Art of Creation [Eco-Cultivation Prototype]

A few days later, the tension between Devor and the Venom Spiritual Tree had eased.

The two had reconciled, and once again, they worked side by side, tending to the nearly completed poison-element garden.

Though Devor had put his anger behind him, something unspoken still lingered—an undercurrent of hesitation that neither he nor Venom fully acknowledged.

But there was work to be done, and both of them knew it.

Over the past few days, Devor had painstakingly inspected every plant within the garden.

Though the gray Energy Barrier above it was still unstable, its effects were undeniable.

The Poison-element plants flourished beneath its presence, their growth accelerating in ways that defied conventional understanding.

Even now, as Devor surveyed the garden, he could sense the transformation taking place.

"It looks like every plant is gradually improving in quality," he murmured, rubbing his chin. "They're slowly reaching Grade-A, thanks to the Energy Barrier… That means enhancing their quality is much easier than before."

But then—

His expression darkened slightly.

"Will the old methods still work?" His techniques had always required many crucial steps and often damaged the plants, and he relied on the Venom Spiritual Tree to enhance their quality.

Yet, these plants were changing on their own, their growth guided by the barrier itself.

Did that mean his original techniques were now obsolete?

Or worse—

What if forcing a manual enhancement conflicted with the Energy Barrier's natural process?

He hadn't yet attempted to push any plant to Grade-A manually, and something about the situation felt different.

The plants were stronger, their spiritual structure altered by the gray Energy Barrier in ways he didn't fully understand.

Could they evolve to Grade-A on their own?

Yes—

But at this rate, it would take months, maybe even years.

The Venom Spiritual Tree trembled slightly, a pulse of thought rippling through their shared connection.

Devor felt it—an unspoken suggestion taking shape in his mind.

"You're saying I should use the Energy Barrier to accelerate their growth?" he asked, glancing at the tree.

Venom trembled again—affirmation.

It had spent days considering this, recalling how Devor had once spoken about the golden energy barrier he created in the competition.

Back then, the golden veil had harmonized perfectly with the plants, elevating their quality effortlessly.

So why not apply the same concept here?

Devor let out a slow breath, considering the suggestion.

"That's a good idea."

"But the problem is…" His voice trailed off as his eyes locked onto the shimmering gray veil overhead. "I can't control this Energy Barrier."

The words left a bitter taste in his mouth.

During the competition, the golden barrier had felt like an extension of himself.

It had flowed through him seamlessly, responding to his will without resistance.

But this gray veil—

It was different.

It hung above the garden like an unshaped force, present yet beyond his command.

That meant Venom's idea, while sound in theory, was impossible to implement in its current state.

Venom fell silent, its massive form unmoving, as if lost in thought.

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Then—

A faint tremor, hesitant yet determined.

Another suggestion.

Devor's brow furrowed. "You're saying you'll absorb the gray Energy Barrier… and then release it back into the plants?"

His voice turned serious.

He hadn't considered this approach before.

Perhaps, after their last conflict, he had subconsciously avoided relying too much on the Venom Spiritual Tree for direct assistance.

Venom trembled again—this time, with certainty.

Devor folded his arms, gaze fixed on the shifting energy veil above them.

It wasn't a bad idea.

In fact—

It was the most logical solution.

If Venom could absorb the Energy Barrier's power, it would become a part of it, just like how Devor had once controlled the golden barrier—only this time, Venom would handle it in a different way.

And if Venom was capable of re-releasing that energy, it could distribute it evenly throughout the plants.

But—

"How much energy can you absorb without destabilizing the barrier itself?" Devor let out another slow exhale, feeling the weight of the decision pressing on him.

One misstep, and the barrier could collapse entirely.

Devor had always relied on his own instincts—his ability to analyze, adapt, and refine his techniques.

Even though the system provided him with detailed insights into plants, he trusted his own judgment more.

The gray Energy Barrier was still in a newborn, embryonic state.

Its properties, functions, and limitations—

All of it was unknown territory.

"If only the system could display its status." Devor thought.

If he could see the barrier's condition in real time, he'd be able to gauge how much energy he could safely absorb.

But that wasn't an option.

For now, the only thing he could rely on was his own perception.

And that meant—

"I'll have to figure this out the hard way." Devor shook his head slightly, pacing through the lush, poison-infused garden, his mind churning with possibilities.

