A month passed in the blink of an eye.

  With a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth, Devor exhaled slowly, steadying himself as he gazed at the towering Venom Spiritual Tree before him.

  The tree’s dark purple leaves shimmered with a toxic sheen, releasing a faint, almost hypnotic fragrance. Beneath its roots, the land was tainted—a thin mist of corrosive energy rising from the soil like the breath of a slumbering beast.

  Behind him, a shadow flickered. Juyin had arrived, just as he always did—silent, efficient, and utterly detached.

  With practiced ease, the enigmatic figure placed his hand against Devor’s back, sending a controlled pulse of Qi through his meridians. The lingering venom within Devor’s system dissipated, neutralized in an instant.

  Then, without a word, Juyin vanished.

  Devor straightened his robes, wiping away the blood with the back of his sleeve, and turned away from the Venom Spiritual Tree. Another failure.

  By now, it had become a routine—one he endured every three days without fail. And yet, no matter how many times he was repelled, poisoned, or drained of Qi, his resolve never wavered.

  If anything, failure only fueled his determination to succeed.

  Returning to his modest living quarters, Devor stepped onto the worn stone path leading to his 300-square-meter garden, now divided into three distinct sections by layered formation arrays.

  The once-pristine balance of his plants had changed—a deliberate shift rather than a sign of neglect.

  If Yulin or any of the other disciples saw the current state of his garden, they would be alarmed. The once-perfect harmony of the spiritual plants had fractured, the delicate equilibrium disrupted.

  But Devor knew exactly what he was doing.

  This was an experiment. A necessary deviation from tradition.

  Stepping into the section where he cultivated fire-element Spiritual Plants, he immediately felt the difference. The air was thick with heat, the scent of charred earth mingling with the sharp tang of burning Qi.

  In this isolated plot, ten Fire-Element Spiritual Plants thrived, their auras burning brighter than usual. But there was a problem—the balance was off.

  Devor activated his Spiritual Analyzer, his gaze sweeping over the plants. A translucent system prompt appeared before him.

  [Condition: Very Good]

  Two plants Earth Grade-B

  Eight Planrs Yellow Grade-A

  By standard cultivation methods, this was a success. But Devor wasn’t satisfied. His sharp instincts told him something was wrong.

  He crouched beside one of the Yellow-Grade plants, brushing his fingers against its leaves. Its fire-element absorption rate had dropped significantly.

  Pulling out his worn notebook, he jotted down his findings:

  "One Yellow-Grade plant has failed to achieve full resonance with the others after a week. Its leaves and stem appear healthy, but its fire-element absorption rate has weakened significantly. Possible cause: Fire Anchor plant is drawing too much essence, weakening it."

  He frowned. This wasn’t just a minor setback—it was a flaw in his experimental method.

  His goal had been to intentionally weaken the lower-grade plants to accelerate the development of the Earth-Grade ones. A controlled process of sacrifice.

  But if the deterioration was uneven, the resonance between the plants would collapse entirely.

  Closing his notebook, Devor rested his chin on his hand, deep in thought.

  "I need a way to regulate the rate of decay. If I can control the process, I can turn sacrifice into structured enhancement."

  A rough idea began to take shape in his mind.

  He shifted into a cross-legged position, closed his eyes, and activated the system’s Ultimate Synthesis ability.

  His consciousness drifted into the vast expanse of his sea of consciousness.

  Here, his spiritual form materialized, a near-transparent version of himself surrounded by a landscape of ever-shifting flora.

  With focused intent, he envisioned two powerful Sky-Grade Fire Plants—

  Pyrestar Orchid – A rare specimen known for its violent Qi surges.

  Flameheart Ivy – A vine that absorbed fire energy at an extraordinary rate.

  A pulse of spiritual energy rippled through the air as the two plants materialized before him, positioned exactly two meters apart.

  The moment they appeared, their energies intertwined, forming a perfect resonance.

  Even before testing, he could feel the difference. The strength of Sky-Grade plants was on an entirely different level compared to their Earth-Grade counterparts.

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  Now came the real challenge.

  Devor conjured several Earth-Grade Fire Plants and arranged them between the two Sky-Grade specimens.

  The effect was immediate. The lower-grade plants eagerly absorbed the energy flooding between the Sky-Grade ones, growing rapidly—but at a cost.

  One by one, their vibrant leaves scorched black. The overwhelming energy was too much. They were withering faster than they could adapt.

  A system notification appeared in his mind.

  [Spiritual Energy: 7230/7764]

  Simulating plants within his sea of consciousness drained his personal energy—but this process was more than just trial and error. It was a form of cultivation in itself.

  Devor continued adjusting the arrangement, swapping out different Earth-Grade plants, altering distances, experimenting with the flow of energy.

  Each failure was another lesson. Each iteration brought him closer to perfection.

  He refined his requirements.

  The plants must survive at least a full minute in the simulation.

  Their resonance must remain stable throughout.

  Energy absorption must be uniform.

  Only by meeting these conditions could he safely apply the method to his real garden.

  Time passed unnoticed as Devor worked tirelessly within his spiritual domain.

  At some point, a realization struck him—this wasn’t just about strengthening plants.

  This method could be applied to cultivators as well.

  What if he could refine a cultivation technique based on this same principle?

  A technique where cultivators deliberately allowed themselves to weaken in order to absorb and adapt to greater energies—turning moments of vulnerability into explosive growth.

  A wild idea. But perhaps not impossible.

  Devor’s lips curled into a rare smirk.

