Chapter 27: Breaking Through – The Fourth Stage of Body Tempering

Scene 1: Pushing Beyond Limits

The sun barely peeked over the jagged cliffs of Master Yen's valley, yet Lin Feng was already immersed in training. His body bore the marks of relentless struggle bruises darkening his skin, dried blood tracing the ridges of his muscles but his gaze remained unyielding.

The First Pillar: Skin of Steel had awakened within him, yet it was only the foundation. It was not enough.

With slow, controlled breaths, he slammed his fists into a boulder, his knuckles splitting upon impact. A dull tremor ran through his arms but he did not stop. Again and again, his strikes carved imprints into the unyielding rock forcing his flesh to adapt, harden, evolve.

Beneath the mountains, concealed in the depths of the valley, Master Yen watched. His sharp eyes gleamed with amusement.

"This brat... he doesn't hesitate."

Body Tempering required sheer endurance. Without a proper technique, even the most gifted cultivators took months or even years to refine their bodies to this level. And yet, Lin Feng, relying solely on instinct and relentless effort was progressing at a terrifying rate.

His bones ached. His skin burned. His muscles throbbed under the strain.

And still, he pushed forward.

A shift rippled through the valley. Gravity fluctuated. The pressure increased.

Lin Feng gritted his teeth as an overwhelming force descended upon him. The familiar resistance of the valley, the very force designed to crush the unworthy pressed down harder.

His breaths grew ragged. His vision blurred.

But he refused to stop.

One more punch.

One more step.

One more challenge.

And then—his body ignited.

Scene 2: The Surge of Body Tempering

A deep, thunderous rumble rolled across the valley.

Lin Feng felt something snap inside him, not a fracture but a breakthrough.

His muscles tensed, his skin pulled taut and his very being pulsed with newfound strength.

Boom!

A violent force erupted from his core, sending a shockwave through the cracked earth beneath him. The remnants of his past limits shattered as his body surged past the third stage straight into the fourth stage of Body Tempering!

The pain that had once gnawed at him was now a mere whisper. His once sluggish movements now carried speed, power, and control. His fists clenched, the air around them distorting slightly as if the very space resisted his growing might.

His breathing steadied. His senses sharpened.

He was no longer just enduring. He was surpassing.

Deep within the caverns, Master Yen smirked.

"Already at the fourth stage, huh?"

He exhaled, his voice filled with approval.

"Let's see how far you can go, brat."

The real trials had only just begun.