Chapter 2: Forging the Fragile Frame
The years in Duskfall passed with a relentless rhythm, each dawn marked by the groan of the Lian Clan's decaying estate and the distant roars of spirit beasts in the Ironbloom Province's wilds. Lian Chen, now growing into a lean boy of nine, spent his days hidden from the clan's scorn. His frail body, a legacy of his cursed spiritual root, had been his prison, but his mind—sharp with Earthly memories—became his forge. Over the past four years, he'd pieced together the cultivation world's secrets from overheard conversations and stolen scrolls, learning of its levels and the path ahead.
Cultivation, he discovered, began with the Body Training Realm, spanning levels 1 to 9. This stage tempered the body, with each level increasing strength and resilience. By level 9, a cultivator's body rivaled the might of 10,000 cattle, their defense unyielding. Though this realm could be skipped with spiritual energy to bolster the frame, Lian Chen understood a strong foundation was key for future growth. Alongside this, he'd absorbed knowledge of the Spiritual Practitioner level, where one sensed and gathered the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into the dantian. Beyond that, the mysteries remained veiled to him.
Defying his weakness, Lian Chen devised a regimen of body exercises—running the rugged trails near Duskfall, lifting stones, and stretching under the moonlit sky. Mei Lian, though fearful, supported him in secret, smuggling meager rations to fuel his efforts. By age nine, his persistence had elevated him to the 5th level of Body Training Realm, his once-frail limbs now wiry with muscle, his endurance a quiet defiance against his fate.
One evening, Elder Tong visited again, his scarred face softening at the sight of Lian Chen practicing forms. "Your root remains a shadow," the old man said, "but your body… it sings with effort. Strange for one so young." He paused, then added, "The Jade Sword Sect's trial approaches in four years. Prepare, boy. It may be your only chance."
Lian Chen nodded, his mind racing. Four years to reach level 9, he thought. And then, the sect. His Earthly logic told him preparation was power, and he vowed to master his body before facing the trial.