24. Blood hunt
When Mei Lin returned to snail's shell, she headed straight to the bathroom, where she took a bath. As she washed up, she remained submerged in the water, thinking about what her master said. 'Even after becoming a cultivator, I can't stand a chance even against non-cultivation.' Throughout her life, she had been physically weak and hadn't engaged in much physical activity. It wasn't until she and Li Wei went to find herbs that she began working out. Lost in her thoughts, she submerged herself into her cultivation sea.
In her lower dantian, where her cultivation sea was located, Mei Lin noticed that the natural energy inside had decreased compared to the once she extracted all her blood into it, leaving only a small amount of natural energy at the bottom. However, compared to the last time, the layer of natural energy at the bottom was slightly larger. This was due to her progress in cultivation progress. After bathing for a few hours, Mei Lin remembered that she had forgotten to retrieve a bottle containing the blood that her master had collected. Upon leaving the bathroom, she went to her master and asked for her blood.
Upon leaving the bathroom, Mei Lin made her way to her master's side and respectfully requested the bottle containing her collected blood. As she awaited her master's response, Mei Lin's mind wandered, contemplating the significance of the blood and its potential uses in her cultivation journey.
The bottle of blood held invaluable importance to Mei Lin, serving as a crucial resource for her cultivation practices. With each drop of blood contained within, Mei Lin recognized the opportunity to further enhance her cultivation progress and unlock new levels of power.
As she stood before her master, Mei Lin's anticipation grew, eager to reclaim the precious bottle and continue her pursuit of catching Li Wei. She knew that every resource, no matter how small, played a vital role in her journey toward becoming a formidable cultivator.
After bowing to her master, she sat on the cultivation mat. "Master, can you give me back the bottle with my blood? I want to collect as much of my blood as I can, so I can use it in the future."
"Of course, but what will you do with it? I read that I can use my blood in cultivation or fight with it." "Very good. I hope you will reach the first stage as fast as you can. You have already spent more than two months to reach the first stage. It's not too long with your cultivation potential. Next time you come here, I will teach you to play chess. It's good for your strategic thinking. You are too straightforward, and you lack experience. Now, go back and cultivate."
After Mei Lin went back to her room, she sat on the cultivation mat and looked inside the storage ring. She discovered that she had probably fifty or so spirit fruits. "I have only a few spirit fruits left. I need to advance until I eat them all. Master will surely do something dangerous to me again if I ask for more." Mei Lin without wasting any more time, sat on the cultivation mat, closed her eyes, and entered the cultivation state.
*****
Fifty days later, early in the morning, Mei Lin woke up from her sleep. She hadn't managed to reach the first stage yet, she was at eighty percent of condensing spirit energy into the first wisp. After waking up, she went to take a bath, preparing to ask her master for another spirit fruit.
Fifty days had passed since Mei Lin embarked on her relentless cultivation journey, yet her progress remained just shy of the coveted first stage. Despite her unwavering dedication and tireless efforts, she found herself at eighty percent of condensing her first wisp of natural energy to truly become first stage BT cultivator.
After waking up, she went to take a bath, preparing to ask her master for another spirit fruit. Though the path ahead was fraught with challenges and uncertainties, Mei Lin was not very happy that she ran out of spirit fruits and needed to go to her master to ask for more. She still clearly remembered what happened last time, and what will master had prepared for her this time.
Mei Lin came to the top of the snail's shell and bowed to the master and sat on the cultivation mat. "Master I didn't manage to break through the first stage. I am at the late stage of becoming the first stage. Yes, I know. Do you want anything else?" Mei Lin knew that her master knew that she ran out of spirit fruits, so without further she answered. "Yes, I don't have any spirit fruits left. Can you give me more?" Just as Mei Li was preparing herself to hear the cruel answer, the master answered. "No, you need hunt to in the forest and find something for yourself. I don't have more spirit fruits. I don't need to eat, so there is no reason to keep them around." Mei Lin was surprised. "Thank you, master." Mei Lin bowed down and left.
After preparing in her room by packing all her books, a small crystal knife, and a tea set into her storage ring, Mei Lin went to the bathroom to fill it with water. She wasn't sure if she could find water along the way, so it was better to have some with her.
With her belongings carefully packed and her storage ring filled with essentials, Mei Lin bid her master farewell, her heart heavy with anticipation for the journey ahead. Stepping out into the cool morning air, she set her sights on the dense forest where the snail awaited her.
Choosing a path at random, Mei Lin ventured deeper into the forest. Every step brought her closer to the unknown, yet she embraced the uncertainty with a quiet resolve, trusting in her strength to catch some wild animals or find something else to eat.
As she disappeared into the depths of the forest, Mei Lin was not very happy that she would have to roam deep inside, because something would certainly not go as planned. She immediately started to think about Lu Wei and their journey to collect herbs for winter.
*****
Mei Lin proceeded cautiously, not moving at a fast. After all, she had spent a considerable amount of time inside her room and hadn't taken a long walk in the forest. Being a cultivator still didn't come naturally to her, so she found solace and enjoyment in being in the forest after such a long time. After more than a month of not moving as usual, her body was stiff.
Despite her lack of speed, she found solace in the tranquility of the forest, the rustle of leaves and the chirping of birds a welcome melody to her ears. As she walked, Mei Lin allowed herself to soak in the sights and sounds of the woodland around her, savoring the feeling of being immersed in nature once more. The cool breeze kissed her cheeks, and the dappled sunlight filtered through the canopy above, casting a gentle glow on the forest floor.
