Chapter 410: Death's Door
Chapter 410: Death's Door
"What's with this hole?" Si Tu Fang asked coldly.
The Lu family cultivator turned pale, but his mouth remained stubborn. "It's a mine; it's normal to have caves inside."
However, his tone carried a hint of trembling.
"Let's take a look inside," Mo Hua replied indifferently, paying him no heed.
A flicker of panic crossed the Lu family cultivator's eyes, and he quickly blocked the entrance, spreading his arms to stop them. "This mine is a secret of the Lu family. No trespassing is allowed for those who do not belong here."
Bai Zi Sheng simply kicked him into the hole.
Mo Hua nodded. "He's a Lu family cultivator, and he took the initiative to go in first. We have no choice but to follow him in."
Si Tu Fang stared at the two of them.
In her heart, she thought, you two are indeed disciples of the same sect...
Birds of a feather flock together.
Mo Hua strode into the mine with an air of royalty.
The others followed suit and entered as well.
Once inside, Si Tu Fang quietly kept close to Mo Hua.
She knew that Mo Hua had a weak body and was not a body cultivator. If anyone or anything got too close, it could be dangerous for him.
She wanted to be ready to protect Mo Hua if any unforeseen circumstances arose.
After all, he had risked himself to help her by entering the mine, and she didn't want him to come to any harm.
The Lu family cultivator, who had been kicked and was now covered in dirt, climbed to his feet and angrily said:
"You...cough..."
He spat out the mud from his mouth and continued, "This is going too far! I will report this to the family head..."
"Stop wasting time!" Bai Zi Sheng kicked him again. "Lead the way!"
The Lu family cultivator glared angrily. "No way! I will not lead the way!"
This was mostly because he didn't actually know the way.
Mo Hua looked around and said, "Follow me, then."
With that, he began to walk deeper into the shaft.
The others exchanged glances and followed Mo Hua into the mine.
The Lu family cultivator's expression wavered between uncertainty and anger.
Could this young man be a traitor of the Lu family? How come he's so familiar with this mine?
He himself didn't know what was inside this cave, and he dared not venture further.
But he also didn't dare let the officials of Dao Ting Si do as they pleased in the mine.
If he did, he would surely be punished by the family.
The Lu family cultivator hesitated for a long time, but in the end, he could only grit his teeth and follow them reluctantly...
...
The shaft was just as damp and gloomy as the outside, filled with foul air.
But there was also a hint of rot and death, a bone-chilling cold, and the pervasive stench of corruption.
And just like outside, there were arrays inscribed on the surrounding walls.
As Mo Hua walked, he used his spiritual sense to perceive the arrays on the stone walls, and his eyebrows furrowed slightly in surprise.
Most of the arrays in this shaft were actually first-grade arrays.
Not only that, but these first-grade arrays also formed a complete set, echoing each other to create a complex composite array.
This composite array was intricately designed, skillfully crafted, and made with high-quality spirit ink, a stark contrast to the crude arrays outside.
It was clear that a skilled first-grade or even senior first-grade array master had created these arrays.
It seemed that the Lu family did have array masters, and they were not unable to afford them.
This was very strange...
Mo Hua slowed his pace and began to use his spiritual sense to calculate the array patterns, trying to discern the type of array.
After a moment, he had a general idea.
This composite array included earth and stone arrays, warning arrays, soundproofing arrays, and several other complementary arrays.
The earth and stone arrays were for reinforcement, the warning arrays for prevention, and the soundproofing arrays to block noise...
Mo Hua's eyebrows knitted together in a slight frown.
Why had the Lu family set up such comprehensive arrays in this mine?
Mo Hua extended his spiritual sense further.
As his spiritual sense reached deeper into the mine, he sensed a mixture of different auras.
There was the aura of earth and stone, the foul stench, and the traces of arrays.
These auras blended together, forming a natural barrier that hindered spiritual sense.
Having a mix of everything was the same as having nothing at all...
Aside from that, there were no other discoveries.
Mo Hua could only continue walking forward.
As they progressed, several forkings appeared, each emitting a pungent odor.
It was like the dull stench of rotting flesh.
Everyone frowned and covered their noses with their sleeves.
The Lu family cultivator couldn't take it anymore and immediately knelt by the wall, retching.
Mo Hua glanced at him with disdain and then swept the area with his spiritual sense. He found that the forks weren't deep and didn't seem to pose any danger, so he said:
"Let's split up and take a look.
