Long Yan stood at the center of his ring's inner world, surrounded by cracked earth and distant mist. It stretched like a forgotten land between stars—neither truly alive nor dead, but something in-between.
He had seen it in dreams before.
But now, he was truly inside it.
The first door had opened. The ring had accepted him.
And this—this was his reward.
[You have entered: Spirit Hollow]
A sealed micro-dimension designed for spiritual agriculture.Current Tier: 1 – Dryfield
Farmable Area: 10 plots(Each plot = 2m x 2m of spirit-reactive soil)
Compatible Seeds: Any spiritual or mundane plant material from external world.
Base Infusion Efficiency: 12% (Manual Qi Infusion Required)
Expansion Conditions: Unlock subsequent doors / Feed Spirit Hollow with Qi-rich resources or rare spiritual materials.
Ten plots. That was it.
Ten rectangles of soil that pulsed with faint green light—surrounded by vast, unused space still cloaked in gray mist.
Long Yan stepped forward and knelt beside one of the plots. The soil was dark and rich, buzzing faintly with spiritual resonance. He dug his hand into his pocket and pulled out a few scraps—a crushed fruit rind, a handful of cheap tea seeds he'd been saving for a cultivation nutrition experiment in class.
"Let's see what you can do," he whispered.
He planted them carefully, pressed them into the warm soil, and placed his hand flat over the earth.
The ring responded.
Qi flowed through him—slow, unrefined, but willing.
The seed pulsed. Sprouted.
In real-time.
Leaves unfurled. Tiny fruits shimmered at the tip of a stalk that hadn't even existed moments ago.
They weren't powerful spirit fruits, not yet. But the aura they gave off was undeniable—more potent than anything that could be grown in Lowterra's dead soil.
[Seed Conversion Successful]Basic Fruit Yield: 3 units – Grade: Spirit-Infused (Class 1)
Taste: ImprovedSpiritual Value: +4 Qi recovery / unit
Note: All plants grown in Spirit Hollow retain their spiritual traits when removed into the real world.
Long Yan stared at the glowing fruit in his hand.
With ten plots, he could grow food for himself. Maybe even others. Not enough for trade, not yet—but what if he expanded the Hollow?
He looked around. The mist rolled across the dead land beyond the current fields like waves waiting to be pushed back.
Another message flared across his vision:
[Expansion Locked]
To Expand Spirit Hollow:– Unlock additional doors within the ring– Infuse Hollow with Qi-rich materials (beast cores, spiritual minerals, refined elixirs)– Establish farm "stability" by growing multiple successful crop cycles
Expansion Reward – Next Tier: Verdant Rise (30 plots unlocked)
He stood, heart racing.
This wasn't just a side ability.
It was a foundation.
A place to grow strength, food, and maybe even medicine. In a world where resources meant survival, control over spiritual growth was just as deadly as swordsmanship.
That evening, while Long Yan sat in meditation, sketching out possible crop cycles in a stolen notepad, a soft knock sounded on his dorm door.
He opened it.
No one there.
Except—
A pouch.
Inside: a small vial of spirit dew—a rare condensation used in high-level farming—and a single note:
*"Next time, try this.
– V."*
Across campus, atop the academy's archive dome, the mysterious girl leaned against a ledge, watching the stars.
Her eyes glowed faintly.
He looked out the door again, but the hallway was empty.
Across campus, atop the academy's archive dome, the mysterious girl leaned against a ledge, watching the stars.
Her eyes glowed faintly.
"Let's see how fast you grow, gardener."
🌱 – Spirit Hollow: Basics
Name: Spirit Hollow
Location: A pocket realm within the dragon ring
Current Tier: Dryfield
Farmable Area: 10 small plots (2m x 2m)
Can Plant: Any seed or plant from outside world
How to Expand:
Unlock more ring doors
Feed Hollow Qi-rich resources (beast cores, spirit stones, etc.)
Successfully grow & harvest crops
Future Tiers: Verdant Rise, Star root Field, Heaven's Acre, ...