Meng Shuying had never liked this senior sister who often bullied her.
But for some reason, this time, her senior sister seemed a bit more gentle.
She sneaked a glance at Su Luo, noticing that her attention was still focused on the book in her hands. Meng Shuying bit her lip, placed her hands on the cushion beneath her, and slowly shifted her legs from a kneeling to a sitting position.
During the entire process, she held her breath, as if afraid that any sound might disturb Su Luo's reading.
After another hour of travel, the town finally came into view. Han Yi lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and called out, "Senior Sister Su, we're almost there."
"Got it," Su Luo replied, closing her book. She instructed Han Yi to stop the carriage by the roadside, then took a talisman from her Qiankun pouch and handed it to Meng Shuying, saying, "Keep this safe."
Meng Shuying had only brought a small gray bundle with her, containing a change of clothes and a few copper coins. Instead of putting the talisman in her bundle, she tucked it away in her clothing.
Seeing how obedient she was, Su Luo nodded in approval and explained, "This is a tracking talisman; it will allow us to know your location. When we get close to the town, you'll need to get off the carriage and head to the Sihai Inn in the southern part of town to find Manager Qian."
Manager Qian originally had a daughter who was thirteen years old. The night watchman had seen the thief on the night when the thief had entered Manager Qian's house, and the next day, his daughter was missing.
After his daughter's disappearance, Manager Qian's wife was heartbroken and cried every day.
Unable to bear seeing his wife so distraught, Manager Qian had found an orphan girl from his hometown who was about the same age as his daughter, intending to adopt her.
That orphan girl was Meng Shuying.
After several girls went missing, the townsfolk became alarmed. Families with daughters were on high alert, constantly worried that someone might harm their children.
In this tense atmosphere, the thief had not appeared for some time.
Meng Shuying was to appear now to attract the thief's attention.
Su Luo wasn't concerned that the thief wouldn't take the bait. Although she still didn't know the thief's motive for abducting so many girls, the frequency of the abductions suggested that he was getting desperate.
After giving Meng Shuying a brief explanation of the plan, Meng Shuying gathered her belongings and prepared to get off the carriage. It would be too conspicuous for the four of them to enter the town together, so she had to leave first and go alone.
Just before Meng Shuying left, Su Luo suddenly grabbed her arm. After a moment's hesitation, she said, "If you get caught, just wait quietly. I'll come to rescue you."
Meng Shuying entered the town and quickly found the Sihai Inn.
Before she even reached the entrance, she saw a man standing under the inn's sign, looking around. The man appeared to be in his forties, had a sturdy build, but a very kind face.
When he spotted Meng Shuying approaching with her bundle, his eyes lit up, and he immediately came over, asking, "Are you Shuying?"
Meng Shuying hesitated, "…And you are?"
The man slapped his thigh, exclaiming, "I'm your Uncle Qian!"
Afraid that she wouldn't understand, he pointed to the inn behind him and winked at her, "This is the Sihai Inn I told you about. I'm the manager here."
Realizing he was the Manager Qian that Su Luo had mentioned, Meng Shuying tightened her grip on her bundle and followed him into the inn.
The Sihai Inn was the largest inn in town, and although it wasn't mealtime, the place was already bustling with customers.
Several regulars, seeing Manager Qian lead a young girl inside, curiously asked, "Old Qian, who's this girl?"
Manager Qian cupped his hands and glanced around before replying in a low voice, "She's the daughter of my third brother back home. The poor girl lost her parents early on and wasn't treated well by her relatives. You know, ever since my daughter went missing, my wife's health has been poor. No doctor can cure her broken heart. I thought I'd bring the girl here to keep my wife company."
One person sighed and patted Manager Qian on the shoulder, "This girl looks about the same age as your daughter. I think it'll work out."
Another chimed in, "You better keep an eye on her. Things haven't been safe around here lately…"
To make it easier for the thief to strike, Meng Shuying was arranged to stay in a guest room at the Qian residence. According to the plan, she would spend her days accompanying Mrs. Qian, and at night, she would stay in the room alone.
Just as Su Luo had expected, the thief didn't remain hidden for long. On the third night after Meng Shuying moved into the Qian residence, she disappeared.
The first person to notice her absence was Mrs. Qian.
Mrs. Qian had noticed that Meng Shuying only had plain gray clothes and assumed she hadn't had time to prepare proper attire before leaving the mountain. Seeing that she was about the same size as her daughter, Mrs. Qian decided to bring her some of her daughter's new clothes.
But when she entered the room, it was empty.
When Manager Qian found Su Luo, she was cultivating in her room.
