As they entered the cave, Lin Tian was struck by the ambient spiritual energy that hung in the air like a heavy mist. The walls glowed with faint blue patterns that pulsed in rhythm with what felt like the mountain's heartbeat. Unlike the harsh mountain path they had climbed, the temperature inside was pleasantly cool, with occasional warm currents flowing past like invisible rivers.

  The cave entrance opened into a vast chamber whose ceiling rose so high it disappeared into darkness. Stalactites hung like massive stone daggers, some glowing with the same ethereal blue light as the wall patterns. The deeper portions of the cave system extended into blackness, branching into countless tunnels and smaller chambers.

  The Patriarch moved with practiced familiarity, setting down his pack near a natural stone platform at the center of the main chamber. He began unpacking various items: formation flags in five different colors, ritual stones inscribed with ancient characters, bottles containing substances that seemed to shift between liquid and gas, and several scrolls bound with red silk.

  Lin Tian stood awkwardly for a moment, his muscles still burning from the punishing climb. When the Patriarch didn't immediately acknowledge him, he set his own burden down and began exploring the immediate area, noting the unusual formations in the rock that seemed almost too regular to be natural.

  "This place was shaped by the clash of immortal and divine energies," the Patriarch said without looking up from his work, seemingly reading Lin Tian's thoughts. "The patterns you see are energy channels formed during the battle. They remain active even centuries later."

  Lin Tian traced one of the glowing lines with his finger, feeling a gentle tingling sensation. "It feels... alive."

  "In a way, it is," the Patriarch replied. "The residual energies of beings who existed beyond mortality continue to flow here. It makes this place ideal for certain types of cultivation."

  A small pool of crystalline water gathered in a natural basin nearby, its surface perfectly still despite the occasional breeze that whispered through the chamber. Lin Tian knelt beside it, peering into its depths. The water was clear enough to see the bottom, yet somehow gave the impression of unfathomable depth.

  "Don't touch that," the Patriarch warned, not even turning to look. "Spirit water. Pure enough to cleanse your meridians—or dissolve them entirely if your body isn't prepared."

  Lin Tian withdrew his hand quickly, wondering how the old man had known what he was about to do. He watched the Patriarch work for several minutes, arranging his tools with the precision of a master craftsman preparing for his magnum opus. Each item seemed to have its specific place in a pattern only the Patriarch could see.

  After watching the Patriarch work for several minutes, Lin Tian finally voiced the question that had been troubling him since their departure.

  "Great Patriarch," he began cautiously, "may I ask... how did the clan allow you to leave for three months to train me? Don't your duties require you to remain at the Lin Clan compound?"

  The Patriarch paused his preparations, a slight smile playing at the corner of his mouth. "Concerned about clan politics now, are we? That's new for you."

  "I'm merely curious," Lin Tian replied evenly. "Three months is a significant absence for the clan's leader."

  The Patriarch arranged several formation flags in a precise pattern before answering. "Well, yes, my duties typically require my presence. But this endeavor is for the future of the clan, after all." He glanced at Lin Tian with an unreadable expression. "The Council of Elders is more than capable of handling affairs in my absence. I've left clear instructions."

  "And my siblings?" Lin Tian asked, though he barely knew them, having always been isolated as the "waste" of the clan. "Do they know about this training?"

  The Patriarch chuckled. "Well, they don't know yet. All they know is I'm on a journey." He gave Lin Tian an amused look. "And lucky for you, even after your rise to stardom, they don't care much about you and didn't bother to check on your whereabouts."

  Lin Tian nodded, unsurprised. According to his memories, Lin Tian's siblings had always treated him with disdain or, worse, complete indifference. Lin Hong, the eldest, barely acknowledged his existence. Lin Wei treated him as an embarrassment to be avoided. Only Lin Mei occasionally glanced his way, though whether out of curiosity or contempt, he couldn't tell. They were strangers who shared blood, nothing more.

  "Well, I've never given them reason to be interested in my activities," Lin Tian said with practiced indifference.

  "Until recently," the Patriarch pointed out. "Your sudden breakthrough and that publication by Elder Zhou have caused quite a stir. You may find they pay more attention to you when you return."

  Lin Tian's brow furrowed slightly. "Is that a warning?"

  "An observation," the Patriarch replied mildly. "Competition among siblings is natural in cultivation clans. It maintains the bloodline's strength."

  "By forcing the weak to perish?"

  "By incentivizing the strong to excel," the Patriarch corrected, setting down a formation disk with precise movements. "But enough about clan politics. We're here for your training."

  The Patriarch suddenly stopped his preparations and turned to Lin Tian. "Take off your shirt."

  "What?" Lin Tian blinked in confusion.

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  "Your shirt. Remove it. I need to examine your meridians directly."

  Lin Tian hesitated briefly, then complied, removing his upper garment. The cool cave air raised goosebumps on his skin. He felt uncomfortably vulnerable, standing half-naked before the man who had shown him nothing but contempt for most of his life.

  The Patriarch circled him slowly, his eyes narrowed in concentration. He placed a palm against Lin Tian's back, channeling a thread of Qi that coursed through Lin Tian's body. The sensation was strange—neither painful nor pleasant, but intensely invasive, as if the Patriarch's consciousness itself was flowing through his veins and meridians.

  Lin Tian's meridians began to glow beneath his skin, revealing an intricate network of energy pathways that pulsed with a steady rhythm.

  "Hmm," the Patriarch murmured. "You have a weak-looking physique, but let me analyze your Qi flow."

