After traveling for many days, Li Xiuwen finally arrived at the gates of Iron Mine City. The sight before him was completely different from the Blood Moon Sect where he had lived. The towering city walls were built from roughly-forged dark iron ore, interspersed with colossal natural rock faces. It was as if to serve as a reminder that any beauty in this city stemmed from its harshness and crudeness.
The air in the city was heavy with the smell of smoke from the forges, mixed with oil and the sweat of the people. The sound of hammers striking metal echoed ceaselessly from the blacksmith shops that lined the streets.
Whether it was dawn or dusk, those sounds never ceased. The city's atmosphere was filled with a single-minded determination and dedication that could not be found anywhere else.
The people walking along the streets were not dressed in the luxurious robes of sect disciples, but in work clothes stained with dust and soot. Some wore rough, unpolished armor. Everyone looked hardened and weary, but their eyes held a glimmer of ambition. Li Xiuwen was not surprised. He had read some records about this city. Iron Mine City was not ruled by nobles or rich families, but was driven by the power of the Twelve Blacksmith Guilds, the most influential forging sects in the city. The only things they respected were true "strength" and "ability."
Li Xiuwen walked into the city quietly. He didn't attract any special attention, as his simple attire allowed him to blend in with most of the people. For the first couple of hours, he meticulously explored the entire city, as if he were a traveler memorizing every corner of the place. He noticed countless shops and blacksmith forges, ranging from common ones to high-level ones protected by powerful defensive enchantments. He didn't stop his exploration until his eyes landed on a certain inn.
"Alright… first, find a place to stay, then gather more information," he thought to himself with a plan.
After finding a cheap room, Li Xiuwen went down to the main hall of the inn to order food and sit down to listen to the conversations of the people. Their discussions were not about cultivation techniques or training, but about rare ores, forging, or the rivalries between the various sects in the city.
"Have you heard about the Underground Tournament?" a burly man whispered to his friend. "It seems the prize this time is a dark ore even rarer than before."
"I heard that Grandmaster Liang of the Dragon Iron Sect is personally overseeing it," his friend replied, his voice filled with excitement.
Li Xiuwen did not participate in those conversations, but he listened to every detail intently. A faint light flickered in his eyes when he heard the words, "dark ore."
"If I remember correctly… this must be where the cheapest goods in the city are sold." After finishing his meal, Li Xiuwen walked out of the inn and headed straight for a stall he had noticed earlier.
One of the oldest-looking stalls, located on a street corner, was piled with scrap ore and seemingly worthless items. Li Xiuwen used his sharp eyes to carefully examine every piece of ore, as if searching for something hidden within the pile of junk.
"Hello, young man, can I help you with something?" the old man who owned the stall asked good-naturedly. "If you want good stuff, go to the blacksmith shops. There's only worthless junk here."
"I'm just looking for things that might have been overlooked, that's all," Li Xiuwen replied in a calm tone. "Sometimes, what is worthless in others' eyes can be valuable to someone else."
"Haha, your words are interesting. Well, have a look for yourself then," the old man laughed heartily.
Li Xiuwen spent another moment examining the seemingly worthless ores, before his eyes landed on the most ordinary-looking rock—a dark gray stone. It was a piece no one had paid attention to because its energy had been completely drained. But he could sense the strong, concentrated energy that had once been hidden within it.
It was dark iron ore, a rare ore used for forging high-level weapons. Now, it was just a worthless rock in the eyes of others. But for Li Xiuwen, it was the key to securing the tournament prize with ease.
Li Xiuwen did not show any surprise. He picked up the stone calmly. "Elder… how much is this one?"
"Haha, that worthless rock? Just take it. It's on me," the old man laughed. "A welcome gift to Iron Mine City for you."
Li Xiuwen smiled faintly. He took the stone in his hand and bowed politely to the old man. "Thank you."
Afterward, Li Xiuwen walked away. What he didn't know was that the old man was watching his back. The old man's eyes were no longer filled with amusement, but with surprise and a profound glint of wisdom.
"This boy… he can see dark iron ore that has no Qi? Unordinary indeed," the old man muttered to himself softly before returning to his stall.
Li Xiuwen returned to the inn with a sense of satisfaction. He didn't want the dark iron ore itself, but merely the "symbol" he could use to enter the tournament. He walked straight to the inn's counter and asked the clerk in a calm tone:
"I want to register for the Underground Tournament… what should I do?"