RaizellV

  The crisp m air carried the st of damp earth as Feiyin sat cross-legged before his father, his body still ag from yesterday’s training. His muscles pulsed with a dull soreness, yet his mind was sharper than ever, his excitement tempered only by the steady rhythm of his breath. He khat today was not about physical exertion—it was about uanding. And uanding was the first step toward true mastery.Cai Feng stood before him, arms crossed, his gaze steady. “Yesterday, you trained your muscles and tendons. You felt the pain, the tension, the resistance of your own body. But that was only a small part of the greater whole. Before you fe yourself into something greater, you must first uand what it means to temper the body.”Feiyin nodded, abs each word. He had already seen glimpses of this truth in his training. Strength was not just about force—it was about bahe body,” Cai Feng tinued, “is not something that grows stronger in a sih. Many fools believe there is a fixed progression—that you must first refine your skin, then your muscles, then your bones, and so on. But that is a lie. Iy, each aspect of the body be trained separately ether. The stro warriors refihem all, yet most never even realize they have the choice.”Feiyin furrowed his brows. “Then why do people believe in a fixed order?”“Because they do not uand how the body truly works,” Cai Feng said simply. “They do not see the es, the way each part strehe other. Tell me, which is more important—the skin that protects, or the blood that nourishes? The muscles that give power, or the bohat bear the weight? The answer is all of them. Eae relies oher, f an intricate web of bance.”Feiyin sat ihought, his perception of the body shifting.“The five aspects of Body Tempering are Skin, Muscles and Tendons, Bones, Marrow, and Blood. Each of these is governed by a, and each element is ected to one of the five internal ans. That is why true body tempering does not just grant strength—it enhahe five senses as well. A properly tempered body is not just strong, but perceptive.”He paused, letting Feiyin process. “I will expin.”Cai Feng took a step forward, his voice steady. “First, Skin—governed by Earth. This is the body's outermost yer, the first line of defe must be tempered to withstand force, ereme ditions, and prevent energy leakage. If your skin is weak, you will bleed, bruise, and tear under pressure. But a well-tempered skin is like iron, able to take and disperse blows without breaking.”Feiyin nodded. He had seen how his father’s skin never bruised, even after harsh trainih is stability, and it is tied to the spleen, which trols ban the body. A strong spleen ensures resilience, which is why warriors with tempered skin have enhaouch—they feel shifts in the wind, subtle vibrations in the ground, the fairemors of movement. A properly trained warrior sense an attaing before it arrives.”Feiyin’s mind raced. His ability to see osciltions was already strong—would refining his skin allow him to feel them even more clearly?Cai Feng tinued. “, Muscles and Tendons—governed by Wood. Muscles give strength, but without tendons, they are useless. Tendons ect, anchor, and allow the body to move without tearing itself apart. That is why they must be strong and flexible, capable of st and releasing power instantly.”Feiyin recalled the Python Postures—how he had straio hold his stance, how his tendons had screamed iahis was why.“Wood represents growth and adaptability, and it is tied to the liver, which regutes movement and vitality. This is why those who refiheir muscles and tendons also enhance Sight—a warrior must traent, perceive shifts in an oppo’s posture, a before the strike nds. If your body moves well but your eyes are slow, you will still lose.”Feiyin’s thoughts deepened. His perception of osciltions already gave him an edge in uanding movement—how much further could he take it if he strengthened both his body and his eyes?“Now, Bones—governed by Metal. Bones are the body’s foundation. If they are weak, no amount of muscle will save you. A warrior with weak bones will crumble under his own strength.”Feiyin thought of how his father’s strikes shattered wood and sto wasn’t just muscle power—his bones carried that strength.“Metal is unyielding, and it is tied to the lungs, which regute breath and internal stability. A warrior with strong bones also develops a heightened Sense of Smell—instinct, awareness of surroundings, deteg subtle ges in the air. A well-trained warrior smell blood before it is shed, sense an enemy’s i before they even strike.”The es were f clearly in Feiyin’s mind. Breath trol, durability, and instinct—all rooted in bone refi.Cai Feng’s voice carried on. “Fourth, Marrow—governed by Water. If bones are the structure, marrow is what keeps them alive. Marrow produces blood, carrying energy and vitality through the body. A warrior with weak marrow will suffer from exhaustion, no matter how strong they appear.”Feiyin exhaled. He had felt it already—the limits of his endurance, how fatigue would set in faster than pain.“Water is nourishment and circution, and it is tied to the kidneys, which govern loy. A warrior with strong marrow develops Hearing beyond ordinary limits. The world is ruly silent—there is always motion, always sound. Those who refiheir marrow hear the slightest breath, the fai heartbeat, the subtlest shift of an oppo’s stance.”Feiyin’s heart pouhis was why his father could react so quickly, why nothing ever caught him off guard.“And st,” Cai Feng said, his gaze unwavering, “Blood—governed by Fire. The final stage. Blood is the essence of the body, the fuel for endurand energy circution. If your blood is weak, your power is fleeting. A true warrior fight for days without tiring.”Feiyin listened, his body tingling with realization.“Fire represents passion, adaptability, and vitality, and it is tied to the heart, which trols blood flow. Warriors who refiheir blood develop an enhanced Sense of Taste—not simply for food, but for medie, poisons, and energy purity. A master of Blood Tempering never es what he does not uand.”Feiyin sat in silence, his entire perception of cultivation reshaped.Cai Feng allowed the weight of his words to settle before speaking again. “And this is why true training follows both paths—from io outer, and from outer to inner.”Feiyin looked up. “Because everything is ected.”His father smirked. “Exactly. If you train only your skin, but your blood, you will be tough but weak. If you train your muscles but not your marrow, you will be strong but fragile. A warrior must be banced, refined in every aspect.”Feiyin’s fists ched. He uood.He wouldn’t be fooled by the misceptions of others. He would refine all five aspects, bahem, strehem together.Cai Feng studied his expression before nodding in approval. “Now that you uand, tomorrow we begin your first true full-body training session.”Feiyin took a deep breath, feeling the resonance of his own body, the potential waiting to be unlocked.His path was now clear.He would refine everything. He would fe himself to perfe.