49. Survivals

As they continued to cultivate, Xu Jie went to prepare something for herself and cut some spirit fruits for Xu Yi and Mei Lin. She also made a spirit tea for Xu Yi and herself. While doing so, she noticed that Mei Lin's teapot was still full and hot, even after sitting on the table all morning. Xu Yi was amazed by all the items Mei Lin possessed, as he had never seen such things before. From the knife that could effortlessly cut through armor and bones like it was tofu, to the special storage ring, the beautiful red robe embroidered with intricate patterns, and Mei Lin's seemingly inhuman survival skills, everything about her intrigued Xu Jie.

The only thing which was making attracting attention was the Bamboo-hat with a white veil which Xu Jie made for Mei Lin. She wanted to make a wail in red color, but she didn't manager to get her hand's red silk similar to Mei Lin's robe. Despite that, she still made Mei Lin veil to cover her eyes.

*****

Xu Jie was currently in the kitchen, her expression blank as she prepared lunch. She felt a wave of nervousness wash over her as she wondered where her husband was and if he was still alive. Despite being married to a cultivator for more than fifteen years, she didn't understand much about cultivation, but she knew he was not weak.

Anyone who could achieve the second stage of the Qi Condensation Realm was superior to everyone below. Xu Tian wasn't particularly skilled in combat, but the water path cultivation techniques he acquired from the caravan were remarkably strong and could rival those of others at the same stage.

In the merchant caravan, his power was well-known, especially considering that only a few people had reached the Qi Condensation stage. Most individuals were unable to progress to the Qi Condensation realm due to their limited cultivation potential or a lack of enlightenment to achieve this level.

*****

As the slug crept through the desolate battlefield, they encountered no one along the way. Despite the sluggish pace of the slug, they managed to cover a few kilometers from their initial position. Throughout the morning, Xu Yi and Xu Jie remained on edge, fearing that bandits could attack at any moment, leaving them with little chance of survival. In contrast, Mei Lin was content, as she could scout their surroundings for blood flowers while intermittently cultivating and pausing every hour.

As the day progressed, time seemed to fly by, and nightfall arrived swiftly. The entire day unfolded much like the one before, but unlike yesterday, Mei Lin's progress wasn't as significant due to her frequent breaks and time spent scouting the surroundings. She realized that if she could maintain uninterrupted cultivation, her progress would be much faster. Meanwhile, Xu Yi's cultivation speed was impressive, and he was nearing the late stage of the first stage, edging closer to the second stage of BT.

Xu Yi and his mother were both very happy, despite the grim circumstances of being alone on the battlefield without any protection. Xu Jie believed that once Xu Yi ascended to the second stage of Blood Transformation, his power would double, giving them a better chance to lead the slug after Xu Yi's father. This hope buoyed their spirits, offering a glimmer of optimism amid uncertainty.

*****

Early in the morning Mei Lin woke up and went to the second floor to continue her cultivation. Not long after Xu Jie brings Mei Lin the breakfast. As Mei Lin ended her cultivation season, she saw Xu Yi outside of the tea-house. Xu Yi was near another slug house and trying to climb inside. Mei Lin was happy that he found another slug house so they would have a chance to find something useful for the journey.

Exploring the damaged slug house could yield valuable resources despite its condition. Items that survived the destruction may still be salvageable and useful for their journey. Mei Lin and the others should carefully search the premises to identify any intact goods or items that could aid them in their travels.

While Xu Yi explored the slug house, Mei Lin focused on replenishing her energy with the spirit fruits. It was essential for her to eat because she looked skinny and her white hands were dominated by the deep scars giving them a somewhat disturbing appearance.

After eating all the pieces of the fruits that were placed on the plate, Mei Lin went outside of the tea-house to see, if she could find blood flowers or someone with a higher cultivation stage. After roaming around for a while Mei Lin didn't find anything, so she waited until Xu Yi left the slug house and then went to the first floor of the tea-house to make another blood tea.

As Mei Lin waited for the blood to heat up, she noticed sudden changes in her body, which became evident after she moved around for a while. 'I feel like my movements are much smoother than after the fight with Feng Jiang. And my strength seems significantly greater. I'm not nearly as tired after moving around as before,' she thought to herself. When red vapor slowly started escaping from the teapot, Mei Lin paused, then ascended to the second floor and settled onto her cultivation mat.

After drinking the blood tea, Mei Lin quietly entered her cultivation state. Approximately an hour later, she emerged from her meditative state, only to hear a cacophony of voices drifting up from the first floor. Pausing to listen, she distinguished the sounds of unfamiliar voices among them.

Mei Lin stood up and made her way to the first floor. Five slaves and two guards were seated near the fireplace, sipping tea. The slaves appeared extremely gaunt, unlike the guards who seemed to be in good shape despite spending a long time outside. Mei Lin couldn't shake the feeling that the guards didn't treat the slaves well, but despite this, they all looked relieved as they sat next to the fire.

Xu Yi was serving them food, while Xu Jie was in the kitchen. As Mei Lin entered the first floor, she noticed their cold gazes, tinged with resentment, as if they saw her as just another arrogant miss from the caravan, enjoying a life of luxury and ease. Ignoring their stares, Mei Lin addressed them directly, "Have any of you seen any red flowers along the way?"

Their disbelief was palpable as they all turned to look at Mei Lin, questioning if they had heard her correctly. Accustomed to a life of constant struggle and survival, they found it bewildering that Mei Lin would inquire about something as trivial as flowers. Despite their initial skepticism, they racked their memories to recall any sightings of red flowers but came up empty-handed. Mei Lin, though not angry, couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment at the lack of information.

