Programmer Within a Cultivation World

Like lavender swaying in a field of flowers, his slumber was serene, untouched by the fear and pain that had plagued him for days. 

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, he rested without worry.

Hours went by.

The icy, boundless black of night gave way to the soft golden tones of morning. Sunlight poured through the cave's small opening, sending glimmering rays on the wet stone floor. Dewdrops hung on the leaves outside, shining as they dripped, falling with soft, light plops.

Abel's thick eyelids opened slowly.

He breathed a slow sigh, feeling relief flood through him. No one had troubled him. No creatures had descended for his life. He had survived the night.

But as his eyes accommodated the faint light of the cave, they opened wide in astonishment.

Somehow, he had not seen it previously, too spent to register it.

Now, in the still morning light, he saw it—

A glowing blue light filled the small cavern, a soft, otherworldly radiance beating like a heart in the dark. It was not blinding, but instead a soft, hollowish light that seemed to hold a hint of mystery.

And at its center stood the source.

Not a gemstone.

Not a crystal.

But a plant.

Its leaves were abnormally motionless, but its branches hung with hanging spheres of light—fruits that glimmered like miniature stars, their radiance beating in an otherworldly rhythm.

Abel edged a little closer.

"Is that… a fruit?" he whispered, his throat dry and scratchy.

Swallowing over his dry throat, he got a closer view. His eyes rested on the shining orbs, their gentle luminescence captivating. Hunger nagged at him, but he held back.

His body was frail. Far too frail.

When he had expended his Life Essence to heal himself, it had cost him dearly. He could sense it now—his skin, which had been smooth like jade, was now rough and dead. His once-strong body had shrunk, his vitality lost.

His body no longer felt like a young man's.

But he suppressed those thoughts.

"At least I survived."

Shaking his head, he stumbled towards the peculiar plant. Unsteady steps defined his pace, yet determination propelled him ahead.

This time, he would be careful.

He had learned his lesson—blind faith could kill him. Looking around, he scanned for any danger lurking nearby. He waited. Listened.

Nothing.

Convinced it was safe—at least, for the moment—he reached out towards the shimmering fruit.

As he took a step forward, something extraordinary occurred.

The light grew brighter.

With every inch he covered, a sense of warmth pervaded his being, gentle yet unmistakable. It wasn't Qi, nor was it Life Essence, yet it possessed a palpable energy.

A warm comfort, a mother's hug.

It wasn't healing his wounds, not directly—but it was repairing something deeper, something invisible.

The air was filled with a soft hum.

Abel let out his breath. Gradually, warily, he lifted his hand.

There was a quiet *snap*, and the fruit released from its branch.

He looked at it in wonder.

"What… is this?"

He combed through his splintered memories, trying to remember something about a fruit such as this, but his mind remained blank.

The fruit that had grown it gradually grew dim, its glow withholding as if depleted.

Abel's throat parched with dryness, and his belly growled with hunger. Instinct urged him to bite, but prudence restrained him.

He pulled off a small morsel of the fruit instead, pinching between his fingers.

*Crunch.*

The noise was precise, dainty.

"Whoa… it resembles a shining dragon fruit," he whispered, admiring its texture. It was free of seeds, but the flesh was juicy and soft. A single droplet of its shimmering nectar dropped onto the ground.

Something occurred.

When the juice was placed in the soil, the ground around it transformed.

The previously dull soil became fertile and colorful, and in a matter of seconds, a tiny green sprout appeared where the drop had touched the ground.

Abel was too caught up in his wonder to notice.

Rather, he took another cautionary step—he rubbed a small piece of the fruit against his skin and waited. Minutes ticked by.

Nothing was the result. No rashes, no burns, no ill effect.

A spark of hope ignited in his chest. 

"It's probably safe to eat."

But he wasn't about to risk everything just yet. 

Slowly, cautiously, he touched the fruit to his tongue. 

The moment it made contact— 

His entire body shivered. His eyes widened. 

And then— 

'"Aghh!! It's… it's…"

His voice trembled. His body stiffened.

And then, at the top of his lungs—

*"DELICIOUS!!"*

Abel's cry reverberated throughout the cave.

Never. Never in both his lives had he ever experienced anything so heavenly.

The taste—he couldn't even put it into words. Sweet, but not cloying. Fresh, but not insipid. Taste and feeling perfectly balanced, pumping a tide of heat through his hungry body.

Without hesitation, he took an enormous bite. 

Then another. 

And another. 

In a few seconds, the fruit was nothing, consumed in three bites. 

And when he swallowed the final morsel— 

A strange energy coursed through him. 

A deep, rich light enfolded his body. 

The cave seemed to shimmer with a fierce blue light, radiating and powerful. 

Then—

Abel's body became utterly still.