Upon hearing that Meng Shuying had gone missing, she immediately took out the tracking talisman and injected a thread of spiritual energy into it. The talisman ignited, and after burning away, it turned into a wisp of powder that drifted slowly westward.
Su Luo wasted no time, quickly calling for Han Yi and Xie Hanzhu. The three of them followed the trail of powder, which led them to an abandoned mansion about ten miles outside the town.
The mansion's sudden appearance in the middle of nowhere was eerie enough, but it was made even more unsettling by the two worn red lanterns hanging above the entrance.
Gazing at the ominous mansion, Han Yi felt his legs trembling uncontrollably. He tried to discreetly hide behind Su Luo, his voice shaking as he suggested, "Senior Sister Su, this place is full of strange vibes. Maybe we should go back to the sect and bring more people…"
Su Luo shook her head slightly, "That would take too long."
She took a few steps forward and noticed a plaque above the gate with the characters "Lin Mansion" inscribed on it.
"This was once a grand residence. Eventually, the family probably moved away, and the place fell into disrepair. Meng Shuying is likely inside."
Su Luo glanced sideways at Han Yi, "If you're scared, you can wait at the entrance."
Han Yi was about to suggest staying at the gate, but after catching Xie Hanzhu's warning look, he quickly changed his mind, "I'll go in with you."
The mansion's front gate was secured with a large iron lock, rusty and weathered with age. Xie Hanzhu drew her sword, intending to break the lock, but Su Luo quickly stopped her.
Su Luo shook her head, whispering, "Let's not act rashly."
The three of them climbed over the courtyard wall and into the mansion. As soon as they landed, Su Luo spotted the tracking talisman waiting for them. The talisman, as if sensing their arrival, began floating slowly toward the depths of the mansion.
The dark mansion felt like a giant maw, ready to swallow the intruders whole.
The place was pitch-black, with not a single light to be seen. Fortunately, their enhanced senses allowed them to navigate without too much difficulty.
Su Luo followed the tracking talisman through several moon gates until they reached a pond.
The pond wasn't large, with a rockery at its center. The tracking talisman stopped at the pond's edge before gradually fading away.
This must be the place.
Su Luo turned to Xie Hanzhu, "The tracking talisman vanished here, so there's something odd around. Let's split up and search."
The three of them scoured the area around the pond but found nothing unusual.
The pond's water was still, its surface undisturbed by even the slightest ripple. The moonlight reflected off the water, casting a cold, pale glow.
Something about the scene felt off to Su Luo, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
She stood at the pond's edge, observing the water and the lush plants growing around it. Finally, she realized what was wrong—the pond's water was too clean.
Judging by the rust on the gate and the overgrown weeds in the garden, the mansion had been abandoned for years. Yet the pond was pristine, free of the algae and weeds that should have accumulated. It didn't make sense.
She continued to survey the surroundings and soon spotted another anomaly.
Not far from the pond stood a stone table and four stone stools. Three of the stools were covered in dust, but one was completely clean.
Seeing her crouch down to examine the stool, Xie Hanzhu and Han Yi gathered around her.
Han Yi even attempted to lift the stool, but despite his Foundation Establishment-level strength, he couldn't budge it.
After watching him struggle for a while, Su Luo suggested, "Try turning it instead."
Han Yi did as she suggested, gripping the stool and giving it a twist. To his surprise, it rotated with ease.
As the stool turned, they heard a strange noise. All three of them looked up to see the rockery in the center of the pond begin to move, slowly inching toward the shore.
It wasn't an illusion—the rockery was indeed moving toward the bank. Moments later, it revealed a narrow gap just wide enough for a person to pass through.
The three of them exchanged glances. Su Luo nodded and led the way onto the rockery, carefully entering the gap. Xie Hanzhu followed, with Han Yi bringing up the rear.
After walking a few steps into the passage, Su Luo encountered a door. The door seemed to be made of stone, its surface smooth to the touch. Su Luo gently pushed it open.
Beyond the door was a long, sloping corridor. The walls on either side were embedded with glowing stones, casting an eerie green light throughout the passage.
It looked like a path leading straight to the underworld.
Han Yi was so terrified that his teeth were chattering. Seeing his fear, Su Luo decided to leave him behind to guard the entrance.
She and Xie Hanzhu proceeded down the corridor, which was just wide enough for one person. The narrowness meant the person in the back could only see the one in front of them. But after rounding a corner, the passage suddenly opened up into a vast space.
Hidden beneath the rockery was an enormous cavern, large enough to house half a mansion. The walls were lined with torches, illuminating the chamber as brightly as day.
In the center of the cavern stood a black altar, covered in strange carvings.