Castle of Black Iron

“Thus, departure feels different in different situations. Tall, handsome horse matches silver-inlaid saddle; red vehicle matches colorfully-painted wheels; I built a tent outside the gate of capital and bade farewell to my old friends in Golden Valley Park. Strings of harp, flute and drums produce music; sad songs of Yan State and Zhao State make beauties weep; pearls and jades are brilliant in the late autumn; silks and brocades are fascinating in the early spring. Being shocked by the song, horses raise their heads and chew; fish jumps out of the deep water. When in departure, with tears in eyes, I feel lonely and gloomy.”

Zhang Tie used his sword with all heart as he combined his spirit with the sword. As a result, his state of mind had entered an impervious bizarre realm. Although being besieged by three earth demon knights in the 3-in-1 formation, Zhang Tie’s sword light kept flashing around like as free as a lotus flower in the mud. In his song, his sword moved like flying dragons and galloping horses in the abyss. His sword light presented warm spring or dismal autumn from time to time. His sword sound carried the music of zither, yuqing, vertical bamboo flute and drum. His sword intention held tears and sadness. Flashing around, the sword light was as dazzling as that in a dream. Although being in the army of 10,000 demon knights, he felt pretty lonely as he was just accompanied by the starry sky…

Under such marvelous battle skills and sword light, the 3-in-1 battle formation of earth demons was soon about to collapse as if a rotten net bounded a dragon after Zhang Tie’s one line of lyrics.

However, the 3-in-1 battle formation of earth demon knights didn’t collapse; instead, it grew firmer. After rushing into the army of demon knights, Zhang Tie was immediately besieged by 6 more earth demon knights and 9 more black iron demon knights. The 6 earth demon knights formed 2 more 3-in-1 battle formation and integrated with the first 3-in-1 battle formation of earth demon knights. The 9 black iron demon knights formed three 3-in-1 battle formations, which further integrated into one unity. Finally, the 9 earth demon knights and the 9 black iron demon knights trapped Zhang Tie like two powerful shackles and two rotating huge mills…

Such a battle formation was more like against a shadow knight than an earth knight.

Facing such a battle formation, even steel and gold would be shattered…

At the sight of this scene, many people above Xuanyuan Fortress felt heart-wrenching as they sighed inside, ‘What a pity! Qianji Hermit has an amazing talent; however, he made a mistake of despising the enemy in such a large-scale battle formation. From ancient times to now, many valiant knights and powerhouses had made a mistake of despising the enemy and were finally killed by the opponent…

Even though an earth knight was powerful enough, how could he resist the battle formation composed of 10 times more enemies?

Watching Zhang Tie to be in a dilemma, Bai Suxian was going to give him a hand; however, Bai Runcheng stopped her by griping her wrist.

“Second uncle…” Bai Suxian turned around as she watched Bai Runcheng with tears rolling down her eyes out of fury. All the other valiant knights from Lord Guangnan’s Mansion were also ready for saving Zhang Tie as they looked at Bai Runcheng. As long as Bai Runcheng nodded, all of them would set off to do that.

Bai Runcheng kept his eyes close on Zhang Tie who had been tightly besieged by the demon’s battle formation. He shook his head resolutely as he stopped his subordinates and Bai Suxian, “Hold on…”

Bai Suxian was stopped by Bai Runcheng; however, a scarlet figure flew out of the tens of thousands of knights directly towards the place where Zhang Tie fought those demons…

That was Guo Hongyi.

Feng Cangwu had already reached 9 change realm of a black iron knight and would promote to an earth knight soon. With the silver secret item weapon gifted by Zhang Tie in hand, Feng Cangwu’s battle strength definitely ranked top among black iron knights.

At this moment, Feng Cangwu had just killed a black iron demon knight. After noticing that Zhang Tie was in a dilemma, he instantly rushed towards Zhang Tie. However, an iron-armored demon knight had stopped Feng Cangwu by slashing towards his head by a guillotine-shaped weapon…

Standing above Xuanyuan Fortress, Zuoqiu Mingyue watched Zhang Tie who was being besieged with a calm look. However, when he saw someone flying out of the large formation regardless of his order, Zuoqiu Mingyue slightly frowned…

“Who’s that female knight?”

“She’s Guo Hongyi from Youzhou Province!” A subordinate knight on one side of Zuoqiu Mingyue threw a glance at her before answering. After a few seconds, he added in low voice, “Her master is Yan Feiqing…”

After hearing that, Zuoqiu Mingyue frowned more deeply. A few days ago, Yan Feiqing suddenly promoted to a heavenly knight and defeated Zhu Qianqian, one of the 4 elders of Taiyi Fantasy Sect easily. From then on, Fantasy Women Palace of Cloudydream Mountain was renowned across the country once again and almost became the No.1 female sect in Taixia Country. Even Zuoqiu Mingyue was afraid of such a woman who was self-centered, bilious and didn’t respect men. It was one reason that Zuoqiu Mingyue frowned. As for the other reason, Zuoqiu Mingyue didn’t know when did Zhang Tie get acquainted with the disciple of Fantasy Women Palace. ‘Zhang Tie is too dauntless. But I’ve not seen him get acquainted with a disciple of Fantasy Women Palace since he came to the theater of operations. Is it only the one-sided wish of the disciple of Fantasy Women Palace…’

“There are swordsmen who feel ashamed for not appreciating their masters and young righteous men who targeted their masters, such as Nie Zheng who assassinated Xia Lei, the prime minister of Han State; Yu Rang who intended to assassinate Zhao Xiangzi in the toilet of the imperial palace; Zhuan Zhu who assassinated the emperor of Wu State; Jing Ke who assassinated the first emperor of Qin Dynasty. All of them abandoned the warmth of their mother and wife. They left their homeland and bade farewell to their family members. Before leaving, they wiped off their tears and blood and gazed at each other. After riding on the battle horse, they didn’t look back anymore, leaving dust on the way. They paid gratitude to their masters at the cost of their own lives. When bells rang, cowards turned faces while their parents and wives wailed to death.”

