Castle of Black Iron

“Eh…” Bian Heng knitted his eyebrows at once the moment he put his fingers on Zhang Tie’s pulse. Closely after that, he took a look at Zhang Tie out of curiosity.

It was June 30, the 3586th year of Emperor NvWa’s Calendar. Bian Heng had started the first medical treatment for Zhang Tie in Tideviewing Courtyard since June 24th. It was already the 3rd medical treatment.

The first two medical treatments were very smooth. Bian Heng visited here at noon once every three days. After that, he let Zhang Tie take a bath in the ocean so as to dissipate his heat. Zhang Tie just did accordingly. After taking a bath in the ocean, he would return to Tideviewing Courtyard and change his clothes before having a big meal in Tigerback Mountain. After that, he would go back to his courtyard and continue to improve his spiritual energy or cultivate* Great Wilderness Sutra*. When he felt bored, he would take a walk at the seaside or climb the mountain to enjoy the mountainscape. When he became spirited, he would take off his clothes and rush into the ocean before having a free swim and enjoying the bizarre scenery at the bottom of the ocean.

Besides a bit of suffering in medical treatment, Zhang Tie felt pretty nice. He didn’t need to pay anything to secular affairs; instead, he only focused on cultivation and recovery. During these days in Tideviewing Courtyard, Zhang Tie felt like having a vacation. He had not been so relaxed since he came to Motian Realm.

“Is that okay?” Zhang Tie asked Bian Heng with a bit concern when he heard Bian Heng’s exclamation and watched his strange look.

In the previous two times, he bathed in the super-low icy fluid. However, at this moment, Zhang Tie started to worry about the side effect of his decision.

“You’re okay!” Bian Heng replied as he shook his head and took a look at Zhang Tie out of admiration, “I’ve not imagined that you could recover so fast. You would receive medical treatment in every 2 days!”

“Ah? Isn’t it 3 days a time? Why did you make it shorter?”

“Previously I felt we needed to fix the interval at 3 days; but given your unexpectedly fast recovery, we only need to make it 2 days…” Bian Heng said as he took out of a vial of fiery-dragon qi-gathering pill from the little wooden case and gave it to Zhang Tie.

“Let’s make it 2 days then…” After being told that he was okay, Zhang Tie became reassured as he took the vial and poured one pill out of it. After that, he gulped it down and lay on the bed.

Bian Heng then took out of his set of long needles and prepared for the medical treatment. When the fiery-dragon qi-gathering pill started to take effect inside Zhang Tie’s body, Zhang Tie’s qi sea started to burn, Bian Heng inserted the first long needle into his shrine surging point in a split second.

Through the former two tests, Zhang Tie was becoming more and more resistant to the sharp pain caused by the long needle. As he had long prepared for the coming pain, Zhang Tie didn’t even frown; instead, he started to chat with Bian Heng.

“Senior, your set of heavens-fixing immortal needles could really shock the heavens and cause deities and ghosts to wail. That’s amazing…” After rolling his eyes, Zhang Tie started to flatter Bian Heng.

It was Bian Heng’s first time to hear such an extolment. Therefore, he felt pleased. Additionally, it was Zhang Tie who flattered him. Therefore, Bian Heng replied with a slight harrumph which seemed to be his symbolic response. Although he appeared to have not heard it, he still revealed a bit pleasant look as he asked Zhang Tie reservedly, “Ahem, ahem… isn’t there such a secret method in Taixia Country?”

“Of course not. Senior, your skill ranks first among humans even in the world I came from. Nobody could match you in medical skills…” Zhang Tie continued to flatter Bian Heng.

“Of course heavens-fixing immortal needles are unrivaled in the world!” Bian Heng replied as he raised his eyebrows arrogantly, revealing his true thoughts, “It was a top-secret skill left from far-ancient times. I got it from a secret region in Mountain Ruins. This set of needles are able to survive the dead with the marvels of the mother nature. Therefore, it’s called heavens-fixing immortal needles. No secret skill could be named as heavens-fixing casually. If this set of immortal needles is not that great, how could I stabilize my position in Emperor NvWa’s City?”

