32. Mysterious girl – 2/2

"My name is Xu Jie, and your?" Xu Jie asked, introducing herself as she engaged Mei Lin in conversation. "Mei Lin." Mei Lin replied with a polite nod, acknowledging the introduction. Curious about Mei Lin's presence in the merchant caravan, Xu Jie inquired further, "What are you doing in the merchant caravan?"

Mei Lin explained, "I am looking for my master. We were separated in the forest, and I saw her coming here. But my master is likely here for fun rather than seeking me out. If that's the case, why hasn't she found you?" Xu Jie questioned.

"I ventured into the forest for training and haven't returned, so she will not locate me until I find her," Mei Lin clarified, sharing the circumstances that led to their separation. "Maybe if you ask the guards if they saw her, they will help you." "No, I don't think so. Even if they saw her, they didn't know how she looked. Even now, I don't remember how my master looks. Only after I find her will I remember again," said Mei Lin.

After a painstaking half hour of stitching, Xu Jie completed her work on Mei Lin's wound, ensuring it was properly treated. Satisfied with her efforts, she then turned her attention to inspecting Mei Lin's arm, noting the scars without comment. Sensing Mei Lin's discomfort, she gently inquired about the injuries to her hands, prompting Mei Lin to recount her encounter with the wolves.

With the examination concluded, Xu Jie bid Mei Lin goodnight and retired to her room to rest. Mei Lin, feeling the lingering sensitivity and pain in her back, settled onto the bed, her only option to sleep on her belly for comfort. Despite the discomfort, exhaustion washed over her like a wave, and she fell into sleep almost instantly, too fatigued to even cover herself with the blanket.

*****

At that very moment, within the grandest structure of the caravan, Zhan Liang, the merchant caravan leader, along with his family and esteemed guests, convened for a sumptuous dinner. Seated around the lavish table were Zhan Liang himself, a formidable cultivator at the mid-stage of core formation, his wife Li Lie, who had attained the second stage of Qi Condensation, and their daughter Zhan Xia, a prodigious talent at the ninth stage of BT.

Joining them were esteemed guests, including Feng Huayuan, Feng Lian, Feng Xue, and Feng Jing. Feng Jing, in particular, had recently achieved the pinnacle of the first stage of BT, a notable accomplishment worthy of celebration in the esteemed company present. As they gathered to partake in the feast, conversation flowed freely, punctuated by laughter and camaraderie, a testament to the bonds forged among these esteemed cultivators within the caravan's inner circle.

Despite the happy atmosphere of the dinner gathering, a strange tension hung in the air, emanating from Feng Jing's visibly ailing condition. It had taken him the entire day to return to the caravan, and his weakened state cast a shadow over the festivities.

Despite the uneasy atmosphere, it was evident that both Feng Lian and Xue harbored deep-seated resentment towards someone, their glances laden with suspicion and animosity. Though the exact reason for their hostility remained shrouded in mystery, there was a distinct air of distrust that lingered, casting a pall over the otherwise joyous occasion.

As they start eating Feng Huayuan red the leader reports about Mei Lin's master entering the caravan. When Zhan Liang heard that, he was surprised. "So mysterious cultivator must be at least one realm above me. You must tell all the guards if they encounter her they can't engage with her. This mysterious cultivator is probably a woman."

"Normally cultivator realm above doesn't use anything else like a snake or something. The mysterious cultivator is the man who will not drag a snake all over. That snake was probably created by her powers, so she doesn't need to fight and everything will do the snake. I have a few ideas about this cultivator, so don't try to find her. If she doesn't want to be found we will not find her anyway. Tomorrow I will take a look. I think that I will also forget our encounter even if I find her." Zhan Liang started laughing and started drinking wine.

As the dinner progressed, Feng Huayuan, though not particularly optimistic about the situation, pushed aside his concerns and focused on the present moment. With each passing moment, the tension in the air seemed to ease slightly, and the conversation flowed more freely.

However, as the dinner neared its end, a sudden shift in the atmosphere occurred when Zhan Xia, the daughter of the caravan leader, initiated a jest at Feng Jing's expense. Feng Jing, who had recently fallen from the peak of the first stage of BT, became the target of her playful banter.

The remark struck a nerve, causing a ripple of discomfort among the guests, particularly Feng Jing, who appeared visibly unsettled by the teasing. Despite attempts to brush off the jest with a forced smile, it was evident that the mockery had struck a chord, casting a shadow over the otherwise jovial atmosphere of the dinner table.

"If you didn't hunt down bandits, you will not lose your cultivation…" Fuck off, this was because of that small bitch who was with the bandits. She used some special powers to get out of the shackles, hit my dantian, and crippler my cultivation," said Feng Jing angrily. After more talking between both of them, another heated conversation spread on the other side of the table as well. Li Lie asked Feng Lian about today's news at the market.

"I heard that your daughter nearly cut off some shop attendant's hand, despite her trying to steal some fruits at the market. She wanted to throw the blame on some slave, but in the end, the slave was not a slave, but a guest of the caravan. Your daughter even injured the guest." Li Lie told this news to everyone, so others would hear about the as well and start laughing.

"Yes that's true, if that little bitch in red didn't try to provoke my daughter then this will not happen…" tried to argument Feng Lian, but before she managed to deflect the accusation, Li Lie shattered once again, completely shatter the bullshit, which Feng Lian tried to pull out. I also heard that she is not even at the first stage BT, such a shame bullying a guest with lower cultivation than yours." Li Lie starts laughing at Feng Lian and provokes her even more.

Even though they had been friends for a long time, they would not let any news like that, and immediately used it against each other to get out of boredom.