The m sun paihe sky in soft hues of gold and pink as Feiyin walked alongside his father through the vilge streets. The crisp st of pine filled the air, mingling with the warmth of freshly baked bread and simmering broth from the market stalls.Feiyin’s steps were lighter than usual, an untainable excitement bubbling within him. Today, he would be training with the militia.Though his father had drilled him relentlessly in body tempering and internal strength trol, this would be his first experieraining alongside real warriors.As they passed through the vilge, Feiyihe familiar hum of life—voices rising in friendly bahe ctter of wooden carts, the rhythmic pounding of a bcksmith’s hammer.
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he market square, an elderly woman stood behind a simple stall lined with warm, golden ftbreads. Granny Ma, the vilge baker, was always awake before dawn, making sure everyoarted their day well-fed.As she spotted Feiyin, her wrinkled face brightened into a gentle smile.“Oh my, look at you!” she cooed. “Every time I see you, you’ve grown a little taller. Such a handsome young boy! I hope you grow healthy and strong.”Feiyin, pletely unprepared for the praise, felt his cheeks heat up.“I—I’ll try my best, Granny Ma.” His voice came out a little more flustered than he would have liked.She chuckled and handed him a warm bean bun. “Here, something sweet for my favorite little one.”Feiyin took it with both hands, mumbling a quick “Thank you!” before hurrying after his father.Cai Feng, who had watched the iion with quiet amusement, smirked. “What’s wrong? Not used to being called handsome?”Feiyin scowled at the teasing, stuffing the bun into his mouth to avoid answering.His father chuckled a walking.
Pine Vilge was not isoted. It art of a rger ty, with several other vilges surrounding Red Moon City, the tral hub of the region. The roads eg them were well-traveled by merts, hunters, and messengers, keeping the flow of goods and news stant.Feiyin had seen it firsthand. His mother, a sharp and shrewd trader, frequently dealt with merts who passed through, exging goods and gathering information. Through her, Feiyin had learned about different trade routes, bartering teiques, and the power of iation.But today, his focus was not on trade.Today, he was stepping into his father’s world.
The militia’s training ground was located he vilge outskirts, where the nd en and wide. A simple wooden fencircled the area, and training dummies stood i rows. The dirt was pacted from years of heavy footfalls, and a few worn oed against a ste raearby.Feiyin inhaled deeply, excitement thrumming in his veins.Several men had already gathered, stretg and preparing for the m drills. They were not full-fledged cultivators, but they had all started their journey in Body Tempering with aplishments, their bodies visibly hohrough discipline and training.As Feiyin and his father stepped into the yard, a broad-shouldered man with a thick brown beard spotted them.“Ah, look who it is! Our captain’s little shadow!”A few others chuckled.Feiyin scowled immediately. “I’m not little!”“Yet you only e up to my waist,” the bearded man shot back, resting a heavy hand on Feiyin’s head and ruffling his hair.Feiyin ducked aouting as the ughter around him grew.Another warrior, a lean man with sharp eyes, crouched down to Feiyin’s level. “You’re training with us today, huh? We’ll make sure you don’t get trampled.”Feiyin crossed his arms. “I keep up.”Sun Ke, one of the younger militia members, barely sixteen, smirked. “Heh. Feiyin might end up surpassing Brother Jiang before long.”Brother Jiang, the bearded man, scoffed. “If he does, I’ll owe him a whole roasted pheasant!”Feiyin grinned. He liked them already.
Cai Feng’s sharp voice cut through the ughter. “Enough talking. Form up.”Immediately, the atmosphere shifted. The men straightened, standing in anized rows, and Feiyin quickly fell into pce.“Today’s focus is on strengthening the bones. We’ll be using the Tiger Posture.”Feiyin perked up. He had trained in this posture before, but this was his first time practig it with a rge group.The Tiger Posture focused on low, powerful stances, where the bones and joints bore most of the weight, strengthening their resilience.Feiyin lowered his stance, mimig the others. His legs burned, but he held firm.Jiang, standing beside him, smirked. “Not bad, little cub.”Feiyin growled in annoyance. “I’m not a cub either!”The training progressed, eaent trolled and deliberate. Feiyin’s bones ached, but he embraced the disfort. This was what it meant to temper the body.
After the posture training, the focus shifted to bat drills.“The ability to gee internal strength is useless if you don’t know how to use it,” Cai Feng expihe men partnered up, practig trolled exges of strikes, blocks, and ters—all while applying their internal strength to enhaheir movements.Feiyin aired with Sun Ke.“Alright, little brother, let’s see what you’ve got.”Feiyin narrowed his eyes, remembering his father’s teags.He focused his internal strength, feeling the vibrations of his muscles, the weight of his movements.When Sun Ke unched a palm strike, Feiyin dodged, redireg the force with a small shift in his stance.Sun Ke’s eyebrows lifted slightly. “Hoh? Not bad.”Feiyin grinned. “I know.”The drills tinued, and though Feiyin was smaller and less experienced, he pensated with precision, using what he had learned from both his father and mother.
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By midday, the warriors finally rested. Feiyin sat with them, his body ag, but his spirit s.A bowl of rid meat steced in front of him.“Eat up, kid,” Jiang said. “You ear.”Feiyin dug in eagerly, listening as the men chatted about vilge affairs, trade with Red Moon City, and border tensions.Sun Ke leaoward him. “You’re not bad, little brother. Just don’t let it go to your head.”Feiyin smirked. “Too te.”Laughter erupted around him.For the first time, Feiyi it—he wasn’t just training. He was being part of something bigger.
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As Feiyin and his father walked back through the vilge, the world felt different.The familiar sights—the market, the vilgers, the distant travelers—all felt a little more ected to him now.Cai Feng finally spoke.“You did well today.”Feiyin looked up in surprise. His father rarely praised him ht.“…Really?”Cai Feng nodded. “You trained seriously. And more importantly, you listened.”Feiyin grinned.As they passed the market, they saw Mei Liao finishirade iations. She g Feiyin, amused.“You look exhausted.”Feiyin puffed up his chest. “That’s because I trained hard!”She chuckled. “Good. Then you won’t mind carrying some things for me.”Feiyin groaned but obeyed.And as they walked home, he realized—this vilge, these people… they were his home.And one day, he would also protect them.
