Castle of Black Iron

The gesture, the sutra and the illusionary, mysterious strength gradually took effect on Zhang Tie on the 2nd day.

Of course, the manifested content was in Zhang Tie’s mind which could not be sensed by others.

In Zhang Tie’s mind, a whole new mysterious space swirled like a milky-way under mist of golden spiritual energy with Zhang Tie’s meditation.

In Zhang Tie’s mind, previously it was all empty except for that golden swirl of spiritual energy; however, under the guidance of the secret knowledge of the ”Great Wildness Sutra”, Zhang Tie saw a lamp in his mind. As a result, those unknown land in the darkness gradually became clearer, expanding the space in Zhang Tie’s mind.

Soon after the space in his mind was expanded, his swirl of spiritual energy started to hang in the sky like a milky way while a bronze, classical pagoda was rising straight from the ground in that mysterious territory under the swirl of spiritual energy.

Each time Zhang Tie finished reciting that mysterious sutra, he would have some tadpole-like mysterious runes out of the void. Those runes then merged in that pagoda one after another. Like the materials of the pagoda, they became a part of that pagoda and enabled the pagoda to rise higher.

In such a meditation of foundation, the concept of time became vague.

Zhang Tie didn’t know how long had he entered meditation. He only made a gesture and recited the 7-word true words of the great wildness repetitively; meanwhile, he was visualizing the tadpole-like mysterious runes. Like a diligent ant who kept working inexhaustibly, he was sensing the ground-breaking change in his mind and watching the classic pagoda gradually rising higher.

Although it was a painstaking course, Zhang Tie was filled with pleasure inside.

Skill was no burden! Nobody would disguise about having one more skill, including Zhang Tie. Furthermore, it seemed to be very interesting and useful to control wild beasts. Therefore, Zhang Tie was immersed in it.

...

When he finished reciting the true words of the great wildness for 300,000 times, he felt a slight shock of that pagoda; closely after that, the pagoda stopped its growth; meanwhile, the swirling golden spiritual energy above the pagoda started to roll heavily. In a split second, Zhang Tie’s mind went dark and turned bright like a lightning bolt flashed across. With a thunder-like boom in his mind, Zhang Tie quivered all over at once. After that thunder, the milky-way like swirling spiritual energy suddenly scattered into fine sparkling light-spots and fell on the pagoda. After such a bath, the pagoda looked more glamorous at once. At the same time, various eccentric decorative patterns of insects, fishes, birds and beasts started to glitter and appear on the pagoda before fading away.

The pagoda had 5 facets and 21 stories. After the special bath, each facet was manifesting various images of animals. Until the glamorous rain incarnated by his spiritual energy stopped and the pagoda recovered to its classic and chunky look. Additionally, a layer of golden light was rolling in the pagoda, making the pagoda more magnificent and mysterious.

After completing this, Zhang Tie had consumed about half of his total spiritual energy. He carefully sensed the all-spirits pagoda in his mind which represented that he started to cultivate the ”Great Wildness Sutra”. He felt that this pagoda was much higher than that in the book. Additionally, the body of the pagoda looked like a firm solid; instead of an illusionary image after the completion of the foundation of the ”Great Wildness Sutra” as was described in the book.

Zhang Tie didn’t think too much about this difference. He only took it as a result of his strong spiritual energy. Actually, the spiritual energy that he had consumed was equal to that of dozens of people in total. How come a commoner complete such a foundation at once?

...

Sitting below the small tree, Zhang Tie opened his eyes once again. At this moment, tens of thousands of bees were circling around him and the small tree in the clock-wise manner. Zhang Tie had never seen this before.

”These bees look very happy.” Zhang Tie thought at once. After that, he became stunned, ”But, how do I know that?”

Scratching his head, Zhang Tie felt that the ”Great Wildness Sutra” was truly amazing.

Heller walked towards Zhang Tie with gleaming eyes, ”Castle Lord, have you finished the foundation?”

”Yup, what’s the matter with these bees?”

”They’ve already been here 2 days ago. It might be related to your cultivation of the foundation!”

