Castle of Black Iron

During these days, Zhang Tie would stand on the top of the mountain and watch those people in the town busy doing their own works and starting their new lives everyday. After experiencing so many things, Zhang Tie found that he had recovered his composure completely when he saw those commoners living a happy life. Meanwhile, he would introspect and think about too many things.

After experiencing a life or death test, Zhang Tie instinctively started to think about many things.

’What’s the meaning of coming to the Selnes Theater of Operations?’

’Why would I be framed by Three-eye Association once again?’

’What’s the reason for me this time to survive on?’

Many questions flashed across Zhang Tie’s mind...

Although these questions seemed to be simple, after reconsidering them and facing his inner heart, Zhang Tie realized that he was still confused about many of them.

Whether he was here to improve his fighting strength, for the sake of Lan Yunxi, or out of his responsibility and honor as a human fighter, Zhang Tie had never been regretful about coming to Selnes Theater of Operations.

What made Zhang Tie start to introspect and review himself was his new recognition about this world.

Neither had he seen through himself nor his opponent. That was why he fell into the hands of Senel Clan.

After being rewarded with the honor of Selnes Eagle, although he looked calm, even unsatisfied, but actually, he was pleased about having such an honor. This honor made him feel being different than others and being able to do more things. Because of this honor, he started to lose himself and finally entered the dilemma.

’To the final analysis, when I was rewarded with this honor, I forgot that I was not the same poor teenager in Blackhot City who would like to be the human flesh bag for a few silver coins a day anymore.’

’I am already not that teenager anymore on any aspect. That lifestyle has been far away from me. I would never return to that lifestyle. However, the deep-rooted memory and life experience in Blackhot City over 10 years ago deeply impressed me with a mindset. Being influenced by that mindset, I would always try to recognize and observe this world through a special ”window”.’

’When I see outside through that window, I feel the honor of Selnes Eagle is ground-breaking and deserve being defended!’

’When I see inside through that window, I feel a LV 9 fighter who has formed an iron-blood battle qi is unrivaled.’

’That’s really ridiculous!’

’Because of the first recognition, I entered the huge and complex den of the allied human forces which must have contained a lot of dark forces and was finally framed by Three-eye Association so easily.’

’Because of the second recognition, I always had a fluke mind and didn’t prioritize improving my fighting strength and level; instead, I always had a thought of ”let it be”. Because of this fluke mind, I lost my advantage in front of opponents above LV 11 and lost my ability to resist the conspiracy of Senel Clan.’

’After being rewarded with the honor of Selnes Eagle and scaring away the pursuers of Lan Yunxi, if I tried my best to improve my fighting strength and became a bit low-key, even though I would have to leave Selnes Theater of Operations temporarily and get a secret cultivation knowledge to breakthrough LV 11 or LV 12 before coming back, I would not have entered the dilemma.’

’If a low-end secret knowledge could be bought in the illegal demon hunters’ market in Selnes Theater of Operations, of course, I could get one from other places. As long as I would like to trade a ”Robust Ox Skill” with 100,000 vials of all-purpose medicament when I come back to Jinyun Country or Ice and Snow Wilderness, even in Norman Empire, someone would put it in my hand soon after I released the news.’

’Why didn’t I do that?”

’To be honest, I didn’t put this thing in the first place. I had too many fluke minds and excuses. Subconsciously, I became a bit pleasant about owning the fighting strength as a LV 9 fighter.’

’The cruel fact was that I had to pay a great price for my own mistakes.’

’Besides not having figured out my advantages and essence of problems, I even lacked alertness to Three-eye Association. I’m really stupid!’

’The assassination in Dragon Cave, moles of Three-eye Association in Huaiyuan Palace, disaster in Ice and Snow Wilderness, bomb assassination in Mocco City and Three-eye Association killers’ lurk in illegal demon hunters’ market. Three-eye Association has already shown its great penetrating and controlling the ability to human society from all aspects based on demon’s organizations and its hidden huge resources. As I have been assassinated by Three-eye Association 3 times, how could I not doubt it when I accepted the task from the alliance command? That’s unforgivable!’

