Castle of Black Iron

The dragon-shaped airboat flew over the border between Gaozhou Province and Youzhou Province as swiftly as a bolt like a majestic golden dragon...

The mouth of the airboat was a huge, top-quality crystal cover which was made up of natural polished crystals. Although it could prevent wind, rain and airflow, it could not block one’s vision.

Two people were standing in the crystal cover and looking down at the mountains, rivers and white clouds with glasses in their hand...

”We’ve already passed Yangui Mountain Range. We must be in Youzhou Province now!” A young man at his 20s with sword-shaped eyebrows and sparkling eyes in white clothes with a longsword at his waist overlooked the land and uttered with a calm and arrogant look.

”Brother Cangwu, have you been here before?” the other man of the similar age with narrow and long blue eyes turned around and asked with a smile. Although this man looked young, his narrow and long eyes looked very scheming.

”It is my first time!” That young man in white clothes replied, ”This lower province could barely have any splendid figure. Besides the 10,000 miles’ mountains and rivers, all the other things are really boring.”

”As Brother Cangwu is very ambitious, few commoners could be favored by you! However, there may be someone splendid in this lower province. As Youzhou province is established, some splendid figures in the local major clans of Youzhou Province may compete for the governorship of Youzhou Province!”

With a shrewd light in eyes, the youth in white clothes asked, ”Brother Tianqi, what do you mean?”

”I was told that Zhang Taixuan the Count Longwind had made a lot of military exploits in the earth-elements realm in order to compete for the governorship of Youzhou Province. He had awakened many powerful ancestral bloodlines. His rune equipment craftsmanship and ”Breaking-sun Sutra” also reached an unrivaled level. Isn’t such a person splendid?”

The youth in white clothes sneered, ”As for the branch of Count Longwind, only Lord Huaiyuan is an influential figure. After Lord Huaiyuan, the branch of Count Longwind has vanished in the public. Although Huaiyuan Palace has rooted in Waii Sub-continent so many years, they only occupied a corner; they didn’t even take a half of the sub-continent. Although this holy war has broken out for less than 10 years, Huaiyuan Palace has already retreated to Taixia Country. Although the clever rabbit has three burrows, plus he founded Yanghe Prefecture in a short period, which is admirable; he still lacks the arrogance of Lord Huaiyuan. Lord Huaiyuan could be promoted to General West Expedition in the God’s Will Army, one of the top four imperial armies in Taixia Country. Look at his offspring, who could only compete for the governorship of a lower province, which is even lower than Class 5. Even though Zhang Taixuan had tried his best, he still could not promote to an earth knight. His achievements are too common. Although being talented and ambitious, he is only limited to one province. He might be splendid; however, it’s just like a flash in the pan!”

”How about Lu Dingzhi in Spiritualmaple Prefecture? This guy has promoted to a knight before 30. He served as the coin-casting commissioner of Ministry of Finance of Taixia Country in Gold Rock Sub-continent. He has made a lot of achievements. I was told that Lord Hong of the Ministry of Finance favored him so much. Spiritualmaple Prefecture is also a deep-rooted local major clan in Youzhou Province. He also intends to compete for the governorship of Youzhou Province. Isn’t this guy splendid?”

”I was told that Lu Dingzhi 1 had awakened his ancestral bloodline the moment he came to this world. As he was born with the fragrance of irises, he was named Dingzhi by elders. When he was young, Lu Dingzhi had a great potential to make military exploits in the earth-elements realm. Pitifully, he only served as a coin-casting commissioner in the Ministry of Finance. Gold Roc Sub-continent is just a remote area with barbarous people. They could barely have a knight. They admired the majesty of the Hua people in Taixia Country and became very docile and peaceful. Lu Dingzhi was like an emperor in Gold Roc Sub-continent. After becoming a coin-casting commissioner there for so many years, his arrogance had weakened greatly. He’s just a guard. Lu Clan in Spiritualmaple Prefecture has run business in Youzhou Province for so many years, they might be more powerful than Zhang Clan in Yanghe Prefecture. However, Lu Dingzhi has lost his masculinity. Splendid what?” The youth in white clothes said.

”What about Gu Qingyun in the Gu’s Valley of Eastriver Prefecture? Gu Qingyun is very famous across Youzhou Province. He has promoted to battle spirit at the age of 16 and is regarded as a genius who appears once in a 100 years. He was taken as a disciple by an elder of Heavens Holding Pavilion. It shocked the entire Youzhou Province when Gu Qingyun entered Heavens Holding Pavilion. There were always messages about Gu Qinyun these years, all of them were amazing. It was said that Gu Qingyun had promoted to a knight. Isn’t this guy splendid?”

