Castle of Black Iron

After coming to the end of the crystal tunnel, Zhang Tie instantly entered the light film. Closely after that, he appeared in the center of a colossal space.

This space was surrounded by crystals. When Zhang Tie entered it, the runes in those crystals started to flow at an increasingly higher speed. Gradually, those runes turned into streaks of light and covered the entire space with a thick light cocoon. Closely after that, a brilliant Milky Way appeared above Zhang Tie’s head.

Meanwhile, many lines of words appeared in front of Zhang Tie.

——Tower of time starts. The space-time torsion force is equal to the standard difference between rotation time and revolution time of this planet; namely, one year in this space is equal to one day outside.

——After 1/3 period of lunar phase change, namely 5 days outside or 5 years in this space, the space-time torsion force would return to zero. By then, the tower of time will enter the silent energy storage period again.

——During this period, the essential vigor inside this space will meet all the essential necessities for the entrant and prevent the entrant’s cells from aging or degeneration.

——If you want to leave here in advance, you could rotate the time ball on the ground in an anti-clockwise manner.

——After 20 standard years outside, the tower of time will restart.

Reading this message, Zhang Tie recalled the scene when he entered the tower of time for the first time.

After coming to the front of the time ball of this tower of time, Zhang Tie injected some spiritual energy into it; then, he saw the same sentence.

——Ants gather up for survival; powerful ones are accompanied by loneliness and the starry sky.

“Hahahaha…” After being silent for a few seconds, Zhang Tie burst out laughing inside the tower of time.

If the tower of time was built by engineers, this tower of time and that one which he entered for the first time must share the same builder; because the two time balls shared the same “autograph”.

Zhang Tie felt that a mysterious force was helping him enter the same kind of tower of time at the most critical moments.

When he stopped laughing, Zhang Tie sat in front of the time ball and started to improve his spiritual energy, legs crossed and eyes closed.

As for a powerhouse like Zhang Tie, 5 years in the tower of time was just a short period of time which would soon elapse through secluded cultivation.

He could use the first three years to fix his “frail” state. As for the following two years, he could start to form his immortal chakra…

…

On the same evening, an airboat arrived at Embracing Tiger City, Yanghe Prefecture, Youzhou Province in the brilliant sunset glow. It slowly landed at Embracing Tiger City.

Lan Yunxi, the owner of Huaiyuan Palace, Zhang Muray and Zhang Muyu were welcoming the special guest at the airport.

Time was merciful to knights; especially female knights. Over 20 years didn’t leave any trace on Lan Yunxi’s face. It was just like 3 years for her. Lan Yunxi remained as same as before. However, her personality became much more profound and distant. Those deacons and disciples of Huaiyuan Palace in Embracing Tiger Mountain had not seen any expression which represented her mental activities for many years. Even casual eye contact with her would bring very great stress to them. Therefore, everyone behaved meticulously in front of her.

In Huaiyuan Palace, Lan Yunxi became more and more majestic. Even those clan elders dared not offend this clan owner easily.

Today, Lan Yunxi looked more distant, arrogant and domineering in a black pleated skirt made of golden boa silk and a tall uighur bun. Her dignity as a clan owner was almost overwhelming.

Watching the airboat slowly descending, Lan Yunxi’s eyes stayed calm as if she was watching a white cloud floating by or a tree leaf falling off.

By contrast, Elder Muray and Elder Mu Yu on her side watched that airboat with a bit complex expression.

The others might not recognize that airboat; however, as elders of Huaiyuan Palace, they recognized it. Actually, they bore it deep in mind.

Because that airboat once belonged to Huaiyuan Palace. Precisely, it belonged to Elder Mushen. Elder Mushen won it from Taiyi Fantasy Sect through bet in the Earth-element Realm. Later on, Elder Mushen returned it to Taiyi Fantasy Sect for the sake of the overall situation and the fame of Taiyi Fantasy Sect. Although it had happened dozens of years ago, at the sight of this airboat, Elder Muray and Elder Muyu still clearly recalled how Elder Mushen returned to Youzhou Province by this airboat for the first time…

However, when the same airboat arrived at EmbracingTiger City, there was no Elder Mushen in Huaiyuan Palace anymore. Time flies. Everything had changed.