’In Waii Sub-continent, Three-eye Association’s force had penetrated in human countries and organizations so much. The bomb assassination happened when the alliance command was going to reward me with the honor of Selnes Eagle. However, the alliance command which was responsible for investigating this case didn’t figure out the culprit at all. This should have reminded me that someone in the alliance command might be the moles of the Three-eye Association. However, I didn’t become alert about the alliance command at that moment.’

’If I was a bit smarter, I should have ended up the relationship between me and the alliance command at that moment and ignore all the orders and requests of the alliance command. Pitifully, I didn’t. To the final analysis, I was viewing the alliance command as a huge body which was full of authority and sense of justice from the viewpoint of a small figure and instinctively refused to believe that a place that represented the hope of Waii Sub-continent could hide the moles of Three-eye Association.’

’Small figures always craved for the authoritative and righteous place. They always believed that the more superior the place was, the righteous it would be. How innocent small figures! However, Three-eye Association was excelled at hiding in the sunniest place to do the darkest things. They labeled evil as holiness and disguised ugliness as justice.’

’I made the same mistakes that all the other small figures would make.’

’The crisis in the illegal demon hunters market indicates that the force of Three-eye Association might have exceeded too much in Selnes Theater of Operations. Therefore, they could arrange a timely attack. That was a life-or-death crisis, which exposed many problems in Selnes Theater of Operations and implied me that a LV 9 fighter was not safe over there. Pitifully, after obtaining the ”King Roc Sutra”, I was too excited to consider the warning of that crisis.

’After I drove a glider into the water so as to escape from a LV 11 wing demon’s chase, Lan Yunxi had already suggested me to return to Huaiyuan Prefecture and not come back until I become LV 10. Pitifully, I didn’t follow her suggestion; instead, I stayed.’

’After recovering my composure, I realized that my reason and logic at that time was really ridiculous——as a LV 9 fighter, I should be able to stay here. I could rarely meet a LV 11 wing demon in the sky.’

’It’s enough for others to be LV 9 and kill a LV 10 strong fighter with the javelin as a LV 9 fighter. However, it’s far from enough for me. Because I’m not a commoner or a small figure anymore. I’m already a key person, whose choice could influence a lot of things. The problems and difficulties that I meet are much more tricky than that small figures faces. This requires me to have a greater fighting strength.’

Finally, Zhang Tie understood this. As a result, he reviewed himself and many events that he had encountered.

’Your enemy might understand their value better than you could understand yourself.’

When Zhang Tie fell in the hand of Senel Clan, it was neither Castle of Black Iron nor ’Great Wilderness Sutra’ that survived Zhang Tie at the critical moment; instead, it was the all-purpose medicament.

’Actually, since I invented all-purpose medicament and made it a strategic material of many countries, I was already not a commoner or a small figure anymore.’

’In order to catch me, Three-eye Association spent almost all the relationships and resources that they had. Such treatment could never be enjoyed by a small figure.’

After experiencing so many tortures from Senel Clan, Zhang Tie had another chance to identify himself and the world that he was going to face.

Zhang Tie realized that his biggest mistake was the inconsistency between his viewpoint as a commoner and his real influence and the difficulties that he was going to face. He could neither figure out his advantage nor the most urgent problem and the largest crisis that he was going to face. As a result, he fell into the enemy’s traps one time after another and almost lost his life.

This inconsistency was also like an invisible rope and bind which made it possible for people to frame him and determine his fate and the direction of his life.

Over the past one month, Zhang Tie’s body had been gradually recovering while his mind further improved. If a man didn’t experience frustrations and strikes, he would not grow mature.

Through such a review and introspection, that 15-year old teenager who lacked confidence deep in bones from Blackhot City was replaced by a wholly-new man, a more confident and wiser Zhang Tie who had a clearer and deeper recognition about himself

’As the honor of Selnes Eagle was rewarded by others, it would be taken away in the end. At the critical moment, only I could save myself.’

’As for me who joined this war between humans and demons, life is my most precious thing; fighting strength is my most reliable partner while freedom is my biggest advantage. With freedom, I could create numerous possibilities. Perhaps, I’m not unrivaled, even weak in front of real powerhouses; however, I’m able to create numerous possibilities...’

’The numerous possibilities comes from Castle of Black Iron, from the small tree and from the ”Great Wilderness Sutra” and myself who is growing mature constantly...

...

