The practice sword felt wrong in Wang Ben's hands.
Too light. The balance off by a fraction. The edge blunted to prevent serious injury, which somehow made it feel more dangerous. A real sword would cut clean. This one would bruise, break bones, teach lessons the hard way.
Dao Zhen stood across the training yard, his own practice blade held loosely at his side. Dawn light caught the wooden edge as he raised it in a formal salute.
"You came."
"You asked."
"I didn't think you would. Most people don't return for a second beating."
Wang Ben settled into a ready stance, ignoring the residual aches from yesterday. His father's healing salve had helped, but his body still remembered every strike. "I learn better from failure than success."
Something flickered in Dao Zhen's expression. Interest, perhaps. Or confusion at finding philosophy where he expected bravado.
"Interesting." He moved forward, blade rising. "Let's see what you've learned."
The second spar was different from the first.
Yesterday, Dao Zhen had been dismissive. Testing. Proving a point about the gap between realms. His attacks had been efficient, designed to end the fight quickly while demonstrating overwhelming superiority.
Today, he was curious.
His opening strike came from an unexpected angle. Not the standard forms he'd used before, but something improvised. Probing.
Wang Ben read the attack in the slight rotation of Dao Zhen's wrist, the tension in his leading shoulder. Instincts he couldn't explain guided his block, wooden blades meeting with a sharp crack.
[COMBAT OBSERVATION: Subject employing non-standard attack patterns]
[Analysis: Testing Host's response to unpredictable stimuli]
[Note: Previous assessment of "experience" being validated]
"You blocked that." Dao Zhen circled, eyes sharp. "You shouldn't have been able to block that."
"Lucky guess."
"You said that yesterday. I'm beginning to doubt your definition of luck."
The next exchange was faster. Dao Zhen abandoned the careful testing, flowing through a series of attacks that would have overwhelmed most body refinement cultivators. Overhead strike, spinning slash, low sweep that transitioned into a thrust.
Wang Ben moved on instinct. Block, parry, dodge. His body knew where the attacks would land before his conscious mind could process them. Fragments of dream-knowledge guided his feet, his hands, the angle of his blade.
He didn't win. He couldn't win. The realm gap was too vast, the difference in qi reinforcement too absolute. Dao Zhen's sword moved with supernatural speed, and Wang Ben's purely physical reflexes could only keep up for so long.
But he lasted.
Three minutes became five. Five became seven. Each exchange taught him something new about Dao Zhen's style. The way his weight shifted before power attacks. The slight hesitation when transitioning from offense to defense. The patterns within patterns that even ten thousand repetitions couldn't fully hide.
In the eighth minute, something unexpected happened.
Dao Zhen launched a spinning strike that should have ended the spar, a technique that combined momentum and qi reinforcement into a single devastating arc. Wang Ben saw it coming, read the preparation in the coiling of Dao Zhen's core, and instead of blocking or dodging, he stepped into the attack's blind spot, the narrow angle where the spin created a momentary gap in defense.
Dao Zhen actually stopped mid-motion, blade frozen in the air.
"What was that?"
Wang Ben didn't have an answer. The movement had come from somewhere deeper than thought, a response his body had known before his mind caught up.
"Reflex," he managed.
"That wasn't reflex. That was reading. You knew where the opening would be before I created it." Dao Zhen's eyes had gone sharp, hunting. "No one at body refinement should be able to do that."
The next exchange was brutal, Dao Zhen abandoning any pretense of testing in favor of raw aggression. Wang Ben lasted perhaps thirty more seconds before he went down.
When Dao Zhen finally broke through his guard and sent him sprawling, Wang Ben was smiling through the pain.
"Nine minutes." The heir's voice was flat, but his eyes held something new. Not confusion anymore. Recognition. "Yesterday was three. Today was nine. How?"
Wang Ben pushed himself to his feet, practice sword still clutched in one aching hand. "I told you. I learn from failure."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only one I have."
Dao Zhen was quiet for a long moment. Then he did something unexpected. He lowered his blade and stepped closer, studying Wang Ben's face with an intensity that bordered on uncomfortable.
"You're not lying," he said finally. "You genuinely don't know how you do it."
"Does it matter?"
"It might." Dao Zhen stepped back, sheathing his practice sword. "Tomorrow. Same time. I want to try something different."
"More beatings?"
"Different beatings." The corner of his mouth twitched. Not quite a smile, but close. "You're frustrating, Wang Ben. I don't understand you. I don't like things I don't understand."
"I'll try to be more comprehensible."
"Don't. The mystery is the only interesting thing about you." He turned to leave, then paused. "Your footwork in the third exchange. That wasn't any form I recognize. Where did you learn it?"
Wang Ben thought about the dreams. The fragments of endless battles that felt ancient beyond measure. The patterns that lived in him like ghosts.
"Nowhere I can name." It was the truth, in its way. "Dreams, maybe. Nothing that makes sense when I'm awake."
Dao Zhen studied him for another long moment, then nodded once and walked away.
Wang Ben found his father in the eastern workshop, not the northern one he'd used for years.
