Castle of Black Iron

Since Zhang Tie came to Fire Dragon Bounty Territory, after finishing the handover formalities of Fire Dragon Bounty Territory and authority confirmation, Zhang Tie always wandered around alone. He almost traveled all the 10 cities and Yangui Mountain Range in Fire Dragon Bounty Territory. After a few days’ travel, Zhang Tie was already familiar with the local customs and practices.

Zhang Tie came back to Xuantian City in the morning. When he found this common hotel which was a bit boisterous, he entered it to have some food. By the way, he would learn about the situation in Xuantian City. Zhang Tie thought that the simplest way for him to be familiar with a place was to listen to the free chat of those people from all walks of life in the mass-gathering public places like teahouses, pubs and hotels.

However, it was out of Zhang Tie’s imagination that he could listen to the ”Legend of Black Iron Hero”, in which he was the main character.

This story was vivid. Some contents were real although being processed artistically; some were fabricated reasonably. As a result, Zhang Tie’s image turned full and real which was righteous and hot-blooded just like a vivid legendary figure.

’What the hell?’

Zhang Tie wondered about it very much.

After hearing that Boss Feng was going to have the top 8 prostitutes in Xuantian City play ”Mudan Pavilion” in Pear Fragrance Garden tonight, the audience in the dining hall started to discuss Boss Feng while they shifted their topic to the selection of local representatives of Xuantian City. After bidding a farewell to Boss Liu, the storyteller left the hotel under the guidance of a lad.

”Boss Feng is our heroine in Xuantian City. It’s said that Boss Feng only sold her talents instead of her virginity when she was young. Later on, as she was very shrewd, she rented a hub and gradually expanded her business...”

”I was told that Boss Feng never forced her girls to sell their virginity. As long as those girls could work enough years for her or make enough money to redeem themselves, Boss Feng will recover their freedom on her own initiative. If any of them meets her Mr. right, Boss Feng will even gift her a dowry. The third son of the mayor of Xuantian City wanted to sleep with Ruoxi in Phoenixflute Pavilion, Boss Feng stopped him as Ruoxi had already met her Mr. right. It displeased the third son of the mayor; as a result, he had people damage half of the entire Phoenixflute Pavilion...”

”If not, how could the geishas exert their full efforts to work for Boss Feng?”

”But it’s a bit improper for a woman who was once a geisha to attend the selection of local representatives...”

...

When those people were discussing on the 2nd floor, Zhang Tie stood up. After throwing a gold coin onto the table, he followed the storyteller downstairs.

”Sir, you’ve paid too much; wait a moment, I will give you the change...”

The food and tea water that Zhang Tie consumed were worth at most 2 silver coins. However, Zhang Tie dropped 1 gold coin. It really was too much. Therefore, at the sight of the gold coin, Boss Liu hurriedly stopped Zhang Tie.

Boss Liu was not short; however, his top of the head could only touch Zhang Tie’s elbow.

”Your stretched noodles and steamed puffed buns tastes good, keep the change...” Zhang Tie waved his hand. In Zhang Tie’s eyes, gold coins were already nothing different than silver coins. He just paid in terms of gold coins in case of change.

Additionally, Zhang Tie found that he liked the satisfied looks of these commoners caused by one gold coin because it would remind him of himself when he worked as a human sandbag for others in the Iron Thorns Fighting Club. Behind each generous deed, Zhang Tie was warning himself to think like a commoner and not to get lost because of wealth and strength.

No matter how many buildings one had, he only needed one bed to sleep on; no matter how many fertile arable lands one had, he could not eat more than 7kg’s food per day; no matter how many gold one had, he could only wear 1 kg’s silk and linen cloth at most. Even knights would have unfortunate moments or even die; therefore, even as an earth knight, Zhang Tie still treated himself as a commoner.

Boss Liu felt happy as he had not imagined that the tower-like tough man was such rich. After watching Zhang Tie’s look carefully, Boss Liu said, ”If you like my food, you can always come here. Given your special sturdy figure, I will keep your look deep in mind. If you come here in the future, I will not take your money anymore!”

Zhang Tie threw a glance at Boss Liu as he had not imagined that Boss Liu was really good at doing business. Although it was just a few silver coins, his words sounded very comfortable.

Zhang Tie burst out into his laughter as he patted Boss Liu’s shoulders. Closely after that, he clattered downstairs...

