Castle of Black Iron

The moment Zhang Tie thought that he had to visit the Clansmen Pavilion of Huaiyuan Palace each time he returned to Huaiyuan Prefecture did he feel something strange.

”Why would the clan elders want to meet me this time?” Zhang Tie was always puzzled about this on the way. ”If it was because of all-purpose medicament, the one who should contact me would be Long Wind Corporation, instead of the deacon from Clansmen Pavilion. It must be related to internal affairs of Zhang Clan. But why do these Clan elders focus on me, a small figure?”

Zhang Tie was confused. He inquired about the deacon, who just told him that he would know about it in Clansmen Pavilion.

”Is it because of Lan Yunxi? Are those Clan elders warning me that an ugly toad should not dream about eating the flesh of a beautiful wild swan? How gossipy they are! Lan Yunxi’s dad has not even cared about that!” Zhang Tie thought.

”Oh, I’ve not yet seen Count Long Wind, the head of Zhang Clan of Huaiyuan Palace!”

As deacon Zhang said that the Clan elders only wanted to see Zhang Tie, Zhang Yang didn’t come with Zhang Tie. Even if he came together with Zhang Tie, it was still useless. In Clansmen Pavilion, which gathered so many Clan powerhouses, nobody could stir up a trouble.

It was the same Clansmen Pavilion and the same lofty, solemn and old-fashioned building. At the sight of the people inside the vehicle, the soldiers outside the gate of Clansmen Pavilion just let them in without even checking it. After getting off the vehicle, deacon Zhang took Zhang Tie around the Clansmen Pavilion and finally arrived at a relatively tranquil independent small building which was called ’Ancestral Bloodline Pavilion’. Deacon Zhang didn’t enter it; instead, he just bowed outside the small building.

”Clan elders, Zhang Tie is here!”

”Good, let him in!” a calm voice drifted from the inside of the small building. Deacon Zhang glanced at Zhang Tie and implied that Zhang Tie could enter. After taking a deep breath, Zhang Tie walked in.

The special fragrance of burning sandalwood incenses filled the small building, bringing Zhang Tie a sense of tranquility. Zhang Tie recovered his composure at once.

After crossing the threshold, detouring the screen wall facing the gate and passing a courtyard, Zhang Tie saw some gray-haired old men sitting in a hall. Zhang Tie did not dare to show any disrespect to the Clan elders who had high positions in Huaiyuan Palace and unpredictable fighting strength .

Only after being glanced by them, Zhang Tie had felt being seen through. When they looked at him, the All-Spirits Pagoda in Zhang Tie’s mind slightly vibrated while the surrounding spiritual energy gathered around it and covered the All-Spirits Pagoda at once. Zhang Tie had not imagined that All-Spirits Pagoda could have such a marvelous ability. As a result, Zhang Tie’s heart slightly pounded.

”Zhang Tie, a descendant of Zhang Clan of Huaiyuan Palace pays a formal visit to Clan elders!” Zhang Tie bowed towards them. After seeing clearly the look of that Clan elder in the main seat, Zhang Tie knelt down in front of that elder and kowtowed three times loudly, ”Zhang Tie wishes sixth grandpa good health on behalf of my father Zhang Ping!”

Zhang Tie’s sixth grandpa was the most influential figure of Huaiyuan Palace in Golden Sea City. He was the head of Clansmen Pavilion. When Zhang Tie’s family arrived at Huaiyuan Prefecture, without Zhang Tie’s sixth grandpa’s help, Zhang Tie’s father might still be in the prison. Therefore, Zhang Tie’s family appreciated this extremely dignified man very much.

Watching Zhang Tie’s performance, all the Clan elders exchanged glances with each other before nodding slightly.

”Get up!” Sixth grandpa replied with a tender voice as he slightly raised his hand. Zhang Tie then felt an invisible, irresistible and tender strength lifting himself from his feet.

”Is this a knight’s strength?” Zhang Tie was shocked. He wondered when could he have such a great strength.

Zhang Tie just stood there respectfully as he was confused why the Clan elders wanted to see him. He just behaved like a kid with a good discipline silently.

”What do you think, brother Murray?” A Clan elder asked Zhang Tie’s sixth grandpa on his side with a smile.

”Just follow the rules in case of loopholes!” Zhang Tie’s sixth grandpa said calmly.

”Fine!” that Clan elder nodded as he glanced at this side. Two deacons in robe then walked forward. One of them was carrying a very solemn box. After the other Clan elders nodded, the other deacon opened the box and took out of a crystal which was longer than 30 cm and thicker than 6 cm. The crystal was glittering blurred brilliance. In the middle of the crystal was a rolling drop of red blood.

When this item was taken out, Zhang Tie, who was close to it, instantly felt his qi and blood all over being restless.

