43. Warm welcome

It took nearly half an hour and Mei Lin along with the servant approached the slug with Xu tea-house with a mixture of caution and determination, Mei Lin focused her attention on coaxing the massive creature to open its mouth.

As the creature's mouth slowly opened, revealing rows of jagged teeth, Mei Lin wasted no time and suddenly rotten hand appeared in her hand and then fell into the snow. With a swift, she instructed servant to disposed of the guard's hand, servant's movements precise and deliberate. The sight was enough to make her servant girl recoil in horror, the bile rising in her throat at the gruesome spectacle.

Despite the visceral reaction, the servant girl steeled herself, determined to look away as slug ate the hand. With a sense of grim resolve, she forced herself to confront the grisly reality of their situation, knowing that their survival depended on their ability to navigate the dangers that surrounded them.

As the slug devoured its grisly meal, Mei Lin and her companion wasted no time in making their way inside the tea-house. Though the sight of the slug's feeding frenzy lingered in their minds, they remained focused on their goal, knowing that sanctuary awaited them within the confines of Xu's teahouse. With each step they took, they drew closer to the safety and refuge that awaited them, leaving behind the horrors of the journey thus far in their wake.

After resolving her last issue from the encounter with Feng Jing, a servant helped Mei Lin finally make her way to the tea-house. Upon entering the tea-house staircase and Mei Lin entering inside, the servant departed. Mei Lin ascended the staircase, where Xu Yi was stepping down from the second floor to welcome her. With some assistance, Xu Yi helped Mei Lin to her room on the third floor, then returned to the first floor to prepare tea and spirit fruits for her.

Few minutes later, Xu Yi returned with the tea and food. "Miss cultivator, how are you feeling?" Xu Yi asked, smiling warmly. "Much better, thank you for asking. I will enjoy your hospitality until we reach the Green Jade Sect," Mei Lin replied gratefully. Mei Lin was happy that Xu Yi had come to her room to bring her food but wasn't sure how to continue the conversation. "That would be great. Then we'll see each other tomorrow, I'll bring you breakfast," Xu Yi said, nodding before taking his leave.

Immediately after that, Xu Yi bid goodbye and left. Mei Lin was very grateful that Xu Yi had helped her and that she could stay in the tea-house rather than needing to find a new place to stay. Once Xu Yi had gone downstairs, she ate some spirit fruit and then took out a bottle of blood, preparing herself to absorb some of it.

After examining the bottle, Mei Lin discovered that she had about a quarter of a liter of blood inside the bottle. Knowing that it would take a while to absorb, especially with her lower cultivation level, Mei Lin didn't want to risk it. Carefully, she pulled out one drop of blood and put it in her tea, then drank it.

Immediately after drinking the tea, Mei Lin entered a cultivation state and started to absorb natural energy from the blood. However, she immediately discovered that she couldn't absorb the blood as quickly as before, and the speed at which she could extract natural energy from blood decreased significantly. It took her more than two hours to absorb it all. After realizing this setback, Mei Lin's cultivation progress didn't increase like before. Disheartened by the discovery of this setback, she decided to go to sleep.

Next morning Mei Lin woke up early and started absorbing another drop of blood. It took her more than two hours, but this time absorbing the natural energy from the blood was much smoother. After absorbing a blood Mei Lin went to the second floor and sit at her favorite place next to the window.

As Mei Lin sat by the window, her mind enveloped in the tranquility of the morning. Not long after, she was interrupted by the arrival of Xu Yi. His presence brought a sense of familiarity and warmth, dispelling the lingering traces of solitude that had clung to her in the quiet solitude of the teahouse.

"Good morning miss cultivator. Would you like a breakfast." With a gentle smile, Xu Yi offered a breakfast to Mei Lin, his kindness a testament to the hospitality that had come to define their interactions. Mei Lin nodded in silent gratitude, her heart filled with appreciation for his thoughtfulness.

As Xu Yi returned with the tea and food, Mei Lin welcomed him with a nod of acknowledgment, her expression calm and composed. Settling in at the table beside her, Xu Yi initiated conversation, his words a gentle melody amidst the hushed murmurs of the teahouse.

Mei Lin found herself drawn into Xu Yi's words, his presence a soothing balm to her weary soul. As they whiled away the morning hours in each other's company, Mei Lin couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for the unexpected companionship that had blossomed between them amidst the trials and tribulations of their journey.

And as they sat together, bathed in the soft glow of dawn's light, Mei Lin felt a profound sense of peace settle over her a quiet reassurance that, no matter what will happened, she would not face them alone. For in Xu Yi, she had found not just a friend, but a kindred spirit a fellow traveler on the winding path of life's journey despite theirs age difference.

"Do you know that the caravan will start going through the mountains? This journey is very dangerous in the winter season. The caravan isn't too fast and can't travel at night. Also, slugs can die in cold weather, so our journey will be very hard," Mei Lin remarked as she drank her tea. "The leader will surely help you if something goes wrong." Not long after, Xu Yi left.

As Mei Lin sat in quiet contemplation on the second floor of the teahouse, she observed the slaves outside as they labored tirelessly to prepare for the day's journey. The rhythmic sounds of their efforts filled the air, a testament to their unwavering dedication and resilience of slave masters which were tirelessly whipping the slaves.

With a sense of solitude settling over her, Mei Lin prepared to enter into another cultivation session. As she retrieved the bottle containing the blood and added another drop to her cup, a feeling of anticipation tingled in her veins. With each drop absorbed, she felt herself drawing closer to the threshold of enlightenment.

As Mei Lin entered into cultivation state once more, the world around her faded into oblivion, leaving her immersed in the depths of her own consciousness. Time seemed to lose all meaning as she delved deeper into the mysteries of her inner being, her essence intertwining with the primal forces of creation.