The soft sunlight filtered through the lush green leaves and touched Punnya's face. The young woman felt a strange sweet fragrance that woke her up. She was lying on the moist grass that was as soft as a good carpet bed. A cool breeze blew by, creating a soft whisper from the leaves that swayed rhythmically.
"Where am I?" Punnya muttered to herself.
"I remember that just now we were... about to pick some fruit from that tree..." She slowly supported herself to sit up, looking around in confusion. The image that appeared in front of her was a vast orchard filled with tall trees. Each tree looked different from the trees she knew. The fruits on those trees were unrealistically brightly colored. Some sparkled like gems. Some gave off a sweet fragrance that made her want to try them.
Punnya stood up slowly. The grass below was so soft that it felt like she was walking on a thick quilt. She walked closer to one of the trees. Her large round eyes stared at the bright red fruit with gold stripes running through it. It looked more beautiful than an ordinary fruit.
"What is this... tree? I've never seen it before..." She reached out to touch the fruit, but suddenly a strong wind blew past, as if trying to stop her.
The whispers from the leaves around her rang out again. This time, it sounded like soft voices. Although she couldn't make out the meaning, it made Punya feel uncomfortable. She stepped back from the tree, her heart beating hard for no reason.
"Am I dreaming? But it feels so real?" She squeezed her arm to prove it, and the slight pain confirmed that she was still awake.
She tried to regain her composure, looking around for the answer, but everything around her seemed more like a scene from a fairy tale than reality. The sky was flawless, the trees were arranged beautifully as if they had been arranged by an artist.
The whispering wind was still there, and this time it seemed to be leading her somewhere. Punya turned in the direction of the sound, and her sight stopped on a narrow path leading into the dense forest.
"Should we follow that path?" She muttered, before deciding to follow the sound, not knowing where the path ahead would take her.
Punya walked along the narrow path paved with fresh green grass that led into the dense forest. The whispering wind that had guided her had stopped, leaving her in a strange silence. She looked at the tall trees and the strange-shaped fruits that seemed to glow in the dark. It was both beautiful and terrifying at the same time.
Suddenly, heavy footsteps came from behind her. She stopped and turned her head in the direction of the sound. Her eyes widened when she saw a young man appear from the shadows of the trees.
The man had a sharp, solemn face. His dark blue eyes looked at her with a cold, wary gaze. He wore a long dress embroidered with silver and gold threads, giving it both an elegant and unusual feel. She had never seen such clothing before.
"Who are you?" His voice was low, deep, and firm, but filled with a pressure that made Punya feel like she was being pressured.
"I... um..." She hesitated, not sure how to answer. "My name is Punya... I don't know what happened. I woke up in this garden, and it was..."
Why was he dressed so strangely, like the hero of a Chinese series...
The young man looked at her with sharp eyes. He crossed his arms and sighed softly, as if he was trying to assess the situation.
"I am Li Shan, the caretaker of this orchard, and I have never been informed that a stranger would appear in this area," he said in a calm tone. But with a hint of distrust.
"This orchard...?" Punya repeated, her eyes filled with doubt. "Do you mean this is a special place? Like... no one can just come in randomly?"
It must be the garden of an influential person!
Li Shan moved a little closer to her, his expression cautious as if he was facing something that shouldn't exist. "Where exactly did you come from? And why did you enter the palace grounds without permission?"
The question confused Punya. She wanted to explain, but her memory of her trip here was hazy. She only remembered that she was in her own smoothie shop with that strange tree, and suddenly found herself in this strange place.
"I don't know... I don't know how I got here," she answered honestly. "By the way... who does this orchard belong to? You just mentioned the palace... or is it..." Her voice trembled slightly.
Li Shan frowned, the seriousness on his face becoming clearer. "You shouldn't be here. This orchard is a sacred place, and each fruit in this orchard is not for ordinary people."
Punya looked at him with confusion. "Why? What are these fruits?" Or is there gold inside?" She asked teasingly, not wanting to be too serious.
"Power." Li Shan replied with only one word, but it was so strong that she felt like she was being pushed closer to the mystery of this place.
Li Shan sighed softly before waving for Punya to follow him. "Follow me. I will show you this place and explain why you shouldn't be here." His tone was cold, but he didn't hold back from giving an answer.
