Castle of Black Iron

With maize straw as the raw material of alcohol, the cost of the same amount of alcohol was only 0.01 times that of the others.

’On average, with only 4 tons of maize straws, I would be able to produce 1 ton of high-power alcohol and two more tons of special plant fiber pulp. Those special plant fiber pulp could be used to make paper and paperboards. Additionally, they could be even used to make burning rods and balls like honeycomb coal after being mixed with some pulverized coal and coal cinders. Finally, after the 4 tons of maize straws finished their chemical reactions, besides alcohol and plant fiber pulp, I could get hundreds of kgs’ organic fertilizers.’

Heller only presented Zhang Tie the most valuable alcohol in Castle of Black Iron.

’Even if I could only take advantage of half of the deserted maize straws in Fire Dragon Bounty Territory each year, I would gain over 1 million tons of high-power alcohol, over 2 million tons of special plant fiber pulp which could be used as fuel or made into paper boards and hundreds of thousands of high-power organic fertilizers a year.’

What a profitable business!

A whole set of industrial chains could be fully developed centered on maize straws.

’Such a cheap high-power alcohol doesn’t have a good market? Even if it’s used to make incendiary bombs, its supply will definitely fall short of its demand. I don’t need to worry about its sales volume at all, not to mention that this is a high-effective clean energy.’

Compared to Waii Subcontinent, alcohol could be used in more industries in Taixia Country, not to mention its users. For instance, the automobiles being driven by alcohol on the highways in Taixia Country definitely outnumbered that in Waii Subcontinent.

’As an alcohol with a higher fuel value, even if I only added it into the common alcohol appropriately, the thermal energy and fuel value of the common alcohol would increase greatly. With such a mixed alcohol as a fuel, those automobiles with external combustion engines would have better performance and could run farther at the cost of less fuel. It’s priceless, not to mention that I could develop tentative machines.’

’As for the plant fiber pulp, whether it’s used to make paper or combustibles, it would have a great advantage in cost. It’s always profitable.’

’As for the organic fertilizer, it could be taken as extra gains.’

’With the trivial mutated essential-energy aura yeast, I could reach a paramount position in Taixia Country once again...’

’However, it’s unnecessary for me to explain it to Fang Tong and the other two guys. I only need them to follow my orders and accomplish the tasks for me.’

The latest variant of the essential-energy aura yeast enabled Zhang Tie to understand another law——never look down upon any trivial matters or lives. Because the values of the trivial matters or lives might only be judged by the creator. It’s these trivial matters or lives that bring him to higher realms constantly, such as earthworms, sand-scale fish and yeast.

”You don’t need to worry about the sales volume of alcohol. You only need to establish the alcohol production base according to my requests. Additionally, I will make some modifications to the fermentation process of alcohol production...” Zhang Tie said as he directly took out the drawings of the alcohol reactor that had been designed by Edward, Aziz and Agan from Castle of Black Iron. In order to adapt to the fermentation of maize straws, the new reactor was different than common ones on its inlet and outlet. This new reactor has three outlets in different shapes in three locations, which corresponded to alcohol, plant fiber pulp and organic fertilizer respectively.

When Fang Tong and Chen Zihui were confused about Zhang Tie’s request, Li Tao, who had been silent, immediately stood up and promised Zhang Tie, ”This humble man will definitely live up to your trust and accomplish Hermit’s task at the fastest speed with the best quality!”

Zhang Tie threw a glance at Li Tao as he thought inside, ’The young man who leaves his major clan to establish his own undertaking is really more enterprising than the others. Fang Tong and Chen Zihui might still be thinking about how to persuade me; however, Li Tao has already stood out. This man is more decisive and enterprising, which is what I need urgently now. As to the other two, now that they’ve missed the good opportunity, they could only blame themselves for that.’

”Well, you will be responsible for this task. Let’s make the address of the alcohol production base neighbor Gaoping Prefecture in Yanzhou Province within Fire Dragon Bounty Territory. I only have one request——leave space for renovation and expansion near the base!”

As Yanzhou Province was the hub of Northeast Military Region, with Commander Cheng on its back, those who were jealous about the alcohol production base would not dare destroy it easily. This was why Zhang Tie chose this place as the address of the alcohol production base.

The reason that he told Li Tao to leave space for expansion and renovation near the base lay in that Zhang Tie was not sure about the ultimate purpose of the plant fiber pulp in the future. As Zhang Tie had not seen the paper being made of the plant fiber pulp, he had to leave space for building a paper pulp production base neighboring the alcohol production base. If the fact was that the paper being made of the plant fiber pulp was not competitive in Taixia Country, he would teach common farmers to mix the plant fiber pulp with pulverized coal and coal cinders and make them into honeycomb coal themselves. He didn’t need that bit of money at all.

After Li Tao walked forward, Zhang Tie gave him the drawings of the alcohol reactor. Li Tao took it with two hands in a very respectful manner. Closely after that, Zhang Tie asked him, ”How much do you need to build this alcohol production base?”

