After returning to the Azure Sky Sect, Devor didn’t head straight to the Spiritual Garden. Instead, he decided to stay in one of the residences reserved for Outer Disciples. Though he hadn’t resumed his role as a Spiritual Farmer just yet, he knew that returning to the garden would take time.

  Yulin, on the other hand, settled into her new quarters on one of the nine mountains designated for Inner Disciples. Devor, meanwhile, locked himself away in his own room. The usual chatter and activity of the Outer Disciples’ area had faded into an unusual quiet, as many were focused on preparing for the upcoming Sect Competition in just two weeks. The calm was exactly what Devor needed to reflect and plan his next moves.

  It didn’t take long before a male disciple arrived to speak with him. This disciple was responsible for overseeing the Sect's internal roles, including Alchemy, Forging, and Spiritual Farmer. Despite the incident that had damaged Devor’s reputation, the Sect couldn’t afford to overlook his talents—especially since he had proven himself to be one of their most skilled Spiritual Farmers.

  After a brief exchange, the disciple explained Devor’s new assignment. He was tasked with overseeing two large plots of Spiritual Land, each one square kilometer in size. In addition, the Sect would grant him a personal 150-square-meter plot for experimentation and personal use.

  The arrangement was a compromise—an acknowledgment of Devor’s abilities, while keeping his responsibilities in check for better oversight. This time, he would be able to monitor the fields more closely, minimizing the risk of sabotage like the one he suspected had happened before.

  The memory of the previous disaster still haunted Devor. He couldn’t shake the feeling that someone had intentionally planted insect-infested Spiritual Plants in his fields to sabotage his work. Though he lacked proof, he couldn’t rule out the possibility. One thing was certain: he wouldn’t take on any subordinates again until he could trust their loyalty without question.

  Three days later, Forly, one of Devor’s former subordinates, came to visit. Devor greeted him warmly. Of all his subordinates, Forly had been the most diligent and dependable. But even so, a nagging doubt remained in the back of Devor’s mind—could Forly have been part of the betrayal?

  Forly began by apologizing for not visiting sooner, explaining that the Sect’s rules prohibited disciples from freely entering Beastbound Hollow. He then went on to tell Devor about how his career as a Spiritual Farmer had been progressing, thanks to the foundation Devor had helped him build.

  “I owe it all to you, Senior,” Forly said sincerely, offering a slight bow in respect.

  Devor smiled, a mix of pride and responsibility swelling in his chest. “It’s good to hear that, Forly. You’ve always had the talent. It was only a matter of time before you found your footing.”

  Forly went on to explain his current responsibilities, now managing a 500-square-meter plot with confidence and skill. After a while, he asked if Devor planned to return to the Spiritual Garden. Devor nodded, his expression thoughtful. "I do. But this time, I’ll be more careful."

  Forly eagerly offered to work under Devor again, but Devor shook his head gently. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, Forly,” he said, his voice calm. “But until we find out who was behind the sabotage, I can’t take on any subordinates. It’s better this way—for both of us.”

  Forly’s expression fell, disappointment clearly written on his face, but he nodded in understanding. Devor gave him a reassuring smile. “You’re always welcome to come to me for advice. If you ever need help, I’ll do my best to assist you.”

  A small smile returned to Forly’s face. “Thank you, Senior. I’ll keep working hard, and one day, I’ll be proud to stand beside you as your equal.”

  After a few more words, Forly left, promising to wait for Devor’s return to the Spiritual Garden. Devor watched him go, a soft sigh escaping his lips.

  As he reflected on their conversation, an idea sparked in his mind, "Could I test my Enlightenment Point system with Forly?"

  He’d noticed that his Enlightenment Points tended to increase when he shared his knowledge, but with everything going on, he hadn’t had the chance to explore this fully. Maybe, if he intentionally taught others, he could unlock even greater potential in the system.

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  Two days later, the Sect disciple responsible for managing roles returned with an update.

  “What?” Devor asked, his brows furrowing in confusion. “They’ll decide after the competition? Why wait?”

  The disciple shrugged, looking apologetic. “I don’t know. I’m just here to pass on the Sect’s orders.”

  Devor leaned back in his chair, lost in thought. The Sect hadn’t exactly denied his return to the Spiritual Garden, but they hadn’t approved it either. Instead, they’d decided to postpone the decision until after the competition.

