Two weeks had passed in the blink of an eye, slipping through time like sand through a sieve.

  Devor slumped weakly against the cold, uneven cave wall that had become both his prison and his refuge. His once-bright complexion had drained, leaving him pale and fragile, his breath shallow and erratic. The effects of Beastbound Hollow were etched on his body, each mark a grim reminder of the toll it had taken.

  "Thank you, Senior Aoyun," he murmured, his voice shaking, but there was sincerity in every word.

  Aoyun stood a few paces away, arms crossed, his posture unwavering and commanding. His sharp gaze swept over Devor with an air of quiet authority—steady, yet unrelenting.

  "Focus your heart and mind," Aoyun said, his voice calm but firm. "Don’t let outside distractions sway you."

  Devor nodded, though the movement felt weak, almost like a reflex. "I’ll remember," he responded, the words coming out more forced than he intended, though he meant them.

  Still, inside, his heart felt heavy.

  "How many times has he told me that?" Devor thought bitterly. "How many times have I been brought back from the edge, only to fall again?"

  Aoyun’s gaze drifted to the far corner of the cave, where a soft bluish-green glow flickered behind an energy barrier. Beyond it, a carefully arranged array of Spiritual Plants thrived. Their gentle radiance stood in stark contrast to the suffocating gloom of the hollow, offering a small glimpse of serenity amidst the oppressive atmosphere.

  "Did your plan succeed?" Aoyun’s voice cut through the silence, calm but probing. His sharp gaze locked onto the barrier.

  Devor leaned his head back against the wall, his tired eyes following Aoyun’s gaze.

  "No," he admitted, his voice heavy with the bitterness of failure. A faint, wry smile tugged at his lips. "It looked promising at first, but in the end, I couldn't get the Sky-Grade Seed to grow."

  He shifted his gaze to the field. Behind the shimmering barrier, thirteen Yellow-Grade Spiritual Plants and two Earth-Grade ones thrived, their lush growth a stark contrast to the hollow’s oppressive atmosphere. But at the center of it all, the Sky-Grade Seedling stood—lifeless, a hollow reminder of his failure.

  The once-vibrant sprout hung limp, its dried-out form the perfect symbol of his inadequacy.

  "Why not just sell it?" Aoyun’s voice interrupted his spiraling thoughts.

  Devor blinked and looked at Aoyun, surprised. The older cultivator’s tone was casual, but there was a flicker of disappointment in his eyes—disappointment that felt strangely more like shared frustration than judgment.

  "It’s worth a fortune," Aoyun said, nodding toward the withered sprout. "But value only matters when someone can actually use it."

  Devor opened his mouth to reply, but the words wouldn’t come. Aoyun’s simple suggestion hit him harder than expected, lingering in the quiet corners of his mind.

  Why didn’t I think of that?

  The thought lingered, weighing on him, bringing a mix of conflicting emotions. Devor clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. The pain grounded him, if only just a little.

  His gaze drifted back to the seedling, his mind replaying the countless hours he had poured into this field, into this craft. He had worked tirelessly, studying, experimenting, fine-tuning every detail of cultivating Spiritual Plants.

  "Selling it..." Devor muttered, frowning. "Wouldn't that just be admitting failure? Giving up?"

  The Sky-Grade Seed wasn’t just a gift—it was a mark of trust from the Azure Sky Sect. They had recognized his potential, given him more responsibility, raised his quotas, and offered him opportunities most disciples could only dream of.

  For years, the seed had been a point of pride—a symbol of his hard work and dedication. Selling it now would feel like admitting he wasn’t worthy of the faith the Sect had placed in him.

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  But now, as the seedling withered before his eyes, the painful truth hit him: his efforts had failed, and his body and spirit were cracking under the weight of the Hollow's punishment.

  The burden of Beastbound Hollow was unrelenting, breaking him down bit by bit, forcing him to face the bitter reality: maybe his talents just weren’t enough.

  Devor’s hands shook as he stared at the lifeless sprout. A deep pit of dread and frustration twisted in his chest, threatening to swallow him whole.

  “I…” Devor’s voice wavered, and he swallowed hard, forcing the words out. “I don’t think I can give up on it. Not yet.”

  Aoyun raised an eyebrow, his expression unchanged. “And why is that?”

  Devor stared down at his hands, rough and calloused from years of hard work. “Because this is my path,” he said quietly, the words gaining strength as he spoke. “If I sell it, I’m not just letting go of a seed. I’m giving up on the chance to forge my own way.”

  The silence hung between them, heavy. Devor let out a deep sigh, his shoulders slumping under the weight of the conversation.

  He turned back to the lifeless Sky-Grade Seedling, his jaw tightening. “I’m not done yet,” he murmured, voice low but resolute. “I’ll find a way… even if it kills me.”

