The success of the Azure Sky Team left the other teams in stunned silence. It wasn’t just Devor’s exceptional skill that had drawn their attention; it was the fact that he was an Outer Disciple. To see a cultivator of such a low rank stand out so clearly among the elite participants was unheard of. Devor’s name was now burned into the minds of every Spiritual Farmer in the competition. They knew that, once the event ended, avoiding the ripple of his influence would be impossible.

  Meanwhile, Versti stayed sharp, his eyes never missing a single detail. He was always in control, issuing orders to Manty with the calm precision of a leader.

  “Keep checking the area every hour,” Versti instructed, his tone steady but firm. “The key is figuring out the reset time. Once we have that, we can push even further.”

  The team had spent hours conducting experiments, each test bringing them closer to understanding the pattern. Manty could only move about ten meters ahead of the team before monsters began clawing their way out of the ground. But their behavior was becoming easier to predict. Whenever Manty retreated, only a couple of monsters would follow, while the rest would sink back into the earth, waiting for the next trigger.

  Time passed, but the team stayed patient, observing every detail. Finally, clarity struck. By 3 a.m., the monsters stopped emerging altogether. They’d found the reset time: exactly 3 o’clock in the morning.

  This discovery was a game-changer for the Azure Sky Team. With this new information, Versti wasted no time in formulating a plan to take full advantage of the opening.

  They had briefly considered using their swords to fly, soaring through the skies to cut the distance to the competition's central zone. But the organizers had made it clear that how they chose to move would directly affect the kinds of monsters they encountered.

  “If we fly, we’ll face winged monsters that can attack from the air,” Versti reminded the team, his voice low and serious. “And aerial enemies are much more dangerous than what we’re up against now.”

  Traveling on foot, however, meant they’d encounter grounded monsters—far easier to handle, especially at this stage in the competition. The decision was clear: they would keep their feet on the ground.

  Following Versti’s lead, the team moved cautiously. Every step was calculated, every break carefully timed. Every hundred meters, they stopped to rest, saving their strength for whatever lay ahead. There was no need to rush; this wasn’t a race, after all.

  After six hours of steady travel, they reached the five-hundred-meter mark—their daily limit. Fatigue weighed on their bodies, but they were in better shape than they’d expected.

  Versti stopped the group and turned to face them. "We’ll rest here," he said, his voice steady. "But if you're up for it, we can push another hundred meters."

  He paused, exhaling slowly, then spoke again, his calm voice now tinged with determination. "Here’s the plan—once those poisonous plants mature, we’ll use Torni’s trap formation to push further after we hit our daily quota. But for now, the choice is yours."

  The team huddled together, their voices hushed as they debated their options. The gentle rustling of leaves filled the air as the wind swept through the trees. Meanwhile, Devor stood apart from the group, his focus completely on the miniature floating island before him. His hands moved with careful precision, guiding spectral energy around the delicate plants as he nurtured the fragile greenery.

  "Devor," Qiun called out, his voice sharper than usual, drawing the group's attention. "Aren't you going to join the discussion? We need everyone’s input before we decide."

  The team turned their gazes toward him. Their trust in Devor had grown steadily, and they hoped he might offer a fresh perspective or a new strategy they hadn't thought of.

  Devor didn’t respond right away. He finished adjusting the flow of energy through the floating island, then slowly looked up. His eyes swept over the group before he spoke.

  "To be honest, combat is my weakest area," Devor said, his tone calm but direct. "If it doesn't involve Spiritual Plants, I don't have much to offer. I'm just listening—I don’t really follow most of what you’re discussing."

  His blunt admission hung in the air, catching the team off guard. They had assumed his skills extended to every aspect of the competition, but this moment made it clear: Devor only spoke up when his expertise as a Spiritual Farmer could make a real difference.

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  Nyuru, standing nearby, gave a small nod, a gentle smile curling at the corners of her lips. "That’s fair," she said, her voice warm. "But if you come up with an idea or notice something we’ve missed, don’t hesitate to speak up."

  Devor nodded in return, his expression calm but sincere. "I will," he replied simply, before lowering his head again to continue his careful work on the floating island.

  The team exchanged quiet glances, a newfound respect settling over them. Devor's honesty and humility only strengthened their trust in him. Even though he focused on his specialized role, they knew his contributions had already proven invaluable—and would likely be just as crucial in the challenges ahead.

