Castle of Black Iron

The cemetery was not far from Cui manor. Even though it was a mountainous path, it only took them less than 1 hour to reach there.

During the decade when the young master Cui went out to learn skills, the servants in Cui manor were loyal and honest. They would sweep and offer a sacrifice to the cemetery of old master and the old madam at each Sweeping Tomb Day. Therefore, this cemetery was tidy and clean.

Being voluntarily led by Afu and Cui Wang who were at their 50s and healthy, Zhang Tie finally came to the front of the cemetery of the old master and the old madam of Cui manor after walking along the mountainous path for 40-50 minutes leisurely.

The cemetery of Cui manor was very decent. It was surrounded by a stone enclosure. There was a patch of cyan stony floor in front of the cemetery. Some stony auspicious beasts were standing on both sides of the cemetery.

Standing in front of the 2-in-1 gravestone and watching the names of the old couple on the gravestone, Zhang Tie felt somewhat complex.

Afu and Cui Wang had started to sweep the cemetery and put sacrificial offerings and joss sticks and candles before Zhang Tie moved.

’You were killed by Zhu Liang the fierce wolf. Cui Li was also killed by Zhu Liang in the mountain. His corpse had been used to feed wild beasts. I killed Zhu Liang the fierce wolf and survived in this world in the look and identity of Cui Li. In the others’ eyes, I’m your son. Therefore, I will kowtow 3 times for you two out of the karma between Cui family and I...’ Zhang Tie thought.

Noticing that Afu and Cui Wang had prepared the items well, Zhang Tie immediately knelt down in front of the gravestone and kowtowed three times for the old late couple.

After that, Zhang Tie picked himself up and flicked his clothes. He then burned the yellow and white joss paper in the stony pot that Afu and Cui Wang had specially built on the side of the cemetery.

As they burned the joss paper, Afu and Cui Wang couldn’t stand dropping off tears.

Being covered with tears on his face, Afu cried, ”Old master, old madam, please open your eyes. Young master has come back. He’s a knight now. We could finally bring glory to our ancestors...”

Cui Wang’s eyes also turned red, ”Yes, our young master will ride a tall horse and a gold boat; be a general and a city mayor. You can be reassured in the heaven...”

All the servants that Zhu Liang the fierce wolf took here were honest and simple. In their eyes, the old couple both died of diseases and this young master was the same one as before; after young master Cui came back, the Cui family would grow prosperous; young master was benign, who increased their monthly compensations by two times the moment he returned. They would have a better life from then on. Therefore, they thought that they had gone through all sorts of ordeals.

After burning the joss paper, Afu put out the sparkles using the river water in the terrine. After that, he sprayed it around the cemetery. When they were going to leave the cemetery, Village Constable Jia arrived with County Magistrate Li breathlessly.

At the sight of ”Cui Li”, County Magistrate Li’s eyes shined.

At this moment, Cui Li was still bald headed. Being taller than 2 m, the muscled guy was like a mountain. According to the descriptions of the others, the young master Cui should be almost 50 years old; however, at the sight of him, County Magistrate Li felt that he was only about 30 years old. At the 50s, commoners would grow old; however, as for a knight, even if he was 60 years old, he would still look young. Cui Li was too young, just like the morning sun.

What impressed County Magistrate Li most was the dense eyebrows which looked like a pair of guillotines. At the sight of them, County Magistrate Li had felt a strong killing qi as his heart raced. Combined with his mountain-like figure, Cui Li looked fierce and dignified. Under the pair of guillotines, flames were flickering in his pupils which were more terrifying...

As a county magistrate, of course, he had a much broader vision than Village Constable Jia. At the sight of Cui Li’s eyes, he had remembered a topic about knights at a party. A VIP brought by Li Chengfeng to the party said that some powerhouses who cultivated senior secret skills would look special. Eyes were the portal of one’s spirit. Many of those special skills would be manifested through eyes.

After combining with the information provided by Village Constable Jia, County Magistrate Li could almost immediately judge that Cui Li had promoted to a knight. Additionally, he realized that Cui Li must be cultivating a special secret skill.

’He promoted to a knight at such a young age, he must have a bright future.’