“It’s said that cancer could be healed. Senior, given the marvelous effect of your heavens-fixing immortal needles, I wonder whether it could cure cancer or not?” Zhang Tie finally revealed his true thought…

“Although there’s no drug for cancer, cancer could still be cured. But…” Bian Heng said. However, he instantly realized Zhang Tie’s true thought as he turned around and fixated onto Zhang Tie with his little eyes, saying, “I’ve walked into your trap…”

Closely after the word “trap”, Bian Heng had forcefully stabbed Zhang Tie with another long needle. Not knowing whether he was doing that on purpose, Zhang Tie felt many times more painful in a split second as he almost cried out. Meanwhile, his face turned dreadfully pale…

“Ah, senior, gentle…” Zhang Tie hurriedly shouted. It was not the right moment for him to pretend to be a tough man. “On the way here, I met a girl. She was suffering from cancer. The servants of the girl told me that there’s no drug for cancer. Therefore, I asked you about that out of curiosity…”

Bian Heng revealed a sneer as he stabbed forcefully once more, causing Zhang Tie to wail poorly and exaggeratedly, “Humph, you’re still arguing for that. I think you’re fascinated by her beautiful look and want me to help you save her so that you could leave a good impression on her, right?”

“I’m wronged! I’m wronged! On the way here with that girl, I didn’t even see her face. How could I be fascinated by her beautiful look…”

“Didn’t you come here together? How could you not see her face?”

“That girl always wore a veil. I really don’t have a crush on her…”

“Oh, I see…” Bian Heng looked a bit better after knowing that Zhang Tie was telling the truth. At the same time, he injected the needles a bit gently. The former two needles caused Zhang Tie to ooze sweat heavily all over as his face turned dreadfully pale.

“Well, it’s not a big deal for me to tell you about that. I could indeed cure her. Besides me, nobody else in Motian Realm could cure that disease. However, it would take me a lot of time to cure her. It would be more difficult for me to recover your qi sea. That girl is neither my friend nor my relative. Additionally, she and her family don’t have the ability to let me help her. Therefore, she’s not even qualified to go up the hill. I couldn’t break my rule for a person who’s nothing to do with me. There’re so many people who’re suffering from cancer in Motian Realm. If I spend time on saving her, how would I explain it if the others requested me to do the same time…”

Zhang Tie didn’t refute Bian Heng as he understood him. It was already a big achievement for him to know that the girl could still be cured. As for whether Bian Heng could save her, it depended on Tang Mei’s fate. As Zhang Tie was not Bian Heng; nor was he Tang Mei’s friend or relative, he had already done as much as he could given that he got a hitchhike from her carriage.

“You’re right, senior, nobody’s life is more important than that of others. However, it would take you time and resources to cure her. It depends on her fate…” Zhang Tie said with a sigh.

…

The third medical treatment went smooth too. After a few hours, Bian Heng drew out those needles. Being scorching all over, Zhang Tie jumped out of Tideviewing Courtyard once again as he rushed into the ocean as fast as he could so as to lower his body temperature.

After entering the ocean, Zhang Tie came all the way to that secret cave at the bottom of the ocean where he continued to wrap himself with the super cold icy fluid. Not until the next morning when his body heat completely dissipated did Zhang Tie leisurely wake up.

It was already July 1st, when he could access to Castle of Blak Iron again…

The cave at the bottom of the ocean was pretty secret. Zhang Tie didn’t return to Tideviewing Courtyard immediately; instead, he continued to stay in the cave and took out a crystal plate from the cave in order to contact Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace.

Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace was still cleaning up remains of Xia Yangming and Shi Zhongyu recently. All the others remained normal. However, Zhang Tie received a message——during these days when Zhang Tie was in Tigerback Mountain, Woods Medium-sized Domain was not peaceful. Dark Emperor Immortal Palace’s force directly disappeared in Woods Medium-sized Domain. None of those remains of Si Clan who were wanted by Force Emperor Immortal Palace and Star Emperor Immortal Palace were caught; instead, the relationship between the people assigned by the two emperor-level immortal palaces to Woods Medium-sized Domain and Heavenly Sunshine Immortal Palace became intense. After Si Clan was destroyed, Woods Medium-sized Domain became a cake. In the name of victims, Force Emperor Immortal Palace and Star Emperor Immortal Palace were holding high the banner of cleaning up Dark Emperor Immortal Palace and annexing regions in Woods Medium-sized Domain. As a result, Heavenly Sunshine Immortal Palace which had long treated Woods Medium-sized Domain as its own region started to show its dissatisfaction…

…

After knowing all these, Zhang Tie only told those elders to continue to protect Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace.

