After leaving behind the bizarre clearing that had returned to normal, Duke cautiously traversed the ancient forest for about another hour.
He chose a spot nestled between several extraordinarily large trees, whose roots intertwined to form a natural barrier, with vines above interwoven like a canopy, in an extremely secluded corner.
The terrain here is slightly elevated, making it easier to observe the surroundings, and the intense life energy of the ancient trees provides some cover for the subtle energy fluctuations generated by his own activities.
After setting up several simple witch arrays mainly for early warning and confounding aura, Duke finally allowed himself to relax slightly, transferring his full attention to the astounding bounty within the Space Ring.
Rather than immediately inspecting the carefully placed emerald sapling, he focused his thoughts on the five golden fruits.
