Chapter 380: Duel Convention, Tieshan’s Tragic Fate

He felt fortunate that he hadn't impulsively signed up.

Otherwise, with his strength, he would have surely shone brilliantly in the Duel Convention.

By then, even if he won the championship, only death would await him.

“It seems that if I want to leave the mine, I must find another way.”

Zhou Chen pondered while mining.

Suddenly, he thought of a person—Old Zhang.

Old Zhang had been in the mine for a long time and should have a good understanding of the situation there.

Perhaps he could obtain some useful information from him.

Zhou Chen put down his iron pickaxe and walked toward Old Zhang.

“Old Zhang.”

Zhou Chen cupped his hands: “This Junior is a bit unclear about some mining techniques and would like to ask for your advice.”

Old Zhang looked up at him and nodded.

“Speak, what is the problem?”

Zhou Chen deliberately asked several questions regarding mining techniques.

Old Zhang answered patiently and even demonstrated a few times.

Zhou Chen took the opportunity to build rapport and started chatting.

“How long has Old Zhang been in the mine?”

“Over fifty years.”

Old Zhang sighed: “Over fifty years, I've dug up countless Ores. The quota started at a hundred thousand Immortal Crystals and has grown to a million, yet the Immortal Crystals I've earned aren't even a tenth of what's needed to buy my freedom.”

“This old man will probably die here in this lifetime.”

Zhou Chen fell silent for a moment and then asked tentatively: “Old Zhang, I heard that for this Duel Convention, the champion can directly obtain freedom?”

“Why didn't you participate?”

Old Zhang gave a cold laugh.

“Obtain freedom?”

“Kid, you're still too young.”

“How could the mine truly let anyone leave?”

“The Duel Convention is just a facade; its true purpose is to provide entertainment for the elites of the Spirit Realm.”

“Those participating Mine Slaves are nothing more than consumables in the arena stage.”

“Even if someone really wins to the end…”

He paused, a hint of chill flashing in his eyes: “They will only die more miserably.”

Zhou Chen's heart jolted.

As expected.

“Then the stewards of the mine… aren't they afraid of the truth being exposed?”

“Exposed?”

Old Zhang shook his head: “Kid, you don't understand the rules of the Spirit Realm.”

“In the Spirit Realm, stowaways have no rights.”

“We Mine Slaves are merely the property of the mine; our life and death depend entirely on a single word from a steward.”

“Even if they killed us all, no one would ever question it.”

Zhou Chen's brow furrowed.

It seemed the Spirit Realm was even more cruel than he had imagined.

He continued to probe: “What are the backgrounds of the mine's stewards?”

Old Zhang glanced at Zhou Chen, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly said: “Since you've asked, this old man will tell you.”

“The Black Stone Mine is not an independent power.”

“This mine is actually jointly controlled by two major families of the Spirit Realm's Qingfeng City—the Liu Family and the Huang Family.”

“The Liu Family and the Huang Family?”

A sharp glint flashed in Zhou Chen's eyes.

“Correct.”

Old Zhang nodded: “Qingfeng City is a medium-sized city in the desolate lands of the Spirit Realm, and the Liu and Huang Families are the two major powers in the city.”

“The two families are equal in strength and have been fighting over resources for years.”

“The Black Stone Mine is a joint property of both families, and the mine's stewards come from each clan respectively.”

“The steward stationed by the Liu Family is named Liu He, and the steward stationed by the Huang Family is Steward Huang Tao.”

“On the surface, the two cooperate, but in secret, they plot against each other to seize control of the mineral veins.”

Zhou Chen was thoughtful: “Two families fighting over the veins… then wouldn't we Mine Slaves be affected at any time?”

“You're right.”

Old Zhang sighed: “Ten years ago, the Liu and Huang Families had a conflict over a newly discovered mineral vein.”

“That conflict affected the entire mine.”

“The guards of both families fought fiercely within the mine, and tens of thousands of Mine Slaves were caught in the crossfire and slaughtered.”

“Blood dyed the entire mine red, and corpses were piled into small hills.”

“This old man was lucky enough to survive, but that scene… is still vivid in my mind to this day.”

Zhou Chen felt a chill in his heart.

It seemed this mine was even more dangerous than he had imagined.

Old Zhang glanced at Zhou Chen and then shook his head.

“This old man's past is not worth mentioning.”

“You only need to remember one thing—in the mine, mind your own business and mine quietly to live long.”

“Those who wanted to stand out, those who tried to resist, they all died in the end.”

“Only by honestly mining like this old man can one survive until now.”

Zhou Chen was silent for a moment and then cupped his hands: “Thank you for the guidance, Old Zhang.”

“It's nothing.”

Old Zhang waved his hand: “I see your talent is quite good; perhaps you'll have a chance to leave this place in the future.”

“But remember, never get involved in the struggle between the Liu and Huang Families.”

“Otherwise…”

He didn't continue, but the meaning was already clear.

Zhou Chen nodded and turned back to his mining area.

But his mind was no longer on mining at all.

“The Liu Family and the Huang Family…”

“Two families fighting for control of the mine…”

“It seems the waters of this mine are even deeper than I imagined.”

A look of contemplation flashed in Zhou Chen's eyes.

It seemed he could make good use of the conflict between these two families.

Perhaps he could find an opportunity to leave the mine through it.

Over the next few days, Zhou Chen continued to mine normally on the surface, but in secret, he was observing the people from the Liu and Huang Families in the mine.

He quickly discovered that the mine guards were divided into two factions.

One faction wore green robes with the character 'Liu' embroidered on the chest; they were from the Liu Family.

The other faction wore yellow robes with the character 'Huang' embroidered on the chest; they were from the Huang Family.

Although the two factions of guards appeared to stay out of each other's way on the surface, they were secretly wary and even hostile toward each other.

The mine's management was also divided between two people.

Liu He, at the Quasi-Immortal Realm Second Layer, managed the East District of the mine.

Steward Huang Tao, at the Quasi-Immortal Realm First Layer, managed the West District of the mine.

The Seventh Mining Tunnel where Zhou Chen was located happened to be in the West District, under the jurisdiction of Steward Huang Tao.

Seven days later, the Duel Convention officially began.

On the arena stage in the center of the coliseum, one hundred and thirty-seven Mine Slaves of the Venerable Realm engaged in a brutal slaughter.

Every match was a life-and-death struggle.

Blood stained the arena stage, and screams echoed one after another.

The Mine Slaves participating were all filled with despair.

Perhaps they had held onto hope at first, believing that if they won the championship, they could obtain freedom.

But as the matches progressed, they gradually realized that this was just a game of death.

Countless elites of the Spirit Realm gathered around the arena stage.

They drank fine wine while watching the duels, cheering from time to time.

In their eyes, the lives of the Mine Slaves were nothing more than consumables for their entertainment.

The Duel Convention lasted for three days.

Ultimately, Tieshan, relying on his cultivation at the Fifth Layer of the Venerable Realm, fought his way through and became the champion.

But just as he thought he would gain his freedom, the mine steward, Steward Huang Tao, said with a smile: “Congratulations, Tieshan.”

“You have won the championship of the Duel Convention and will obtain your freedom.”

“But before you leave, you need to go to a place first—to clean off the mine mark on your body.”

Although Tieshan was suspicious, he still followed Steward Huang Tao away from the arena stage.

And then…

He never returned.

The next day, at the entrance of the mine, a corpse was hung.

It was indeed Tieshan.