Extra Chapter: Tale of the Past (Part 2)
====
"i-is this your dwelling?" asked Zhang Mei with surprise and some nervousness.
"What''s wrong? It''s a convenient ce," Xu Mei replied nonchntly.
After they introduced themselves to each other, Xu Mei decided to invite Zhang Mei to her cave to rest. Besides, another fact hade to light.
"By the way, I didn''t think you were five years older than me," Xu Mei looked at her interlocutor with a strange expression on her face.
"Th-that''s... I was also surprised," Zhang Mei replied with embarrassment on her face, and then blushed with shame, remembering her presentation of today''s breakfast and lunch: "I-I''m sorry for that sight... it must have been unpleasant."
"No, I had a simr reaction when I first killed a person, so it''s normal," Xu Mei replied without a drop of contempt or emotion.
It was clear that she was not concerned about this topic. Xu Mei was still a little surprised that Zhang Mei was 28 years old, although she probably looked no older than eighteen.
Asking Zhang Mei to wait a little, Xu Mei plunged into meditation to finally achieve a breakthrough. The girl saw her actions and was very shocked.
"She decided to trust me? But what if I decide to attack?" thought Zhang Mei, and then sighed, shaking her head: "Of course, she doesn''t worry. She killed peak cultivators at the Qi Condensation level without any problems, and here I am... a weakling without strength."
The girl sighed heavily, and her face was filled with dejection.
She was very proud of the fact that she had reached the Qi Condensation level at the age of 22, but then she met someone who had reached the same level at the age of eighteen... it was nonsense!
Zhang Mei''s world had undergone serious changes, and she was no longer as confident as before.
As a disciple of the current head of the Starry Stream Sect, she was very proud and talented, but after meeting Xu Mei, she realized that there were other Heavens above the Heavens. The boundless cultivation world was too big for her, but being a frog in a well, Zhang Mei could only see the sky, not the expanses around her.
Nevertheless, she was very excited by how Xu Mei dealt with her enemies, and she admired her, wanting to be just as strong.
***
Two hours had passed since Xu Mei began meditating, but Zhang Mei didn''t even think ofining. She followed the flow of Qi to gain an understanding of how to break through to the Core Formation level.
Only by reaching this level could one step into the light and begin the path to immortality. Therefore, this was a turning point for every cultivator.
Finally, a semi-transparent vortex of Qi appeared around Xu Mei, which was formed more because her body was working at 99% power to satisfy the necessary amount of spiritual energy to form the Golden Core.
Another five hours passed. The spectacle was not as cool and interesting as at Xu Mei''s, but it was quite smooth and effective.
Zhang Mei watched everything from beginning to end and nodded satisfactorily. She was pleased with what she had gained today. This was not only an experience on the brink of death but also an experience of how to reach the next stage of a cultivator''s life.
And so, after another half hour, Xu Mei finally opened her eyes. The first thing she said was...
"I want to drink something strong..."
***
"I-its... are you sure? I don''t want to pressure you," said Zhang Mei nervously.
"Hm? It doesn''t matter, let''s drink. I don''t care," Xu Mei replied indifferently.
In front of her were five bottles of strong alcohol, while Zhang Mei had a ss of spiritual wine, which could make even a cultivator swell up, so it was very popr.
Soon Xu Mei began to drink, downing one bottle after another, making Zhang Mei stare at her in amazement.
From Xu Mei''s side, she looked like an independent, carefree, and sometimes cold personality who could kill anyone without blinking an eye.
However, now she had turned into aplete drunkard in Zhang Mei''s eyes, who couldn''t decide whether to drink or not.
There was silence between them. These two were strangers to each other. Xu Mei had saved her only because she could get a big reward from the Starry Stream Sect.
After two hours, they both left the bar. This town was located not far from Xu Mei''s dwelling and was also under the control of the Starry Stream Sect. Together with Xu Mei, Zhang Mei headed to the sect''s branch to help Xu Mei get the reward.
Very soon, they reached this ce, and at the gates, they were recognized.
"Oh! Youngdy, please don''t disappear so suddenly! We almost lost our heads for letting you go outside!" the guard, who was at the Core Formation level – the third stage, said, almost crying.
"Ugh..."
Zhang Mei smiled awkwardly and then turned to Xu Mei, saying:
"Please, follow me. I will ask the Master to reward you."
"Yeah."
Xu Mei nodded indifferently and, together with Zhang Mei, entered the sect''s branch. In the end, they reached a small room where the only furniture was a table and a chair. And at the table sat a beautiful woman.
