The night wind was cold.
Lin Feng stood at the foot of the mountain, staring up at the towering silhouette of the Azure Cloud Sect. The same place that had crushed him, humiliated him, and discarded him like trash now loomed silently above him, illuminated by scattered lantern light.
Yet his heartbeat was steady.
His breathing was calm.
In the past, simply standing here would have filled him with fear and bitterness. Now, there was only clarity.
He lowered his gaze to his hands. The skin was unbroken, his fingers firm and powerful. When he clenched his fist, his muscles tightened naturally, filled with a strength far beyond anything he had ever known. There was no instability, no unfamiliarity. His body felt like it had always been meant to be this way.
"This is Body Tempering…" Lin Feng murmured.
He could clearly sense it now. His bones were denser, his blood warmer, his muscles responsive. In the past, even reaching the first layer of Body Tempering had taken him months of painful effort and countless medicinal baths. Now, his body felt completely different, as if it had been reforged according to a higher standard.
"System," Lin Feng called silently.
A translucent panel appeared instantly, floating before his eyes.
Host: Lin Feng
Realm: Body Tempering (1/10)
Growth Rate: Infinite
Multiplier: x1
Below it, new lines of text flickered into existence.
Passive Growth: Active
Growth Condition: Any action performed by the host increases growth
Lin Feng's pupils contracted slightly.
"Any action?" he asked.
"Confirmed," the system replied. "Movement, breathing, combat, cultivation, survival, learning, and repeated behaviors all contribute to growth."
Lin Feng took a slow, deliberate breath.
Warmth spread from his chest, flowing outward through his limbs, sinking into his muscles and bones like liquid fire.
Ding.
Growth detected.
Body Tempering progress increased slightly.
His eyes widened.
"So even breathing counts," he said quietly.
"Correct," the system replied. "Growth efficiency increases with intensity, duration, and resistance."
Lin Feng exhaled slowly, suppressing the surge of emotion rising in his chest. For the first time in his life, effort was no longer wasted. Every second he lived now had value.
He stepped forward.
The moment his foot touched the ground, he felt it again—a faint warmth spreading through his legs, subtle but unmistakable.
Ding.
Growth detected.
Another step.
Ding.
Growth detected.
Lin Feng let out a quiet laugh.
"So that's how it works."
Without hesitation, he began climbing the mountain path.
The road was steep and uneven, carved directly into stone. Loose gravel shifted beneath his feet, and the incline grew harsher with every step. In the past, Lin Feng would have struggled just to keep his balance, stopping frequently to catch his breath.
Now, his steps were steady.
His breathing remained smooth.
With every movement, power accumulated.
Ding.
Growth detected.
Ding.
Growth detected.
His heart pumped strongly, not with exhaustion, but with vitality. Sweat formed on his brow, yet his muscles showed no signs of strain.
By the time he reached the outer disciple quarters, heat coursed through his entire body, his blood roaring faintly in his ears.
"Status," Lin Feng commanded.
The panel refreshed.
Realm: Body Tempering (2/10)
Lin Feng stopped walking.
Just from climbing.
He clenched his fists slowly, feeling the power contained within his arms. Calm confidence settled in his chest. At this level, even outer disciples who once bullied him would no longer pose a threat.
But he did not relax.
"If simple movement is enough," he muttered, "then cultivation will be even faster."
He slipped into an abandoned cultivation room at the edge of the outer disciple area. The room was small, cracked, and dusty. The spirit-gathering formation carved into the floor was incomplete and barely functional.
Perfect.
Lin Feng sat cross-legged and closed his eyes.
He began circulating the Azure Cloud Body Tempering Art.
In the past, spiritual qi barely responded to him, moving sluggishly through his meridians like stagnant water. Now, the moment he focused, the surrounding energy surged toward him, flowing smoothly and obediently into his body.
Ding.
Cultivation detected.
Growth efficiency increased.
Pain flared suddenly.
Lin Feng's muscles tightened violently, fibers tearing and reforming in an instant. His bones vibrated faintly as they hardened further. Sweat poured down his face, soaking his robes, yet his expression remained calm.
He endured.
He continued circulating the technique.
Minutes passed.
The pain intensified, then stabilized.
Then—
Crack.
A clear sound echoed inside his body.
Ding.
Realm breakthrough detected.
Body Tempering advanced to Layer 3.
Lin Feng opened his eyes.
"Already…" he murmured.
He exhaled slowly. What took others months now took him minutes. And this was with a broken cultivation room and a basic technique. The thought alone made his heart race.
Footsteps echoed outside.
Lin Feng's eyes turned cold instantly.
Three outer disciples stood at the entrance, their expressions mocking. The man in front was one of Liu Kang's lackeys, his gaze filled with malice.
"Oh? Isn't this Lin Feng?" the man sneered. "Still alive after falling off the mountain?"
Lin Feng stood calmly. "Leave."
The disciples burst into laughter.
"Did you hear that? Trash is giving orders."
One of them stepped forward and swung his fist without warning.
Lin Feng raised his hand.
Their fists collided.
Crack.
A piercing scream echoed as the disciple's arm twisted unnaturally. He collapsed to the ground, clutching it in agony.
The room fell silent.
The remaining two disciples froze.
Lin Feng glanced at his hand, then at the screaming man. "So this is Body Tempering Layer 3."
Fear flashed across their faces.
"You—you crippled him!"
Lin Feng stepped forward.
Ding.
Combat detected.
Growth efficiency increased significantly.
He moved.
One step.
One strike.
The second disciple was sent flying, slamming into the wall unconscious.
The third turned and ran.
Lin Feng appeared in front of him in an instant.
"P-please—"
Lin Feng punched him in the chest.
The disciple collapsed without a sound.
Ding.
Combat concluded.
Growth surge detected.
Heat surged violently through Lin Feng's body, far stronger than before.
Ding.
Realm breakthrough detected.
Body Tempering advanced to Layer 4.
Lin Feng stood alone in the ruined room, three bodies at his feet. His breathing was steady. His heart was calm.
"So this is infinite growth," he said quietly.
The system's voice sounded again.
"New notification."
A golden panel appeared.
First Combat Victory achieved.
Reward: Growth Multiplier increased.
Multiplier: x2
Lin Feng's eyes sharpened.
"Double growth…"
"Confirmed," the system replied. "Further achievements will unlock additional multipliers."
Lin Feng clenched his fist slowly. At this rate, the outer disciples were no longer obstacles.
They were resources.
He looked toward the inner sect, eyes calm and resolute.
"This mountain," he murmured, "won't hold me for long."
Author's Note
Thank you for reading Chapter 2.
If you're enjoying the story, please add it to your library and leave a comment. This directly helps the novel get recommended and allows me to maintain daily updates.
This is a long-form cultivation + system novel focused on fast progression, ruthless combat, and continuous power growth. Lin Feng's rise has only just begun.
Your support decides how fast the chapters come.
See you in the next chapter.