The following week, Devor was completely absorbed in experimenting with Formation Arrays for his garden.

  The moment his manuscript left his hands, his focus had shifted—he wasn’t one to sit idly and wait.

  Juyin, watching from a distance, let out a quiet sigh.

  At first, he had assumed that Devor was finally giving more attention to the Venom Spiritual Tree—the very thing he had struggled to bond with for months.

  But instead, his focus had returned to his garden.

  It was understandable.

  Devor’s methods were something only he could comprehend.

  With his unique system, his cultivation approach was beyond the understanding of ordinary cultivators. Even within the Azure Sky Sect, even among the most skilled Alchemists and Array Masters, no one approached Spiritual Plants like he did.

  Juyin had come to accept that.

  And so, he simply observed.

  Most Formation Masters followed rigid structures.

  Formations were typically crafted as perfect circles, squares, or symmetrical shapes—designed with balance and precision in mind.

  But Devor had long since abandoned that thinking.

  "A formation doesn’t need to follow predefined rules," he murmured.

  "As long as I control the energy flow, I can shape it however I want."

  And so, he created something far more intricate.

  A large outer circle, with a smaller, nested circle inside.

  As the formation activated, a ten-meter-wide energy barrier materialized, forming a circular boundary around his plants.

  At the center, a smaller energy barrier took shape, glowing faintly with condensed spiritual energy.

  Devor’s eyes gleamed.

  "Success."

  "The core area of this formation is where the Spiritual Plant’s quality will be enhanced," he said aloud, analyzing his work.

  "Beyond the core, Yellow-Grade and Earth-Grade plants will act as an energy supply, feeding power into the main plant."

  It was a layered system.

  The weaker plants would act as a foundation, providing continuous energy to strengthen the central plant, accelerating its refinement process.

  And this time, he wasn’t just using Fire-Element plants.

  Instead, he had incorporated:

  Earth-Element plants for stability.

  Lightning-Element plants for power amplification.

  "Fire and lightning will amplify the energy output, while earth will stabilize the fusion of the two."

  He crouched, adjusting the positioning of one of the outer plants.

  "Even if fire and lightning aren’t a perfect match for the main plant, the result depends on how the plant refines the energy.

  "It can either absorb lightning and retain only the fire… or allow both to merge, creating something entirely new."

  Whatever transformation occurred, Devor wasn’t concerned.

  All that mattered was that the plant evolved beyond Earth-Grade, meeting the system’s threshold for true refinement.

  Devor’s fingers rested on his chin as a thought surfaced.

  "Can an Earth-Grade plant evolve into Sky-Grade?"

  It was a simple question.

  But if the answer was yes—then it meant something groundbreaking.

  After all, when a Yellow-Grade plant advanced to Earth-Grade, it became fundamentally different.

  It didn’t just grow stronger—it developed unique properties, entirely distinct from lower-grade plants.

  So if an Earth-Grade plant could undergo another qualitative transformation…

  "Wouldn’t that be the same as Synthesis?"

  His heart pounded slightly at the realization.

  "I might be able to force a natural evolution."

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  He stepped into the formation’s core, carrying a specially formulated liquid that Nyuru had prepared.

  Carefully, he poured it over the main plant.

  Immediately, the plant’s essence ignited.

  Its leaves darkened, its stem weakened—as if it were wilting under stress.

  But Devor remained calm.

  This was expected.

  Without hesitation, he poured a second liquid—one designed to increase the plant’s appetite.

  The moment the mixture seeped into its roots, the plant trembled.

  Then, as if responding to an insatiable hunger, it began rapidly absorbing energy from the surrounding plants.

  A faint buzzing sound filled the air as the outer plants responded, their own energies resonating in harmony.

  "Good… it's stabilizing."

  But he wasn’t done yet.

  After waiting exactly one minute, Devor poured the third and final liquid—one meant to suppress the plant’s growth.

  The results were immediate.

  The plant continued to devour energy.

  Its essence density increased drastically.

  But its physical body remained unchanged.

  This was the key.

  It was growing stronger without growing larger.

  This idea hadn’t come from nowhere.

  Devor had discussed his concept with Nyuru, using Juyin’s teachings as a foundation.

  Juyin had once explained how poison could weaken a body over time without outright killing the target—allowing for greater control and manipulation.

  In theory, the same logic could be applied to Spiritual Plants.

  And Nyuru had agreed.

  In fact, she had found the idea fascinating.

  "Your logic makes sense," she had told him. "But standard poisons won’t be enough. You need something precise. Something that can weaken a plant’s natural defenses without killing it outright."

  She was right.

  And that was where Juyin’s method came in.

  The most effective way to achieve this result would be to extract venom essence directly from the Venom Spiritual Tree.

  Unlike regular poisons, the tree’s venom essence wasn’t just lethal—it contained complex properties that could be refined for entirely new effects.

  "Creating poison isn’t simple," Nyuru had added. "It requires blending multiple herbs and plants inside a cauldron—countless trials to get the perfect formula."

