Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye.

  The Venom Spiritual Tree towered over twelve meters high, its deep-purple leaves trembling in the morning breeze.

  At its base, a specialized garden lay enclosed within a protective formation, trapping its energy inside.

  This was Devor’s poison plant garden, nearly complete. Only once it met his exacting standards would he allow it to begin feeding the tree’s growth.

  But for now, the morning was crisp, and his focus was elsewhere.

  Not far from the Venom Spiritual Tree, Devor practiced his sword movements.

  Bare-chested, his breath steady, he swung his sword through the air—not using strength, not channeling energy—only pure control.

  Slash ~ Slash ~

  His swordplay was smooth and precise, flowing like a stream of water, guided by instinct rather than power.

  Each movement blended seamlessly with the air around him, forming an elegant, natural rhythm.

  As he moved, a purple leaf detached from the Venom Spiritual Tree, drifting lazily toward him.

  A faint smile played on Devor’s lips.

  With a flick of his sword, he struck at the leaf.

  Slash ~

  Yet his blade never harmed it.

  Instead, the leaf barely shifted, untouched by the edge—as though his strike had passed beside it.

  Rather than cutting, Devor had redirected the force of his swing to create a gentle breeze, guiding the falling leaf exactly where he wanted it to go.

  His movements continued, weaving through the air like a dance, his strikes swirling the wind around the leaf, directing it without a single tear.

  Step by step, he retreated, carrying the leaf along without ever touching it directly.

  Minutes passed, then an hour.

  When he finally stopped, he let the leaf drift gently onto a pile of others that had already fallen.

  Seventeen leaves lay together.

  "You did great! Seventeen leaves in an hour today!" Devor said, satisfaction lacing his voice.

  The Venom Spiritual Tree’s leaves trembled slightly, as if responding to him.

  "Want to keep going?" Devor asked, exhaling lightly as he felt his rhythm slipping. "One shake for yes, two for no—same as before."

  The tree’s leaves shuddered twice.

  It had reached its limit for now.

  "Good job. You’ve worked hard today. Thanks for keeping me company." Devor smiled.

  He sheathed his sword, stretching his body before sitting down against the tree’s massive trunk.

  As he rested, he opened his palm—a faint wisp of purple energy flickered to life in his hand.

  He stared at it, deep in thought. "I haven’t even fed it yet, but my connection with it has already deepened this much…"

  The Venom Seal within his soul had formed—allowing him to borrow power from the Venom Spiritual Tree.

  But…

  It was barely anything.

  A frown creased Devor’s forehead.

  According to Juyin’s teachings, once the Venom Seal was established, he should have been able to draw at least as much power as a Qi Refining cultivator’s Spiritual Essence.

  Yet what he could access was pitiful—so little that he doubted he could even poison a tiny insect.

  "Looks like my body is holding me back again." Devor let out a slow sigh, resigned to the reality of his own physical limitations.

  Had Juyin known what Devor was thinking right now, he would have likely struggled to keep a straight face.

  Because the truth was—

  The fact that Devor had even formed the Venom Seal in his current condition was already a miracle.

  For a Venom Seal to take shape, the cultivator and the Spiritual Tree had to share a bond of mutual trust and balance.

  Juyin had spent years nurturing his trees like his own children, cultivating their energy and forming deep bonds of mutual respect just to earn the right to draw from their power.

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  But Devor?

  He had barely even started feeding the tree.

  And yet, the Venom Spiritual Tree had already acknowledged him.

  That alone was unprecedented.

  The secret lay in how Devor approached cultivation itself.

  Unlike others who treated Spiritual Trees as mere resources, Devor had built a true bond with his.

  Where others saw a tool, he saw a partner.

  Where others sought to take, he sought to nurture.

  And the Venom Spiritual Tree had recognized that difference.

  It had deemed Devor worthy, placing him slightly above itself, allowing the Venom Seal to take hold.

  Even though his body wasn’t prepared and his energy wasn’t strong enough, the connection had already been formed—something that, according to Juyin’s understanding of the technique, should have been impossible.

  Juyin had fully expected Devor to fail.

  Yet here he was.

  And he had done it effortlessly.

  As Devor watched the flickering wisp of purple energy in his palm, his resolve hardened.

  "The Venom Spiritual Tree has already accepted me."

  "Now I just need to catch up."

  This wasn’t a matter of technique anymore.

  It was a matter of foundation.

  He had to strengthen himself until he could fully wield the Venom Spiritual Tree’s energy without restriction.

  And more than that—

  He had to see how far this connection could go.

  If a Venom Seal could be formed this early, then what would happen when he truly completed the feeding process?

  Would he be able to hear the tree’s voice?

  Would it become something more than just a source of energy?

  The possibilities thrilled him.

  "I’m not just feeding the tree."

  "I’m cultivating alongside it."

  "We’re growing together."

  A small grin touched Devor’s lips.

  Ever since Devor realized that his approach was teaching the Venom Spiritual Tree how to cultivate, he had made an even greater effort to communicate with it.

  Most cultivators saw Spiritual Trees as mere resources—ancient entities to be nurtured and harvested.

  But Devor?

