"Oh? What is it?" Xiao Hua asked with a smile as he rounded the cave.
"Xiao Hua, where did you go?" The moment Ming Mou saw Xiao Hua appear, delight surfaced on her face. She immediately pounced toward him, anxiously yet naturally linking her arm through his as she hurriedly asked.
"Nowhere. I was just looking around nearby!" Xiao Hua inconspicuously withdrew his hand and pointed behind him.
"Then... why did you take so long? Captain Cui's communication talisman arrived ages ago, urging us to hurry back!" Ming Mou reproached him sweetly, though her tone carried a faint note of resentment. "And your communication talisman wouldn't send either. How could I not worry?"
"Oh? My communication talisman wouldn't send either?" Xiao Hua was slightly stunned. Fortunately, it had failed to send. Otherwise, if it had reached him while he was inside that formation, would he not have exposed himself at once?
"Exactly! Where did you actually go?" Ming Mou chided.
Xiao Hua shrugged and smiled. "I truly was nearby. Perhaps the communication talismans cannot be sent because this is a spirit stone mine vein?"
"What does that have to do with a spirit stone mine vein?" Ming Mou asked curiously.
"We should hurry back!" Xiao Hua said with a smile as he flew up. "Didn't Senior Sister say Cui Hongshen sent a communication talisman?"
"Hehe, Cui Hongshen is your senior brother, yet you still call him that?" Ming Mou asked with a giggle.
Xiao Hua raised his brows but did not reply. Ming Mou blinked, realized that Xiao Hua was unwilling to speak of it, and asked no further questions. The two flew back from their patrol post.
They had only just returned to their resting place when they saw disciples from every sect standing before the quiet room, displeasure