Chapter 384: Secrets of the Two Families, Shifting Blame

Liu Cheng also walked over, glanced at the collapsed mine, and frowned. "Steward Huang, I'm afraid this collapse will affect the mine's output."

"So what?"

Steward Huang Tao sneered. "The mine collapse isn't my responsibility."

"The mine was old and in disrepair; it collapsed naturally."

"If Steward Liu has an issue, you can report it to the Family."

A flash of anger crossed Liu Cheng's eyes, but he ultimately held it back.

"Fine, I will report it to the Family."

The two parted on bad terms.

Three days later.

The cleanup work for the mine collapse finally finished.

But the cost was heavy.

Thousands of Mine Slaves were completely buried alive.

Furthermore, this collapse had destroyed parts of the Ore veins, leading to a significant drop in the mine's output.

Steward Huang Tao and Liu Cheng argued incessantly over this, accusing each other of poor management.

The mine's operations were temporarily suspended, and all Mine Slaves were on standby in the rest area.

"Refining a few more supreme grade immortal crystals should allow me to Breakthrough to the Fourth Layer of the Venerable Realm."

Zhou Chen calculated silently.

But just then, Old Zhang suddenly found him.

"Little Friend Zhou, this old man has something to say to you."

Old Zhang's expression was solemn.

Zhou Chen nodded. "Please speak, Old Zhang."

Old Zhang looked around, and after confirming no one was there, he whispered, "Little Friend Zhou, I have observed you for a long time."

"It is no coincidence that you have escaped danger multiple times."

"Moreover, your strength far exceeds what you show on the surface."

"I believe that you will surely be able to leave this mine in the future."

"Therefore…"

He paused. "I want to tell you some things."

"Perhaps you will find them useful in the future."

A sharp light flashed in Zhou Chen's eyes. "Please speak, Old Zhang. This Junior is all ears."

Old Zhang sighed and said slowly, "I am no ordinary Mine Slave."

"I was originally an Inner Sect Disciple of the Zixia Sect."

"Zixia Sect?"

Zhou Chen was taken aback.

"That's right."

Old Zhang nodded. "The Zixia Sect is a small-scale Sect in the Desolate Lands of the Spirit Realm, and its strength is not weak."

"Back then, I was somewhat famous within the Sect."

"Because my Cultivation talent was outstanding, the Sect focused on nurturing me."

"But precisely because of this, I was caught up in the struggle between the Sect and the Huang Family."

Zhou Chen raised an eyebrow. "The Huang Family?"

"The same Huang Family that controls the Black Stone Mine?"

"Exactly."

A trace of hatred flashed in Old Zhang's eyes. "I accidentally stumbled upon the Huang Family's scheme to seize the Zixia Sect's resources, so they framed me for stealing a Sect treasure."

"Under pressure from the Huang Family, the Zixia Sect crippled part of my cultivation, demoted me to a Mine Slave, and sent me to the Black Stone Mine."

"I was originally at the Venerable Realm Seventh Layer, but now only the Venerable Realm Third Layer remains."

"Furthermore, because my Foundation was damaged, my cultivation can never improve again."

Zhou Chen was shaken after hearing this.

He hadn't expected Old Zhang to have such a past.

"And the Zixia Sect… just let the Huang Family do as they pleased?"

Zhou Chen asked.

Old Zhang shook his head. "Within the Zixia Sect, there are two major factions: the Liu Family and the Huang Family."

"The struggle between the two factions is intense; neither will submit to the other."

"The Liu Family tried to help exonerate me, but because the Huang Family's power was too great, they ultimately failed."

"After so many years in the mine, I have long since become disheartened."

"I only want to drag out my existence until I die."

Zhou Chen was silent for a moment before saying, "Old Zhang, if there were a chance, would you want to leave the mine?"

Old Zhang was stunned, then gave a bitter smile. "Leave?"

"I have long since stopped harboring such extravagant hopes."

"Besides, even if I left the mine, where could I go?"