  He treated the Venom Spiritual Tree as a true living being.

  Fortunately, Juyin had already taught the tree human language, saving Devor the trouble of doing it himself.

  Now, each day, Devor shared his ideas with the tree, explaining his plans to build four separate gardens, each infused with a different elemental energy.

  The Poison Garden—to reinforce its natural venomous properties.

  The Dark Garden—to strengthen its roots and sharpen its connection to the shadows.

  The Earth Garden—to solidify its foundation, fortifying its durability.

  The Water Garden—to refine and regulate the flow of all the energies combined.

  And, most importantly—

  He asked the Venom Spiritual Tree for feedback.

  "Tell me if anything feels off."

  If the tree found the balance unsettling or the energy unstable, he wanted to adjust the method before proceeding any further.

  This wasn’t just about nourishing the tree—

  It was about achieving a perfect fusion of the four energies within its body.

  And to make that happen, the tree needed to grow and learn actively, not just passively absorb everything without refinement.

  Day by day, Devor’s bond with the tree deepened.

  He spent longer hours training in its presence, resting beneath its shade, even talking to it about things outside of cultivation.

  Then, one day, an idea struck him.

  He turned to the Venom Spiritual Tree and made a request—

  "Drop your leaves for me while I train."

  At first, the tree struggled.

  It could shed leaves naturally, but controlling when and how many fell was a challenge.

  But gradually… it learned.

  Soon, dropping a dozen leaves at will became effortless.

  However, Devor wasn’t satisfied.

  "Relying on your natural energy makes it too easy," Devor said. "That’s not the point."

  Instead of forcing the leaves to fall with energy, he wanted the tree to control its own body—the same way a cultivator trained to command their limbs with precision.

  And so, day after day, Devor honed his swordsmanship and fist techniques, while the Venom Spiritual Tree practiced its own form of control.

  It was no longer just observing—

  It was participating.

  And the tree loved it.

  For the first time, it wasn’t just existing—it was acting, learning, growing.

  Perhaps that was why the Venom Seal had formed so naturally within Devor’s soul.

  The moment the tree accepted him as more than a caretaker, the seal had taken hold.

  And yet…

  Despite the strength of their bond, Devor could barely draw upon the tree’s power.

  The issue wasn’t the tree’s energy—

  It was Devor himself.

  Deep down, he still didn’t fully trust it.

  He hadn’t fully accepted the tree as his equal.

  And because of that, if he attempted to use too much of its power, he would only end up poisoning himself.

  A faint rustling pulled Devor’s attention from his rest beneath its branches.

  He opened his eyes, sensing the tree’s impatience.

  "You’re asking when you can start absorbing energy from the garden?" Devor asked, glancing toward the sealed formation.

  A single tremor ran through the leaves—yes.

  The tree’s communication was simple—one shake for agreement, two for refusal.

  Devor let out a chuckle.

  "Not yet," he said. "The plants need to grow naturally for a while longer."

  A second tremor—it was not patient.

  Devor sighed.

  "If we rush the process, the energy balance won’t be as effective. Let the plants take their time, and the results will be much better," he explained.

  Another tremor.

  Still impatient.

  Devor shook his head.

  "The best I can do is distract you with ideas about the future," he said with a smirk.

  The tree’s leaves shuddered—whether in amusement or annoyance, he wasn’t sure.

  But for now, the formation remained sealed, preventing it from absorbing the garden’s energy.

  Only when everything was ready would Devor open the connection between them.

  ??????

  From within his small wooden hut, Juyin observed Devor’s interaction with the Venom Spiritual Tree from afar, a deep sense of unease settling over him.

  "Is this really okay?"

  Juyin muttered to himself, doubt creeping into his mind.

  "That kid’s method is so simple… Who would’ve thought it would actually work?"

  Juyin had once considered a similar approach—taming the Spiritual Trees completely, forging a deeper bond than mere caretaking.

  But when he had attempted it, it had proven too difficult—forcing him to develop the structured techniques he used now.

  "And on top of that…" Juyin gritted his teeth. "What if that little tree starts to like Devor more than me?"

  The thought irked him more than he wanted to admit.

  Juyin had planted, nurtured, and raised these trees like his own children.

  Yet now, he was watching one of them form a connection with another cultivator—a bond unlike anything he had ever created himself.

  It felt like watching a daughter slowly drifting away from her father, drawn toward someone new.

  And Juyin knew exactly how that ended.

  Years ago, Juyin had a daughter.

  He had raised her alone, teaching her everything he knew and shielding her from the dangers of the cultivation world.

  But then, one day…

  She fell in love with a young cultivator from a distant land.

  She had left him behind without hesitation, choosing to follow the man she loved to the other side of the continent.

  She had written a single letter—

  "I want to follow my own path, Father. You always told me that cultivation is about growth. This is my growth. I hope one day, you’ll understand."

  He had never replied.

  And he had never seen her again.

  Juyin’s fingers clenched at his side.

  Was this happening again?

  Was he about to lose something he had nurtured for years—to someone who had barely been here for months?

  His gaze hardened.

  "I need to do something."

  Because if he just stood by…

  He knew exactly how this would end.