The competition was finally over.

  For the past fourteen months, Vinix City had been a battleground of talent, ambition, and relentless pursuit of strength. Now, all that remained was the closing ceremony—a mere formality, yet one heavy with the echoes of countless struggles.

  On the grand stage, Devor stood alongside his team.

  Despite his newfound status as a Divine Disciple, his attire remained unchanged—a light blue Taoist robe, the same one he had worn as an Outer Disciple.

  A quiet statement.

  He had ascended beyond his former rank, yet he still carried his past with him.

  And the entire gathering took notice.

  Countless eyes lingered on him—some filled with curiosity, others with quiet respect.

  The ceremony itself was neither lavish nor extravagant. It was formal, subdued—a necessary ritual to mark the conclusion of an event orchestrated by the ten great sects.

  But victory? That wasn’t the real prize.

  Every disciple present, whether they had triumphed or tasted defeat, had walked away with something far more valuable—an unyielding foundation for the path ahead.

  When Devor accepted his reward—a round black medal, its surface engraved with the emblem of the ten sects—its golden glow shimmered beneath the ethereal lights of the ceremony hall.

  A token of recognition. A symbol of the battles fought.

  And a promise of the future to come.

  Stepping down from the podium, Devor immediately looked for Yulin.

  He had made many acquaintances throughout the competition, but when it came to true trust, there was only one person he felt at ease beside.

  Maybe it was familiarity.

  Maybe it was the simple fact that Yulin had never treated him any differently—not when he was an Outer Disciple, not even now as a Divine Disciple.

  She saw him, not his title.

  As they stood together, the next group of award recipients took the stage—the Blazing Fire team.

  That was when Devor noticed her.

  A young woman, unfamiliar to him, standing silently among the winners.

  Her cultivation wasn’t particularly strong—Qi Refining Realm, unremarkable at a glance. Yet something about the way she carried herself—the quiet weight in her expression—held his attention.

  “She’s the Dao companion of a Blazing Fire disciple who died during the competition,” murmured Yulin, at his side.

  Devor’s gaze sharpened.

  “Their child is only two years old,” Yulin went on. “The ten sects agreed to grant them a special path—when the child is old enough to cultivate, they’ll be given training and resources.”

  A life traded for a future.

  That was the reality of this world.

  The woman’s face was unreadable.

  Was she proud? Resentful? Grieving?

  Devor frowned. A quiet unease settled over him, an unfamiliar weight in his chest.

  He couldn’t help but wonder…

  Was it worth it?

  Cultivators risked everything—for power, for recognition, for a future—but was any of it truly worth the price of death?

  The woman’s presence made it impossible to ignore.

  For some, failure didn’t just mean dying—it meant leaving behind the ones who had to carry the weight of that loss.

  Devor clenched his fists.

  To many, wealth and power beyond imagination made the gamble worthwhile.

  But to him?

  It wasn’t.

  Maybe that made him a coward—unwilling to stake his life like so many others.

  But death was absolute.

  No power, no ambition, no victory could change that.

  If he died, what would he leave behind?

  Would he be remembered? Maybe.

  Would it matter? Probably not.

  A name in the records of history, soon to fade like ashes in the wind.

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  Lost in thought, Devor barely noticed when his mind reached out to Yulin.

  “Sister Yulin,” he sent his voice into her mind. “Is it really worth it? For cultivators to risk their lives like this?”

  Yulin turned slightly, glancing at him before responding in a calm, measured tone.

  “That depends. Would you risk your life for something you’ve dreamed of your entire life?”

  Devor frowned.

  After a brief pause, he answered. “No. If I knew my dream was real, I could afford to wait for it. A cultivator’s lifespan isn’t short. Unless I was facing true death danger, I wouldn’t throw my life away.”

  Cultivation was a long path.

  He had time.

  If an opportunity arose to take him back to Earth, he wouldn’t recklessly dive into an unknown portal. He would prepare, grow stronger, and ensure his survival first.

  And if the portal disappeared before he was ready?

  Then he would create one himself.

  A soft chuckle echoed through his mind.

  “Then let it be that way,” Yulin replied, turning to face him fully.

  There was no judgment in her gaze—only quiet understanding.

  Then, with a small smile, she added, “Life is about choices. If your path doesn’t demand risking your life, then follow it. Don’t trouble yourself over how others walk theirs.”

  Devor felt an unexpected sense of relief.

  He exhaled slowly.

  Maybe a cultivator’s path didn’t have to be endless battles.

  Maybe… there was another way to grow strong—one that didn’t demand sacrificing everything.

  The competition had finally come to an end.

  For over fourteen months, Vinix City had been the heart of a grand trial—one that had tested, refined, and reshaped countless disciples.

  Now, as one by one, each team stepped forward to receive their medals, a quiet sense of closure settled over the vast arena.

  The Core Formation and Golden Core divisions were the last to step forward, accepting their accolades as the ceremony neared its conclusion.

  Then, just as the final medal was handed out, Liuning stepped forward.

  His voice cut through the air, clear and steady.

  And what he said next left everyone stunned.

  “That Fragment World you all entered… it isn’t a complete realm at all.”

  “It only follows half the true laws of the Immortal World.”

  A shockwave rippled through the crowd.

