Ye Yin could not suppress the unease that lingered in her heart.
She stood outside, quietly observing the three children as they played joyfully with the villagers. Around a blazing fire, they moved in circles, laughing as the villagers sang folk songs to accompany their playful dance.
For the first time in decades, she saw genuine smiles among the people of Zephyrron, smiles that existed only because of those children. In truth, they were the ones who had brought fragile hope back to a village long abandoned by the gods and goddesses.
Yet, despite the warmth before her eyes, Ye Yin felt a deep, lingering fear.
She feared what would happen to the three once their dormant powers were reclaimed. She feared the day their destinies would no longer allow them to remain there. And most of all, she feared that once they departed, Zephyrron would once again be swallowed by darkness.
She knew well that she could never bind them there, nor cage them within the village no matter how much she wished to.
Tears slowly gathered at the corners of her eyes and traced down her cheeks.
"I… I cannot bear it if they leave the village," she whispered in a trembling voice.
"Ye Yin…"
It was Elder Xuan who spoke, his tone heavy with age and wisdom. "We are no longer young. Our bodies are already nearing the grave. The children you are worrying about are not as fragile as you think."
Elder Wujin nodded in agreement. "He is right. Those children are far stronger than you imagine."
"But, Elder—"
Before she could finish, Wujin's voice turned solemn.
"The Sabbath has already begun moving. Do you not know? The child you are worrying about is already one of those being hunted by the Holy Cities."
Ye Yin's expression faltered at those words.
She had always known this day would come, the moment when the truth of Tian Dao's identity would inevitably surface. What terrified her most was not the truth itself, but whether the child could endure the cruelty of the world awaiting him.
"Do not worry, Ye Yin," Wujin added more gently. "They are strong. Especially Tian Dao."
Their gaze shifted toward the children.
Tian Dao sat quietly at a distance beside a mortal girl of similar age. He remained silent, watching his two siblings—Mei Lin and Shen Yue—who were still playing nearby.
"You're leaving the Zephyrron?" Xue Ying asked softly.
She was a mortal girl, the granddaughter of one of the village leaders of Zephyrron, Elder Xuan. Unlike the others, she came from a broken lineage tied to one of the Holy Cities' emperors.
Her parents had died because of her grandfather's sins. Enemies from his past had come for revenge, and in the chaos, her parents were caught in the tragedy. All that remained was a two-year-old Xue Ying, left in the ruins of a shattered palace.
"I'm not leaving," Tian Dao replied calmly. "But my lessons will be postponed. I will not be able to teach you how to read for a while."
Xue Ying's expression softened, her eyes beginning to glisten with tears.
Even Tian Dao, usually composed and stoic, was caught off guard.
"What did you do to her, Tian Dao?" Shen Yue teased with a mischievous grin. "You're going to get in trouble with Elder Xuan."
Xue Ying began to cry even more at Shen Yue's teasing. Tian Dao quickly tried to comfort her, flustered and unsure how to respond.
A sudden thwack echoed through the air.
Shen Yue clutched his head in pain. "What was that for?!"
Mei Lin stood behind him, unimpressed. "That's what you get for teasing someone who isn't like Tian Dao."
She immediately went to Xue Ying's side and gently comforted her.
Tian Dao, meanwhile, grew increasingly restless. Guilt tightened in his chest as he watched Xue Ying cry.
"Tell me, Tian Dao," Mei Lin asked firmly. "What happened?"
"I-I only told her…" Tian Dao stammered, "that I might not be able to visit her for a while because of the upcoming training."
Mei Lin frowned. "There's nothing new about our training. It has always been the same."
Tian Dao shook his head. He had forgotten to tell them that Elder Wujin and Elder Xuan had decided to change their training regimen entirely.
Before he could explain further, two figures arrived. Elder Wujin and Elder Xuan stood before them.
"We have decided to modify your training level," Elder Xuan announced solemnly. "This is in preparation for your first stage of cultivation, the body refinement."
Shock immediately spread across Mei Lin and Shen Yue's faces.
"Tomorrow, we will explain everything in detail," Elder Xuan continued. "For now, there is only one matter I wish to address."
His sharp gaze turned toward Tian Dao and the others.
"Who made my Xue Ying cry?"
Without hesitation, Shen Yue pointed at Tian Dao, panic flashing in his eyes.
Elder Xuan's aura darkened.
"T-Tian Dao…" Shen Yue muttered, signaling him desperately.
Tian Dao stiffened. "W-What is it?"
Before he could react further—
"Run!" Shen Yue suddenly grabbed him.
And just like that, the two bolted.
Behind them, Elder Xuan's furious roar echoed through the village:
"I will kill both of you!!!"
—
The next morning came quickly.
Tian Dao was the first to wake, shaking Mei Lin and Shen Yue awake.
"Where's the meat!" Shen Yue jolted up instinctively, only to realize it had been a dream and immediately collapsed back to sleep.
Tian Dao sighed in exhaustion.
Mei Lin, already washing her face, took over waking Shen Yue. With a bucket of water in hand, she splashed him awake without hesitation.
Tian Dao could only watch as Shen Yue shivered from the cold, utterly defeated.
Soon after, they prepared breakfast. Using the remaining embers from the previous night's fire, Mei Lin carefully rekindled the flames to warm leftover meat and cook porridge for the family.
Tian Dao noticed Shen Yue still trembling.
"Are you really going to keep being this rough?" Shen Yue asked quietly.
"This is for your own good," Mei Lin replied flatly.
After a chaotic morning, they set out toward Mount Dao, where the clear river flowed from the peak above.
Upon arrival, Elder Wujin was already waiting. He sat cross-legged, eyes closed, as if he had been there long before they arrived.
When he sensed their presence, he slowly opened his eyes.
"Sit," he instructed.
The three obeyed and settled down in front of him.
A heavy silence followed before Elder Wujin finally spoke.
"Before we begin, I will explain why this training is necessary."
"If you think this is some form of magic, you are mistaken. This is a natural process every cultivator must undergo. It is the foundation of all power."
"Body Tempering is the process of strengthening your physical body step by step through specially designed training tailored to each of you."
He gestured toward six large containers connected by wooden frames with empty water barrel called biandan.
"This is what you will be doing for the next two days."
Shen Yue blinked. "But Elder Wujin, this is just ordinary training. It doesn't look difficult at all."
A faint smile formed on Elder Wujin's lips.
What the children did not yet realize… was that the containers they would be filling were not ordinary.