Devor stood still, his eyes fixed on the barren fields that had once been his pride and purpose. The effort, the long nights, the tireless dedication—now all of it lay in ruin. The land was consumed by a strange, lifeless gray fog, hanging in the air like a ghostly presence that refused to leave.

  “Forly,” Devor's voice was low but heavy with unspoken emotion. “Get everything to the Sect’s Investigation Hall. We need answers. We can’t let this spread any further.”

  Forly nodded sharply, his urgency clear. “Understood, Senior. I’ll get the team together.”

  As Forly walked away, Devor remained rooted to the spot, his fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms. He took a shaky breath, trying to steady himself, but the hollow ache in his chest only deepened.

  That night, sleep eluded him. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the image of gray leaves crumbling to dust, their life force drained by some unseen power. His mind spun with questions: What went wrong? Was this my fault? Or is something else at play? But no matter how hard he searched, there were no answers.

  ??????

  By morning, Devor stood in front of the Spiritual Garden, the cool breeze doing little to ease the turmoil in his mind. The air, once fragrant with life, now felt stagnant, weighed down by an oppressive energy that seemed to seep into everything.

  He scanned the empty fields, his thoughts a storm, when Forly approached. His face was grim, his expression unreadable.

  “Senior…” Forly’s voice faltered slightly, hesitation thick in the air.

  Devor turned to face Forly, his voice calm despite the knot tightening in his chest. “What is it?”

  “Senior Sisters Yulin and Liara’s fields... they’ve been contaminated too.”

  Devor’s eyes went wide with shock. “Their fields too? Are you sure?”

  Forly nodded, his expression grim. “Same symptoms. Gray leaves, lifeless stems... it’s spreading.”

  A wave of guilt hit Devor hard. If it had only been his fields affected, maybe he could’ve taken the blame. But for this to spread to others—it was something far worse.

  By midday, the full extent of the disaster became clear. Reports flooded in confirming that every Spiritual field in the area had been contaminated. Fields once vibrant and full of Qi, tended by other Garden Keepers, had fallen victim to the same fate.

  The news spread quickly throughout the Sect. Whispers and rumors filled the halls, darkening Devor’s reputation.

  “Could it be Devor’s fault?” some murmured, their voices hushed but sharp.

  “His fields were always... different. Maybe he messed with something he shouldn’t have.”

  Monny, Wulin, and several others who had worked closely with Devor rushed to the Spiritual Garden. They knew the quality of his Spiritual Plants firsthand and refused to believe the rumors.

  When they arrived, they were met with an unsettling sight—the entire area was cordoned off by the Sect’s Investigation Hall. Disciples stood guard at the entrance, ensuring the anomaly didn’t spread any further.

  In the Spiritual Garden, Elder Sorin, the Sect’s leading expert in toxins and anomalies, examined the scene with painstaking focus. His sharp gaze moved over each contaminated plant and formation, his face set in a deep frown as he worked.

  Not far off, Devor, Yulin, Liara, and a few other Garden Keepers stood in tense silence, their eyes following Elder Sorin’s every move.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  Devor kept his head down, his usual composure completely broken under the weight of what felt like a personal failure.

  “This isn’t your fault,” Yulin said softly, her voice carrying a warmth that cut through the heavy silence. “This situation is too strange. None of us could’ve foreseen something like this happening.”

  Devor didn’t answer. He turned his face away, unwilling to meet her gaze.

  Liara stepped forward, her voice calm but firm. “Devor, we’ve known you from the start. You’re someone who worked hard to earn your place here. You’re still in the Qi Refining Realm. How could anyone believe you had access to something that could poison an entire Spiritual Garden?”

  Another Garden Keeper, a man with striking half-black, half-white hair, added his thoughts. “Exactly. The rumors make no sense. This disaster only hurts you. If you were responsible, what would you gain?”

  A stocky man, arms crossed, his voice gruff yet thoughtful, chimed in. “What about enemies? Anyone here have rivals or grudges? It’s possible someone planted the poison in Devor’s fields to frame him.”