”Just because he was talented at a young age doesn’t mean that he will become great when he grows old. It’s never too late to judge him when he chops off over 10 heads of demon knights!”

The youth in blue clothes let out a sigh, ”After listening to your analysis, brother Changwu, our journey to Youzhou Province became meaningless!”

”Yes, even I think so!” The youth in white clothes shook his head as he continued pitifully, ”I was told that the black-robe knight Gorath who had exterminated all the demons across Waii Sub-continent with the terrifying ptomaine miasma reappeared in Blackhot Sub-continent and devastated the demonized puppets corps there with the same terrifying ptomaine miasma once again. He even killed a demon knight in Blackhot Sub-continent and exterminated two Three-eye Association clans. I was preparing to look for Gorath in Blackhot Sub-continent; however, I received the command of my master; therefore, I have to escort the Heavens Ball to Youzhou Province!”

”It turns out that brother Cangwu thinks that the black-robe knight Gorath is the very splendid person!” The youth in blue clothes was suddenly enlightened, ”Gorath is indeed an able man. His terrifying ptomaine miasma shocked the world and scared all the demonized puppets and demons away. Besides the Eastern Continent, there are so many exotic talents in this world. However, voodoo pharmacists who have promoted to knights like Gorath are rarely seen in Taixia Country. I really wonder where does this guy come from. As he came to Blackhot Sub-continent this time, all the Three-eye Association clans in sub-continents might not sleep and eat well. They will feel like being on tenterhooks. This guy might have become the eyesore of demons. Demons must hate him very much and want to kill him as soon as possible!”

”How do you know that Gorath is not a Hua man in Taixia Country? Why do you think the so-called Gorath is just a fake one who confuses others?” The young knight in white clothes asked suddenly.

With a shrewd light in his narrow and long eyes, the youth in blue clothes replied, ”You mean...”

”There’s an old man in my sect, who once traveled in Western Continent for many years. He’s proficient in voodoo skills and knows about the voodoo pharmacists and their sects in Western Continent. A few months ago, he went to Waii Sub-continent alone and collected the Full Moons Demon Miasma in Waii Sub-continent for study. After studying the Full Moons Demon Misama, the elder asserted that no voodoo pharmacist or sect in Western Continent could cultivate such a terrifying ptomaine miasma. Gorath is definitely a master-level hermit among the voodoo pharmacists!”

”Ahh, I see!”

”Topple over an entire subcontinent with his own ability; drive demons and numerous voodoo pharmacists mad for him; scare Three-eye Association; curb the puppet worms of demons with a Full Moons Demon Miasma. Such a person, although we don’t know whether he’s righteous or evil, is undoubtedly splendid. What a hero!” The youth in white clothes praised in a heroic way.

...

When the two young men stood on the head of the dragon-shaped airboat, the other two elders were drinking playing the game of go in a room of the airboat. They were leisurely immersed in the world between black and white.

”Young men...” An elder smiled as he shook his head. At the same time, he put a white piece on the checkerboard.

”Didn’t we also belittle the bigwigs at such a young age?” Another old man with a swarthy face revealed a tolerant smile. After thinking for a second, he put a black piece on the checkerboard, ”Without these ambitious young men, our Taixia Country would be lifeless. Whatever, we could not perform on the stage. I like Cangwu among the new elites of your Heavens Fortune Sect. This boy will be an able man in the future. How about lending him to me for some years? I will give you back a governorship of a medium-level province!”

”Too insolent, he needs more practice!” The old man put down a white piece as he replied.

”If he needs practice in the earth-elements realm, why don’t you let him escort the Heavens Ball to Youzhou Province? This Youzhou Province is just a lower province. Even if I want to select a governor for Youzhou Province from some local rascals and want to borrow the treasure of your Heavens Fortune Sect, the best candidate has nothing to do with you motherf*cking Heavens Fortune Sect. How dare you Heavens Fortune Sect interfere with my domestic affair? Do you believe that I will lead my army to destroy your nestle?” The old man who was using the black piece suddenly goggled his eyes, which looked as threatening as the king of hell.

The old man using the white piece just stroked his mustache and smiled. He didn’t care about the other old man with a swarthy face at all.

