Melon Encounters

Elder Soul's PoV:

I stand atop the domed structure, invisible in the pitch-black night. My concealment array hums softly, masking my presence from prying eyes. Peering inside with my divine sense, I see a stark white room—empty, windowless, with a single reinforced door.

Two cloaked figures approach through the barren wasteland. Sand whips around them, their forms barely visible against the desolate landscape.

My brow furrows. Something's off. I release a tendril of qi, then quickly retract it. This land feels wrong, tainted by an unfamiliar energy. It's not qi, not anything I've encountered in all my years.

I inhale deeply, tasting rust and death on my tongue. My stomach turns. This place is a perversion of nature, a reminder of the mortals' destructive potential.

For all their technological marvels, their soaring cities and gleaming towers, they've created this—a wasteland so twisted it makes my skin crawl. The very air feels poisoned, heavy with an otherworldly corruption.

My fingers twitch, itching to summon my power. But I hold back, remembering our vow to lay low.

I sigh, scratching my greasy chin as I keep observing Eve. Three days of following this slip of a girl, and I'm already regretting my decision. But Quill's offer was too tempting to pass up.

"A month's allowance," I mutter under my breath. "That food processor better be worth it."

I watch as Issabele scrutinizes the vial, her weathered face scrunched in frustration. The seed inside—an awakened spirit seed from a primordial watermelon—glimmers faintly in the harsh light. My lips twitch in amusement. Back in our world, lesser sects would've torn each other apart for such a treasure.

"Useless," Issabele mutters, handing the vial back to Eve.

I nod, unsurprised. In this technology-driven realm, our cultivation treasures might as well be pretty pebbles. For mortals or even those at the body reinforcement stage, awakened elixirs offer no benefit. They'd have better luck swallowing a regular watermelon seed.

But for the right person? Oh boy. Anyone at foundation establishment or core formation would be in for a nasty surprise. Too much of a good thing can kill you, and that seed's packing enough juice to fry 'em from the inside out.

Now, for us old-timers? That little seed's better than a five-star buffet. Perfect for washing down a tough training session or patching up after a scrap.

I lean back, lost in thought. In all my years, I've only seen two exceptions to this rule. Two anomalies that turned everything I knew on its head.

I chuckle softly, remembering the Grand Elder's antics. That old bastard, Dusk Blade, never ceased to amaze me. Back when he was just a core formation cultivator, he'd pop those Primordial Melon seeds like they were candies. The rest of us elders could only watch in envy, our jaws on the floor.

"Thunder Calamity art, my ass," I mutter, shaking my head. "More like the 'Defy Common Sense' art."

But Dusk wasn't the only freak of nature I'd encountered. No, there was another—a true monster if I ever saw one.

I close my eyes, picturing that scrawny kid with messy black hair and piercing blue eyes. At foundation establishment, for crying out loud! His entire skeleton covered in intricate, clustered arrays. It was like looking at a walking, talking cultivation manual.

That little shit could go toe-to-toe with cultivators leagues above him. And don't even get me started on his appetite for awakened treasures. He'd munch on them like they were snacks, while the rest of us risked blowing ourselves up if we tried the same.

I shake my head, a wry smile tugging at my lips. Over the years, despite our constant bickering and my attempts to maintain my grumpy facade, I'd started to see that monster as something else. Something I never thought I'd call anyone, let alone a upstart young cultivator who constantly showed me up.

Friend.

The word feels strange on my tongue, but there's no denying it. Somehow, that insufferable brat had wormed his way into my crusty old heart.

I watch intently as Eve and Issabele approach the door. My curiosity piques as they enter the stark white room. Suddenly, the space comes alive, transforming before my eyes.

The floor splits open, and strange devices emerge like mechanical flowers blooming in spring. Holograms flicker to life on the walls, displaying a dizzying array of graphs and formulas. I squint, trying to make sense of the complex equations, but they're beyond even my understanding.

A low hum fills the air, growing louder by the second. The source? A massive core generator at the room's center, pulsing with raw, unfiltered power. Atop the generator, a neon display catches my eye: 00:32:04. A countdown, but to what?

