Art of Creation [Eco-Cultivation Prototype]

Forly remained under the Sect's watchful care, his bloodthirst suppressed through carefully administered methods.

While there was no way to completely remove the curse for now, the elders had devised techniques to stabilize his volatile emotions and curb his growing hunger for blood.

It was a fragile balance, one that required constant vigilance.

Meanwhile, Devor's focus was elsewhere. He spent his days with Master Nie, refining his Cultivation Technique—a process that had proven far more challenging than he anticipated.

Over the past two months, he had experimented on his own, conducting simulations within his sea of consciousness with the help of the System.

But theory could only take him so far.

His results had been minimal, yielding only fragments of insight—enough to form the foundation of his discussions with Master Nie, but not enough to enact meaningful change.

When Master Nie saw Devor approaching once again, he sighed inwardly.

He knew this day would come.

Ever since Devor had formed his unique bond with the Venom Spiritual Tree, Master Nie had expected him to seek further refinement in his Cultivation Technique.

And as a Divine Disciple, Devor had full access to the Sect's resources—including Master Nie's expertise.

At first, Master Nie had approached the task with ease. Devor's Foundation Building Cultivation Technique, while intricate, had taken only a few days to polish.

But now?

A week had passed, and the complexity had increased beyond reason.

Standing atop the Cultivation Hall Tower, Master Nie watched as Devor made his way back to his residence.

"This kid is growing more terrifying by the day..." he muttered, a faint shiver running down his spine.

It wasn't just Devor's persistence—it was the sheer depth of what he was trying to accomplish.

"Incorporating a Spiritual Seal into his technique… refining it all the way to Golden Core… and now he's even inquiring about the Nascent Soul Realm?" Master Nie shook his head.

The higher one's cultivation stage, the more profound and intricate their techniques became. Tailoring a Cultivation Technique to an individual's unique path was far more difficult than merely following an established one.

And yet, Devor showed no hesitation in doing so.

He wasn't just cultivating—he was forging his own method.

While Devor immersed himself in his studies, whispers spread among the Sect's disciples.

Not because of his rapid growth.

Not because of his relentless training.

But because of the Venom Spiritual Tree.

More specifically—the Venom Garden.

The strange, ever-growing flora had appeared on Devor's hill, its presence warping the land itself. The plants inside thrived in an unnatural manner, far surpassing their ordinary counterparts.

Juyin had mentioned this possibility before, and Devor had anticipated the change.

So rather than hide it, he embraced the attention.

In the cultivation world, secrets invited schemes, but fame built reputation. Let the world watch. Let the name of the Venom Garden spread.

To better understand its transformations, Devor invited Nyuru, an expert Alchemy, to inspect the Spiritual Plant.

Her findings were as expected—the plants were no longer the same as their original species.

Stronger. More potent. Fundamentally altered.

But there was a catch.

Because their nature had changed, traditional alchemical recipes were no longer effective. New formulas had to be developed, and their effects remained unknown.

The responsibility for further research was handed over to Nyuru. Devor, for the time being, had more pressing matters to attend to.

Time passed in a blur.

With sect classes still on hold, Devor threw himself into training, using every moment to harden his foundation and hone his techniques.

His daily routine became a cycle of discipline and refinement.

Morning: Cultivation—reinforcing his technique before heading to Master Nie for further refinement.

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Afternoon: Attuning to the Venom Spiritual Tree, guiding its energy absorption like a cultivator refining Qi, while conducting various experiments.

Evening: Combat training at the Martial Hall, where eager disciples lined up to spar with him.

Yet something was missing.

Despite constant practice, Devor felt an undeniable limitation in his growth.

The sparring sessions in the Martial Hall were useful, reinforcing his fundamental combat techniques—but they lacked the edge of true battle experience.

After all, training had rules. Lethal strikes were forbidden, crippling techniques restricted.

But in a real fight?

Victory was determined by who struck first—and who was willing to kill.

Another week passed.

As Devor returned from another intense discussion with Master Nie, he noticed a small group gathered near the Venom Garden.

Standing at the edge of the field, Yulin, Nyuru, and Aoyun gazed at the garden, their eyes filled with awe.

Devor followed their gazes and immediately felt something had changed.

Lifting his head, he saw it—a dark, night-like veil had settled above the garden, its form shifting like living shadows.

Without hesitation, he activated Spiritual Analyzer.

[ Name: Venom Domain ]

[ Essence: 100,000/100,000 ]

[ Status: Very Good ]

[ Origin: Pseudo Dao Art of Creation ]

"It's finally perfected?" Devor murmured, his voice tinged with surprise.

He had known his Venom Domain would eventually reach completion, but in recent days, its progress had slowed to a crawl, as if the final step required something beyond mere accumulation.

Now, it had fully stabilized.

As he approached, Yulin and the others turned their attention to him.

Nyuru, always direct, was the first to speak. "Something changed. Is there a problem?"

Devor's gaze lingered on the Venom Domain, its swirling darkness reminiscent of a starless night sky.

Yet, scattered within the void were faint, dull specks of light—stars struggling to pierce through the haze.