The swirl of Dark Emperor Immortal Palace was involved with Versatile Demon Emperor. Therefore, Zhang Tie himself couldn’t solve it. As a human and the incumbent Dragon Emperor, Zhang Tie felt that he had exerted his utmost efforts. He almost lost his life for that. The trauma caused by Versatile Demon Emperor had not recovered yet. If the human forces in Motian Realm continued to fight Dark Emperor Immortal Palace, the ones in the frontier should not be a wind immortal general like him but top powers like Star Emperor, Force Emperor and those powerful immortal palaces. Even emperors were not worried about that, not to mention him. Additionally, Versatile Demon Emperor might be waiting for him.

Therefore, the preoccupation for Zhang Tie was to recover his battle force. He only needed to watch the show aside.

After finishing contacting Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace, Zhang Tie heard his belly rumbling which sounded like a protest. Therefore, he immediately entered Castle of Black Iron where he prepared to have a big meal before taking fruits.

Soon after entering Castle of Black Iron and appearing in the lobby of the palace tree had he shouted, “Heller, hurry, prepare some food for me. I’m almost starved to death. The food and drinks on Tigerback Mountain could never match ours…”

“Castle Lord, welcome back. I’ve already had Edward prepare well the food and drinks for you…” Heller watched Zhang Tie with a smile as he replied.

After hearing Heller’s response, Zhang Tie almost drooled. He directly passed by Heller and walked towards the canteen, saying, “You’re so considerate…”

Normally, Heller would definitely follow Zhang Tie all the way to the canteen. However, he didn’t move at this moment; instead, he still stood under the small tree as he suddenly warned Zhang Tie, “Castle Lord, don’t you want to take a look at the new fruit on the small tree?”

“I will check them after having a meal. After all, they couldn’t run away themselves!” Zhang Tie shouted without even turning around.

Heller became silent with a smile. After taking a look at the small tree, he followed Zhang Tie into the canteen.

These days, whenever Bian Heng finished his medical treatment and the heat in his body dissipated, Zhang Tie would find that he was starved and could eat many times more food than usual. Therefore, Zhang Tie started to enjoy food and drinks in the canteen the moment he entered Castle of Black Iron.

…

“Castle Lord, it turns out that your mentality has already reached a new height. Congratulations!”

Heller said after a few minutes when Zhang Tie’s mouth was full of delicious food.

Zhang Tie turned around as he watched Heller with confusion. He didn’t know why Heller said that. After swallowing his food forcefully, Zhang Tie looked at the food over the table, then his hands, before mumbling, ‘Heller’s flattery sounds too weird. I was just eating food here, ignoring my image, is there anything to do with my mentality? Is that an irony?’

“Ah, err… I’m too hungry. Therefore, I don’t pay special attention to table manners. Sorry about that…” Zhang Tie uttered a bitter smile as he took the napkins, knife and fork and started to chew carefully and swallow slowly.

Heller revealed a smile as he explained, “Castle Lord, you must have misunderstood me. I was just shocked by a wholly new fruit on the small tree. After entering Castle of Black Iron, Castle Lord directly ignored it and kept eating food here calmly, I really admire you about stable mentality!”

“Pufff…” Zhang Tie spurted out the sweet juice of mutated peach as he coughed and cleaned his mouth corners by napkins. Then he watched Heller with a great shock, asking, “What, you mean there’s a wholly new fruit on the small tree…”

“Yes, Castle Lord, I thought you would have a lot of questions after catching sight of the new fruit…”

“Are you kidding me?”

“Of course not, Castle Lord…” Heller replied solemnly as he shook his head.

When he recalled how Heller waited for him under the small tree, Zhang Tie instantly disappeared. Almost at the same time, he reappeared under the small tree…

Watching the wholly new fruits behind some leaves, Zhang Tie’s mouth became agape…

There were 3 new fruits, all of which were hiding behind the dense tree leaves. If not be careful, he could never discover them.

They were three heavy black fruits…