"No, this matter is a bit strange, I can't involve you."
Mo Hua said, "It takes three stakes to fence in a hog, three helpers to make a hero great."
"Me, as well as my senior brother and sister, will all help you. Besides, there are formations in the mine; you may not be able to find some places…"
Situ Fang frowned, thinking to herself.
Indeed, formations were a problem…
There were indeed many formations in the mine, and without knowledge of formations, it's very easy to miss some key places.
She herself knew a little bit about formations, but not much, and likely she couldn't unravel their intricacies.
Asking another Formation Master didn't seem right either.
In South Yue City, the Lu Family had the greatest influence, and they were also on good terms with other Formation Masters; no Formation Master would help her if she went to the mines.
And although she didn't know how good Mo Hua's skills in formations were, Zhang Lan had praised them.
Zhang Lan, born to a noble clan, had good judgment. If he praised Mo Hua's drawing formation skills, then Mo Hua's abilities in formations must indeed be exceptional…
Situ Fang hesitated for a long time before finally making up her mind,
"Alright, but you must be careful, the mines are no trivial matter, and you must not be negligent at any cost."
"Don't worry, Sister Situ,"
Mo Hua nodded.
...
After discussing the plan, two days later.
Situ Fang took Mo Hua, along with Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi, to the Lu Family's mines.
The mining cultivators had gone missing, and the Taoist Court was conducting an inspection, so the Lu Family had no grounds to refuse, nor did they dare to.
But the overseer in charge of the mine did not wear a welcoming expression.
Thus, Situ Fang led the three of them, accompanied by a Lu Family cultivator, into the mine.
This was Mo Hua's first time inside a mine.
On the way there, he had only looked on from a distance, hearing the constant clang and clatter, a noisy and busy scene.
Only upon seeing it up close did he understand the hardship of the mining cultivators.
Experience tales with empire
In the Minor Wilderness State Boundary, the weather was scorching hot, heating the rocks until they were searing.
The miners, their skin darkened by the sun, were bare-armed, bent at the waist, their backs showing lash marks, as they mined the ore under the foreman's supervision, to the best of their abilities.
The mine produced blue iron ore.
This type of iron ore was cheap and hard, requiring a lot of effort to excavate.
The mining cultivators had to toil for an entire day to earn just one spirit stone.
Those who hadn't undergone body cultivation simply couldn't do this job.
Even for the physically strong body cultivators, many might not be able to endure it.
And this was just the outer mountains—if one went into the deeper mines, which were dark, damp, and full of filthy qi, not only was it more strenuous, but it was also more dangerous. A single misstep could cost them their lives.
Mo Hua felt uncomfortable at the sight.
Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi frowned as they observed.
Bai Zisheng couldn't help but say to Mo Hua, "These mining cultivators, they're really suffering..."
The accompanying Lu Family cultivator snorted dismissively, "What suffering? People are born to different stations, high and low, noble and base. This is their fate, their lot in life."
"On the contrary, they should be grateful to our Lu Family. Without us, they couldn't earn even one spirit stone after a hard day's work."
After saying this, the Lu Family cultivator then gave a veiled warning, "Young brother, please mind your words within our Lu Family's mine."
Bai Zisheng looked at him coldly, "I don't like the tone of your voice. Speak to me like that again, and I'll twist your mouth sideway."
The Lu Family cultivator grew angry.
Bai Zisheng displayed the imposing aura of a peak Ninth Level Qi Refining cultivator.
The Lu Family cultivator turned pale and begrudgingly shut his mouth.
Situ Fang was also somewhat surprised.
This junior brother of Mo Hua's appeared to be only a few years older than Mo Hua, yet his spiritual power was so profound…
It seemed that Mo Hua's mentor was indeed extraordinary.
Therefore, his expertise in formations was likely to be high as well.
"I hope he can notice something and find those missing mining cultivators…" Situ Fang thought silently to himself.
The group wandered around the outer mountain for a while, asked a few mining cultivators, but found nothing, and so decided to look in the deeper mines.
The Lu Family cultivator said with a forced smile, "You can go into the mine, but don't blame me for not warning you. It's very dangerous in there, not somewhere outsiders can simply..."