The sun hung high over the Azure Cloud Sect, but it brought no warmth to Han Feng. It only made the sweat sting his eyes. He stood on the dusty Training Square, his legs shaking. His breath came in ragged gasps. Around him, the air smelled of dry earth and the bitter scent of crushed herbs.In front of him stood the Iron-Wood Golems. These were not living things. They were massive, heavy training machines carved from wood as hard as steel. They moved on internal gears and weighted pulleys. Every time a golem swung its heavy arm, the air hissed.Han Feng was not there to train. He was a "Shield." In the Azure Cloud Sect, disciples with Broken Roots were seen as less than human. Their internal nerve clusters, the pathways that allowed a person to move their biological energy, were shattered at birth. Because they could never become masters, the sect used them as living targets for the elite disciples."Keep your head up, trash! If you drop the shield, I’ll break your legs myself!"Th

The air in the Discard Pit was thick with the white dust of the lime powder. It looked like a ghostly fog. Through that fog, Han Feng launched himself.He didn't move like the old Han Feng. The old Han Feng was slow, dragging his feet because of his damaged nerves. This new Han Feng moved like a released spring. His feet pushed off the soft, rotting trash with such force that a small crater appeared where he had been standing.Enforcer Tie was a man of the Third Realm of Body Tempering. His skin was tough, and his muscles were like thick ropes. He had spent twenty years bullying disciples. His reflexes were fast."You little rat!" Tie roared. He didn't know how the "Null" had jumped so high, but he didn't care. He raised his heavy iron mace. The mace was a brutal weapon, covered in blunt studs meant to crush bone.Tie swung the mace in a horizontal arc. He expected to hear the sound of Han Feng’s ribs shattering again.But Han Feng did something impossible. In mid-air, he twisted his

The hunger was the first thing Han Feng felt every morning. It wasn't the normal hunger of a boy who had missed a meal. It was a deep, gnawing ache that felt like his stomach was trying to eat his own spine.His Copper Skin transformation was progressing, but it had a high price. His body was like a furnace now. To keep his muscles vibrating and his bones hardening, he needed massive amounts of energy. The watery porridge the sect gave the servants was no longer enough. If he didn't get concentrated nutrients soon, his body would start to break down its own muscle for fuel. He would wither away before the Culling even began."I need Vitality Pills," Han Feng whispered to himself.Vitality Pills were not magic. They were essentially power food, highly concentrated spheres of meat protein, herbal fats, and mineral salts, compressed under high pressure. One pill could provide a man with enough calories for a week. For a cultivator, it was the fuel for their internal engine.The problem

The two thugs holding the wooden clubs were shaking. They were grown men, nearly twice the size of Han Feng. They had spent years refining their muscles. They had cracked the ribs of dozens of "Nulls" before. But today, they felt like they were hitting a wall of solid iron."What... what are you?" one of the thugs stammered. His knuckles were white from how hard he was gripping his club, but the wood wouldn't budge. Han Feng held both clubs in his bare hands as if they were made of straw.Han Feng didn't answer. His silver eyes were focused on the vibration of the wood. He could feel the tiny grains of the timber humming against his palms. He didn't just feel the clubs; he felt the fear in the men holding them. Their heartbeats were erratic. Their breathing was shallow."I told you," Han Feng said. His voice was quiet, but it seemed to echo off the damp stone walls of the alley. "I’ve had a very long day."With a sudden, violent twist of his wrists, Han Feng used his "Internal Resona

The night of the New Moon Festival was the loudest night of the year in the Azure Cloud Sect. From his position on the high rafters of the outer wall, Han Feng could see the thousands of paper lanterns rising into the sky like glowing jellyfish. The sound of drums and flutes drifted up from the lower valleys. The air was filled with the smell of roasted pork, sweet wine, and burnt gunpowder.Everyone from the lowest servant to the highest disciple was celebrating. The guards were drunk on rice wine, and the elders were busy receiving guests from neighboring sects.It was the only time the Forbidden Library would be vulnerable.Han Feng adjusted the dark cloth wrapped around his face. His "Copper Skin" had reached a new level of density. Even in the cool night air, he felt warm. His internal furnace was burning through the Vitality Pills he had stolen, turning them into raw, concentrated power.He didn't run toward the library. He moved like a shadow. He used a technique from the Cel