The climb felt endless.
By the time I reached the top of the stone steps, my legs were numb and my breathing ragged. The others arrived soon after, equally exhausted. But our arrival earned no rest.
Waiting for us was a man in dark green robes, his arms crossed, a cold edge in his gaze. His hair was tied back, his presence sharp and suffocating.
"You five," he said, his voice flat. "New outer disciples of the Iron Wind Pavilion. From today forward, you are no longer villagers, wanderers, or city brats. Your lives, your identities—everything is reset."
He tossed each of us a simple gray robe and a thin wooden token marked with the sect's emblem.
He continued, his tone unchanging.
"There are three ranks within the Iron Wind Pavilion."
"Outer disciples, like you, are the lowest. You do the most dangerous work and the harshest training. You will be tested constantly, and if you fail, you will be discarded. Many will die in body refinement training alone."
"Inner disciples are the next step. They have proven their strength and have access to better resources, techniques, and instructions. They are respected. They can also accept outer disciples as servants or assistants."
His gaze sharpened. "Core disciples are the future pillars of the sect. They are personally taught by elders, have the best resources, and command the lower ranks. To become one is to truly step into the sect's core. Few ever reach this level."
He let his words hang in the air for a long moment before finishing.
"Rise through the ranks if you can. But if you fall… no one will remember your name."
He gestured toward the stone huts built along the cliff edge. "These are your quarters. Report to Instructor Fang at dawn tomorrow for body refinement training. Miss it, and you will be punished. You will not like the punishment."
The elder's cold gaze flicked over us one last time before he turned and walked away.
His final words drifted back with the wind.
"If you die… you die."
A heavy silence settled over us.
It was clear—this was no place for the weak.
I found my assigned hut, a small stone room barely large enough to lie down in. I sat on the cold floor, breathing steadily, my heart pounding—not from fear, but from something sharper.
I reached into my robe and pulled out the technique I had inherited.
🌪️ Heaven Conquering Law – Body Path:
The Heavenly Reversion Law.
The first of the three martial arts granted to me.
The scripture resonated deeply, as if it called to something buried within my bones. The path was brutal—it required daily torture, constant grinding of the flesh and bones until I was reborn in pain.
I should have been afraid.
But instead—I smiled.
"I'll make this body unbreakable."
That night, I slept on the cold stone floor, the scripture pressed against my chest.
When dawn came, I would step into the true world of cultivation.
And I would survive.