Master Nie coughed softly, a brief flash of discomfort passing across his usually composed expression.

  "Tell me," he began, his voice steady yet carrying an unspoken weight, "how many floors does this building have?"

  "Seven floors," Devor answered, brow furrowed in thought.

  Master Nie nodded, pleased. "Good. Now, think of this: the first floor represents the Qi Refining Realm, and the Cultivation Technique is what fills it. So tell me, Devor—how would you know what’s on the second floor if you haven’t stepped onto it?"

  Devor hesitated, considering the question. "I guess I'd have to go up to the second floor to see it."

  "Exactly," Master Nie said with a slight smile. "The second floor is like the Foundation Building Realm. If you only have the first floor in place, how can you know what lies beyond it? Without a solid foundation, you can't build anything above it."

  A spark of understanding flickered in Devor’s eyes as the pieces began to fall into place.

  Master Nie paused, his gaze sharp and unwavering. "When building the first floor, you must ensure it’s strong enough to hold up the second. And when you finally start on that second floor, its design has to align perfectly with the first. If they don't work together, the whole structure could collapse."

  Devor’s heart raced as understanding slowly began to settle in. It felt as though the fog that had clouded his thoughts for so long was finally starting to clear.

  "Cultivation works the same way," Master Nie continued, his voice strong and certain. "It’s a process that unfolds step by step, like building a structure one floor at a time. Focus on perfecting the first floor—the Qi Refining Realm. Don’t worry about the second, third, or any other floors for now. Once the first floor is solid, the path to the next steps will become clear."

  In that instant, the mental fog that had clouded Devor’s thinking lifted completely.

  He realized how misguided his approach to cultivation had been. He had been trying to merge the Qi Refining Realm with the more advanced stages, like Golden Core, trying to harmonize with realms far beyond where he currently stood.

  Master Nie’s words had shown him the truth: he had been skipping the basics. How could he even begin to imagine the higher floors when the first wasn’t built properly?

  Devor’s confusion melted away, replaced by a sharp sense of clarity.

  He turned to Master Nie, his heart filled with deep gratitude and respect. In a single conversation, the Hall Master had untangled the knots in his mind, pointing him in the right direction.

  Steeling himself, Devor realized how precious this moment was. Time was short, and he needed to make the most of the opportunity before him.

  "Master Nie," Devor asked cautiously, "what happens if someone changes their Cultivation Technique between realms? For example, if they start with a Fire Cultivation Technique during Qi Refining and then switch to a Phoenix Cultivation Technique in Foundation Building? Both are fire-based, but their essences are completely different."

  Master Nie’s face turned serious. With a swift motion, he raised his hand, and a mist-like energy flowed from his palm, forming a small, ethereal building suspended in the air.

  "This," he said, pointing to the structure, "represents the first floor."

  The building was simple—modest in size but sturdy.

  "And now, the second floor," Master Nie continued, as another layer materialized above the first.

  This second floor was massive, easily four times the size of the first.

  Master Nie looked at Devor, his gaze steady. "In this situation, there are two possible outcomes. First, the first floor might collapse under the weight of the second. Second, the first floor might hold up for a while, but the strain will eventually be too much. If you try to build a third floor on top, the whole structure will crumble—and in Cultivation, that collapse can be deadly."

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  Devor watched in awe as the two-story building trembled, then shattered into mist.

  A deep sigh escaped him as he absorbed the lesson. Master Nie’s analogy was so vivid, so clear. He had made the risks of mismatched Cultivation Techniques impossible to ignore.

  "Do you understand now?" Master Nie asked, his voice firm yet encouraging.

  "Yes, Master," Devor replied, nodding. The confusion that had clouded his mind earlier now felt like a distant memory, replaced by a clear sense of direction.

  "Then, if someone wants to change their Cultivation Technique, what should they do?" Devor asked, his tone serious, curiosity shining through.

