18. New home

The deity pulled out something from a thin air and gave it to Mei Lin, a crystal. "What is it?" Mei Lin asked. "This crystal is infused with reading knowledge. You need to use your spirit sense, and the knowledge inside will enter your mind, allowing you to learn. Can I use it right now?" Mei Lin inquired. "You will first enter the cultivation state and then use it. That way, you can easily absorb it. After that, the crystal will be destroyed."

After that, Mei Lin bowed and prepared to sit down and start cultivating, but she was stopped again. "You can go inside. Go to the only door inside. This will be your cultivation place from now on. And take a bath, you smell disgusting." Mei Lin bow down and replied, "Yes master."

She bowed gracefully and moved to the side of the snail's shell, where doors awaited her descent. Contemplating how she would navigate the entrance, a crystal staircase began materializing from the shell. Inhaling deeply, she positioned herself against the door and entered with determination.

What lay before her left Mei Lin utterly astonished. Inside the shell unfolded a realm entirely distinct from its exterior. A multitude of books adorned the space, and the room seemed impossibly spacious within the confines of the snail's shell. Everything exuded an air of ancient magic. At the center, within a marked circle, laying a doll-like figure. Resembling the deity but lacking a discernible face, it captivated Mei Lin's attention. She attempted to recall her master's features but found the details slipping away. Frustrated by the fleeting memories, she started to dwell on it but swiftly ceased the pursuit of that thought.

Having scanned her surroundings without spotting Li Wei, Mei Lin directed herself toward the sole white door in the space. The door bore a stark simplicity, devoid of patterns or distinctive emblems. Standing directly before it, she summoned her courage and pushed the doors open. In an instant, the once neutral doors transformed into a deep, bloody red and swung wide.

The interior space proved significantly more compact than the initial room, measuring approximately four by four meters. The room was equipped with a cultivation mat, a sleeping bed, a small desk bearing a tea set, and a few windows. Pristine and uncluttered, this room lacked the abundance of books found in the previous chamber.

Atop the cultivation mat rested a robe made of silken, bloody-red fabric and a matching red ring. Mei wasted no time and approached the mat, lifting the robe for closer inspection. The garment held an exceptional beauty, marking her first cultivation robe, and she instantly fell in love with its allure. Before she could attempt to don it, a series of knocks echoed at the door. Mei carefully set the robe aside and went to open the door, revealing her master standing before her.

"Do you like the room?" Mei started blushing and nodded. "First, go take a shower and then cultivate."

Suddenly, Mei Lin found herself teleported into her room, the doors swiftly closing behind her, and the once-red doors now devoid of color. She cast a curious gaze at the now plain doors. After a brief moment, they swung open once more, unveiling a spacious bathroom adorned with a small pool. Mei Lin began scrutinizing the sudden transformation of the interior, but before she could react, an unknown force propelled her inside and sealed the door.

Mei Lin surveyed the expansive bathhouse, finding herself in an environment larger than any she had experienced before. Deciding to indulge in the luxurious setting, she removed her clothes and stepped into the hot water, swiftly enveloping the room in steam. As Mei Lin cleansed her body, her thoughts wandered, reflecting on the recent events that had transpired.

After finishing her bath, Mei thought about her discovery. So the master is the one who slept on top of the big snail Li Wei talked about. Li Wei knew about this place all along but never told me. Where is he?

After washing up, Mei Lin lay on the surface of the water and closed her eyes. Her mind calmed down, and her spirit sense entered her lower dantian with one wisp of natural energy. Her dantian looked very different from before. Her dantian looked red instead of clear snow like before. The lower part of the dantian is covered with a layer of blood. Wisp of her spiritual energy is laying in the blood layer in form of small ball of shining energy.

She took a deep breath and calmed herself. After finishing the brushing her hairs she discovered that her hairs turned white, probably from experience of dead of her parents. After setting her hair, she went back to her room and found that the cultivation robe was laid out neatly on the cultivation mat. She picked it up and started putting it on. The robe fit perfectly, and Mei Lin couldn't help but admire its intricate design. It made her feel like a true cultivator. She put ring on the small table next to cultivation tea set put on cultivation robe. Robe was very beautiful and with her red eyes and white hair make beautiful combination.

With the robe on, she sat on the cultivation mat, preparing to start her cultivation. Before doing so, she glanced around the room, appreciating its simplicity and the peaceful atmosphere it exuded. She never so such a peaceful and beautiful room in her life. As a village girl she never had her own room. Mei Lin took a moment to focus on her breathing and entered a cultivation state.

In her arms, Mei Lin cradled a crystal jade, distinct from Li Wei's storage bag. Unlike Li Wei's bag, this jade exhibited no restrictions, allowing Mei Lin to effortlessly access its contents using her divine sense.

Upon entering the crystal, a substantial quantity of information surged into Mei Lin's consciousness. The process was excruciatingly painful. Her eyes and ears started bleeding yet after an hour, the agony subsided. It took an additional day for her to assimilate and consolidate the newly acquired knowledge. Finally, she slowly opened her eyes.

Mei Lin stood up, cleansed her hands after destroying the crystal, and walked back into the main room. Upon opening the door, a surge of potent natural energy flooded into the space.

Hungry after nearly two days without a meal, Mei Lin initiated a search for food within the room. Despite discovering various items, there was no indication of sustenance. Opening the doors to the outside, she ascended to the roof under the umbrella. Upon encountering her master, she offered a slight bow before engaging in a discussion about the matter of acquiring food.

"There is no food inside. You need to go out, hunt something, or you can eat spirit fruits. They will help you with hunger and also replenish your natural energy. When we arrive near some town or village, you can buy some food that you want. Thank you, master. Where is Li Wei? I can't find him. He is cultivating inside his room. He will come out when he is ready."