NOVEL NEXT Chapter 121 - A Living Furnace
Devor had no idea that his spiritual essence—so carefully honed, so deeply refined—was quietly benefiting those around him, even in the heat of combat.
Only two people knew the truth: Sugu and Monny.
And after several private discussions, they finally came to a decision.
"This can't stay a secret," Monny had said, her expression serious. "Not if it could put him in danger."
Sugu nodded grimly. "If the wrong people learn about it… Devor won't be seen as a cultivator. He'll become a resource—something to use."
They compiled their observations and submitted a detailed report, embedding it within the sect's daily internal logs—an official channel meant for unusual findings and notable occurrences.
Several days later, Eryu, the Sect Master's personal attendant, came across the report while reviewing the morning summaries. His brows furrowed as he read, each line deepening the crease between them.
When he finished, he remained still for a long while, standing by the window of his study with his hands clasped behind his back.
"This boy…" he murmured. "He's truly walking a unique path."
Without delay, Eryu made his way to the inner sanctum, where the Sect Master can be found. Only the rustle of his robes and the faint whistle of wind accompanied him.
Inside, he bowed low before the Sect Master.
"There's something you need to see, Master." He said, offering the report.
The Sect Master Zinqi read in silence, his expression unreadable.
When he finally looked up, his voice was calm—but edged with concern. "This changes things."
Eryu nodded. "If word of this spreads, he'll become a target. He's becoming a living furnace—a cultivator whose energy strengthens others just by being near. That kind of talent… people would kill to control it."
The Sect Master closed the report and set it aside. "We'll need to act carefully. Keep this contained—for now. And watch him closely."
Eryu bowed once more. "Understood."
With that, he turned and disappeared, silent as the wind.
Meanwhile, Devor remained blissfully unaware.
His world revolved around the Venom Domain, soil samples, mutation charts, and cultivation cycles.
To him, nothing else mattered—not reputation, not rumors, not politics. He was finally making progress on all fronts.
And time, as always, flew.
A month passed in a flash.
The announcement of Devor's upcoming class sent ripples through the Azure Sky Sect. Disciples of all levels—Apprentice, Nameless, Outer Disciples, even some from the Inner Disciples—rushed to register.
The only issue?
He couldn't teach them all at once.
Due to the intensive, personalized nature of his instruction, Devor had to cap attendance. Each class could only accept a few dozen students per cycle, lasting one to two weeks depending on the subject.
Unlike the rigid lectures of other sect instructors, Devor's approach was entirely hands-on.
Down the slope from his hilltop residence, rows of neat garden plots had been prepared.
Each disciple was assigned their own three-by-three-meter section—just enough to plant, grow, and cultivate a Spiritual Plant from seed to bloom.
The lessons followed a strict rhythm: theory, planting, observation, and spiritual resonance.
Every student had to grow their plant with their own hands. Every failure, every insight, would become part of their journey.
And Devor? He walked the gardens like a quiet mentor—asking questions, challenging assumptions, helping disciples see the essence of life flowing beneath the soil.
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
The impact was profound. No disciple who took his course left unchanged.
Early morning.
Inside his residence, Devor sat cross-legged in quiet meditation. His energy flowed smoothly—strong and balanced.
He could feel it: the foundation of his Heavenly Creation technique had solidified completely.
He slowly opened his eyes. Golden light lingered in his irises before fading.
"The results…" he muttered, "They're even better than expected."
The spiritual energy in his body had become vibrant, almost sentient—responding to his will with ease. It didn't just flow anymore—it blossomed.
"I might be able to nourish a plant just by standing near it," he said with a half-laugh. "Maybe I'll start a sect tradition: the 'Bask-in-Devor's-Aura' technique."
With a flick of thought, he summoned a translucent interface he hadn't opened in months.
[ Name: Devor Li ]
[ Gender: Male ]
[ Age: 22/250 ]
[ Cultivation: Stage-5 Foundation Building Realm ]
[ Spiritual Energy: 13,738 / 13,738 ]
[ Spiritual Root: Five-Color Root ]
[ Knowledge: 213 Books ]
[ Enlightenment Realm Points: 1230 / 100 ] (Tap to Access)
[ Abilities: Ultimate Synthesis | Spiritual Analyzer | Ultimate Comprehension (Lv.4) ]
His gaze stopped on the last line.
"Ultimate Comprehension… leveled up?" He blinked in surprise. "When did that happen?"
He scrolled up, and only then did the numbers register.
[ Enlightenment Realm Points: 1230 / 100 ]
Over a thousand points—accumulated in under a year.
