Chapter 33: The Weight of Endurance

Scene 1: The Chains of Training

Lin Feng stood at the edge of a cavernous expanse deep within Master Yen's domain. The air was thick with moisture, the walls lined with jagged stone, and the only light came from faintly glowing minerals embedded in the rock. A massive iron chain stretched across the chamber, its links thick as a man's arm anchored to the stone like a relic of an ancient trial.

Master Yen stood beside him, arms crossed, his confident smirk never fading. "This is where your training for the Tendons of the Unbending Dragon begins."

Lin Feng eyed the chain. "You want me to… pull this?"

Master Yen let out a short laugh. "Pull? No. You will drag it across the entire cavern until your tendons either snap or evolve."

Lin Feng's breath slowed. He clenched his fists. The weight of the chain alone felt immense just standing near it, yet Master Yen expected him to drag it?

Master Yen's grin widened at Lin Feng's silence. "What? Losing your nerve already?"

Lin Feng exhaled sharply. "No. I'm just wondering how long it'll take before you decide to actually challenge me."

Master Yen burst into laughter. "That's the spirit!" He patted Lin Feng's shoulder, perhaps a bit too hard before stepping back. "This chain is infused with spiritual weight. The more you struggle, the heavier it becomes. If you try to brute force it, you'll tear your own body apart. But if you learn to harness the strength of your tendons, redirecting force instead of resisting it, you'll endure."

Lin Feng stepped forward, grasping the first link of the chain. The moment his fingers closed around the cold metal, a pulse of energy surged through his arms.

Heavy.

Too heavy.

It felt like he was gripping the weight of a mountain.

Master Yen's voice echoed behind him. "A dragon doesn't rely on muscles alone. It moves with flow, with precision. If you try to pull it like a brute, you'll fail."

Lin Feng gritted his teeth and took a deep breath.

Then, he pulled.

Scene 2: The Struggle Begins

The moment he exerted force, his tendons screamed in protest. The strain tore through his arms, down his shoulders through his back. His knees nearly buckled.

But he didn't let go.

He took a slow step forward. The chain barely moved.

Another step. The weight bore down, dragging against the stone floor. His entire body trembled under the pressure.

Step after step, Lin Feng continued. Each movement sent searing pain through his limbs, as though his tendons were being ripped apart and reforged at the same time.

Master Yen watched in silence, his arms still crossed, his expression unreadable.

Lin Feng could feel it, his body screaming at him to stop. But deep within his core something else surged forward.

Not strength.

Will.

"A dragon's tendons never break, never wane…"

His mind clung to the mantra. The pain was immense but so was his resolve. His steps became more deliberate. He stopped resisting the weight and instead moved with it, shifting his force through his legs and shoulders rather than his arms alone.

The chain began to move.

Slowly at first.

Then with greater momentum.

Master Yen smirked. "Good. You're learning."

Lin Feng didn't have the energy to respond. He focused everything on pulling forward, inch by inch.

Hours passed. His breath was ragged, his body drenched in sweat, but he refused to collapse.

Then, his body trembled with a sudden surge of energy.

His tendons tightened, no longer straining but adapting. The weight that had threatened to tear him apart now felt manageable.

A deep pulse ran through him. His cultivation stirred.

Boom!

A wave of force erupted from within. His entire body tensed before relaxing into something stronger.

Master Yen's eyes flashed with interest. "Oh? You finally did it."

Lin Feng exhaled, his body still burning, but a new strength coursed through his limbs.

The Sixth Stage of Body Tempering, he had broken through.

But Master Yen simply smirked. "Don't celebrate just yet, brat. This was only the beginning."

Lin Feng, still gripping the chain, let out a breathless chuckle.

"The real tempering starts now, doesn't it?"

Master Yen grinned. "You're finally getting it."