Senior sister, stop working and go home for dinner.

Chapter 122 Qi Lan's Entrustment

The banquet concluded in a pleasant atmosphere. Su Wan, along with Xiao Ling'er, Lin Xiaoman, and Zhao Mengmeng, returned to the mountain first, while Wei Qingyi politely bid farewell to the CEOs and waited for Chen Anran.

Just as Chen Anran was about to leave with his second senior sister, he saw Qi Lan wipe her mouth with a napkin, stand up gracefully, and look at him with her amber eyes.

"Fellow Daoist Chen." Her voice was still cold, but perhaps because she had eaten a hearty meal, her tone was slightly gentler than usual. "Let's talk in private."

Chen Anran was somewhat surprised, but still nodded, signaled Wei Qingyi to wait a moment, and then followed Qi Lan to the quiet bamboo grove in the backyard of Yunyin Xiaozhu.

The night breeze rustled through the bamboo leaves, and the lights from the construction site in the distance added a touch of human warmth to the night.

Qi Lan stopped, her hands still in her pockets, her gaze fixed on Chen Anran beneath her hat brim: "I heard you're going to Guangzhou?"

"Yes, we will depart in three days, accompanying my second senior sister."

"Hmm." Qi Lan nodded, seemingly considering her words before speaking, "Since you're going, that's perfect, do me a small favor."

"Fellow Daoist Qi, please speak."

"Shen Zui, my nephew, do you still remember him?" Qi Lan said, "He contacted me a few days ago, saying that he encountered a little... trouble in Guangzhou and needed some help."

"Section Chief Shen? What trouble has he run into?"

Qi Lan shook her head. "He didn't tell me. He just said he encountered a little trouble, and then kept tagging me in our Maoshan group, asking me to come and help."

Chen Anran asked curiously, "Where are the rest of you from Maoshan?"

Qi Lan seemed a little uncomfortable as she pressed down the brim of her hat. "There are some other matters at Maoshan recently, and we're a bit short-handed."

"So, Fellow Daoist Qi wants me to go to Guang City and see what trouble Section Chief Shen is in?"

"Okay." Qi Lan nodded, took a folded note from the pocket of her black thin coat, and handed it to Chen Anran. "This is his temporary address and contact information in Guangzhou. Go check it out. If it's just a minor problem, help him out. If... it's more complicated, let me know immediately."

Chen Anran took the note; it contained an address and a phone number. He put the note away and asked, "Fellow Daoist Qi, aren't you going there yourself? After all, Section Chief Shen specifically asked you for help."

Qi Lan glanced at him with her amber eyes and said matter-of-factly, "My cat cafe is in the critical stage of renovation, I can't leave."

Chen Anran: "..." He finally understood where Shen Zui's helpless yet somewhat awe-inspiring tone came from when he mentioned this senior master.

"Okay, I'll contact Section Chief Shen when I get to Guangzhou to see how things are going."

Chen Anran agreed. Officially, the Miscellaneous Affairs Department represented the government in handling supernatural events and maintaining stability; as a member of the cultivation world, it was his duty to provide assistance within his capabilities. Personally, although Shen Zui was cold and aloof, he was generally upright and hadn't dwelled too much on the Qingya Cave matter; forming a good relationship wouldn't hurt. Moreover, he was also somewhat curious about the "minor trouble" Shen Zui mentioned.

"Thanks." Qi Lan said after a moment of silence, "I can grant you three requests later."

Chen Anran was slightly taken aback.

Three requirements? What a cliché.

Qi Lan seemed to see through his thoughts and added, "It's not what you think. It's a legitimate request, like helping you fight, set up formations, or find items." She paused slightly, then continued, "Anyway, I've been eating and drinking here for free, and you've helped me a lot. You know, we cultivators are most wary of karma."

Upon hearing Qi Lan's explanation, Chen Anran felt relieved but also a little regretful. He had originally intended to ask Qi Lan if he could be his mount...

Chen Anran still fondly remembers that night when he rode her at breakneck speed.

"Fellow Daoist Qi is too kind." Chen Anran put away the note. "I've noted this down and will do my best."

Qi Lan breathed a sigh of relief. She crossed her arms and looked at Chen Anran with an appraising look in her eyes. "To be chosen by Old Man Zhang and to receive his unique Taoist techniques, your abilities must be more than what they seem on the surface."

Chen Anran remained silent.

Qi Lan laughed, "What, did I say something wrong? You should know that you didn't use any of your Cloud Hidden Sect's techniques that night from beginning to end."

Chen Anran actually wanted to tell her that he wasn't proficient in the Cloud Hidden Sect's techniques. Besides the fact that he broke through to the Qi Refining stage late, which meant he started practicing magic very late, he also felt sluggish when using the Cloud Hidden Sect's techniques, and some of them he simply couldn't use at all.

