I looked at it.

First, there was The Sphere: The sphere housing the willow tree is an ethereal, translucent orb of pure energy, hovering in my lower abdomen like a small world unto itself. The surface of the sphere shimmers faintly, a boundary between the inner world of the dantian and the rest of my body. It is not a hard, glassy shell but rather a flexible, pulsating membrane of energy, constantly undulating. The color of the sphere is a soft, glowing white, with hints of pale blue or silver, giving it a moonlit appearance. The texture is smooth, almost fluid to the mind’s eye, like a perfect bubble of light that gently ripples as Qi moves in and out. Occasionally, the surface would reflect the faintest outlines of energy currents swirling around it, mimicking the rhythm of the my breathing.

Then, there was The Willow Tree: Inside the sphere floats the image of a willow tree, swaying gently in an invisible breeze. Its trunk is slim and graceful, with an organic curve, and it stands rooted at the very center of the dantian, like an ancient, wise presence. Despite being inside the sphere, it does not touch the boundaries; instead, it is suspended in the middle, as though floating in a still, yet vibrant pond of energy.

The trunk is a shimmering, golden-brown hue, glowing faintly with a subtle light, symbolizing the connection between the earth and the heavens. It is slender yet strong, and you can see soft pulses of energy (Qi) moving upward from its base, through the body of the tree. The surface of the trunk is intricate, covered with delicate, rune-like patterns, magic related, to amplify the absorption of energy. These patterns glow in a rhythm, syncing with my breathing, representing the flow of Qi moving from the dantian throughout the body. Every breath causes the patterns to brighten slightly before they dim again, creating a breathing cycle of energy.

The branches extend gracefully from the trunk, their forms thin and delicate, bending and swaying in an endless, flowing dance. The willow branches do not appear rigid; they ripple as though carried by a constant, soft breeze within the sphere. Each branch splits into smaller tendrils, giving the tree a fluid, cascading structure.

The leaves are the essence of elegance: long, slender, and slightly translucent, shimmering in shades of pale green, silver, and soft gold. Each leaf appears almost weightless, gently fluttering as if touched by an unseen wind. As Qi flows through the tree, the leaves seem to glow faintly, giving off a soft light that radiates outwards. I have plans to consolidate each leaves with specific runes depending on the future of this cultivation.

Maybe each leaves could become a smaller dantian by itself in which a new cultivation technique...

Wait...

One step at a time...

And finally , there were the roots of the willow tree who descend from the base of the trunk, appearing to burrow into the very core of the dantian. These roots are a silvery, intricate network, spreading wide and deep, creating the deep connection to the energy absorbed, stored and potentially released. The roots glow with a steady, subtle light, drawing energy from the earth-like substance of the dantian and channeling it upwards. The roots anchor the tree in the dantian, giving it stability and ensuring a steady flow of Qi. The network of roots is so fine and intricate that they resemble threads of starlight, crisscrossing beneath the tree’s surface.

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My dantian was formed.

Now then, time to cultivate I guess.

- * -

It has been twelve days...

What exactly is the senior doing?

Is he even still here?

I hope he did not leave.

Or would it be better if he did?

But then...What about me?

It is a fact that the Senior is eccentric and has no mental difficulty or hesitation with killing making him slightly scary but...

He's still the only one I have right now.

I...

I'm alone, aren't I?

What should I do if he left?

What should I do if he stayed?

I don't know anymore.

…

As I was served breakfast on the lower floor of the inn, the little waitress that I got to know a little decided to start a conversation and gossip with me again.

I do enjoy those simple and small moments.

It helps me calm my heart and accept that life simply goes on.

She talks about how the aunty next door got found out havign an affair with the son of a friend and how the apple shop owner constantly has to eat apples that don't sell to the point he mastered cooking apples...

Today, however, she told me something else.

“Have you heard, sister Rongxia?! The old man from the rune shop, Liang, was found dead in an alley!”

Liang from the rune shop.

That's 'Master Liang' who sold the scam cultivation techniques to the Senior and received an incredible wealth in exchange.

...So, he did die.

As expected.

Too much wealth in this world for too little power is akin to poison.

The saying that 'too much of something becomes poison' proved true.

I asked her: “What happened?”

And she was very eager to continue her little gossip.

Unfortunately, compared to the impressive amount of words that flowed through her mouth, the valuable content was very little.

To put it bluntly, he was killed but no one knows why or by whom and no one even really cares.

The shop was seized by the authority aka the city mayor.

And that was it.

He died in an alley and no one cared.

His death turning in just another everyday gossip.

How sad.

Would that happen to me as well?

- * -