Yu Lan stood in front of the entrance to the cave and looked back at the city. Unlike the first attack, when the city was decimated and many of the houses were already rebuilt or in the process of rebuilding.
After watching for a long time, Yu Lan used the token and went inside the cave to prepare tea from herbs for herself. It did not take long, and Yu Lan could soon feel the herb taking effect, and she felt dizzy. Yu Lan went next to Mei Lin into the bed and didn't even manage to cover herself as she fell asleep.
*****
Four days later, morning.
Yu Lan woke up late, her body feeling as if it were on fire, utterly drained of strength. Her heart pounded wildly, and as she tried to stand, sharp pain surged through her body.
'What in the world is happening? Why am I so battered?' Yu Lan thought as she rolled on the bed. She noticed Mei Lin cultivating in the deepest part of the cave. As Yu Lan watched her, her stomach began to growl.
Feeling unwell and ravenous, Yu Lan began to question what they were truly waiting for. But when she spotted a plate of spirit fruits in front of Mei Lin, her exhaustion momentarily faded.
"Hungry! I'm starving right now!" Without a second thought, Yu Lan rushed to the plate and began devouring the chopped fruits. In an instant, the fruits were gone, yet she still felt as if she had eaten nothing.
"Why does Mei Lin always eat spirit fruits? There's nothing else to eat! Has she even left the cave since we got here? Fuck! This is ridiculous!!"
Yu Lan slowly stood up and walked to the table. On it lay a pouch with a few low-grade spirit stones and a note. She picked up the note and began reading.
"If you're reading this, I'm cultivating, so please wait for me or go buy yourself something to eat. Don't eat my spirit fruits, they won't help with your hunger or thirst. Today is the first, second, third, fourth day you've been asleep. The tea you drank is somehow strange; you'd better not drink it again. Also, if you wander outside, ask where the auction will be held and if there are any conditions to participate."
Yu Lan didn't fully understand Mei Lin's note, but she grasped enough to know what to do with the money and what information to seek. Still feeling under the weather, she left the note on the table, grabbed the spirit stones, and prepared to leave.
"I'll head out then," Yu Lan called across the cave before stepping outside. She basked in the morning sun for a moment, then descended into the city to find something to eat. As she strolled through the streets, she could tell at first glance that the Green Zone she was in was nothing like the rest of the city she had known until now. Passing by giant mansions and shrines that dotted the area, she eventually found a less crowded inn and decided to enter.
The inn, called Raging Inn, was three stories tall and filled with people who looked similar to Yu Lan, shabby, many of them injured. She went to the second floor, which was less crowded than the first, and sat at a table.
A young boy, likely in his teens, quickly approached Yu Lan with a menu. After ordering a few dishes, the boy left. Yu Lan glanced around the second floor and noticed a few people watching her, whispering. Unlike the others, her clothes, though bloodstained, looked relatively intact and of decent quality.
Gathering her courage, Yu Lan scanned the room. Everyone on the second floor fell silent, watching to see what would happen next.
She chose a table with three young men around her age, and also the table with the fewest people, which Yu Lan thought she would have the most success asking them.
"Do you mind if I join you?" Before they could answer, Yu Lan sat down next to the one seated across from the other two, so they were evenly positioned.
"My name is Yu Lan, and I'm currently living in a cave. Do you also live in the caves?" she asked, trying to start a conversation, though she seemed the only one eager to talk.
The young men exchanged glances, and the one next to her spoke.
"I'm Tian Liu, and these are my companions, Tian Xue Maya and Tian Jian Hao. We've been searching for the other members of our group. We got separated when bandits attacked the city, and now we're planning to stay here and see what happens. Fortunately, we were selling goods at the Jade Wind Temple, which protected us, but the rest of our group, who were staying at an inn not far away, weren't so lucky."
Tears welled up in Yu Lan's eyes as she listened to Tian Liu. He, too, had lost someone and was now searching for them, even though the rest of Chen Xiao's companions were likely dead.
Despite her emotions, Yu Lan deduced that they probably had valuable information, given that they were part of an organization with powerful backing to be in the Green Zone.
"Are you cultivators?" Yu Lan asked as the servant boy brought breakfast for her and the others. She began eating slowly, her eyes on Tian Liu.
The servant placed five bowls of different dishes on the table, and Yu Lan chose a soup with noodles.
"Yes, we are," Tian Liu replied, starting to eat as the rest of the table followed suit.
Yu Lan was deeply curious about cultivators. Their strength far surpassed that of non-cultivators, and they held much greater authority in Peng City. Moreover, becoming a cultivator in Peng City meant one could start their workshop in the Green Zone.
"Will you also be attending the auction?" Yu Lan asked while they ate. Jian Hao answered without hesitation, speaking for the first time.
"Yes, we won't be attending the main auction where houses or mansions are sold, but one of the branch auctions where weapons, materials, and supplies are up for sale."