In this moment of quiet reflection, Mei Lin felt a sense of peace wash over her. Unlike in the vicinity of her master natural energy wasn't so presented in the forest, but when she stopped and tried to cultivate, she found, that natural energy here was much different. Natural energy felt more comfortable around her, even if absorption speed wasn't as fast as in her room.
Not long after, Mei Lin stumbled upon a mushroom. After closer inspection, she realized they were all inedible. While cultivators could consume them, Mei Lin decided to leave them be and find edible ones. She was aware that her mission from her master was to find food.
An hour later, Mei Lin finally came across edible mushrooms. She picked some and stowed them inside her ring. However, she soon realized that she didn't have anything for cooking.
Mei Lin paused to consider her options. Without cooking utensils only with ingredients the mushrooms, she had just gathered, preparing a meal would be a challenge.
Continuing her journey, Mei Lin searched for suitable materials to fashion makeshift cooking tools. Unfortunately, her exploration led her to discover traces of blood on the ground. Intrigued and concerned, she began studying the area, tracking the path of the blood like a mosquito searching for prey. If someone happened to observe her, they might mistake her intense focus for madness. Nonetheless, Mei Lin persisted in her investigation, determined to understand the source of the blood.
As Mei Lin followed the trail of blood, her senses heightened, alert to any potential danger lurking nearby. She moved cautiously, stepping lightly as she tracked the crimson stains through the dense foliage.
With each step, Mei Lin's curiosity mingled with a growing sense of apprehension. 'Who or what had left this trail of blood? Was someone injured, or was there a more sinister explanation behind the crimson marks?'
As she ventured deeper into the forest, Mei Lin wanted to go back, but if she managed to find some animals, she would have a lot of food a could go back. She remained vigilant, ready to defend herself if necessary, as she followed the trail to its source, her heart pounding with a mixture of anticipation and fear.
Not long after, Mei Lin discovered more traces of blood a few meters away. She quickly retrieved the empty bottle from her storage ring and started gathering the fresh blood from the leaves just in case that blood was from the cultivator. The blood's freshness suggested that whoever or whatever had lost it hadn't ventured far. Intrigued and cautious, Mei Lin continued to collect the blood, her senses alert for any signs of danger nearby.
With each drop of blood she collected, Mei Lin's determination to uncover the truth grew stronger. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this mysterious trail than met the eye. As she continued to follow it, her senses on high alert, Mei Lin prepared herself for whatever she might find at the trail's end.
Mei Lin began tracking the blood trail, and soon she realized that she could sense a faint glow where the blood was present. This made it easier to locate the source, which was not too far away, just a meter ahead. With this newfound aid, she continued to follow the blood path for more than half an hour, all the while keeping an eye out for herbs and berries along the way. Although Mei Lin wasn't particularly efficient at anything, she felt no urgency, allowing her to focus intently on her pursuit. With determination, she hunted her first prey relentlessly.
After tracking for another half an hour, Mei Lin found her target. It was a small bandit group comprising six bandits and over ten slaves in chains. She observed that none of them were cultivators, yet the sight still filled her with fear. Realizing the danger of the situation, she slowly and quietly started backing away, deciding to leave them to their fate. Despite her strength, Mei Lin understood the risks involved and chose not to intervene.
Mei Lin's heart raced as she observed the bandit group from a safe distance. The sight of the helpless slaves weighed heavily on her conscience, but she knew that confronting the bandits alone would be foolish and very dangerous. With a heavy heart, she made the difficult decision to retreat and leave them to their fates.
As she silently retreated, Mei Lin couldn't shake the feeling of guilt gnawing at her. She vowed to herself that she would find a way to help those slaves, but for now, her priority was her safety.
As Mei Lin was backing away, she suddenly collided with an obstruction behind her. Confused, she knew there was nothing there, yet she felt a presence. Turning around, she was startled to find another bandit looming over her. He wasn't a cultivator, but his towering height and muscular build instilled fear in Mei Lin. A sinister smile crept across his face as he began to lower his pants. Reacting swiftly, Mei Lin turned around, summoning a crystal knife into her small hand. In comparison to the giant bandit, who stood over two meters tall, Mei Lin appeared diminutive, resembling a little child. Before his pants could fall to the ground, Mei Lin decisively slashed at him with her knife.
Mei Lin's swift reaction caught the bandit off guard, and he let out a howl of pain as the crystal knife sliced off his big tool of love.
Blood sprayed over Mei Lin as the bandit was swiftly struck down, leaving him with only half of his instrument in his hand. Startled and horrified, the bandit let out a piercing scream, alerting his companions. Rushing to his aid, the other bandits were met with a gruesome sight, unsure of how to react.
Amid the chaos, Mei Lin, overwhelmed and repulsed by the blood covering her, panicked and fled from the bandits. As Mei Lin fled from the scene, her heart raced with fear and disgust. The sensation of the bandit's blood coating her skin sent shivers down her spine, and she was desperate to rid herself of the repulsive feeling.
She had no interest in collecting the blood from her fallen assailant, instead, she found it repulsive and disgusting. With every drop of blood clinging to her, Mei Lin's urgency to escape intensified, consumed by a primal instinct to flee from the horrifying scene.
As Mei Lin fled from the scene, her heart raced with fear and disgust. The sensation of the bandit's blood coating her skin sent shivers down her spine, and she was desperate to rid herself of the repulsive feeling.
With her heart pounding in her chest, Mei Lin sprinted through the forest, putting as much distance as possible between herself and the bandits. She didn't dare look back, afraid that they might be chasing after her. All she could think about was finding a place to wash off the blood and regain her composure.