Morning dew clung to the grass, shimmering under the soft glow of dawn. Feiyin stood before his father, his heartbeat steady, his mind sharp. He had come to understand much in the past weeks—how to temper his muscles, how to breathe to strengthen his organs, how to endure pain without flinching. But today, he felt something different in the air. His father’s expression was heavier than usual, his presence commanding.


    “This lesson,” Cai Feng said, his voice measured, “is the most important one you will receive in the Body Tempering Realm.”


    Feiyin straightened his posture, knowing what his father was about to explain would shape his cultivation path for years to come.


    “The Body Tempering Realm is not just about making yourself stronger. It is about preparing yourself for what comes next.” Cai Feng’s gaze sharpened. “Your goal in this realm is to forge a body capable of handling Essence Qi. A weak body will collapse the moment Qi enters it. A refined body will endure it—and more than that, it will allow you to open your meridians.”


    Feiyin furrowed his brows. He had heard of meridians before, but this was the first time his father had spoken of them directly.


    “To open the meridians,” Cai Feng continued, “your body must be able to generate and withstand an immense level of force. That is why Body Tempering is not only about refining flesh but about developing internal strength—true power.”


    He took a step forward, his presence suddenly heavier. Feiyin felt it immediately—the slight tremor in the ground beneath his father’s feet, the shift in the air, as though space itself bent around him.


    “This is internal strength—the force your body naturally generates. It is kinetic energy, controlled at will.”


    Feiyin’s breath hitched. He had always felt the oscillations of movement, the subtle shifts of force around him. But now, as he focused, he realized his father was not moving, yet force pulsed through him.


    “Every part of the body contributes to this strength,” Cai Feng explained. “The more refined your body, the greater the force you can generate.”


    He raised a single finger.


    “The skin, when tempered, grants 1,000 kg of force—not only protecting you but increasing the strength of every movement.” He clenched his hand into a fist. “Tempered muscles and tendons add another 1,000 kg, making your strikes sharper and faster.” He touched his wrist, his voice unwavering. “Forged bones add 1,000 kg, allowing your body to withstand greater impacts without breaking.”


    Feiyin’s mind raced as he absorbed the numbers. Every aspect of Body Tempering was not just about survival—it was about power.


    “The marrow strengthens your endurance, generating another 1,000 kg of force by making your blood and regeneration more efficient.” Cai Feng’s eyes narrowed. “And finally, tempered blood itself grants the last 1,000 kg, perfecting circulation, stamina, and Qi adaptability.”


    Feiyin took a sharp breath. “That’s… 5,000 kg of force.”


    His father nodded. “Yes. But that is not the true limit.”


    He tapped Feiyin’s chest lightly.


    “You have already learned that the five elements govern different parts of your body—Earth for skin, Wood for muscles and tendons, Metal for bones, Water for marrow, and Fire for blood. But what you may not yet understand is that these elements also govern your internal organs.”


    Feiyin frowned, recalling his lessons. “The spleen, liver, lungs, kidneys, and heart?”


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Cai Feng smiled. “Correct. When your organs are properly refined, they enter a state of perfect harmony. Your breathing becomes fully optimized, your body processes energy efficiently, and your Qi flow stabilizes. And when all five aspects of Body Tempering are harmonized with your organs, your force is no longer limited to 5,000 kg—it doubles.”


    Feiyin’s heart pounded.


    “10,000 kg of force.”


    A silence stretched between them as Feiyin fully grasped the weight of his father’s words. This wasn’t just about toughness or strength—it was about becoming something far beyond normal human limits.


    “The greatest mistake most cultivators make is thinking that strength comes from cultivating their Qi alone,” Cai Feng said, folding his arms. “But Qi alone is meaningless if the body cannot handle it. Many rush into the next realm, opening meridians too soon, only to find their bodies breaking apart because they lack the foundation to endure Essence Qi.”


    Feiyin nodded, understanding now why his father had spent so much time drilling him in both external and internal training.


    Cai Feng continued, “The more refined your body, the more meridians you can open in the next realm. A weak body can only open a few, limiting future growth. A strong body—one tempered properly—can open far more.”


    Feiyin narrowed his eyes. “So Body Tempering doesn’t just determine my strength now—it determines my potential for all cultivation moving forward.”


    Cai Feng smirked. “Exactly.”


    A sudden thought struck Feiyin. “If internal strength is kinetic energy… does that mean it can be used for more than just body refinement?”


    His father’s smirk deepened. “Now you’re asking the right questions.”


    He took a single step forward.


    The ground cracked beneath his foot.


    Feiyin barely had time to process what had happened before Cai Feng extended a single finger, flicking it toward a small training dummy several meters away.


    A gust of compressed force shot forth like an invisible shockwave—not Qi, not elemental energy, but pure, controlled kinetic energy.


    The dummy’s wooden chest imploded instantly, splinters flying in all directions.


    Feiyin’s jaw dropped. “That was—”


    “Internal strength,” his father said simply. “Refined kinetic energy can be controlled, directed, and used offensively. Most rely on Qi techniques, but a properly tempered body can kill without ever drawing upon Essence Qi.”


    Feiyin clenched his fists. The potential was staggering.


    Cai Feng turned toward him fully. “This is why your training follows both external and internal refinement. It is not just about endurance—it is about control. If you cannot control your own force, your power will be wasted. Worse, you may even harm yourself.”


    Feiyin nodded, his mind now racing with new understanding.


    Cai Feng allowed him a moment to process before speaking again. “From now on, your training will be more focused. You will refine each part of your body with intent, not just repetition. The more precisely you control your internal strength, the more force you will generate.”


    Feiyin exhaled slowly, his entire perspective shifting.


    Strength wasn’t just about how hard he trained—it was about how well he understood his own body, how perfectly he controlled the energy within him.


    His father clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Tomorrow, we begin your first true internal strength refinement exercise. Prepare yourself.”


    Feiyin grinned despite himself.


    10,000 kg of force.


    He would reach it.


    And beyond.