The colorful clouds in the sky of Castle of Black Iron were like an intelligence colorful lamp of humans before Catastrophe in the legends. As time went by, the inside of Castle of Black Iron gradually became dark while the colorful clouds looked like the bleak and smooth moon.

Zhang Tie found more and more bonfires were lit in the town. Those human captives who were teleported inside by him might be holding a grand ceremony as all of them were surrounding the highest and the most magnificent building in the town.

As he couldn’t hear clearly what they were talking about, after a yawn, Zhang Tie turned around in a sluggish way and walked into the house. The moment he thought about Edward’s yummy food had Zhang Tie’s mouth filled with saliva.

...

At this moment, in the most magnificent and highest building in the town, after some noble elders pulled off layers of veils which took hundreds of women more than half a month to wave with quivering hands, exposing a tall stony statue on an immortal altar in front of them.

The moment they saw that stony statue had they knelt down in the square and the building piously.

”Great and benign God, please accept your men’s humble piety and sacrifice. It’s you who took us into your immortal territory from the hell; it’s you who relieved us from the sea of bitterness; it’s you who sprayed the holy brilliance to warm up and cleanse our body and soul. We’d like to give everything we have to you...”

Some elders knelt in front of the crowd and prayed. After that, some virgins in beautiful crowns and linen clothes slowly walked out from aside and served high-quality fruits and grains onto the altar in the most pious manner, namely at the foot of the stony statue...

If Zhang Tie was here, he must be shocked at the sight of the stony statue. Because the stony statue was carved according to his own look, which looked almost as same as him.

The entire stony statue must be a priceless, holy masterpiece which would be praised by numerous sculptures if it was taken out of Castle of Black Iron.

The stony statue was supporting a vigorous small tree by one hand while holding a javelin in another hand. He was standing in the hell full of burning flames while a holy, brilliant arc door was opened at his foot. Hopeless people were pouring towards that arc door. Each one’s look was very vivid. That stony statue was wearing a holy crown, above which were patterns like sun, moons, stars and various birds, insects and beasts...

This stony statue was carved by Agan.

...

Closely after supper, Zhang Tie felt his broken shin growing more numb. Zhang Tie became restless. He wanted to scratch it; however, he couldn’t. If this feeling could disappear after he slashed towards his shin, Zhang Tie didn’t mind having a try.

”Hmm, Castle Lord, the wound on your shin would recover in a few more days. As it’s dark, your preliminary recovery body would start to exert its effect fully as your wound is recovering faster than that in the daytime; therefore, you are having such a feeling!”

Zhang Tie signed helplessly, ”I know, but I’ve not imagined that the healing process is so torturing with the effect of preliminary recovery body!”

”After this strike and torture, when your body completely heals, you can eat some iron-body fruits which were produced in this torturing process. After that, you will grow stronger. It’s hard for you to suffer such a heavy wound!” Heller comforted Zhang Tie.

”Hope so!”

”Those people whom you took in Castle of Black Iron had established a shrine in the town. They are worshiping your stony statue over there. They’ve already taken you as the God!” Heller briefed.

”They’ve made my statue?” Zhang Tie became slightly stunned. Soon after that, he felt relieved as he asked Heller, ”Erm, will this reduce my longevity?’

”Reduce your longevity?” Heller watched Zhang Tie with a dubious look. After that, he understood that Zhang Tie referred to a Chinese custom——if an alive young person was worshiped by others, especially seniors, the young person might reduce his or her longevity. Heller then revealed a smile, ”Don’t worry, it won’t!”

”Oh, alright!” Having pretended to be a holy priest many times, Zhang Tie waved his hand as he didn’t think too much about that, ”They can do whatever they want, as long as they don’t pose any bad influence to me!”

Heller also lowered his eyes and didn’t mention it anymore. Zhang Tie even ignored this event.

...

After recuperating another 3 more days, although the wound on Zhang Tie’s shin had not fully healed, the last surging point on his spine had broken through the bind. As a result, Zhang Tie’s fighting strength as a LV 9 fighter completely recovered. He could cultivate and light new surging points once again...

’This time, I will never leave Castle of Black Iron until I eat up all the leakless fruits that have been accumulated 3-4 years and improve my fighting strength and level greatly.’

Zhang Tie made his determination.