A Song for The Ages

Dawn stretched over the horizon, casting a dim glow over the crude training grounds. The chill of morning air seeped through the thin fabric of their clothes, biting into their weary bodies. Sleep had been restless for most, if it came at all. The weight of their situation, the uncertain fate ahead, kept many staring at the ceiling of their huts long after night had fallen.

And then,

A sharp, piercing whistle cut through the silence.

"Out. Now."

The gruff, authoritative bark of the bald instructor from the day before shattered any lingering drowsiness.

Doors slammed open, and children spilled out into the cold morning, some sluggish, some alert, but all tense.

Ren stretched his arms, his usual dry sarcasm already making an appearance. "I hate this place."

Yue yawned, her ears twitching slightly. "You've only been here a day."

Shen Mu, ever composed, adjusted his tunic. "We should go. They don't seem the patient type."

Feiyin was already stepping outside, rolling his shoulders as he exhaled slowly, while Bai Yu was still sleeping on his bed. He could feel it, the way his body had already begun recovering from the malnourishment and exhaustion of the last month.

His inner strength pulsed steadily within him.

Now, it was time to see what this so-called training would entail.

They were herded to a large, open field, where stone pillars lined the area in neat rows. It was clearly a designated training space, though it held a crude, oppressive air.

The bald instructor stood at the center, arms crossed over his chest, his sharp, piercing eyes scanning the crowd.

When he spoke, his voice was grating, each word carrying undisguised disdain.

"Surviving the caverns didn't make you strong." His gaze swept over them, pausing briefly at some of the more exhausted-looking survivors.

"It just means you weren't the first to die."

Tension rippled through the crowd, a mix of resentment and fear.

The instructor smirked, taking pleasure in their discomfort.

"From today onward, you'll train. If you're weak, you'll be discarded. If you're slow, you'll be beaten. If you disobey… you'll be killed."

No one moved.

No one doubted his words.

Then, with a slow, deliberate motion, he clapped his hands.

"Two groups. Those at the peak of body tempering, step to the left. The rest, to the right."

A hesitant shuffle went through the crowd as survivors exchanged wary glances.

Feiyin stepped left without hesitation. Yue and Ren followed suit, their movements confident but cautious.

As Feiyin glanced around, he counted.

Seventeen.

That was the number of survivors who had reached the peak. Out of a hundred.

Seventeen.

Shen Mu was among the rest, his brows furrowing slightly as he stepped to the right.

Feiyin knew he had been training diligently, but he was still at the high stage of body tempering, not quite at the peak yet.

The instructor's lip curled.

"Seventeen out of a hundred." His voice was laced with disappointment.

"Pathetic."

He turned to the larger group, those who had yet to reach the peak.

"Your goal is simple, survive."

His voice was merciless, devoid of sympathy.

"You will train your skin, muscles, bones, marrow, and blood. If you fail to reach the peak soon, you'll be discarded. There is no place in the sect for those who cannot open their meridians."

The smaller group, the seventeen at the peak, was next under his scrutiny.

A slow, predatory smirk spread across his face.

"And you lot… you are on the verge of stepping into Meridian Opening."

He took a few deliberate steps closer, letting the weight of his presence settle over them.

"The first five among you to open their meridians will be rewarded with resources, better training, and status within the sect."

The meaning behind his words was clear.

The first five to reach Meridian Opening would step above the rest.

Tension spiked immediately.

Several of the peak-stage survivors stiffened, eyes flickering with sharp focus. Others glanced around warily, as if already seeing their future competition.

Feiyin remained calm, but his mind was working rapidly.

The first five to open their meridians would be noticed. That much was obvious.

Too much attention too early was dangerous.

Feiyin had no doubt that the Saint Spirit Sect valued talent, but if he stood out too soon, it would invite restrictions, scrutiny, and control.

That was not an option.

He had already opened four meridians before coming here. He could push through several more if he wanted.

But he wouldn't rush.

Instead, he needed to make sure he was in the first five, but not first.

He glanced at Ren, Yue, and Shen Mu. They were his priority. If they could open their meridians together, they would stay in the same batch and move forward together.

That would be their foundation, a foothold in the sect that would give them an edge in the future.

That night, after the first grueling day of training, Feiyin gathered Ren, Yue, and Shen Mu inside their hut. The air was thick with exhaustion, but determination shone in their eyes.

Ren leaned against the wooden wall, rolling his shoulders, his expression set in mild annoyance. "I still hate this place."

