Castle of Black Iron

”Ahh, Childe Cui, what happened to you?”

On the next early morning, when Zhang Tie finished feeding birds with a basin of wheat which had been soaked in water overnight and came back from the manor of Lord Guangnan in Xuanyuan Hill, he met Uncle Zhong. At the sight of Zhang Tie, Uncle Zhong was amazed.

Zhang Tie’s look remained unchanged; however, his qi and temperament had improved a lot after taking that fruit of brilliance which contained too much spiritual energy, grasping the flight ability as a divine dominator, plus promoting his immortal rune skills to higher levels.

As a knight, Uncle Zhong had very sharp knight’s consciousness. Additionally, Uncle Zhong could see Zhang Tie these days; of course, he could sense the great change of Zhang Tie. Over one night, Uncle Zhong had sensed that Zhang Tie’s eye light grew more profound with brighter skin as if a vigorous light of life was flowing inside his body; additionally, Zhang Tie’s qi as a whole grew steadier like a mountain. Furthermore, an invisible strength was surging silently in the calmness. Any knight could sense that invisible stress as long as they approached Zhang Tie.

Uncle Zhong didn’t know what happened to Zhang Tie; however, he was sure that Zhang Tie had experienced a great change last night. Therefore, he became amazed, ’Did Childe Cui grasp a secret method overnight? It’s too fast!’

Zhang Tie revealed a smile as he relieved Uncle Zhong’s doubt in one sentence, ”Last night, I broke through a bottleneck on cultivation. Uncle Zhong really has a good insight!”

Zhang Tie’s words were partly true. Besides Zhang Tie himself, nobody would know the details.

After hearing that Zhang Tie had broken through a bottleneck on cultivation, Uncle Zhong revealed a facial expression as if he was saying, ”I see”. Although Uncle Zhong still wondered what bottleneck, after being broken through, could lead to such a great change, he wouldn’t ask about the details as the bottlenecks of secret methods that knights cultivated were one of the largest secrets of knights. They would not even tell their relatives and disciples about that, not to mention outsiders.

”Childe Cui, you’re really a talent. Lately, Miss told me that Child Cui had reached the supreme situation that could integrate weather with your fist position. Childe Cui, I’ve not imagined that you could break through your bottleneck once again only after coming to Xuanyuan Hill for a few days. Given your age, Childe Cui would definitely promote to a heavenly knight sooner or later. I really feel happy for you, congratulations!” Uncle Zhong praised Zhang Tie sincerely.

”Hoho, I’m just too lucky, I’m just too lucky!” Zhang Tie said modestly as he touched his bald head.

As a knight, of course, Uncle Zhong knew how difficult it was for a knight to break through a realm. When Zhang Tie came to Xuanyuan Hill at the beginning, Uncle Zhong showed respect to Zhang Tie given the relationship between Bai Suxian and him; as he gradually understood Zhang Tie, this diligent and loyal old man of Lord Guangnan’s Mansion sincerely respected Zhang Tie now. ’He’s really a nice son-in-law. He’s qualified to match Miss. No wonder Miss could behave so tamefully in front of him. He could promote to an earth knight at such a young age; win an airboat from Feng Yexiao, one of the top grand elders of Taiyi Fantasy Sect and be rewarded with a bounty land in Earth-elements Realm. It’s said that he’s even younger than Miss. Given his current performance, he’s destined to promote to a shadow knight in the near future. It’s reasonable for him to promote to a heavenly knight sooner or later.’

’How many heavenly knights are there in Taixia Country? A heavenly knight could keep a top major clan in Taixia Country safe. Childe Cui must have a limitless potential. Miss really has a good insight.’

”Aww, Childe Cui, I’ve had people figure out what you wanted to know yesterday...” Uncle Zhong said as he took out a card and gave it to Zhang Tie, ”Here’s the address of Immortal Farming Pavilion...”

After taking the delicate card, Zhang Tie threw a glance at it before saying, ”It’s also in Gold and Power Market?”

”Gold and Power Market is one of the most prosperous residences in Xuanyuan Hill. Numerous companies gather here, including Immortal Farming Pavilion. Childe Cui’s requirement could only be met by Immortal Farming Pavilion besides the seed bank of the Agricultural Department. If we were in the south border of Taixia Country, Lord Guangnan could have people collect all the seeds for you; however, the quantity of plants in the south border of Taixia Country is limited and can’t meet Childe Cui’s requirement. Additionally, the seed bank of the Agricultural department is not open to the public. By contrast, it would be easier for us to get sufficient seeds from Immortal Farming Pavilion as long as we could afford it!”

”What’s the background of Immortal Farming Pavilion?”

