Art of Creation [Eco-Cultivation Prototype]

The power of Dao remained an enigma to Devor.

He had cultivated, battled, and grown stronger, yet he barely grasped its true nature. He had no way of knowing how profound a Dao could truly be—or how it shaped the fate of all cultivators.

And if Dao energy had been involved in the recent attack…

Then things were bound to become far more complicated.

Devor turned to Yulin, his expression grim. "Are people from the Immortal World connected to this?"

Yulin shook her head.

"Not necessarily," she replied. "The Immortal World trades with people in this realm. Dao-infused talismans, weapons, even cultivation techniques… There's no way to tell if this attack was their doing or if someone simply purchased a method to bypass the sect's defenses."

Devor frowned. "But logically speaking, wouldn't the Immortal World avoid destroying young cultivators like me? They need promising talent. Why sabotage their own future?"

After all, the Immortal descended to the lower realms to find and cultivate worthy seedlings. A premature culling of potential made no sense.

Yulin's gaze sharpened. "That's true, but that doesn't mean they can't be suspects."

She folded her arms. "You've already formed your Dao embryo, haven't you? Have you studied it?"

Devor blinked.

He hadn't expected her to bring up his Dao embryo so suddenly.

"I haven't studied it yet," he admitted. "I asked the Sect Master, but in our world, knowledge of Dao is still theoretical. No one can confirm what's truly right or wrong."

That was the problem.

Dao wasn't a simple martial technique or a rigid set of laws—it was something deeper, something that shaped the very fabric of reality.

Theories meant nothing without firsthand experience.

"The rules in the Immortal World are different," Yulin murmured. "They've grasped things we haven't."

Devor exhaled. "Then… how should I begin to understand my Dao?"

"Think of Dao like this," Yulin said, raising her palm.

A brilliant sphere of energy manifested in the air, vast and radiant, its surface swirling like the cosmic expanse.

Devor's gaze locked onto it.

She flicked her fingers.

Suddenly, smaller orbs appeared, orbiting the massive sphere like celestial bodies around a star.

"The Dao embryo is like these smaller spheres," Yulin explained. "Each of them represents a different facet of a greater Dao."

Devor remained silent, his sharp mind absorbing her words.

"A single Dao alone isn't always powerful," Yulin continued. "But by connecting to a greater Dao, it can borrow strength, expanding its influence."

She waved her hand, causing thin energy threads to weave between the smaller spheres, linking them to the massive one in an intricate web.

"Think of this large sphere as the Dao of the Sword," Yulin said. "And these smaller ones as its derivatives—the Dao of the Flying Sword, the Dao of the Sword Sovereign, and so on."

Devor rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "So you're saying that smaller Daos rely on a greater Dao, drawing power from it?"

"Exactly," Yulin said with a small smile. "In your case, your Dao embryo must be connected to a fundamental Dao. The stronger that connection, the greater the potential of your Dao."

Yulin's gaze flickered with an odd intensity.

"But there's something unique about Dao," she continued. "A Dao cannot be altered by anyone—not even by the strongest Immortals. It will exist eternally, until the collapse of the universe itself."

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Devor's breath hitched. "Then… who can change them?"

Yulin's expression darkened. "Only the true creator of a Dao has the ability to alter it."

A long silence stretched between them.

Devor suddenly felt small—as if he had glimpsed something far beyond his understanding.

"If the creator of a Dao perishes," Yulin said quietly, "the Dao itself will seek an heir—one who embodies its essence, ensuring its continuation."

The air seemed heavier.

Devor's thoughts raced.

"An heir? A Dao that seeks a successor?" His fists clenched. "Could that be the reason for everything that's happened?"

If someone wanted him dead, then it wasn't just about sect rivalries.

It was about Dao itself.

And if his Dao embryo wasn't just any Dao—but one he had created himself…

Then his enemies weren't trying to kill him. They needed him alive. Because only he could change his own Dao.

A curse—something to twist his creation beyond recognition. That was their true goal.

"If this is true," Yulin said, her voice steady but grim, "then there might be a reason why the Immortal World did this to you."

Her eyes locked onto Devor's, as if ensuring he grasped the weight of her words.

"They didn't just want to hurt you." She paused. "They wanted to destroy your Dao. That's why they sent a curse—to corrupt its essence so it could never be the same again."

Devor's breath caught. "Destroy my Dao?"

