Castle of Black Iron

Zhang Tie didn’t know how long had he slept.

When Zhang Tie opened his eyes once again, he found that he was lying in a mountain cave in the same shabby clothes. However, as his wound caused by the furious blow of the earth knight had recovered, all of his physical functions had reached their heyday once again while his battle qi was running smoother.

After recovering his consciousness, Zhang Tie felt that whatever happened before was like a dream.

Zhang Tie didn’t know why he had deteriorated to such a situation until now. He couldn’t think through why a Hua earth knight wanted to kill him with the reason of cleaning up the unworthy descendant for Lord Huaiyuan.

’F*ck!’

At this moment, Zhang Tie caught sight of sunlight outside the mountain cave, which indicated that it was daytime.

Zhang Tie picked himself up and looked around this mountain cave seriously.

There was a stone bed, a stone chair, a stone table, a stone bowl and a human skeleton which was sitting with crossed legs in the mountain cave. Besides, there was a bright and spotless jade case on the table, which had been covered with dust.

After looking around this place, Zhang Tie didn’t touch anything here; instead, he directly exited the mountain cave.

The moment he exited the mountain cave, he had seen the rolling white clouds and looming mountain peaks underfoot. This mountain cave was on a very high mountain peak. However, due to the bulgy rocks and cliffs on both sides of the mountain cave and some pines surrounding it, this mountain cave looked pretty covert. Even if someone flew by the mountain cave, he might also miss it if he did not pay special attention to it.

The splendid scenery made Zhang Tie breathless.

A man in the black robe was standing on the edge of one cliff outside the mountain cave with crossed hands on his back and watching the rolling clouds underfoot quietly.

Given his back, although he was a bit emaciated with grey hair, he revealed a lonely yet dignified powerful qi in the world.

When Zhang Tie caught sight of this lonely yet tall and straight figure and recalled the lake in the location of Master Abyan’s Manor outside Blackhot City, Zhang Tie couldn’t help dropping off tears.

"Master!" Zhang Tie uttered in a low voice.

After letting out a sigh, the figure turned around. He was the very Zhao Yuan whom Zhang Tie had not seen for many years.

Plus those years that Zhang Tie had stayed in the tower of time, Zhang Tie had not met Zhao Yuan for dozens of years.

"Why are you crying? I’ve not cried yet!" Zhao Yuan watched Zhang Tie before letting out a sigh once again, "I always think that I’m unrivaled in the world and will end the resentment as soon as I want. My nickname alchemist demon is well-known among both humans and demons. I only have one apprentice in my life; however, that apprentice is always chased by people like a pye-dog at the risk of his life whenever I see him. Which one should cry, you or me?"

After hearing Zhao Yuan’s words, Zhang Tie’s face blushed. He started to recall what happened whenever he met Zhao Yuan from when he was chased by the b*stard of Zhen Clan from Heavens Cold City to the present. He also found that he was indeed in dilemmas whenever he met or might meet Zhao Yuan, for instance, when he fought Master Abyan to death in Blackhot City; this time, it was more inexplicable. If he was killed by them, he might not even know the reason.

Zhang Tie felt pretty stupid when he found that his master could still live so well even though he had occupied the first place in the wanted list in the supreme court in Taixia Country so many years and was wanted by the top seven sects in Taixia Country with the reward of 100 cities.

Zhang Tie lowered his head bashfully.

"Well, it’s indeed out of my imagination that you’ve already promoted to a knight after these years. It seems that you also have some opportunities. When in Blackhot City in Waii Subcontinent, after feeling that your soul crystal had broken apart and your qi had vanished, I went to look for you; however, I didn’t find you. I thought you were dead. But you’re still alive. What happened?" Zhao Yuan put it straight.

Zhang Tie poured out the resentment between him and Abyan. He even revealed that Abyan was a shadow demon. Except for Castle of Black Iron, he told Zhao Yuan everything that he knew. As Zhang Tie didn’t mention Castle of Black Iron, he slightly polished the process of this event. Although he delayed the origin the gold-eaten boa, he had almost made himself clear.

In a hidden place left by Master Abyan, he killed Abyan with the teeth of the gold-eaten boa in the final moment and gained Abyan’s energy. As a result, he slept a few years in a special state and lit a lot of surging points. Besides advancing to higher levels, he also activated his pupil color changing bloodline.

After describing what happened in Blackhot City, Zhang Tie told Zhao Yuan how he fought demons in Waii Subcontinent, how he met and cultivated in the tower of time underground Kalay Mountain Range and how he promoted to a knight.

