50. Bandits – 1/5

After everyone on the first floor finished breakfast, they ventured outside to prepare the slug for the day's journey. Shortly after that, the slug commenced its journey, carrying them forward. As they traveled, everyone inside the tea-house felt relieved that they had not encountered any bandits and could continue their journey toward the caravan leader without incident.

During lunchtime, the guards, slaves, and Xu Jie gathered on the first floor, engaging in casual conversation about their plans upon finding the caravan leader. The atmosphere was relaxed, and they all seemed to get along remarkably well. As the conversation flowed, Xu Jie brought out wine from the kitchen, and they indulged in a leisurely meal. Surprisingly, even the slaves felt a sense of camaraderie and warmth, no longer feeling like mere servants as they enjoyed the food and exchanged words with Xu Jie.

After lunch, everyone resumed their tasks. Xu Jie headed to the second floor to check on Mei Lin and Xu Yi in the hope they would talk and get close together, finding them immersed in cultivation. Content with seeing them at least cultivating together, Xu Jie settled down to watch them for a while.

Observing their focused practice, she felt a sense of satisfaction. Eventually, she tore her gaze away and glanced out the windows in search of any signs of activity. Finding nothing of note, she made her way back to the first floor to tidy up after lunch.

*****

After a few hours, one of the guards, who had been scouting ahead, returned in a panic, shouting that he had spotted a few bandits not far ahead of them. With urgency, everyone retreated to the tea-house, their minds racing with thoughts of what might happen next. They huddled together, discussing their options and how to handle the impending threat.

With limited options available, everyone armed themselves with the few weapons and bows they had, readying themselves to confront the bandits. The uncertainty surrounding the bandits' numbers posed a formidable challenge, but they were resolved to make the best of their situation. Acting swiftly, they began fortifying the tea-house, converting it into a makeshift fortress to withstand the impending attack. Each member of the group contributed to the preparations, united in their determination to defend against the bandits and protect themselves and the tea-house.

The bandits remained a considerable distance away from the slow-moving slug, providing ample time before the tea-house would encounter them. Throughout the day, they worked tirelessly to cover all the windows and reinforce the doors, ensuring that their defenses would not be easily breached. As the hours passed slowly, tension mounted among the group, their nerves fraying with each moment that brought the slug closer to the bandits. Time seemed to drag on endlessly as they anxiously awaited the inevitable confrontation.

With the tea-house fully secured, Xu Jie gently roused Xu Yi from his cultivation state, knowing that he needed to prepare himself for the impending confrontation with the bandits.

With Xu Yi ready, everyone positioned themselves at the windows on the second floor, bows at the ready, awaiting the approach of the bandits. Meanwhile, Mei Lin remained deep in her cultivation state, completely absorbed in absorbing natural energy from blood, unaware of the events unfolding outside as she focused solely on her cultivation.

As time dragged on, the patrolling bandits eventually spotted the tea-house slowly making its way toward them. Just before the tea-house drew near the bandits, Xu Jie cautiously woke up Mei Lin from her cultivation state. Aware of the delicate nature of disturbing Mei Lin, Xu Jie gently poured water over her hands.

*****

Mei Lin was deep in her cultivation state slowly absorbing natural energy from the blood she drank, as something strange happened. Something suddenly touched her hand and then slowly spread along the hand. This sudden strange sensation never happened before as Mei Lin stopped her cultivation and immediately ended it not knowing what happened.

As Mei Lin snapped out of her cultivation state, her reflexes kicked in, and she reached for her crystal knife, ready to defend herself. However, upon seeing Xu Jie sitting beside her with a bottle of warm water, she hesitated, her instincts momentarily overridden by confusion. "What did you do to me?" Mei Lin demanded, her voice sharp with concern.

Xu Jie smiled gently. "I woke you up because we have a big problem ahead. We're approaching the bandits," she explained before swiftly departing, leaving Mei Lin to process the imminent threat.

As Mei Lin absorbed Xu Jie's words, shock washed over her. Glancing around the room, she noticed the windows had been blocked and reinforced, transforming the once beautiful space into a fortified outpost. Slaves stood nearby, armed and ready, their expressions tense with anticipation. Weapons lay scattered across the room, and tea tables had been pushed to the center, creating space for maneuvering in case of an attack. The gravity of the situation sank in as Mei Lin realized they were preparing for a fierce battle against the bandits.

Mei Lin rose slowly and made her way to her room, a sense of resignation settling over her as she considered the fate of her one intact robe, a cherished gift from her master. With a heavy heart, she changed into an old robe that had been stitched together by Xu Jie. Once dressed, Mei Lin stepped outside the tea-house, ready to confront the challenges that awaited her.

Mei Lin attempted to move stealthily as she made her way to hide near the slug so she couldn't be seen. Despite her very bad attempt and screaming red robe, which was beating in the eyes in the snow-covered terrain. Nonetheless, Mei Lin was determined to find a suitable hiding spot where she could keep watch without being detected.

*****

As the tea-house drew closer, it became evident that the bandits had strategically positioned their camp amid the ruined slug house. This location offered them ideal cover from the biting cold wind and served as a solid base for their operations. With less than a kilometer separating them from the bandits' camp, the tension among Mei Lin and her companions reached a fever pitch, knowing that they were rapidly approaching a dangerous confrontation.