"Master..."
Zhang Mei''s voice was filled with nervousness and fear. And not without reason...
"ZHANG. MEI! FOOL!"
The voice of the head of the Starry Stream Sect, whom Zhang Mei called Master, was so deafening that it made her ears ring.
"So, this is what the head of the Starry Stream Sect, Bai Lin, looks like..." thought Xu Mei, looking at the woman.
She was a young-looking woman. She had long red hair and blue eyes that piercingly looked at Zhang Mei in anger.
"I-I''m sorry..."
Zhang Mei blushed with shame and lowered her head, clearly feeling her Master''s anger. Bai Lin gritted her teeth and then mmed her hand on the table several times.
"You are aware that it is extremely dangerous in the outside world! Stick your head out, and more than a hundred devilish bastards will want to cut off your neck! But you still insisted on leaving?!" Bai Lin roared angrily and finally summed up all her discontent in one word: "Fool!!"
Bai Lin was angry and worried at the same time. She had returned no more than five minutes ago, and when she asked everyone about Zhang Mei''s whereabouts, the answer was the same – "We don''t know."
Because of this, she became even angrier. The ipetence of her subordinates made her disappointed, and she was about to start arge-scale search mission when Zhang Mei returned.
And now, even if she begs her, Bai Lin will never let her go outside again!
Five minutes passed, and Bai Lin began to calm down. She looked at Zhang Mei, who was trembling with fear, her eyes filled with tears, and felt a pang in her heart. She panicked.
"D-don''t cry! I''m saying this for your good, okay? I didn''t want to offend you..."
Bai Lin got up from her seat and, approaching Zhang Mei, hugged her and pressed her to herself. Her heart was filled with blood when she felt how fragile her disciple''s body was and how strongly she was trembling.
Standing in the corner of the room, Xu Mei (she had left there because she didn''t want to spoil the drama) fell silent. Her face showed nothing.
And then, as if the spotlights had fallen on her body, Bai Lin finally noticed the girl and frowned.
"And who are you? I don''t remember you among the disciples of my sect."
At first nce, Bai Lin understood Xu Mei''s cultivation level and, searching her memory, did not find any confirmation that she was a disciple of this sect.
"Because I''m not a disciple of this sect," Xu Mei replied indifferently and then said: "I need a reward. I saved her life, and it''s not for free. Besides, she attracted devilish cultivators to my dwelling, interfering with my breakthrough, which almost cost me my life."
"Em..."
Bai Lin took on a strange expression. Although she could understand the reason and even approve of such an approach from one side, she did not expect that Xu Mei would announce it so directly.
However, hearing that her disciple had interrupted the cultivation and breakthrough of another cultivator, she felt a little ufortable.
Among cultivators, there was a taboo that one should not interrupt those who cultivate and those who break through. Of course, not everyone adhered to this, but still...
Since Bai Lin valued her reputation and the reputation of her disciple, she nodded and said:
"Okay, I''ll give you a reward of 150,000 Spiritual Stones."
"Excellent."
Only after that did Xu Mei smile and satisfactorily rub her hands. She even thought about provoking devilish cultivators to attack Zhang Mei again to save her and earn money again.
...in this behavior, she was very simr to Xie Qing.
When the girl received the reward, she left immediately. Zhang Mei saw her off with a look full of admiration and gratitude.
"I want to be like her," thought the girl.
***
The years went by. Xu Mei was 38 years old when she reached the level of Soul Nascent, once again breaking all records.
Her name became a household name. She waspared with the well-known figure at that time – the Empress of Swords.
And by coincidence, on the battlefield, filled with the bodies of cultivators, these two women met.
"What a coincidence. A genius, and also in the field of the Sword Path," said the Sword Empress with a smile.
Compared to the cold Xu Mei, the Sword Empress gave the impression of a calm, bnced, and friendly woman.
Suddenly, in response to her question, Xu Mei clicked her tongue and looked unhappily at the woman''s chest.
"Why do you have such big breasts? Mine haven''t grown in twenty years!"
"..."
The Sword Empress named Mei Feng fell silent, and her smile threatened to disappear.
Mei Feng was indeed an outstanding woman. She had long, very long – down to her knees, bright silver hair, and eyes of the same color. Her smile was tender and seductive, and she exuded a "mommy" aura, and her breasts... wererge.
Moreover... her stomach! There were six, damn, squares! Her abs were a ma for nces.
Very soon, these two began to fight. It was a duel to determine each other''s level and in two minutes...
"Kha!"
Xu Mei lost.