Even Zhao Yuan was surprised by Zhang Tie’s wonderful experiences.

"Do you have the teeth of gold-eaten boa with you?"

Zhang Tie directly took the teeth of gold-eaten boa out of the space of his finger ring. Since he got this finger ring, Zhang Tie had transferred many utilities such as medicaments, weapons and jewelry from the space of Castle of Black Iron into the space of this finger ring. On this occasion, Zhao Yuan could not imagine that Zhang Tie had another space-teleportation equipment besides this finger ring.

After touching the teeth of the gold-eaten boa carefully, Zhao Yuan nodded inside. As the alchemist demon, of course, Zhao Yuan could sense the trace of faintly back-flow of energy in the teeth of gold-eaten boa, which verified Zhang Tie’s words.

"This teeth of an adult gold-eaten boa is exotic. However, its shape is a bit coarse. Well, now that I’ve seen it, I will help you process it!" After saying that, Zhao Yuan ran his qi while Zhang Tie felt a great energy flowing towards Zhao Yuan from the elements realm. It was a bit similar to the appearance of silver secret weapons out of the void. At the same time, the teeth of gold-eaten boa turned red and started to radiate red lights...

Holding the teeth of gold-eaten boa, Zhao Yuan moved his hands quickly. Even with his sharp observation ability, Zhang Tie could barely identify Zhao Yuan’s movements.

Along with Zhao Yuan’s movements, the teeth which were radiating glow gradually changed its shape. Only after a few minutes, Zhao Yuan stopped his movements. The teeth had vanished; instead, a grim, chilling three-edge dagger appeared. Zhang Yuan threw the dagger to Zhang Tie.

"Knights could also use it. It’s much better than common rune weapons. As long as you inject your battle qi into it, you could pierce through most equipment and most protective battle qis of black iron knights except for silver secret items and very few special equipment. Additionally, it could devour and transfer a few parts of qi, blood and energy from the living beings that you’ve pierced through to you and help you recover your physical strength, qi and blood very fast. If you fight your enemy in the dilemma, you could even stand longer with it!"

Watching the tri-edged dagger which was barely similar to the teeth of gold-eaten boa and hearing Zhao Yuan’s words, Zhang Tie was really in awe of his master. Such a marvelous talent for making an alchemist item by hand was completely out of Zhang Tie’s imagination.

"Thank you. Master, you’re great!" Zhang Tie praised Zhao Yuan sincerely.

After hearing Zhang Tie’s praise, Zhao Yuan revealed a faint smile. Zhao Yuan had heard too many praises in his life; however, it was his first time to hear a praise from his apprentice. The word "great" really made Zhao Yuan satisfied.

"I’ve returned to Taixia Country a few years ago. Previously, I thought you were dead. When I heard that you inflicted heavy losses on the Heavens Reaching Church in Youzhou Province a few days ago, I was not sure that it was really you. However, with a glimmer of hope, I came to Youzhou Province to investigate it. Then, I learned that you were still alive. After that, I was told that you had been in Fuhai City in Yingzhou Province for engagement. Therefore, I came to Yingzhou Province to meet you. Weren’t you engaged in Yingzhou Province? Then, why were you besieged by people? Even the Cheji General in Yingzhou Province wanted to kill you. What happened?"

After hearing Zhao Yuan’s words, Zhang Tie understood that the earth knight in armor who appeared by airboat was Cheji General in Yingzhou Province, ’No wonder he was so fierce!’

However, Zhang Tie was still confused about this event. After hearing Zhao Yuan’s question, Zhang Tie could only force a bitter smile, "Honestly, I don’t know what happened either. When I left Fuhai City that night, everything went well. I’ve not imagined that I was framed by someone and almost lost my life!"

"You’re framed?" Zhao Yuan’s eyes radiated a killing qi.

Thus, Zhang Tie told what happened before he met Zhao Yuan that night.

"That knight in black clothes and mask who induced you away from the airship and the other guy who looked as same as you were devoured by the black flames that rose from their bodies and vanished?" Zhao Yuan looked solemn.

"Yes, master, I’m still confused. How could a black iron knight sacrifice himself to induce me? What a high price it is!" Zhang Tie shook his head.

"Those two people were not black iron knights. They were just puppets being manipulated by people!" Zhao Yuan watched Zhang Tie and told him in a solemn tone.

"Puppets?"

"Hmm!" Zhao Yuan nodded, "There’s a secret method in Taixia Country called Bloody Demon Imitation Method. People above LV 10 could own the power of a black iron knight closely after adopting this method..."

...