  The timing didn’t make sense. Devor wasn’t even participating in the competition—why was it being linked to his return?

  “Are they testing me?” Devor muttered under his breath, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the wooden table as he tried to make sense of the Sect’s reasoning.

  His mind wandered back to Sister Yulin’s words, her voice ringing in his ears: “Everything the Sect does has a purpose. You just need to wait and see.”

  Maybe she was right. It was probably best to hold off and let things unfold.

  With no other option, Devor accepted the situation and decided to wait it out. The disciple left, promising to return with the Sect’s decision once it was made.

  “Open Profile,” Devor murmured softly to himself, his voice barely more than a whisper.

  The profile appeared before him:

  [Name: Devor Li]

  [Gender: Male]

  [Age: 17/135]

  [Cultivation: Stage-8 Qi Refining Realm]

  [Spiritual Energy: 1344/1344]

  [Spiritual Root: Five-Color Root]

  [Knowledge: 148 Books]

  [Enlightenment Realm (Points): 18/100 (to access)]

  [Abilities: Ultimate Synthesis, Attribute Analyzer, Ultimate Comprehension (Lv3)]

  “I’m getting closer to the peak of the Qi Refining Realm,” Devor murmured to himself, his brow furrowed in thought. “I don’t need to keep refining the Five-Dragon Cultivation Technique anymore. What I really need now is to deepen my understanding and start laying the foundation for the Foundation Building Technique.”

  With his path clear, Devor activated Ultimate Synthesis and closed his eyes.

  This ability wasn’t just about refining techniques or boosting physical strength. It allowed him to enhance his understanding of the knowledge he already had, combining insights and uncovering details most people would overlook.

  Just like when he was a child, Ultimate Synthesis had given him a deep clarity about Spiritual Plants, allowing him to learn in a fraction of the time it took others.

  As he immersed himself in his cultivation technique, time seemed to slip away unnoticed. Before he realized it, the Sect Competition was set to start the very next day.

  Devor had no interest in attending. While the competition was a big deal for most disciples, it held no relevance for him. He had planned for a quiet evening, but that was interrupted by a gentle knock on his door.

  Opening his Spiritual Sense, Devor immediately recognized the figure outside—it was Yulin.

  He rose from his meditation mat, walked over to the door, and opened it to find her standing there. Her dark blue robe, a striking reminder of her status as an Inner Disciple, stood out against the dim light.

  "Hm? Why do you look so miserable?" Yulin asked, her sharp eyes catching the faint trace of displeasure on Devor’s face.

  "Huh? It’s nothing!" Devor quickly replied, rubbing his face and forcing a smile. "Good evening, Sister Yulin!"

  Yulin raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "You should be doing better than this," she said, a hint of irritation in her voice. "Come on, follow me!"

  Without waiting for a response, she grabbed his wrist and began pulling him out of the room.

  "Uh, where are we going?" Devor asked, flustered, trying to resist her pull. "I didn’t close my door!"

  Yulin casually waved her hand, sending a pulse of energy that slammed the door shut behind them with a loud thud.

  Devor swallowed, startled by how effortlessly she had done it. He had forgotten how much stronger Yulin had gotten since becoming an Inner Disciple.

  "We're going to watch the competition," Yulin said matter-of-factly, not slowing down. "I reserved seats for three people, and they weren’t cheap."

  Devor’s steps faltered. "But I don’t need to watch the competition, right?" he asked, his voice tinged with reluctance.

  Yulin stopped dead in her tracks and spun to face him, her sharp gaze narrowing. “You spend way too much time holed up,” she snapped. “This competition is your chance to see cultivators in action and learn from them. Watching battles is key to understanding real combat!”

  Devor sighed but knew better than to argue. He picked up his pace to match hers. “If this world had TVs, I could just watch from home,” he muttered under his breath.

  Yulin stopped abruptly, looking at him with confusion. “What’s a TV?” she asked, her brows furrowing.

  Devor froze, his heart skipping a beat. He had accidentally mentioned something from his previous life! “Uh… forget it,” he said quickly, his voice coming out higher than usual. “Just something random I said.”

  Yulin stared at him for a moment longer, clearly not buying his excuse, but she didn’t press the issue. “Fine. But no more weird distractions. Let’s go,” she said, tugging him along again.

  As they walked, Devor mentally kicked himself for the slip. " I need to be more careful," he thought. " The last thing I need is for someone to start asking questions I can’t answer."