The space was smaller, more cramped. Herbs lined unfamiliar shelves. The cauldron sat at an awkward angle to the fire. But Wang Tian moved through it with practiced efficiency, adjusting his methods to the new environment without complaint.
"You changed your routine."
Wang Tian looked up from the herbs he was preparing. "You gave me good reason to." He gestured to a stool in the corner. "Sit. You look like you've been through a war already."
"Just Dao Zhen."
"Ah. The second spar." Wang Tian's hands continued their work, sorting dried petals with methodical precision. "How did it go?"
"I lasted longer. Lost anyway."
"Progress, then." His father's voice was warm. "Against a mid-stage qi condensation cultivator with a lifetime of training. Nine years older and a full realm ahead. Lasting longer is progress."
Wang Ben settled onto the stool, feeling his abused muscles protest. "He's curious now. Yesterday he was dismissive. Today he's trying to figure me out."
"Good. Curiosity builds alliances better than respect. Respect can be earned and lost. Curiosity keeps them engaged." Wang Tian set aside the sorted petals and turned to face his son fully. "Your warning last night. About my schedule."
"Shen Ruoxi mentioned it."
"The Mortal Shedding cultivator who appears in your courtyard uninvited." Wang Tian's expression was complicated. "I'm still not certain what to make of her."
"Neither am I."
"But her warning was sound. I've been predictable. Same workshop, same hours, same patterns. If the Xue Clan wanted to move against me..." He trailed off.
"They might. Once the grace period ends."
"They might try before then." Wang Tian's voice was quiet. "War isn't always declared, Ben. Sometimes it starts with a knife in the dark. An accident that isn't. A fire that spreads too fast to stop."
Wang Ben studied his father's face. The lines of worry that hadn't been there a year ago. The tension in his shoulders that never quite faded anymore.
"You're afraid."
"Terrified." The admission came easily, without shame. "Not for myself. I've lived long enough. But for your mother. For Chen. For you." He paused. "I spent nine years believing I was a failure. That my cultivation had abandoned me. Now I know the truth. The Xue Clan took those years from me. From us."
"And you want revenge."
"I want justice. There's a difference." Wang Tian's jaw tightened. "Revenge is burning their compound to the ground. Justice is making sure they can never do to another family what they did to ours."
"What if we can't have justice without revenge?"
His father was quiet for a long moment. When he spoke again, his voice was heavy.
"Then I hope I'm strong enough to stop before I become what I hate." He reached out and gripped Wang Ben's shoulder. "Promise me something."
"Anything."
"If I lose myself in this. If the anger becomes more important than the family. Stop me. However you have to."
Wang Ben met his father's eyes. Saw the fear there. The self-doubt that nine years of sabotage had carved into his soul.
"I promise."
Wang Tian nodded, released his shoulder, and turned back to his herbs. "Now. Let's talk about your cultivation. You're close to a breakthrough. I can see it in how you move."
[STATUS UPDATE]
[Body Tempering Pill absorption: 47.2%]
[Physical enhancement: +68% baseline]
[Projected advancement to Stage 8: <24 hours]
[Note: Accumulated combat stress has significantly accelerated integration]
The breakthrough came that afternoon.
Wang Ben was meditating in his courtyard, letting the pill's energy work through his system, when he felt something shift. A barrier that had been building for days suddenly became real, pressing against his consciousness like a wall of compressed potential.
[BREAKTHROUGH IMMINENT]
[Recommendation: Maintain meditation. Allow natural progression.]
He kept his breathing steady. Focused on the sensation of his body changing. The pill's energy had been refining him for weeks now, enhancing muscle density, strengthening bones, optimizing every physical system. But this was different. This was accumulation reaching critical mass.
The barrier cracked.
Energy flooded through him. Not qi, not spiritual power, but pure physical potential finally finding its expression. His muscles burned, then cooled, then settled into something denser. His bones ached, then quieted. His skin felt tight, then loose, then perfectly fitted to his new form. And beneath it all, the Body Tempering Pill's iron-rich essence finally found its home, no longer a foreign presence being absorbed but an integral part of what he had become.
[BREAKTHROUGH COMPLETE]
[Body Refinement Stage 8 achieved]
[Physical enhancement: +89% baseline]
[Body Tempering Pill absorption: 52.1%]
[Note: Breakthrough consumed significant stored energy. Absorption rate will normalize.]
Wang Ben opened his eyes. The world looked the same. But he felt different. Stronger. More solid. His body no longer felt like a vessel struggling to contain the pill's enhancement. It felt like a foundation, ready to support even greater changes.
He rose smoothly, testing his new capabilities. A practice form, flowing through stances he'd learned as a child. His movements were faster, more precise. The aches from the morning spar had faded entirely, consumed by the breakthrough's energy.
Late-stage body refinement. Only one more stage before the peak. Before the boundary between mortal physicality and true cultivation.
He was getting closer.
Grand Elder Wang Feng found him an hour later.
"I heard you broke through." The scarred warrior looked him over with an appraising eye. "Good timing. We need every advantage we can get."
"Has something happened?"
