The night was long, but for Lian, it was a pleasant one. As he lay in bed, exhaustion weighing down his limbs, he drifted into a somber, restful sleep, something he hadn’t fully grown accustomed to. His mind, which was often restless, seemed to surrender this time, allowing him to slip into the warm embrace of peaceful dreams.

  Just like before, It was different—there were no interruptions, no strange disturbances dragging him into the dream space he had once known so well. Instead, his thoughts carried him into a series of sweet, serene dreams.

  It felt new, almost foreign, but delightful. The sense of truly resting, of allowing his body and mind to relax completely, was an unfamiliar but welcome experience. It wasn’t always like this. Before, whenever he slept, he would be pulled into a strange, otherworldly dream space, a place that unsettled him, where rest never truly came. But now, after everything he’d been through recently, this sleep was unbroken. The transition into his dream life was smooth, comforting, and strangely sweet.

  For now, his sleep didn’t feel like a battle. It was a refreshing sensation, one that seemed to cradle his tired body in a cocoon of warmth and calm. Though the night stretched on, it passed in what felt like an instant, as if time had played a trick on him. The pleasure of being able to simply rest made it feel as if hours had flown by in mere moments.

  However, in the midst of his cozy slumber, something strange stirred within him. A faint buzzing sensation, like a distant hum, began to grow. At first, it was barely noticeable, a slight tickle on the edge of his consciousness. But slowly, it grew louder, more insistent, until it rattled him awake as if someone had yanked him out of sleep by force.

  Lian shot up in bed, his breath coming in quick gasps. His eyes darted around the room, still clouded with the remnants of sleep. The morning light filtered through the cracks in the shutters, casting slivers of sunlight across his bed. His chest rose and fell as he struggled to stabilize his breathing, his mind racing to catch up with his body.

  “What was that?” he muttered to himself, still shaken by the strange sensation. It had felt like an alarm, but not one from outside. It was something deeper, almost like a pull, a summoning. As he blinked against the morning light, his mind slowly began to register the passage of time. It felt like he had just closed his eyes moments ago, and yet, here was the morning sun already breaking through the night.

  For a moment, Lian wondered if time had played a trick on him. How could the night have passed so quickly? Was there some foul play afoot, distorting his sense of time? Or perhaps—he thought with a wry smile—he’d slept so deeply that reality had finally decided to cut him a break. His body certainly felt more rested, and there was a pleasant sensation of refreshment running through him, a sure sign that enough time had passed for a proper rest. Still, the strange tugging sensation lingered, and Lian couldn’t shake the feeling that something was calling to him.

  The sensation wasn’t external—it was coming from within him, as though something deep inside was trying to grab his attention. He narrowed his eyes, focusing inward, tracing the source of the disturbance. Instinctively, he recognized what it was. The system. It was tugging at him, pulling him to wakefulness.

  As soon as the thought crossed his mind, the familiar system window appeared before his eyes, glowing faintly in the early morning light. His gaze quickly settled on the notification blinking at the top of the display.

  [A new update has been unlocked for the system.]

  The message confirmed what he had already suspected. This was the reason for the strange sensation that had pulled him out of sleep. His fingers moved without thinking, and he clicked on the notification. The projection unfolded, revealing a new set of information:

  [Physical Stats:

  Strength: 8

  Stamina: 6

  Agility: 7

  Dexterity: 6

  Endurance: 9]

  Lian blinked, his eyes scanning over the stats in surprise. The last time he had checked the system window, these physical attributes hadn’t been available. This must have been part of the new update, as the system had suggested. His mind worked quickly, connecting the dots. Could these physical stats be tied to the body refinement technique he had started practicing? It seemed too much of a coincidence for them not to be.

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  He stared at the stats for a moment longer, studying each one carefully. Though he wasn’t yet familiar with how the system measured physical attributes, the numbers didn’t seem particularly impressive. His strength was an 8, his stamina a 6—both relatively modest numbers. Agility and dexterity weren’t much higher, hovering around 6 and 7, and while his endurance seemed the best at 9, even that didn’t strike him as exceptional. The more he looked at the numbers, the more he realized how much room he had to grow.

  A faint sense of shame washed over him as he considered how these stats reflected his current state. He had only just begun his training, and these numbers seemed to confirm how far he still had to go. But rather than letting the low numbers discourage him, Lian’s resolve only strengthened. He had just started the body refinement technique. There was plenty of time to improve, to grow stronger. He would not let this poor display of stats define his progress.

  Driven by a mix of curiosity and determination, he clicked on the strength stat, hoping for more information. If the system had gone through the trouble of measuring his physical condition, surely it had something more to offer in terms of guidance.

