Chapter 79: Inner core's awakening
Following Huo Zaiyuan's growing internal energy, the space too, gradually begins to shift and transform. The dormant spiritual energy within becomes more abundant, turning into a warm bed perfect for meditation and cultivation.
That night, when Huo Zaiyuan obtained the demonic tree's inner core, he didn't exactly pay it much attention, simply stowed it away in a glass bottle and tossed it back into the space.
Never did he expect the glass bottle containing that very inner core to slip from the bamboo tabletop and tumble onto the floor, shattering on impact. Free from its container, the green pearl rolled until its path was blocked by a corner of the table's leg.
Thinking he simply broke a random glass container in a moment's carelessness, Huo Zaiyuan didn't think much about the fragments littering the floor when he appears in his space. Sweeping the mess up, he goes off in search of the chest given by the late shaman Zhang. As soon as he finds it, he gets right down to business.
As for the inner core that is now lying beneath the table, it slowly begins to absorb the rich energy within the interdimensional space and gradually, its consciousness awakens, reaching enlightenment. Between the time it rolled free of the glass bottle and Huo Zaiyuan's re-entry into this space, it led a simple and unrestrained life.
In this place, in terms of items containing immense amounts of spiritual energy, nothing can beat the Holy Nine Dragon Spring Pool and the "Ninth Heavens Holy Dragon Formation" used to plant the Immortal peach tree. The pool's reservoir of energy is the greatest, but a portion of that power is used to protect the pool itself, creating a barrier only Huo Zaiyuan can cross. Hence, the green pearl dare not get close to it. With only one other option, it eventually rolls towards the peach sapling within the formation.
Today, as per its typical routine every since awakening in this space, it stealthily rolls into the formation and absorbs a portion of the potent spiritual energy within before sneakily returning back to the bamboo house. Just as it prepares to hide back under the table, a slim figure flickers into view suddenly. Huo Zaiyuan has re-entered the space after these few days of absence.
The awakened core suffers a huge scare and immediately dares not move one bit. Focusing solely on Huo Zaiyuan only to realise the human didn't notice its presence. Relieved, it slowly inches away until it is back in the corner.
Now, for the blushing human himself, after being scared into escaping by the shameless Long Zhanye, he curses that devious man lowly, only to have his attention drawn away by a sudden flash of a glistening something. Kneeling on the floor, he crawls under the low table to take a closer look.
What is that thing?
There is no wonder why Huo Zaiyuan is momentarily amazed by the gleaming object, for ever since learning from an experiment that no other living beings besides himself can survive within this space, everything in here is only plants and non-living materials. Besides himself, nothing else has the ability to move around freely. But now, right before his eyes, this shiny object is slowly rolling on the floor. It would be strange if he didn't find it fascinating.
Although he only caught a glimpse of it in his peripheral vision, Huo Zaiyuan has no doubts this small object rolled forward and hid beneath the bamboo table. Therefore, he lies down on his stomach and begins searching for it.
In the shadows of the furniture, a brilliantly shining pearl jumps into the air, shocked at the human's sudden appearance under the table. Recovering from the surprise, it rolls its spherical body away in an attempt to escape.
Huo Zaiyuan's eyes narrow, a hand snaking out to smack directly on top of the pearl, preventing from moving further. Immobilised beneath the palm, that pearl continues it life-and-death struggle, twisting here and there under his hand, determined to escape. Finally, Huo Zaiyuan resorts to condensing a little spiritual energy to act as a cage for it before picking it up between his thumb and index finger.
Now with the object in clear view, Huo Zaiyuan finally recognises it as the demonic tree's inner core, which he remembers placing in a glass bottle.
"Tsk, tsk. Really unexpected ah. A tree spirit's inner core has enough consciousness to move around freely. Just what is going on here? If you don't speak, then I will immediately crush this core to dust!!" Huo Zaiyuan says as sternly as he can.
Pinched between his fingers, the tree spirit's core is frightened to the point of trembling. Suddenly, a "ping" rings out and white smoke rises from the pearl. The round object between his fingers abruptly disappears. Huo Zaiyuan blindly grabs at the smoke, his fingers wrapping around something soft.