  For now, the garden was his test subject.

  But one day, this method might become the foundation of something far greater.

  ??????

  From a distance, the Sect Master of Azure Sky enjoyed a cup of spiritual tea, his gaze resting upon the garden below. Beside him, Juyin stood silently, his expression unreadable as always.

  They had come to check on Devor—not through direct interaction, but from afar, as silent observers.

  "That boy truly tore apart his entire method and started from scratch?" The Sect Master chuckled, swirling the tea in his cup.

  Below them, Devor moved among the plants, his fingers grazing the leaves of a newly cultivated Fire-Element crop. His once-harmonious garden had been completely transformed. The Sect Master could still recall how Devor had once preached the importance of balance in spiritual farming, teaching others that cultivating only a single elemental plant wasted a garden’s potential.

  Back then, Devor had seen such methods as short-sighted—mere surface-level understanding, unworthy of those who sought true mastery.

  And yet, the garden before them was completely unlike the one he had cultivated in the past.

  The Sect Master’s smile deepened. "To create something new, sometimes we must first tear down what we have and begin again."

  His gaze lingered on Devor. "And that boy… he is ruthless with himself. He willingly destroys everything just to build something better."

  Many cultivators understood this principle in theory, but few had the resolve to act on it. The deeper one delved into their craft, the harder it became to abandon old beliefs.

  Most people spent their lives reinforcing their convictions. Only a rare few dared to dismantle them.

  Juyin’s voice was calm. "When I first saw him tear down his own garden, I thought he was acting out of frustration—lashing out in anger. But the way he studied each plant, analyzing every shift in spiritual energy... it was clear he was searching for something."

  The Sect Master nodded. "The true path of mastery is paved with destruction. Those who refuse to let go of their past methods will never step into something greater."

  His gaze sharpened slightly. "Devor understands that. But that same trait might be what’s holding him back."

  Juyin glanced at him. "You think his pride is an obstacle?"

  The Sect Master took a sip of his tea before responding. "Not pride in the traditional sense. Devor isn’t arrogant, but he is deeply convinced of his own understanding. He learns quickly—but he only trusts knowledge he has proven for himself."

  Juyin remained silent for a moment, then nodded. "That might explain his struggles with the Spiritual Tree Bonding Method."

  The Sect Master raised an eyebrow. "Still no progress?"

  Juyin’s voice grew heavier. "In the past four months, he has failed. Not once has he shown any signs of success."

  The Sect Master’s eyes flickered with intrigue. "Why? Is there something wrong with his body? Is he simply incompatible with your method?"

  Juyin shook his head. "It’s not a matter of compatibility. You know as well as I do—my method relies on forming a bond with a Spiritual Tree, allowing a cultivator to borrow its power as if it were an extension of themselves."

  The Sect Master nodded.

  "It should work for him. In fact, it should be perfect for him," Juyin continued. "His ability to understand Spiritual Plants is one of the highest I’ve ever seen. And yet, every time the Spiritual Tree’s power enters his body, it poisons him."

  "Because he hasn’t formed a strong enough bond?" the Sect Master guessed.

  Juyin’s expression darkened slightly. "No. Because he refuses to."

  The words lingered in the air.

  The Sect Master tapped his finger against his tea cup. "Explain."

  Juyin turned his gaze back toward Devor. "That boy is naturally gifted in nurturing Spiritual Plants. He doesn’t just cultivate them—he understands them on a level that others never will."

  He sighed. "But that same talent has led him to develop an unconscious superiority. Not arrogance, not condescension—but a deep-seated belief that all the plants under his care exist because of him."

  The Sect Master’s eyes sharpened slightly.

  "He sees himself as their creator," Juyin continued. "He guides them, strengthens them, reshapes them according to his will. And therein lies the problem—he does not see them as equals."

  The words struck with clarity.

  The Sect Master finally understood.

  "When a Spiritual Tree’s power enters his body, it poisons him," Juyin repeated. "Not because the bond is weak—but because he cannot accept that a force of nature might stand on equal ground with him."

  Silence stretched between them.

  The Sect Master swirled his tea once more, his gaze contemplative. "I see… So the problem isn’t with the method. The problem is within Devor himself."

  Juyin nodded. "He cares for plants deeply, yes. But deep down, he sees them as his. Even in his experiments, he’s trying to force them into a structure of his own design. Until he breaks past that mindset, he will never master the Spiritual Tree Bonding Method."

  The Sect Master exhaled softly. "Then there’s no lesson we can teach him."

  Juyin crossed his arms. "No. This is something he has to learn on his own."

  Pride wasn’t always about looking down on others. Sometimes, pride was simply an inability to let go of control.

  The Sect Master understood that well.

  "People like him… they won’t listen to words," Juyin said quietly. "No amount of wisdom or guidance will change him."

  The Sect Master chuckled. "Then there’s only one thing left, isn’t there?"

  Juyin smirked faintly. "Reality."

  Nothing shattered pride faster than facing a situation where everything one believed in failed them completely.

  And Devor… sooner or later, he would have to confront that moment.

  The Sect Master gazed down at the young cultivator below, watching as Devor meticulously adjusted the spiritual formations surrounding his experimental plots.

  His movements were steady, his eyes filled with focus. He was making progress in his own way.

  But until he faced a truth beyond his control, he would never take the next step.

  The real trial had yet to come.

  And when it did…

  Would he break? Or would he grow?

  The Sect Master’s lips curled into an unreadable smile.

  They would have their answer soon enough.