Before Village Constable Jia introduced Cui Li to him, County Magistrate Li had already bowed towards Cui Li, ”Mr. Cui, I’m Li Chunfeng, the county magistrate of Tongguang County!”

As Cui Li’s identity had not been confirmed, he didn’t have an official status. Therefore, Li Chunfeng couldn’t call him Lord. As the local magistrate of a county, it was close to flattery if he called Zhang Tie young master Cui. It was impolite to call his name either. Therefore, County Magistrate Li directly called Zhang Tie Mr. Cui. As a civil official in Taixia Country, if he called a knight mister, he was showing his respect to the knight on the premise of not losing his face.

”County Magistrate Li!” Zhang Tie smiled as he nodded in ’neither arrogant nor eager’ attitude.

In front of a knight, a county magistrate was nothing. They were completely from two different worlds. Unless they were familiar with each other or friends, their passionate interactions would make people surprised.

Zhang Tie’s attitude strengthened the belief of County Magistrate Li.

After greeting Zhang Tie, County Magistrate Li walked to the front of the old couple and bowed three times. At the same time, he said, ”With a dutiful son, your ancestors would feel glorious; coming out of our village, the talent will bestow his bounties to one region. Today, I appreciate the old couple of Cui on behalf of over 800,000 commoners in Tongguang County. Thanks to the severe father and kind mother; thank you for cultivating the first knight and contributing to the first powerful memorial gateway for Tongguang County. This powerful memorial gateway will be used to instruct our posterities and make our villagers glorious!”

Zhang Tie burst out into laughter, ’This County Magistrate Li is really a talent. His oral passage sounds really good. He must be a real scholar.’

”County Magistrate Li, Village Constable Jia, as you’ve come all the way from the foot of the mountain, you must be tired. How about having a cup of fresh tea at my home?”

County Magistrate Li smiled as he cupped his hands once again, ”Sorry to trouble you!”

Watching Country Magistrate Li’s attitude towards the young master Cui, Village Constable Jia who had watched Cui Li growing up and always felt being an elder became kinder too.

They then went downhill once again.

Compared to how they went up the mountain, they felt much more relaxed when going downhill.

County Magistrate Li moved steadily and vigorously, which could even match youngsters. In the middle of the 4 people, Zhang Tie chatted with County Magistrate Li in a very relaxed way.

”County Magistrate Li, you’ve promoted to LV 7?” Zhang Tie asked.

”I feel quite ashamed. I have a poor talent for cultivation. After reaching LV 6, I could barely advance to higher levels. Therefore, I could only learn how to manage people and become an official of Taixia. After so many years, through constant cultivation, I only lit over 10 surging points. I’ve just promoted to LV 7 last year. Therefore, I feel ashamed to show off it in front of Mr. Cui!” County Magistrate Li said modestly.

When in Youzhou Province, Zhang Tie heard that county magistrate was the lowest rank of an official in Taixia Country, which should be assumed by fighters above LV 6. When in Youzhou, as Zhang Tie didn’t touch these basic officials, he was still dubious about that rule; when he came here, he found it was real.

This rule only fit Taixia County. None of other countries or regions could meet and stick to such a talent selection standard.

In Waii Subcontinent, a LV 6 fighter was already a grass-rooted officer of a platoon in the troops of each country.

Although County Magistrate Li looked like a scholar, after promoting to LV 7, it indicated that over 10 tough men and burglars could not defeat him at all; even 3-5 LV fighters might not defeat him.

In schools across Taixia Country, books and military skills were impeached at the same time. This education mode had been carried forward for thousands of years. If one judged the history of Hua people from the pure perspective of education, he would find a law——in all the dynasties where scholars carried crossbows and bolts and poets carried swords on their backs, there would be full of talents and heroes, causing the dynasties unrivaled. By contrast, all the dynasties that gave up the education mode would gradually decline. Those which paid military more than culture would gradually decline to internal chaos. In that dynasties, military officers would be prioritized while the dynasties would go on punitive expeditions in all directions, causing Hua nations one after another; however, none of the dynasties could last long. In those dynasties which valued culture more than the military would last longer; however, the only outcome was that the dynasty would be invaded by alien people, causing great disasters. Many times, Hua people were almost exterminated.

