Castle of Black Iron

Zhang Tie had been looking for his kid in Tongzhou Province for over one month. He might not get rid of the series of strikes unless making himself busy without any illusion.

It was Zhang Tie’s nadir over the past two months. During this period, he lost his grandpa, his two cute senior sister apprentices, his beloved woman and might have lost his son. He was even betrayed by someone on his side and killed the former clan head of Huaiyuan Palace, turning Lan Yunxi from the one who loved him to his rival.

The scandal that the clan head intended to screw the grand elder of Huaiyuan Palace was a fatal blow to the clan cohesiveness of Huaiyuan Palace. As long as it was exposed, Huaiyuan Palace would be separated at a stroke.

Not until now did Zhang Tie completely tell others about what Zhang Taixuan had done; nor did he know how much did Lan Yunxi know about this event and how much had she heard outside the shrine palace that day!

As a descendant of Lord Huaiyuan, the last thing that Zhang Tie did for Huaiyuan Palace was to silently bear the “clan scandal” which would make Huaiyuan Palace a laughingstock and negative example for the other clans hundreds of years later.

Despite some gossips and guesses outside, as long as Zhang Tie didn’t admit it, they would never be widely accepted.

These gossips and rumors would fade away with time and Huaiyuan Palace would barely be influenced.

Children in poor families were more sensible. Disasters and frustrations would help a man grow up much faster. Over the past two months, what Zhang Tie experienced had brought him great changes.

Zhang Tie killed both Zhang Taixuan and the former immature and romantic Zhang Tie.

That day, when Zhang Tie exited the shrine palace of Huaiyuan Palace, he had determined that his drop of tear in the shrine palace was the last drop for the rest of his life.

…

“Have you heard that? I received a piece of news from Youzhou Province yesterday that Immortal Qianji has already written a letter to Huaiyuan Palace so as to end up the relationship between them. He’s going to establish a new clan…” Some diners were discussing the “major event” that had already spread across the Northeast Military Region at a table beside Zhang Tie. These commoners were most interested in talking about the animosity and anecdotes concerning major clans.

“If it was me, I would definitely not agree with it. What the hell is Huaiyuan Palace doing? Zhang Taixuan has died. Immortal Qianji should take over his position for sure. How could they have Zhang Taixuan’s daughter take over this position? Immortal Qianji is a great hero! How could he aid a female in Huaiyuan Palace? Of course, he would establish a new clan!” the other diner said as he shook his head, continuing, “I’m afraid that those elders of Huaiyuan Palace would stir up Immortal Qianji this time. It’s said that Immortal Qianji has already given concession to Zhang Taixuan for the position of clan head of Huaiyuan Palace. How could Immortal Qianji stand it again…”

As they were not involved in this affair, these commoners would always deduce various versions of grotesque explanations.

Zhang Tie listened to their talk as he kept his eyes closely on the passers-by in the avenue. He then made another cup of dark plum spirit to raise a toast to what had happened in the past.

The past was sour, bitter and sweet. The reality was as spicy as fire. After melding with spirit, the sourness of the dark plum would be replaced by the flavor of spirit…

“Do you know that? I was told that Zhang Taixuan died after meeting Immortal Qianji. Someone said that Zhang Taixuan was killed by Immortal Qianji…” a diner at the same table muttered after looking around.

“That must be a rumor. Zhang Taixuan was a provincial governor with a good reputation. How could Immortal Qianji kill him out of no reason? It’s said that the Gobbling Party was driven out of Northeast Military Region by Immortal Qianji a few days ago, I’m afraid that the rumor was cooked by the Gobbling Party. What an evil trick…” someone instantly refuted with a disdainful look.

“I wonder about the name of the new clan of Immortal Qianji. Given Immortal Qianji’s reputation and majesty, his clan would definitely be another major clan titled Zhang in Taixia Country…”

In discussions, that table of diners was full as they left the hotel satisfactorily.

Zhang Tie drank alone. Not until those people left the hotel did the waiter reappear on his side, saying, “Sir, I’m so sorry, the boss is going to close the door. He sent me to notice you…”

The person who looked similar to Ma Aiyun that Zhang Tie had been waiting for a few hours finally didn’t show up. Zhang Tie let out a sigh inside. After forgetting about that luxurious thought, he turned around to ask the waiter, “Really?”

“As there’re few people in Flying Cloud City at present. After being afflicted by bloody figures, will-o’-the-wisp could be seen somewhere in the evening which was pretty frightening. Therefore, stores and hotels in Flying Cloud City close their doors earlier than before. You’ve got two dishes complete. Do you need me to heat them up?”

“Aren’t you going to close the door? Why would you heat up the dishes for me?” Zhang Tie asked with a smile.

“Don’t worry. I’m here with you. The boss would not blame me for that if we stayed here for a long while…”

“Well, I will not bother you. I’ve been full…” Zhang Tie picked himself up as he put his hand into his coat while he actually took out a gold coin from his portable space-teleportation equipment.

“No need. Sir, you’ve already paid for that…”

“I’ve already paid for it?” Zhang Tie became a bit transfixed as he asked, “Who did that?”

“Sir, you’ve already rewarded me with a gold coin last time. This meal only costs a bit more than 4 silver coins. After deducting 4 more silver coins, I’ve still got more than 90 silver coins from you…” The waiter smiled, revealing snow-white teeth in a passionate, considerate and warm manner. Zhang Tie, therefore, threw one more glance at him as he continued the talk.

“It’s so late. Don’t you have to go back home?”

“I have no home!”

“What happened?”

