The night was pitch-black, the moonlight desolate.
Outside South Yue City, a group of Cultivators stealthily made their way toward the mine.
And behind them, three little Cultivators, also hidden, stealthily followed.
They proceeded in silence, and before long, Wang Lai and his companions arrived at the outskirts of the mine.
The mine did not operate at night, and its periphery was secured by several large iron gates.
Wang Lai pressed against the iron gate, walked twenty steps to the right, crouched down, and searched with his hands in the veil of night, soon opening a low, concealed door.
Old Yu and Wang Er exchanged glances, perplexed.
They had mined for years and had no idea that such a secret entrance existed outside the mine.
"Let's go."
Wang Lai whispered, then hunched over and led the way into the mine through the concealed door.
Old Yu hesitated.
A few rogues behind him gave Old Yu a push.
Fortune favors the bold.
Old Yu gritted his teeth and, like Wang Lai, stooped low to crawl into the mine.
Once Wang Lai and his group had all entered the mine, the last rogue closed the concealed door.
Mo Hua and his two companions arrived at the door, finding not only was it closed, but also wrapped with a chain which was secured with an iron lock.
Bai Zisheng asked, "Shall I split it open?"
Mo Hua shook his head, "Too noisy."
"Then how do we get in?"
Mo Hua pointed to the lock, "There's a Formation on this lock."
"Can you unlock it?"
Mo Hua's eyebrows rose slightly:
"For such a small lock, if I can't unlock it, I don't deserve to be a first-grade Formation Master..."
Bai Zisheng muttered, "Not every first-grade Formation Master knows how to break Formations..."
Bai Zixi raised her fair little finger and "shushed" them to silence, then said to Mo Hua:
"Hurry and unlock it."
"Mhm."
Mo Hua nodded, took out his writing brush and ink, made a quick Calculation in his mind, and then understood the Formation on the lock.
An Iron Lock Formation of the first-grade, seven Patterns.
Mo Hua casually sketched a few Formation Patterns; a glint of light flashed over the iron lock then faded away, and with a "click," it opened.
His expertise was such that it was as if he was using his own key to open his own lock with ease.
Bai Zisheng was somewhat astonished.
Mo Hua felt a slight sense of pride, but as he carefully tried to push open the concealed door, it didn't budge after several pushes...
The door was heavy and difficult for someone not practicing Body Cultivation to open.
Mo Hua glanced at Bai Zisheng.
Bai Zisheng understood, lightly pushed with his hand, and the concealed door opened; he then gave Mo Hua a smug smile.
Mo Hua shook his head and was about to enter when Bai Zisheng stopped him.
"I'll go in first," Bai Zisheng said.
Mo Hua wasn't a Body Cultivator, and if he went first and encountered danger, it could be troublesome.
Mo Hua paused, understanding Bai Zisheng's intent, and after a moment's hesitation, nodded.
Though he had already scanned the area beyond the door with his Divine Sense and found no danger, he still appreciated his Junior Brother's kindness.
Bai Zisheng entered through the door first, and after a moment whispered:
"No danger, everyone come in."
So Mo Hua and Bai Zixi followed suit and entered the mine through the concealed door.
Beyond the door lay the mine.
This was Mo Hua's second time in the mine.
The first time was during the day when many Mining Cultivators were at work.
The mine was hot and noisy.
But now it was night, and the mine was completely deserted.
The oppressive darkness enveloped the entire mine, rendering it eerie and deathly still.