Castle of Black Iron

It took the subordinate elite forces of Zhongzhou Provincial Court less than 1 hour to sweep Pingsha Valley; especially with the coordination of knight-level powerhouses of the Zhongzhou Provincial Court. The entire Pingsha Valley had been fully under control of Zhongzhou Provincial Court before the sun rose completely.

Since the beginning, although Pingsha Valley was filled with battle calls and battle qi totems, Meng Haishan the chief justice of Zhongzhou Provincial Court didn’t see any battle qi smoke of knights at all. It implied that there was no knight-level powerhouse in the valley.

Under the early sunlight, the airboat declined to a height above the most attractive castle in Pingsha Valley.

A few hours ago, this castle was still tranquil; however, at this moment, its one wall had been broken while the ground and the top of the walls were covered with blood stains. Besides, there was a stinky smell in the air.

When Meng Haishan got off the airboat, some subordinate knights were waiting for him respectfully on one side. These powerhouses from Zhongzhou Provincial Court didn’t look good.

It was too quiet in the castle as if the bloody battle had not happened just now. Across the castle, besides silent fighters of Bi’an Camp, they could not even hear the cries of women, kids and captives.

Meng Haishan looked a bit gloomy. Of course, he knew that they didn’t arrest any captive alive. After knowing their own identities, all the people here chose to struggle at the cost of their lives.

It was in Zhongzhou Province, one of the 9 immortal provinces in Taixia Country. Zhongzhou Province had been in peace for hundreds of years, when did such a force develop here?

”How’s the situation?” Meng Haishan asked in a muffled voice.

”We’ve controlled the entire Pingsha Valley; but...” A knight said.

”But what?’

”But we’ve lost a lot of fighters of Bi’an Camp!”

”How many people have we lost?”

”457 people in total!” The knight replied in a low voice.

The figure almost accounted for 1/10 of the total population of Bi’an Camp in Zhongzhou Province. It was as miserable as a battle between two armies. The Zhongzhou Provincial Court had not met this situation for hundreds of years. It was in Zhongzhou Province, instead of those subcontinents and barren land being far away from Taixia Country. The casualty facing the Zhongzhou Provincial Court could shock the entire country.

After hearing this figure, Meng Haishan’s face turned gloomy at once, ”Is there anyone injured?”

”Nope, it’s completely a killers’ nestle. Those killers’ blades, hidden weapons and bolts are highly toxic. The moment their weapons touched us, we would die immediately!”

”Show me there!”

Some knights of Zhongzhou Provincial Court then led Meng Haishan to an open land on the other side of the castle. Some rows of dead fighters of Bi’an Camp were tidily placed on the open land while the surrounding fighters looked sad.

These fighters lying on the ground were not heavily wounded; however, their faces had turned completely black. Many of them were bleeding from their eyes, ears, nostrils and mouth, making them very terrifying.

After squatting down and checking some corpses, Meng Haishan stood up and asked in a cold tone, ”Where’re the people in the castle?”

”They’re all dead. As they all resisted us with their full efforts, we have to kill them all!”

The corpses of the native people in the castle were also pulled out and placed tidily on the other side. However, the population of these corpses was less than that of the dead fighters of Bi’an Camp.

”Just these?” After looking at those people’s corpses, Meng Haishan frowned.

”Some corpses could not be collected at all. Because they all held a toxic in their mouth. After failing their counterattack, they all broke their toxics and turned into a puddle of stinky blood!”

Such puddles of blood could be seen everywhere in the castle.

”Have you got anyone alive?”

”Some farmers were caught easily in the farmsteads and manors outside the castle; however, they didn’t know anything. They only knew that Pingsha Valley was the industry of Wen family and they were hired by Wen family. Wen family is a local tyrant in Longxi Prefecture. Previously, they only had a bit influence in the local place. About 2 decades ago, Wen family met an accident by airship; as a result, only the master of Wen family survived. 1 decade ago, Wen Haoyun the master of Wen family promoted to a black iron knight. From then on, Wen family established Pingsha Sect in Pingsha Valley. As the head of Pingsha Sect, Wen Haoyun enrolled disciples and slowly expanded his undertaking. Besides Pingsha Sect, Wen family has two business groups, one is responsible for trading agricultural products; the other was responsible for logistics. Those farmers only knew that Wen family has frequent exchanges with Pingsha Sect!”