"Several things." Wang Feng gestured for Wang Ben to follow, leading him toward the administrative building. "Your counterintelligence suggestion has been implemented. Wang Rui received his first batch of false information two days ago."
"And?"
"The Xue Clan adjusted their patrol routes this morning. Exactly as the false information suggested we were planning to adjust ours." Wang Feng's voice held grim satisfaction. "They acted on intelligence they shouldn't have had access to. The pathway is confirmed."
Wang Ben processed the implications. "We know their spy network works. We know how fast information travels. Now we can control what they learn."
"Precisely. Your suggestion saved us weeks of uncertainty." The Grand Elder stopped at a junction, turning to face him. "The Patriarch has been informed of your contribution. He's... impressed."
"I was just connecting patterns."
"Patterns no one else saw. That's not 'just' anything." The Grand Elder's expression didn't change, but his voice carried a note of genuine respect. "Five days remain in the grace period. The Xue Clan has made no move to apologize. Our contacts report their compound is mobilizing. The mercenaries from Ironforge will arrive within ten days."
"After the grace period ends."
"Intentionally timed. They want deniability until the formal conflict begins, then immediate reinforcement." Wang Feng resumed walking. "The war is coming, Wang Ben. Everything we're doing now is preparation for the opening moves."
"What are the opening moves?"
"If I knew that, I'd be a prophet, not a general." The Grand Elder's voice was dry. "But I can predict the targets. Key personnel. Supply lines. Public face. They'll try to cripple us before the fighting truly begins."
"Assassination attempts."
"Among other things. Your father's schedule change was wise. I've implemented similar precautions for other critical members." Wang Feng stopped at a door, hand on the frame. "You've earned a place in these discussions, Wang Ben. Your mind is valuable. But don't mistake being informed for being safe. The Xue Clan knows you've been involved in our intelligence operations. You're a target now too."
Wang Ben thought about Shen Ruoxi's warnings. About the mercenaries. About the war that was coming whether anyone wanted it or not.
"I understand."
"Good." Wang Feng pushed open the door. "Then let's discuss what comes next."
The war council was smaller than Wang Ben expected.
Patriarch Wang Tiexin sat at the head of a scarred wooden table, his ancient face unreadable. Grand Elder Wang Feng took a position at his right hand. Elder Wang Qing, the bookish strategist, occupied the left. And now Wang Ben, standing just inside the door, uncertain of his place.
"Sit." The Patriarch's voice was dry as old paper. "You've earned a chair at this table."
Wang Ben took the indicated seat, feeling the weight of attention from the room's most powerful cultivators.
"We were discussing the Dao Clan situation," Elder Wang Qing said, adjusting his spectacles. "Their Grand Elder has requested a joint strategy session. He believes the Xue Clan will target them first."
"Why?" Wang Ben asked.
"Because they're weaker." The Patriarch's response was blunt. "The Dao Clan lost their previous patriarch three years ago. The new leadership is still consolidating. The Xue Clan may calculate that destroying the Dao will leave us without allies, isolated, easier to defeat in sequence."
"Divide and conquer."
"The oldest strategy. And often the most effective." Patriarch Wang Tiexin studied Wang Ben with ancient eyes. "You sparred with Dao Zhen this morning. What did you learn?"
Wang Ben considered the question carefully. "He's skilled. Possibly the most skilled swordsman I've ever faced. But he's also frustrated. He expected the alliance to be formality, not genuine cooperation. I think... I think he wants it to be real, but doesn't know how to make that happen."
"Personal insight or tactical assessment?"
"Both. If we want the Dao Clan to fight beside us, not just near us, we need Dao Zhen to believe in the alliance. He's their future. Their heir. What he believes will shape their commitment."
The Patriarch was quiet for a moment. Then he nodded slowly.
"Continue sparring with him. Build that relationship." He turned to Grand Elder Wang Feng. "Accept the Dao Clan's request. Joint strategy session tomorrow. Full disclosure of our intelligence situation."
"Including the counterintelligence operation?"
"Including everything. If they're going to fight beside us, they need to know what we know." The Patriarch's voice hardened. "We stand together or we fall separately. There is no middle ground."
That night, Wang Ben stood on the compound wall and watched the city lights flicker in the darkness.
Five days until war. His body was stronger than it had ever been. His father's schedule was changed. The counterintelligence operation was working. The alliance with the Dao Clan was deepening.
But it didn't feel like enough.
Somewhere out there, the Xue Clan was preparing their own strategies. Mercenaries were traveling the roads toward Redstone City. And forces beyond his understanding were moving in the shadows, using the conflict as cover for purposes he couldn't guess.
[OBSERVATION: Host vital signs indicate elevated stress]
[Context: Pre-conflict anxiety is normal response to anticipated warfare]
[Recommendation: Adequate rest improves combat readiness]
Wang Ben almost smiled. The System's cold practicality was oddly comforting.
"You're right," he murmured. "Rest now. War later."
He turned from the wall and headed toward his courtyard, leaving the city lights to flicker on without him.
Five days.
Ready or not, the war was coming.
END OF CHAPTER 35