He smiled faintly. "No problem. It has simply reached perfection."

Without further explanation, Devor stepped past them, entering the Venom Garden without even acknowledging Aoyun's presence.

The moment he crossed the threshold, a strange sensation washed over him.

It was subtle, yet undeniable—a connection between himself and the Venom Domain.

It wasn't a force he could wield like Qi or spiritual energy, but it was there.

"Since this is the manifestation of my Pseudo Dao, it makes sense that it wouldn't exist as a completely separate entity," Devor mused. "I can sense it… even influence it… but it's not yet a true Dao."

He recalled Yulin's teachings on Dao comprehension. If her explanations were accurate, then this domain—though incomplete—was already a step toward his own unique Dao.

A realization settled over him. "I was right. The Venom Domain is more than just an extension of my power… it's a reflection of my very essence."

Devor wasted no time.

Crossing his legs, he sat in a meditative posture, his breathing slow and steady.

With his newfound connection, he extended his Spiritual Sense, diving deep into the heart of the Venom Domain.

At first, there was nothing but darkness—a boundless void.

Then, like a curtain parting before his eyes, the laws of the domain began to reveal themselves.

They were faint, elusive—whispers of something far greater.

Outside the garden, the three cultivators remained, watching Devor in silence.

Five minutes passed. Then ten. Then half an hour.

Still, Devor remained in deep meditation.

Aoyun folded his arms, clicking his tongue in irritation. "That kid is seriously rude, isn't he? If it weren't for me, he'd probably have gone mad in that cave."

Nyuru shook her head, her voice calm. "You may have come at the wrong time. If my guess is correct, he's undergoing enlightenment. It might take time before he fully grasps the Venom Domain's essence."

Aoyun let out a sigh, but rather than pressing further, he reached into his robes and pulled out a sealed letter. "I came here to discuss some business with him, but it can wait. Give him this when he wakes up—it's a letter from Junior Forly."

Yulin stepped forward, taking the letter with a slight nod. "Of course."

Aoyun hesitated for a brief moment but ultimately turned away, disappearing into the distance without another word.

Devor paid no heed to Aoyun's departure, his mind consumed by the unfathomable world unfolding before him.

The Venom Domain stretched endlessly in his consciousness—a realm of shifting shadows and intricate, unseen forces.

A whisper echoed through his mind, an instinctive realization.

"Is this… Dao?"

Dao was not just power. It was the foundation of reality, a system of laws so profound that even the strongest cultivators spent lifetimes seeking but a fraction of its truth.

Yet here, within his Venom Domain, those laws existed—woven together in a pattern he could barely begin to comprehend.

"A vast system of rules, forming a distinct force through their intricate interactions… But how much of it can I truly grasp?"

Most of these laws were beyond him—distant, untouchable, like stars hanging in the sky.

Yet a few… a precious few were within his reach.

Devor immersed himself deeper into the fabric of his Venom Domain, following the subtle threads of laws he could perceive.

Then, understanding dawned.

"So that's how it is."

His Venom Domain was akin to his previous Golden Dao Power, but it was still immature, its potential unrefined.

It had the ability to enhance plants—but not without consequence.

"It doesn't simply strengthen them. It forces them to evolve—changing their very nature."

This was something he had suspected before, but he had never delved this deeply into it.

Yet now, standing within the very fabric of his own creation, the truth was undeniable.

"The evolution process is completely random."

The Venom Domain dictated the outcome, but it held no concern for the process.

"That explains why no two Spiritual Plants evolve the same way—why every transformation is unpredictable."

He watched as the laws flickered before him, twisting and shifting, forming endless possibilities.

Then, he recalled Yulin's words—

"Only a true creator of Dao can alter its essence."

A thought took root.

"This is my Dao. I created it… so doesn't that mean I hold absolute authority over its rules?"

The realization sent a thrill through him.

Could he… change them?

With newfound focus, Devor directed his will toward one of the existing laws within the Venom Domain.

He did not attempt a drastic alteration—that would be reckless.

Instead, he focused on making the smallest possible change.

"Just a single word."

A word that would not rewrite the meaning, but slightly extend its definition.

The moment he inserted the modification, a subtle shift rippled through the Venom Domain.

It was small, almost imperceptible—like a breeze stirring the surface of a still lake.

Yet Devor felt it.

A change.

"Did it work?" His heart pounded, not with fear, but with anticipation.

He waited—five minutes… ten… thirty.

Yet nothing collapsed.

Nothing fractured.

The Venom Domain remained intact.

And with it, a thought began to form.

"So… I really can alter its laws."

His Venom Domain was incomplete.

Its plant evolutions were random, unstable.

But if he could refine the process—if he could eliminate chance and forge a fixed path for evolution—then…

A vision took shape in his mind.

A Portable Garden—a cultivation tool that any sect, any alchemist, any clan would seek.

A means to control plant evolution at will.

A force that could reshape the world of cultivation.

His lips curled into a small smile. "Then that's what I'll do."

The path forward was clear.

Now, it was just a matter of time.