”The reliance of Immortal Farming Pavilion is Jiang Clan of Herbal Medicine Palace in Taixia Country. Herbal Medicine Palace is a top clan in Taixia Country, also the widely accepted head clan of people surnamed Jiang across Taixia Country. Many disciples of Jiang Clan have awakened the ancestral bloodlines of Immortal Farming Clan. They are born to have an affinity with plants. Jiang Clan is also doing various businesses about plants. 20% of the total medicines in big pharmaceutical factories, drug stores and Taixia Pharmacists Union come from Jiang Clan. Almost 1/3 of the seeds in the 6 warehouses of Class A cities across Taixia Country come from Jiang Clan of Herbal Medicine Palace...”

After hearing Uncle Zhong’s words, Zhang Tie took in a deep breath, ’20% of the total medicines in big pharmaceutical factories, drug stores and Taixia Pharmacists Union come from Jiang Clan. Almost 1/3 of the seeds in the 6 warehouses of Class A cities across Taixia Country come from Jiang Clan of Herbal Medicine Palace. What a business! It might be so-so in a small country or a subcontinent; however, it is in Taixia Country which contains so many Class A cities. Any demand would be astronomical. If a clan could account such a high percentage in such a huge market, it must have a great power.’

The so-called head clan referred to the top clan of a family name. For instance, Jiang Clan of Herbal Medicine Palace was the head clan widely accepted by people surnamed Jiang. It indicated that all the clans surnamed Jiang across Taixia Country would follow the order of Jiang Clan of Herbal Medicine Palace; namely, Jiang Clan of Herbal Medicine Palace was the representative of all the people surnamed Jiang across Taixia Country. Sometimes, what the head clan of people surnamed Jiang expressed could represent the opinion of all the people surnamed Jiang across Taixia Country. If Jiang Clan of Herbal Medicine Palace held large-scale campaigns such as sacrificial rites in shrines, all the influential figures across Taixia Country surnamed Jiang would arrive. The Jiang Clan of Herbal Medicine Palace could enjoy the blessing of all the people surnamed Jiang across Taixia Country. Any head clan would definitely have a great position and influence.

Theoretically, the number of head clans across Taixia Country should be equal to that of family names. Actually, not each family name across Taixia Country could have a head clan. A head clan had to meet the following three conditions; first, someone in this clan should awaken the most powerful and typical heavenly-level even Immortal-level ancestral bloodline of their own ancestors and could reappear the glory of their ancestors; additionally, this bloodline could be inherited generation by generation in the same clan; second, this clan should have an overwhelming influence and power among all the other clans of the same family name; if a lonely person or someone in a small family awakened the most powerful and typical ancestral bloodline, of course, their clan could not become a head clan; third, the clan should win the identification of those major clans and those influential figures who shared the same family name with them. Only after meeting the above three conditions could a clan become a head clan. It would take a clan dozens of years’ hard efforts to become a head clan.

The first condition explained why many major clans across Taixia Country such as Huaiyuan Palace would value bloodline inheritance so much. Because ancestral bloodlines were the core of the cohesiveness and influence of a clan and stairs through which a clan could reach a higher position.

Jiang Clan of Herbal Medicine Palace was the head clan of people surnamed Jiang across Taixia Country. However, there was not a head clan for people surnamed Zhang across Taixia Country. It didn’t mean that Zhang Clan in Taixia Country couldn’t match Jiang Clan in influence and position. As a major family name in Taixia Country, people surnamed Zhang definitely outnumbered people surnamed Jiang across Taixia Country. Actually, Zhang Clans had the greatest population in Taixia Country. Top Zhang Clans also accounted for a greater percentage than other clans among the top clans in Taixia Country, such as Tianlu Palace, Guanying Palace and Bairen Palace. Any top Zhang Clan could match Jiang Clan of Herbal Medicine Palace. Because there were too many major Zhang Clans across Taixia Country, it was hard for them to select a head clan.

If Tianlu Palace wanted to be the head clan of people surnamed Zhang, Guanying Palace and Bairen Palace would not agree for sure. Similarly, if Guanying Palace or Bairen Palace wanted to be the head clan, Tianlu Palace would not agree either. None of them could overwhelm the other two; therefore, people surnamed Zhang Tie didn’t have a head clan. However, it wasn’t an exaggeration to say that the reputation of the head clan was almost the ultimate target of those top Zhang Clans in Taixia Country.

——Without grasping an emperor-level secret cultivation method, a major clan would never become the royal households of Taixia Country. However, if a major clan, especially a major clan of a major family name could become a head clan, they would be able to influence hundreds of millions of people of the same family name across Taixia Country; enjoy the reverence of people of the same family name across Taixia Country and make their ancestors illustrious and their descendants honorable. They would definitely be on the equal footing with the royal households of Taixia Country as the most prestigious ones. Although they were not imperial clans, they could definitely match imperial clans.