Issabele reaches into her pouch, pulling out a skink's core. She tosses it towards the generator with practiced ease. I lean forward, fascinated as a metallic pincer shoots out, snatching the core mid-air. It's almost graceful, the way the machine moves.

The pincer inserts the core into the generator, and for a moment, I'm blinded. Brilliant light floods the room, forcing me to shield my eyes. When it subsides, I blink away the spots in my vision, focusing on the neon display once more.

The numbers are changing, increasing rapidly. 37:17:55. The countdown resets, ticking down once again.

I scratch my chin, pondering. What in the name of the Heavenly Dao is going on here?

I continue to observe as Eve and Issabele interact with the strange machinery. My mind wanders, reflecting on the past three days of following this girl around.

Nine scientists. Nine dismissals of that precious spirit seed. Some were decent folk, polite even as they deemed it worthless. Others? Well, let's just say they woke up feeling like they'd gone ten rounds with the Sect Master herself. A little qi-induced punishment for disrespecting Lala's friend. Nothing permanent, of course. Just enough to make them think twice about their manners.

But this woman, this Issabele? She takes the cake. A battle freak if I've ever seen one. The way her eyes lit up at the sight of those mutants, the relish with which she tore into them. It's all too familiar.

I groan inwardly. As if I don't have enough on my plate already. There's Lala, a teenage cultivator with an attitude that could give a rabid tiger pause. Then there's Quill, walking calamity that he is, with a temper shorter than a spark's lifespan.

The last thing I need is another battle maniac in the mix. I've got my hands full keeping those two in check. Adding a third? That's just asking for trouble.

I shake my head, watching as Issabele fiddles with more controls. Her excitement is palpable, even from my vantage point. It's like watching a kid in a candy store, if the kid had a penchant for explosions and the candy could level a city block.

"Great," I mutter under my breath. "Just great. As if things weren't complicated enough already."

I watch intently as Eve places the melon seed onto a glass plate. A swarm of robotic arms, each wielding a laser, descends upon it like hungry vultures. Green light bathes the seed, drowning it in an eerie glow.

The large hologram flickers to life, data streaming across its surface faster than even my cultivator eyes can follow. I lean forward, my chin nearly touching the dome's surface. The countdown ticks away, each second feeling like an eternity.

Suddenly, bold text flashes across the screen: "Analysis Complete. No anomalies detected."

I can't help but smirk. Of course, these mortal machines can't detect the true nature of our treasures. Eve's frown mirrors my thoughts. Poor girl, thinking she's hit another dead end.

But then, something unexpected happens. Issabele's face lights up like a supernova. Her eyes shine with a dreadful light that sends a chill down my spine.

"Impossible," she mutters, her voice barely above a whisper.

More lasers spring to life, bathing the room in a kaleidoscope of colors. Data floods the hologram, numbers and symbols dancing across the screen in a dizzying display. The lights in the dome flicker ominously, and I can feel the surge of power being drawn. It's like standing in the eye of a storm, the air crackling with energy.

My eyes dart to the reactor's countdown, the numbers blurring together in their haste, minutes turned into seconds.

I watch as the whirlwind of activity in the room below suddenly ceases. The lasers blink out, plunging the space into an eerie silence. A holographic message materializes in mid-air: "Extended Analysis Complete. No anomalies detected."

Issabele snatches the seed from its resting place, cradling it in her palm like it's the most precious thing in the world. Her eyes gleam with an intensity that makes me uneasy. She brings it close to her face, examining it from every angle.

"Impossible," she mutters again, her voice filled with awe.

I lean forward, intrigued.

Issabele lifts the seed to her ear, listening intently. I strain my own senses, but from this distance, I can't pick up anything unusual. Then, to my utter shock, she sticks out her tongue and gives the seed a quick lick.

I nearly lose my balance on my perch. What in the name of the Heavenly Dao is she doing?

Eve stands off to the side, her expression a mix of confusion and concern. I can't blame her. From her perspective, her mother must look like she's lost her mind.

