Gardener of Eden

Chapter 94: Chapter 94: Recovery

Rowan opened his eyes as golden morning sunlight flooded his bedroom through the heavy curtains. Checking the wall clock, it read 11:00 AM. For a young cultivator accustomed to rising at the first break of dawn, sleeping in this late was practically unheard of. But after the relentless gauntlet of the past month—climbing raw floors in the Tower, competing in the grueling Academy Exhibition Tournament, and navigating three exhausting hours of high-court politics yesterday—his body and mind had desperately needed this complete reset.

Yawning deeply, Rowan sat up, feeling a renewed wave of vigor coursing through his meridians. His mana core felt exceptionally stable, fully refreshed by a deep night’s rest and the lingering primordial aura from his midnight session inside [Domain: The Virgin Soil].

Dressing in comfortable, loose farming attire rather than his crisp Sol-Aethel uniform, Rowan grabbed his trusted Enchanted Straw Hat from the bedside table and headed downstairs. The cozy, comforting scent of roasted garlic, seared spirit-meats, and freshly baked bread met him halfway down the staircase.

In the sunlit kitchen, Martha Vance was seated at the dining table, surrounded by three glowing communication slates that were chiming continuously. His father, Arthur, was leaning against the counter sipping hot tea, chuckling softly at his wife’s overwhelmed expression.

”Well, look who finally decided to join the living,” Arthur joked with a warm smile, clapping Rowan heavily on the shoulder as he walked in. ”We were starting to think the champion of the empire had fallen under a sleeping curse.”

”A month of continuous rift clearing and capital banquets will do that to you,” Rowan chuckled, pouring himself a mug of warm herbal tea. ”Morning, Mom.”

Martha looked up from her slates, letting out a long, dramatic sigh, though a proud smile tugged at her lips. ”Morning, dear. You certainly weren’t exaggerating yesterday. My inbox has been completely overwhelmed since seven this morning! High Lords, S-rank Guild Masters, and regional trade syndicates are all practically begging for priority supply contracts with Eden International.”

She held up one slate displaying hundreds of unread trade proposals. ”They don’t care about our waiting list anymore, Rowan. Once word got out that you revived an extinct primordial peach tree at the Royal Estate, every major faction on the continent wants a piece of our harvest.”

Rowan took a slow, satisfying sip of tea, his eyes glinting with calm confidence under the brim of his hat. ”Let them wait just a little longer. Now that I’m fully rested, we can start setting up our true expansion right here at Sunny Vale.”

***

Reaching into his spatial inventory with a smooth flick of his wrist, Rowan produced a single, stunning fruit. Resting in his palm was a massive Ancestral Peach, easily three times the size of standard produce. Its velvet skin shimmered with a soft, radiant pink hue, and the moment it hit the open air of the kitchen, an intoxicating, sweet floral aroma swept through the entire house.

The continuous chiming of Martha’s communication slates seemed to fade into the background as both of his parents froze, staring in absolute wonder. The sheer concentration of uncorrupted primordial vitality emanating from the fruit made the air around the kitchen table feel crisp, light, and alive.

”Here, Mom,” Rowan said with a gentle smirk, sliding the heavy fruit carefully into her hands. ”Take a knife, cut it open, and share it with Dad. You both deserve a taste of what the capital was making such a fuss about.”

Martha held the peach like a fragile piece of imperial porcelain, marveling at its gentle warmth before retrieving a broad kitchen knife. The instant the steel edge pierced the velvety skin, a golden, nectar-like juice welled up, releasing a fresh burst of fragrant mana that made Arthur’s eyes widen.

Slicing two thick portions, Martha passed one to her husband and took a bite of her own.

The reaction was immediate. The moment the fruit touched their tongues, a wave of profound culinary bliss rushed over them, followed instantly by a soothing surge of raw creation vitality. The rich nectar washed down their throats, radiating a gentle warmth that spread directly into their mana channels. Years of accumulated physical fatigue from working the farm seemed to melt away in seconds; Martha’s pale skin regained a youthful, rosy flush, while Arthur let out a deep, contented breath as a comfortable vigor settled into his chest.

”Heavens...” Arthur gasped, staring down at his half-eaten slice with wide, disbelieving eyes. ”Rowan... this isn’t just delicious. I feel like I just took a bath in a high-tier recovery elixir!”

Martha swallowed softly, looking between her son and the glowing fruit with newfound awe. ”No wonder those high lords were offering millions...” She let out a breathless, joyful laugh, shaking her head. ”If this is the standard of what Eden International is offering the world, Rowan... we aren’t just starting a farm. We’re going to change the entire empire.”

Rowan smiled warmly, adjusting the brim of his hat as his parents savored every remaining bite. ”And this is just the beginning.”

***

As the golden nectar settled deep into Arthur’s chest, his hands trembled slightly—not from weakness, but from the sudden, familiar hum of energy stirring beneath his skin. For years, the dull, phantom ache in his chest had been a constant reminder of the crippled mana circuits that had shattered during his younger days, ending any hopes he had of a proper path as a cultivator.

Martha looked at her husband, her eyes brimming with a mix of emotional relief and quiet joy. ”Your father’s latest checkup at the clinic... the head healer was completely speechless, Rowan,” she said softly, placing a tender hand over Arthur’s arm. ”For months, we thought he was just regaining his color because of the fresh air and lighter workload here at Sunny Vale. But the diagnostic arrays showed something no physician in Sol-Aethel could explain.”

”My mana circuits are regenerating,” Arthur murmured, his voice thick with emotion as he stared down at his palms. ”The healer ran three separate scans just to be sure. Circuits that were supposed to be permanently scarred and dead are showing active signs of repair. The long-term consumption of our domain-grown crops—and that pure primordial elixir you’ve been sneaking into our drinking pitcher—has been quietly rebuilding my foundation from the inside out.”

Rowan listened quietly, a profound sense of warmth blooming in his heart. While the high lords in the capital lusted after ancestral fruits for strength, prestige, and political leverage, knowing that his harvest was actively restoring his father’s health was worth more than every platinum coin in the imperial vault.

The ancestral peach he had just shared was clearly acting as a powerful catalyst. As the primordial vitality washed through Arthur’s system, the lingering blockages in his chest loosened further, allowing a clean, effortless flow of mana to circulate through his chest for the first time in over a decade.

”You won’t just be recovering, Dad,” Rowan said, stepping forward with a resolute smile and placing a hand on his father’s shoulder. ”With the Vessel of the Eternal Tide now primed with primordial life liquid, I can cultivate targeted, high-grade medicinal herbs right here on the farm. Before this year is out, we’re going to fully restore your mana circuits back to their absolute peak.”

Arthur let out a hearty, breathless laugh, wiping a stray tear from his eye before clapping Rowan’s hand tightly. ”A champion son and a miracle farm... I suppose I better get used to feeling twenty years younger.”