30. Tea-house

Mei Lin produced a yellow token from her storage ring, which one of the guards had given her upon her entry into the caravan. When Feng Lian caught sight of it, she released her hold on the coat, her expression incredulous as she observed the token. She was shocked.

Mei Lin didn't possess a storage bag like the rest of the cultivators, instead, she had a ring for storing items. Feng Lian had only encountered such rare storage space twice before. Once in the possession of the leader of the merchant caravan, and another time in the form of a storage amulet belonging to her husband. But Mei Lin, who hadn't even reached the first stage of BT, was in hold of such an item.

She instantly thought about it. 'Something isn't right with this girl. She has special storage space, she shouldn't be able to move so with her injuries. Yet, she can. Additionally, her cultivation robe was of better quality than mine.' Feng Lian turned around and placed a mid-grade spirit stone on the table next to spirit fruits and a yellow token.

"Next time, show your identification before other cultivators, girl. You smell like a slave, so don't be surprised if someone behaves toward you that way."

Feng Lian and Feng Xue, accompanied by the guards, swiftly exited the shop. Fang Xue seethed with fury, her desire to confront Mei Lin and killing intent emitting from her were focused on Mei Lin dangerously. As an eighth-stage BT cultivator, she felt more than capable of tearing Mei Lin apart. However, before she could act on her anger, her mother seized her hand and forcefully pulled her away. Feng Lian's strength far surpassed that of her daughter, and Fang Xue found herself being dragged along involuntarily.

Once they were outside the shop, Feng Lian released Fang Xue's hand. When Fang Xue glanced down at her wrist, she noticed a bloody handprint imprinted from her mother's grip. The realization of her strength left Fang Xue momentarily stunned. Even when she was at the eight stage of BT she was far inferior against the QI Condensation cultivator. Without further delay, they swiftly departed from the scene and Fang Xue imprinted Mei Lin into her mind so she would take revenge against her later.

Blood from the shop attendant's fingers was still dropping on the ground. Mei Lin covered herself and went to help her. "I am sorry that this happened because of me." Mei Lin managed to cover herself, so the shop attendant didn't see her face.

The shop attendant remained silent, clutching her injured hand as blood slowly dripped onto the ground. Mei Lin approached cautiously, attempting to bandage the wound, but the attendant refused her assistance. Undeterred, Mei Lin skillfully caught the falling blood in a crystal bottle, her movements precise and deliberate.

After a few minutes, two special cultivators specializing in healing arrived at the scene. Both were Qi Condensation cultivators renowned for their proficiency in the art of healing. Sensing their presence, Mei Lin rose to her feet, her focus solely on the blood pooling on the ground. With determination, she submerged her hands in the blood, striving to collect as much as she could.

The shop attendant, at the peak of the first stage of BT, possessed blood that held significant value to Mei Lin, akin to holy water.

After the healing process began, Mei Lin took her leave. With nine drops of blood from Feng Jing and now a hundred milliliters from the shop attendant, she carefully stored the bottle containing the precious blood. 

Making her way to the next slug house, the tea house, Mei Lin first crossed the bridge connecting the two slugs. With a swift motion, she stowed away her raincoat, feeling the weight of it lift from her shoulders. Pausing briefly on the bridge, she reached into her storage ring and retrieved a piece of the broken dragon fruit, which she stole at the market. Eager to finally taste it, she took a moment to savor the anticipation before indulging in the exotic fruit's flavor.

As Mei Lin took a bite of the fruit, a wave of sweetness enveloped her senses, instantly soothing her mind. The flavor of the spirit fruit was exquisite, leaving her longing for more. However, she quickly suppressed the urge to return and purchase the remaining fruit, reminding herself of her priorities.

Gathering her resolve, Mei Lin proceeded towards the teahouse, her senses attuned to the comforting aroma of brewing tea and the promise of respite that awaited within its welcoming embrace. As she entered the tea house, she was greeted by the sight of Xu Yi, the young tea keeper's son. His bright eyes alight with warmth and hospitality as he hastened to serve her.

Xu Yi, the young tea keeper's son, was fifteen years old with short black hair and striking green eyes. Xu Yi felt an instant connection to Mei Lin upon their first encounter, his heart stirred by her presence, as he saw a glimpse of Mei Lin's jade white face under the bamboo hat along with white hairs. Despite being new to cultivation, Xu Yi had recently undergone a special ritual that awakened his cultivation potential. In just twenty days of cultivation, he had progressed to the middle of the first stage of BT.

Although Xu Yi's cultivation talent was considered average, neither he nor his father, Xu Tian, placed much importance on such distinctions. Xu Tian himself had reached the second stage of QI Condensation but struggled to break through to the next level. With Xu Yi's mother being a non-cultivator, Xu Tian was grateful that his son had awakened his cultivation potential at all.