The atmosphere instantly turned deadly cold. All newcomers were instantly angry and wanted to through Mei Lin outside to live through the same conditions as them, but in the most tense moment, Xu Yi broke the atmosphere.

"We're currently on our way to where the caravan leader is located. Once we reach them, we'll be safe. It would be helpful if you could assist us in clearing a path for the slug, so we can reach the leader's slug more quickly. The slug consumes a significant amount of food and special herbs, which allow us to control it and ensure it follows the leader's slug. If we run out of these herbs, we'll have to travel on foot or remain inside the slug, wandering in the mountains until our food supplies run out."

Mei Lin didn't get any answer from them and Xu Yi ruined her question, so she couldn't ask again. Slaves started talking among themselves completely ignoring Mei Lin, so Mei Lin quickly turned around and without waiting, left the first floor and went to cultivate again. Everyone on the first floor was surprised by Mei Lin and didn't know what to do. No one expected that the only thing in which Mei Lin was interested was red flowers.

Not long after, the slaves ventured outside to begin clearing the way, while the guards set out on patrol, scouting ahead for any survivors. Xu Yi, in the meantime, ascended to the second floor, where both he and Mei Lin entered a cultivation state. By noon, Xu Yi emerged from his meditation and went to assist his mother in the kitchen with preparing the meal. Soon after, everyone reconvened to enjoy lunch together.

After devouring everything Xu Jie had cooked and indulging in a few rounds of alcohol, the tension in the air gradually dissipated as they began patrolling around the slug. Mei Lin, noticing that others were preoccupied with searching for blood flowers despite not being instructed to do so, decided to forgo her regular breaks. It seemed that her companions' focus had shifted away from her, and she saw no need to draw attention to herself unnecessarily.

Mei Lin's first conversation had a powerful impact, effectively rallying everyone to collaborate under her command. Both guards and slaves, feeling vulnerable and frightened after wandering alone for several days, readily followed Mei Lin's directives. Despite her petite frame and youthful voice, Mei Lin exuded an air of authority that compelled obedience. Though many were older than her, they were not seasoned soldiers or mercenaries; they were accustomed to taking orders as a means of ensuring their safety.

Now, a young girl clad in a blood-red cultivation robe and a Bamboo hat concealing her face issued direct commands, seamlessly integrating them into their long-established drill routines. It was as though Mei Lin's orders effortlessly meshed with their usual activities, making it easy for them to comply without even realizing they were following her lead.

Having witnessed Mei Lin's confrontation with Feng Jiang, the slaves harbored a deep-seated resentment towards the guards and naturally aligned themselves with Mei Lin. Their disdain for the guards outweighed any fear they may have had of Mei Lin herself. While the slaves remained loyal to Mei Lin, it was clear that if they possessed cultivation abilities, their allegiance might have shifted. Meanwhile, the guards, still shaken by the incident involving Feng Jiang, were under strict orders not to provoke Mei Lin, a directive they followed out of both fear and respect for her newfound authority.

The second stage cultivator's keen observation skills and experience allowed him to discern the true nature of Mei Lin's capabilities. Despite her injuries and the harrowing ordeal she had endured, he recognized the resilience and strength that lay beneath her seemingly fragile exterior.

With a sense of determination, the second-stage cultivator made a silent vow to protect Mei Lin at all costs. He knew that she was no ordinary cultivator and that her survival would be crucial to their collective safety. Also even the daughter of the merchant leader stepped in to protect her, so he thought that Mei Lin was an important guest.

As the day progressed, Mei Lin continued to absorb blood and immerse herself in cultivation. Late into the night, she concluded her cultivation session and retired to her room to rest. Her progress had been remarkably steady, without any interruptions, and she found herself at sixty percent completion towards reaching the first stage. Mei Lin couldn't help but feel pleased with her progress. It had taken her considerably less time to approach her previous level of cultivation.

The following morning, Mei Lin climbed to the second floor and peered out of the window with anticipation, only to discover that the slug remained stationary. Vegetation outside was covered with snow and traces of fights. Mei Lin noted that the distance separating the slug's habitats was far greater than the distance between the tea house and the market house.

This was because the caravan wasn't attacked all at once. Instead, the assailants targeted the middle of the caravan, splitting into two groups. They aimed to prevent the caravan leader from reaching the rest of the group by protecting the front and engaging in battle to the rear of the caravan.

Soon, the voices from outside ceased, and sounds began emanating from the first floor instead. The guards, who had been sleeping in adjacent rooms to Mei Lin, greeted her as they descended to the first floor for breakfast. Shortly thereafter, Xu Yi brought Mei Lin some spirit fruits and joined her at the table to immediately start the conversation. He was not too eager for cultivation, but after the arrival of Mei Lin into the tea-house his cultivation was much more frequent and his progress was very fast compared to Mei Lin.

"My cultivation has progressed significantly, and I'm now at the late stage of the first realm. I expect to break through to the second stage in no time. Once I reach that stage, I'll be able to protect you if you're ever in danger," Xu Yi confessed, his cheeks flushing slightly.

Mei Lin couldn't help but laugh softly. "I hope that won't be necessary," she replied with a smile.

Shortly after, Xu Yi took one piece of spirit fruit from the plate and ate it. As they sat there for a while they both settled into their cultivation position and started their cultivation.