Senior sister, stop working and go home for dinner.

Chapter 290 Attending the Banquet

Lingdang scratched her hair in frustration, making her already messy hair even more disheveled: "I just don't understand this! If the goal is simply to disrupt the situation, wouldn't it be better to do it more cleanly and 'standardly'? Leaving such a seemingly obvious flaw means that the killer must be absolutely confident that even if someone notices this anomaly, they won't be able to trace it back to them, or that this flaw itself is part of the plan, pointing to another purpose we can't even imagine."

The discussion continued for a while longer. The group roughly analyzed everything from the possible factional struggles within Longhu Mountain to other forces in the cultivation world that might rise to power, and even some ancient beings that remained hidden from the world. However, it was like looking at flowers through a fog, with a crucial veil separating them, and they could not see the core of the truth.

As the sun began to set outside the window, it cast long shadows across the windows of "Meow Fairy Residence".

Chen Anran finally broke the silence with a soft sigh.

"Enough. Today's information is chaotic and the clues are insufficient. Forcing it will be pointless. The person behind this has a far-reaching plan and will not stop here. If we just speculate, we will easily fall into blind spots." He stood up and turned his gaze to Lingdang and Shitou. "The most urgent matter is your safety and Shitou's safety. The search nets of Longhu Mountain and various factions will only tighten, and the resort is not an absolutely secret place."

Bell stood up as well, and said nonchalantly, "I know, I'm a rat in the street now, and a mutated one at that."

"So before you find out the truth, try to stay home as much as possible and just stay in your 'Longhu Mountain Specialty Pet Exchange Center'." As she spoke, Chen Anran looked at Qi Lan, "I'll trouble Fellow Daoist Qi to take care of her and Shi Tou's food, clothing and other necessities."

…………

As I left "Meow Fairy Abode," the sun was already setting, casting a warm golden glow on the resort's rooftops. Tourists still thronged the streets, their laughter and chatter a stark contrast to the somber, intimate conversation that had just taken place inside the teahouse.

Wei Qingyi walked silently beside Chen Anran until they turned into a relatively quiet alley, then spoke softly, "How much of what she said...do you believe?"

Chen Anran didn't stop walking. "I believe you completely."

"Why?" Wei Qingyi glanced at him sideways. "Just because of that one encounter at the Withered Vine Cave, and that '500-year-old undercover agent' story?"

Chen Anran coughed twice. He couldn't very well say that he had seen Lingdang's naked "adult body" and the marks on her body...

Just as Chen Anran was thinking about what excuse to use to get out of this, Wei Qingyi didn't ask any further questions.

Wei Qingyi remained silent for a moment, then walked out of the alley alongside him. The hustle and bustle of the main street rushed towards them again: the old man selling sugar figurines, the woman leading a child, the various wandering cultivators…

"You always have your reasons," Wei Qingyi said softly. "But this matter involves too many people, and Lingdang's identity is special. Even if we believe her, how can outsiders believe her? How can Longhu Mountain believe her? Once the news leaks out, Yunyin Sect will become an accomplice in harboring the 'master killer'."

He turned his head to look at Wei Qingyi, the setting sun casting a soft, warm glow on her cool profile: "Second Senior Sister, I need your help."

Wei Qingyi paused slightly, then resumed her composure: "How can I help?"

"Pay attention to the discussions among the independent cultivators coming and going down the mountain, especially the details about Longhu Mountain and the Crimson Spirit Sect. Sometimes, the information network of the lower-level independent cultivators is more complicated, and they are more likely to catch some fragments that are overlooked by the major sects," Chen Anran said in a low voice. "Also, please go and keep an eye on Qi Lan from time to time. She is an elder of Maoshan, with a transcendent status. It is safer for her to protect Lingdang secretly than for us to intervene directly."

"Understood," Wei Qingyi replied, without saying anything more, but it was a silent promise.

As the two talked, they arrived near Xian Shan Fang. It was almost dinnertime, and the queue outside was longer than in the afternoon. The air was filled with the aroma of food and a faint, yet powerful, numbing and spicy scent, suggesting that the new chef, Liu Yishou, had begun to test his skills.

Chen Anran glanced in that direction and said to Wei Qingyi, "The Feng brothers are hosting a banquet tonight, so let's go and try the Sichuan cuisine master's skills. Senior Sister is about to go into seclusion, Xiao Ling'er is focused on her cultivation, Xiao Lu, Mengmeng, and Lin Xiaoman are in the back mountain, and Master Huiming is mostly vegetarian, so we won't invite them. How about just you and me, plus the two Feng brothers?"

Wei Qingyi nodded: "Okay."

"Second Senior Sister."

"Um?"

"Thank you."

Wei Qingyi glanced sideways, a question seemingly in her eyes.

"Thank you..." Chen Anran smiled, her tone becoming more relaxed. "You didn't press me further about why I believed in the bell, nor did you advise me to be prudent and protect myself."

Wei Qingyi turned her head, her gaze fixed on the distant, layered mountain ranges. Her voice remained calm, yet seemed gentler than the mountain breeze: "Since you have made your decision, I will trust your judgment. The entire Yunyin Sect is one."

Chen Anran felt a warmth in her heart and was about to speak again when she saw Feng Xiaolu and Zhao Mengmeng walking quickly down the stone steps above the mountain path.

Feng Xiaolu seemed to have just finished her work; there was still a fine sheen of sweat on her forehead, and a few strands of hair clung to her cheeks.

The two women clearly saw Chen Anran and Wei Qingyi as well. Feng Xiaolu quickened her pace instinctively, a smile spreading across her face. Just as she was about to wave, her gaze fell upon Chen Anran and Wei Qingyi standing side by side. They stood at the alley entrance, the afterglow of the setting sun falling perfectly on them, outlining their similar silhouettes, creating an atmosphere of indescribable harmony.

Feng Xiaolu's hand, which was halfway through its swing, paused, and her smile froze on her face. The little bit of joy in her heart seemed to be pricked by a fine needle, and suddenly deflated, leaving only a hollow chill.

Zhao Mengmeng, however, didn't notice much. Her eyes lit up, and she called out from afar, "Master! Second Martial Uncle! You're here!"

She pulled Feng Xiaolu along and ran a few steps closer.

Chen Anran asked, "Why did you come down?"

"It was Brother Feng Lie who called Uncle-Master Xiao Lu, saying he's treating us to dinner at Xian Shan Fang tonight, to try the new Sichuan chef's cooking!" Zhao Mengmeng blurted out, her eyes sparkling. "He also said that the two heads of the Feng family will be there too, and he wants us all to come!"

Feng Xiaolu had already approached, her smile returning, though her eyes were still somewhat unfocused. She glanced at Chen Anran, then quickly looked away, muttering, "My two cousins ​​are really something... They insisted on having a formal dinner tonight and told me I absolutely had to come."

Chen Anran nodded and smiled, "Perfect timing, your second senior sister and I just received an invitation too. Since everyone's here, let's go together."

After saying that, Chen Anran seemed to remember something else, "By the way, where's Lin Xiaoman? Didn't she come with you?"

Before Zhao Mengmeng could answer, Feng Xiaolu spoke up first, "She said she was tired and wanted to rest early, so she wouldn't be coming." She paused, then added, "The soil in the newly cultivated medicinal herb gardens on the back hill was a bit compacted. It took Mengmeng, Xiaoman, and me a lot of time to straighten it out. It was really exhausting."

Upon hearing this, Chen Anran's gaze lingered for a moment on Feng Xiaolu's slightly tired but determined face, and he nodded: "Since she's tired, let her rest well. It must be hard work managing these household affairs in addition to her cultivation."