Chapter 379: Undercurrents in the Mine, the Liu and Huang Families

"So fast…"

Zhou Chen was surprised: "At this rate, if I refine ten more supreme grade immortal crystals, I can break through to the Second Layer of the Venerable Realm."

"Refining a hundred would allow me to reach the Third or even Fourth Layer of the Venerable Realm."

A flash of excitement crossed his eyes.

This was true freedom of cultivation resources!

But he quickly calmed down.

Cultivation cannot be rushed.

If his Realm rose too quickly, his Foundation would be unstable, which would instead affect future Breakthroughs.

Moreover, he was currently in the mine and had to keep a low profile.

If he suddenly broke through from the First Layer of the Venerable Realm to the Third or Fourth Layer, it would definitely arouse suspicion.

"I'll break through to the Second Layer of the Venerable Realm first, then stay in the mine for a while."

"Once I find a suitable Opportunity, I'll leave."

Zhou Chen continued to refine the immortal crystals.

After another hour, that high-grade immortal crystal was finally completely refined.

Zhou Chen's cultivation reached the Peak of the First Layer of the Venerable Realm.

He was only one step away from the Second Layer of the Venerable Realm.

"That's about enough."

He put away the immortal crystals and stood up to leave the abandoned mine shaft.

When he returned to the mining cave, the other Mine Slaves were still resting; no one noticed his disappearance.

Over the next few days, Zhou Chen appeared to be mining normally, completing his daily quota of three Low Grade immortal crystals.

But in private, he would take time every day to go to the abandoned mine shaft to Cultivate.

Five days later, he successfully broke through to the Second Layer of the Venerable Realm.

Ten days later, he was at the Middle Stage of the Second Layer of the Venerable Realm.

Twenty days later, he was at the Late Stage of the Second Layer of the Venerable Realm.

A month later, he reached the Peak of the Second Layer of the Venerable Realm.

The speed of Zhou Chen's cultivation progress was simply astonishing.

However, because he deliberately used the Divine Concealment Art to hide his aura, the people in the mine didn't notice at all.

In their eyes, Zhou Chen was still that newcomer who had just arrived at the mine, with a cultivation still at the First Layer of the Venerable Realm.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

This was the sound of the mine manager calling an emergency assembly of the Mine Slaves.

Thousands of Mine Slaves stood densely packed in the square, wondering what had happened.

Zhou Chen was also in the crowd, observing secretly.

In the center of the square, a high platform had been built.

Standing on the platform was the mine manager—that middle-aged man at the Quasi-Immortal Realm First Layer.

Beside him stood several guards dressed in black robes, each with a powerful aura, all at the Venerable Realm.

"Mine Slaves!"

The middle-aged manager said coldly, "I have gathered you today to announce a major event."

"In three days, the Black Stone Mine will host a Mine Slave Gladiator Tournament."

"All Mine Slaves with a cultivation at the Venerable Realm or above must participate."

"The tournament will follow an arena stage format, and every match will be a fight to the death."

"The winner advances; the loser dies."

"The ultimate champion will receive a generous reward—a waiver of the hundred thousand immortal crystal redemption fee and immediate freedom!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire crowd erupted in an uproar.

A waiver of a hundred thousand immortal crystals?

Immediate freedom?

To the Mine Slaves, this was simply an immense temptation.

One must know that a hundred thousand immortal crystals was an astronomical figure that most Mine Slaves could not earn in a lifetime.

And now, as long as they won the gladiator tournament championship, they could gain their freedom directly.

"Of course…"

The middle-aged manager sneered, "If you want freedom, you must have strength."

"The tournament is a fight to the death; every match could cost you your life."

"So, those who want to participate should first weigh their own strength."

"The registration period is three days, and it will officially begin after that."

After saying this, he turned and left.

In the square, the Mine Slaves were discussing animatedly.

"A gladiator tournament…"

"Isn't this just making us kill each other?"

