Art of Creation [Eco-Cultivation Prototype]

"This transformation is incredible. It makes me much stronger... but I don't intend to use it unless absolutely necessary." Devor's voice carried quiet determination.

Though his new power was formidable, he already understood the hidden cost.

Repeated use would slowly reshape his cultivation foundation—aligning it with Venom's essence rather than his own.

And once the core foundation shifted, reversing it could become nearly impossible.

"My cultivation path isn't built on combat. If I start using this too often... I'll stray too far from what I'm meant to become." That thought alone sobered him.

He had no desire to be a warrior who sacrificed his Dao for strength. He wasn't meant to become a reaper cloaked in poison—no matter how alluring that power felt in his veins.

Zinqi, standing nearby, gave a rare approving smile.

"Wise choice," he said. "This transformation is your trump card, not your identity. Keep it hidden. Let no one know its full extent—not even your closest allies."

In the world of cultivation, secrets were currency—and sometimes, lifelines.

"Understood, Sect Master," Devor replied with a formal bow.

Turning his gaze downward, Devor stared at the orb of pulsing purple light hovering gently above his palm—Venom's conscious projection.

It shimmered with life, flickering like a heartbeat.

"Can I shape this into a body?" The thought came unbidden, sparking a flicker of possibility in his mind.

His fingers twitched with the urge to try. The idea seemed absurd — and yet, the energy before him felt malleable, receptive.

"I wonder," he murmured aloud, voice low with cautious curiosity, "can I reshape this and give Venom a temporary form?"

Master Nie tilted his head, familiar enough with spirit and soul to catch the subtle shift.

"Eighty percent of Venom's consciousness is inside that orb. His soul root still rests within his true body," he explained. "You're free to shape the energy around his will—but don't tamper with the consciousness itself."

"As long as I don't interfere with his consciousness, it's safe?" Devor confirmed.

Master Nie nodded. "But be warned—overloading that vessel could cause a temporary breakdown. Even spirits need rest."

Devor turned to the orb.

"Venom, what kind of body do you want?" he asked with a mischievous smile. "I'll shape it for you."

"A handsome one!" Venom chirped gleefully. "Like a strong, elegant beast soaring through the skies!"

Master Nie chuckled, his expression lightening. "Let's not push it. That orb barely has enough structure to house a fragment of his awareness. If you sculpt too large a form, his consciousness will collapse under the strain."

Devor sighed but nodded. "Alright, alright. A bird it is. Wings give you freedom—and you'll look cool in flight."

Sitting cross-legged, Devor began the delicate process of molding energy.

He focused completely, allowing his mind to enter a near-meditative state.

The orb pulsed softly under his touch, like the rhythm of a sleeping child's breath.

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The tiniest sparks of awareness shimmered within—Venom's fragile sense of self nestled inside the glow.

Devor channeled his energy with care, sculpting around that spark, never pressing directly into it.

One wrong twist, one overly complex array of spiritual lines, and the entire vessel could fracture—shattering Venom's manifested self.

"No mistakes. He trusted me."

He worked like an artist shaping jade with a single thread of Divine Sense.

It took nearly half an hour before the orb had changed—no longer a formless glow, but a compact avian silhouette.

The shape was rough and simple—round body, two stubby wings, two pointed feathers like ears, and a tiny tail. The surface rippled with spiritual energy, not unlike a living flame wrapped in the illusion of feathers.

"Done," Devor exhaled, raising his palm. "It's… well, not realistic, but it flies."

The little bird hopped once, chirped like a flute's whisper, and tilted its head as if listening.

Venom's voice echoed joyfully in Devor's mind: "I can see! I can move! Brother Devor, I have wings!!"

"Can you flap your wings and try flying?" Devor asked, his eyes gleaming with curiosity as he watched the small, bird-shaped construct of violet energy perch on his palm.

"I'm gonna give it a shot!" Venom chirped, his voice ringing with excitement through their spiritual link.

With a determined squeak, the little bird beat its shimmering wings hard and launched into the air.

He hovered for a few glorious seconds—wobbling mid-flight—before gravity claimed him.

He nosedived back into Devor's palm like a stone with dreams.

Thud.

"Oof!" came Venom's grumble, muffled by his stubby wings.

He wriggled upright and tried again, this time flapping his wings twice as hard.

The strain on his tiny form made his energy pulse flicker, but he was determined.

Watching the comical scene, Sect Master Zinqi crouched slightly, a low chuckle rising in his throat. "His real body's a tree, after all. Even if you gave him legs, he'd still have to learn to walk before he could run—or fly."

Devor scratched the back of his head, grinning. "Yeah, that… actually makes a lot of sense."

It wasn't just a funny image. It was a reminder of something critical—transformation without comprehension was meaningless.

If you gave wings to someone who had never tasted freedom, it didn't mean they could fly.

Zinqi lifted his palm. A radiant rune shimmered into being above it—a layered design of blue etched with golden threads, spinning like a slow-moving array.

Devor didn't flinch. If anything, he felt reassured.

Zinqi had never betrayed his trust. If the Sect Master was about to inscribe something onto Venom, there had to be a reason.

Venom, however, panicked.

"W-Wait! What's that?! What's happening?!" he squeaked, trying to flap away—but a gentle spiritual force locked him in place like a soft net.

"Calm down," Zinqi said, voice calm. "This will allow you to move freely within the Sect's territory without triggering the formation defenses."

The rune glowed brighter as Zinqi pressed it gently against the energy-bird's forehead.

Instantly, the seal fused into Venom's form and began to shimmer faintly, like a glowing talisman burned into the air around him.

"Done," Zinqi said as he stood. "Now the Sect's protections will recognize you as one of our own. More importantly, so will the disciples."

Devor could feel the change immediately. The aura Venom emitted now carried the spiritual imprint of a sect disciple—light, unmistakable, and deeply rooted.

"Thank you, Sect Master," Devor said sincerely.

In most sects, identity tokens were critical. Without one, a cultivator was considered a rogue—dangerous and unaffiliated.

But now, Venom could fly through the outer fields, glide above the cultivation halls, and not one defensive array would target him.

Zinqi turned, his expression light but his words heavy with implication. "And… congratulations, Devor. You've just created a new cultivation technique."

Devor blinked, startled by the realization.

"Should I inform Juyin of your progress?" Zinqi added with a knowing smile. "I suspect he'll be very interested."

Devor chuckled. "Absolutely, Sect Master. If Senior Juyin wants to experiment with this method, we might even be able to lay the groundwork for an entirely new path."

Zinqi grinned. "Interested? That madman's probably going to lock himself in a cave and conduct experiments for three months straight!"

Zinqi's tone shifted subtly—still amused, but more thoughtful. "Juyin has always wanted to make his body the origin of poison. A perfect, living poison furnace."

Devor nodded. He had read the records. Juyin's approach was groundbreaking, but still limited.

The human body wasn't designed to store or generate pure toxic energy without breaking down.

"But now," Zinqi continued, "your cultivation path proves it's possible—if the power is borrowed not from the plant, but fused with it."

"Instead of channeling poison through meridians," Devor said softly, "the poison is the meridian."

Zinqi's eyes narrowed slightly in appreciation. "Exactly."

"That's the difference," Master Nie added from behind them. "Beast Masters borrow. Your method? You become."

"He's no longer cultivating alongside a spiritual partner," Zinqi said. "He's fusing with a spiritual entity to rewrite his own spiritual code."

And with that, a dangerous idea was born:

Could this be the missing key to cultivating poisonous Daos in human form—without corruption, without death?