At noon, with the sun at its peak, around twenty youths, aged fifteen to eighteen, gathered at the Lin Family martial arts training ground.
They were practicing a set of martial arts, their punches whistling through the air, using a breathing method known as the Great Sun Breathing, which caused tiny orange particles to fall over their heads and merge with their bodies.
Of course, not everyone could do it. Five newcomers, clueless about where to start, simply watched the veterans train.
Lin Hao, one of the five, had eyes full of determination. He was eager to begin his cultivation. He didn't miss a single detail and simultaneously practiced mentally.
This was his advantage: a photographic memory and immersive imagination, capable of creating a fully detailed mental map in his mind.
"Almost there."
Lin Hao smirked slightly, averting his gaze from the older brothers. His understanding was nearly complete. The only thing left was to visualize the sun.
At that moment, he lifted his eyes to the sky. It was sunny, with not a cloud in sight, and on the horizon, the sun shone with such intensity that Lin Hao had to close his eyelids and look down.
"Complete." he whispered softly. Even though he had observed for only a second, he could visualize the sunlight, the core of the Great Sun Breathing.
"Now I just need to fully understand the method."
He sat on the ground, crossed his legs, and began to focus on his imagination. He visualized a shadow of himself taking the horse stance and throwing punches forward, followed by kicks.
Then, the shadow moved, spinning the body and returning to the sequence, completing a full cycle: north, west, south, and finally east—the direction of the sun.
As the shadow completed the full rotation, it adjusted its breathing and soon began absorbing the sunlight above it through its pores.
"I get it! This set of techniques opens the pores and makes the practitioner more sensitive to the environment. Once it rotates in all four directions and stops at the east, the position of the sun, one becomes attuned to its light."
Lin Hao fully deduced the Great Sun Breathing. He wasn't sure if he was right, but for now, it was his hypothesis.
Returning to reality, he stood up and began training. For him, it was difficult; his young body couldn't keep up. On the spin to the south, he was nearly out of breath.
"Keep going, just one more round."
He pressed on with sheer will, forcing himself to move even without proper breathing. It was excruciating. Lin Hao felt as if a rope was tied around his neck, trying to strangle him.
"Persevere!"
He roared in his heart, determined to endure. Lin Hao's eyes were wild, like a beast on the verge of eruption. His body, about to collapse, stiffened like stone.
Punch!
A heavy punch shot from his fists, cutting through the air like solid metal, creating a thunderous explosion.
All the youths were stunned. They stopped simultaneously and stared at a handsome teenager wearing a black cloak. He was breathing heavily, with sweat drops as large as beans falling relentlessly from his body.
He was utterly exhausted, yet still standing. And his strikes were explosive.
"Crazy! Doesn't Lin Hao fear death? And why are his punches so strong?"
This exclamation from a random onlooker sparked doubt among those in the training ground.
"This is a temporary limit break. Basically, someone on the verge of death unleashes all the unconscious strength of the physical body," explained Lin Die, a robust-looking young man. Another voice soon echoed.
"This is so foolish! What's the point of going this far if there will be consequences later? Lin Hao is impatient, wants quick results. Now, by exhausting his potential, he's bound to stagnate," said Lin Zhao, a sixteen-year-old boy with an arrogant face, disdainfully.
"I don't think that will happen." A beautiful young girl shook her head. "If he managed to reach this point, his willpower is not to be underestimated. His type will do anything to evolve," Lin Yuqing asserted.
"I agree with Sister Yuqing," Lin Die nodded.
"You all are overestimating him. Let's see if he keeps this up in the future." Lin Zhao snorted and returned to training. But he soon stopped, turning back in shock, eyes wide open.
Above Lin Hao's head, a hurricane of solar particles emerged, bathing him and making his black hair rise. The energy was drained at an incredible speed.
But not through the pores, like the Lin Family disciples; instead, it was absorbed by a lotus within his body, glowing a brilliant golden hue. It resembled a voracious whale, devouring all the solar particles and refining them.
Then, it channeled the energy into his bones, enhancing his physical coordination and allowing him to enter the first cultivation realm:
Body Tempering, divided into four sub-realms: Initial, Intermediate, Final, and Peak.
Each had its focus: the first tempered the bones, the second the skin, the third the blood, and the fourth the mind.
....
"What's happening? Why do I feel strange?"
Lin Hao, who should have been happy with his success, didn't feel well. Something inside was forcing him to change. He could feel it.
"Shit! I'm going abnormal!" he cursed, looking ahead, drawn to someone as if he wanted to possess them. "What the hell is happening to me?"
Lin Hao, out of control, was in shock and fear.
"Congratulations on entering cultivation, younger brother," Lin Die stepped forward, as one of the elders, taking responsibility to greet the juniors.
"Thanks," Lin Hao smiled awkwardly, his mind still focused on what was happening to him.
"I also congratulate you, junior brother," said Lin Yuqing.
"Sister Lin, you praise me too much," Lin Hao, feeling that attraction, began acting differently again. "What I did is nothing; I still have a long way to go to reach the veterans' level."
"Your talent is good; you'll get there quickly," Lin Yuqing continued, complimenting him, smiling beautifully. Her beauty was undeniable.
If Lin Hao could describe her, he'd say her hair was like the ocean, a light blue, and her eyes resembled night stars, with a bluish hue.
"My talent is nothing compared to the senior's smile."
"You're a flirt," Lin Yuqing laughed again, amused by Lin Hao's flattery. "So young, and already a rogue!"
Cough, cough.
"You two? This is a training ground, okay?" Lin Die, who was standing by, felt annoyed. To ease the awkward atmosphere, he coughed.