The stars twinkled gently above as Su Jiyai, Qin Feng, and Xi Ping curled up inside a small cave nestled behind tall glowing vines.
The day had been long, packed with wild battles, new flavors, and surprise power-ups. Their stomachs were full, their legs sore, and even Xi Ping was too tired to talk.
"This cave’s not bad," Su Jiyai mumbled, lying on her side with a soft yawn. "Comfy... kind of."
"It slls like mushrooms," Xi Ping muttered sleepily.
Qin Feng leaned against the wall, arms crossed, already drifting into light sleep. "Just rest. We leave at dawn."
Minutes passed, and the quiet forest outside was filled with the usual night sounds—chirping bugs, distant splashes, and the soft hum of wind.
But suddenly... CRAAACK!!
A loud, sharp snap echoed through the trees. Then another. CRUNCH! SMASH!
Su Jiyai’s eyes flew open. She sat up quickly, wolf ears twitching in alert.
"What was that?" Xi Ping whispered, blinking sleepily.
Su Jiyai sniffed the air. Her nose scrunched. "Sothing’s wrong... Do you sll that?"
Xi Ping stood and sniffed. "It slls kinda... burnt? No... it’s like spicy tal?"
"Exactly," Su Jiyai said, eyes narrowing. "That scent—it’s resistant to animals. Like sothing poisonous or super powerful is leaking out."
Qin Feng opened his eyes and stood, his tone serious. "That’s not a normal sll. It might be a beast going berserk... or worse."
Xi Ping’s eyes widened. "You an... like a beast tide?!"
"Or maybe a treasure’s awakening," Su Jiyai guessed, excitent blooming in her chest.
The three of them exchanged looks.
"Let’s check it out," Qin Feng said.
"I’m already running!" Xi Ping shouted, teleporting a few ters ahead.
"Wait for us!" Su Jiyai yelled, and the trio dashed through the glowing woods, chasing the strange, spicy-tallic scent.
They followed the path for nearly ten minutes, trees rustling as frightened animals darted away from the direction they were heading. Su Jiyai could hear birds screeching in the sky, and strange beast calls echoing from the distance.
Then finally, the trees opened up—and what they saw made them stop in their tracks.
"What... is that?" Xi Ping whispered, eyes wide.
In the middle of a glowing crater, surrounded by scorched earth and cracked rocks, was a giant silver fruit.
No, not a fruit exactly.
It looked like a smooth tallic egg, half-buried in the ground, with pulsing red and blue lines across its surface. Around it, the air shimred like heat waves, and tiny lightning sparks crackled across the nearby stones.
But the strangest thing?
Beasts were bowing to it.
Not attacking. Not running away. But kneeling.
Dozens of strange animals, big and small, lined up in a circle around the egg-fruit, quietly growling or humming low sounds.
Su Jiyai’s system dinged in her head.
[Treasure Detected: Elental Heart Core - Stage 1 Awakening]
"Elental... Heart Core?" Su Jiyai repeated, stunned.
Her system responded again.
[This treasure contains the essence of elental balance. If absorbed or refined, it can give birth to a new ability or awaken a hidden trait. Warning: The treasure is incomplete.]
Qin Feng stared at the scene. "No wonder the beasts are acting strange. They can sense its power."
Xi Ping stepped forward, whispering, "It looks... like a giant fruit. What if it tastes good?"
Su Jiyai gave her a side-eye. "You just want to eat it."
"It might help us level up again!" Xi Ping protested.
Qin Feng narrowed his eyes. "We shouldn’t rush in. The beasts are calm now, but if we make a move—"
Suddenly, BOOM!
A giant red gorilla beast with glowing fists slamd the ground near the treasure and let out a mighty roar. All the kneeling beasts turned wild, their eyes glowing bright yellow.
"They’re protecting it!" Su Jiyai shouted.
The trio jumped back as the beasts surged forward. Claws, horns, and sharp teeth flew at them.
"I guess we’re doing this the hard way!" Xi Ping yelled, already teleporting mid-air.
Qin Feng summoned a wind tornado, blowing three beasts into the air and smashing them into the trees.
The battle was intense. The beasts weren’t as strong as the panther or the turtle, but they were many, and they were furious.
After what felt like forever, the final beast—a glowing deer with tal hooves—collapsed.
The field was silent again.
Breathing heavily, Su Jiyai stepped toward the core.
The egg pulsed. It felt alive.