  Everyone has their own strengths and talents. Devor, despite earning the respect of his teammates, saw no reason to step beyond his expertise. He preferred to remain calm and focused on what he excelled at, steering clear of jumping into areas he didn’t fully understand. To him, meddling in unfamiliar territory wasn’t just reckless—it was dangerous. A single misstep could risk the team's success and cost them the competition.

  After hours of deep discussion that stretched into the night, the team reached a significant decision: they would push past their usual five-hundred-meter daily limit. It wasn’t a choice made lightly, and every member agreed to approach it with careful precision. Their plan was to move closer to the daily reset time, conserving their resources as efficiently as possible along the way.

  As the strategy was finalized, a tense silence settled over the group, blending with a shared, quiet resolve. The night was unnervingly calm, broken only by the rhythmic sound of Guyin polishing weapons. One by one, he returned them to each team member, now sharpened and reinforced.

  “Since this is your decision, I’ll follow your lead,” Versti said, his voice steady but filled with quiet authority. “But I agree—we shouldn’t waste resources yet. Let’s push past the five-hundred-meter mark and see how far we can go before fully committing.”

  The team nodded in solemn agreement. Each member understood the gravity of their plan.

  “Move out!” Versti’s command cut through the stillness of the night, sharp and decisive.

  Sugu, Dnitz, and Qiun took the lead, while Devor stayed at the rear, his glowing sword casting a faint light over the shadows around him. Hovering just behind him was his small floating island, a constant reminder of his crucial role in their success.

  Barely ten meters into their advance, the ground beneath them trembled. With a deafening roar, monsters erupted from the earth—more than a dozen at once. Sugu and the others were quick to react, their blades slicing through the air with deadly accuracy, cutting down the creatures before they could fully emerge.

  But with every step they took, the ground seemed to stir even more, summoning even greater numbers of monsters from the depths. From his position at the rear, Devor observed the chaos unfold, unease creeping down his spine. Amid the battle, he saw Dnitz fighting three monsters at once, his movements quick but strained. Then, out of the corner of his eye, Devor noticed a new threat—a fourth monster charging toward Dnitz’s blind spot.

  Without a moment’s hesitation, Devor focused his energy into his blade. Flames surged along the sword, casting an amber glow that reflected on his determined face. With a powerful lunge, he thrust the fiery weapon into the monster.

  Boom!

  The impact sent the creature staggering back, but it didn’t fall.

  “Fall back!” Sugu’s voice rang out as he charged forward to finish the job. Devor quickly pulled back, glancing at his system readout:

  [Spiritual Energy: 1324/1544]

  He let out a breath, relieved to see he still had enough energy for a few more strikes.

  Step by step, the team moved forward, cutting down monsters with ruthless efficiency. Above them, Versti hovered, his gaze sharp as he monitored their progress. His focus never wavered, keeping track of the monsters’ numbers and movements, mentally preparing for the battles ahead.

  Though Devor’s combat skills didn’t match those of his teammates, his role was still crucial. By drawing the monsters’ attention at key moments, he bought his allies precious seconds to recover and avoid injuries that could have shifted the fight in the monsters' favor.

  After thirty minutes of nonstop fighting, the team had pushed another hundred meters beyond their original limit. Their bodies screamed for rest, but Versti’s commanding voice cut through their exhaustion.

  "That's enough! Torni, activate the protective formation!"

  Torni, drenched in sweat but still focused, reached into his Spatial Ring and pulled out a scroll. With practiced precision, he unrolled it and channeled his energy. The intricate symbols on the scroll glowed brightly, and in an instant, they shot into the air, forming a protective barrier around the team.

  Outside the barrier, the monsters roared in frustration, slamming against the glowing shield with relentless force. The barrier trembled under their attacks, but for now, it held. Inside, the team took the chance to recover. They sat on the ground, breathing heavily as they swallowed restorative pills and focused on steadying their breaths to regain their strength.

  When the barrier finally shattered, the sound of its collapse was like glass breaking into a thousand shards. The team sprang into action, moving as one. With renewed determination, they struck down the remaining monsters with coordinated precision, their blades flashing through the air in perfect rhythm.

  The last monster fell with a guttural scream, leaving the night eerily still. The team collapsed onto the cold, unforgiving ground, too exhausted to care about anything else. In the silence that followed, they lay there, savoring the hard-won peace they had fought so fiercely to earn.