Watching the smiling old man for a few seconds, the old man using the black piece finally let out a sigh. At the same time, his ”threatening” look faded away; instead, he started to roll his eyes in a cunning way, ”Alright, all the things in the world have been guessed by your Heavens Fortune Sect. You will never suffer a loss. I will see what you have come with to Youzhou, where, even birds would not like to take a shit in!”

Only after 10 more minutes, the black dragon on the checkerboard was going to be chopped. Pinching the black piece, the old man with a swarthy face frowned and formed a character ”川” on his forehead. Suddenly he pointed at the window and said, ”Ahh, look, Yang Feiqing the old woman is coming for you...”

After hearing his words, the old man using a white piece faintly turned his face. He turned around only to see nobody. When he realized that something was wrong, he had heard a thunder-like sneeze, which almost caused the entire airship to shake. After turning back, he found all the crystal pieces on the checkerboard had been shattered. Rubbing his nose, the old man using the black piece revealed an embarrassed smile, ”Erm...it’s too windy. I caught a cold. My sneeze has destroyed all the pieces on the checkerboard. How about having another round...”

The old man using the white piece was so angry that he even started to quiver all over. He pointed at the old man using the black piece and swore, ”You timid old Cheng, you’re too impudent. You’ve formed 3 chakras, you tell me you caught a cold? You’ve already lost the game. Hurry! 5 kgs’ imperial falling frost tea leaves. If it’s one bit less, I will fight you to death...”

”We did not come to the end. My dragon was still on the checkerboard. Why do you say so?” The old man who held black pieces justified while straightening up his neck.

”I remember the former battle situation, how about reappearing them on the checkerboard and continuing it?”

”Haha, I don’t remember it. I have a bad memory. What if you fabricate a false battle situation for your benefit...” The old man with a swarthy face insisted on his opinion.

A powerful, dangerous qi appeared over the old man using the white piece, ”Do you believe that I can stomp your ugly airboat into pieces?”

”Just do that. It’s just an airboat. I have too many such airboats at home. But, as your Heavens Ball is in the airboat. If this airboat was destroyed, it would drop off. I will not care about the loss!”

The old man using white pieces couldn’t stand the opponent anymore as he punched the other old man’s eye socket...

With this punch, the eye socket of the old man with a swarthy face became as swollen as that of a giant panda. However, he was not angry at all; instead, he burst out into laughter, ”Well, one punch for 10 imperial falling frost tea leaves. If you don’t agree, I will gift you 5 kgs’ falling frost tea leaves. You owe me a punch now. I will punch you back whenever I want...how about...continuing...”

The old man using white pieces glared at the old man with a swarthy face for quite a while. Finally, he took a seat. The old man with a swarthy face moved his lip faintly. The door was then opened while someone carried in a new checkerboard and two jars of pieces. The two old men started a new round.

...

The airboat moved almost 700 miles per hour in the sky. After entering the territory of Youzhou Province, it flew 2 hours before arriving at a plain with beautiful landscape, lush water resources and grasses. A magnificent city appeared on the plain.

It was a big city, a genuinely magnificent city. It was the only Class A city in Youzhou Province as of far and the capital city of Youzhou Province——Youzhou Province.

The entire Youzhou city was as square as a square imperial jade seal. The length and width of the city wall lasted over 25 miles respectively. The inner area of the city covered 1,000 square miles. The city wall was higher than 70 m while being matched with powerful city-defense weapons. Even large-scale airships could directly take off from and land on the city wall. Such a magnificent city was very overwhelming on the plain.

Youzhou City had just been founded for less than 5 years. The founding of this city also symbolized that Youzhou Province was promoted to an official lower province of Taixia from a wild province.

If in Waii Sub-continent or other remote places, this city would definitely make any country and clan proud of. However, in Taixia Country, as was commented by the old man with a swarthy face, even birds would not take a shit in Youzhou Province.

The over 500-m long dragon-shaped airboat landed in a location of Youzhou City quietly. All the officers of the city had been long waiting for them on both sides of the hatch of the airboat and dared not even breathe smoothly.

When the hatch was opened, the black-face old man appeared while an extremely powerful qi covered the entire Youzhou City at once.

He wore a fiery costume with a Kylin on it in a 10 cm-wide purple-gold rune jade waistband. His current majestic look could never be matched by that when he played the game of go with the old man who held white pieces.

The old man looked around with his shrewd eyes while all the officers in Youzhou City hurriedly bowed deeply towards him.

”Commander, Your Majesty!”