The book described nine levels of body refinement, each accompanied by detailed illustrations that resembled a Shaolin manual from Earth—though with a brutal edge. Kaidrix's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Monarik and exclaimed, "No human could endure this training!" Monarik laughed heartily. "This is just the basic regimen that every Somakai child undergoes to awaken their potential. And you, a grown man, are trembling like a frightened kitten? I suppose it's because you were raised on this low-cultivation planet, where parents don't properly discipline or train their children. But let me tell you, in our family, we cherish our children even more than these Earthlings do. Yet, parents are parents, no matter what world they come from. This is how the Creator made us.
The entire book was filled with notes meticulously detailing various parts of the human body, giving it the unsettling appearance of a mad scientist's diary. As Kaidrix flipped through the pages, each discovery only heightened his sense of dread. Yet, near the end, the tone shifted—simpler, neater lines emerged as if written with care and deep reflection. The words read, "I stand at the twilight of my life, having lost everything—my love, my children, my grandchildren. None survived, and their children's children are now gone too. I have witnessed life and death and tried everything to save my wife, but all efforts were in vain. These lines are my legacy to you, my descendants. My advice: Do not seek immortality; it is a futile pursuit. Perhaps we were wrong, and immortality does not exist in this life. Yes, we have lived for eons through cultivation, but there is no end to the suffering. The longer you live, the more you suffer. My children, I love you all. But now, my dream has also perished.
These words were inscribed in inverted commas With a Tital "legacy".
Legacy:
"A tragedy brought forth a seed, and from that seed sprouted sorrow.
Sorrow formed a core, and that core became a heart—strong yet fragile.
The core strives for life, a life full of grievances, but also touched by moments of happiness.
Grievances give birth to tragedy, while happiness fosters peace.
Peace is born of sacrifice, and from tragedy, a new seed emerges."
Kaidrix was moved by the profound words, feeling a surge of emotion. Noticing this, Monarik looked at him with confusion and asked, "How could this book nearly bring you to tears?" With a mischievous grin, he leaned in close, his voice taking on a teasing tone, "Are you scared, nephew? Are you about to wet your pants?" In an exaggerated, dramatic manner, he continued, "Oh, the tears of a virgin! Ah, the woes of puberty, and the fear of the unknown!,
Kaidrix retorted, "Old man, you're worse than Valtor." Monarik quickly landed a light punch on his head and, with a mischievous grin, said, "And from what angle do I look like an old man to you?" He began flexing his muscles, showing off his physique. "It's unique, you calling your father by his name," he added.
Kaidrix shot back, "You look old from every angle—just look at your weird clothes and slimy white hair!"
Monarik's eyes widened in mock outrage. "Slimy? How on earth are my hair and clothes slimy?" He sniffed himself, then playfully punched Kaidrix in the head again. "Now, focus on your training!"
After sighing with satisfaction, Monarik began to explain kaidrix. About body Cultivation In the book, he did talk about the legacy if it does not exist for him.It's all about body conditioning," Monarik explained. "You place heavy weights on your wrists, legs, and waist, holding these positions until you collapse. This exercise helps melt away fat that is not properly utilized in your body. We aim to force your brain to develop a new method for storing fat. Later on, we'll apply a similar process to energy, regardless of the type you awaken."During the training, food will be served only once a week," Monarik stated. Kaidrix, looking distressed, complained, "Old man, you don't want to train me—you want to kill me!" Monarik chuckled, "Boy, we'll all be starving together. The difference is, you're just beginning your training. Me and Lumina, on the other hand, are seasoned veterans." He flexed his muscles, which were as solid as iron, and added with a laugh, "See? We've been through this before." Monarik then slapped Kaidrix on the shoulder, who bore the gesture with a heavy expression."Boy, we Somakai are stronger than dragons," Monarik declared. "Dragons are merely our food. You will train with the same intensity and pride that my grandchildren will, and you will come out stronger for it. Our bodies are already exceptional; whether or not we possess special traits, our bloodline is sacred and powerful. Believe it or not, you will endure this. Now, let me continue, son.