”Agricultural products, logistics?” Meng Haishan’s eyes flickered. The two business groups of Wen family could provide them with the best cover; especially that business group in logistics, which could easily cover the movements of all the personnel and materials between Wen family and Pingsha Valley. Additionally, the air accident that Wen family met might have other reasons. ’Notice all the judicial agencies across Zhongzhou Province, investigate the affiliated business groups, agencies and personnel of Wen family and Pingsha Sect right away. If any of them dares resist, kill them at once...”

”Yes, sir...”

”Have you caught Wen Haoyun?”

”Those alive farmers could not have a chance to touch Wen Haoyun; therefore, they don’t know the whereabouts of Wen Haoyun. According to those farmers, when Wen Haoyun was not in Pingsha Valley, all the affairs in Pingsha Valley and Wen family would be managed by a steward surnamed Qi. This steward always lives in this castle. However, when we occupied this castle, we didn’t find him. We’re searching for the two people...”

”Wen family and Pingsha Sect might be involved with those rebels of Heavens Reaching Church. Report what happened here to the Cheji General’s Mansion in Zhongzhou Province right away; request Cheji General’s Mansion to assist our investigation and prepare for possible dangers!”

In late years, the Heavens Reaching Church in Taixia Country didn’t stir up any trouble, which felt a bit weird. However, everybody knew that the Heavens Reaching Church would definitely arouse a big trouble if they wanted. Especially in prosperous and populated places like Zhongzhou Province, if the Heavens Reaching Church really made a big trouble, the outcome would be unimaginable. Therefore, after confirming that the background of Pingsha Sect might be involved with the Heavens Reaching Church, Meng Haishan the chief justice of the Zhongzhou Provincial Court would notice the Cheji General in Zhongzhou Province immediately.

Pingsha Valley had been suppressed and under the control of the Zhongzhou Provincial Court except for a couple of figures. Even though a couple of people had escaped, a black iron knight could not cause any trouble in Taixia Country. However, Meng Haishan still felt restless and amazed unconsciously.

The restless and amazed feelings originated from his mysterious consciousness as an earth knight and his judgment after serving the judicial system for dozens of years.

Although Bi’an Camp suffered a great loss, this raid was smooth overall. There were no big fluctuations. They didn’t even meet a knight-level opponent. Therefore, Meng Haishan felt restless.

’Although Wen family and Pingsha Sect dared fight the judicial agency of Taixia Country, their force was too weak. Actually, without the participation of Bi’an Camp, a knight-level powerhouse in Zhongzhou Provincial Court could sweep the entire Pingsha Valley at zero cost. But what made Wen family and Pingsha Sect so decisive and dauntless to fight the judicial agency in Taixia Country?’

’Even though the personnel in Wen family and Pingsha Sect are really b*stards of Heavens Reaching Church, such a force in this remote place of Zhongzhou Province is too trivial. This is not the usual means of those rebels of Heavens Reaching Church.’

As Meng Haishan was frowning and thinking about it, a fighter of Bi’an Camp ran towards him.

”Lord, we found a secret tunnel leading to the underground space in the basement of the castle...”

”A secret tunnel leading to the underground space?” Meng Haishan shrunk his pupils as he said, ”Go, let’s take a look over there...”

Of course, there were powerhouses being proficient in searching in the Bi’an Camp. After entering the basement of the castle, they started to knock here and there and soon found a secret tunnel in the basement of the castle...

The chief justice of Zhongzhou Provincial Court and some knight-level powerhouses soon came to the entrance of the secret tunnel inside the castle. At the sight of the entrance, they were all shocked.

Generally, the entrances of secret tunnels should be very narrow which could only allow 2 people to pass shoulder by shoulder. However, the entrance of this secret tunnel in front of them was like a huge, grim, bloody mouth. The tunnel was so spacious that it could almost allow two cars to pass side by side.

The basement leading to the secret tunnel was a large training field, which contained various training tools. On the table of the training field, there were some corpses which were for an autopsy. Being male, female, old or young, those corpses looked grim and painful and had started to smell bad.

After throwing a glance at it, the powerhouses from Zhongzhou Provincial Court had known that this place was used for training killers and assassinators.

Everything here looked terrifying and grim.

The dark and grim secret tunnel was not used to escape away from Pingsha Valley; instead, it led directly to the deep underground space. Nobody knew what it was used for.

”Zhao Long, you stay outside, the others follow me in...”

After having one knight to stay outside in case of an emergency, the chief justice of Zhongzhou Provincial Court rushed into the secret tunnel, followed by the other knights...