The Venom Spiritual Tree remained silent, acknowledging that, for now, there was no better alternative.

If Devor couldn't control the Energy Barrier, they needed another approach.

As he walked, his gaze landed on a fully matured poison-element plant.

He reached down, carefully plucking the Yellow-Grade bloom, its deep red petals gleaming under the faint gray glow of the barrier overhead.

But then—

His eyes narrowed.

"Huh?"

There, scattered across the delicate petals, were tiny black spots.

They were subtle—almost unnoticeable.

A bad sign? Contamination? A defect?

Or—

Could it be something else entirely?

Lifting the plant toward the sky, allowing the dim sunlight to illuminate the petals, Devor studied it closely. "Black spots… scattered, but not randomly. Could this be a sign of evolution?"

If so, it was unlike anything he had seen before.

He focused, willing the Spiritual Analyzer to activate.

A familiar blue interface flickered to life before his eyes.

Devor read the results—

And froze.

His breath caught in his throat.

His mind went blank.

For several long seconds, he simply stared at the information, his fingers loosening around the plant in shock.

Then, as if moving on instinct, he slowly turned his gaze upward.

There was nothing special in the sky—no celestial event, no shift in the heavens.

And yet—

What had just appeared before his eyes should have been impossible.

Because the system was still active.

And it was displaying something he had never expected to see.

[ Name: Unnamed ]

[ Essence: 12,367/100,000 ]

[ Status: Good ]

[ Origin: Pseudo Dao Art of Creation ]

Devor's jaw dropped.

His legs suddenly felt weak, and before he could stop himself—

He collapsed onto the ground.

The gray Energy Barrier…

It could be detected by the Spiritual Analyzer.

"How is that even possible?!" His exclamation startled the Venom Spiritual Tree, which had been observing him curiously.

This shouldn't have happened.

The Spiritual Analyzer's function was clear—it only detected:

Spiritual Plants

Cultivators and their Spiritual energy

So why—

Why was it registering the Energy Barrier as an entity?!

Devor's mind raced. "This barrier clearly came from me… But the system doesn't recognize it as part of me."

More than that—

It had no name.

It was labeled simply as "Unnamed".

That meant…

"The system doesn't fully understand it either."

A strange, unsettling feeling settled in his chest.

The system had always seemed omniscient—an infallible guide that could analyze anything within this world.

But this?

It suggested something far more profound.

"Did I create something… completely new?" Devor wasn't arrogant enough to believe he was the first cultivator to attempt this.

There had to be others.

Others who had walked a similar path, experimented with spiritual formations, or attempted to harness plant energy to create something beyond cultivation techniques.

So why—

Why did the system treat this barrier as a unique, unnamed entity?

Unless—

"The system's knowledge is limited to this world alone." His pulse quickened.

Was the Energy Barrier something that existed beyond the scope of this world's known cultivation system?

Was he treading a path no one else had fully comprehended?

The thought sent a thrill down his spine.

He grinned, pushing himself back to his feet, his earlier shock giving way to exhilaration. "If the system recognizes it, that means I can tell whether the barrier is stable or not."

He turned to Venom, his eyes alight with new determination. "Alright, Venom! This time, I need your help."

The Spiritual Tree trembled, sensing the sudden shift in Devor's attitude.

It had just witnessed him fall to the ground in shock—and now he was acting as if he had just made the greatest discovery of his life.

It didn't understand—what had changed?

Devor pointed toward the Energy Barrier, voice brimming with excitement. "We're going to extract a bit of its essence and use it on the plants."

Venom shuddered.

Wasn't Devor the one who warned against disrupting the Energy Barrier just days ago?

Now he wanted to pull its energy directly into the garden?!

Devor, however, wasn't bothered by the contradiction.

His mind was already calculating, analyzing the barrier's newly revealed essence level.

12,367/100,000

"Over twelve thousand?!" That was far more abundant than he had expected.

The Energy Barrier looked fragile, thin and barely stable—

But in reality—

It was only at ten percent of its maximum potential.

That meant its current instability wasn't a sign of weakness—

It was because it wasn't complete yet.

He clenched his fists, excitement surging through his veins.

"I was worried about the barrier collapsing before."

"But now—"

"Now, I know exactly what I need to do."

This was no longer just an experiment in plant cultivation.

It was the beginning of something much, much bigger.