Sonoko finally managed to snap out of her shock, pointed at the two of them, and asked stutteringly.
"Rin, you just called her Senior Martial Sister? You guys...?"
Rin then smiled and explained to everyone.
"Oh, I forgot to introduce her. This is Ju Fufu. She's the master I acknowledged while training at 'Yunkui Summit'. She's the eldest disciple under Temple Master Yi Xuan, which makes her my Eldest Senior Martial Sister."
"Senior Martial Sister Fufu, these are my good friends: Mouri Ran, Suzuki Sonoko, and Edogawa Conan."
"Yunkui Summit?" Ran looked at the simple, ancient plaque of the Taoist temple, thinking to herself that the name was indeed quite casual.
"Training?" Sonoko's eyes widened even further. "Rin, when did you start practicing Taoism?!"
"You could say it's a hobby and a way to exercise." Rin gave a vague smile and didn't offer much of an explanation.
Sonoko's gaze turned to the huge shopping bag in Alexandrina's hand. "Rina-san, you bought so many ingredients. Is there some event happening at the temple?"
Alexandrina smiled gently and lifted the bag to show them.
"Yes, Pan Yinhu-san commissioned me to help with the temple's procurement, requesting that the ingredients must be the freshest.
Since I was buying a lot anyway, I bought some extra for myself. I was thinking of showing off my skills and making a meal for everyone at noon."
She looked at Sonoko, Ran, and Conan. "Since we've run into each other, why don't you all join us? Have a taste of my cooking."
Upon hearing this, Sonoko immediately threw her previous shock to the back of her mind. Her eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands in anticipation.
"Really? That's great! I've always heard that Rina-san is an all-rounder in housekeeping. Her cooking must be super delicious! We're in for a treat today!"
A smile appeared on Ran's face as well, but a hint of worry flickered in her smiling eyes.
She couldn't help but recall that time at the TV station when Alexandrina confidently served that 'original flavor' nine-turn intestines.
It... it should be fine, right? A dish like nine-turn intestines is extremely difficult, after all! Since Rina-san works in housekeeping, her regular home-cooked meals must be delicious! Yes! That has to be it!
Ran convinced herself in her heart.
Conan's focus, however, wasn't entirely on the meal.
He was still pondering over Ju Fufu's previous fortune-telling.
How on earth did she deduce that the person he was looking for would be wearing black clothes?
Ju Fufu greeted everyone enthusiastically.
"Alright, alright! Since my Little Junior Martial Sister and Rina are here, everyone, don't just stand at the door! Come on in!
Welcome to our famous Yunkui Summit!
Although our Yunkui Summit has a casual name, things inside aren't casual at all! I'll take you on a tour!"
With that, she took the lead, skipping up the steps and pushing open the ancient gates of Yunkui Summit.
Amidst the faint scent of incense, the interior revealed a clean and tidy courtyard paved with bluestone. In the corners grew several stalks of green bamboo and some strange flowers and plants whose names were unknown.
In the center of the courtyard stood a bronze incense burner nearly as tall as a person. Several thin sticks of incense were planted in it, with wisps of blue smoke curling upwards.
However, the scene in the courtyard at this moment was not entirely peaceful.
Conan looked closely and saw two men dressed similarly to Rin standing on the roof of the main building directly facing the incense burner.
One was rather plump, with an iron pot balanced on his head and a look of slight anxiety on his round face,
The other was tall and thin, with a red dot between his eyebrows.
Both were looking up with their arms outstretched, focusing intently on a higher point of the roof, appearing to be nervously preparing to catch something.
Seeing them, Ju Fufu immediately shouted with great energy, "Junior Brother Yinhu! Junior Brother Shiyuan! Look! We have guests! They're friends brought by Little Junior Sister!"
Pan Yinhu and Ye Shiyuan on the roof heard the shout and looked down simultaneously.
But they didn't respond to Ju Fufu's greeting. Instead, they both placed their index fingers before their lips in a synchronized shushing gesture, their eyes filled with tension.
Seeing this, Ju Fufu hurriedly covered her mouth with both hands, her large eyes blinking to show she understood.
At this time, Ran, Sonoko, and Conan also followed the direction Pan and Ye were pointing and looked up toward the higher eaves.
There, on the edge of the steep eaves, a plump orange cat was struggling to claw at the tiles, trying to maintain its balance.Its body swayed, and a few broken tiles fell with a rustle. The situation looked precarious, it could lose its footing and fall at any moment.
"Ah, watch out!"
Ran couldn't help but let out a low cry, her heart leaping into her throat.
Sonoko also nervously covered her mouth. Conan subconsciously assessed the height and landing spot, thinking about how to rescue the cat if it fell.
Just then, the orange cat's strength gave out. Its paws slipped, and with a startled "Meow!", its round body tumbled from the eaves!
"Oh no!"
Almost at the same time, several figures in the courtyard moved.
Ju Fufu had the fastest reaction. Her petite body erupted with surprising agility as she lunged forward, attempting to catch it.
Pan Yinhu and Ye Shiyuan on the roof didn't hesitate either, immediately adjusting their positions and leaping down to intercept.
Driven by her kind instincts, Ran also cried out and rushed forward a few steps, reaching out her hands.
However, their movements all froze in the next second.
Because the orange cat did not fall as expected.
A small black shadow darted out from nowhere.
It was a plump little bird that looked like both a crow and a turtledove, and it had three golden eyes.
What was even more surprising was its incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, it flew behind the orange cat and grabbed the scruff of its neck with its seemingly slender claws.
Then, it carried the fat cat—which was several times its own size—and flapped its wings, descending bit by bit in a way that defied the laws of physics.
Ran, Sonoko, and Conan watched, dumbfounded.
"What kind of bird is that? Why does it have three eyes, and how is it so strong?!"
Finally, the magical three-eyed little turtledove, carrying the shaken orange cat, landed steadily on the arm of a figure who had appeared in the courtyard at some unknown moment.
It was a beautiful woman with white hair and an otherworldly aura.
Her hair was smooth and bright, cascading behind her like a waterfall. Though it was white, she didn't look old at all, instead, it had a pearly luster.
She gently stroked the shivering orange cat in her arms, her voice gentle. "Don't be afraid, it's alright now."
The three-eyed little turtledove released its claws and perched obediently on her shoulder, tilting its head and curiously observing the new guests with its three golden eyes.
Sonoko rubbed her eyes hard, looking incredulous. "Eh? This person... when did she appear? I didn't see her at all just now!"
Upon seeing this person, Rin immediately bowed respectfully and said, "Master."