Castle of Black Iron

After Zhang Tie and the other elders of Huaiyuan Palace flew off, they could clearly see the sceneries on the streets below them.

Youzhou City today indeed looked different than before. It was especially solemn. As almost all the citizens knew that the provincial governor of Youzhou Province would be selected in White Tiger Complex, they had gathered in pubs, tea houses or urban squares and parks for the latest news in the early morning.

As a grand event in Youzhou City, it was even more solemn than celebrating a festival.

The area within 20 square miles of White Tiger Complex had become the focus of the entire Youzhou City. Numerous people were surging towards White Tiger Complex. Garrisons of Youzhou City had to maintain orders on streets in case of a stampede.

Soon after Zhang Tie and the other clan elders of Huaiyuan Palace left Huaiyuan Mansion, Zhang Tie had seen a light beam shooting into the sky near White Tiger Complex. Like a mirage, it stretched and formed a vast heavenly curtain, tinting the sky above Youzhou City to glow.

As the light beam rose, the entire Youzhou City began to boil.

The heavenly curtain reminded Zhang Tie of the artificial thing ”film” before the Catastrophe.

The light beam and the heavenly curtain originated from the Heavens Ball. Zhang Tie was told that the battle in the Heavens Ball between 9 clans would be reflected into the sky. Therefore, all the people across Youzhou City would be able to watch it live.

If it was a film, the grand show today might be a free super action movie starred by knights that could be enjoyed by everybody.

This was why Youzhou City was so boisterous now. Being attracted by such a grand show, all the major clans across Youzhou Province had gathered in Youzhou City; even many people from neighboring provinces had arrived in Youzhou City by various traffic tools such as airship.

As this film could be seen for free as long as one was in Youzhou City, the hotels in Youzhou City had been crowded lately. Even if it was a paid film, who could have so many knights of major clans across Youzhou Province participate in such a grand show pleasantly?

When he recalled his family members who left Youzhou City in advance, Zhang Tie was deeply moved as he felt like crying. In order to not influence his performance in the ring, his family members didn’t even stay here for two more days. In order to support him, they even ignored such a grand show. When he recalled what his parents had done for him in their lives, Zhang Tie felt complex; however, being gazed by numerous pairs of eyes, Zhang Tie felt a bit excited faintly.

At this moment, Elder Muyuan turned around and threw a profound glance at Zhang Tie.

Watching Elder Muyuan’s expression and remembering what Elder Muyuan told him last night, Zhang Tie slightly nodded.

This competition for the provincial governor of Youzhou Province was not only for Huaiyuan Palace but also for Zhang Clan and Zhang Tie himself. Zhang Tie had determined to do something in the ring.

’Elder Muyuan is right. Sometimes, I should not be silent when I could show off myself. Over these years, my elder brother has been running Jinwu Business Group meticulously in Taixia Country. He limited the production of all-purpose medicament to only a bit more than 2 million vials per year, even though all-purpose medicament’s supply could not meet its demand. The reason was that elder brother was afraid of being envied by people as Jinwu Business Group had no powerful forces on its back. With Huaiyuan Palace on its back, Jinwu Business Group indeed developed fast these years with increasingly deeper root. Jinwu Business Group could make about 10 million gold coins per year through cooperating with Long Wind Business Group; it’s easy for Jinwu Business Group to expand this business by 10 times or 100 times; whereas, what then? Can Jinwu Business Group avoid from being envied by competitors?’

Actually, Zhang Tie’s elder brother was not worried about making money for the time being but to keep the business growing sustainably.

As Zhang Tie had returned home, Zhang Yang let out a sigh of relief. Through private communication, Zhang Yang had intended to build a city.

Zhang Tie felt that someone should stand out and shoulder the responsibilities for the Zhang Clan in Youzhou Province, Taixia country.

’Who else the person would be except for me? We cannot depend on those kids.’

Actually, it was not a matter of ”to be or not to be”, but a matter of degree for Zhang Tie.

’It is a matter of degree for me to show off myself in the ring on the premise of keeping a part of my trump cards; especially my most powerful trump card.’

...