"Welcome, Miss Cultivator. Would you like some tea or food?" Mei Lin showed her token as she spoke to him. "I would like to eat and then rent a place to stay for a few days." Just as Xu Yi heard the sweet young voice of Mei Lin he was immediately even more interested in Mei Lin. Without hesitation, he pointed to the doors to the second floor. "You can sit on the second floor. As for the room will be ready shortly." Mei Lin slightly noted and then walked around him and ascended the stairs. As she began slowly climbing, Xu Yi went to his father.

"Father, Miss wants tea, something to eat, and a room for a stay. Of course, bring her menu and then go prepare the room on the third floor. Also, don't ask her about her injuries. She looked like she was fighting with someone. Father, she isn't even at the first stage, so she must be weaker than me, right?

Father, do you think if we fight, I will win?" Xu Yi asked curiously because he didn't know anyone who wasn't even first stage BT. He and all his friends at the caravan had awakened their cultivation by the ritual, where they already become first-stage BT cultivators, unlike Mei Lin. This process was done only for cultivators, at bigger sects.

"I don't know, but if you suffer this kind of injury, you will bleed to death," said his father. "OH. I will bring her menu and go prepare a room then."

As Mei Lin settled onto a mat near the window on the second floor, she gazed out at the tranquil view of the lake below. The midday sun bathed everything in a warm glow, casting gentle ripples across the water's surface. Lost in her thoughts, Mei Lin found solace in the serene scene before her.

When she finally turned her attention back to the tea house, Xu Yi approached and placed the menu on the table before her. His presence brought a sense of comfort, and Mei Lin offered him a grateful smile as she perused the offerings.

"I will go prepare the room miss. Rooms are on the third floor. If you want a bath, I will prepare it as well." As Xu Yi departed, Mei Lin looked into the menu, scanning the offerings with interest. Among the selections, she spotted some strange spirit fruits and the first tea that caught her eye. Lost in contemplation, she pondered her choices until Xu Yi returned to take her order.

Observing her selections, Xu Yi couldn't help but feel perplexed by Mei Lin's seemingly simple choices. Nevertheless, he dutifully noted her order and swiftly returned with a tray bearing tea and fruits. Alongside the refreshments, he placed an iron key and a token on the table. The token had the number two carved into it, indicating Mei Lin's assigned room number.

Mei Lin reached out to touch the key, and in a mysterious display, it vanished into thin air, leaving Xu Yi momentarily bewildered by the inexplicable occurrence.

Xu Yi looked at the table dumbfounded. He slightly bowed and left. After returning to the first floor, he went to his father with another order. "Father, do you think that a storage bag could be a ring?" His father looked at him with disbelief. "What are you talking about? When I gave that miss the key from her room, she placed her hand on the key, and it disappeared. She doesn't have a storage bag, only a ring." Xu Tian looked at Xu Yi with a strange face. "I don't know. Don't talk nonsense and go to work. Don't ask me about such stupid things."

As the hours passed and the sun began its descent towards the horizon, the teahouse gradually emptied of its patrons, leaving only a scattering of individuals lingering on the second floor. Mei Lin remained ensconced near the window, her gaze fixed upon the ever-changing tableau of the lake below, lost in silent contemplation.

Noticing Mei Lin's continued presence, Xu Yi approached her table with a gentle smile, his curiosity didn't let him leave just like that, so he moved forward the quietude of the tea house near Mei Lin. With a respectful nod, he greeted her, ready to attend to any needs she might have before the day's end. "Do you want some more tea? Yes, please. Before I bring the tea, please go down and write in the book that you are staying in one of our rooms." After saying what his father told him, Xu Yi left.

Mei Lin went downstairs to pay for the room. The shopkeeper informed Mei Lin that it would cost three low-grade spirit stones for a night. "I will stay here until we reach the next town. Of course, it will be one hundred and eighty low-grade spirit stones." After paying the spirit stones, Mei Lin inquired about taking a bath. She was covered in blood, but her red clothes concealed much of it. Cultivators didn't care much about appearances, and none of them paid attention to her disheveled look.

After settling her bill, Mei Lin went back to the second floor once again. Without anything more on her mind, she pulled out a book about herbs and immersed herself in the knowledge inside.

Approximately an hour later, Xu Yi arrived on the second floor. Intrigued by Mei Lin's engrossment in the book about herbs, he approached her table, eager to engage in conversation and learn more about her interests and experiences. "Miss, the bath is ready. Do you want anything else?" He wanted to bring up some kind of conversation, but Mei Lin wasn't interested and the only thing she wanted was a bath. "No, thank you. I will go take a bath. Can you tell me where is it? Yes, of course." Their conversation quickly ended and they went back to the first floor, to the closed part of the tea house.