Chen An then asked Su Wan about it. It turned out that he was not practicing the "Ice Pure Jade Snow Technique". It was said that his master thought the technique was not suitable for him, so he made him practice the most basic cultivation method in the cultivation world.

This explains why he has been unable to break through, and it is also the fundamental reason why he cannot use the Cloud Hidden Sect's techniques.

The Cloud Hidden Sect, an all-female sect, it's unclear what the former sect leader, his late master who he only met a few times, was thinking when she accepted him into the sect.

To say that he took Chen Anran in as a disciple out of kindness, since Chen Anran was an orphan, is utterly illogical.

There are countless unfortunate children in this world, and he is not the only one with a "tragic background".

Seeing Chen Anran lost in thought, Qi Lan called out, "Fellow Daoist Chen?"

Chen Anran snapped out of her daze, temporarily suppressing her doubts. She didn't answer Qi Lan's question, but simply said, "If Fellow Daoist Qi has nothing else to say, I'll head back with Second Senior Sister."

Qi Lan nodded, not minding Chen Anran's attempt to change the subject. After all, everyone has their own secrets, right?

She pulled her hat brim down even lower, put her hands back in her pockets, and said, "Hmm, have a safe trip."

"goodbye."

Then Chen Anran turned around and met up with Wei Qingyi, who was waiting not far away. The two of them walked together along the mountain road in the night and returned to Yunyin Sect.

The three days passed in the blink of an eye.

The weather was fine on the day we set off.

In the dim light of dawn, in front of the Yunyin Sect's mountain gate, Su Wan held Xiao Ling'er's hand, while Lin Xiaoman and Zhao Mengmeng stood aside, seeing off Chen Anran and Wei Qingyi.

After saying goodbye to everyone, the two went down the mountain along the mountain road. As soon as they reached the foot of the mountain, they saw Fatty Li and his car.

Fatty Li quickly took their luggage and put it in the trunk, then personally opened the car door for them before driving away from the still-under-construction tourist resort.

The scenery outside the window gradually changed from pastoral mountains and forests to the hustle and bustle of the town, eventually merging into the traffic flow on the highway leading to Lincheng Airport.

Chen Anran leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes to rest.

Sitting to the side, Wei Qingyi had changed out of her usual elegant dress and was now wearing a simple beige casual outfit. Her long hair was tied in a ponytail, making her look capable and energetic.

While skillfully turning the steering wheel, Fatty Li glanced at Chen Anran, who was resting with her eyes closed in the back seat, through the rearview mirror, and kept chattering:

"Master Chen, look at this road! It's so smooth! A couple of years ago, it would take more than two hours of bumpy travel to get from our small town to Lincheng. Now, with the highway open, it only takes an hour or two!"

"You didn't see it, but yesterday General Manager Zhao and the others sent over another batch of new tea, saying it came from the mother tree in Wuyi Mountain, it's very precious! I've reserved it all for you and Master Su, so you can taste it when you get back..."

"By the way, of all the shops down the mountain, Master Qi's cat café is the fastest under construction. Hey, isn't it amazing? A Maoshan master is opening a cat café, and now even those stray cats on the construction site are loitering around her door every day, like they understand human nature..."

He talked on and on, from tea to building materials, from villagers' gossip to the construction progress, his chubby face glowing red, as if everything bustling down the mountain was connected to his blood.

Chen Anran slowly opened her eyes, her gaze falling on the brand-new leather seats and the flashing electronic screen on the center console. She suddenly interrupted him:

"Mr. Li, is this car new?"

Li Pangzi was taken aback by the question, then chuckled somewhat sheepishly, loosened his grip on the steering wheel with one hand, and patted the driver's seat beneath him:

"I just picked it up last month. You see, I'm running around the mountains and villages every day, and I'm always entertaining people like President Zhao and President Wang. Hehe, we need a nice car to show off our Yunyin Sect, right?"

Chen Anran nodded, asked no more questions, and closed her eyes again.

Wei Qingyi smiled slightly and said, "Layman Li is very thoughtful."

Upon hearing Wei Qingyi's praise, Fatty Li beamed with delight. "Immortal Master Wei, you flatter me too much! This is all I should do, it's all I should do! The Yunyin Sect is getting better and better, and I'm proud of it!"

He paused, and seeing through the rearview mirror that Chen Anran seemed to be resting, he wisely lowered his voice, focused on driving, and only occasionally whispered a few words to Wei Qingyi about the changes along the way.

The car returned to silence, with only the steady hum of the engine and the sound of the wind rushing past the window.

