The morning air was sharp with the scent of pine and cold stone as we assembled at the training grounds. My body ached from yesterday's trials, every muscle screaming in protest. But I had made a promise to myself: if heaven didn't choose me, I would choose myself. Pain was no longer an excuse—it was fuel.
Zhou Kai appeared beside me, grinning as always, though his eyes were weary. "You look like death warmed over," he teased. "I think you'll pass out before breakfast."
I groaned but allowed a small smile. "Better to pass out than fail."
He shook his head. "You've got the right attitude. That counts for something here."
The elders arrived, their robes rustling like dry leaves. Elder Han, the one with the sharpest eyes, stepped forward. His gaze swept over us like a hawk.
"Today," he began, "you will begin your first official cultivation. Body Tempering Realm. Only those with perseverance will survive."
I felt a pang of anxiety. Cultivation. That word had floated over my head like a distant dream, and now it demanded reality.
Elder Han continued, "You will begin by focusing on your body—bones, muscles, internal organs. Failure will result in injury. Do not hesitate. Move forward, or fall behind."
The group murmured nervously. Some of the wealthy disciples looked confident, stretching and flexing. I clenched my fists. Confidence meant little here.
We were led to the Outer Courtyard, a massive expanse of stone and wooden dummies. The first task: a hundred push-ups, a hundred squats, and then a series of strikes and blocks on the dummies, all while channeling qi through the body.
The first push-ups were agony. My arms trembled. Zhou Kai groaned beside me, and I caught him muttering curses under his breath. But I kept moving. Each repetition was a battle against weakness, against instinct, against my body telling me to stop.
A snicker came from nearby. I turned to see Meng Tao watching, his smirk never fading.
"Really?" he said, mockingly. "This is your talent?"
I ignored him, focusing on each breath, each motion. By the time we moved to the dummies, my sweat soaked the ground beneath us, and my clothes clung to my back like wet paper. But something deep in me sparked—a feeling I had never known: potential waiting to awaken.
Hours passed. The day blurred into a rhythm of pain, repetition, and subtle victories. Every time I thought my body couldn't take more, I pushed further. Zhou Kai was my anchor, encouraging me silently, sharing small techniques he had picked up from watching others.
By late afternoon, Elder Han announced a trial by combat. We were paired to spar lightly with each other, testing our Body Tempering progress.
Meng Tao was paired with me. My stomach twisted. Every fiber of his aura radiated superiority, his movements fluid and precise. He barely touched me before I felt the sting of my own inexperience.
"Come on," he said, smiling faintly, "show me what you've learned."
I forced myself to recall the movements drilled into me. My arms rose, my legs shifted. I blocked, I struck—but every strike was slower, weaker than his.
He struck again, and this time, my foot slipped. Pain shot up my leg. I nearly fell.
Meng Tao laughed softly. "Pathetic."
I clenched my teeth. The world narrowed. I can't lose. Not here. Not now.
I remembered Zhou Kai's words: "Perseverance counts for something."
I centered my breathing, closed my eyes for a brief second, and focused not on qi flowing through me—which I barely felt—but on my body itself. My arms, my legs, my core. Every pain, every bruise, every trembling motion became part of me. I let it guide me, rather than fight it.
I opened my eyes. I lunged. Not fast, not perfect, but precise. My fist connected with Meng Tao's side, and for the first time, he staggered.
The elders froze. A murmur ran through the disciples. Meng Tao's eyes widened slightly, disbelief flickering across his face.
I didn't stop. Every strike, every block, every motion was intentional. By the time the spar ended, I hadn't defeated him—but I had held my own.
Elder Han's gaze fell on me. He walked slowly, deliberately, until he stopped in front of me.
"You," he said, voice low and dangerous, "have endured more than expected. Few with your spirit survive the first day of Body Tempering. Most collapse under their own weakness."
I swallowed hard, unsure how to respond. My heart pounded, not just from exhaustion, but from recognition.
He nodded once and stepped back. "Continue."
That evening, as the sun sank behind the distant mountains, I sat alone in the courtyard. My body ached in ways I didn't think were possible. Every muscle screamed. My hands were raw, my legs stiff, my chest tight. But beneath the pain, something else burned brighter: hope.
Zhou Kai joined me silently, sitting beside me without speaking. We just sat, letting the silence hold the weight of the day.
Finally, he broke it. "You're… different, Li Chen. Most of them have talent. Most of them are stronger than us. But you… you won't quit. That's dangerous for them."
I laughed softly. "Dangerous? I'm barely surviving."
"Survival is dangerous too," he said. "Because once you survive, you'll start to grow. And once you grow, they'll remember your name."
I didn't know if I would grow. I didn't know if I would survive. But I knew I would try, because trying was all I had.
Night fell over the sect, and I finally allowed myself to meditate. The elders had taught us the basics—focusing on the body, feeling qi, harmonizing with our breathing. I closed my eyes, and for the first time, I felt something stir.
A faint warmth in my chest, a tiny pulse of energy flowing through my limbs. It was weak, barely noticeable—but it was real. My body had responded to the pain, to the struggle, to the sheer willpower I had poured into every movement.
I opened my eyes slowly. My fingers tingled. My legs felt lighter. My heart raced—not just from exertion, but from exhilaration.
This is the start, I thought. The first step toward choosing myself.
I didn't notice Meng Tao watching from the shadows, his eyes glinting with a mix of disbelief and envy.
Tomorrow would bring new trials. Friendships would be tested. Jealousy would fester. And for the first time, I understood that this path—the Iron Cloud Sect, cultivation, martial arts—wasn't just about strength. It was about endurance, willpower, and surviving in a world that despises weakness.
I had survived today. And for the first time, I felt… capable.