The Core condensed its mana into invisible threads and wove them through the air into various shapes, not quite spells but getting there. The action wasn't fueled by any sort of intent other than to get rid of the unrest plaguing it as it watched the Invaders rest and recuperate.
It's not like it didn't expect anybody to get that far. It was a dungeon, and those were meant to be invaded. Adventurers, or in this instance cultivators, could even get to its final room, the one housing its core, and it would be fine as long as they didn't destroy it. So, it was perfectly normal that they got this far, and there was nothing to worry about.
They got through the Foliage Shaper, which would eventually turn into routine for itself and the Invaders as they dwelled more. She wasn't even the final boss. There were two more after her, each of them stronger than the last, as was proper for a dungeon. The weak floors were there to get rid of your guard and energy at the start, while the stronger floors were placed deeper within to rid you of your life.
That placement meant that not everybody would be stupid enough to retreat or die before getting to the 7th floor. Someone was going to do that eventually! It was to be expected.
One of the Invaders shifted, Ze Yongrui, it recalled from the memories of his dead comrades, and the threads grew faster in their shape-shifting. The lesser rain spirits must have been bored, although The Core didn't bother to actually check, as they decided to float in tandem with the tendrils, causing the clouds to reflect what it was purposefully keeping hidden.
The change put the Cultivator standing guard on edge, which filled The Core with a pleasant feeling.
The feeling would have been much more pleasant if they were all dead, but it couldn't do that just because they got the farthest out of everyone else. It was certain the first proper party sent here would have gotten the farthest if they actually descended properly instead of disbanding and returning, except for The Only One. But it died to the Foliage Shaper. The reason for such a quick death when even the current, presumably weaker, humans were faring much better was unknown.
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Maybe it could test out its monster that was its copy? It should do that now; there is nothing stopping it. There aren't any active threats, except maybe for the one Invader that left the group that is currently on the 4th floor.
But it's not advancing anymore; instead, it seems to be taking soil from different points of the floor. It seemed to do this on every floor it was on, including collecting the water.
The Core could understand taking plants, mundane animals, and even monsters, as it could see some use for all of that. But such a meager amount of soil and water? Why bother?
Regardless, its confusion over that didn't make it stop focusing less on the Invaders in the deepest part of itself, who were still resting and therefore not threats.
The Leader of the expedition opened its eyes, maybe or maybe not completing its meditation; it couldn't see qi. As if receiving some unspoken signal, the one guarding the team popped a pill into its mouth and started meditating, seamlessly switching guard duty.
The threads shifted into an almost fire spell, but not quite, for if they were any closer, the lesser rain spirits would have scattered as they didn't like the Fire Element; instead, they swooped along the pattern, delighted.
The Leader didn't seem particularly on edge due to the shifting cloud patterns, only moderately cautious; although after a while of nothing of importance happening, even that disappeared.
The third member of the party entered a state of light sleep. The Core saw how its breathing patterns changed and the muscles relaxed. It would be disoriented for a few seconds should anything happen.
But nothing would happen, for if The Core decided to sic the monsters of the floor on them, then the Sect might get suspicious, and souring its relationship with the one force currently supplying it fresh points wouldn't end in anything good.
The Core didn't have anything to do on this floor. Even if it couldn't repair the previous floors to guarantee their death, once again because of the threat of a strong party sent to destroy its core, it still could do .
Check with the Foliage Shaper; she has more qi as well as a way to replenish it, although the speed of that depends entirely on the quantity and quality of invaders. So having her try spells will be feasible later. Now, it could look at how exactly her mana circulation system differs from that of humans, what with her seamlessly incorporating qi into her system. It could be entirely a willpower thing, but it wouldn't hurt to confirm.
The current guard adjusted its hand on the sword guard; the tendrils formed an almost ice lance, and the Water Spirits vibrated with joy as the clouds thickened from the burst of frost.
Or maybe not.