  As the Patriarch's energy mapped Lin Tian's meridian system, his eyebrows rose higher and higher. He moved from Lin Tian's back to his chest, then examined each arm in turn. His expression shifted from clinical detachment to genuine surprise, then to something that might have been grudging respect.

  After a complete circuit, he stepped back, his eyes slightly widened. He traced a specific pattern in the air, and a diagram of Lin Tian's meridian system appeared as a glowing projection between them.

  "Is there a problem, Great Patriarch?" Lin Tian asked innocently.

  "No," the Patriarch replied slowly, studying the projection. "But the flow of your Qi is so... efficient. It's honestly mind-boggling."

  The Patriarch gestured to several junctions in the diagram where energy pathways converged. "Most cultivators, even talented ones, have bottlenecks here, here, and here. Their Qi must push through these natural restrictions, causing energy loss. But yours..." He shook his head in apparent disbelief. "Yours flows like water finding the perfect path downhill."

  Lin Tian kept his face carefully neutral, though inwardly he was smirking. What do you think of the great Edward Reinhart, you bastard? he thought triumphantly. His knowledge had finally proven its worth.

  "I see," was all he said aloud, slipping his shirt back on. "I've been experimenting with different circulation techniques."

  "Experimenting?" The Patriarch echoed, still studying the now-fading projection. "This isn't experimentation. This is... revelation."

  For a moment, Lin Tian saw something unfamiliar in the Patriarch's eyes—something that might have been genuine wonder. But it quickly vanished behind his usual calculating expression.

  The Patriarch moved to one of his packs and pulled out a small wooden box. Opening it revealed a series of thin silver needles arranged in neat rows.

  "The only things to make you stronger now are your physique and your actual cultivation level," the Patriarch said, selecting one of the needles and examining it in the cave's ethereal light. A slow smile spread across his face. "With this foundation, we can reach Peak faster than three months—maybe even High Peak level."

  Lin Tian didn't like the way the Patriarch's smile widened, revealing too many teeth. "Patriarch, why do you have that smile on your face?"

  "Well," the Patriarch said, his voice dripping with false innocence, "I'm just excited to train you, that's it."

  I have a bad feeling about this, Lin Tian thought, a sinking feeling in his stomach. The Patriarch's idea of "training" would probably make his earlier mountain climb seem like a pleasant stroll.

  The Patriarch walked to the center of the cave where the blue patterns glowed brightest. "This cave is special. The energy here enhances cultivation tenfold—every technique you practice, every breath you take, absorbs the ancient power of immortals who once battled here."

  Lin Tian's eyes widened. "So that's why you brought me to this remote place?"

  "Precisely," the Patriarch nodded. "Now, let's begin with the basics. Five hundred laps around the inner chamber, then we'll move on to the real work."

  Lin Tian stared at the massive cave chamber, which extended so far back that its end was lost in darkness. "Five hundred?"

  "You're right," the Patriarch nodded seriously. "Better make it a thousand."

  As Lin Tian's face fell in horror, the Patriarch laughed. "Come now, this is nothing! When I was your age, I ran these laps with boulders strapped to each limb!"

  Of course you did, Lin Tian thought bitterly. And probably uphill both ways too.

  The Patriarch's expression suddenly turned severe. "You will train here until your bones break and reform, Third Son. Until your meridians tear and mend themselves stronger. Until you either become worthy of the Lin name or..." He gestured vaguely toward the cave's depths.

  Lin Tian swallowed hard. "And if I refuse?"

  "Refuse?" The Patriarch laughed as if he'd told an excellent joke. "Look around you, boy. We're three days from civilization, in a cave only I know how to navigate. You don't refuse—you endure."

  The glowing patterns on the cave walls pulsed brighter, almost as if the ancient cave itself was laughing at his predicament. Lin Tian felt a moment of panic rising in his chest, the weight of the stones suddenly seeming much heavier.

  Instead of breaking down, however, Lin Tian squared his shoulders and met the Patriarch's gaze with defiance. "Well then," he said coolly, drawing on the composure that had served Edward Reinhart through countless battles, "we shouldn't waste time with complaints. Let's see what this training of yours can accomplish."

  The Patriarch raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by Lin Tian's sudden shift in demeanor. For a heartbeat, something like approval flickered in his eyes.

  "Bold words," the Patriarch said, his voice carrying a hint of appreciation. "Let's see if that courage lasts." He clapped his hands together with disturbing enthusiasm. "Now, shall we begin with breaking your first bone, or would you prefer we start with internal organ restructuring?"

  Lin Tian stared at him, keeping his expression neutral despite the alarm those words triggered.

  "That was a joke," the Patriarch said flatly, his face impassive. After a beat, he added, "We'll start with both simultaneously, of course!"

  As the Patriarch turned to prepare his "training equipment," Lin Tian took a deep breath and steadied himself. The cave's energies swirled around him, responding to his determination. If this was the path to power in this world, th

  Three months of this? he thought miserably. If the mountain climb was the easy part, I'm definitely going to die here.

  In his previous life, Edward Reinhart had survived great wars and defeated gods. He had commanded armies and outwitted immortals. But nothing had prepared him for the special brand of torture that was "cultivation training" with the Lin Patriarch.

  The old man returned with an array of needles, herbs, and what appeared to be a whip made of pure energy.

  "First lesson," the Patriarch announced cheerfully, "Endurance."

  Lin Tian closed his eyes and took a deep breath. I've faced worse, he told himself. I've faced gods and been reborn. I can survive this old man's training.

  But as the first needle pierced a specific acupuncture point with surgical precision, sending white-hot pain lancing through his meridians, Lin Tian wasn't so sure.

  He was so screwed.