Groans of agony echoed throughout the valley.
On a modest stone platform in the middle of the gorge, a dozen figures stood watching.
Several young men dressed in black robes observed the children still submerged in the medicinal baths.
"It's only been five minutes, and several have already given up or are crying out in pain."
"You're being too harsh on them—they're barely fourteen."
"Exactly… this is their first encounter with the pain of cultivation."
Their voices mixed into a low chorus of murmurs and whispers as they argued among themselves.
Farther away, hidden from sight, three elders sat on stone chairs around a rough table.
One of them poured tea with elegant precision from a jade set as they discussed the children's progress.
"Out of the group that came for the Jade Peak trial, there were fifty at the start… now only sixteen remain," said Elder Shen.
"That's not worrisome," replied the peak master, Mo Tianhai, drinking his tea in a single motion. "We're not evaluating their cultivation aptitude, but their character and will. When forging the body, one's endurance is just as important as talent—the ability to withstand what life hurls at you."
"True," added Elder Zou, sipping gracefully. "Still, talent cannot be denied. The higher their aptitude, the stronger their tolerance… and the greater their body's reaction to the medicinal bath. In the end, we're testing both."
"Then we'll simply observe," Shen said calmly. "Although, by your own rules, Elder Mo, those who lasted more than five minutes have already passed the trial."
A low laugh escaped Mo Tianhai.
"Yes, those kids are practically part of Jade Peak already. But now… I want to see who's got the most guts."
A smile—almost sadistic—curved across his face.
Elder Zou sighed.
"Poor children… they have no idea how crazy you are. At least you won't be personally training them."
"Indeed," Shen replied serenely. "The new disciples guide themselves, along with the weekly lectures. There's no better path than the one you forge on your own."
"Enough talk," said Mo, narrowing his eyes. "Something interesting is happening with that boy…"
Following Mo's spiritual perception, Elder Zou found the one he was referring to.
"That child… something's strange about his meridians. It was brief, but I couldn't identify it. And when I tried to scan him, his spiritual root rejected my sense."
"I see…" Mo's lips curved faintly. "I have a suspicion, but for now, let's keep watching. Elder Shen, get me that boy's test results later."
While the three observed, Jin was fighting for his life—literally.
I don't know about the others, but I feel like I'm dying.
Every cell, every fiber of his muscles and tendons screamed in agony.
The liquid burned like molten fire against his skin.
Bubbles rose along his back as a searing heat coursed through his veins.
His breathing grew erratic—the air he exhaled came out as steam.
The worst part was that he couldn't move. His body had frozen in the meditation posture, as if the bath itself had trapped him.
The pain was so overwhelming that his mind began to blur.
Lost in his thoughts, Jin could only let his imagination drift to avoid losing consciousness.
Then, focusing every bit of his awareness, he noticed something.
An invisible energy was flowing from the liquid into his body.
It coursed through every energy channel, circulating through his meridians in endless cycles.
With each pass, it burned away impurities—painful, yet strangely liberating.
As time passed, the pain dulled.
It was still unbearable, but there was something new: a faint pleasure each time the energy completed its circuit.
I hope I'm not turning into a masochist, he joked inwardly.
Soon, he noticed something even stranger.
Where his dantian should be, threads of golden energy followed the paths carved by the medicinal liquid.
But unlike before, this energy wasn't purifying—it was tempering him.
It was hardening his meridians, making them tougher, denser.
Though pain stabbed through his mind, he could feel his body strengthening with every second.
If anyone could see him, they would notice a faint golden glow emanating from his skin.
The liquid around him trembled lightly, resonating with his breath.
Though it felt like an eternity to Jin, outside only five more minutes had passed.
At the twelve-minute mark, the last child besides Jin finally gave up and stumbled out, face twisted in pain.
The liquid in his tub was murky and filled with dark impurities.
"How enviable. Even if this is a test, it's also a gift from Peak Master Mo."
"Yeah, that medicinal bath is actually a meridian-purifying liquid. Even a basic one is a treasure."
"I still remember when I went through it… If I could do it again, maybe I wouldn't be stuck at the ninth level of Qi Gathering."
As the disciples chatted, a young woman with blue hair noticed that one boy still hadn't come out.
"That boy… the strange one," she murmured.
Her name was Yan Mei, the youngest direct disciple of Master Mo.
She had three senior brothers and one senior sister—the first disciple her master ever took.
Though she usually carried herself with composure, her curiosity often got the better of her.
Unable to contain it, she extended her spiritual sense toward the boy's tub.
Despite being only twenty, she had already reached mid-Foundation Establishment and could use her sense with some precision.
But the moment her energy touched the liquid's surface, a sharp pain pierced her head—something had rejected her probe.
Startled and confused, she was about to approach when a strong yet gentle voice rang directly in her mind.
"Calm yourself. Haven't I told you? Too much curiosity brings storms upon oneself."
It was her master, speaking through spiritual transmission.
"Don't worry about what just happened. Just keep watching. And one more thing—when that boy enters the outer sect, look after him a little. Who knows… he might become your junior brother someday."
A teasing laugh faded from her mind.
Still puzzled, Yan Mei frowned softly.
"The master is always like this… never says anything straight," she muttered under her breath, turning her gaze back to the last boy in the baths.
Jin remained oblivious to the commotion outside, lost in his own torment.
Around him, several children began whispering.
"How can that useless guy last longer than me?"
"I have spiritual-grade meridians and barely held on for eight minutes!"
Their words drew gasps. Among them, one boy stayed silent—the one who had lasted nearly fourteen minutes.
He knew just how brutal the process was. Coming from a cultivator family, he understood the value of the medicinal bath, and he had endured to reap every possible benefit.
"Why don't you say something, Li Xuan?" shouted another boy. "You hold the record. Doesn't it bother you that some nobody's stealing your glory?"
Li Xuan glanced at him briefly, then looked toward the tub where Jin remained still.
"I don't speak before seeing results," he said calmly. "Besides, if he were trash, he wouldn't have lasted even five minutes."
The other boy clenched his teeth, too angry to respond—but he knew better than to argue.
Li Xuan wasn't just more talented; his family background made him untouchable.
So he said nothing, glaring instead at Jin…
That mysterious boy who remained silent, submerged between agony and transformation.