Zhan Xia looked sad as she heard what Mei Lin said and didn't know what to say to add to the conversation. Not long after Mei Lin tried to eat the spirit fruits, she couldn't place the piece of the spirit fruit into her mouth Zhan Xia saw that Mei Lin couldn't even place the fruit into her mouth she quickly caught her hand and helped her to successfully place the piece into Mei Lin's mouth. After that, she picked up Mei Lin's cup with the tea helped her and drank it. Zhan Xia was very curious about Mei Lin's master, but she didn't get anything from Mei Lin, because Mei Lin didn't know anything about deity.
Not long after, Zhan Liang began talking with Mei Lin about her mysterious master, trying to find some clues about her. After a brief interrogation, he discovered that Mei Lin didn't know much about her master, only that she had been in her village for a year and nobody had seen her. Mei Lin mentioned that her master had a liking for crystal things, but beyond that, there were no substantial details available.
As Mei Lin clung to her fabricated story, her heart heavy with the weight of deception, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease gnawing at the edges of her consciousness. Though she knew that revealing her true cultivation path would spell certain doom for herself and those around her, the burden of maintaining the facade weighed heavily upon her.
But even as doubt and fear threatened to consume her, Mei Lin knew that she had no choice but to hold fast to her fabricated identity. The consequences of revealing the truth were too dire to contemplate, and the safety of those around her depended upon her ability to maintain the illusion.
Yet, amidst the turmoil that swirled within her, Mei Lin couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for the deception she had woven. With each passing moment, the weight of her lies grew heavier, a constant reminder of the precarious balance between survival and betrayal.
And as she looked into the eyes of those around her, Mei Lin knew that the facade could only last for so long. The truth would inevitably come to light, and when it did, the consequences would be dire indeed.
But for now, she would continue to play the role of the wood path cultivator, her true identity hidden beneath layers of deceit and subterfuge. For in the heart of darkness, survival often meant embracing the shadows, even at the cost of one's soul.
Just as Zhan Xia was about to uncover Mei Lin's secret, Zhan Liang abruptly ended the conversation. He knew the true nature of Mei Lin's cultivation path, but he constantly needed to convince himself that she was a special water path cultivator. After all, discovering someone's secret cultivation path was a major discovery, and if someone attempted to conceal it, there must be significant reasons behind it. Despite that Mei Lin's master was still somewhere here and if he found out her real identity they would all probably die.
At his cultivation level, Zhan Liang could somewhat predict the future and read others' minds to some extent. If Mei Lin's master were to try to cover her real cultivation path, even the slightest hint of the blood path in anyone's mind would likely lead to their death. Fortunately, as Zhan Xia got closer and closer to uncovering Mei Lin's true cultivation path, Zhan Liang intervened and stopped her. After a very tense dinner, Mei Lin left the slug house and wanted to return to the tea house with the help of one of the servants.
As Mei Lin left the slug house and went back to the tea-house, Zhan Xia started questioning her father about Mei Lin. "Father you wanted to know about her cultivation path why are you trying to stop me now? What is so bad about discovering her healing path? Well, sometimes people do not talk about such important things. As you can see she didn't have an easy life like you, she was discovered in the forest by the bandits, then Feng Jiang, then his mother, and now this."
"What will you do in her situation? Did you even know her name?" After that Zhan Xia didn't ask her father anything and immediately after Zhan Xia went to cultivate.
As Mei Lin and Zhan's servant traversed the snowy terrain alongside the moving slug house, they encountered a scene of desperation and despair. Slaves, their faces contorted with anger and exhaustion, struggled to push the massive slugs forward or assist with the caravan's progress. The bitter cold gnawed at their bones, their ragged clothing offering little protection against the elements.
Amidst the chaos, the threat of robbery hung heavy in the air, the desperation of the slaves driving them to acts of desperation. Mei Lin and her companion remained vigilant, their eyes scanning the crowd for any signs of trouble, their movements cautious and deliberate.
With each passing day, the toll of the journey became increasingly apparent. The harsh conditions and relentless pace claimed the lives of many, their bodies offered up as sustenance for the slugs that propelled the caravan forward. Mei Lin couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow for those who had perished along the way, their sacrifices serving as a grim reminder of the harsh realities of life on the road.
Yet, amidst the hardship and suffering, Mei Lin remained resolute in her determination to press onward. With each step she took, she drew closer to her destination, the elusive tea house that beckoned to her like a beacon of hope amidst the darkness.