Monarik reminded Kaidrix of the harsh reality: "You will become thin and lose weight as you carry these weights, which you won't be able to remove from now on." With that, Kaidrix found that all his clothes were stripped away, leaving him only in the long undergarments that covered him to his kneecaps and waist. Kaidrix sighed with relief in his heart, grateful that he wasn't completely naked, though he couldn't help but think that this old man had to do things the hard way.
"These bands," Monarik continued, "were crafted by a master forger who understood the profound laws of forging. They are designed to both aid and hinder you, forging your body through resistance. Once in place, you cannot remove them, whether you're fighting or training. This is the way of body cultivation in our lineage. You can adjust the weight of the bands—either increase or decrease—but it will only shift by one step at a time, depending on whether you're training or fighting. You won't be able to remove them until this set reaches its limit, which I won't disclose. Kaidrix cursed inwardly, feeling the weight and restriction of the bands already limiting his movement."
You have to find and develop your own body strength, my son," Monarik said. "There's no profound method or technique—it's all about hard work and your understanding. The answers lie within this book and your own efforts.
With all that, Monarik and Kaidrix finally came to their senses and saw Lumina standing there, covering her eyes with a blush on her cheeks. She had just arrived, but the nephew and uncle were so focused—one explaining, the other listening—that they hadn't noticed her presence. She stayed, watching her father lecture Kaidrix, and occasionally sneaked a peek at Kaidrix, which made her cheeks flush a deeper red. Watching them, she felt a warm sense of home and family.
Monarik adjusted himself and then noticed Kaidrix lying on the ground, unmoving. He quickly picked him up and carried him deeper into the cave, sealing it with an illusion to prevent anyone from entering. Lumina Stayed on the upper level of the cave, she, too, began her training with equally harsh methods.
While many female members of the Somakai family opted for simpler cultivation practices, Lumina had chosen to pursue both traditional and rigorous methods. Back to Kaidrix, his uncle continued explaining. "Body cultivators can refine both their physical bodies and their energy, regardless of whether they have special roots or a unique body type. You can choose to cultivate both or focus on one path. Having special attributes or spiritual roots may give you an advantage, allowing you to achieve results more quickly. However, in the end, it all comes down to your own dedication and hard work." Monarik said this while guiding Kaidrix further down into the cave.
As Kaidrix and his uncle ventured further down into the cave, the environment grew chillier, and the gusts of wind became more chaotic. Kaidrix was overwhelmed, struggling to move his muscles and even his head. His uncle urged him, "Son, don't give up now. Move or you'll freeze to the bone. This isn't even the harshest training yet. For an Earthling, this might seem like a death sentence, but you're no ordinary Earthling—you're a direct descendant of the Somakai family. You're different. You'll master this in no time. Try hard, as if your life or your loved ones depend on it." These words ignited a spark in Kaidrix. He began to tremble, but with immense effort, he managed to stand on his feet. His arms felt as though they were being torn from his shoulders, and his head was pinned between them.
Monarik approached and examined Kaidrix's bands closely. "Kaidrix," he said, "how is it that with only three hundred kilograms, you're still struggling? This is barely anything. It seems you haven't been taking proper care of yourself over the years. Regardless of what has happened or why, you need to endure this. There's no other way around it, son. We're in a desperate situation. If we don't push through, we'll become history, and our enemies will prevail.
You'll get food once a week, as much as you can handle. After that, you'll endure two weeks of starvation while carrying all this weight. During this time, you'll practice all the martial arts with me, just as you would with Valtor.
Kaidrix was strong, but he had never undergone training like this. His father had taught him balance and harmony between body and mind, but now he faced the full brunt of intense physical training. The freezingly cold air would brush past him intermittently, and the environment grew increasingly chaotic with gusts of wind. He tried with all his might, but it was overwhelming. He felt as though his arms might tear from his shoulders, yet somehow, they remained attached and in relatively good shape.
