Chapter 409: The Mine

Mo Hua wanted to get to the bottom of the missing miners, but he had to wait for Situ Fang to clarify things first.

For the next three days, Mo Hua continued searching for Instructor Yan in Nanyue City, but still found no leads.

Meanwhile, Situ Fang got news first.

It happened again in that small teahouse. Situ Fang invited Mo Hua for tea and then said:

“I went to ask the families of the missing miners what actually happened, but they wouldn’t speak at first. They kept twisting things, claiming that the Dao Court Division was in cahoots with the Lu family, oppressing the common people…”

“The Lu family?”

“The mines belong to the Lu family.”

“Oh.” Mo Hua nodded.

Situ Fang continued, “So I detained them for a few days. Once they realized I meant business, they finally told the truth.”

“What did they say?” Mo Hua asked curiously.

Situ Fang sighed:

“These missing miners went missing because they were trying to steal ore…”

“Steal from the Lu family?”

“Yes,” Situ Fang nodded. “Apparently, before they went missing, they told their families that they were about to get rich and wouldn’t have to live in hardship anymore.”

“Then they slipped out at night and never returned…”

Mo Hua understood. “They were afraid that if the Lu family found out, they wouldn’t compensate them with spirit stones, so they dared not tell the truth?”

“Yes.”

Situ Fang looked somewhat helpless.

It was likely that the Lu family would not only refuse to compensate, but might even demand compensation from the miners’ families.

Stealing from the mine was a grave taboo for miners.

The ore they stole was technically property of the Lu family.

“No wonder…” Mo Hua nodded.

That’s why they lied and avoided telling the truth.

Of course, part of it was also because they saw that Situ Fang was kind-hearted, which encouraged them to push their luck.

“Situ Jie, what do you plan to do?” Mo Hua asked.

Situ Fang thought for a moment. “I could keep the theft quiet… but the most important thing now is to find these missing miners, alive or dead, and provide some closure.”

She sighed. “And if these miners really are dead, we still need to try to get compensation from the Lu family. Otherwise, the families will lose their source of income and won’t survive.”

Mo Hua felt a pang of emotion and asked, “Will the Lu family compensate?”

“I asked. They said unless the miners’ bodies are found in the mine, they won’t pay.”

Mo Hua frowned. “Has the Lu family always done this?”

“Yes,” Situ Fang nodded. “No body, no spirit stones.”

She explained further: “It’s true that the Lu family’s approach seems harsh, but previously, some miners faked their deaths to claim compensation, so it’s hard to fault them completely.”

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then asked, “Are there any leads on the missing miners?”

“Yes.” Situ Fang took out a map and handed it to Mo Hua.

“I’ve marked when these missing miners left home and which mountain entrances they used to enter the mines.”

She sighed again.

“Originally, their families wouldn’t have told anyone, but now that they’re afraid, they spoke up.”

“After all, once these details get out and the Lu family finds out, it gives them leverage.”

“Even if these miners are dead, without telling the Lu family, their families won’t get a single coin of compensation.”

“Then we investigate secretly, without letting the Lu family know,” Mo Hua said softly.

Situ Fang nodded, but halfway through nodding, she realized something and corrected herself:

“It’s me who investigates, not us. You’re just a child; you shouldn’t get involved in this.”

Mo Hua’s eyes lit up, and he smiled:

“Situ Jie, you’ve been so good to me. I want to help you.”

Situ Fang’s heart warmed, but then she grew suspicious and asked,

“Really?”

“Really!” Mo Hua nodded seriously.

Situ Fang still refused:

“No, this is tricky. You can’t be involved.”

Mo Hua said, “One fence has three stakes, and one hero has three helpers. Me, my senior brothers, and senior sister—we’ll all help you. Besides, the mine has formations. There are places you might not be able to find alone…”

Situ Fang frowned.

The formations were indeed a problem…

There were many formations in the mine. Without understanding formations, it’s easy to overlook critical spots.

She knew a little formation magic, but not much. She probably couldn’t see the intricacies inside.

Hiring another formation master wouldn’t work either.

The Lu family held the most power in Nanyue City and had close ties with other formation masters. If she went to the mines to find help, no formation master would assist her.

She didn’t know how good Mo Hua’s formations were, but Zhang Lan had praised them.

