Castle of Black Iron

Even though they didn’t know each other before, after staying with each other for 3 days, they had become familiar with each other.

At least, Zhang Tie had known all of them after 3 days.

Of course, the head of this team was still Mountain Lifting Hermit who always looked serious.

As for the immortal couple, the male was Lu Zhongming while the female was Lin Huanxi. They both came from Guzhou Province, Taixia Country. They usually lived in the Minling Mountain, Guzhou Province, Taixia Country seclusively. Additionally, they were the heads of Minling Sword Sect in Minling Mountain and had over 1,000 disciples over there. Therefore, they were well-known in Guzhou Province.

In Taixia Country, if any knight did not want to be an official or a hermit, could establish a sect in a famous mountain. Of course, the top 7 sects were the most eminent in Taixia Country. Below the top 7 sects, there were numerous sects established by knights in each province or prefecture. This was an implicit rule in Taixia Country. In Waii Subcontinent, many sects were developed in places such as fighting clubs. Over there, even a great battle master or battle general might establish a sect in a country, not to mention a knight. However, in Taixia Country, besides gangs in streets, all the sects should be at least established by a black iron knight. This indicated that any sect in Taixia Country at least carried forward the battle skills and knowledge of a black iron knight. The disciples in these sects could have chances to promote to knights.

Those below knights, even battle spirits were not qualified to establish a sect in Taixia Country. If someone dared violate the implicit rule in Taixia Country, his sect would be destroyed by someone else in only a few days. Without a black iron knight on their back, how could they defend their undertaking?

This was why Taixia Country was full of powerful ones. Besides the huge population, the cultivation environment in Taixia Country was pretty good. Any youth who had a rich family and was decisive and strong-willed would have a greater chance to join a sect in Taixia Country and carry forward the knowledge of a knight-level powerhouse if they could travel across Taixia Country.

Although there were a lot of sects in Waii Subcontinent, none of them could provide a chance for commoners to carry forward the knowledge of a knight.

The couple Lu Zhongming and Lin Huanxi were most careful in the team. They always maintained cleanliness all over. Each time they landed and took a rest, they would clean themselves. Before having a rest on the ground, they would take out a piece of cloth from their bag and pave it over the ground. After that, they would sit on the cloth. In the term before the Catastrophe, they were petty bourgeois in the team.

However, they were qualified to be petty bourgeois, although Lu Zhongming and Lin Huanxi were black iron knights, they had entered 8 changes black iron stage at the same time. At least they were the best ones below Mountain Lifting Hermit from cultivation base.

By contrast, according to Gong Ziyao and Zhou Shufan, Mountain Lifting Hermit had entered 2 changes earth knight stage two years ago. Of course, it was impossible for him to enter 3 changes earth knight stage in only 2 years; however, Mountain Lifting Hermit had consolidated his realm and battle strength much more.

In Lion Fortress, Mountain Lifting Hermit had killed 6 black iron demon knights and fought earth demon knights for more than 3 times. He was an experienced knight.

In the entire team, besides Gong Ziyao and Zhou Shufan, the three foreign knights Filton, Cecilia and Bolam were familiar with Zhang Tie first. The three foreign knights were all from the Western Continent. Filton came from Grims Republic, Cecilia came from Francia Empire, which was a big country in the center of Western Continent and had over 10 billion population. The total area of Francia Empire was equal to the size of a province in Taixia Country. Its overall national strength was a bit greater than that of Grims Republic. Francia Empire was the core strength of the Western Continent.

After knowing that Cecilia came to Lion Fortress alone, Zhang Tie admired this woman’s braveness too.

Bolam was that white knight. Even he didn’t know which country did he belong to. For as long as he could remember, he had been traversing across so many countries on the Western Continent. His mother was a performer in a traveling circus. Even his mother didn’t know whom his father was. Since he was born, he had been traveling across the continent with the circus. He did not stay at any place for over 1 month. Later on, he left the circus and started to travel everywhere alone. He promoted to a knight in an airship. Bolam was obsessed with fighting skills. He was always silent and would not speak more than 5 sentences a day.