After coming to the gate of Yuean Hotel, Zhang Tie looked left and right and found that thin frame less than 50 steps away on the bustling street. He sped up and patted the storyteller’s shoulder. The storyteller turned around. Zhang Tie’s eyes flickered as he said, ”Follow me...”; closely after that, he walked towards the teahouse in the distance.

The storyteller just followed after Zhang Tie at the same speed all the way towards the teahouse.

After coming to the teahouse, Zhang Tie ordered a tranquil compartment and entered it, followed by the storyteller.

After taking a seat, Zhang Tie pointed at another seat in the room and told the storyteller to sit down.

”May I know your name?”

”This old man is Liu Yuqing!” The storyteller’s eyes looked clear as he replied fluently. However, he felt that the words of the tough man in front of him were as euphonious as music from heavens. As a result, he just followed the tough man’s will and replied honestly.

”How many years have you told stories?”

”This old man has told stories for 26 years!”

”Did you fabricate the Legend of Black Iron Hero ?”

”No, the Legend of Black Iron Hero was written by Mr. Jingan...”

’Mr. Jingan?’ Zhang Tie slightly frowned as he had not heard about this name before, ”Who’s Mr. Jingan?”

”Mr. Jingan is a great novelist. His novels are most popular among storytellers...”

”How long have you told the Legend of Black Iron Hero ?”

”About 2 years!”

”Who let you tell the Legend of Black Iron Hero in Xuantian City?”

”This old man doesn’t know who’s he. Two years ago, a strange guest gave me the novel Legend of Black Iron Hero and told me that I could gain 10 gold coins a month in my account of Golden Roc Bank if I kept telling this book in Xuantian City. After saying that, that guest gave me 10 gold coins as the advance payment for the first month. You know, storytellers could make 3-4 gold coins a month at most. Those poorer could make at most 1 gold coin a month. Therefore, from then on, I started to tell the Legend of Black Iron Hero in Xuantian City. In the second month, I really gained 10 gold coins in my bank account. Therefore, I have been telling Legend of Black Iron Hero every day in Xuantian City until now...”

”What about the other storytellers in Tianxuan City? Are they also telling Legend of Black Iron Hero ?”

”2 years ago, the novel Legend of Black Iron Hero had been popular among storytellers and guests in the Northeast Military Region. You could listen to the story in each city, even in the towns...”

”Whether the other storytellers will also gain 10 gold coins a month as a payment by telling the same story?”

”I have no idea. However, in the last sacrificial anniversary of my teacher, I met a junior fellow apprentice who was mainly telling stories in Yanzhou Province. He told me that he had the same experience as me. As long as he told Legend of Black Iron Hero , he could also gain 10 gold coins a month in his bank account. As my junior fellow apprentice was younger and healthier than me, he was paid 12 gold coins that month by telling Legend of Black Iron Hero in the teahouses of towns outside the city where there was no storyteller. As a storyteller, the more you tell Legend of Black Iron Hero and more audience you have, the more money you will get...”

”Where can I buy the novel Legend of Black Iron Hero ?”

”You could find it in all the bookstores in the city. Previously, there was only novel, now you can even buy a comic book...”

After knowing that he could not get any intelligence from the storyteller, Zhang Tie dropped a gold coin on the table. After that, he stood up and walked out of the room.

...

After Zhang Tie left the room for 2 minutes, the storyteller who was sitting quietly at the table suddenly quivered all over. He looked around the room in a vacant expression before uttering, ”Ahh, what’s wrong with me? Why am I here? Shouldn’t I have returned home? Why am I drinking tea here?”

...

After leaving the teahouse, Zhang Tie felt that this event was a bit weird. Besides being confused about that, he felt deeply moved. Therefore, he took a walk on the street and looked for a bookstore.

Only after a few minutes, Zhang Tie had found a bookstore and entered it.

”Boss, do you have Legend of Black Iron Hero ?”

The clerk pointed at a bookshelf a few meters away.

Zhang Tie walked over there and noticed a very delicate novel Legend of Black Iron Hero in the most eye-catching place. Beside it, there was a set of many delicate comic books of Legend of Black Iron Hero. At the sight of the figures on the cover of the comic book, Zhang Tie felt it was very interesting. Therefore, he stretched out his hand to take it. Out of his imagination, another person on his side also stretched out her hand to take the same comic book. Therefore, their hands pressed on the same book.

Zhang Tie turned around and saw a pair of beautiful, big and black eyes...

A young lady in many precious headwears was watching him with a strong 7-8-year-old boy in her hand.

At the sight of this woman, Zhang Tie was shocked inside because she was Lv Shasha, his junior fellow apprentice on Hidden Dragon Island...