As knights flew very fast, soon after they left Huaiyuan Mansion, they had arrived at White Tiger Complex.

”Ahh, knights!”

Watching knights flying over there, so many people exclaimed loudly in the nearby streets of White Tiger Complex.

For many commoners in Youzhou City, although the number of knights in Taixia Country ranked top among all the human places, there was still a sharp disparity between knights and commoners. Commoners might only see knights a few times in their whole lives. Therefore, so many people came to White Tiger Complex to watch the grand show being performed by so many knights across Youzhou Province.

White Tiger Complex was a Hua palatial complex where central organs of power were located. The provincial governor of Youzhou Province which was selected today would live and work in White Tiger Complex and rule the entire Youzhou Province.

When Zhang Tie and the other clan elders of Huaiyuan Palace arrived at White Tiger Palace, all the other clans’ knights had also arrived there consecutively, causing a series of exclamations among the nearby onlookers. Perhaps many people dreamed to fly; therefore, they felt watching people flying in the sky much more interesting than watching acrobatics in the streets of Youzhou City.

When they saw knights flying over, many kids exclaimed while riding on their fathers’ shoulders, ”I will fly too, I will fly too...”

”If you learn well at school and practice hard, you will also fly like a knight in the sky like them one day. Do you want to be a knight?” A father asked his kid who was riding on his shoulders.

”I want to be a knight!”

Many kids clapped their hands happily with gleaming eyes as they set a lifetime dream.

This was why many parents would like to take their kids here——Each kid in Taixia Country dreamed to be a knight. Each parent hoped their kids to be elites. Even the singles across Youzhou City had crowded here since last night in order to watch that grand show to boost in front of others in the future. All the fathers who took their kids here so as to give a lesson to their kids by this chance.

’Just because this father failed to be a knight doesn’t mean this father’s son could not promote to a knight either. I will show knights to my kid today from a short distance. Maybe my son could also promote to a knight in the future.’ All the fathers thought inside.

...

There was a huge square covering about 1 square mile being made up of white marble stones outside White Tiger Palace, which was over 1 m higher above the ground. It was the portal of White Tiger Complex to the outside. The four corners of the square were guarded with ferocious white-marble tigers, which indicated the majesty of this square and the origin of its name.

At present, over 200,000 commoners were circling around the White Tiger Square. Two rows of strong city guards in iron armor isolated those onlookers from the square.

Almost the moment Zhang Tie and the other clan elders of Huaiyuan Palace landed on the White Tiger Square, onlookers’ sigh with emotions had drifted from around the White Tiger Square. Almost at the same time, numerous people attempted to surge forward; however, they were blocked by the city guards.

”Is that young man Gu Qingyun?”

”He’s too young. He looks only 16 or so. How could he become a knight at such a young age?’

In a split second, tens of thousands of exclamations sounded.

”Show me, show me, where is that 16 year-old knight?”

Almost the moment Zhang Tie landed on White Tiger Square, he had shocked those commoners around the White Tiger Square. As Zhang Tie was really too young. He was more like a neighborhood juvenile than a knight. As for those who had seen Zhang Tie, they were greatly stunned by Zhang Tie’s age.

”No, that’s not Gu Qingyun. Gu Qingyun is not that young. That’s a knight of Zhang Clan in Yanghe Prefecture!” Someone shouted...

”Zhang Clan? Which Zhang Clan?”

”Zhang Clan of Huaiyuan Palace!” More and more people identified the status of Zhang Tie and the other elders of Huaiyuan Palace...

Listening to the exclamations among the crowd, Zhang Taixuan and the other elders of Huaiyuan Palace threw a glance at Zhang Tie with a faint smile. What a shock before the battle! The shock that Zhang Tie brought to the onlookers was beneficial for Huaiyuan Palace to consolidate its position in Youzhou Province at a higher speed. It was a great assistance for Zhang Taixuan who aimed to compete for the position of provincial governor of Youzhou Province. With such an elite in Zhang clan, of course Zhang Taixuan felt very pleasant inside. Because the honor of Huaiyuan Palace was the honor of the clan head...