Qiao Zhao and Shao Mingyuan locked eyes.

The current situation was becoming increasingly bizarre. Master Wumei had disappeared without a trace, all the other nuns had their throats cut, and strangest of all was Master Jingxi—though she had a wound on her neck, it was only a shallow cut.

Could it be that this wasn’t the work of a single culprit?

Perhaps by telepathy, just as Qiao Zhao thought of this, Shao Mingyuan spoke: “Judging from the shape and angle of the wounds on the other nuns’ necks, the wound on Master Jingxi’s neck should be from the same culprit.”

In this regard, Shao Mingyuan undoubtedly had more experience than Qiao Zhao.

Qiao Zhao was even more puzzled: “Then why is the wound on Master Jingxi’s neck so shallow?”

“We’ll study that later. First, let’s wake Master Jingxi.”

Qiao Zhao untied the ropes binding Jingxi and, after examining her, said to Shao Mingyuan: “Apart from the marks on her wrists from being bound by rope, Master Jingxi has no obvious external injuries.”

Shao Mingyuan turned and lowered his head: “She should have just been knocked unconscious.”

Qiao Zhao took out a silver needle: “Let me see if I can wake Master Jingxi.”

The silver needle pierced Jingxi’s Baihui acupoint. Soon after, Jingxi slowly opened her eyes.

At this moment, chaotic footsteps and commotion came from the courtyard.

Jingxi’s eyes moved around as she asked in confusion: “Third Miss Li, what’s happening outside? Why is it so noisy?”

“Master Jingxi, do you remember what happened before you lost consciousness?”

“Before losing consciousness?” Jingxi’s eyes grew even more confused.

Voices came from outside: “Master, Master, are you unharmed?”

“Amitabha, senior brother, don’t ask questions now. Let’s hurry inside to see.”

Soon, several monks rushed in.

Jingxi was startled: “You all?”

“Senior Brother Jingxi, is Master alright?”

“Master? Master is taking her afternoon rest—” Jingxi suddenly came to her senses and grabbed Qiao Zhao’s hand, asking: “Has something happened to Master?”

“Master Jingxi, do you have no memory at all of what happened before you lost consciousness?”

Jingxi shook her head in confusion.

“Think carefully. What’s the last thing you remember?”

Jingxi fell into thought: “This humble nun seemed to be bringing Master a cup of hot water at the time. Master has the habit of drinking a cup of cooled boiled water after waking from her afternoon rest.”

“What was Master Wumei doing at that time?” Shao Mingyuan interjected.

“Master was taking her afternoon rest, right here—” Jingxi’s face instantly turned deathly pale. “What exactly has happened to Master?”

“Master has disappeared,” Qiao Zhao said.

“Disappeared? Amitabha, how could this be? How could this be?” Jingxi swayed unsteadily, looking unable to accept this.

Qiao Zhao held her hand comfortingly: “Master Jingxi, don’t panic. Whether we have any clues about Master Wumei now depends on you.”

While Qiao Zhao was comforting Jingxi, Shao Mingyuan said to the lead monk, “I have already conducted a preliminary examination of several rooms. All the masters inside have been murdered. Now, please, masters, carefully examine the entire Shuying Nunnery to see if there are any traces of Master Wumei’s whereabouts.”

“Naturally.” The lead monk chanted a Buddhist invocation loudly and instructed one of the monks: “Junior brother, quickly return to the temple to report this matter to the abbot and bring more people.”

Then he said to the other monks, “Several junior brothers, immediately examine all areas of the nunnery to see if there are any traces of the Master’s whereabouts.”

“Yes.”

After the monks all left, only four people remained in the meditation room: the nun Jingxi, the lead monk from Dafu Temple, and Qiao Zhao and her companion.

Qiao Zhao handed the water cup from the table to Jingxi.

Jingxi held the water cup with a sorrowful expression: “This is the water this humble nun prepared for Master.”

“What did Master Jingxi do after bringing water to Master Wumei?” Shao Mingyuan asked.

“What did I do?” Jingxi frowned in thought, then finally shook her head. “This humble nun has no memory. When I opened my eyes again, I saw all of you.”

“Master Jingxi, think carefully. After you placed the water cup on the table, did you leave the room?” Qiao Zhao asked.

Jingxi shook her head: “This humble nun has no memory of leaving the room.”

“Master Jingxi should have been attacked in this room,” Shao Mingyuan said.

The lead monk spoke: “When this humble monk brought several junior brothers here, we saw a dead mountain dweller—”

“He was the culprit. When I arrived, he was about to silence Miss Li.”

“Amitabha, if the Marquis had spared that man’s life, we might have been able to find out the Master’s whereabouts.” The lead monk sighed.

Shao Mingyuan said calmly, “I was anxious to save someone and didn’t control my strength properly.”

If it happened again, he would still kill that man without hesitation.

Given the situation at that time, who knew what irreversible things might happen if he delayed even an instant? He couldn’t gamble with Miss Li’s life and chastity.

After a while, the monks returned: “Senior brother, we found no traces of the Master’s whereabouts anywhere in the nunnery.”

“Amitabha—” The lead monk chanted a Buddhist invocation, feeling very heavy-hearted.

Shao Mingyuan consoled: “If Master Wumei is not in the nunnery, that’s good news.”

“Eh?” The lead monk was stunned.

Qiao Zhao had already spoken: “This proves that Master Wumei is very likely still alive!”

Shao Mingyuan looked at her approvingly, then surveyed the surroundings and asked: “Does Master Wumei usually live here?”

“No, this is only where Master takes her afternoon rest. Master’s living quarters are elsewhere,” Jingxi said.

“How do you feel now, Master Jingxi? If you’re alright, please trouble yourself to take us to see them.”

“This humble nun is fine.” Jingxi endured the discomfort from being bound for a long time and stood up, leading Shao Mingyuan and the others to Master Wumei’s living quarters.

Shao Mingyuan pulled Qiao Zhao aside and lowered his voice: “Stay with me, don’t leave my side for even half a step.”

“Mm.” Qiao Zhao nodded lightly.

The landslide had only occurred a few days ago, and the mountain path blocked by mud and rocks had cut off Dafu Temple’s connection with the outside world, and then this had happened. Who knew where the culprits were hiding?

“This is Master’s living quarters.” Jingxi pushed open the door.

Everyone who looked in was momentarily stunned.

Master Wumei loved cleanliness. Usually, all her rooms were kept spotlessly clean with everything arranged neatly and orderly. But these living quarters were in complete chaos, obviously having been ransacked by someone.

“Master Wumei had something in her possession that the other party needed,” Shao Mingyuan spoke after a brief silence.

“The culprits didn’t find it and, worried about staying here too long and having complications arise, kidnapped Master Wumei,” Qiao Zhao continued.

The two looked at each other and said in unison: “There are at least two culprits!”

One had already escaped with Master Wumei, while another waited quietly in the nunnery to silence Qiao Zhao when she returned, thereby extending the time before discovery.

“Amitabha, do the two benefactors mean there are other culprits? Where could the other culprits have taken Master?”

Just as Qiao Zhao was about to speak, she suddenly noticed Shao Mingyuan quickly wink at her.