"But if we wait for it to naturally open, it would take a few more weeks," Fiora sighed. "And by then, I'm sure some high-level cultivators would know about it too. It would become far more troublesome."
Cale nodded, understanding the urgency. He sat down before the door and closed his eyes in concentration.
Using Analyze and Override combined with the mage techniques he'd observed in his previous life, he began threading strands of mana through the door's mechanism. Each thread was placed with ease, manipulating the internal lock's configuration.
Click.
The door opened.
"There's always a key to every lock," Cale murmured to himself, opening his eyes. "Either it's lost, or you just don't know which one to use. There's no time to put in a key traditionally; it's the owner's choice, after all."
Fiora stared at him in disbelief.
"Y-you... actually opened it! How did you do it? Even I couldn't with all the mana theory I've learned..."
