The Northern Song Dynasty returned south, seeking the truth of the Dao.

The two lingered there tenderly for a moment. Wang Huanzhen looked at the barely dawning sky and asked, "What time is it now? Where did you hide last night? Why have I never seen a cave despite going up the mountain so many times?"

"It must be around dawn. When we set off, we didn't find any trace of the Golden Men on the mountain. We guessed that they gave up because they couldn't find you. As for that cave, I don't know either. It was Madam who led me there."

Lin Qingyan held Wang Huanzhen's hand, frowned, and pondered for a moment before answering. Wang Huanzhen noticed her face was flushed and initially thought it was from excitement. However, the blush didn't fade after a long time.

So he reached out, pretending to remove a fallen leaf from the girl's head, and gently touched her forehead. The warmth of the girl's forehead startled him.

No wonder Lin Qingyan's face was flushed; she had already started to have a fever. Her current physical condition no longer allowed her to delay; she had to find an opportunity to remove the arrow from her body.

Thinking of this, Wang Zhenhuan calmly said to the girl, "Let's go. Since Madam knows where that cave is, let's rest first and then head south this afternoon."

"Okay, I'll listen to you, as long as you don't leave me alone again." Lin Qingyan nodded, helped Wang Zhenhuan to his feet, and then squeezed out through the narrow crack.

Wang Zhenhuan was in very poor condition. He had exhausted himself the night before, leaving him feeling weak all over. He was already drenched in sweat after walking for only a short while. Lin Qingyan was supporting him and wiping his sweat from time to time.

After walking and stopping frequently, led by the short, plump woman, they finally arrived at the cave that Lin Qingyan had mentioned. Wang Zhenhuan stood outside the cave, looking at the arched entrance, filled with doubt.

The cave entrance was round with a square base, clearly not a natural formation. The entire entrance was hidden behind dense bushes and weeds; if Lin Qingyan hadn't pointed it out, he wouldn't have noticed it at all.

Although puzzled, Wang Zhen didn't ask. He simply followed the short, plump woman, parted the bushes, and entered the cave. As soon as they entered, a cool breeze swept over them.

The entire cave was built against the mountainside, and just as he had guessed, there were clear chisel marks on the cave walls, indicating that someone had carved it out. Rather than a cave, it was more like a grotto.

Not only was the entrance designed to resemble a round heaven and a square earth, but the interior also followed this layout. Even the floor was paved with bluestone tiles. The cave was not large, approximately two zhang in diameter.

Deep within the cave, there was a stone bed carved out of the mountainside. On the stone bed lay some dry grass and a tattered quilt. Beside the stone bed were some earthenware pots and pans.

"This place looks like it's been inhabited? Didn't you see the owner of this cave before you came? Isn't it inappropriate for us to just barge into someone else's home like this?"

Wang Zhen asked with a hint of worry, "Breaking in rashly is against the rules, and secondly, they are not in good condition right now. What if the owner comes back and finds that his home has been invaded by strangers?"

Conflicts will inevitably break out again. Given their current state, let alone an adult, even an elderly person could easily defeat them.

"Don't worry, no one lives here. I was also quite nervous when I came here last night. Later I found out that the person living here was none other than this lady."

Lin Qingyan helped Wang Zhenhuan sit down on the stone bed and spoke to comfort him. She then pointed to the short, plump woman. The woman nodded, pointed to herself, and then to the cave dwelling.

This meant that Lin Qingyan was right, and that she did live here. After doing this, she was afraid that Wang Zhenhuan wouldn't believe her, so she hurriedly went to the bottles and jars, took out a few dried apricots from an earthenware jar, and handed them to Wang Zhenhuan.

Wang Huanzhen took the apricot and examined it carefully. The apricot was extremely dry, with almost no moisture on it. It looked like dried apricots, clearly not something that had been dried for a long time.

He then believed Lin Qingyan's words, peeled the dried apricot, removed the pit, and naturally cut it in half, handing it to Lin Qingyan. Lin Qingyan took the apricot, rolled her eyes at him, and then popped it into her mouth.

Having spent so much time with Wang Zhenhuan, she naturally knew his personality. If she didn't eat the apricot, Wang Zhenhuan would definitely not enjoy it all by himself. Only after seeing her eat it did Wang Zhenhuan put the remaining apricot into his mouth.

Apricots at this time of year are usually not very sweet. But dried apricots are different; all the moisture has evaporated, leaving only the sweetness of the flesh. After eating a few apricots, he finally felt alive again.

For a hungry person, sugar is always the best supplement. After Lin Qingyan saw that he had finished eating, she held his hand, rummaged in her bosom for a while, and then took out two duck eggs and placed them in his palm.

"Eat quickly, I saved some for you overnight."

Wang Zhenhuan's eyes welled up with tears as he looked at the two familiar duck eggs, his heart seemingly filled with joy. This time, he didn't refuse; he peeled the eggs open and popped them into his mouth.

Although the duck egg was cold, his heart was warm. The short, plump woman, seeing the two so affectionate, watched them and grinned foolishly. Suddenly, she seemed to remember something.

She rummaged through the bottles and jars for a while, but didn't find what she was looking for. After tilting her head and thinking for a moment, she hurriedly ran out of the cave. Wang Zhenhuan saw this and quickly got up.

He wanted to follow her out to see what the short, plump woman had discovered. Unexpectedly, due to his weakened state, he couldn't get up. Seeing this, Lin Qingyan patted his arm, got up, and chased after her.

Less than a quarter of an hour later, the woman returned with Lin Qingyan, smiling. Lin Qingyan was carrying a jar in her arms. She walked up to Wang Huanzhen and said to him mysteriously.

"Guess what the lady has hidden?" he said, reaching out to pat the jar. The jar made a dull thud. Wang Zhen had initially thought it was wine, but upon hearing the hollow sound, he immediately changed his mind.

"Is it millet?" he asked with a happy expression. Lin Qingyan nodded when she heard his words, wiped the dirt off the jar, and then lifted the burlap sash that was sealing it.

Wang Zhenhuan looked down and saw some millet still in its husk at the bottom of the jar, not much, only about a third of the grain. But even so, it was enough to make him happy.

This was his lifeline! He quickly stood up, bowed to the woman, and thanked her. The woman chuckled, nodded, and turned to start a fire.

"Heaven hasn't forsaken us! This lady may be plain-looking, but she has a kind heart. We've been so fortunate to have her these past few days. I see she's all alone; why don't we take her with us?"

"Okay, whatever you say. I'll go help Madam start the fire, you should rest well..."