His uncle, observing his situation, simply said two words: "Do or die." Kaidrix, frustrated, murmured, "Where will I find the power?" After a few minutes, his uncle made him walk. He felt as though his feet were tied to mountains, dragging heavily with each step. Shivering from the cold, he started sweating despite the cave's freezing temperature. His sweat would freeze in the air, occasionally shattering or surviving the fall. With a stick in hand, his uncle compelled him to walk and practice the moves he had learned from his father. Periodically, his uncle struck Kaidrix's meridians with the stick, causing sharp pain but accelerating his movements. Kaidrix was slow and his movements often faltered—punches, kicks, jumps, and running—all requiring the engagement of every muscle in his body. Each strike to his meridians produced a sharp snapping sound, and Kaidrix endured the pain. As the day wore on, exhausted from relentless training and hunger, he felt the last of his energy drain away. Finally, he collapsed and passed out.
When Kaidrix woke up, it was already the next day. He found himself still in the cave, with his uncle sitting beside him. The old man appeared nearly frozen, but a thin, solid energy surrounded his body, providing just enough warmth to keep his functions from shutting down. Despite this, Kaidrix felt surprisingly light, though his hunger was relentless. His uncle offered him some water to keep him hydrated but no food. The relentless training resumed, mirroring the previous day. Kaidrix pushed himself until his muscles felt utterly depleted, his physique now gaunt and frail. His body resembled a stick, devoid of energy and vitality. He felt as if he might wither away at any moment, but he remained persistent. His movements had become robotic and sluggish, akin to a zombie's, and his once beautiful features were now skeletal with very thin, stretched skin. The purpose of this grueling training was to force his brain to develop a new method for storing energy, which required melting all the fat in his body. After a week, Kaidrix was on the verge of his last breath.
On the eighth day, Monarik brought Kaidrix a large amount of food, mostly consisting of greens and vegetable soup. There were two small pieces of rooster breast meat in the meal. Kaidrix ate as much as he could, but the quantity overwhelmed him. His uncle handed him the two pieces of meat, which he ate, feeling a bit better afterward. He felt the urge to sleep, but Monarik quickly snapped him back to his senses by striking a meridian on his head with his stick. The pain was so intense that it banished any thought of sleep. Though Kaidrix wanted to cry, he held everything in his heart, enduring the ordeal. Now and then, his uncle explained the process Kaidrix was going through and how he needed to respond.
As the training continued, Kaidrix found himself in an even worse state compared to the previous week. This time, instead of food, his uncle gave him an energy potion, explaining that it would provide just enough energy to survive another week. Kaidrix endured the grueling regimen once more. Throughout this period, he constantly felt his brain on the verge of freezing, plagued by a persistent headache that, though uncomfortable, was not unbearable. Monarik explained that this was part of training his mental power, which would eventually help heal his soul injury. He added that after reaching a certain level, Kaidrix would use an icicle crystal to create a medicine that would accelerate the healing process.
After three weeks of grueling training, Kaidrix's voice trembled with weakness. He was served the same meal again, but this time the meat portion had increased to four pieces. Despite the slight improvement, the intense training resumed. As he pushed through the repetitive exercises, Kaidrix began to notice and feel his body breaking down and rebuilding itself. He heard the cracking noises within his bones and muscles, whether he was sleeping, relaxing, or training. The process was relentless, but Kaidrix persisted, pushing his body to its limits.
He realized that his body could endure longer periods without food, but as a body cultivator, he knew he needed to nourish it properly to store the maximum amount of nutrients and energy. Kaidrix continued to train hard, his body breaking and reshaping itself, his muscles becoming more solid and defined. Though he didn't gain fat, his physique grew sharper and more resilient. Over time, the weights on his bands increased twice, adding a total of one hundred kilograms.
Six months passed in the blink of an eye, though for Kaidrix, each day felt like an eternity. The relentless training aged him in spirit, but as time went on, he began to find a certain satisfaction in the routine. Despite the constant breaking and reforging of his body, Kaidrix felt a growing strength within him, a drive that made him crave the training more and more. His muscles became as hard and robust as steel wires, adapting to the increasing weight. In the seventh month, Kaidrix finally broke through the fleshly foundation, marking the end of his initial training and preparing him for the next stage: muscular awakening.