When Ron stepped onto the land of the Vitality Spring, the first thing he sensed was an intoxicating fragrance.
It was a composite scent formed by the essence of hundreds of peculiar plants blending together.
Every breath was like tasting the most expensive perfume in the world.
As his senses gradually adapted, he began to notice the oddity hidden behind this fragrance.
The concentration of life energy in the air had reached a level that could induce hallucinations in ordinary people.
"Please follow me, Lecturer Ralph."
Sheena seemed completely unguarded, leading the way with her back to Ron.
The vines sensed her footsteps, quivering with delight.
They automatically adjusted their hardness to provide her with the most comfortable walking experience.
"These are all my children."
She gently stroked a large ocular fern by the roadside, and the eye-like patterns on the plant immediately blinked with excitement:
"Each one is a unique miracle of life."
Ron carefully observed these "children."
The "pupils" of the ocular fern were not simple pigment deposits, but genuinely structured with eye functionality.
When his gaze met one of these "pupils," he could clearly feel the plant’s gaze.
This gaze carried a distinctive intelligence, as if assessing his threat level.
"What can they see?"
He asked, feigning curiosity.
"Almost everything."
Sheena smiled with pride, her smile appearing particularly beautiful in the sunset:
"Spectrum, thermal radiation, magic power fluctuations, even subtle emotional changes. They are the most faithful observers, never lying."
Her words revealed an important message—the entire Vitality Spring was a colossal surveillance network.
"Your modification technology is truly awe-inspiring."
Ron sincerely praised, but internally pondered deeper questions:
"But I’m curious, doesn’t such large-scale life modification consume enormous magic power and resources?"
This question touched the core of Sheena’s research:
"That’s the most important achievement I wish to show you—the consciousness resonance vine network."
She led Ron to a relatively secluded corner.
Here grew an extremely special kind of vine plant, with vines as thin as hair, appearing almost transparent.
Without careful observation, they were nearly undetectable.
But when Sheena gently touched one of the vines, all the plants in the Vitality Spring began to tremble slightly.
"These vines connect every plant, forming a vast neural network."
Sheena explained:
"Through this network, I can perceive everything happening in the oasis and mobilize all the plants’ life energy for concentrated use."
"Of course, the key to achieving such a life miracle..."
Her voice became softer, carrying a hint of allure:
"is because this network possesses the ability to learn and evolve.
It can record every contact’s life characteristics, analyzing their bloodline composition and ability structure."
"Then based on this information, it devises the most suitable modification plans."
Alarm bells rang in Ron’s mind.
This meant that from the moment he entered the Vitality Spring, Sheena had been collecting his detailed data.
Including magic power fluctuations, bloodline characteristics, and possibly even his thinking patterns.
"If such technology were to be widely disseminated..." he said, feigning interest.
"That’s the focus of today’s discussion."
Sheena’s eyes gleamed with cunning:
"The technical details about consciousness linkage in your Abyss simulation device improvement plans align remarkably with my research."
"If we can deeply collaborate and merge the two technologies..."
She paused, allowing the weight of her words to settle:
"We will create an unprecedented breakthrough in life sciences."
Ron understood Sheena’s true intent.
Not only did she want to study his body and bloodline, but she also sought to acquire the technical knowledge he possessed.
Especially the consciousness linkage technology involved in the Abyss simulation device, which held immense value for Sheena’s "life network" research.
"Collaboration indeed seems like a good choice."
He pretended to contemplate:
"However, such a level of technical exchange requires a foundation of mutual trust."
"Of course, of course!"
Sheena immediately agreed:
"Trust is the prerequisite for all cooperation, which is why I invited you to my private domain."
"Here, we can engage in the most honest exchanges without worrying about external interference or prying eyes."
......
At dusk, Sheena guided Ron to the observation platform of the Vitality Spring.
"This is the best spot to view the ’sunset reflections.’"
Sheena elegantly sat on a chair woven from vines:
"It’s one of the most magical phenomena of the Vitality Spring, observable only at specific times and angles."
The setting sun cast its golden-red light obliquely onto the surface of the spring.
Strangely, the images reflected on the water surface were entirely different from the real world.
The spring water seemed to become a magical mirror, revealing the observer’s innermost desires and fears.
"Everyone sees something different."
Sheena softly explained:
"The spring can sense the resonance deep within one’s bloodline, projecting the future possibility that best aligns with the observer’s essence."
Ron cautiously gazed at the water’s surface.
Initially, he saw only ordinary reflections.
But as he continued to watch, the water surface began to undergo a wondrous transformation.
Light and shadow recomposed within it, forming a blurred yet haunting scene: