As Xu Wuyi traveled south through the Interlayer, the thin thread connecting him to Number One remained steadily linked in his perception. During the time he had been away from the territory, Number One had continued patrolling the Northern Boundary Line. The rhythm of the energy conduits within its body had remained synchronized with the fruits of his Order Tree without interruption. While he was absent, Number One walked the paths that needed to be walked in his place.
When he emerged from the Interlayer and landed once more in that dark-golden void, the first thing he saw was the golden figure. Number One stood atop a rock fragment inside the border, its warm golden eyes fixed levelly ahead, posture upright, hands hanging at its sides. The flowing patterns across its body moved slowly, their color almost identical to the newly fused warm golden undertone within him. When he approached, Number One turned its head and looked at him with those pupil-less warm golden eyes, then shifted slightly, as though confirming his identity.
Xu Wuyi stopped before Number One and raised his right hand, touching its chest with his fingertips. The thin thread in his perception flickered faintly at the moment of contact. He drew out a small portion of the newly fused warm golden undertone from his Order Tree and pushed it into Number One along that root tendril. Once the warm golden light entered Number One's body, it rapidly spread along its energy conduits and was evenly guided throughout its body. The patterns on Number One's surface became denser after receiving that portion of warm gold, and the glow around their edges brightened by another layer.
He withdrew his hand. Number One remained where it was, upright and motionless, without any unnecessary movement. It sensed the newly injected