Xu Wuyi sat in the cultivation room with his eyes closed for a long time. His consciousness did not sink into inner vision, did not observe the changes in the Fruit's patterns, and did not extend outward along the connection lines.
He simply sat quietly on the cushion, his hands resting on his knees, letting his breath flow in and out at a steady rhythm. Outside the window, the night was deep, with thin clouds obscuring half the moon. Only a hazy silvery-gray glow remained on the cultivation room floor.
He had kept one focal point in his perception—the state of the hybrid overlay at the fourth node on the western side of the Central Defense Line. Over the past several hours, his perception had repeatedly returned to that location, like a finger continuously touching the surface of a wound that was slowly scabbing over, checking whether its temperature and texture had changed.
The hybrid overlay was steadily thickening, and its density was continuously increasing. Yet its surface remained stable for now, showing no signs of irregular expansion or deformation.
When he opened his eyes, the sky outside had changed from deep black to pale gray, and dawn was slowly spilling over from behind the treetops. He remained seated on the cushion for a while, letting the morning light slant through the window lattice and cast a warm band of light across the floor.
Then he rose, pushed open the door, and walked outside. The teacup on the cut surface of the tree stump was already steaming. He walked over, picked it up, and took a sip. The tea was as warm as usual.
Holding the cup, he sat in the morning light for a while, sensing the points of light throughout the network as they operated in their respective