Senior sister, stop working and go home for dinner.

Chen Anran was taken aback, not expecting Shen Zui to suddenly extend an invitation.

He quickly weighed his options.

Shen Zui's suggestion was not without reason. Qingya Cave was indeed not far from Yunyin Sect. Such a huge potential threat was hanging there in the dark, like a beast sleeping soundly next to one's bed, which was indeed unsettling.

Although the eldest sister denied any involvement in the matter, if she could personally investigate and obtain firsthand information, it would be more secure for both the sect's safety and her own reputation.

Moreover, he also wanted to see for himself what was really going on at that scene.

Thinking of this, Chen Anran nodded: "Section Chief Shen is absolutely right. Qingya Cave is adjacent to my Yunyin Sect, and this matter is indeed related to the safety of the sect. Since Section Chief Shen has invited me, I will go with you and hope to do my part."

Shen Zui smiled slightly: "Alright. Then please wait a moment, Fellow Daoist Chen, while I arrange things down the mountain. We'll set off immediately."

Watching Shen Zui walk away towards the middle-aged police officer, Chen Anran silently took out her phone and called Su Wan.

The call connected, and Su Wan's gentle voice came through: "An Ran, did you see Section Chief Shen off?"

"Yes, Senior Sister, he has already gone down the mountain." Chen Anran paused and said in a normal tone, "In addition, Section Chief Shen invited me to go to Qingya Cave for on-site investigation. I feel that this matter concerns the safety of the sect, so it is necessary to go and see for myself. I am here to inform you, Senior Sister."

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone, followed by Su Wan's gentle reply: "Yes, it's good that you go and take a look. Qingya Cave is next to us, and their inexplicable disappearance is indeed unsettling. You're always so steady in your actions; going and checking on the situation will put our minds at ease. Please be careful, and if anything seems amiss, retreat immediately. Safety is paramount."

"I understand, Senior Sister, don't worry," Chen Anran replied.

After hanging up the phone, Chen Anran felt a little relieved. His senior sister's calm and natural reaction, without revealing anything unusual, made him even more certain that this matter had nothing to do with the Cloud Hidden Sect.

Soon, Shen Zui finished arranging things down the mountain and sent the other police officers back first.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, please." Shen Zui opened the back door of the jeep.

Chen Anran nodded and bent down to get into the car. The interior was simple and clean, with a faint smell of disinfectant.

The person sitting in the driver's seat was a girl wearing a baseball cap and a thin black jacket.

"Master Uncle, let's go to Qingya Cave."

"it is good."

The girl started the car smoothly. The engine gave a deep roar, and the jeep drove steadily away from the foot of Yunyin Mountain.

Chen Anran sat in the back seat, his gaze involuntarily falling on the girl in the driver's seat whom Shen Zui called "Master Uncle".

She wore a baseball cap, the brim pulled low, revealing only her well-defined jawline and pursed lips, making her look very young. A simple black thin jacket accentuated her fair neck, and her hands gripping the steering wheel showed off her long, slender fingers and distinct knuckles.

Senior Uncle? The Maoshan lineage emphasizes lineage and has a strict hierarchy. Shen Zui is already a direct disciple, at the mid-stage of Qi Refining. Anyone he calls Senior Uncle must have extremely high cultivation and seniority. But the appearance of this girl in front of him makes it hard to associate her with the title "Senior Uncle".

Seemingly noticing Chen Anran's gaze, the girl in front tilted her head slightly, and her eyes briefly met Chen Anran's through the rearview mirror under her hat.

Those were exceptionally clear and calm eyes, the pupils a light color, like amber beneath a mountain spring, carrying a serenity and indifference that belied their age. They glanced at it only once before looking away, focusing on the road ahead.

Shen Zui seemed used to his "senior uncle's" silence. He took out a cigarette case from his storage compartment, pulled one out, and was about to light it when a clear, cold voice came from in front of him:

No smoking inside the vehicle.

Shen Zui paused, awkwardly put the cigarette away, touched his nose, and said nothing.

Chen Anran was even more surprised to see Shen Zui's slightly embarrassed expression. This Section Chief Shen had a cold and hard aura, and his status in Maoshan must be quite high, yet he was so obedient to this "senior brother".

The atmosphere inside the car fell silent again, with only the soft rustling of the wheels on the road.

The Jeep performed exceptionally well, driving smoothly and swiftly on the mountain roads. About half an hour later, the car turned onto a more secluded and narrow mountain road, where the trees on both sides became increasingly lush and the area was sparsely populated.

After driving for another twenty minutes or so, a slightly open valley appeared ahead. At the entrance of the valley stood several heavily weathered boulders, and behind the boulders, one could vaguely see several ancient buildings, which was the location of Qingya Cave.

The car stopped at the mouth of the valley.

"We've arrived," Shen Zui said, getting out of the car first.

Chen Anran and that "senior brother" also got off the bus one after the other.

At this point, Chen Anran finally got a clear look at the girl's face. She looked to be about seventeen or eighteen years old, with a beautiful and refined appearance. Her features were so delicate that they seemed to have been carefully drawn with a paintbrush. Although she was wearing a modern and simple black coat, she gave people a sense of otherworldly beauty, as if she had stepped out of an ancient painting.

Shen Zui walked to her side and said respectfully in a low voice, "Senior Aunt, Qingya Cave is just ahead."

"Okay, let's go in then."

…………

The wind at the valley entrance carried the unique coolness of the mountains and fields, fluttering the hems of the three people's clothes.

The sect named Qingya Cave is less a "cave" and more a cluster of ancient buildings built against the mountainside. The bluish-gray stone steps wind upwards, connecting several halls with upturned eaves, which look quite old.

But at this moment, this place, which should have been a place for quiet cultivation, was filled with an unsettling deathly silence.

There were no insects chirping, no birds singing, and even the rustling of the wind through the leaves seemed extremely faint.

The girl, addressed as "Master Uncle," stood at the entrance of the valley. Her clear, amber eyes calmly surveyed the buildings in front of her, her face expressionless, as if she were observing an ancient artifact unrelated to herself.

Shen Zui said, "There are no obvious signs of damage inside, but the remaining spiritual energy is very chaotic, as if it has been forcibly stirred up by some kind of force."

"Let's go in and take a look first." The girl said as she stepped inside, and Chen Anran and Shen Zui immediately followed.

Upon entering, a wave of air mixed with the smell of old wood and stone and a faint musty odor hit you, and sure enough, it contained the "disordered" spiritual energy remnants that Shen Zui had mentioned.

This feeling was peculiar. It wasn't like the violent fragments of spiritual energy left after a battle, but rather like the disorienting vortex of spiritual energy left behind after a still pool of water was frantically stirred by an invisible hand. It was faint yet omnipresent.

The buildings in the valley are remarkably well-preserved, with doors and windows tightly closed, and some rooms even have unfinished tea on the tables, as if the owners had only left temporarily.