  Just as Lian had suspected, when he clicked on the strength stat, a small pop-up appeared, displaying useful information. It read: Strength increases with physical strain and improves your overall physique, which will be reflected in your combat abilities. A stronger body also allows you to handle more of the Boundless Light’s power without strain.

  He took a moment to absorb this information, processing it carefully before moving on to Stamina. Another pop-up appeared: Stamina improves as you build endurance through prolonged battles and intense training. It’s particularly important for sustaining long fights and using the Boundless Light, which can heavily tax the body.

  Next, he clicked on Agility, and the screen displayed: As you train, your ability to dodge, maneuver, and react quickly in battle will increase, making you a more well-rounded fighter. He nodded thoughtfully, already imagining how this would improve his combat style.

  He then clicked on Dexterity, which described: Precision in combat—how well you wield weapons, perform movements, and execute complex techniques—depends on your dexterity. Improving this will make you more effective in battle.

  Finally, he clicked on Endurance. The message that appeared was clear: Endurance measures how long you can fight without tiring and how well you can withstand damage, both physically and mentally. As you progress in training and overcome your initial weaknesses, your endurance will skyrocket, allowing you to engage in longer battles without faltering.

  Lian noted all the information the system displayed about his stats. It was concise and easy to understand, leaving him with a deep sense of satisfaction. Everything pointed to one conclusion: with training, he could improve each stat. He was already on the right path, as he had started practicing the Heavenly Steel, Heavenly Pillars body refinement technique.

  He couldn’t wait to see how much his stats would improve once he completed the first stage of the technique, known as Foundation Layering. By then, he was sure his body would transform, and most importantly, he looked forward to the day he could channel the Boundless Light through his body without experiencing the backlash he had suffered before. The very thought of it filled him with excitement and renewed motivation.

  That excitement surged through him as he imagined the moment when his body would be able to channel the Boundless Light effortlessly. Once he reached that stage, he would have condensed his own aura, marking him as a first-stage warrior and setting him firmly on the path to Ascension.

  Feeling the thrill of anticipation, Lian got up from his bed, prepared himself, and left his house. He navigated through the bustling streets, heading toward the training center. Upon arriving, he found the burly guard stationed at the gate, just like before. The guard, familiar with Lian’s face, asked for two silver coins in exchange for entry, which Lian handed over without hesitation.

  Once inside, he noticed that fewer people were training compared to the day before. Likely, this was because he had arrived earlier than the day before. Still, several individuals were scattered across different sections—some were sparring, others lifting weights or testing their strength.

  After a brief glance around, Lian refocused and headed to the spot he had occupied the previous day. He settled down, squatting on the ground to collect his thoughts before taking out the body refinement scroll. Instinctively, he glanced at the illustrations once more, even though he vividly remembered the poses from yesterday’s practice. It was a habit of his to double-check everything, to make sure nothing was overlooked.

  Satisfied with the cross-check, he struck the first pose of the illustration. Minutes ticked by, and as the duration neared its end, he began to feel the familiar strain. Yet this time, he noticed something new—the pain wasn’t as intense as it had been the day before. He could endure longer before the discomfort set in. It was a clear sign of progress. By the time he finished the first round, he was drenched in sweat, his body throbbing with the familiar ache of exertion.

  Before starting, Lian had removed his robe, as the intensity of the training made it unbearable to wear. Now, as he sat in the aftermath of his first session, sweat clung to his skin, but the pain was more manageable than it had been the previous day. Already accustomed to the discomfort, he took a moment to rest and regulate his breathing before moving into a meditative pose. In this state, he began circulating the energy of the Boundless Light.

  The sensation was familiar, yet he could tell that his energy flowed more smoothly today. The Heavenly Nodes he had opened the day before were nearly imperceptible now, just as the technique had stated. They would fade with time, requiring him to practice consistently until they became permanent.

  After circulating the energy through his body, he moved on to the second pose. As before, the process was smooth, and while the strain was present, it was far less than what he had experienced previously. He felt a sense of accomplishment as he realized how much easier it was to tap into his body’s potential. Once he completed the second pose, he returned to a meditative state, feeling the energy flow through him with increasing ease.

  As the day progressed, Lian continued through the same routine, moving from one pose to the next, circulating the Boundless Light each time. Though the pain still lingered, it no longer overwhelmed him. He knew that with every session, his body was getting stronger, and his endurance was building. Soon, the Heavenly Nodes would become permanent, and he would fully unlock the power of the Boundless Light.

  By the time he completed the third pose, he felt both exhausted and exhilarated. The

  progress was undeniable. He could already sense his body evolving.