But Issabele's reaction tells a different story. The way she's handling that seed, you'd think she'd stumbled upon a relic from the Golden Age itself.

I scratch my chin, pondering. Could it be? Has this mortal woman, through some quirk of fate or science, managed to perceive the true nature of our cultivation treasure?

I watch intently as Eve's curiosity finally gets the better of her.

"Care to explain?" she interjects, her voice a mix of confusion and anticipation.

Issabele hesitates, her eyes locked on the seed. She takes one last, lingering look before placing it back on the glass plate. Her fingers fly across the control panel, inputting a new set of instructions. The machine whirs to life, and a fresh wave of data floods the holographic displays.

"You got this seed three days ago, right?" Issabele asks, her gaze never leaving the monitors.

"Yes," Eve answers, her brows furrowed in concentration.

"And you carried it with you all the way from the centre of Ebber's Ridge to my house in AD9," Issabele continues, her fingers a blur as she types more commands.

"I have," Eve confirms, her voice tinged with curiosity.

"Hundreds of kilometres, through multiple radiation zones, from neutron and ionized all the way to gamma, and still..." Issabele's voice trails off as she presses one final keystroke with forceful determination.

The holographic display flickers, and a new message appears:

"Radiation Levels: ZERO"

I lean forward, my interest piqued by the unfolding scene below. Eve's high-pitched voice echoes through the chamber, her disbelief palpable even from my vantage point.

"Impossible," she breathes, her eyes wide with shock.

I can't help but chuckle. The girl's expression is a mirror image of her mother's now, a mix of awe and confusion.

As I watch, a new hologram springs to life in the center of the room. A double helix, its intricate structure rotating slowly in the air. Countless nodes dot its length, each one pulsing with a soft light. DNA, if I'm not mistaken. It's one of those newfangled concepts that still makes my head spin, but I remember how Quill's eyes lit up when he first saw it.

A wry smile tugs at my lips. It looks like our little freak show might be gaining a new member. Just what we need - another genius with a penchant for the impossible.

"Normal DNA structure," Eve observes, her brow furrowed in concentration.

Issabele's lips curl into a knowing smirk. "Is it though?" She reaches out, plucking the hologram from mid-air with a gesture. Her fingers dance in the air, and the image expands, growing until it fills the entire chamber.

I squint, trying to make sense of what I'm seeing. Issabele focuses on a single node, zooming in closer and closer. Strange structures appear, things that defy my understanding no matter how hard I try to wrap my head around them.

But then, something catches my eye. Something familiar. Letters. Or to be more precise, natural formations linked together, small and intricate, flowing alongside the weird structures.

I watch as Eve and Issabele's eyes follow these formations, completely mesmerized. Their faces are a mirror of fascination and disbelief.

"Is that..." Eve begins, her voice trailing off in wonder.

"A language," Issabele completes her daughter's sentence, her tone filled with awe and excitement.

Several moments elapse without a word. Out of nowhere, Issa's gaze reignites with enthusiasm. "Are there any more seeds like this one?" she asks.

Eve pulls out four more vials from her pocket, each containing a seed identical to the first. "I had more but lost them," she adds, her voice tinged with regret.

Issa's eyes light up with that dangerous spark again. Without hesitation, she snatches one of the vials, extracts the seed, and hurls it towards the reactor core.

The mechanical pincer shoots out, snagging the tiny seed mid-air. It's almost comical, watching this high-tech machine handle something so small and seemingly insignificant. The pincer retracts, inserting the seed into the reactor.

"What are you doing?" Eve's voice is a mix of confusion and alarm.

Issa's lips curl into a mischievous grin. "Something extremely dumb," she replies, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.

I can't help but groan inwardly. That look, that tone - I've seen it too many times before. It's the same expression Quill gets right before he does something monumentally stupid and potentially catastrophic.

The reactor hums to life, its core pulsing with an otherworldly light. I brace myself, ready for anything. In my experience, when mortals start messing with things beyond their understanding, it rarely ends well.