  The group fell silent, the weight of the suggestion hanging in the air.

  The stillness among the gathered disciples was thick, broken only by the faint rustling of wind through the lifeless fields. Each word spoken by Elder Sorin and the Investigation Hall seemed to carry more gravity than the last.

  The Azure Sky Sect was known for its peace and unity, but beneath the surface, rivalries and hidden conflicts always simmered.

  “With that in mind,” Yulin said, her voice steady despite the complexities behind her words, “it’s even less likely Devor is the cause. He spends almost all his time in the Spiritual Garden. His dealings are minimal, and he gets along with everyone.”

  Her words reflected the opinion of those who knew him best. Devor was, without a doubt, the least likely person to have enemies within the Sect.

  Still, Devor stood silent, his head bowed. The chaos and whispers around him seemed to fade into an empty, distant hum.

  Yulin watched him, a knot tightening in her chest. The last time she had seen him like this was after his grandfather passed away—silent, withdrawn, and carrying a weight far too heavy for someone his age. And now, here he was again, bearing another impossible burden.

  Elder Sorin continued his careful examination of the contaminated fields, his sharp eyes scanning the barren soil and the gray, lifeless remains of once-thriving plants. He reached out, his fingers brushing the brittle stem of a dying plant.

  “Just as I suspected,” Elder Sorin muttered, his voice carrying enough weight to command everyone’s attention.

  Yulin took a step forward, but froze when one of the Investigation Hall officials shot her a cold look.

  Liara fidgeted nervously, her hands gripping the edges of her robe, the tension clear in her posture.

  Devor, meanwhile, kept his fists clenched at his sides. His gaze remained fixed on the ground, his body unmoving, but inside, a storm was raging.

  Elder Sorin turned to face the group, his expression unreadable.

  “Listen carefully,” he said, his voice firm, ensuring everyone was focused. “What has happened here is no mere mistake or coincidence.”

  The group stiffened, hanging on his every word.

  “These insects,” Sorin continued, pointing toward the decaying plants, “are Qi Devourer Beetles. Normally, they live alongside Spiritual Plants, feeding on trace amounts of Qi to sustain their life cycle. But they aren’t naturally destructive. For them to behave like this, something in their environment must have been disturbed.”

  Yulin’s voice trembled as she spoke, “What kind of disturbance, Elder? Could someone have caused this on purpose?”

  Sorin’s eyes narrowed, calm yet sharp. “It’s possible. A disturbance could’ve been introduced—either intentionally or by accident. The beetles’ eggs are sensitive to certain energies. If exposed to those energies, they hatch too early and become erratic. Worse, when they die, they release a toxin that poisons the soil, making it uninhabitable for Spiritual Plants.”

  Liara’s voice broke the heavy silence. “So, are you saying someone... weaponized these beetles?”

  Elder Sorin gave a slight nod. “That’s one possibility, though we don’t have enough proof yet. The Investigation Hall will dig deeper into this, but my role here is finished.”

  With those words, Elder Sorin stepped back, his figure rising into the sky, disappearing into the horizon like smoke fading into the wind.

  As murmurs rippled through the crowd, one thing became clear—Devor wasn’t to blame.

  But under Sect law, that didn’t matter. The contamination had started in the field under his watch. Until the true cause was uncovered, the burden rested squarely on his shoulders.

  “Devor, step forward,” came the steady voice of Investigation Hall Master Niubi.

  Devor lifted his head, meeting Niubi’s gaze. Without hesitation, he stepped forward.

  “This isn’t your fault,” Niubi said, his tone even. “But as the caretaker of that field, the responsibility falls on you.”

  Devor exhaled slowly. “Then let me prove it.”

  Niubi raised a brow. “Oh?”

  “Let me investigate this myself,” Devor said, standing taller. “If I find the real culprit, will my sentence be lifted?”

  A long silence stretched between them. Then, finally, Niubi gave a slow nod.

  “You have one week.”

  Seven days. It wasn’t much time. But it was better than exile—or worse. If there was even the slightest chance to uncover the truth, he had to take it.