The isolated training area was tucked away behind a row of old, worn out wooden practice dummies, well out of Senior Disciple Chen Yun's direct line of sight. Kai understood right away that Zhao Ming had picked this spot on purpose. It was far enough to avoid being easily seen, but close enough that they could claim they were still following orders if anyone asked.
"So, Brother Kai," Zhao Ming said, moving in a slow circle around him. "The Iron Body technique is simple in theory. You channel qi into your muscles and bones to make them stronger. But since you do not have any cultivation yet..." He smiled, a cold and unfriendly expression. "You will just have to learn what it feels like by taking the hits."
Liu Jian, a thickly built disciple with a flat nose that looked like it had been broken more than once, cracked his knuckles loudly. "Do not worry. We will be gentle at first."
Wang Shu, the skinniest of the three, watched with cold, unblinking eyes. He did not say anything, but Kai noticed his hand kept moving toward a small knife tucked into his belt. It did not look like a training weapon. It looked personal.
[THREAT ASSESSMENT UPDATED]
[ZHAO MING: Primary threat, Foundation stage cultivation]
[LIU JIAN: Muscle, follows orders, enjoys violence]
[WANG SHU: Most dangerous, has killed before, shows signs of instability]
Kai worked to keep his breathing steady. In his past life, he had faced hostile boardrooms, aggressive business rivals, and even physical threats from angry partners. The basic idea was the same no matter the world. Stay calm, figure out the situation, and look for any possible advantage.
"I appreciate the Brothers' willingness to help me," Kai said, carefully holding onto his nervous farm boy act. "But should we not be training with the main group? Senior Disciple Chen Yun might wonder where we are..."
"Senior Disciple Chen Yun knows we are helping you," Zhao Ming cut him off. "He specifically asked us to give extra attention to disciples who need it the most. We have trained many new outer disciples before you came along."
That last sentence was heavy with unspoken meaning. We have done this before. And judging by the cold information from the system, those previous training sessions had not ended well for the weaker disciples.
[SHADOW SIGHT ACTIVE]
[ANALYZING SPIRITUAL ENERGY PATTERNS]
[WARNING: ZHAO MING PREPARING TO CHANNEL QI INTO STRIKE]
[ESTIMATED FORCE: SUFFICIENT TO BREAK RIBS]
The punch came incredibly fast.
Kai's new body was weaker than his old one, untrained and underfed from a hard life, but his mind was as sharp as ever. He had boxed in his previous life and knew how to read an opponent's body language. Zhao Ming's shoulder had twitched just slightly, giving the strike away.
Kai twisted to the side. He was not fast enough to avoid the blow completely, but he managed to turn a direct hit to his chest into a glancing blow that caught his shoulder instead. Even with Zhao Ming holding back, the impact sent a sharp wave of pain shooting down his entire arm.
"Oh, you have some instinct after all," Zhao Ming said, sounding genuinely caught off guard. "That is good. This will be much more interesting than I first thought."
[HP: 87/100]
[PAIN THRESHOLD DETECTED]
[SHADOW ENERGY RESPONDING TO PHYSICAL TRAUMA]
[ANALYZING...]
Kai gritted his teeth against the throbbing pain. His shoulder ached, but thankfully nothing was broken. Zhao Ming had pulled that punch at the very last second, not out of any kindness, but because breaking him in the first hit would have ended their fun too quickly.
"Again," Zhao Ming commanded. "And this time, try to actually defend yourself properly."
The next several minutes were a brutal lesson in pain. Zhao Ming struck with precise control, each time pulling back just enough to cause real pain without creating a serious injury. Liu Jian joined in, his strikes heavier and less refined. Each hit sent fresh jolts of agony through Kai's body, and each time the system coolly tracked the mounting damage.
[HP: 72/100]
[HP: 64/100]
[HP: 58/100]
But something else was happening underneath the surface of the pain.
[SHADOW ENERGY FLUCTUATING]
[PAIN TRIGGERING ENERGY RESPONSE]
[DEATH AFFINITY RESONATING WITH SURVIVAL INSTINCT]
[NEW ABILITY AWAKENING...]
In the brief moments between strikes, Kai's vision seemed to grow sharper. His Shadow Sight was no longer just showing him cultivation levels. It was now highlighting weak points in his opponents. The slight favor in Zhao Ming's left knee when he stepped forward. The way Liu Jian always dropped his guard after a big, powerful swing. The nervous energy in Wang Shu that made him flinch at any sudden movement.
Weaknesses. Opportunities.
But it was not the right time to use them. Not yet. Kai forced himself to stay in character, to take the beating exactly like the weak farm boy everyone believed him to be. Let them think they were in complete control. Let them grow comfortable and overconfident.
