Castle of Black Iron

The news from the subordinate of Zhang Taixuan was that he didn’t find any immortal item from Zhang Tie. All of Zhang Tie’s belongings were here.

Zhang Taixuan believed in the news as all the dare-to-die fighters who executed this action were loyal to him while being supervised and constrained from each other. Additionally, they were under the control of his secret method and could die for him without demur. Therefore, those dare-to-die fighters would never deceive him. That was why Zhang Taixuan assigned them to execute the most dangerous task.

These days, Zhang Taixuan always thought that Zhang Tie had not taken that immortal item with him; however, Zhang Taixuan gradually wavered this mind as he felt that he never have the immortal item leave his sight if he were Zhang Tie; especially when he got the news that Zhang Tie wanted to talk about conditions with him, Zhang Taixuan became more confident about his deduction.

‘Zhang Tie is too calm and confident. Why he’s so confident in such a dilemma and think that he’s qualified to talk about conditions with me?’

‘He probably has the immortal item with him. That immortal item is his trump card. He knows that I would not hurt him before getting the immortal item. Therefore, he’s so confident.’

After looking at those items on the table in the backroom, Zhang Taixuan waved his arm, hoarding all of them into his portable space-teleportation equipment. After that, with hands on his back, he started to gently stroke his colorful fingerstall as he paced back and forth in the room while faintly frowning.

Zhang Taixuan was very scared of Zhang Tie. In this case, he didn’t plan to meet Zhang Tie at all. However, that mystical immortal item made him hesitant.

Immortal items carried unimaginable, exotic abilities. ‘It probably still was with Zhang Tie; however, the others couldn’t discover it except for this rarity of mine. However, people below knight level couldn’t drive this rarity at all; therefore, it’s unavailable to those dare-to-die fighters. However, I don’t have fully reliable subordinate knights. Those elders of Huaiyuan Palace are excluded at first. As for those who could drive it, I’m not sure whether they would disappear after getting that immortal item from Zhang Tie…’

‘Which knight could be immune to the allure of an immortal item?’

‘Would I go to see Zhang Tie or not?’

Zhang Taixuan became hesitant as he considered this question in the room for a while. After that, he received a message from his remote-sensing finger ring with a flash of gloomy eyesight. After being hesitant for a second, he let out a deep sigh as he walked out of the backroom and came to the outside of the shrine palace.

At this moment, after Mr. Zhao’s airboat left came another airboat in the sky above Tiger Embracing Mountain. Whereas, since so many airboats had arrived and left Tiger Embracing Mountain these days, they didn’t feel anything strange about it.

When Zhang Taixuan came out, three human shadows flew off that airboat. Before one of them arrived, his loud voice had rumbled the entire mountain, “Younger Brother Taixuan, after Huaiyuan Palace encountered such a major event and urgently need help, why not notice this elder brother?”

“Hahaha, Elder Brother Huang, you’ve come from afar, I’m so sorry for that!” Zhang Taixuan said as he cupped his hands towards the figure in the air.

With the flash of their shadows, the three people had landed on the ground steadily.

Among the three people, Elder Brother Huang was tall and strong with snow-like silver hair swaying in the air, making him a lion or a hedgehog. His face was as red as that of wine. Given his look, he should be bad-tempered. This man carried a powerful qi of shadow knight. Although he looked generous, when he landed and watched Zhang Taixuan, a weird, harsh light flashed across his face.

Catching that faintly harsh eyesight of Elder Brother Huang, Zhang Taixuan’s smile became stiff for a second as he asked, “Elder Brother Huang, they’re…”

“Hahaha…” Elder Brother Huang burst out into laughter again immediately as he answered, “They’re both my friends. They’re enthusiastic and heroic. After hearing about the event of Immortal Qianji and that I’m your friend, they urged to go to Youzhou Province with me. They want to give you a favor. Younger brother, won’t you welcome us? If you don’t, this elder brother will leave right now…”

After hearing the introduction of Elder Brother Huang, the other two knights forced a slight smile towards Zhang Taixuan. The two knights were both earth knights with a solemn and cold look. They were far from being enthusiastic and heroic as was extolled by Elder Brother Huang.

“Haha, Elder brother, no joke. Please, let’s talk inside!” Zhang Taixuan made a hand gesture to invite them in.

“Fine, let’s talk about it inside!”

Zhang Taixuan had a deacon forbid outsiders to disturb them. The moment the four people entered the parlor behind the shrine palace, Elder Brother Huang’s smile had disappeared as he turned solemn at once.