Punya followed him along a path paved with white stones. The path led to a wide courtyard filled with tall trees. On the branches of each tree, fruits of different shapes and colors hung. Some shone as if they had their own light. Some looked simple, but had an intoxicating fragrance.
"This is the royal orchard of the Tianyuan Land," Li Shan began to explain. "This land is a different dimension from your world. Everything here has life and purpose. Even these fruits."
Punya looked around with eyes filled with excitement and curiosity. "The fruits here... are they alive?"
"Yes, but what's more important is the power they have." Li Shan pointed to a fruit that was glowing with a faint green light. "Some fruits can heal wounds with just a touch. Some can strengthen the power of those who eat them. But some can destroy them in the blink of an eye."
With those words, Punya couldn't help but move closer to one of the trees. She could feel the warmth and power radiating from the fruit in front of her.
"Then why do you need to be so careful? If it's so useful..." Punya asked curiously.
"Because every power has its side effects," Li Shan said solemnly. "In the past, someone tried to use the power of these fruits to dominate the Tianyuan Land. It caused a great war, and that's why the royal family had to set strict rules about the use of these fruits."
Punya began to understand the importance of this place, and why Li Shan was so wary of her. "Then I... How can I stay here? I don't want to cause trouble for anyone. I just don't know how to get home."
Li Shan stopped walking and turned to look at her. "I don't know how you got here or whether you can go back. But staying here isn't easy. If you need help, I'll suggest you go see Princess Ling Ya. She might be able to help you."
The name Li Shan mentioned made Punya suspicious. "Princess Ling Ya? Who is she?"
"She is the ruler of this orchard, and she is one of the people who understands the power of fruits the most," Li Shan replied. "But before you meet her, you must prove that you are not our enemy."
Punya felt that his words were firm. She began to realize the complexities and mysteries of this new world, a world filled with magical powers and rules that she had never understood.
But deep down, she began to feel that This world might have something waiting for her, and she must find it.
At that moment, a cool breeze blew through the orchard, causing the branches to tremble. The sound of leaves rustling was like a whisper. Punya followed Li Shan with an indescribable feeling of discomfort.
"Li Shan..." She called his name softly. "You just mentioned the dangers in this orchard. Then... um... what should I be worried about? Tell me."
The gardener stopped walking abruptly. He turned back to look at Punya with a cold gaze. "You're really curious," he said calmly, but there was a hint of caution in his tone. "This Tianyuan Land isn't as beautiful and peaceful as you think."
Punya frowned. "What do you mean? You make me want to go home."
Li Shan sighed, before looking around as if checking to see if anyone was close enough to hear. "Not everyone in the imperial palace is friendly to the newcomer, and not every fruit in this orchard is harmless."
Those words made Punya feel cold all over. She began to realize that the beauty she saw around her might be hiding something dangerous.
"Are you saying that there are people who might see me as an enemy, and some fruits... Maybe it's not just an ordinary fruit?" She asked in disbelief.
"Yes, and I'll tell you briefly, don't trust anyone easily, not even me." Li Shan said in a serious tone. "This palace has thousands of eyes watching, and everyone has their own goals. If you can't go home yet, you have to stay here for a while. Not everyone can enter or leave easily. You might die if you leave the palace without everyone knowing where you're from."
Punya fell silent. She swallowed with difficulty. "Then why did you help me? We just met."
Li Shan didn't answer immediately. He just looked at her with unreadable eyes. "I... I have goals too, and I want something in return from you." He said that before turning around and walking ahead.
As Punya followed him, a strange feeling came over her. She started to notice things that didn't seem right around her. The shadow of something that seemed to be moving in the dark corners. The sweet scent of fruit was starting to turn into a strange pungent smell.
She stopped walking and looked around. "Hey, Li Shan... Don't you feel that it's a bit strange?"
Li Shan stopped walking again, but this time he didn't turn back. He just said softly without looking at her, "I always feel it. Because this place is never safe... especially for someone like you."
Punya felt a growing premonition in her heart. She clenched her fists, trying to figure out what it meant. But before she could ask anything, Li Shan started walking again, this time with a heavier step.
She didn't know how much she could trust Li Shan, but she had no choice but to follow him. As she walked along the path in the orchard, thoughts swirled through her mind, and she began to realize that living in this new world might be harder than she had thought.
"Then what should I do..." She muttered to herself softly, but the question remained unanswered.