The deacon held the crystal carefully in his hand before erecting the sharp topmost part of the crystal and telling Zhang Tie, ”Put your finger on the top of the bloodline crystal and pierce it!”

As it was not proper to ask why at this moment, finding that these Clan elders were not malicious about him, Zhang Tie put his finger on the sharpest point of the crystal. After slightly pressing his finger, Zhang Tie forced a drop of fresh blood to flow off his finger. Under Zhang Tie’s gaze, the drop of fresh blood started to penetrate into the crystal like how plants rooted in the ground. At the same time, the fresh blood in the crystal also started to be restless. When the two drops of blood touched, the entire crystal glittered red brilliance for over 10 seconds.

”Your excellency, Clan elders, based on the test of the bloodline crystal, his fresh blood resonates the fresh blood of Lord Huaiyuan and glitters brilliance without causing any abnormal phenomena, this man is indeed the descendant of Lord Huaiyuan instead of being disguised by shadow demon!” that deacon being responsible for testing Zhang Tie with the crystal reported.

After hearing this report, Zhang Tie immediately oozed cold sweat all over. He finally understood the purpose of this test. If he could still transform into a shadow demon due to the genes of shadow demons, Zhang Tie did not dare to imagine how the crystal would look.

All the Clan elders nodded. The two deacons then put the crystal back into the box and moved back.

Finding that Zhang Tie slightly changed his face, Zhang Murray and Zhang Tie’s sixth grandpa revealed a smile, ”Take easy. This is just a rule of Huaiyuan Palace. Almost each apprentice of Huaiyuan Palace entering here has to pass this test. Each Clan has such means to maintain the purity of its Clan bloodline and the reliance of its key figures in case of being violated by outsiders and demons. We’re not especially targeting at you.”

After hearing the words of his sixth grandpa, Zhang Tie recovered his composure.

”Please forgive me. I’ve not heard about such a testing method before. Therefore, I was just a bit shocked!” Zhang Tie replied.

”Hmm, take easy. We want to know something about you!” Zhang Murray opened his mouth.

”What do you want to know, your excellency? I will answer honestly!”

”Did you awaken an ancestral bloodline several weeks ago?”

Zhang Tie knew that Huaiyuan Palace was able to know which apprentice of Zhang Clan had awakened an ancestral bloodline recently. Therefore, he was not amazed by this question. After knowing their purpose, Zhang Tie let out a deep sigh at once.

”Yes, I’ve awakened an ancestral bloodline several weeks ago!”

”What’s the function of this bloodline?” before Zhang Tie’s sixth grandpa continued, another Clan elder couldn’t wait to ask.

”Erm...” Zhang Tie became a bit hesitated as he looked around.

”Don’t worry. Nobody else is allowed to enter Ancestral Bloodline Pavilion without our consent. Additionally, there are lots of rune settings here. Nobody could hear your words besides the Clan elders in the hall!” that Clan elder added.

Zhang Tie thought for a while and replied, ”How to say, I can transform my look with this ancestral bloodline!”

”Argh, transform your look?” the moment they heard this did the three Clan elders become excited. The quick-tempered one who asked Zhang Tie instantly picked himself up. After glancing at the other two elders, he took a deep breath and sat down.

Zhang Tie didn’t know why they were so thrilled.

”Can you show us your ancestral bloodline?” Zhang Tie’s sixth grandpa asked kindly.

”Yes, I can!” after saying this, Zhang Tie started to transform his look. His hair gradually turned red; his eyes turned dark green; his skin turned as black as that of Bagdad. It took him over 10 seconds to complete his transformation. After that, Zhang Tie almost became another human race.

All the three Clan elders were shocked. The hand of the one who asked Zhang Tie even quivered on the chair.

After this look was maintained for more than 10 seconds, Zhang Tie’s hair started to turn brown; his eyes turned light golden; his skin turned that of Hebrew people. Except for his height and his figure, Zhang Tie changed into another human race.

Finally, Zhang Tie recovered his original look.

”How long can you keep the two looks respectively?” Zhang Tie’s sixth grandpa’s voice quivered slightly.

”Erm, maybe as long as I want to keep them. I feel natural to transform my look!” Zhang Tie scratched his head.

”Hmm...how many times can you use this ability one day?” another Clan elder asked Zhang Tie while fixing his eyes on him.

”Erm, I’ve not tried. But I feel it’s as easy as breathing. It should be limitless!” Zhang Tie replied while changing his eyes colors alternatively into red, yellow, blue and green easily.

”Immortal bloodline, immortal bloodline, unique immortal bloodline...” that Clan elder who asked Zhang Tie instantly sprung up from his chair as he raised high his hands with an extremely excited look. The other two Clan elders didn’t stand up; however, they both looked spirited as their cheeks blushed...

Zhang Tie watched these Clan elders with a confused look, ”It’s just an ancestral bloodline, why are you so happy?”