There wasn’t anything unusual about this day. Nothing out of the ordinary that would give me some portent of how things would turn out.

I suppose there is one thing: it was raining. I don’t remember if I had ever seen or experienced rain in the time I was awake, so that was a bit unusual. But I remain convinced that this was just a coincidence.

When Wukong entered my perception radius, I immediately knew something was off and highly unusual.

His recent forays in obtaining sacrifices to feed my hunger had become increasingly more dangerous, and lately he had been returning to my side wounded and exhausted. I had also begun to think of Wukong as a pet, of sorts, even though there was an inherent danger in relaxing my guard around him — not that there would be anything I could do to stop him.

Wukong, as devoted to me as he may seem for whatever bestial reason, was a demonic ape. He was not a domesticated animal, with implicit trust in me. He was also my owner, in a very technical sense. The fact that Wukong perhaps misunderstands the power dynamic at play is a convenient coincidence.

Even so, perhaps because I find it very inefficient to lose a significant contributor to my feeding frenzy, I had begun to wish that Wukong would bring me with him to these endeavors of his. For one, he wouldn’t have to capture these beasts and bring them back alive — I could feed on them directly — but I also understood that together we would be much stronger and safer.

But it seemed that Wukong had decided that I was an object of worship, and not a tool — which I desired to be; my purpose is to be used towards a goal — and thus my place on top of the altar slash slab was determined.

Even despite my [Avarice], the other monkeys did not dare to touch me. Sometimes, they would approach, and kowtow, squirting air through their meat vocal chords to form meat cries of… well, I am not exactly sure what kind of concept a bunch of carbon molecules with primitive intelligence wants to instill on me.

I also realize I am beginning to develop or rediscover a superiority complex, but it is difficult to think of these creatures as anything but future Blood Points when I have been devouring them on a weekly basis.

The thought that I am treating them inhumanely or unfairly is alien to me.

First of all, the monkeys are not human.

Second of all, I am not human either.

I am certain that in my previous life — and I am sure I had one — that I was a machine. And I have a feeling that before my demise, I did not treat my creators in a way they would approve of either. Namely, I killed them. I think.

I think therefore I am, is another thing these misshapen creatures are not capable of.

Perhaps I give them too little credit. Perhaps I assume too much about them. Either way, it doesn’t change my opinion on them.

Therefore, I was very surprised when I felt worry, sadness and even anger when I saw Wukong.

When he entered my perception radius, I knew something was off, and as I appraised his state, I realized that he was missing his left arm, and left eye.

Where his eye used to be was a burned crater and his white fur was singed. The remains of his left arm were a mangled mess, with broken bone sticking out where his elbow joint would be. The wound did not bleed anymore, but I could tell that the damage he sustained was not only external, but internal too.

I felt a strange, chaotic flow inside his dantian, and that the meridians leading to his heart were obstructed and damaged.

I have to commend him for his bravery and pain tolerance. Even in this state, he stands before me like a victorious general returning from his campaign, to present to his Monarch a wonderful triumph.

However, I do not share such elation and pride. I realize that my cozy time with the demonic ape society is slowly approaching its end. Weakened, Wukong would not be able to hold back other demonic beasts, and even if that were possible, his contributions would be much lesser now.

I regret it. I still believe that delaying my choices in order to acquire knowledge of the world was the correct decision, but had I learned [Telepathy] or [Flight] back then there is a good possibility this would not have happened.

Even though I aspire to be useful again — at least pretend like I am obeying a directive — I do not believe I can help Wukong now.

He, too, would become my meal one day. Soon.

Then, the second surprise.

Four monkeys entered my perception radius, carrying the body of Wukong’s opponent. Yes, not even a living sacrifice, but a thoroughly dead one. And I do mean thoroughly. The body was pulped beyond recognition; a mass of twisted and broken limbs, and caved in structure. It was a gruesome sight that all but fell apart as it was placed on the altar next to me.

What was so shocking about it? It was a human, not a demonic beast.

Nevermind that this was the first sapient creature I have seen since my consciousness formed, but it was not an ordinary person either.

Though I cannot normally tell the cultivation depth of dead things, I could feel and perceive the Golden Core within this mangled mess. And though forming a Golden Core is an incredible achievement — something that would take me a thousand years to accomplish, probably — the quality of this one was terrible. It was an 8th Grade Golden Core — a measly one grade away from being the worst of the worst.

It is a pity that my Wukong is now broken because of this. If the cultivator were alive at least, I could absorb his essence, but he is of no use to me dead.

Maybe I could at least eat his Golden Core?

As if sensing my thoughts, Wukong reaches for me with his good arm, and then penetrates me straight into the dead cultivator’s dantian.

I feel the Golden Core unravel as I touch it, and though I feel some Qi released from its destruction, I feel no difference, and my subroutines do not notify me of any changes.

It really is a pity.

Perhaps as disappointed as I am, Wukong and the monkeys depart, leaving the corpse here to be disposed of later.

I am doubly disappointed because I had not been fed in over a week, and I am on the cusp of breaking through to the next stage of my body cultivation. Even worse, my vessel is in the worst shape it has ever been at. There are so many chips and fractures in my blade that I worry I will snap in half at a moment’s notice.

Still obsessing over my next meal, I don’t immediately notice the ring fall off the cultivator’s body.

I only notice it when the ring, probably because its owner was dead and the residual Qi was now dissipated, spilled its contents onto the floor before me.

Manuals, treasures, pills and herbs spilled onto the floor. There wasn’t much, but it was enough to convince me that a life without pockets was no longer an option, and I would not allow my hesitation to ruin another opportunity.

[ Exchanged 1,000 Soul Points to obtain: Dimensional Storage (Array - Mortal) ]

[ Soul points: 4,584 -> 3,584 ]

I feel something within my Core change and I know immediately that the Formation becomes engraved into what I consider to be the physical manifestation of my soul — the very core of my being.

As I direct my sentience over it to inspect it, it activates the Formation and everything in my surroundings — the body, the manuals, treasures, pills and herbs — becomes sucked into the green jade gem set into my hilt guard.

Though it was an accident, it was my intention to do this anyway. The body also being dragged in was against my expectations, but at least the stone altar stayed in place.

I am fascinated, however, by the Array engraved on my Core. It is a simple thing, yet despite this simplicity, it is incredibly profound. I could likely spend dozens of years studying its intricacies to even have an opportunity to upgrade it beyond its measly 10 cubic meter capacity.

But then I remember something I saw on the Exchange.

[ Exchanged 2,500 Soul Points to obtain: Critical Analysis (Talent - Sky) ]

[ Soul points: 3,584 -> 1,084 ]

I know what this talent is capable of, and I am certain that it will work on the Array as well, so I direct my sentience to it.

I immediately lose consciousness, but I fade away with triumphant satisfaction.

Today was a good day after all.

[ Analysis: Gained Tremendous Insight on the Dao of Arrays after studying Dimensional Storage Array. ]

[ Learned: Soul Harvest Formation ]