Yue, sitting cross-legged on the ground, stretched out her legs, flicking her tail behind her. "You said that in the morning."

Ren smirked. "And I'll say it again tomorrow."

Shen Mu, as composed as ever, crossed his arms and gave Feiyin a pointed look. "You have a plan. Let's hear it."

Feiyin exhaled slowly, his gray eyes flecked with amethyst, glinting with purpose.

"The first five to open their meridians will be rewarded. We need to be among them."

A brief silence followed as they all exchanged looks.

Yue's ears twitched slightly, her gaze sharpening. "So we need to train harder."

Feiyin nodded. "Not just harder, smarter."

Ren snorted. "You're implying I haven't been smart so far."

Feiyin smirked. "I'm saying you can improve."

Ren clicked his tongue. "Tch. Annoying."

But he didn't argue.

Shen Mu, always the one to process the situation logically, spoke next. "You're planning to help us open our meridians at the same time?"

Feiyin met his gaze and nodded.

"That's right. If we stay in the same batch, we'll move up together."

Shen Mu rubbed his chin, his expression thoughtful. "That makes sense. I'm already close to reaching the peak. If I can reach it quickly, I won't fall behind."

Feiyin turned to him first.

"You're already at the high stage of body tempering. Your biggest obstacle right now is your marrow refinement."

Shen Mu nodded.

"Then you need to focus on circulation. Your inner strength is refined enough, but you need to let it flow through every part of your body, strengthening the last remnants of your marrow."

Shen Mu frowned slightly but nodded in understanding. "I see. So I should focus on steady refinement instead of just forcing my way through."

Feiyin gave him an approving nod. "Exactly. If you rush it carelessly, you'll just strain your body. But if you refine it step by step, you'll reach the peak within the next few days."

Shen Mu took a deep breath. "Alright. I'll adjust my training accordingly."

With that settled, Feiyin turned to Yue.

Her golden feline eyes gleamed with curiosity.

"As for you, Yue… you have the strongest natural physique among us. Beastkin inherently refine their bodies better than humans. That's why you already reached the peak of body tempering even at your age."

Yue tilted her head, waiting for him to continue.

"For you, the problem won't be reaching the first meridian, it'll be controlling the flow when it starts opening."

Yue's ears twitched in slight confusion. "What do you mean?"

Feiyin tapped his chest.

"Meridian opening isn't just about forcefully breaking through. If you can guide the flow properly, you can make it smoother and even lessen the pain. You already have strong instincts, use them. Trust your body's natural rhythm, like when you fight. The key for you is not resisting the process, but flowing with it."

Yue's eyes widened slightly, realization dawning on her. "So I should follow the natural pull instead of trying to brute force it?"

Feiyin grinned. "Exactly. Your control over your inner strength is sharp when you fight. Use that same control to guide your meridian's opening."

Yue grinned back, excitement flickering in her expression. "Alright. I can do that."

Finally, Feiyin turned to Ren.

Ren raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly. "And what about me, oh wise one?"

Feiyin rolled his eyes.

"Your biggest strength is your survival instinct."

Ren's smirk faded slightly as he narrowed his gaze.

"You've always relied on sensing danger and reacting instantly. That means your body already knows how to conserve and release strength efficiently."

Ren was silent for a moment before nodding slowly. "Go on."

Feiyin continued.

"Meridian opening requires balance. If you push too hard, you'll injure yourself. If you hesitate, you'll waste time. But if you apply your instinctual awareness, the same way you react to attacks, you can control the flow of your inner strength and hit the perfect balance."

Ren hummed, his expression unreadable.

Then, after a moment, he chuckled.

"Hah. So I just need to not overthink it. Got it."

Feiyin nodded in satisfaction before leaning back against the hut.

He, too, had been working toward his next step.

He had been grinding away at his fifth meridian, slowly, carefully, meticulously. He wouldn't rush it.

The key was efficiency, not haste.

Now that they had a plan, he exhaled deeply.

"We'll take things step by step. Shen Mu will reach the peak first, and we'll keep refining our control to make sure we open our meridians properly when the time comes."

Yue grinned. "I like this plan."

Ren smirked. "Well, since I don't have anything better to do, I guess I'm in."

Shen Mu simply nodded. "Then let's make sure we succeed."

Feiyin looked at each of them, his chest swelling with determination.

This was just the beginning.

Together, they would rise.