Qin Feng put a hand on his blade. "Be careful."
Su Jiyai crouched down beside it and gently placed her hand on the cool surface.
ZAAAP!
A small bolt of lightning ran up her arm, and her eyes glowed silver for a second.
DING!
[Touch Accepted: Host may now begin trial of Elental Heart Core.]
"Huh?" Su Jiyai blinked.
"What happened?" Xi Ping asked, peeking over her shoulder.
Su Jiyai grinned, a bit breathless. "It accepted . I think... I think it chose as the trial host."
Qin Feng raised an eyebrow. "That’s big."
Xi Ping spun in a circle. "Wait! Does that an YOU get all the power?!"
"Not all. It said ’trial.’ That ans I need to prove myself first."
"And then?" Xi Ping asked.
Su Jiyai’s smile widened.
"Then maybe... I’ll awaken sothing new."
Xi Ping’s eyes sparkled with excitent.
"Can I touch it too?" she asked eagerly, stepping closer to Su Jiyai.
Su Jiyai smiled and nodded. "Sure. Since the three of us ca to this weird dinsion together, the spoils will be split into three parts. Whoever earns more... gets more."
Hearing that, Xi Ping’s eyes blazed with energy. "Ga on!" she grinned and placed her hand on the tallic surface.
ZAAAP!
A spark ran up her arm, and her eyes glowed for a second.
DING!
[Touch Accepted: Participant registered. Trial will begin shortly.]
Su Jiyai turned to Qin Feng next. "Your turn. Let’s see if you’re brave enough."
Qin Feng shook his head coolly. "There’s no need."
But Su Jiyai’s smirk widened. "What, scared? Or do you think I’ll lose if you join?"
Qin Feng raised an eyebrow. He did think that.
After all, with his power to copy abilities through a single drop of blood, he could match almost anyone.
Unlike Su Jiyai, who relied on a handful of powers.
But Su Jiyai leaned in closer and whispered with a teasing grin, "Tell you what... if you manage to make that egg accept you as its master, I’ll even give you a blow job."
Qin Feng blinked.
Paused.
And imdiately walked to the egg and touched it without another word.
ZAAAP!
He too got the glow, and the ssage:
DING!
[Touch Accepted: Participant registered. Trial will begin shortly.]
Su Jiyai chuckled under her breath. n really do think with their lower body, she thought.
Xi Ping, who couldn’t hear their whispers, just rolled her eyes. "You guys are acting weird again."
Su Jiyai grinned but said nothing.
Then—
BOOM!
A loud voice echoed in all three of their minds.
[Participants accepted. Trial of the Heart will begin now. First stage: ntal Demons.]
Before they could even blink, everything around them faded.
The trees. The egg. The ground.
Everything turned black.
..................................
Su Jiyai opened her eyes.
The sll of cheap cigarettes filled the air.
She was back in a dimly lit room. The wallpaper was peeling, and the only light ca from a flickering bulb.
Her heart froze.
She rembered this place.
It was the room where her adoptive father had first tried to touch her in ways no one should.
She looked at her hands—small and trembling.
She was back in her child form.
The door creaked open, and a tall, greasy man stepped in. His eyes were cold. His lips curled into a fake smile.
"Well, Jiyai," he said, "Let’s spend so special ti together."
But Su Jiyai didn’t tremble.
Not this ti.
Her grown-up thoughts stayed with her, even in her small body. She rembered everything that happened next. She rembered how scared she was. How trapped.
But now? She wasn’t scared anymore.
"Not this ti," she said coldly.
The man stepped closer.
But Su Jiyai clenched her fists and SLAPPED him across the face with all her strength.
SMACK!
Then she KICKED him in the gut. "You monster!"
The man stumbled back.
The rage in her heart, locked up for years, burst out like fire. "You are NOTHING. You don’t own . You don’t scare . You’re already DEAD to ."
And with those words, the scene cracked like glass.
She blinked and found herself in a quiet garden.
Two blurred figures stood ahead, glowing gently. She couldn’t see their faces. But their voices were soft and warm.
"...One day, we’ll find you," said one.
"...We’re sorry we couldn’t stay," said the other. "But we made sure your childhood would be safe. Little one, once we find you, we will make up for all the years you have lived alone."
Su Jiyai felt her throat tighten. Who were they? Why did she suddenly feel so sad?
However, since she had never seen them, Su Jiyai only calmly said,
"I don’t know you."
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