His body broke and rebuilt, an unholy symphony of pain and rebirth. Flesh regrew, only to be stripped away again. Bones reformed, only to be shattered anew. The cycle repeated. Over and over and over.

His screams, once beastly and primal, turned hoarse, then into gasping sobs. His throat had long since been torn apart and healed again, yet the sound came unbidden, a testament to suffering beyond words.

In Su kang's mind, there was no time or thoughts. He only felt pain and pain. There were instances where astral qi brushed past his consciousness, it was an extremely dangerous situation.

Then—something changed.

The destruction of cells slowed down but the healing ability of the elixir continued it's pace. His body, battered beyond recognition was slowly getting used to new energy. His newly regenerated cells were able to withstand the Astral Qi's onslaught.

His bones were no longer mere ivory, but they had become pale silver, streaked with veins of starlight, pulsing with an inner glow. His muscles, reborn through suffering, hummed with latent cosmic power. His hair, newly regrown, shimmered faintly, dusted with astral radiance.

The pain, though still present, no longer consumed him. It became a dull, distant ache, a reminder of his transformation, his rebirth.

And finally—the agony ceased.

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Su Kang opened his eyes.

The stone platform where Su Kang lay naked was covered in faint silver residue, remnants of the Astral Essence that had burned through his body.

His chest rose and fell in slow, steady breaths, his body no longer wracked by pain, but his mind remained on the verge of collapse.

His transformation was complete, but the ordeal had drained him beyond measure. His body was physically refreshed, humming with newfound strength, yet his mind felt like a battlefield after a long and brutal war.

He had endured absolute destruction and remade himself, but the memories of the process clung to him like a shadow, refusing to fade.

Su Kang exhaled slowly, feeling the cool mountain air against his skin. Every part of him had changed. He felt lighter, stronger, faster—but he also felt as if he had aged a decade in a single night.

His consciousness had been touched by Astral Qi, an overwhelming force that had nearly suppressed his very soul. Had it not been for the protection of the Sanctuary of the Unwavering Soul, his mind might have collapsed beneath its pressure.

He could have fallen into a deep coma, his will crushed under the celestial force that had reforged him.

The silver mist of Astral Qi still clung to him, its presence lingering in the air and within his meridians. He could feel it leaking away, dissipating into nothing.

"I couldn’t afford to waste such precious thing." Su Kang thought in his mind.

Gritting his teeth, Su Kang forced himself to sit up. His body responded instantly, smooth and precise, as if he had been recalibrated for perfect movement.

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His arms were flawless smooth, his skin carrying a faint silvery hue beneath the surface. His bones, his muscles, his very essence had changed.

But there was no time to dwell on it. The unrefined Astral Qi within him was unstable, and if he didn’t absorb it quickly, it would dissipate into nothing.

Closing his eyes, he focused inward, guiding the faint silver wisps through his meridians. Unlike before, when he struggled to force even the smallest amount of Astral Qi into his body, his new cells drank it in effortlessly, absorbing the energy as naturally as breathing.

He began practicing the first level of the Star-Forged Physique—Stardust Infusion.

The first circulation was slow, as his body adjusted to the unfamiliar flow. The energy coursed through his veins like liquid starlight, merging with his flesh, reinforcing his already transformed body. His bones pulsed, absorbing the astral essence, becoming denser, stronger, and more resilient.

His muscles, refined beyond human limits, grew even more flexible and powerful, suffused with Astral Qi’s unique properties. His newly opened meridians expanded, stretching, allowing the energy to flow freely. Unlike before, where his body struggled to contain even the smallest wisp of Astral energy, his new physique handled it with ease.

He began to move through the techniques of Stardust Infusion, carefully guiding the energy deeper into his flesh. His movements were slow and precise, each breath aligned with the flow of cosmic energy within him. Stardust Step, a foundational movement of the technique, sent energy into his legs, increasing his speed and agility. Star Punch, a simple yet effective strike, funneled Astral Qi into his arms, refining his power.

The changes weren’t visible to the naked eye, but he could feel them happening. His bones pulsed with Astral Qi, as if tiny stars had been embedded within them. His newly formed meridians, once delicate, now flowed with refined energy, prepared to channel even greater power in the future.

Each breath he took drew in more Astral Qi, refining and circulating it through his body. He felt light, powerful, like a predator fine-tuned for speed and endurance.

Next, he executed Star Punch, channeling energy into his arms, refining their power. As he punched the air, a faint, silvery shimmer trailed behind his strikes, proof of the latent strength within him.

His organs were also changing, his very blood infused with Astral Qi, circulating with an unnatural coolness. Even without concentrating, he could feel the astral energy strengthening his body.

His movements became smoother, more controlled. He clenched his fist, feeling the unfamiliar strength in his grip. Even without consciously channeling energy, his raw power had doubled from what it was before the transformation.

The remaining Astral Qi dissipated into the air, lost before he could claim it. He sighed, but he didn’t regret it. He had absorbed more than enough to stabilize his first step into the Star-Forged Physique.

His body felt fully revitalized, but his mind...

His mind was very exhausted.

The moment Su Kang released his focus, a wave of fatigue washed over him. It wasn’t a physical exhaustion—it was something more profound.

His body had healed, had been reborn, but his mind had endured too much in too short a time. The trauma of experiencing his own destruction and reconstruction had left invisible scars.

He swayed where he sat, his breath slowing, his vision blurring. The mountain chamber was dim, the only light coming from the stars overhead. The silver mist from his cultivation still lingered in the air, but he was too tired to admire it.

Without thinking, he collapsed onto the cold stone floor, naked and utterly drained.

"Fate, How did I performed?" Su Kang asked in his mind.

"You have done a good job."

After he heard these words, sleep overtook him instantly.

For the first time in what felt like eternity, he let himself fall into darkness.

Su Kang slept for a long time, his body perfectly still, his breathing slow and deep. His body had no injuries, no lingering damage. Yet he didn’t wake.

His mind needed time to recover, not just from the pain, but from the sheer pressure of body reconstruction.

One morning, when he finally stirred, his body felt stronger than ever, but his thoughts were slow, hazy, as if his soul had been weighed down. He had expected to feel completely renewed, but instead, he felt like a man standing in the ruins of a battlefield, surveying the destruction left behind.

He sat up, rubbing his forehead, feeling the dull ache of mental exhaustion. He would need time—perhaps two to three months—to fully recover.

It wasn’t just about healing. He needed to adapt to his new body, to train with it, to learn what it could now do. More importantly, he needed to recover mentally before attempting another breakthrough.

Rushing forward recklessly could lead to permanent injury, something no cultivator could afford.

For now, he would focus on soul cultivation, slowly strengthening his soul and mind so that his next step wouldn’t be hindered. His body had transformed, but his soul needed to catch up.

The storm had passed, but he was far from finished.

With a deep breath, he looked toward the fading night sky, the stars twinkling above. They no longer felt distant. They felt connected to him.

The path of the Star-Forged Physique had only just begun.