About an hour later, the vehicle smoothly entered the departure level of Lincheng Airport.

"Master Chen, Master Wei, we've arrived!" Fatty Li parked the car neatly and rushed out to help the two with their luggage.

"That's enough for now, thank you for your trouble." Chen Anran took the luggage, looked at Fatty Li for two seconds, and then said, "When I come back this time, I'll teach you a cultivation method."

Upon hearing this, Fatty Li froze on the spot as if struck by a spell. His chubby face was initially blank, then his eyes widened suddenly, his pupils contracting in extreme shock and ecstasy.

"Master!" Li Pangzi said, and was about to kneel down.

Chen Anran supported him, saying, "We'll talk about it when I get back."

Fatty Li readily agreed.

Afterwards, Chen Anran exchanged a few more words with Fatty Li, then bid farewell to Wei Qingyi and Fatty Li before heading into the airport.

Fatty Li stood there, watching the two figures disappear through the security checkpoint, still trembling slightly with excitement. He pinched his thigh hard, wincing in pain, before he was sure he wasn't dreaming. "Cultivation methods... the immortal master wants to teach me cultivation methods..." he muttered to himself, a huge, almost insane smile spreading across his face, attracting the attention of passersby.

………………

Inside the airport, after checking in and going through security, I arrived at the waiting area.

The modern airport is bustling with activity, electronic screens display flight information, and announcements are broadcast in both Chinese and English.

"There's still some time, sit down and wait," Wei Qingyi said, taking out a thick law book from her bag and quietly flipping through it.

Chen Anran sat down beside her, her gaze sweeping over the diverse crowd in the waiting area. There were business travelers rushing about, tour groups laughing and chatting, and mothers gently whispering to each other while holding their children…

He remembered his senior sister Su Wan's words—"Take a closer look at the myriad lights in the homes for me."

In truth, Chen Anran wanted to say that he had seen enough and that he would rather meditate in the mountains...

Chen Anran withdrew her gaze from the bustling crowd in the waiting hall and landed on Wei Qingyi, who was quietly reading beside her. Her eyelashes were lowered, and her focused expression was out of place with the noisy environment around her.

"Second Senior Sister," Chen Anran said softly, breaking the silence between them, "I have some things to take care of when we get to Guang City."

Wei Qingyi looked up from her book at Chen Anran, a questioning look in her eyes. "Okay. Do you need my help?"

"No need," Chen Anran shook his head. "It's a small favor that Fellow Daoist Qi Lan asked me to do—to visit a friend and find out what's going on. It shouldn't take too much time."

"The matter entrusted to you by Fellow Daoist Qi?" Wei Qingyi asked thoughtfully, closing the book in her hand. "Is it related to the cultivation world?"

"Yes, it's Section Chief Shen Zui from the Miscellaneous Affairs Department. He seems to be in a bit of trouble in Guang City," Chen Anran explained succinctly. "Fellow Daoist Qi couldn't leave because of the cat cafe's renovations, so he asked me to go check on him on my way."

Wei Qingyi understood and advised, "Now that spiritual energy has recovered, the miscellaneous matters handled by the Miscellaneous Affairs Department are no longer ordinary tasks. Although they may seem like minor troubles, you still need to be careful. Contact me anytime if needed." She paused and added, "I've lived in Guangzhou for several years, so I'm quite familiar with it."

"I will."

Wei Qingyi gently closed the law book in her hand, turned to the side, and said, "Boss Li is a shrewd and business-savvy person, which is not the same as the purity and inaction required for spiritual practice."

"Don't worry, Senior Sister, I know what I'm doing." After saying that, Chen Anran changed the subject, "But Second Senior Sister, I heard from Third Senior Sister that you seem to be... quite busy in Guang City?"

Upon hearing this, Wei Qingyi's fair cheeks flushed slightly. She subconsciously avoided Chen Anran's gaze and turned her attention back to her books. "It's just some academic work and... some personal experimentation."

Chen Anran was suspicious, but did not press the matter.

Because he still couldn't believe that Wei Qingyi had gone off to work again...

An airport announcement came on at the right time, informing them that boarding for their flight was about to begin.

"Let's go." Wei Qingyi put the book into her canvas bag, stood up, and straightened her clothes.

The two followed the flow of people to the boarding gate. They crossed the jet bridge, entered the cabin, and found their seats. Wei Qingyi sat by the window, while Chen Anran sat beside her.

"Senior sister, do you think we might encounter some kind of 'cursed flight' incident again this time?"

Wei Qingyi had just fastened her seatbelt when she heard Chen Anran's words and couldn't help but chuckle, gently patting his arm: "You jinx. How many accidents could we possibly encounter?"

Chen Anran smiled; he had only said it casually.