Scene 1: Farewell and the Road Ahead
The wind carried the scent of morning dew as Lin Feng stood at the edge of the valley, facing Master Yan one last time before his departure. The old master's gaze was calm, yet there was a trace of something deeper, expectations, perhaps even pride.
"You have taken your first steps on the forbidden path Lin Feng," Master Yan said, his voice steady. "But strength alone is not enough. Without a body to withstand the heavens, even the greatest cultivator will shatter under its weight."
Lin Feng nodded. "Master Yen… he's the only one who can teach me this?"
Master Yan chuckled, shaking his head. "The only one who dares to teach you this." He turned his back to the horizon. "Yen's domain is not like mine. He believes in tempering the body through endurance, hardship, and instinct. There will be no shortcuts but only suffering and growth."
Lin Feng took a deep breath, gripping his sword. "That's fine. I'll face whatever comes."
Master Yan nodded approvingly. "Then go. The next stage of your path begins."
Without another word, Lin Feng stepped forward, leaving the safety of Xianwu Valley behind.
Scene 2: Entering Master Yen's Valley
The landscape shifted as Lin Feng ventured deeper. The serene beauty of Master Yan's valley gave way to something harsher, more primal. The ground beneath his feet became cracked and uneven, lined with deep fissures that spewed wisps of heat into the air. Massive boulders shattered into fragments, bore signs of battle.
Then, as he stepped forward—
The world changed.
A crushing weight pressed down on him, and his knees nearly buckled.
"…Gravity?" Lin Feng muttered, his breath coming heavier.
It wasn't just heavier air. The very force binding him to the earth had intensified.
And then—
It shifted.
Without warning, Lin Feng's body lurched upward as the force reversed. His feet left the ground, and for a moment, he was weightless until gravity slammed back down.
Boom!
Dust and debris erupted as he crashed into the cracked earth.
Lin Feng groaned, pushing himself up. This wasn't just a test of strength, it was a battlefield where the environment itself was an opponent.
A small smirk tugged at his lips.
"So this is how Master Yen trains his disciples…"
He steadied his breath and pushed forward, every step forcing his body to adjust, to harden.
Scene 3: The Unseen Pressure
The deeper he went, the more the unseen force around him intensified.
At first it was simply weight, a pressure making each movement harder. But soon, Lin Feng noticed something.
It responded to his thoughts.
When doubt flickered in his mind and when he hesitated, the weight increased. His breath grew labored, his muscles strained.
But when his resolve strengthened and when he reminded himself why he was here, the force eased.
Lin Feng narrowed his eyes.
"…This isn't just gravity."
It was something else.
A test not just of body, but of will.
And it was only getting stronger.
Scene 4: The Watchful Eyes
Even through the shifting gravity and unseen pressure, Lin Feng felt it, something watching him.
A presence, hidden. Not malicious, but waiting.
Then, a flicker of movement.
A shadow, shifting within the cracks of the valley. Something powerful.
Lin Feng's grip tightened on his sword, his instincts sharpening.
Whatever was lurking in Master Yen's valley, it was watching his every move.