Being besieged by the 18 demon knights, Zhang Tie didn’t know that Guo Hongyi was heading for him. At this moment, Zhang Tie was immersed in a bizarre realm while his sword light was changing alongside his song…

In Zhang Tie’s eyes, over 10,000 demon knights were nothing with the huge sword. It seemed that the whole world centered on him and his sword. He danced and sang in the air while the sword paid him with the wuthering wind. His shadow flashed along with his sword, drawing flowers in the sky.

In the song, he felt like marching forward with his sword on the back. He reached the greatest depth of Liaoshui River and ascended to the peak of Yanshan Mountain to visit clouds. He saw the sun rising and spreading its brilliance over all the living beings; he saw rain and dew falling and rising. He felt like traveling across the world and sensing the feeling of departure, laughter, sadness, crankiness, affection, hatred with his sword at the same time…

‘Although people are affectionate, they are always hurt by mercilessness!’

‘Although sword is not affectionate, it is always accompanied by affectionate people!’

‘Who’s leaving? Who’s hurt? Who’s happy?’

‘Even though being far away, people who could share this feeling with me are still my partners and are still close to me in my heart…’

“Daoist who cultivates in the stony room of Huashan Mountain expects to be an immortal by taking medicinal pills. Although he’s already grasped profound skills, he’s still in cultivation. Although he’s reached the realm of “silence”, he’s not got the true feelings. He exerts his full efforts in making pills instead of caring about secular affairs. He even wants to ride a yellow crane or a phoenix to go straight to the heavens. He hopes to travel 10,000 miles a day in the heavens. A small period in the heavens is equal to 1,000 years in the secular world. Only ordinary people values departure. Although being an immortal being, he still feels reluctant to bid farewell to the secular world…”

In the song, a sword light rushed into the sky accompanied by a rising cauldron, a dancing phoenix and a crane as if it was a dreamland…

At the same time, all the swords of humans and demons within 6,000 miles vibrated, causing a sound which was as loud as thunder. All the longswords felt like freeing themselves and flying towards the place where the sword light rose.

Ordinary longswords only trembled and roared. By contrast, those silver secret longswords would like to slip the leash of their owner and fly towards the place where Zhang Tie was manifesting their virtual images…

Sagus the Monarch sitting on the throne of human skulls immediately sprung up as it kept its eyes close on that place where the sword light rose.

“Sword singer. He’s a sword singer. I’ve not imagined that I could witness a sword singer on the battlefield in my life…” Zuoqiu Mingyue sighed with emotions as his eyes gave out golden light, “From today on, green lotus would not be alone in Taixia Country, the God blesses our country…”

The 2 battle formations which were akin to two huge “shackles” mills and were composed of 9 earth demon knights and 9 black iron demon knights were shattered and diffused by the overwhelming sword light in a split second…

“Kill him…” Sagus issued an order while gritting his teeth and watching the sword light crossing the entire battlefield of knights.

Zhang Tie was immersed in the wholly new realm. He felt the whole world had changed. Each action of those grim demon knights looked so stupid, hilarious and full of loopholes; especially those who used sword whose movements were really coarse…

The Devouring Dragon was not Zhang Tie’s hand anymore; instead, it manifested its virtual image of a silver sturdy dragon, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws. It could almost shatter everything. It was not the ability of divine dominator; instead, it was the manifestation of qi and fortunes and the most powerful, spiritual swordsmanship. Zhang Tie didn’t hold the Devouring Dragon; however, his sword light spurted out of his limbs, joints, waist, back and hair ends in an overwhelming manner.

Many abnormal phenomena appeared in his sword light and song, making it more shocking.

“There’s a secular love poem called peony and   a love song called  beauty . Sentimental maids in Sangzhong city, Wei State; beautiful Chun’e in Shanggong, Chen State. Spring grasses are verdant. Ripples are on spring water. How sad and sentimental it is to see you off to Nanpu city! Frost and dew in deep autumn are like pearls; bright moons in autumn nights are like jades. Clear and bright moonlight; pearl-like frost and dew; time went and came. After departing with you, I miss you so much.”

Therefore, although it’s uncertain that someone would leave due to different reasons, departure would definitely lead to whines. Whines would lead to loss of mind and great mental and spiritual trauma and shock. Despite the excellent proses of Wang Bao and Yang Xiong, the narrations of Yan An and Xu Le, those talents before Golden Horse Gate, those literatus in Central Archives Center whose proses were as imposing as that of Sima Xiangru and essays as delicate as that of Zou Shi, who else could describe the scene and feeling of departure?

One step for one line of the lyric; one line of the lyric for one movement; one movement for one life. After moving 28 steps in the air, Zhang Tie launched his strike 28 times. As a result, 4 earth demon knights and 24 black iron demon knights were killed and turned into ashes by Zhang Tie’s sword light…

What a chivalrous hero!

After the word “departure”, Zhang Tie found that he had already penetrated through the army of 10,000 demon knights and appeared on their back…