Mei Lin poured herself a cup of blood from the teapot and, after drinking it, slowly entered a cultivation state. Absorbing natural energy from the air and the blood felt the same each time, but whenever she slipped into this state, her mind seemed to leave her body and merge with her spirit sea. Time became distorted, stretching and bending in ways that defied ordinary perception.
"I'm sorry, could you help me get up? I'll quickly examine your body and heal you if you have a fever," Mei Lin said. With a little assistance from Yu Lan, she managed to stand. Mei Lin sat on Yu Lan's thighs, gazing at her completely naked body.
Yu Lan's form was splendid. Her matured figure boasted solid B-cup breasts, though the large bruise on her belly and the marks on her intimate area which remnants of a cruel encounter with a savage cultivator stood out starkly. Mei Lin noticed the bruises covering Yu Lan's crotch, along with a clear liquid leaking from her slit. She placed her hand on Yu Lan's belly, letting her natural energy flow into her.
"Please don't touch me there. I'm all right, okay?" Yu Lan pleaded.
Surprised by Yu Lan's reaction, Mei Lin stopped. "Are you really injured?" she wondered, trying to piece together the reason behind Yu Lan's resistance and reluctance to accept help.
"If you let me use my cultivation, you'll heal faster and won't need more healing pills," Mei Lin insisted. Her hand reached forward, bypassing Yu Lan's, and paused at her belly. Just as Mei Lin prepared to inject natural energy, Yu Lan grabbed her hand, stopping her mid-motion.
"Mei Lin, listen carefully. I'm not sick right now—I'm pregnant…" Yu Lan confessed.
Mei Lin froze, her hand still, and looked into Yu Lan's eyes. "How?" she asked curiously, momentarily forgetting to investigate Yu Lan's injuries.
"When did you get pregnant? Was it when we were at that pavilion with that cultivator? You were sleeping together, right?"
"Oh, no. I've been pregnant for over a month. I feel weak because I'm carrying a child. I'll improve with rest. Staying in the cave too long will only worsen my condition," Yu Lan explained, unsure how to address Mei Lin's obvious cluelessness on the matter. Still, Mei Lin was her only hope to navigate this situation.
Realizing that reasoning with Yu Lan would be futile, Mei Lin decided to drop the matter and went to sleep.
*****
From the side, Mei Lin observed that Yu Lan's belly remained flat, her body appearing thinner than when they first met. After studying her for a while, Mei Lin stood and shifted to see Yu Lan's exposed crotch.
Pondering what to do, Mei Lin accessed Yu Lan's storage space. Aside from a few unnecessary items, it contained no money. Deciding to help, she added more spirit stones, hoping Yu Lan could use them more productively than lingering here.
Sensing Yu Lan was awake but silent, Mei Lin left her in bed, covering her with a blanket. "I'll leave one of my healing pills and a few more spirit stones on the table. You can buy something and ask your friend at the auction house if the pill will help. We'll meet this evening," Mei Lin said without waiting for a response, then settled onto her cultivation mat.
Mei Lin poured herself another cup of blood from the teapot and, after drinking it, entered a cultivation state. Absorbing natural energy from the air and the blood felt consistent, but as her mind merged with her spirit sea, time distorted, stretching and warping beyond normal comprehension. Initially, she felt time remained steady, but soon she lost track of how long she'd been cultivating, her awareness of the cave fading as she focused solely on absorbing natural energy.
*****
Yu Lan sat at the table, preparing to eat the remaining rice and a few pieces of pork. She glanced at Mei Lin, whose naked body sat in a lotus position by the wall. Mei Lin's small, delicate frame resembled jade, her snow-white skin emitting a faint red glow that enhanced its luminescence.
Despite her petite stature, Mei Lin's body hinted at womanly curves, appearing almost otherworldly. Her long white hair nearly reached the ground, draping over her form.
Yu Lan felt an urge to draw Mei Lin, but the memory of yesterday's terrifying experience stopped her. She feared that repeating it might leave her without help. As she ate the cold rice, she wondered if drawing Mei Lin would have the same effect. The rice tasted poor, and she quickly lost her appetite, turning to the pork.
After chewing a few pieces, Yu Lan suddenly vomited onto the table. Her stomach twisted as she expelled everything she'd eaten, collapsing into the mess. "What's going on?" she panicked, her strength draining away.
Tears streamed down her face as she shook. "Mei Lin… please help me. Please help me…" she cried, her voice rising. Mei Lin didn't respond, lost in her cultivation. Giving up, Yu Lan waited for the pain to subside, letting it wash over her.
When the pain became bearable, Yu Lan lifted herself from the floor and returned to the bed. After calming down, the stomach pain eased, and she felt slightly better. She washed her face, donned her robe, and rushed toward the auction house for Smile's help, forgetting the ruined food and vomit in her desperation.
Yu Lan hurried from the cave, moving as fast as she could. A few people saw her, pale and tear-streaked, rushing down from the cave wall. Onlookers stared, reminded of the horrors they'd endured during the city's attack.
As she left the cave wall, her speed slowed until exhaustion forced her to lean against the wall of a small house, sliding to the ground, panting. She sat in the dirt for about an hour until a young girl approached with a cup of water.
"Are you thirsty, miss?" the girl asked, her short blonde hair and big blue eyes gleaming with concern.
Dizzy from the ordeal, Yu Lan could barely nod. The girl handed her the cup, and after Yu Lan drank it all, she took it back and left quickly. Yu Lan watched her disappear, too weak to follow or note where she'd come from.
Using her last reserves of strength, Yu Lan reached the auction house plaza. As she entered, her mind blurred, and she lost consciousness.
*****
Two days later, early the next morning, inside the highest floor of the auction house (four days into the auction), Yu Lan awoke to the strong scent of food and herbs. She looked around, recognizing the same bed where she'd woken before.
"Thirsty…" she rasped, her voice barely a whisper.
In an instant, Smile appeared before her. "What were you doing, child? You look a mess. Didn't you rest as I told you?"
Yu Lan tried to defend herself but was too exhausted to speak. Smile squatted down, his masked face visible as he smiled. "If you don't want to tell me, I can leave."
Wanting to respond, Yu Lan found no strength left. As her eyes closed, she caught one last glimpse of Smile's face before slipping back into sleep.
*****
Two hours later, inside the highest floor of the auction house, Yu Lan awoke feeling less exhausted. She saw Smile sitting by the cauldron, sipping tea and watching her.