"But they said the champion gets direct freedom… the temptation is too great…"

"But it's a fight to the death; one mistake and you're dead…"

Most of the newly arrived Mine Slaves were hesitating.

Freedom was certainly enticing, but life was more important.

Zhou Chen stood in the crowd, his gaze sweeping over the opportunity panels of the surrounding Mine Slaves.

Over the next three days, undercurrents surged within the mine.

Many Mine Slaves at the Venerable Realm were struggling with whether or not to join the tournament.

In the end, one hundred and thirty-seven Venerable Realm Mine Slaves signed up.

Among the one hundred and thirty-seven registrants, the highest cultivation was at the Fifth Layer of the Venerable Realm.

That was a burly man named Tie Shan.

It was said that Tie Shan was once an Elder of a Demonic Path Sect in the Lower Realm, and his strength was extremely formidable.

Having been in the mine for fifty years, his mining efficiency was very high, and he was only thirty thousand immortal crystals away from redemption.

But he couldn't wait any longer and wanted to gain freedom directly through the tournament.

Besides Tie Shan, there were also several members of Jixia Academy at the Third and Fourth Layers of the Venerable Realm.

"What a pity…"

Zhou Chen shook his head and said no more.

Zhou Chen did not rashly sign up because he saw that all one hundred and thirty-seven Venerable Realm Mine Slaves who registered would die without exception.

Clearly, the arena was no place of benevolence; it was impossible for them to let any Mine Slave escape.

Especially for Mine Slaves who caused gamblers to lose immortal crystals; even if they won, their ultimate fate would be even worse than those who lost.

However, Zhou Chen naturally wouldn't let his conscience overflow and warn others.

Shaking his head, Zhou Chen then began to refine supreme grade immortal crystals.

In just half a day, Zhou Chen felt the Bottleneck of the Third Layer of the Venerable Realm.

A day later, the Bottleneck loosened.

Two days later, a successful Breakthrough!

The Third Layer of the Venerable Realm.

The reason he could progress so rapidly was mainly that the immortal spiritual Qi of the supreme grade immortal crystals was extremely pure, and Zhou Chen's Foundation was incredibly solid.

More importantly, the Spirit Realm didn't seem to have Bottleneck restrictions for low-level Venerable Realm Cultivators like him.

But it made sense; who wouldn't want their beasts of burden to be a bit stronger?

Before long, registration for the gladiator tournament ended, with all one hundred and thirty-seven Venerable Realm Mine Slaves signed up.

He scanned all the registrants with his opportunity panel, and the results chilled his heart.

[Name: Tie Shan]

[Realm: Fifth Layer of the Venerable Realm]

[fate: An Elder of a Demonic Path Sect in the Lower Realm, fled to the Spirit Realm after his Sect was destroyed. Thought he could gain freedom by participating in the tournament, unaware it is merely a conspiracy of the mine. On the final night of the tournament, all participants, regardless of victory or defeat, are secretly executed, and their bodies thrown into the Lava Abyss.]

[Recent Opportunity: None]

[Name: Li Yunfeng]

[Realm: Fourth Layer of the Venerable Realm]

[fate: Minor Achievement (Cyan)]

[fate: An Outer Sect Elder of Jixia Academy. After winning three consecutive matches in the tournament, he was secretly poisoned by the mine manager for causing gamblers to lose a large amount of immortal crystals, dying in his fourth match. After death, his body was hung at the mine entrance for three days as a public display.]

[Recent Opportunity: None]

Zhou Chen scanned all the registrants.

The result was without exception: everyone would die.

Some died in the arena, some in assassinations, and others were secretly executed after "gaining their freedom."

"As expected…"

Zhou Chen sneered, "The so-called gladiator tournament is nothing but a scam."

"The mine has no intention of letting any Mine Slave leave."

"Especially those powerful Mine Slaves; their end is even more miserable."

"What slave owner would want to see a slave rise up and stand on equal footing with them?"