Castle of Black Iron

While many people were still in the hall discussing the news of demons appearing on the Hurricane Plateau in the west of Golan Empire, Zhang Tie had already left the hall after skimming the brief intelligence on Waii Sub-continent sent from the clan in the recent months.

The brief intelligence could help those in the Breaking Heaven Department stay informed about the events around the continent so that the Breaking Heaven Department was not isolated from the outside world. After all, the Zhang clan was cultivating elites, not hermits, in the Breaking Heaven Department.

From the brief intelligence in the last month, Zhang Tie found the news that he was truly concerned about — after half a year, the war between Norman Empire and Sun Dynasty in Kalur Region had ended. After that, the Selindor family which ruled Kalur city officially declared the founding of a new country centered around Kalur city with Alexia Selindor officially became the Queen of Kalur.

The new country centered around Kalur City was a typical pocket kingdom. On the founding day, Kalur’s Queen officially declared that they would remain neutral.

Zhang Tie knew that the reason that the Selindor family dared to declare the founding of a new country was because a powerful alchemist was backing their family. Neither Norman Empire nor Sun Dynasty would challenge two powerful enemies at the price of offending an alchemist with terrifying power.

The war in the Kalur region ceased, which was good news for Zhang Tie. Because, his friends in the Blackhot City and the Iron-Blood Camp didn’t have to go to battle again. In contrast, the news about demons on the Hurricane Plateau in the west of Golan Empire was quite bad for Zhang Tie. Zhang Tie thought that if it was just a small demon troop or the demons had truly found the tunnel towards the underground world of the Hurricane Plateau, it was not a good sign.

The demons were drawing closer, which means the holy war between humans and demons was drawing ever closer. Those big figures among human beings were also preparing for the coming holy war, making the sense of a coming chaotic world more obvious.

After skimming over the brief intelligence sent by the Zhang clan from outside, Zhang Tie knew that there was always a hidden flow on the Waii Sub-continent in the latest months. The tragedy case of the whole family of one senior of the Karol Federal Alchemists Association was killed had not been solved, and the King of the Leica Kingdom was assassinated. After that, because of the competition for the throne between the infantes and the princes, Leica Kingdom was instantly divided and troubled by civil war.

At the same time, some countries along the Niin River, which was known as the granary of the Human Corridor, were suffering from a rare plague of insects. As a result, all grain production suffered a sharp reduction this year.

Additionally, the previously safe airlines now continuously suffered from dangerous wild beasts’ attacks. Some regular airlines even had to be abandoned. In this case, the airborne traffic connections between countries of the human corridor started to be fragile as many countries even started to dispatch war-time airships to join in the protection of regular airlines...

Zhang Tie went back to the Songtao Pavilion in a poor mood.

After entering his room, Zhang Tie didn’t ignite the lamp in his room; instead he just meditated in the dark room for almost 10 minutes before silently entered the Castle of Black Iron.

When the dreamlike, colorful fog and the tender, bright light of Castle of Black Iron reappeared in front of Zhang Tie’s eyes, Zhang Tie gradually felt better.

By then, Castle of Black Iron had become more vigorous. Compared to that previous barren land, the inside of Castle of Black Iron had become larger with one more lake of 200,000 square meters. The lake was Zhang Tie’s achievement in the latest months.

In the latest months, Zhang Tie had absorbed too much sea water into the Castle of Black Iron. After the sea water was converted into basic energy storage, it had become a huge figure that Zhang Tie had never imagined. Because of the sufficient amount of stored basic energy, the ambitious Heller used a part of the energy and built a freshwater lake that he had long planned, using the space and terrain renovation function of Castle of Black Iron.

At this moment, at the sight of that shimmering lake in the far, Zhang Tie felt a great difference as the whole Castle of Black Iron made him pleasant and opening.

After all, human beings liked water.

Zhang Tie then came to the side of the small tree and looked at the fruits on it.

The latest Leakless Fruit would become ripe in 3 days. With 2 more Leakless Fruits, Zhang Tie would ignite the 9th surge point. It would be more difficult for him to realize that compared to his previous promotions. He needed to ignite 5 more surge points to reach LV 7. It was as difficult as promoting from LV 1 to LV 5. The higher the level was, the more terrifying it would be to promote. Of course, one would also see a substantial growth of their strength and power at each higher level.

The latest iron-body fruit had become 95% ripe and could be eaten tomorrow. The only fruit that he could eat today was a Fruit of Redemption that formed because of the sand-scale fish that he set free in the fish market of the wharf today.