The future of a country could be judged by its current education. Those who valued military more than culture would grow chaotic; while those who valued culture more than military would grow weaker and finally be exterminated. Only by combining military with culture could a country be constantly prosperous.

The national policy of Taixia Country was——combining military with culture, which had been written into the ”Laws of Taixia Country” as the essence of education.

...

After returning to Cui manor, Village Constable Jia found an excuse to leave in advance. Finally, only County Magistrate Li and Zhang Tie stayed in the manor and drank the spring tea, which had been picked from Cui’s private tea plantation in the mountain.

”I wonder which sect did Mr. Cui join these years before promoting to a knight?” County Magistrate Li asked Zhang Tie as he drank the tea.

”It’s too difficult to join any top sect, which requires excellent aptitude and deep background!” Zhang Tie shook his head and continued, ”I’ve not joined any sect at all. I just learned from powerhouses across famous mountains and rivers. Later on, due to luck, I had a marvelous experience in a famous mountain and met a cave where a knight had died cross-legged. I gained a secret skill and some pills from the cave. After that, I cultivated for over 10 years before promoting to a knight!” Zhang Tie tossed out the explanation that he had long prepared. This explanation was almost real. If Li Chunfeng really wanted to investigate the cave, Zhang Tie could lead him to the cave where he got the ”Fire Dragon Sutra” so as to cancel off all the doubts.

County Magistrate Li was dumbfounded about Zhang Tie’s answer. Even in Taixia Country, this was also a marvelous experience. He had not imagined that it could occur to Cui Li who lived in Liuying Town under the governance of him.

”What’s your plan then, Mr. Cui?”

”As it is in the holy war, as a knight, of course, I need to serve the country. I have to fight demons in the most dangerous places!” Zhang Tie replied generously with full ambition, ”I will stay at home for a few days. After offering a sacrifice to my parents and paying a visit to the villagers, I will go to the earth-elements realm to fight demons...”

”How heroic you are, Mr. Cui! That’s what a hero should do. Pitifully, I’m poor in battle strength; otherwise, if I could promote to a knight, I would definitely learn from Mr. Cui and fight demons on the battlefield!” County Magistrate Li patted the table out of excitement.

”As County Magistrate Li is here, I have a thing to trouble you!”

”Please, as long as I could do it, this humble official will definitely try my best to do it!”

Touching his bald head, Zhang Tie said with a great heroic and coarse sound, ”After I leave, I don’t know when will I come back. As these loyal servants are growing old and have no relative. If there’s something wrong with them, please take care of them in case that they are bullied by others in their twilight years!”

”Don’t worry about that. I can do it!” County Magistrate Li promised it right away. As it was a rare chance for him to strike up an acquaintance with a knight, of course, he would never decline it.

”Thanks!”

After coming back to Liuying Town and fixing his identity as Cui Li, Zhang Tie became reassured inside...

Only after staying at Cui manor for a short while, County Magistrate Li had left Liuying Town.

After confirming Zhang Tie’s identity as a knight, County Magistrate Li returned to the county by vehicle. He wrote a document on the same day.

He then sent the document to Zeyun City. As Tongguang County belonged to Zeyun City, after confirming the fact that there was a knight in Liuying Town in Tongguang County, of course, he needed to notice the city mayor as soon as possible. It was also a major event for Zeyun City.

After the city mayor of Zeyun City was shocked, the news that Cui Li the young master of Cui family in Liuying Town had promoted to a knight spread across the foot of Coiling Dragon Mountain officially at once.

...

In the next few days, Village Constable Jia and the villagers in Liuying Town felt that the entire Liuying Town had become a vegetable market as all the influential figures within hundreds of square miles were pouring in Liuying Town like going to the market. They were all here to pay a visit to Cui manor in order. It was said that their gifts had filled the warehouse of Cui manor.

The remote Liuying Town had not been so glorious before.

After being boisterous for a few days, some residents in Liuying Town saw a flame shooting into the sky in one evening. On the second day, when those visitors waited outside the gate of Cui manor, they heard a news——the young master Cui had left last night...

...