The three people met in a knight’s bar in the Lion Fortress. They then organized a group and gradually became familiar with each other.

By the way, it was the commonest form for three knights to organize a group in the Lion Fortress, because three knights could form a 3-in-1 matrix at the critical moment and could greatly increase their viability in the first abyss. The other 6 knights in the team usually worked together in a group of 2.

Among the rest 6 people, 3 of them were respectively elders of three major clans in Force Province, who were called Yang Zhenjun, Zhao Youxian and Qian Yi respectively. Their clans had at least 5 cities in Force Province. Yang Zhenjun had long known Gong Ziyao and Zhou Shufan.

As for the rest 3 knights, one was called Tai Rufeng who came from Tai Clan in Yanzhou Province, Taixia Country. Tai Clan was the clan of the provincial governor of Yanzhou Province; one was called Hua Qianxia who came from Songzhou Province, Taixia Country as an elder of Gulao Mountain in Songzhou Province; one was called Ximen Fu who came from Heavens Holding Pavilion, one of the top 7 sects in Taixia Country.

All of these knights, including Cecilia, had killed demon knights. All of them had a deep background or rich experience. By contrast, Cui Li might be the commonest one among them.

Besides Mountain Lifting Hermit, 4 of the 8 knights from Taixia Country were from sects. Therefore, Zhang Tie started to become interested in sects in Taixia Country very much. In the 3 days, as long as Zhang Tie was free, he would inquire about sects in Taixia Country from the couple, Hua Qianxia and Ximen Fu.

Compared to the clan system which was maintained in terms of bloodlines, the sect system in Taixia Country had a greater influence and speed in development.

How long would it take a black iron knight to reproduce a clan of more than 10,000 people? At least several generations. However, it would take a black iron knight less than 1 year to accept 10,000 disciples. Additionally, the development of sects was out of the limit of regions and bloodlines. Many times, when some talents in a clan were accepted by a certain sect, the clan would be bound to the chariots of the sect and become closely related to the sect on interests. The more apprentices the sect had, the greater the community of interests would be.

If two knights with the similar conditions launched a competition of developing their own forces from the same starting line, one chose clan route, the other chose sect route. In 10 years, the one who chose sect route would have an overwhelming strength than the one who chose the clan route.

In Taixia Country, the cohesive force of sects being maintained in terms of the relationship between masters and apprentices was very powerful. The relationship between masters and apprentices could completely match that between the emperor and the chancellors and between fathers and sons. The leader of a sect could have the right to determine the life or death of his apprentices.

The monarchical power of the country, the power of clans and the power of masters of sects crisscrossed with each other in Taixia Country and determined the fate of Taixia Country.

The sects in Taixia Country were actually the most vigorous systems. Some sects in Taixia Country could last over 1,000 years. Given this point, one would know the power of sects in Taixia Country.

’Why was I framed by people and had to escape everywhere this time? In the final analysis, I’m too weak in both strength and background. If I was a disciple of one of the top sects in Taixia Country or if I had established my own sphere of influence in Taixia Country, the one who framed me would not make it so easily as he had to consider the outcome of it.’

The current situation and prospect of the power of sect in Taixia Country reminded Zhang Tie of something.

’What if I establish a sect in Taixia Country?’

Now that he could not rely on Huaiyuan Palace anymore and didn’t want to be restricted too much by being an official in Taixia Country, he had to establish his own sect so as to expand his own influence.

The moment this whim occurred to his mind, it had started to grow up crazily in Zhang Tie’s mind.

’However, it is not the right moment to do that now. I don’t need to consider it at least before promoting to an earth knight.’

’The influence of a sect being established by a black iron knight is utterly different than that being established by an earth knight. Additionally, my current identity Cui Li is not well-known above ground or underground. It’s boring to establish a sect and be a rustic emperor in a remote palace.’

’After establishing an Ancient-God Church in Ice and Snow Wilderness, I have firmly controlled the entire Ice and Snow Wilderness and all the Slavs. If I establish a sect in Taixia Country, perhaps...I will have bright prospects!’

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After 3 days, the team had deepened thousands of miles into the first abyss and started to enter the main battlefield between demon knights and human knights...