Zhang Lan came from a prestigious family and had a discerning eye. If he praised Mo Hua’s formations, they must indeed be impressive…

After hesitating, Situ Fang finally made up her mind:

“Alright, but you must be careful. Mines are no joke; one mistake could be fatal.”

“Don’t worry, Situ Jie.”

Mo Hua nodded.

…

Two days later, Situ Fang brought Mo Hua, along with Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi, to the Lu family’s mine.

The Dao Court Division had authority over missing miners, so the Lu family couldn’t refuse. They didn’t dare.

However, the overseers of the mine did not look pleased.

Situ Fang led the three of them, accompanied by a Lu family cultivator, into the mine.

It was Mo Hua’s first time inside a mine.

Previously, he had only observed from a distance, hearing the clanging sounds, sensing the busy commotion.

Seeing it up close, he understood the hardship of miners.

In the heat of the Little Wild Prefecture, the rocks were scorching under the sun.

The miners, blackened from the sun, worked shirtless and bent over, their bodies marked with whip scars, laboring under the overseers’ supervision to extract ore.

The mine produced bluestone iron ore.

This iron ore was cheap, hard, and required great effort to extract.

The miners had to work an entire day to earn a single spirit stone.

Non-physical cultivators could never handle such work.

Even strong-bodied cultivators might struggle to endure it.

And this was just the outer mine. Deep inside, the shafts were dark, damp, and foul-smelling—not only exhausting but dangerous. One slip could cost a life.

Mo Hua felt uneasy watching.

Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi frowned as well.

Bai Zisheng said to Mo Hua, “These miners… it’s too cruel…”

The accompanying Lu family cultivator snorted, “What do you call cruel? People have ranks. This is their fate. They’re meant to do this work.”

“On the contrary, they should thank the Lu family. Without us, they wouldn’t even earn a single spirit stone after a day’s labor.”

Then he sneered, warning, “Young master, in my Lu family’s mine, mind your words.”

Bai Zisheng glared at him. “I don’t like your tone. Speak to me like that again, and I’ll knock your mouth crooked.”

The Lu family cultivator flushed and shut his mouth.

Situ Fang looked surprised.

This young senior brother of Mo Hua seemed only slightly older, but his spiritual power was so deep…

It seemed Mo Hua’s training was indeed exceptional.

Then his formation skills probably weren’t weak either.

“Hopefully he can figure something out and find the missing miners…” Situ Fang thought silently.

After touring the outer mine and questioning some miners with no results, they decided to enter the deeper shafts.

The Lu family cultivator smirked, “You can enter the mine, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. Inside is dangerous. Outsiders can’t just wander…”

Bai Zisheng gave him a dagger-like glare.

The Lu family cultivator immediately fell silent.

They entered the mine.

The mine referred to the interior shafts, tunnels, and stone chambers of the mountain.

Inside, it was cold, damp, and suffocating.

Formations were etched on the walls, usually to reinforce the stone, prevent collapses, and also to provide lighting, ventilation, and purification.

Mo Hua glanced at the formations and shook his head.

They were crude—barely functional.

They only reinforced the walls slightly and provided weak lighting.

Thus, the walls were unstable, and the foul air stagnant—accidents could easily happen.

It was clear the Lu family didn’t care about the miners’ lives.

“The lives of wandering cultivators aren’t lives…” Mo Hua sighed silently.

They moved step by step through the mine.

Mo Hua studied the formations and mentally reconstructed the mine’s layout.

The formations were extremely shallow.

Mo Hua saw through them at a glance, without even needing Divine Calculation. A few glances were enough to discern everything.

By understanding the formations, he naturally grasped the mine’s structure.

The shafts might deceive, but formations would not.

Initially, the Lu family cultivator led them. Eventually, Mo Hua took the lead.

The Lu family cultivator frowned.

This young cultivator, clearly a first-time visitor, seemed more familiar with the mine than he was.

Situ Fang was also slightly surprised.

After half a day wandering the mine, still with no discoveries, the Lu family cultivator grew impatient. “That’s enough. The mine is large; no matter how you search…”

Before he could finish, Mo Hua stopped.

He fixed his gaze on a stone wall, concentrated, and drew some formation markings with ink.

The markings flickered, canceling each other out.

The stone trembled and fell away, revealing a dark, black entrance.

Situ Fang stared, slightly dazed.

The Lu family cultivator’s face turned pale.