Art of Creation [Eco-Cultivation Prototype]

The Laws governing the Venom Domain were intricate—woven from forces far beyond mortal comprehension.

They were not mere guidelines nor mutable constructs; they were absolute, bound by an unseen framework that dictated their every function.

And yet, Devor sensed something off about them.

At first glance, these Laws seemed immutable, their essence woven into the very fabric of the Venom Domain.

But as he studied them further, a realization struck him—

"These Laws are structured… like Formations." His mind raced as he compared them to the protective and offensive arrays used by formation masters.

Whether a barrier formation meant to defend a sect or a killing formation designed to obliterate intruders, they all relied on meticulously arranged components.

Each rune, each inscription, played a precise role, working in harmony to create a flawless system.

"But the Venom Domain isn't as straightforward as a traditional formation."

Unlike formations, whose structures were engraved into reality through runes or talismans, the Venom Domain's Laws existed solely as willpower—an intangible force beyond physical constraints.

It was a force woven directly into the laws of existence.

Devor's thoughts turned analytical. "If I were to compare this to Earth's logic… It's like an advanced program."

Just as a line of code followed conditional logic, the Venom Domain's Laws operated on strict conditions.

An if-else statement in programming only executed when certain criteria were met.

Similarly, if Devor altered one of these laws carelessly, he might not only affect a single function—he could very well cripple the entire system.

A cold realization settled over him. "If I change something without fully grasping the framework… I could cause the entire Venom Domain to collapse."

There was too much he didn't know.

With a deep breath, he withdrew from his meditative state, his consciousness returning to the real world.

As Devor's eyes fluttered open, the weight of his discoveries lingered.

Four hours had passed.

He stood, stretching his stiff body, before turning his gaze toward his surroundings.

Nyuru stood at the edge of the Venom Garden, her eyes filled with curiosity as she inspected the transformed plants.

The garden's once-ordinary flora had long since evolved, taking on strange, mutated forms under the influence of the Venom Domain.

Meanwhile, Yulin knelt beside the Venom Spiritual Tree, her palm pressed lightly against its bark as she guided it through the nuances of telepathic communication.

"So she's teaching it to speak through thought instead of sound."

With telepathy, the tree could eliminate the delay of speech, transmitting vast amounts of information in a fraction of the time.

A small but significant advancement.

Sensing his movement, both Nyuru and Yulin turned toward him.

Devor scratched the back of his head, his mind still tangled in the complexities of Dao.

"Where can I learn about the power of Cultivator Laws?" he asked.

Nyuru frowned slightly, puzzled. "Laws?"

But Yulin's expression remained calm. "Are you referring to the power of will embedded into a cultivator's abilities?"

Her composed demeanor suggested that she found the topic ordinary—but to Devor, it was anything but.

"You could put it that way," he replied with a nod.

"If that's what you're after, you should speak with either the Sect Master or Master Nie," Yulin advised. "Once a cultivator steps into the Void Realm, they begin interacting with willpower on a fundamental level. And those at the Monarch Realm can go even further—creating Domains that suppress their enemies while amplifying their own strength."

Devor's eyes narrowed. "A Domain… similar to my Venom Domain?"

Beside him, Nyuru's expression shifted.

"Wait, there's something like that?" she muttered. She had focused heavily on alchemy, often neglecting the finer aspects of high-level cultivation.

"Of course," Yulin replied. "Reaching a higher cultivation realm isn't just about accumulating power—it's about unlocking abilities that are completely out of reach for lower-tier cultivators."

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Devor absorbed her words in silence.

If Monarch Realm cultivators could create Domains that enhanced their abilities, did that mean… his Venom Domain was something similar?

A new thought struck him. "Would learning the foundational Void Realm Laws help me refine the Laws of the Venom Domain?"

Yulin tilted her head, her lips curving into a knowing smile.

"Who knows?" she mused. "Your Venom Domain isn't complete yet? That might actually be a good thing."

Devor sighed. "A good thing?"

"Of course," Yulin chuckled. "For you, it's frustrating. But for a cultivator? It's unbelievable. You're only at Foundation Building, yet you're already interacting with fundamental laws of willpower? Most people have to reach the Void Realm before they can even begin to touch that power."

Devor's eyes widened slightly in realization.

He hadn't considered it like that before.

Sure, it was frustrating, but at the same time, it meant he was laying the groundwork for something far greater.

"If I master this now… when I step into the Void Realm, my growth will be exponentially faster." He had been so caught up in the difficulty of refining his Dao that he failed to recognize the opportunity it presented.

Right now, he was still weak, his cultivation limited. But in the future?

This foundation would be his stepping stone to surpassing the cultivation world itself.

A smirk formed on his lips. "Then there's no need to hesitate."

His next course of action was clear.

Yulin hesitated, then spoke, her tone cautious.

"Devor," she said.

He glanced back. "Hm?"

Yulin's black eyes lingered on him for a moment before she finally sighed. "Just… be careful."

Devor chuckled. "Since when have I ever been reckless?"

Nyuru rolled her eyes. "Oh, I don't know, maybe the countless times you threw yourself into experiments without knowing if they'd kill you?"