  Liuning’s voice remained steady, unwavering.

  “That’s why its environment is unstable. Why so many of the phenomena you encountered felt unnatural. And you might be wondering—how could such a competition even exist?”

  A brief pause.

  Then, his next words thundered across the arena.

  “The answer is simple: only in the Immortal World can one reach such heights of power!”

  Murmurs spread like wildfire.

  For most disciples, this wasn’t just a revelation—it was a glimpse into something far greater.

  The Immortal World.

  A realm that cultivators from this world could only dream of.

  Devor’s breath caught, his mind racing.

  If what Liuning said was true… then it explained everything.

  The golden energy curtain that had appeared above his garden, the strange resonance he had felt within that world—he had assumed they were mere byproducts of his Dao embryo.

  But what if they weren’t?

  What if they were simply reactions to the Immortal World’s laws?

  Perhaps in this world, his Dao embryo was merely dormant, suppressed by weaker laws.

  But in the Immortal World?

  It could awaken.

  A flicker of anticipation stirred within him.

  The revelation set the crowd ablaze.

  For generations, people in this realm had heard stories of beings from the Immortal World—cultivators so powerful they seemed almost divine.

  Legends spoke of those who had descended from the higher realm, their strength beyond comprehension.

  It was said that an Immortal World Core Formation cultivator could match a Golden Core expert from this world—and win.

  Many had dismissed it as an exaggeration.

  Now, after witnessing the Fragment World firsthand, they understood.

  It wasn’t that they were weak—it was that the Immortal World operated on an entirely different level.

  Perhaps, if they stepped into that realm and adapted to its rules, they too could stand among those legendary figures.

  Excitement. Fear. Uncertainty.

  Every disciple wrestled with their own emotions.

  But Devor?

  He was unbothered by their concerns.

  It didn’t matter how strong the cultivators of the Immortal World were.

  It didn’t matter whether this realm was inferior or not.

  All that mattered… was that his Dao embryo had potential there.

  And that meant…

  His path was far from over.

  ??????

  After the closing ceremony, Vinix City erupted into celebration.

  For two days, the streets were alive with music, lantern light, and the rich aroma of fine wines.

  A city that had once been a battleground of relentless competition had transformed into a place of laughter and camaraderie.

  Yet, amid the revelry, Devor noticed something unusual.

  Not everyone was leaving.

  Some disciples remained—not because they had abandoned their sects, but because they had been assigned to stay.

  They weren’t renegades—they were cultivators chosen for a greater purpose.

  Vinix City wasn’t just a battlefield.

  It was a specialized training ground, a gathering place where only the most talented disciples from the ten sects could continue to refine themselves.

  Devor absorbed the revelation carefully.

  The ten sects hadn’t just built this city for competition—it was a long-term investment.

  They weren’t simply raising powerful disciples.

  They were forging an army.

  And one day, that army might be sent into the Immortal World itself.

  ??????

  Two days later, Devor and the other Azure Sky disciples boarded the Immortal Boat docked outside Vinix City.

  As the massive spirit-powered vessel ascended, the city below slowly shrank into the distance.

  Standing near the railing, Devor leaned forward, watching the sprawling landscape fade from view.

  Behind him, Yulin let out a quiet sigh, her voice laced with emotion.

  “When we return to the sect, everything will be different.”

  Devor exhaled softly.

  He knew.

  His promotion, his status, the expectations placed upon him—everything would change.

  Yulin turned to him with a small smile.

  “Are you excited?”

  Devor chuckled, a hint of wry amusement in his voice. “With all the new support and resources? How could I not be?”

  Then, his expression grew serious.

  “I just can’t shake the feeling that as my status rises, so will the strength of my enemies.”

  It was an unspoken truth in cultivation.

  The weak wouldn’t dare challenge him anymore.

  Only the strong would stand in his way.

  Yulin’s smile didn’t fade. “You’ll be fine. The sect has your back now.”

  Then, tilting her head slightly, she asked, “So, will you go back to tending your garden, or do you have something new in mind?”

  Devor gave a slight nod. “I’ll still tend to my garden, but I also want to broaden my knowledge.”

  Yulin studied him for a moment before a small, amused smile crossed her lips.

  “You’re an odd one. Most people cultivate for power, but you… you’re after something else. What exactly are you searching for?”

  Devor hesitated.

  That question… he had heard it before.

  Even the Sect Master had once asked him the same thing.

  Was it power? Certainly.

  Wealth? Of course.

  A better life? Absolutely.

  And yet…

  None of those were his true reason.

  What drove him forward wasn’t the pursuit of strength for strength’s sake—it was something deeper.

  “I want to understand how things work,” Devor murmured, his gaze fixed on the horizon. “How they come to be. And… I want to create something entirely new, using my own abilities.”

  He wasn’t chasing a realm.

  He wasn’t trying to surpass others.

  He was trying to conquer the unknown.

  Yulin studied him for a long moment.

  Then, softly, she laughed. “You really are strange, Devor.”

  But there was something in her eyes—curiosity, admiration… perhaps even a touch of awe.

  Because his answer was unlike anything she had ever heard before.

  And deep down, she knew—

  That kind of ambition… could shake the very foundation of the cultivation world.