"The Huang Family's influence spreads across the Desolate Lands; I would have nowhere to run."

Old Zhang looked at Zhou Chen, a complex look flashing in his eyes.

Black Stone Mine, Management Hall.

On the fifth day after the mine collapse, operations finally resumed.

But the atmosphere was ten times more tense than before.

Inside the Management Hall, Liu Family Steward Liu Cheng and Huang Family Steward Huang Tao sat facing each other, the atmosphere between them like a drawn bow.

Behind each of them stood over a dozen Cultivators.

The Liu Family Cultivators wore green robes, their Auras condensed and steady; even the weakest was at the Tenth Layer of the Emperor Realm.

The Huang Family Cultivators wore yellow robes, their Aura even more fierce, with several powerful experts among them even being at the Venerable Realm.

"Steward Liu."

Steward Huang Tao sneered. "You've seen the losses caused by this mine collapse."

"Thousands of Mine Slaves dead, parts of the Ore veins damaged, and output has dropped by at least thirty percent."

"Your Liu Family must bear this responsibility."

Liu Cheng frowned. "Steward Huang, your words are mistaken."

"The mine collapse was a natural disaster; what does it have to do with my Liu Family?"

"Besides, the daily maintenance of the mine has always been your Huang Family's responsibility."

"If responsibility is to be pursued, it should be your Huang Family that is held accountable."

Steward Huang Tao's face darkened. "What did you say?"

"My responsibility?"

"Liu Cheng, don't refuse the face I'm giving you!"

"While my Huang Family is responsible for mine maintenance, the Liu Family also has oversight duties."

"This collapse was clearly due to the mine being in disrepair for years."

"As the overseeing party, does your Liu Family have no responsibility?"

Liu Cheng sneered. "Since Steward Huang says so, then I also have something to say."

"During this period, I discovered that the Huang Family has been secretly diverting mine resources."

"A large amount of high-quality Ore was secretly transported away by you without being reported to the Family."

"Steward Huang, how do you explain this?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Steward Huang Tao's expression changed drastically.

"Nonsense!"

"When did my Huang Family ever divert resources?"

"Liu Cheng, don't you dare slander me!"

Liu Cheng sneered. "Slander?"

"I have evidence."

He waved his hand, and a Liu Family Cultivator stepped forward, producing a Jade Slip.

"This is the result of an investigation by my Liu Family spies."

"In the past month, the Ore diverted from the mine by the Huang Family is worth at least a hundred thousand Low Grade immortal crystals."

"And none of these Ores were reported to the Family."

"Steward Huang, tell me, where did these Ores go?"

Steward Huang Tao's face turned ashen.

He hadn't expected the Liu Family to have been investigating him in secret for so long.

And they even had evidence.

"So what?"

Steward Huang Tao snorted. "Those Ores were used by my Huang Family to repair the mine."

"The mine has been in disrepair for years and requires a large amount of resources to reinforce."

"My Huang Family paid out of our own pockets to contribute to the mine; could that be wrong?"

Liu Cheng sneered. "Repairing the mine?"

"But as far as I know, the repair work on the mine hasn't even begun."

"All those Ores went into your personal storehouse, Huang Tao."

"Steward Huang, you're lining your own pockets, aren't you?"

Steward Huang Tao flew into a rage.

"Liu Cheng, you're looking for death!"

The pressure of the Quasi-Immortal Realm First Layer erupted from him, enveloping Liu Cheng.

But Liu Cheng was no pushover either.

As the steward stationed at the mine by the Liu Family, his cultivation was also at the Quasi-Immortal Realm First Layer.

"What, turning your embarrassment into rage?"

Liu Cheng sneered, likewise releasing his pressure to counter.

The two Quasi-Immortal Realm pressures collided in the hall, erupting with terrifying energy fluctuations.

The tables and chairs in the hall were instantly shattered into powder.

The Cultivators from both sides also retreated one after another, watching each other warily.

The atmosphere was on the verge of exploding.