Mo Hua walked past a few entrances, then suddenly paused, his pupils narrowing as his brows furrowed deeply.
He had found the missing miners.
They were indeed dead, leaving only their remains behind.
However, these remains could hardly be called corpses...
In the small cave, limbs were scattered everywhere, flesh mangled and bloodied, with pools of congealed blood on the ground. The blood, affected by the damp air, had become semi-viscous and emitted a strong putrid stench that made one want to retch.
The deaths of these miners were brutal and bloody.
It was as if something had gnawed on them...
A chill ran through Mo Hua.
After a while, Si Tu Fang also entered the cave. Seeing this scene, she was shocked.
Then, she felt a wave of nausea and covered her face with her sleeve, unable to stop herself from retching a few times.
Bai Zi Sheng also stepped inside.
He held it in for a few moments, but eventually, he couldn't help but vomit as well.
Hearing the commotion, Bai Zi Xi walked over.
Upon hearing footsteps and seeing Bai Zi Xi enter, Mo Hua quickly extended his small hand to cover her eyes.
Bai Zi Xi was taken aback, confused as she asked: "What's wrong?"
"You can't look," Mo Hua said.
"Why can't I look?"
"Because you'll have nightmares if you do..."
"Oh." Bai Zi Xi understood and nodded quietly, allowing Mo Hua to keep his hands over her eyes.
Lastly, the Lu family cultivator entered.
Having already vomited earlier, he was now terrified at the sight before him. He curled up against the stone wall, retching uncontrollably as if trying to empty his guts...
Si Tu Fang frowned and said, "Let's talk elsewhere."
Mo Hua nodded.
So, the group turned back, with Bai Zi Sheng pulling the Lu family cultivator along by his collar.
They walked until they reached a slightly more spacious area.
Only then did everyone breathe a sigh of relief.
Although the air here was still foul, compared to the stench of decay at the cave entrance, it was relatively "refreshing"...
It took a long while for Bai Zi Sheng to recover. Seeing Mo Hua, who seemed unaffected, he couldn't help but ask:
"You didn't throw up?"
"I'm fine..."
Mo Hua nodded.
Not only was he an array master, but he was also a demon hunter.
Despite his young age, he had spent a lot of time in the Great Black Mountain, witnessing demons killing and devouring people. As a result, he was able to withstand such a gruesome scene.
Bai Zi Sheng tugged at the corner of his mouth, unable to say a word.
Si Tu Fang also regained her composure and sighed: "Those miners are truly dead..."
Although she had expected this, she still felt a heaviness in her heart.
"How did they die?"
Bai Zi Sheng asked, puzzled, "Were they eaten by the demons in the cave?"
Mo Hua frowned and shook his head. "It doesn't seem like it. Demons usually have longer teeth, and they tend to tear and bite when they feed, leaving the bodies cleaner."
"The current state of the bodies suggests that they were... gnawed or scooped out..."
Mo Hua was careful with his choice of words.
Bai Zi Sheng glanced at Mo Hua with a complicated expression.
Even Si Tu Fang looked at Mo Hua with a hint of surprise.
You know some peculiar things... Are your interests a little morbid? Normally, cultivators wouldn't research such things.
Si Tu Fang shook her head helplessly. "The Dao Ting Si has mortuary affairs officials who can perform autopsies. We'll have them examine the bodies, and we should be able to determine the cause of death for these miners."
After saying this, she looked at Mo Hua with concern and said, "You should head back first. This place is filthy, and it's not good for you children to stay here for too long."
"Okay," Mo Hua nodded.
With the missing miners found, his task could be considered complete.
However, there was one more thing to do before leaving.
He pointed at the Lu family cultivator and said, "Interrogate him and see if he knows anything."
This Lu family cultivator was a slippery character.
Usually, he might not reveal anything when questioned.
But now, having witnessed the gruesome deaths of the miners, he was shaken to his core and had vomited uncontrollably, leaving his mental defenses weakened. This was the perfect time to interrogate him.
Perhaps they could get some useful information out of him.
Mo Hua wanted to know how the miners had died.
He also wanted to know what this mine was used for.
Moreover, there was something even more bizarre...
Mo Hua furrowed his brows, and a cold light gathered in his eyes.
Earlier, in the shaft, he had sensed a hint of the aura of a deadly formation from the brutally killed miners...
But this aura had a sinister quality to it.
(End of Chapter)
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