"…Fair point," Devor admitted.

Devor's cultivation speed was slow—far too slow to compete with the Inner Disciples, let alone the Core Disciples who stood at the peak of the sect.

But while he lagged behind in sheer power, there was one aspect where he outclassed almost everyone.

Foundational stability.

If cultivation talent could be measured in raw potential, then Devor's true strength lay in his unshakable foundation.

Among all ten sects, he might not be the strongest, but when it came to knowledge, experimentation, and stability, he could very well rank in the top ten.

His journey had been anything but smooth.

Unlike those with innate talent who progressed naturally, Devor had to fight for every step, facing endless failures and countless dead ends.

To most, such a path would be discouraging.

But to Devor, failure was simply data to be analyzed—another puzzle to be solved.

As Yulin had once told him:

"The hardships you suffer today will carve the smoothest path for you in the future."

And so, he had locked onto a single goal—to learn.

Every unsolved mystery only fueled his determination. Every failure only sharpened his methods.

Without hesitation, Devor bid farewell to Venom, Nyuru, and Yulin before heading down the hill.

He had someone to find.

As Devor's figure disappeared down the winding path, Nyuru tilted her head, watching him with mild curiosity.

"Is he always this… eager?" she asked, crossing her arms.

During competitions, she had only seen Devor as calm and strategic—a cultivator who fought with precision, not reckless enthusiasm.

But this?

This was obsession.

Yulin let out a small chuckle, shaking her head as she leaned against the Venom Spiritual Tree.

"That boy has always been like this," she said with a sigh. "I still remember when he had only been in the sect for a year. He spent all his resources buying a ridiculous amount of Spiritual Plant Seeds—hundreds, if not thousands."

Nyuru raised an eyebrow. "What was he trying to do?"

"Experiment," Yulin replied simply. "He failed nonstop for two months—burning through his stockpile, losing more than half his earnings—before finally finding the perfect harmony for his first personal garden."

Nyuru exhaled in disbelief. "He's insane."

"Maybe." Yulin smirked. "But he succeeded."

Nyuru was silent for a moment, then shook her head. "If that's how he approaches things, then it's no wonder he's achieved what he has."

Her gaze shifted back to Yulin.

"By the way, you haven't been to the Alchemy Hall in a while," Nyuru pointed out. "Too busy helping him?"

At the mention of the Alchemy Hall, Yulin's smile faltered—just for an instant.

But she quickly recovered, laughing as she waved a hand dismissively.

"Something like that," she said vaguely.

Of course, she hadn't completely abandoned the Alchemy Hall.

But lately, she had been drawn to something else—something far more important.

After chatting for a while longer, Nyuru returned to examining the Spiritual Plants, while Yulin remained where she was, gazing up at the sky through the branches of the Venom Spiritual Tree.

"The Dao Embryo is born with its own will and fundamental Dao Laws." Yulin's fingers brushed against the bark of the Venom Spiritual Tree, feeling the faint pulse of natural Dao resonance.

It was just as she suspected.

"Devor's Venom Domain follows the same foundational principles as the Dao Embryo."

A Dao, once formed, carried its own will.

Even its creator could not fully control it—at least, not at first.

She recalled Devor's words.

He had once told her that his Venom Domain was merely a manifestation of his Dao, not the true thing itself.

"A newly formed Dao possesses fundamental Laws… yet even its creator struggles to understand them." Yulin pondered this deeper.

The Venom Domain wasn't perfect—because it was not directly connected to the Primary Dao.

It was a fragment, a projection drawn from the foundation of Devor's Dao Embryo.

A realization dawned on her.

"Could it be… that all newly formed Daos borrow power from the Primary Dao?" Her mind raced.

The Primary Dao—the original, unshaped Dao that existed across the entire universe—was something no cultivator had ever fully grasped.

If her theory was correct, then every cultivator who "created" a Dao was merely shaping an incomplete fragment of something far greater.

And if that was the case…

"Then a true, self-sufficient Dao is impossible to create from nothing."

The only reason Dao Embryos could exist was because they were supported by the Primary Dao.

If a cultivator were to truly forge a Dao without borrowing from the Primary Dao…

Then Dao Embryos would not even exist.

Such a Dao would be nothing more than a fleeting spark in the vastness of the universe—unstable, unsustainable, destined to vanish.

Only those who reached an unimaginably high cultivation realm could ever hope to create a fully independent Dao.

Yulin's eyes narrowed. "The Venom Domain is merely an incomplete version of Devor's Dao."

But if he could refine it—if he could truly stabilize it…

"Could this be the first step toward using real Dao power?"

Right now, the Venom Domain was tied to one location—the Venom Garden.

But what if it wasn't?

What if Devor could create other gardens—each forming their own unique Domains?

What if he could perfect his Dao, making it something entirely independent of the Primary Dao?

Such a thing had never been done before.

But Devor…

"That fool might actually be able to do it."

A dangerous, audacious idea took shape in her mind.

Could he be the first?

Could he surpass the limitations of all cultivators before him?

Could he one day create a true, fully independent Dao?

Yulin's lips curved into a small, knowing smile.

"Perhaps… he already has."