Not far from Lan Yunxi, Elder Muray and Elder Muyu, clan deacons and disciples of Huaiyuan Palace were waiting for the special guest with respect. By contrast, these clan deacons and disciples were watching the airboat with animosity.

The mark of Taiyi Fantasy Sect on the airboat was too easily identified. All the people in the mountain could see it clearly. However, in the hearts of many deacons and disciples of Huaiyuan Palace, Taiyi Fantasy Sect was their No. 2 enemy, closely after demons or in the same position with demons.

It was the black invitation cards of Taiyi Fantasy Sect and the other two sects which led to the death of Elder Mushen.

Although Huaiyuan Palace and Jinwu Palace sounded like two clans, their blood ties couldn’t be fully separated by their names. Over dozens of years, under the gaze of the new clan owner, although Huaiyuan Palace and Jinwu Palace didn’t communicate with each other superficially, their exchanges were actually unavoidable; especially between those at the bottom.

Over dozens of years, Jinwu Palace made a lot of progress and had become a top clan in Taixia Country. Meanwhile, Jinwu Palace took care of Huaiyuan Palace very much on many aspects including the provision of fiery oil and all-purpose medicament. Those businesses and benefits that the other clans could get from Jinwu Palace would also be acquired by Huaiyuan Palace. The latter even enjoyed more. Without Jinwu Palace’s concern, all these were impossible.

When disciples of Huaiyuan Palace left Youzhou Province to handle affairs, they would usually receive the concern of Jinwu Palace. Even though they didn’t mention Jinwu Palace, those who knew Huaiyuan Palace would also regard it with special respect given the contribution of Elder Mushen. In the territory of Youzhou Province, even the entire Northeast Military Region, nobody dared do harm to disciples of Huaiyuan Palace. Although clan owner and top powers of Huaiyuan Palace might not feel these deeply, deacons and disciples who were on the middle-and-low class of the clan had deep feelings about them.

Although Elder Mushen had already died at Yinhai Desert for more than two decades, those old men in Huaiyuan Palace were still educating those juniors in their clan with the heroic deeds of Elder Mushen and always recalled the prosperity of Huaiyuan Palace when Elder Mushen was alive. After hearing too many stories about Zhang Tie, many young disciples in Huaiyuan Palace hated Taiyi Fantasy Sect, Heavens Holding Pavilion and Qionglou Pavilion very much.

Watching the airboat of Taiyi Fantasy Sect slowly descending, many deacons and disciples of Huaiyuan Palace had a big question.

They had not seen any airboat of Taiyi Fantasy Sect, Heavens Holding Pavilion and Qionglou Pavilion entering Youzhou Province for over two decades after the battle at Yinhai Desert on the 907th year of Black Iron Calendar. The entire Youzhou Province almost became the forbidden area of the three major sects. Not only airboats, but even the disciples of the three major sects also dared not appear in the forbidden area. Not knowing why, the airboat of Taiyi Fantasy Sect suddenly arrived at Youzhou Province today. What was more, the airboat was once used by Elder Mushen. It was of great significance from all perspectives. Which people in Taiyi Fantasy Sect dared behave such presumptuously in Youzhou Province…

When the airboat landed and the hatch door was going to open, Lan Yunxi glanced around her deacons and disciples, causing them who were watching the airboat with animosity to lower their eyes.

At this moment, the hatch door opened outward as a staircase reached the ground. Feng Yexiao, the grand elder of Taiyi Fantasy Sect then walked out of the airboat.

Over two decades, Feng Yexiao looked a bit thinner; his hair became silver; some more wrinkles appeared on his forehead and cheeks. He looked sharper than before.

“My respect to you, Elder Feng.” Lan Yunxi bowed towards Feng Yexiao as a disciple of Taiyi Fantasy Sect!

“Nice to see you, Elder Feng!” Elder Muray and Elder Muyu greeted Feng Yexiao calmly. Although being a shadow knight, Feng Yexiao couldn’t cause the elders of Huaiyuan Palace to succumb to him.

“Hahaha, I’ve not been in a remote place like Youzhou Province for over two decades. Embracing Tiger City looks much more prosperous than before.” Feng Yexiao opened his mouth with a fake smile. After hearing his words, Elder Muray’s and Elder Muyu’s face became temporarily frozen.