  "Well," Master Nie said thoughtfully, "if you wish to switch Techniques, you would need to renovate the first floor to match the new Technique—assuming it’s a stronger one." His voice remained steady. "Renovation isn’t an easy process. The result will never be as smooth or stable as the original foundation. But if done carefully, you can gradually replace the old structure, piece by piece, until it's completely transformed. Only then can the change be considered safe."

  Devor absorbed the information eagerly, his body subtly shifting as his excitement grew.

  Master Nie’s expression softened as he added, "Creating a new Cultivation Technique is dangerous and incredibly complex. It’s not something you should rush into. Save those ambitions for the future."

  "I don’t intend to create a Technique, Master Nie," Devor said, his voice calm but resolute.

  Master Nie raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? Then why ask about it?"

  Devor hesitated for a moment, then chose his words carefully. "Have you heard of the Essence of Nature Technique, Master?"

  "A Cultivation Technique that absorbs energy from Spiritual Plants?" Master Nie guessed, his tone steady and confident. It made sense; few Techniques had such a name.

  "That's right," Devor nodded. "I want to refine it, make it more suited to me. That's why I asked about creating Cultivation Techniques. In many ways, perfection and creation are two sides of the same coin."

  Master Nie’s brow furrowed with concern. "Perfecting a Cultivation Technique is no small feat, especially one as unusual as yours. Techniques involving Spiritual Plants are inherently dangerous. There's always the risk of poisoning yourself."

  Devor nodded solemnly. "I understand the risks. But given my poor Cultivation talent, I don’t have much choice. Without refinement, my potential will be capped at the Foundation Building Realm."

  Master Nie paused for a long moment, studying Devor. He knew the young man’s Five-Color Spiritual Root well—a trait known for severely limiting long-term potential. Devor’s decision was bold, maybe even reckless, but there was something admirable in his determination to challenge his fate.

  "Very well," Master Nie said quietly, a hint of approval in his voice. "Tell me, what kind of perfection are you aiming for with this Technique? I will guide you in this, but be warned: do not take any reckless actions moving forward."

  Devor’s face brightened with gratitude. "Thank you, Master Nie! I’ve made some progress in refining the Technique, though it’s far from perfect."

  "Oh?" Master Nie leaned forward slightly, resting his chin on his hand, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "What changes have you made so far?"

  Master Nie had assumed Devor had simply made minor adjustments to the Technique, perhaps tweaking it to improve its compatibility. But what Devor said next caught him off guard.

  "I have the Five-Color Spiritual Root," Devor explained, his voice steady but filled with conviction. "So, I reworked the core structure of the Cultivation Technique to align with the five elements of my Spiritual Root. Since the Fire Element makes up 32%, I adjusted the absorption ratios to highlight its dominance while keeping balance with the other elements."

  Devor went on to explain how each of the five elements—Fire, Earth, Water, Wind, and Metal—was represented in varying percentages in his root. He described, in meticulous detail, how he’d harmonized the absorption properties of the Essence of Nature Technique with the unique composition of his Spiritual Root.

  At first, Master Nie’s expression remained neutral, a slight smile still present as he listened to Devor’s passionate explanation. But as Devor continued, the smile faded. His brows furrowed, and his gaze sharpened, as though he were trying to piece together a complex puzzle.

  Devor spoke with such precision, detailing adjustments not only to the Technique’s Qi flow but also to its elemental cycling, feedback loops, and its resonance with external Spiritual Plant energy. The depth of his alterations was staggering, far beyond what Master Nie had expected.

  By the time Devor finished, Master Nie sat frozen, his expression a mix of disbelief and awe.

  When discussing Cultivation Techniques with his disciples or peers, Master Nie usually relied on the metaphor of a building’s floors. Conversations were typically centered around broad principles—structural integrity, alignment, and balance.

  But Devor’s insights went far deeper.

  It was as if Devor hadn't just asked about the structure of the building, but about the specific type of wood used, the metal composition of the nails, and even the direction of the grain in the floorboards. And what Devor had shared was just the surface; Master Nie suspected there were even more intricate details the young cultivator had yet to reveal.

  This conversation was entirely off track. Something was wrong—deeply wrong! Qi Refining cultivators shouldn’t be discussing this at all!