“Zhang Taixuan, you’re so audacious…” Elder Brother Huang said as he looked straight into Zhang Taixuan’s eyes with icy eyesight as he told him by battle qi. His voice sounded which appeared to have nothing to do with the passion that he displayed outside just now.

No sooner had this man opened his mouth than the room became much colder than before.

Zhang Taixuan let out a sigh suddenly as he asked, “Has His Majesty long been unsatisfied with me? I didn’t know about such a major event until it was caused a few days later in Youzhou Province. These days, I’ve been waiting in Youzhou Province for your explanation, elder brother.”

After being silent for a second, Elder Brother Huang’s icy eye light changed as he asked, “What do you mean?”

“Elder brother, don’t pretend anymore.” Zhang Taixuan revealed a bitter smile as he asked, “Wasn’t Zhang Tie taken away by His Majesty? And that knight employed by Jinwu Business Group whom His Majesty said fully followed my order as my subordinate in Jinwu City; however, he raided Zhang Tie’s old mansion in Jinwu City that night. I didn’t know it until it happened. Did His Majesty deliver the order to him?”

At this moment, if Zhang Tie were here, he would doubt that Zhang Taixuan had already awakened his performance talent too. Zhang Taixuan was simply the best actor.

“Cut the crap, when did His Majesty deliver that order to him?” Elder Brother Huang asked as he became infuriated at once.

“His Majesty has not delivered that order to Liu Changxiong?” Zhang Taixuan revealed a shocked look as he continued, “What happened to Zhang Tie then?”

“Didn’t you do that?” Elder Brother Huang asked as he looked straight into Zhang Taixuan’s eyes.

“Elder Brother Huang, no kidding. All-purpose medicament and fiery oil are fully under the control of Zhang Tie and Zhang Yang. I couldn’t interfere with it. Even though I have eyes and ears in Jinwu Business Group and Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory, those people are too weak to do any help to me at the critical moments. Zhang Tie became outstanding on the battlefield of Weishui River and promoted to a shadow knight. I was told that he had hooked up with Yan Feiqing in a tower of time. Even if I did it, as long as Yan Feiqing was there, I would not have a say in Zhang Tie’s family and get the production secrets of all-purpose medicaments and fiery-oil. Yan Feiqing alone is able to stabilize the overall situation. What would I do that for? It would have great risk and could bring no benefit at all. Am I that foolish? I’m not able to do that even if I want. After Zhang Tie returned, I feel that what I’ve promised His Majesty is growing more and more tricky as my influence in Youzhou Province is shrinking. I’m asking for relief from His Majesty? Wasn’t it done by His Majesty himself out of patience?”

Zhang Taixuan’s explanation and rhetorical question made Elder Brother Huang tightly frown as his look became strange.

“Is that really not you?”

“Hasn’t His Majesty delivered the order to Liu Changxiong?”

Zhang Taixuan and Elder Brother Huang asked almost in unison.

“Liu Changxiong has…” Zhang Taixuan suddenly sprung up as he asked, “Has Liu Changxiong got a new master? Is it done by another force? We’re all screwed. No, we have to report it to His Majesty right now…”

Elder Brother Huang looked straight into Zhang Taixuan’s eyes for 2 minutes before standing up, saying, “I will report it to His Majesty; however, Zhang Taixuan, I warn you, you’d better not play any trick in front of His Majesty. You know how powerful is His Majesty. His Majesty could figure out the identity of Liu Changxiong sooner or later…”

“I hope so. Only in this way could I clarify my innocence in front of His Majesty. I’ve worked hard for His Majesty for so many years. Even Huaiyuan Palace as a whole has been taken as a stake; however, I was wronged this time. I want an explanation…” Zhang Taixuan raised his head as he said generously.

Elder Brother Huang threw another glance at Zhang Taixuan silently as he directly strode out of the conference room, followed by the other two earth knights.

This time, Zhang Taixuan didn’t see them off; instead, he sat alone in the room.

Zhang Taixuan had long prepared for this case. He had actually prepared for all the possible situations. However, the failure of Knight Liu was out of his imagination together with that no immortal item was discovered from Zhang Tie, arousing an abrupt increase of risk facing him before getting the immortal item.

‘I have to make a decision. I only have two choices now, to get the immortal item as fast as possible or to clarify my innocence; otherwise…’

After sitting for a while, Zhang Tiaxuan’s eyes became increasingly decisive…