The mere thought sent chills down his spine.

But why?

His Dao wasn't one of destruction or conquest—it was meant to cultivate, nurture, and create. Why would anyone see it as a threat?

"I… don't think my Dao is remarkable enough for that," Devor said after a long silence.

He wasn't being humble—he was being practical.

In the world of cultivation, power ruled above all else, and his Dao wasn't centered on combat.

"This isn't just about Dao." Yulin shook her head slightly and continued, "And another thing—why do you think you can't use your Dao fully manifest in this world?"

Devor hesitated.

"Because the rules of this world can't withstand a Dao of that magnitude?" he guessed.

"That's one possibility," Yulin admitted. "But there might be another reason."

She leaned slightly forward. "What if… your Dao is still too weak?"

Devor's eyes widened slightly.

His first instinct was to refute it—but he couldn't.

His Dao wasn't yet fully formed, just an embryo. Perhaps it wasn't just the world's laws limiting it… perhaps it simply hadn't matured into something strong enough to shape reality the way higher-level Daos did.

Yulin exhaled softly before continuing. "Thousands of years ago, there was a cultivator who defied the natural order."

Devor's focus sharpened.

"He lived for three thousand years," Yulin said.

"Three thousand?" Devor nearly choked on his own breath.

"The records say otherwise," Yulin said with a small, knowing smile. "Though the details might be exaggerated, his existence is undeniable. What made him special wasn't his realm—but his Dao."

Devor frowned. "What was his Dao?"

"He could grant vitality, extend the lifespans of others," Yulin said.

Devor's heart skipped a beat.

A Dao that could grant life?

"And do you know what happened to him?" Yulin asked.

Devor shook his head.

"His cultivation stagnated at the Nascent Soul Realm," she said slowly. "For three thousand years… without advancing even a step."

"Impossible!" he muttered, struggling to comprehend it.

A suffocating silence fell between them.

"He was trapped in the Nascent Soul Realm… for three millennia?" Devor said.

But that was impossible. Cultivation should progress naturally with time, effort, and enlightenment. No Nascent Soul cultivator could live that long—it defied the very limits of nature itself.

"Of course, there's no way to verify every part of the story," Yulin continued. "But what we do know is that the Liv Empire, one of the most powerful nations in the Central Continent, built their entire foundation upon his legacy."

Devor inhaled sharply. "Are you saying they claimed his Dao for themselves?"

"The evidence suggests so." Yulin nodded slightly. "The people of the Liv Empire have far longer lifespans than ordinary cultivators. Their vitality is so immense that they can use forbidden techniques to break through cultivation bottlenecks—even if it damages their foundation."

Devor felt a cold wave of understanding settle over him.

"That's why no one dares wage an all-out war against them," Yulin said. "They can afford to burn their life force for power—while others can't."

She looked at Devor, her voice steady. "The very existence of the Liv Empire proves that the Dao of Life is real."

Devor exhaled slowly. "So even after his name was erased, his Dao remained."

Yulin's expression grew somber.

"A Dao doesn't simply vanish when its creator perishes," she said. "A Dao grows when it is studied, recognized, and spread. That's why Daos aligned with creation, civilization, and knowledge tend to flourish far more than those centered on destruction alone."

She held Devor's gaze. "And your Dao… does exactly that."

Devor's pulse quickened.

"You've begun teaching others, sharing knowledge, and even writing books on your Dao," Yulin pointed out. "Tell me, won't your Dao continue to grow even after your death, as long as people practice it?"

Devor's mind raced.

His system rewarded him with Enlightenment Realm Points when he taught others about his Dao.

He had never thought much of it before.

But if his Dao thrived on spreading knowledge, then wasn't it already on a path of exponential growth?

"And if your Dao keeps growing…" Yulin paused slightly. "Then one day, you may be able to use it freely in this world—pushing cultivators beyond their current limits."

Devor felt his stomach tighten.

For countless years, cultivators in this world had struggled to ascend to the Immortal World. The path was obstructed by rigid limitations, and the requirements were nearly insurmountable.

But if his Dao could help cultivators reach that threshold…

Then the Immortal people wouldn't see him as an asset.

They'd see him as a threat.

A threat to their control.

A force that could one day shatter their monopoly over ascension.

Devor clenched his fists. "That's why they want to destroy my Dao."

They didn't want him dead for who he was—but for what he might become.