"Power overwhelming" Issa's voice echoes with maddness, as she laughs her heart out.

I watch as the countdown above the reactor spirals out of control. The numbers flash by faster than I can blink, soaring past thousands, then tens of thousands, and beyond.

Issa's excitement morphs into something darker. Her eyes widen, realization dawning on her face. "Fuck!" she exclaims, her voice sharp with fear.

I can feel the tension in the air, thick enough to cut with a knife. Eve seems to catch on quick, her fingers flying across a panel on the wall. A sleek pod emerges from the floor, the ceiling opening up to make way for its ascent.

"We need to go, now!" Eve screams, her voice tinged with panic.

I hold my breath, watching as Issa hesitates. For a moment, I think she might do something truly idiotic, like try to stop the reactor. But to my relief, she turns and follows Eve towards the escape pod.

Just as they reach it, Issa slams her hand down on the manual override button, sealing the door shut.

Eve's voice, muffled by the pod's walls, reaches my ears. "W-what are you doing?" The desperation in her tone is palpable.

"If that thing explodes, the whole district will be leveled," Issa says, her voice steady despite the chaos around her. "I have to stop it."

Eve's face contorts with panic. "Impossible!" she cries out. "It's too late!"

But Issa shakes her head, a grim smile on her face. "It's not," she insists. "I just need to get inside the core, grab that seed that went into critical state and use the emergency teleporter to get both of us on the other side of the gas giant."

I can see the wheels turning in Eve's mind. Her eyes widen with realization, and for a moment, I think she's going to bust open that metal door and drag her mother to safety.

But Issa's faster. Before Eve can make a move, she slams her hand down on the launch button. The escape pod shudders to life, its ionic propulsors igniting with a deafening roar.

As the pod begins its ascent, leaving behind a trail of heated plasma, I strain my ears to catch Eve's final words. They're barely audible over the din of the engines, but I can just make them out:

"You idiot, I won't ever forgive you!"

The pod disappears through the opening in the ceiling, leaving Issa alone in the rapidly destabilizing lab.

I watch in fascination as Issa turns towards the reactor, her face set with grim determination. The door slides open with a hiss, and I'm nearly blinded by the intense light that explodes outwards. It's like staring into the heart of a sun.

Issa takes a step forward. Her personal shield flickers and strains against the onslaught of heat, but it's not enough. Her extremities begin to melt away, Flesh and metal succumbing to the impossible temperature.

But she doesn't stop. One step. Two steps. Three steps. Each movement is agony, I can see it etched on her face. But still, she presses on.

Finally, she reaches the seed. It's no longer the innocuous little thing I remember. Now it pulses with raw power, angry red arcs of lightning shooting out in all directions. The very air around it seems to warp and twist.

For a moment, just a heartbeat, I see hesitation flicker across her face. It's the look of someone who knows they're about to do something incredibly stupid, but can't see any other way out.

Then, with a movement that seems to stretch on forever, she extends her hand towards the seed. I can hear the personal teleporter in her chest humming to life, its pitch rising as it prepares to activate.

Just before her fingers make contact, I make my move.

In a burst of speed that would make sound itself jealous, I descend into the core. The heat that's been melting Issa's flesh and metal feels like nothing more than a pleasant warmth against my skin. I materialize right in front of her, and I can see the shock in what's left of her eyes.

"You truly remind me of that idiot," I say, projecting my voice directly into her mind. Her ears are long gone, but that's no obstacle for me.

I reach out, plucking the seed from its chaotic dance of energy. The power radiating from it subsides instantly, overwhelmed by my qi. Issa's expression morphs from shock to horror as I pop the seed into my mouth without hesitation.

'Crunch'

The seed disappears between my teeth, its power dispersing through my body like a pleasant tonic. It's a nice little boost, even for someone at my level.

"I hope you'll keep quiet about this!" I say, flashing her a grin.

Before she can react, I activate my concealment array once more. In the blink of an eye, I vanish from sight, leaving behind a stumped and half-melted woman who probably thinks she's just encountered a God.