  "But if you use the Venom Spiritual Tree… you can craft exactly what you need."

  That was what Devor was working toward now.

  Devor stood, staring at the thriving plant at the center of the array.

  It had consumed an immense amount of energy, yet its form remained controlled, refined.

  This… was only the beginning.

  "If I refine this process further…"

  "If I combine poison, formations, and plant cultivation into one seamless method…"

  His grip on his notebook tightened.

  "Alchemy, Arrays, Poisons… How many other professions can I integrate into the path of a Spiritual Farmer?"

  A slow grin spread across his face.

  "If I break down every limitation… how far can I go?"

  After observing the array’s effects for a full half-hour, Devor confirmed that everything remained stable, with no visible flaws.

  The energy distribution remained consistent, and the plants within the array adapted well to the controlled energy absorption.

  "The process is working."

  But it wasn’t perfect yet.

  "I need to repeat this process every three days," he murmured to himself.

  Too much weakening, and the plant would collapse before it could refine the energy. Too little, and it would fail to evolve.

  This was a delicate balance.

  Satisfied with his observations, Devor returned to his hut, intending to rest.

  As his thoughts drifted, considering potential refinements to the formation, a system notification suddenly appeared before his eyes.

  A flash of golden light illuminated his vision.

  [The Art of Creation Path has entered the Cultivation World.]

  Devor shot upright.

  "What—?"

  Before he could react, a second notification appeared.

  [The Art of Creation has been stored in the system database. The Host can now integrate its knowledge into the Ultimate Synthesis ability.]

  A moment of silence.

  Then—

  [The Art of Creation is the Host’s Dao Embryo. The more people who study it, the stronger the Dao Embryo becomes.]

  [For every hundred people who read and apply its methods, the Host will receive one Enlightenment Realm Point.]

  [For every individual who fully masters it, the Host will receive ten Enlightenment Realm Points.]

  Devor’s breath caught.

  His mind raced as the weight of this revelation sank in.

  "The Art of Creation… is my Dao Embryo?"

  The implications were staggering.

  Cultivators spent decades—centuries—searching for ways to refine their Dao.

  Most pursued enlightenment through meditation, battle, or trial and error.

  But Devor?

  He could cultivate simply by teaching others.

  His eyes flickered with realization.

  "Many great cultivators and sect masters wrote books and passed down techniques."

  "Maybe it wasn’t just for the sake of their disciples. Maybe… they were strengthening their own Dao through others."

  Was this why ancient sects hoarded techniques, restricting access to only their most loyal disciples?

  If a Dao could be cultivated through knowledge…

  Then those who shaped the world through their teachings could reach heights beyond imagination.

  And now, he had stepped onto that path.

  A slow smile crept across Devor’s lips.

  "This changes everything."

  Unable to contain his excitement, Devor sat cross-legged and activated Ultimate Synthesis, diving into his consciousness.

  He selected:

  The Art of Creation

  The Spiritual Tree Book

  Various books on Spiritual Plants and Array Formations

  His goal was simple—to use the harmonization methods of Spiritual Plants to enhance the Venom Spiritual Tree.

  As soon as he entered his inner world, six orbs of energy materialized before him.

  One golden-purple, radiating a subtle divine aura.

  The other deep-blue, pulsing with a dark, refined energy.

  Devor instinctively knew what they represented.

  The golden-purple orb was The Art of Creation—his Dao Embryo.

  As streams of knowledge flowed between them, The Art of Creation reacted first.

  Unlike before—where Devor had to painstakingly analyze every relationship between Spiritual Plants and experiment countless times to confirm his theories—

  Now, the answers came instantly.

  It was like his mind had unlocked a hidden language within the Dao itself.

  Instead of generating one solution, as Ultimate Synthesis had done in the past—

  It gave him four at once.

  1. Poison Element Formation

  The primary energy source for the Venom Spiritual Tree.

  Strengthens its natural toxic essence, allowing it to develop more potent abilities.

  2. Dark Element Formation

  A supplementary energy source, like an exquisite side dish enhancing the tree’s poison-based cultivation.

  Deepens the tree’s sentience, potentially increasing its awareness.

  3. Water Element Formation

  Regulates the Poison and Dark elements, preventing an imbalance.

  Strengthens the tree’s roots, trunk, and leaves, ensuring longevity and stability.

  4. Earth Element Formation

  Enhances root development, making the tree sturdier and more resilient.

  Accelerates the tree’s natural growth cycle without forcing artificial maturation.

  Devor opened his eyes.

  For a moment, he simply sat there, absorbing everything.

  Then, a slow exhale.

  "This is it."

  Everything finally made sense.

  The Art of Creation wasn’t just a book—it was a foundation upon which he could build an entirely new cultivation method.

  And if more people studied it, his Dao Embryo would continue to grow stronger.

  His grip tightened.

  This was no longer just an experiment.

  This was a path—one that had never existed before.

  And he was going to walk it to the end.