”Although the production and fermentation equipment of alcohol are huge, they are produced in many plants across Taixia Country. Therefore, they are not expensive. We can customize them in plants. As it’s in the territory of Hermit, the land rent fee will be free. We only need 5 million gold coins to build it!” Li Tao replied calmly as his eyes flickered, ”Although I’m not in the army, after promising Hermit to do that, it’s as effective as a military pledge. I’d like to press my fingerprints on a military pledge. If I could not accomplish it with 5 million gold coins, I would chop off my own head!”

Zhang Tie appreciated the attitude of this disciple of Li Clan very much as Li Tao had a dauntless spirit, which was urgently needed on the battlefield.

”How long do you need?” Zhang Tie asked.

”4 months!”

”How about 3 months?”

Li Tao clenched his fist as he looked a bit solemn and nodded forcefully. At the same time, he squeezed some words out of his teeth, ”3 months!”

Zhang Tie burst out into laughter as he instantly took out a pile of gold checks, each of which was worth 100,000 gold coins. After that, Zhang Tie said, ”Here are 5 million gold coins. If you could accomplish it in 3 months, I will promise you a bright future so that you could return to your hometown and Wansheng Palace with wealth and fame one day. Even the Li elders of Wansheng Palace will treat you politely!”

”Thank you, hermit!” Li Tao looked faintly surprised. Closely after that, he took Zhang Tie’s gold checks and returned to his own seat while bowing his body.

In the past couple of minutes, Fang Tong and Fang Zihui just watched what happened in front of them like onlookers. Watching Zhang Tie deliver the task of building an alcohol production base to Li Tao and Li Tao promise to accomplish this task at the cost of his life in a brief talk, the two people felt like dreaming.

”Well, you can leave...” Zhang Tie waved his hand.

Until they heard Zhang Tie’s last words did Fang Tong and Chen Zihui wake up from the dream.

’We can leave? It has nothing to do with me?’

Looking at Zhang Tie who was drinking tea at his seat and slightly quivering his throat, Chen Zihui wanted to say something else; however, Liu Xing had already appeared in front of 3 of them and made a hand gesture to invite them to leave.

Finally, Fang Tong and Chen Zihui were taken out of the parlor with a confused look by Liu Xing.

After leaving the parlor, being stimulated by the sunlight, Fang Tong and Chen Zihui woke up at once. At this moment, the three people had been over 50 m away from the parlor and were walking in the garden near the brook in the official manor. There were so many willows on both sides of the brook. When the breeze blew by, the twigs of the willows started to swing. After waking up, Fang Tong and Chen Zihui both felt that their moods were as vacant as those twigs of willows.

”Boss Li, why did you...” Fang Tong watched Li Tao with widely opened eyes.

Watching the two people, Li Hui knew what they were wondering as he asked in reply, ”Does your clans have earth knights?”

After exchanging a glance with each other, Fang Tong and Chen Zihui shook their heads.

”What do you mean?”

Li Tao replied with a smile, ”Li Clan of Wansheng Palace has an earth knight. He’s the grand elder of our clan. Previously, my position in Li Clan was not remarkable; I didn’t even have a chance to meet the grand elder since I was young. Although I’ve not met him, I have known one thing since young; it’s also what my first teacher taught me!”

”What’s that thing?”

”If you’re not an earth knight, never conjecture what an earth knight is thinking about from your view. Because the world of earth knights is different than that of us. It’s said that earth knights are worshiped as deities in subcontinents or remote lands. An earth knight’s experience, opinions, ability and realm are absolutely out of a commoner’s imagination. As a commoner below knight level, we’d better be modest in front of an earth knight. Many times, what you think and concern about are nothing but a joke in the eyes of an earth knight! There’s a proverb in the Western Continent that the moment humans think, the God will laugh. Actually, it might be more proper if this proverb was changed into the moment commoners think, the earth knight will laugh...”

When Fang Tong and Chen Zihui were still considering about Li Tao’s reply, Li Tao had already cupped his hands towards the two people as he said, ”As this humble man has to accomplish the emergency task assigned by the Hermit, I have to leave Xuantian City right now. See you!”

After saying that, Li Tao had strode away, leaving Fang Tong and Chen Zihui standing still there with a confused look.

In the parlor, although being far away, Zhang Tie had heard all the words that Li Tao told the other two people.

Zhang Tie let out a sigh inside, ’What a Li Clan! Although being just a branch disciple, being immersed in the deep background of the clan since young, his talent could really not be matched by commoners. As long as there’s a chance, he will be able to catch it.’

This implied the deep background of major clans! Those clans without any earth knight would never know about the realm and world of earth knights. A commoner should never worry about what an earth knight stuck to. If not having his own considerations, how could an earth knight make important decisions?

When Fang Tong and Chen Zihui were still standing still in confused looks, the third batch of people had passed by them and walked towards the parlor where they had just left. Some familiar ones even hailed them on the way; however, they found that Fang Tong and Chen Zihui were disappointed and absent-minded.

After quite a while, Chen Zihui shook his head as he revealed a bitter smile and cupped his hands towards Fang Tong before saying, ”Brother Fang, this time, we might really have missed a good opportunity. When my elder brother comes back, I even don’t know how to explain it to him...the young man is really regarded with respect...alas...see you...”