“All my family members have perished in the disaster of bloody figures two years ago, including my parents, my wife who had just married me and the whole family of my father-in-law. Two years ago, I went errands in a firm. When the disaster broke out, I was not in the city. Therefore, I survived myself fortunately!” the waiter’s voice soon turned gloomy.

“Sorry to hear that!”

After taking in a deep breath, the waiter revealed a jarring, passionate and sunny smile as he said, “It’s fine. I was too sad at that time; I almost committed suicide. However, I feel better now. I could learn and save money in the hotel. When I have enough money, I will open a hotel and marry a woman, have some babies. Previously, my parents both hoped me to be a boss one day. I’ve thought through it. Even though I am alone, I would also live well for them. If they could see me, they would definitely hope that I could restart my life with a smile every day. Therefore, I would never let them down. Previously, my papa used to tell me that a man should live well with a smile no matter how many hardships had he experienced. I’m going to live well with a smile for them…”

——A man should live well with a smile no matter how many hardships had he experienced!

Zhang Tie was deeply touched by this line. Facing this waiter who had lost all of his family members yet still with a brilliant smile, Zhang Tie suddenly realized that what he experienced in the past two months seemed nothing serious. In this world, too many people were more hapless than him. As a male knight, he had no reason to immerse in that hapless event.

Watching the waiter’s smile, Zhang Tie nodded after a short silence as he said, “You’re right. We will live well no matter what. Never mind the cold dishes. Give me two bowls of rice!”

“Don’t you need to heat them up?”

“No need!”

“Okay, wait for a moment please!”

Only after a short while, the waiter had already served two bowls of hot rice. Zhang Tie devoured them all as fast as he could.

“Here you are…”

After his dinner, Zhang Tie took out a golden earth-element crystal from inside his coat and put it on the waiter’s hand.

“Aah, why?”

“When you’re ready to be a boss, take this earth-element crystal to Golden Roc Bank, and request them to exchange it for gold coins…”

“It appears to be a crystal. It should be very expensive!” the waiter looked at the crystal as he asked Zhang Tie in a bashful way.

It was very normal for a commoner to be confused about the value of an earth-element crystal.

“Haha, not exactly. Treat it as my gift for this meal! We’re friends!”

“That’s too generous…” The waiter wanted to return it back to Zhang Tie.

“Bear what you said in mind. We should both live well with a smile!” Zhang Tie said as he took in a deep breath and patted the waiter’s shoulder. Closely after that, Zhang Tie disappeared.

“Aah…” the waiter was so scared as he almost dropped off the earth-element crystal.

Although Zhang Tie couldn’t run his battle qi and spiritual energy, he could still use his amazing physical strength and activate his ancestral bloodlines. Right now, Zhang Tie moved too fast that he seemed to have disappeared in only a split second in the eyes of that waiter.

Almost the moment Zhang Tie left the hotel had he ascended to almost 100 m high in the sky. Right then, the thunder hawk which shared telepathy with him arrived as fast as a lightning bolt and carried Zhang Tie on its back steadily.

“Let’s go back home…” Zhang Tie said as he patted the thunder hawk’s head.

After sensing Zhang Tie’s changing mood, the thunder hawk hooted, which could be heard across Flying Cloud City. Before the knights in Flying Cloud City arrived here, they had already accelerated towards Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory as fast a lightning bolt…

…

Shangyu Prefecture was only about 2,000 miles away from Fiery-Dragon Bounty Territory. It only took them fewer than one hour to arrive there.

When he arrived at Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory, the sky was dotted with stars. When he was hundreds of miles away from Eighteen Xuantian Peaks, Zhang Tie found that Yan Feiqing and Guo Hongyi were talking in an attic of Flyingphoenix Peak and Bai Suxian was cultivating in her backroom…

With the relentless efforts of thousands of able craftsmen and hundreds of airships, the courtyards and buildings in Flyingphoenix Peak had been completed in fewer than one month. Flyingphoenix Peak was already available to living now. During the past one more month, Yan Feiqing had been staying in Flyingphoenix Peak and stabilizing the rear end of Zhang Tie’s Fiery-Dragon Bounty Territory.

Zhang Tie had the thunder hawk hover above that complex in Flyingphoenix Peak. Closely after that, he jumped off the thunder hawk and landed outside the attic where Yan Feiqing and Guo Hongyi were in.

Almost the moment Zhang Tie returned, Yan Feiqing had already known that. No sooner had Zhang Tie landed than Yan Feiqing and Guo Hongyi exited the attic.

Yan Feiqing knew that Zhang Tie was looking for the kid of him and Ma Aiyun alone. At the sudden sight of Zhang Tie, Yan Feiqing and Guo Hongyi were both exhilarated and surprised.

At this moment, Yan Feiqing was in white skirt while Guo Hongyi in red skirt. The two women were like sisters with utterly different personalities. Guo Hongyi was as hot as fire while Yan Feiqing was as cold as ice.

“Aah, you’re back…” Yan Feiqing revealed a smile. Before she finished her words, she had been stopped by Zhang Tie’s long kiss.

It was Guo Hongyi’s first time to see Zhang Tie kissing her master. Watching Zhang Tie kissing Yan Feiqing in an overbearing manner and kneading her breast forcefully, changing her breast’s shape in a various way, Guo Hongyi’s face turned red as she was at a loss of what to say…

After the kiss, Zhang Tie cradled Yan Feiqing as he walked towards the attic. When he reached the gate, he turned around and sent an order to Guo Hongyi, “Follow us in…”

After saying these words, Zhang Tie entered the attic with Yan Feiqing in his arms. Only after a short hesitation, Guo Hongyi had gritted her teeth as she entered the attic…