Castle of Black Iron

The stories in the book Secret Code in Peaceful Times were indeed enlightening and made people open-minded. Perhaps people could get much secret knowledge about far-ancient times from this book. However, as for all the people in this age, including those top knights in this age, the most attractive point in the book Secret Code in Peaceful Times was merely the next realm after the sage.

As for the legends about deities, real men, immortals, taoists, sages and wisdoms, they were useless and could only be taken as the balderdash of lunatics if they couldn’t be used to resolve the puzzle facing all knights, to kill the demons army on the west bank of Weishui River, to make them more powerful, to help them rob money, land and women. Too many similar myths could be found on each continent. In the final analysis, it was knights who ruled this world; instead of those ethereal things in far-ancient times. Established on the societal relations and various superstructures, knights’ power system was irresistible even facing the demons army.

Knights were the most realistic, powerful and wisest ones in this age, including Zhang Tie who wouldn’t easily get lost in those far-ancient legends.

After browsing the Secret Code in Peaceful Times, Zhang Tie withdrew his spiritual energy from the piece of crystal as he gradually recovered his composure, before asking Yun Zhongzi, “As you’re already a sage-level knight and are on the highest position among knights, now that you’ve sensed that bottleneck, do you know how to break it?”

“I don’t know. As a sage-level knight, you might be standing at the highest peak…” Yun Zhongzi sighed, “Only when one becomes a sage-level knight could he understand that it’s lonely to be in a high position. After completely consolidating their sage level, each sage-level knight could sense the ceiling above them. Although they could touch that hard ceiling, they could barely break it. It appears to be a new world above it. You just look around the clouds and mountains in confusion; however, you couldn’t find any stairs and roads leading to the next level. You might also sense helplessness and frustration in the future…”

“Isn’t there really any road above sage-level knight?”

“Yes, after promoting to a sage-level knight, you would find no road ahead in cultivation. You couldn’t know the level after a sage-level knight from any classic secret knowledge!”

After being silent for a short while, Zhang Tie suddenly burst into laughter as if he was very happy. Yun Zhongzi watched Zhang Tie with a confounded look as Yun Zhongzi himself was also puzzled when he touched the ceiling.

“Head, why are you so happy?”

“Hahaha, of course, I’m happy. It’s good news for me…” Zhang Tie replied as he burst into laughter and almost danced, “It’s good if there’s no more road after the sage-level knight. It means that these old guys who have promoted to sage-level knights…ahem…ahem…I’m sorry, not including you, would not improve their power any more even after 1,000 years. They are just waiting for me. After I promote to a sage-level knight and consolidate my realm, with the means of the divine dominator, I could beat whoever I want. By then, no old guys would dare neglect or offend me. Of course, I should be happy. Previously, I was worried about old monsters above sage-level knights in the top six sects. Now that there was no higher level, all of them would have to respect me in the future. Why not be happy?”

“Head, aren’t you anxious?” Yun Zhongzi goggled at Zhang Tie like watching an alien as he added, “Head, based on your qualifications, power and resources, you could promote to a sage-level knight sooner or later. By then, head, you couldn’t improve your battle strength either; nor could you ascend to a higher realm!”

“Do people have to ascend to a higher realm?” Zhang Tie hid his smile as he refuted Yun Zhongzi.

“Yes, for knights and cultivators like us!”

“What do we ascend to a higher realm for?”

“Of course by ascending to a higher realm we could grow more and more powerful and be free from the universal law one day!” Yun Zhongzi replied without demur.

“Be free from the universal laws. Good reason!” Zhang Tie revealed a faint smile at his mouth corners as he continued, “If all the contents of the Secret Code in Peaceful Times are real, as was recorded, deities or those deities in far-ancient times are the highest realms that we could reach through cultivation, do you think whether they have been free from universal laws as they could fly across galaxies, break the void, shape the world and create various living beings?”

“Of course they were!”

“If so, why would wars break out among deities? Why would Gong Gong and Zhu Rong fight each other? Now that there are wars and battles, it indicates that those deities were not all-mighty; nor could they do whatever they want at any moment. If they really lived in such a self-sufficient state and were really free from the universal laws, there would be no war between them. Nor would enemies exist. If so, they didn’t need to feel comfortable or prove something by destroying their opponents. Am I right?”

Yun Zhongzi was stunned as he had not imagined that Zhang Tie could view this question in this manner. However, he couldn’t refute Zhang Tie at all. Now that deities should also fight, struggle and kill others, it meant that deities didn’t live well either. If so, why did they have to pursue such a supreme realm?

“Therefore, people are not living for ascending to a higher realm as it might be an endless way. If you could reach that level, the others could also reach that level. After that, two of you would dislike each other and fight again. What was the meaning of the fight? Is it the purpose of one’s life?”

“If so, head, what do you think people live for?” Yun Zhongzi refuted Zhang Tie.

Spreading his arms, Zhang Tie said, “It’s very simple. People are living for a better life. As long as you could help yourself and those on your side to live better, although in many states and levels, at least, you would not be bullied by others; nor would you have to worry about losing your life every once a while; at least you could live with great respect, rich clothes and food. Additionally, you could stay with the ones you like and your family. As for me, the above is the meaning of life. If someone could enable others to live better besides himself, it would be better. Isn’t our cultivation and the war between us and demons are for better living rights?

At least for me, as long as I promote to a sage-level knight, I would be able to make everything above come true and have no rivals anymore. Therefore, as for me, the road of cultivation after sage-level knight doesn’t work at all. It would be best without it. I don’t care about the periods of deities, real men or immortals. It’s not bad for weakening people’s abilities from ages to ages. After all, neither demons nor I have them. We’re even. Neither do we admire each other. I only expect to promote to a sage level knight when I would be the boss of this age. I don’t care about those things in far-ancient times. Besides immortals, Pangu in ancient Hua times was also the creator who was said to split the universe into sky and earth by ax. Do I have to practice ax skills? Even if I practice it for over 1 million years, I wouldn’t be as giant as Pangu. When I die, I’m afraid that I would be nothing but ash. There might be some roundworms in my belly, which I don’t think could become sun, moons, stars, mountains, rivers and earth as was recorded in legends. Am I right…”