”I see!” Zhang Tie recalled and found it was when he formed the all-spirits pagoda in his mind. ”According to the book, all-spirits pagoda and all the living beings could sense each other. It’s seems true.”

Zhang Tie took a look at the grasses and woods in Castle of Black Iron and felt an unknown friendliness. All the living beings became vital in Zhang Tie’s eyes. Zhang Tie felt an improvement in his sensing ability once again.

Not knowing the reason, the moment Zhang Tie thought about the all-spirits pagoda, he had remembered those TV towers and antenna which were used to emit and accept electro-magnetic signals before Catastrophe. He forced a smile inside at once. Certainly, according to people’s recognition, besides emitting and accepting signals, they were at least sure about one thing——the basic functions of towers was to form field energy, gather and compress energy. Pyramid was a representative.

Zhang Tie relaxed his arms as he walked downstairs from the platform. ”Is there anything to eat? I’m too hungry!” Zhang Tie asked.

”I’ve long prepared it for you, Castle Lord!” Heller smiled...

After walking downstairs, Zhang Tie saw those bees flying away...

...

On the second morning, Zhang Tie left Castle of Black Iron with 2 short javelins and reappeared in the crack being covered with vines on a cliff.

The sun had just risen up. Everything in the serene valley also seemed having just waken up. Pulling a vine, Zhang Tie slid off the crack nimbly. After breathing the fresh air which was mixed with moisture and the fragrance of grasses and woods, he ran westwards.

”As I have stayed in Castle of Black Iron for over 10 days, I wonder whether Dawson has left this valley or not. If not, Heh...Heh...”

Zhang Tie revealed a chilly smile as he was running.

...

2 days later, at dusk, nearby a Buckthorn wood on Grey Hill...

The sun was going to set off while Zhang Tie had picked up some dried Buckthorn twigs and was setting a fire at a leeward place to cook his supper.

When the hind-leg flesh of iron-teeth hyena dropped its oil onto the bonfire, the fragrance of those wild potatoes had long drifted in the air. Imitating those villagers in Kurgan village, Zhang Tie crumbed the Buckthorn juice and pulp of Buckthorns and sprayed the on the flesh. He was told that by doing this, he could sweep the fishy smell.

After doing this, he picked up his short javelins to dig out some wild potatoes from the bonfire. Holding one, Zhang Tie blew the ash off its skin while changing it between two hands rapidly; meanwhile, his face was filled with the pleasure of harvest.

Plus those iron-teeth hyenas that he hunted today, the 3rd iron-teeth hyena’s seven-strength fruit on the small tree might have grown ripe

Thinking of the latest fruit, of course Zhang Tie felt pretty good.

Especially then when he was sitting beside the bonfire, enjoying the night breeze and eating potatoes and roasted meat. When the night fell, he could put his arms under his head and lay on the grassland to watch stars. Everything was that pure. If not so many things to deal with, Zhang Tie really thought it was a free way to live the rest of his life.

The roasted potatoes were hot and tasted good. Zhang Tie kept blowing it as he was eating. However, Dawson appeared on the hillside over 60 m in front of him like Zhang Tie’s shadow when Zhang Tie only ate half of that potato.

Watching Zhang Tie eating his roasted potato beside a bonfire, Dawson’s eyes gleamed weirdly.

Zhang Tie also saw Dawson, but he only raised his head to glance at him like peering at a common iron-teeth hyena. After that, he continued to blow and eat his potato.

Seeing this, Dawson who was preparing to walk closer felt his heart pounding at once. Being suspicious, he looked around carefully. After ensuring that nobody was in the surrounding, he let out a sigh and slowly moved closer to Zhang Tie.

When Dawson was about 30 m away from Zhang Tie, he was sure that Zhang Tie could never escape this time. Therefore, he finally recovered his composure.

”Brat, I will see what else tricks can you play this time. You should be proud enough of escaping away twice from me; however, never dream about the 3rd time!” Dawson grinned hideously.

Seeing Dawson’s meticulous look, Zhang Tie sniggered, ”What? How come you become so timid? Why not move closer?”

...