Evelyn pov
As I looked over the group of village children—those Marcus, Lina, and I had been guiding—I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. The ones aiming to be fighters gathered with Marcus and me, while the few who leaned toward magic stood with Lina. But today, we had them all together. What I was about to teach would benefit anyone, no matter the path they chose.
Once the children had settled down, I spoke.
"Alright, listen carefully. As most of you already know, every stage of cultivation alternates between forging the body and forging the soul. When we forge the body, our strength, speed, and durability all improve. But…" I paused, glancing around to make sure they were focused. "We must be careful not to overdo it. Muscles that grow too hard or bulky can actually hinder movement. A lighter body tends to be faster than a heavier one—but what matters most is balance. Each of you has a different body frame, and that will shape how you develop your strength. A tall person will use their build differently than someone short, and men and women also have natural differences to consider.
"That's why you must grow little by little, testing as you go, until you find the state that feels right for you. If you push too far too quickly, you may regret it later."
Some of the children nodded, while a few looked down at their arms and legs as if imagining the 'ideal' version of themselves.
I smiled faintly. "To be honest, as you advance, raw muscle will matter less and less. What becomes truly important is how much control you have over your mana. For example, at stage three I'm roughly five times stronger and faster than I was at stage one. Armor can make up some of that gap, yes—but don't forget, I can form my own armor out of mana. Now…" I let my words hang in the air. "Who wants to see the difference in power between stage one and stage three?"
A boy hesitantly stood up. "I'll try!"
"Good," I said, motioning him to the center of the clearing. "Show me your armor."
With a deep breath, he summoned a faint glow around his body, forming a light soldier's armor and a simple sword. At stage one, this made him about three times stronger than his unarmored self. But even so, he wasn't anywhere near my current level.
He charged, swinging at me with all the determination he could muster. I sidestepped smoothly, striking his side with my left hand before delivering a clean punch to his face with my right. He staggered back, but quickly recovered and raised his sword for a downward slash.
I was faster. My leg shot up, and my kick caught his midsection, sending him tumbling across the ground. His armor shattered on impact.
The boy blinked in confusion, patting his chest and face. "I… I don't feel hurt?"
The other children gasped, whispering among themselves.
"That's because," I explained calmly, "I imbued my strikes with healing magic. You felt the impact, you even felt pain for a moment, but the wounds were healed instantly. This way you understand the difference in strength without suffering for it."
I let them settle before continuing the lesson.
"Now, remember this: armor makes you stronger, but the gap between cultivation stages is still vast. Between stage one and stage two, the difference isn't physical strength—it's mana. In stage two, the mana stored in your soul becomes denser and purer than what you draw from the air. That means the armor you form is far superior, even without extra physical strength.
"By stage three, your body itself grows stronger. A stage two cultivator with armor can rival a stage three without armor. But when a stage three forms their armor…" I clenched my fist, letting a faint ripple of mana flow around me. "The difference is overwhelming."
The children's eyes widened in awe. Some grinned eagerly, while others swallowed nervously.
"Don't let that discourage you," I said gently. "Each of you will walk your own path, and strength comes in many forms. What matters most is that you forge steadily, wisely, and without rushing. Do that, and your foundation will never crumble."