The system's numbers made it clear: he had gained over a thousand Enlightenment Realm Points in under a year. But the strange thing was, he hadn't even noticed.
That realization made him pause. "I really haven't checked this in forever."
And then he smiled—a little bitterly.
Good.
Because relying too much on the system… would have weakened him.
Numbers, stats, and levels could measure progress—but they could never replace insight, understanding, or the countless hours he'd spent buried in soil, refining formulas, or listening to the sound of plants breathing beneath his fingers.
That was his real growth.
His Strength.
And now… it was blooming.
"The Enlightenment Realm…" Devor sat cross-legged beneath the shade of his residence, fingers pressed thoughtfully to his chin.
His brows furrowed as a slow exhale escaped him. "I've completed my cultivation technique, the foundational structure is stable, and all the raw data I've collected is ready for refinement…"
His thoughts hung in the air, unfinished. "But if I enter the Enlightenment Realm now... will I be limited to refining only the knowledge that's stored in the system's book database? Or can I take everything I've been developing in my own mind—my insights, my theories—and perfect them inside?"
If this was his "golden finger," he needed to wield it wisely.
"The Poison Codex… I need to finish at least the basics and submit it to the sect. Once it's formally published and entered into the system's archives, I can access it from within the Enlightenment Realm freely."
With a nod of resolve, Devor dismissed the interface with a swipe of thought. The gleaming holographic window faded from his view like mist under morning light.
If he played his cards right, the Enlightenment Realm wouldn't just help him complete the Poison Codex—it could turn it into a universally recognized Daoist canon.
He rose from his seated posture and stepped outside, the air carrying the faint scent of blooming soil and dew-soaked petals.
At the center of the five gardens lay the World Tree.
Devor's gaze softened as he approached it.
In just a few short months, the tree had grown from a dormant sprout into a half-meter marvel.
Its bark shimmered faintly in the sunlight, smooth and pale, with flecks of silver-green woven through the wood.
Small, translucent leaves swayed as if dancing to the rhythm of the earth itself.
He extended a hand, and golden energy flowed from his palm like a stream of light.
The tree reacted instantly, trembling slightly, almost shivering with delight as it drank in the radiant energy.
"You really like that, huh?" Devor smiled. "Don't worry. This is only the beginning. Someday, I'll feed you with the very breath of the world."
His words carried an unshakable sense of conviction.
Because this wasn't just a tree. This was the seed of an empire.
The World Tree Domain—a garden of harmony, designed to refine, amplify, and balance the chaotic elements of nature itself.
If the Venom Domain was a weapon, sharp and toxic, then the World Tree Domain would be a sanctuary. A cradle of growth.
But that was for the future.
He turned toward the Venom Spiritual Tree, which still stood as proud and ancient as ever—rooted at the nexus of four elemental gardens: Poison, Dark, Earth, and Water.
Even now, subtle currents of qi flowed through its bark. Devor sensed it immediately.
Three distinct elemental energies coursed within its trunk—no longer dissonant, but woven together like threads in a tapestry.
Poison. Dark. Earth.
Venom had done it. It had learned to process and merge multiple elemental energies in its body.
The shift was subtle—but monumental.
And then—
"Hm? What's that sweet smell?"
The air trembled slightly as Venom's voice emerged—clear, stable, and no longer fragmented like before.
Devor blinked. "...You're awake?"
"Of course I'm awake! Big Brother Devor, did you bring me some kind of special elixir today?" Venom's tone was filled with innocent excitement.
"Elixir? What elixir?" Devor frowned, glancing around.
Venom responded without hesitation. "It's coming from you! You're leaking that heavenly scent—it's pouring out of your pores!"
Devor's expression froze, contorting between confusion, horror, and awkward self-awareness.
"...Please never say that again."
"I mean it! You smell delicious!"
"Venom, I swear—one more word, and I'll start feeding you compost!"
The tree immediately went silent, though the ripple of spiritual amusement still lingered in the air.
Devor sighed and raised a hand, manifesting a concentrated orb of golden energy in his palm. It shimmered with vitality.
"This… smell good to you too?"
Before he could finish, Venom's voice practically screamed into his mind.
"YES! GIVE IT TO ME! WHERE DID YOU GET SOMETHING SO DELICIOUS!?"
Devor stared at his own energy in disbelief.
This stuff… is attractive to Spiritual Trees?
And then a horrifying thought occurred to him—one that nearly made him break into a cold sweat.
"In the distant future, when I'm surrounded by more awakened Spiritual Trees… I really hope they don't turn on me and suck me dry."