Two days slipped by like a whisper on the wind.

  Devor stood at the edge of the Spiritual Garden, clutching a rectangular Jade Token. His brow furrowed as he muttered to himself, "Since when do we have to pick up task rewards in person from the Resource Pavilion?"

  That morning, the token had appeared before him, along with a small note instructing him to claim his reward himself.

  Usually, Devor left such chores to Forly. Whether it was collecting his monthly stipend or his earnings as a garden keeper, Forly would handle it with Devor's identity token.

  But this time, the note had been clear—he had to go himself.

  The unusual request gnawed at him. Was the reward exceptionally valuable? Or was there something else going on?

  "Devor? Where are you off to?"

  A familiar voice pulled him from his thoughts.

  He turned to see Yulin, her presence as commanding as ever. She looked exactly as she had the day they first met—her long black hair flowing down her back, her light blue robes catching the gentle breeze.

  "Senior Sister Yulin," Devor greeted her with a slight nod. "I’m heading to the Resource Pavilion to pick up a reward from the sect."

  "Why not send Forly like usual?" Yulin asked, tilting her head in curiosity as she moved to stand beside him.

  Devor sighed softly. "The note says I have to pick it up myself."

  "That’s odd," Yulin said, pursing her lips. Then, her expression brightened. "I’m heading there too. Today’s the welcoming ceremony for the new disciples, and I’ve been assigned to show them around the sect."

  "New disciples?" Devor asked, his interest piqued.

  Every five years, the Azure Sky Sect took in new recruits, typically between the ages of 10 and 30. The older the candidate, the stricter the acceptance standards.

  "You should come with me," Yulin suggested, a mischievous smile tugging at her lips. "It’s a good opportunity to get familiar with the sect’s layout. You’ve been here for years, and yet..." She raised an eyebrow and gave him a teasing look. "Do you even know where the Formation Hall, Alchemy Hall, or Forging Hall are?"

  Devor opened his mouth to reply but paused, realizing he couldn’t actually answer.

  "Exactly!" Yulin said, feigning frustration. "Three whole years in the sect, and you don’t even know where the major halls are or what they’re for!"

  Devor scratched the back of his neck, feeling sheepish. He had spent most of his time in the Spiritual Garden, focused on his work and cultivation.

  "Look, it’s a good idea to explore a bit," Yulin insisted, her tone lighter now. "There’s more to Azure Sky than just this garden."

  After a moment of hesitation, Devor sighed and reluctantly nodded. "Alright, Senior. I’ll come with you."

  Yulin’s face lit up with a smile. "Great! We’ll get there quickly on my flying sword—"

  Before she could finish, Devor took off down the path, sprinting as fast as he could.

  "Wait! Devor!" Yulin called out, frustration creeping into her voice. "You’re a cultivator and a true disciple now! Stop running from flying swords!"

  But Devor didn’t slow down. He disappeared into the distance, his pace frantic as if fleeing a fierce beast.

  Yulin pouted, crossing her arms. With a huff, she floated into the air and, sighing, zipped after him, muttering to herself, "He’ll have to get used to it eventually."

  ??????

  At the Resource Pavilion

  Devor arrived at the Resource Pavilion, a grand building that radiated power and wealth. He handed his Jade Token to the elder at the counter, who, with a nod, passed him a Spatial Ring.

  Devor held the ring in his hand, focusing his Spiritual Sense to inspect it. The internal space was vast—about ten cubic meters, far larger than the small size-reducing pouches he usually used.

  Inside the ring were ten sleek black boxes, each containing a Sky-Grade Spiritual Seed.

  The sect had originally planned to reward Devor with partially grown Sky-Grade Spiritual Plants—plants that only needed to be transplanted into his garden.

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  But Devor had asked for something different. "Elder Sorin," he had said during their earlier conversation, "I’m not sure I can properly care for fully developed Sky-Grade plants. Could I please have seeds instead?"

  The elder had agreed, impressed by Devor’s honesty. The seeds were a safer choice for the sect, and they would allow Devor to develop his skills at his own pace.

  Now, as Devor held the Spatial Ring, a mix of excitement and nervousness stirred inside him. These weren’t just any seeds. Growing them would take exceptional skill and precision, but the rewards could be immense.

  "I’ll need to adjust my cultivation methods... and my schedule," he murmured to himself. "Failure isn’t an option."

  ??????

  Back Outside

  When Devor exited the pavilion, he found Yulin waiting for him near a group of decorative plum blossom trees.

  "What took you so long?" Yulin teased, crossing her arms.

  Devor smiled and held out the Spatial Ring. "The sect gave me something special this time."

  Yulin raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "A Spatial Ring? Not bad. What’s inside?"

  "Sky-Grade Spiritual Seeds," Devor said casually, though there was a subtle note of pride in his voice.

  "Sky-Grade Seeds?!" Yulin’s eyes widened in surprise. "That’s... impressive."

  Devor gave a light shrug. "The seeds are better suited to my abilities than fully grown plants. I still have a lot to learn."