— Fruit of Redemption — gratitude from sand-scale fish; Fruit of Redemption has become ripe. Usage: Pick and directly eat it. Notice: The fruit cannot be taken out of the Castle of Black Iron. After twelve hours of having been picked off the tree, its energy and vitality will gradually decline.

— This fruit will allow Castle Lord to increase your cold-resistance in water and cold environments and sensitivity to water flow by 8% each.

— After eating it, Castle Lord will be able to increase your cold-resistance in water and cold environments and your sensitivity to water flow by 702% each in total compared to your earliest condition.

Zhang Tie picked it off and ate it. When he fully digested the fruit and absorbed its effect, Zhang Tie opened his eyes as he found that Heller had been long standing under the stone stairs of the small tree, waiting for him to open his eyes.

”Handsome and Magnificent Castle Lord, welcome back to the Castle of Black Iron!” Opening his eyes, Zhang Tie found that Heller was bowing towards him.

The words from a person brought Zhang Tie a greater vanity than a line of written words; however, Zhang Tie faintly felt shameless to be called handsome and magnificent in front of Heller as the latter’s face was too handsome that it even made Zhang Tie jealous.

Zhang Tie rubbed his face as he walked downstairs and said, ”Hmm, Heller, from now on, you don’t need to add the prefixes ”handsome” and ”magnificent”, just call me Castle Lord!”

”As you will!” Heller faintly bent his body and looked pretty perfect while Zhang Tie mumbled, ”Where are Edward, Aziz and Agan?”

”Because it’s quite late, they’ve already gone to bed! I also realize that when Castle Lord entered...”

Zhang Tie then realized that Edward, Aziz, Agan and Heller were actually like normal people as they also needed food and sleep.

”As there’s no night here, are you used to the living here?”

”Because this space is connected with that world outside through you, in order to make you comfortable, the time and environment here is synchronous to that outside. We also have night; but it becomes bright when Castle Lord enters, just like a house automatically turns on its light when its owner comes back!”

”Is that true?” Zhang Tie suddenly became interested, ”Can you show me the night here?”

Having entering Castle of Black Iron for many times, he always saw daytime here, Zhang Tie didn’t know what the night in Castle of Black Iron look like yet.

”Castle Lord wants to see the night here?”

”Yes!”

The moment Zhang Tie replied, without seeing what Heller did, the whole space in the Castle of Black Iron became as dark as outside. The colorful fog in the Castle of Black Iron suddenly became dark, only leaving a faint brilliance on a ball of fog which was suspended in the sky like the moons outside. Even the visibility was almost identical to outside.

His mouth slightly agape, Zhang Tie looked around the dark surroundings as he had not imagined that it could change so fast. However, Zhang Tie felt a sense of curiosity in the darkness of Castle of Black Iron.

”Is the night here always like this?”

”No, the brightness and visibility here is adjustable in the night. They totally depend on the moving trajectories of the 2 moons outside. When the 2 moons outside are full, the night here would be the brightest. When the double crescents arrive in the outside, the night here would be the darkest. The night here is the same as outside.” Heller replied.

”Just remain synchronous with the world outside from today on. When I enter, no need to adjust it into daytime when it should be night. Just follow the rule of the nature!” Zhang Tie looked around as he said.

The night in Castle of Black Iron felt especially tranquil and beautiful.

”Fine! As you will!” Heller revealed a smile as he reminded Zhang Tie, ”The variety of plant seeds here are not enough. The more complete the collection of plant seeds is in the Castle of Black Iron; the more aura value will be produced. Increasing aura value would be useful in many aspects in the future. If Castle Lord has any free time, will you bring in some plants or plant seeds. Wetland plants and aquatic plants that are suitable to live in fresh water would be preferred!”

”I will try my best!” Zhang Tie became a bit bashful as he replied. Heller, the steward was too responsible. Compared to him, Zhang Tie was really like a lazy owner who needed to be reminded all the time.

The moment Zhang Tie wanted to leave, Heller further reminded him which stopped him.

”Castle Lord, you must have been too busy recently, you might have forgotten about the vats of solution that you made using essential-energy reiki yeast and fruits. They’ve completed fermented for a while!”

”Argh!” Zhang Tie slapped his forehead as he’d almost forgotten about this.

Zhang Tie then rushed to the lab and opened one of the huge porcelain vat with curiosity...

A strange yet alluring fragrance drifted out of the top of the porcelain vat. In a instant, the whole lab was full of the smell.

Zhang Tie became stunned — ’What...what’s this? It smells so good...’