"I think that is enough for now," a voice called out from the edge of the area.
Lin Wei was walking toward them from the main training ground, his face carefully neutral but his eyes hard and serious. He gave a respectful nod to Zhao Ming. "Brother Zhao, Senior Disciple Chen Yun is calling for rotation. He wants all disciples back at the main ground immediately."
Zhao Ming looked annoyed but quickly covered it with a thin smile. "Of course, Brother Lin. We were just giving Brother Kai some extra personal training. This farm boy needs to toughen up quickly if he wants to survive here for long."
"I am sure he appreciates the Brothers' generous guidance," Lin Wei said. The words were polite, but they carried a sharp edge underneath.
Zhao Ming's smile never slipped, but his eyes promised that this was far from over. "We will continue this tomorrow, Brother Kai. Same time, same place. After all, we have a responsibility to help our weaker brothers succeed, do we not?"
The three of them walked away, leaving Kai standing there, breathing hard and covered in fresh bruises. Lin Wei waited until they were completely out of earshot before his expression softened into one of clear concern.
"Brother Kai, those three are nothing but trouble. Zhao Ming and his friends have a bad reputation. Disciples they 'train' often end up either quitting the sect entirely... or disappearing."
"I had noticed something was wrong," Kai said, straightening up slowly despite the pain. "Why did you step in to help me?"
Lin Wei simply shrugged. "When I first joined the sect, I was weak too. Another disciple saw this and helped me survive long enough to build up my own cultivation. I am just passing that forward now." He glanced in the direction where Zhao Ming's group had gone. "Besides... someone needs to stand up to those three eventually."
[RELATIONSHIP UPDATED]
[LIN WEI: Friendly - Potential Ally]
[TRUST LEVEL: Moderate]
Kai studied Lin Wei carefully. In his previous life, he had learned how to spot genuine people versus those with hidden agendas. Lin Wei seemed sincere, but in a world where power was the only thing that truly mattered, even kindness usually came with a price.
"Thank you, Brother Lin. I will not forget this."
They returned to the main training ground where Senior Disciple Chen Yun was organizing everyone into meditation circles. The physical part of the Iron Body training was apparently over, and they were moving into qi circulation practice.
"Everyone find a spot and sit down. We will practice the basic Celestial Peak Breathing Method. Even you outer disciples should be able to manage the first circulation."
As the disciples settled into their meditation poses, Lin Wei whispered to Kai from the next spot over, "Just follow what I do. The breathing method is simple. Inhale for six counts, hold for three, and then exhale for six. Try to feel the qi in the air around you as you breathe."
Kai settled into position, crossing his legs on the hard, packed ground. His body ached terribly from the beating, but he forced his mind to focus. In his previous life, he had never put any stock in meditation or spiritual energy. Now, in a world where such things were undeniably real, he had no choice but to learn.
He closed his eyes and began the breathing pattern.
Inhale. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.
Hold. One. Two. Three.
Exhale. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.
Nothing happened. It was just breathing. He felt a little foolish, sitting there and expecting something magical to happen.
[CULTIVATION ATTEMPT DETECTED]
[ANALYZING HOST BODY]
[WARNING: TRADITIONAL CULTIVATION METHODS INCOMPATIBLE WITH SHADOW SOVEREIGN SYSTEM]
[DEATH AFFINITY PREVENTS STANDARD QI ABSORPTION]
Kai's eyes snapped open. All around him, the other disciples sat peacefully, some with faint glows of energy starting to surround them as they successfully circulated qi. Lin Wei had a soft white aura wrapping around his body. Even the very weakest disciples showed at least some small sign of progress.
But Kai felt absolutely nothing except a growing sense of frustration.
[ALTERNATIVE CULTIVATION METHOD REQUIRED]
[SHADOW ENERGY DOES NOT FOLLOW TRADITIONAL PATHS]
[RECOMMEND: SEEK ISOLATED LOCATION FOR SYSTEM-SPECIFIC CULTIVATION]
Of course. The system had warned him that death cultivation was different. But if he could not practice the standard methods everyone else used, how was he supposed to advance in a sect that taught only those standard methods?
"I cannot feel anything at all. Is that normal for a first try?"
"Some people just take longer than others to feel it. Do not try to force it. Just keep breathing and try to stay relaxed."
Kai continued the breathing pattern, but his mind was already racing ahead, working on the new problem. If normal cultivation would not work for him, he needed to find time alone to experiment with the system's own methods. But as the weakest outer disciple, he would be watched closely. Any strange or suspicious behavior would draw the exact kind of attention he needed to avoid.
He needed a cover story. A believable reason to be alone without making anyone suspicious.