The next morning brought forty eight people to the courtyard as dawn painted frost across stone. Temperature had dropped another degree overnight.
Liu Mei stood at the front with her ice crystal notebook already open. Professional as always. Cold as always. Showing absolutely nothing except calculated competence.
"Foundation reconstruction begins today," she announced. "This will hurt. Your meridians have adapted to wrong patterns. We're retraining from scratch. Questions before we start?"
"How much pain?" Tao asked nervously.
"Sustained discomfort comparable to Body Refining breakthrough but lasting weeks instead of hours." Liu Mei's tone suggested she was describing weather, not prolonged suffering. "Anyone want to quit?"
Nobody moved. Forty eight people choosing pain over stagnation.
"Good. Hunter, you're first demonstration."
Hunter settled into position while everyone watched. His sealed Void Shadow Physique hummed quietly beneath the surface. Barely noticeable anymore.