  A shiver ran through his body, his arms wrapping tightly around his knees as if he could hold in the invisible pain tearing at him. His breathing became shallow, his face drained of color, his eyes lost in some distant place.

  Aoyun’s voice sliced through the tension, a mix of concern and frustration. “What’s going on with you?”

  His usual calmness faltered, panic flickering across his features. In a blur, he moved toward Devor, one hand reaching out to assess his condition.

  “Devor! What’s happening?!” Aoyun’s voice was sharp now, the urgency clear.

  As one of the guardians assigned to watch over Beastbound Hollow, Aoyun knew failure wasn't an option. If Devor fell to the madness of this place, it would reflect badly on him, too.

  Without thinking, Aoyun grabbed Devor by the collar and yanked him up. A surge of blue light flickered around his palm as he pressed it forcefully into Devor's chest.

  Bang!

  Devor coughed violently, his body jerking from the impact. But this time, there was no dark mist escaping from his mouth. The negative Qi of Beastbound Hollow wasn't the cause of his distress.

  Aoyun's teeth clenched, his brow furrowing as he watched Devor's trembling persist. His mind raced. He couldn't afford to lose him now.

  Without hesitation, Aoyun struck again, his palm glowing even brighter with blue light.

  Bang!

  The tremors lessened, but didn't stop. Devor's breath remained shallow and uneven, his body still wracked with spasms.

  "Hold on!" Aoyun growled, his voice hardening with resolve. He struck again.

  Bang!

  This time, Devor's body only quivered slightly. A flicker of hope sparked in Aoyun's chest. His technique was working. He took a deep breath, focusing his Qi before delivering one final, forceful blow.

  Bang!

  Devor’s trembling stopped completely. His body went limp, and Aoyun gently lowered him to the cold cave floor. For a moment, silence settled between them, broken only by the faint rustling of wind outside.

  Aoyun wiped the sweat from his brow and let out a quiet sigh of relief. But as he looked down at Devor, pale and still, something stirred within him—something deeper than the physical.

  Inside Devor’s mind, a voice whispered, sharp and relentless.

  "I’ve been too arrogant."

  The words cut through him like a blade, shattering his pride. A flood of memories rushed in—moments of victory, praise, and recognition from the Sect. Now, each one felt hollow, stained by his overinflated sense of self-worth.

  The Sky-Grade Seed had been a gift, a symbol of his potential. But now, it felt like a burden, a constant reminder of the expectations he had failed to meet.

  “This seed…” Devor’s thoughts wandered, clouded by regret. “It’s not just a tool. It’s a mirror showing how far I’ve fallen. I’ve been reckless—too blinded by ambition to see the truth.”

  He thought back to the ever-growing demands from the Sect—the extra fields, the higher quotas, the impossible tasks. He had seen them as signs of trust, of recognition. But now, he understood them for what they really were: a test he wasn’t ready for.

  "I need to stop chasing what’s beyond me," he thought bitterly. "If I keep forcing things, I’ll lose more than just my progress. I’ll lose myself."

  As clarity settled in, the weight in Devor’s chest began to lift. Slowly, the frustration and despair that had gripped him for weeks started to fade, replaced by a quiet sense of resolve.

  "I can’t control everything. But I can rebuild. Piece by piece."

  Devor’s eyes fluttered open, and the dim light of the cave slowly came into focus. The cold stone beneath him anchored him to the present. Above him, Aoyun stood with his arms crossed, a mix of relief and irritation on his face.

  Devor glared weakly at him. “You hit me for no reason!” he snapped, his voice rough.

  Aoyun raised an eyebrow, his expression darkening. “No reason? If I hadn’t done that, you’d probably be drooling in a corner right now, lost to madness!”

  Devor huffed and turned his gaze away. “Still…” he muttered, though he knew deep down that Aoyun had likely saved him.

  Suppressing the ache in his chest, Devor shifted slightly, wincing as he tried to sit up. His voice softened, though a hint of bitterness lingered. “Can you send a message to Yulin? Tell her I need to see her.”

  Aoyun snorted and rolled his eyes. “Do it yourself,” he replied flatly. “My job here is done. I’ll check on you next week.”

  Without waiting for a reply, Aoyun turned and strode toward the cave entrance.

  Devor watched him go, a faint, bitter smile curling at the corners of his lips.

  “He holds grudges easily, doesn’t he?”

  As the cave settled into silence once more, Devor exhaled deeply, leaning his head back against the cold wall. His body ached, and his spirit felt fragile, but his mind was clearer than it had been in weeks.

  For the first time since arriving in Beastbound Hollow, Devor felt a flicker of hope. It wasn’t much, but it was enough.

  "Rebuild. Piece by piece," he whispered, his resolve firming up like steel.