Of course, the two people knew that Feng Yexiao came to Youzhou Province to send a black invitation card to Jinwu Palace over two decades ago. Elder Mushen also died because of it.

“I’ve already prepared some drinks for you, Elder Feng, please…” Lan Yunxi invited Feng Yexiao with the same calm look as if she had not heard Feng Yexiao’s words.

“No need. I’m not here for a drink. I’ve got something to negotiate with you!” Feng Yexiao said as his face turned solemn. Meanwhile, he waved his hand and talked to Lan Yunxi in a domineering way, “Let’s talk somewhere privately!”

“Well. Now that Elder Feng has something to negotiate with me, let’s talk about it in the Shrine Palace of Huaiyuan Palace!” Lan Yunxi directly turned around and walked towards the Shrine Palace of Huaiyuan Palace with Feng Yexiao.

When he came to the entrance of the Shrine Palace, Feng Yexiao took a glance at Elder Muray and Elder Muyu before talking to Lan Yunxi, “As the affair is only about you, I think the others don’t have to follow us in…”

After hearing Feng Yexiao’s words, Elder Muray’s face instantly turned red in fury as he stared at Feng Yexiao and wanted to lose his temper. However, he was stopped by Elder Muyu.

“I’m a disciple of Taiyi Fantasy Sect, also the owner of Huaiyuan Palace. All that I could know about Taiyi Fantasy Sect and Huaiyuan Palace should also be known by the two elders…” Lan Yunxi said calmly.

“Whatever.” Feng Yexiao replied with a sneer and he swung his sleeves and entered the Shrine Palace ahead of Lan Yunxi which looked such rude.

After sitting well in the Shrine Palace according to etiquette, Lan Yunxi asked a deacon to serve them tea. After unveiling the lid of the teacup, Feng Yexiao didn’t drink it; instead, he directly covered it with a clear sound ‘pah’ as if he disliked the tea leaves or the tea water. He even shook his head and said, “It seems that Huaiyuan Palace is really going to decline. Everyone knows that top-quality bloody spirit tea in Youzhou Province is the best tea in Taixia Country. Doesn’t Huaiyuan Palace prepare some for your guest?”

“Top-quality bloody spirit tea is a specialty in Iron Dragon Sect. Its yield is very less annually. Additionally, few of them flow outside. Neither is there any stockpile in Huaiyuan Palace!” Lan Yunxi took her teacup and had a sip before saying calmly.

“Really? But Huaiyuan Palace also has a lot of all-purpose medicament and fiery oil which are the specialties of Jinwu Palace…” Feng Yexiao continued ironically as he gazed at Lan Yunxi with a smirk.

“Fiery oil and all-purpose medicament are available across the world. Not only Taixia Country, but even the other continents and sub-continents also have them; so does Taiyi Fantasy Sect. It’s the normal commercial intercourse between Huaiyuan Palace and Jinwu Palace. My subordinate is in charge of it. I rarely care about it. If Elder Feng is interested in it, I could call my subordinate here. Elder Feng could ask about him…”

Of course, the grand elder of Taiyi Fantasy Sect, also a shadow knight with 6 changes would not like to discuss this trifle with a subordinate of Huaiyuan Palace for the sake of his fame. Although Lan Yunxi’s words sounded respectful, it instantly caused Feng Yexiao to become mute. He could only reply with a cold harrumph, “I’m actually not here to negotiate with you; strictly, I’m here to notify you!”

“Please go ahead.”

“Since the third prince was assassinated, you’re still unmarried. The owner of our sect has found a good husband for you!”

“I wonder who’s the good husband that Taiyi Fantasy Sect has found for our clan owner!” Elder Muyu asked Feng Yexiao with a poker face.

“Xuanyuan Lie, the ninth prince of Emperor Xuanyuan!”

“Doesn’t Xuanyuan Lie already have a wife? How could our clan owner marry him?” Elder Muyu continued.

“Of course, she’s not going to be his wife; but Xuanyuan Lie’s concubine…” Feng Yexiao smirked as he took a disdainful look at Elder Muyu.

Elder Muyu and Elder Muray instantly changed their faces as they sprung up and released their fierce battle qi…