground like the bones of an ancient beast, their rough surfaces marked with deep scars from past battles. The ground was cracked and uneven, forcing him to carefully control his steps.

Lin Feng stopped at an open clearing surrounded by jagged rock formations. He could already feel the difference. Here, the pressure was even greater. His arms felt like lead, his legs sluggish, but he refused to let that stop him. This was the perfect place to train.

He steadied his breath and lowered his stance, beginning with the most basic movements. Slow, deliberate punches cut through the heavy air, each strike feeling like he was pushing against an invisible wall. He adjusted his balance, keeping his center of gravity stable as he moved. The strain in his muscles burned but he welcomed it.

This was the process of adaptation. His body would learn, through pain, through sheer repetition.

The first hour passed in silence, broken only by the sound of his breathing and the occasional scrape of his boots against the rocky ground. He pushed himself further, increasing the intensity refusing to stop. Each movement became heavier, the resistance building until his muscles screamed in protest. His vision blurred from exhaustion but he gritted his teeth and continued.

Then, the pressure increased.

Lin Feng faltered, his stance breaking as his knee struck the ground. He sucked in a sharp breath, his fingers curling into the dirt. It wasn't just fatigue, something was pushing down on him, something unseen yet suffocating. His shoulders trembled under the weight, his body unwilling to rise.

For a brief moment, doubt crept into his mind.

Was this too much? Was his body not ready for this yet?

No.

He exhaled slowly, forcing the doubt away. If his body couldn't withstand this, he would make it withstand it. This was not the first hardship he had faced, and it would not be the last.

With a low growl, he pushed himself back up. His arms shook, his legs felt like they would collapse again but he refused to fall.

His body would break a thousand times before he let it stop him.

Scene 3: A Will That Does Not Break

Time blurred. Lin Feng didn't know how many hours had passed, only that the weight on his body had not lessened. If anything, it had grown stronger. His mind was exhausted, his muscles felt torn apart but he had adapted.

Where before his body had resisted the pressure, now it moved with it. He adjusted instinctively, shifting his weight in ways that made each motion slightly easier. His punches, once sluggish, now cut through the heavy air with more fluidity. His steps no longer faltered as he walked through the uneven terrain. The pain was still there, the exhaustion ever-present but he no longer fought against them.

He had accepted them.

This was not something that could be taught in words. It was something he had to understand through experience.

A faint smile touched his lips.

He was beginning to grasp what Master Yen's training was about. It wasn't about mastering techniques or refining qi, it was about forging a body that could endure anything. No matter how much pressure weighed on him, no matter how harsh the conditions, he had to become unshakable.

Lin Feng inhaled deeply, letting the dense air fill his lungs. His heartbeat was steady now, his movements smoother, his body adjusting faster than before. He wasn't done yet, not even close.

This was only the beginning.

But he had no intention of stopping.

Not until he was strong enough to challenge the heavens themselves.