After finishing his tasks, Forly made his way to the Arena, excitement buzzing in the air around him. The place was packed with students, all eager to watch the live broadcast of the competition. Still, not everyone had gathered; some were busy with their own work, lost in their duties.

  The Arena was split into two main sections: one showing the live broadcast, and the other playing highlight reels of the teams’ performances. The highlights offered a glimpse of how far the teams had come in the competition. Drawn by the energy of the footage, Forly made his way over to the highlight section.

  On the giant screen, Liuning's voice rang out with enthusiasm, narrating as the highlights zoomed in on the Azure Sky Sect’s Foundation Building Division team.

  "Big news for the Azure Sky Sect!" Liuning exclaimed, his excitement infectious. "Their Foundation Building team has hit an incredible milestone—they’re now the fastest team to complete the Monster Strike!"

  Forly leaned in, captivated as the footage rolled. He saw Devor, struggling to cultivate the Fire Lotus Archon. His face was a mask of concentration, his every move weighed down by the pressure. Despite the intense difficulty, and with key help from his teammate Nyuru, Devor managed to bring the plant to full bloom.

  The screen shifted, showing Devor coughing up blood—an image that hit Forly hard, his concern rising.

  Once the Fire Lotus Archon was fully matured, the Azure Sky team turned it into a powerful weapon. With incredible teamwork, they unleashed a devastating laser strike, taking out the monsters in a matter of minutes. The crisis was over in the blink of an eye.

  “The organizers have hidden a bunch of milestones throughout this competition,” Liuning continued, his voice practically buzzing with excitement. “Things like being the first team to successfully establish a Spiritual Garden, the first to make it ten kilometers toward the central zone, or the first to slay 10,000 monsters.”

  Forly’s heart raced at the thought. These hidden milestones added a whole new layer of intrigue to the competition, making it so much more than just a race to the finish. Every secret achievement kept the excitement alive, holding the audience’s attention far beyond the main results.

  “No team knows about these hidden milestones,” Liuning teased, his voice drawing everyone in. “It’ll be fun to see who uncovers the next one!”

  As the screen shifted to highlights from other teams, Forly found himself still glued to Devor’s team. Their struggles, their victories—he couldn’t look away. Driven by the desire to see more, he left the highlight section and headed toward the live broadcast area.

  Once he found a seat, Forly picked up some snacks from a student selling food nearby. With his meal in hand, he settled in, eyes fixed on the massive screen, where the Azure Sky team’s latest trials were being broadcast live.

  “Monsters aren’t the biggest challenge in this competition,” Liuning’s voice rang out dramatically, setting the stage for something even bigger. “Now, every team faces the crucial test of cultivating Spiritual Plants in their gardens!”

  The screen shifted to scenes of various teams struggling in their gardens. Faces tight with focus, brows knitted, and sweat pouring down—every participant was fighting the same battle. “The rules in this Fragment world are nothing like the main world,” Liuning’s voice echoed. “Techniques that worked outside? They don’t apply here. Each team has to adapt, get creative, and survive.”

  The screen was filled with images of struggling Spiritual Gardens. Many of the plants had withered, and Spiritual Farmers were shown frantically pouring their energy into saving what they could, hoping against hope to bring their gardens to maturity.

  “More than twenty teams are stuck at square one, unable to make progress because their Spiritual Gardens are failing,” Liuning continued, his voice tense. The audience was glued to the screen, captivated by the scenes of frustration and desperation unfolding before them.

  Even Golden Core-level Spiritual Farmers were showing signs of being overwhelmed. It was clear this Fragment world wasn’t playing favorites. Techniques that worked with ease in the main world weren’t cutting it here, leaving the cultivators scrambling for new solutions.

  Then the focus shifted back to the Azure Sky team. The screen zoomed in on Devor, who was inspecting his garden with intense care. “While many teams have faced catastrophic losses, the Azure Sky Foundation Building Team is standing out,” Liuning’s voice brightened. “They have the lowest failure rate so far, losing only 23 plants.”

  Forly’s jaw dropped in awe. “Devor is amazing,” he muttered, then couldn’t help but cheer, drawing curious looks from those around him.

  The camera zoomed in on Devor, his Outer Disciple robes setting him apart from his teammates. “Pay attention here,” Liuning said, his voice filled with admiration. “Devor Li is the only participant still at Stage-8 Qi Refining. And yet, he’s outperformed many of the more experienced Spiritual Farmers.”

  Liuning continued, “The Azure Sky team took a bold risk. Instead of sticking with the easier Yellow-Grade Plants, they chose to gamble on Earth-Grade Spiritual Plants from the start. It was a risky move, but it’s paid off, giving them a solid foundation for the rounds ahead.”

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  Forly stayed glued to the screen, his attention unwavering as the camera showed Devor carefully inspecting and adjusting each plant. However, as the broadcast went on, progress slowed. Devor’s steady pace—planting one seed every hour—began to dull the initial excitement for the audience.

  After three hours, many spectators began to lose interest. With little visible progress, they grew restless and drifted off to tend to their own activities. Forly eventually followed suit, reluctantly tearing himself away from the broadcast.

  It was clear the competition was shaping up to be an extraordinary test of endurance, intelligence, and adaptability. Many Spiritual Farmers watching from the sidelines secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thankful they hadn’t been chosen to participate in such grueling challenges.

  ??????

  A week passed in the blink of an eye, and Forly eagerly returned to the Arena, his excitement reigniting. As soon as he arrived, the live broadcast zoomed in on Devor’s Spiritual Garden.