  Yulin studied him for a moment, her expression softening. "You’ve come a long way in three years, Devor. But don’t push yourself too hard. You can’t take care of others if you forget to take care of yourself."

  Her words hit home, and Devor gave her a small, appreciative smile. "I’ll keep that in mind, Senior."

  Naturally, Devor had also requested more advanced knowledge on Spiritual Plants, especially regarding the ten seeds now in his possession.

  As they walked together along the wide stone path that wound through the heart of the Azure Sky Sect, the bustle of daily life surrounded them. Disciples hurried past, their light blue and white robes fluttering in the morning breeze. Some exchanged brief greetings, while others were absorbed in their own thoughts, their faces set in determined expressions.

  The air was crisp, and the sunlight filtered through the tall pine trees lining the path. At the center of the square stood a magnificent statue of a coiling dragon, its body twisting gracefully above a sea of clouds. The dragon’s eyes gleamed as though alive, radiating an aura of strength and timeless power. It stood as a proud symbol of the Azure Sky Sect, a constant reminder of its legacy and might.

  Before the statue, about a hundred disciples stood in neat, orderly lines. Their expressions varied—some were filled with excitement, others showed signs of nervous anticipation. The air felt charged, as if something important was about to happen.

  "Only a hundred new disciples?" Devor asked, casting a curious glance at Yulin.

  "The actual number is much higher," Yulin replied, her tone calm and matter-of-fact. "These hundred have passed the entrance trials and been fully accepted into the Sect. The rest are still undergoing tests to determine their status."

  "Tests?" Devor’s interest sharpened. "What kind of tests?"

  Yulin gave a slight smirk, clearly amused by his curiosity. "Do you really think the Azure Sky Sect accepts just anyone? To join a Sect like this, every aspirant has to prove their worth. Even after passing the initial trials, they must still earn their place in the Sect’s hierarchy."

  She crossed her arms and went on, "There are four main statuses in the Azure Sky Sect: Inner Disciples, Outer Disciples, Nameless Disciples, and Apprentices."

  Devor blinked, his brow furrowing in mild confusion. "Why am I only hearing about this now?"

  Yulin let out an exasperated sigh, shaking her head. "It’s basic information. If you’d bothered to visit the Sect Library and read the introductory books, you’d already know this."

  Devor shifted uncomfortably, his gaze drifting away as a wave of embarrassment washed over him.

  "You’ve spent so much time in the Spiritual Garden that you’ve missed out on everything else," Yulin said, her tone carrying a touch of exasperation.

  Devor awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, offering an innocent smile.

  Yulin shook her head, but a faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "Alright, let me break it down for you."

  She gestured to her own light blue robe. "Inner Disciples wear dark blue robes, while Outer Disciples like us wear these light blue ones. You’ve probably figured that out already just by looking around."

  Devor nodded. That much had been obvious for some time.

  "Nameless Disciples, though, wear white robes with unique symbols that represent their contributions to the Sect. Like the six-pointed leaf symbol you wore as a gardener," Yulin explained. "If a disciple’s robe has the Dragon symbol, it means the Sect sees great potential in them. It’s like a probationary status, for those who are likely to become true disciples."

  Devor’s eyes lit up as he remembered his early days in the Sect. He had passed through those stages himself, though no one had bothered to explain their meaning at the time.

  "And finally," Yulin continued, "there are the Apprentices, who wear plain white robes with no symbols at all. They’re at the very bottom of the Sect’s hierarchy."

  Devor let out a quiet sigh. "So the Sect’s structure is a lot more complex than I thought."

  "It is," Yulin said, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. "And you’ve climbed through it faster than most. Becoming a true disciple in such a short time is no small achievement."

  "I was just lucky," Devor replied, brushing it off modestly.

  Yulin raised an eyebrow, studying him intently. It was hard to tell if he was being overly humble or if he truly thought his accomplishments were nothing special.

  "You started as an Apprentice with a Five-Color Spiritual Root—the lowest tier of spiritual aptitude. In less than a year, you became a Nameless Disciple. Then, just another year later, you were promoted to a true disciple and accepted as an Outer Disciple of the Azure Sky Sect," Yulin said, her voice a mix of pride and disbelief.

  Devor blinked, processing her words. It was only now that he fully grasped how far he’d come.

  "Your story’s been making the rounds among the Outer Disciples," Yulin added, a warm smile on her face. "A mortal with a weak Spiritual Root who rose to prominence in just a few years. You might not realize it, but your name is well-known—even if you've spent most of your time tucked away in the Spiritual Garden."

  Devor raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "Known? Me?"

  Yulin chuckled softly. "You might not be chasing attention, but your actions have a way of making it follow you."

  What neither of them realized, however, was that Devor’s accomplishments hadn’t just caught the attention of the Outer Disciples. The higher-ups of the Azure Sky Sect, those with far more discerning eyes, had begun to take note of the quiet yet exceptional young cultivator.