  “To everyone’s surprise,” Liuning’s voice boomed across the arena, “Devor Li of the Azure Sky Foundation Building Division has taken the lead. His garden is nearly complete, and most of his plants are thriving beautifully.”

  Forly’s chest swelled with pride as he watched Devor on the screen, moving with precise focus. It was clear to everyone: Devor wasn’t just keeping up with the competition—he was mastering the very world around him.

  Cheers erupted throughout the arena. The students from the Azure Sky Sect roared with excitement, while those from other sects stood frozen, stunned into silence. Who could have predicted that the participant once thought to be the weakest would now display such remarkable skill?

  The screen shifted, showing the full scope of the Azure Sky Team’s floating island. Their Spiritual Garden stood in stark contrast to the others, an oasis of life amidst the struggles surrounding it.

  “Pay attention here,” Liuning said, his tone turning serious. “Look at the flow of energy above their garden. It’s vibrant, almost alive. That energy is trapped inside a unique barrier formation, creating the perfect environment for Spiritual Qi to converge and nourish the plants.”

  Even Liuning, who had seen countless competitions, seemed genuinely impressed. Despite their lower cultivation levels, the Azure Sky Team was making unprecedented progress. While more powerful teams in the Core Formation and Golden Core Divisions were still struggling with the basics, Devor was on the brink of completing his Spiritual Garden.

  The camera zoomed in on the heart of the garden, where Devor stood. His posture was steady, exuding quiet authority. Beside him, Nyuru listened attentively, nodding as Devor spoke in a calm, yet commanding tone.

  Devor sat cross-legged at the center of the garden, facing a formation that held a Yellow-Grade Plant. His breathing was even, his focus unshakable. Nyuru crouched across from him, her sharp eyes fixed on his every move, ready to follow his instructions without hesitation.

  Devor began channeling five strands of elemental Qi—each one a different color—into the formation. The energy swirled through the air like silk threads, growing stronger as it surrounded him. Sweat beaded on his brow, but his concentration never wavered.

  “Nyuru,” he said, his voice steady. He opened his eyes, their golden glow reflecting the power inside him. “Now.”

  Without a second’s delay, Nyuru reached into the soil and carefully uprooted the Yellow-Grade Plant. Her movements were swift but precise, each action deliberate and flawless. In its place, she planted six Earth-Grade Seeds, each one prepared with meticulous care.

  Golden spiritual essence radiated from Devor, enveloping the newly planted seeds in a warm, powerful glow. Nyuru pulled a small vial from her Spatial Ring—a rare Blue Star Elixir, an invaluable treasure they had been saving for just this moment.

  “One drop per seed,” Devor instructed, his voice calm but commanding.

  Nyuru followed his lead, letting a single drop of the Blue Star Elixir fall onto each seed. As it touched the soil, the elixir shimmered, igniting life in the dormant seeds. Almost immediately, tiny roots began to sprout, burrowing into the earth as if drawn by some unseen force.

  Devor focused, directing the five elemental Qi into the formation to bolster the seeds’ growth. “Add more,” he said, his tone steady and clear. Nyuru, quick and precise, gave each seed another drop of the elixir—no more than a milliliter each.

  The process unfolded with perfect synchronization. Slowly but surely, the seeds began to sprout. Shoots pushed through the soil at an astonishing rate—first one centimeter, then five, then ten. Within minutes, the plants had reached twenty-five centimeters, their vibrant leaves faintly glowing with the stored energy.

  As the six plants reached their full height, the Qi they emitted merged seamlessly with the energy circulating through the garden. It felt like the last piece of a puzzle snapping into place. A subtle vibration rippled through the garden, signaling a profound transformation had taken place.

  Above the garden, golden mist began to gather, forming a glowing cloud that hovered protectively overhead. Streams of Qi flowed in perfect harmony, stabilizing the environment into a self-sustaining system. The Spiritual Garden had become an independent entity, no longer dependent on external energy sources.

  After more than ten days of relentless effort, Devor had accomplished what no other team had: the first fully stable Spiritual Garden in the competition.

  On the broadcast, Liuning paused, his eyes widening as he received updates from the competition organizers. His voice shook with excitement. “Breaking news—Azure Sky’s Foundation Building Division has achieved one of the hidden milestones! They’ll receive additional rewards at the end of the event! With this, the Azure Sky Team has now secured two hidden milestones!”

  The arena erupted into deafening cheers. The students of the Azure Sky Sect jumped to their feet, their voices raised in jubilant celebration. Forly, who had been leaning forward in anticipation, shot up from his seat, shouting Devor’s name with pure, unfiltered excitement. His voice echoed across the arena, blending with the roar of his peers.

  The overwhelming commotion drew the attention of students outside the arena. Curious about the sudden uproar, they rushed in, eager to find out what had happened. What was once a quiet space quickly became packed, buzzing with energy as everyone gathered to watch the broadcast.

  On the screen, Liuning’s excitement was palpable. “Devor Li, a Stage-8 Qi Refining participant, has defied all expectations! Not only has his team overcome tremendous challenges, but they’ve also set a new standard for what’s possible in this competition!”

  The camera lingered on Devor, who remained calm despite the monumental achievement. He exchanged a brief, silent nod of gratitude with Nyuru before turning his attention back to the garden.

  Forly, still standing, clenched his fists in excitement. “Devor… you’re amazing!” he shouted, his voice thick with pride.

  The arena buzzed with energy, a sea of Azure Sky Sect banners and chants filling the air. Though the competition was far from over, one thing was clear: Devor and the Azure Sky Foundation Building Team weren’t just participants—they were serious contenders, poised to leave a lasting mark on the tournament.