Castle of Black Iron

Zhang Tie’s words did not only affect the group of guiding miners led by Potter but everyone else as well. At this moment, even if Zhang Tie told them that everything that was set up by him has been a lie, most likely, none of them would believe him. They could not imagine Zhang Tie fabricating this whole ordeal so perfectly. If he could fabricate things this well, then Zhang Tie was definitely a genius!

Zhang Tie also suddenly realized that he truly had the talent to be a damn clergyman, as he almost believed in his own fabrications.

At this moment, Wood, whose face had turned red from excitement, took in a deep breath before stepping out as the first person who would sacrifice his chance to see the Big Blessing Skill.

“I am willing to sacrifice my chance!”

Another person then walked out from the crowd...

“I am willing to sacrifice my chance!”

Followed by a third person...

“I am willing to sacrifice my chance!”

And a fourth...

“I am willing to sacrifice my chance!”

Seeing the four faces that had the same serious expression as the one previously seen on Potter’s face, Zhang Tie immediately thought back to Donder’s comment on young people—simple, naive, blood-boiled, and impulsive.

Seeing himself in these guys, Zhang Tie felt that he was obliged to see this performance through the end no matter what happens.

“All sacrifices have the most profound blessing and are the sturdiest of guardians. Those who sacrifice their own opportunity will be our guardians and the key to this holy gate. You are truly brave men. With your selflessness, you have shown your own worth as well as allowing the dreams of your brothers to come true!” Hearing Zhang Tie’s praise, everybody else extended their gratitude to the group of four headed by Wood with complex expressions. Zhang Tie was also solemnly looking at the four people. “Before you become the strongest guardians, please loudly speak out your names in front of your brothers so that your brothers will remember all you have done for them!”

“I, Haren Wood...” Wood moved one step forward with his chest raised as he loudly said out his full name.

“I, Jack Jones...” the second person also raised his chest and his chin as he loudly spoke.

“I, Nadili Gandhi...” the third person raised his chest and his chin as he shouted.

“I, son of a common gardener in Blackhot City, Francis Franca!” The fourth person’s introduction was a bit special, winning him a couple of glances from Zhang Tie.

“Ah you brave men who have willingly sacrificed yourself, for you to sacrifice yourselves for the sake of your brothers, this is the most righteous of deeds...” Zhang Tie continued to hum the aria of the church choir, “Your names will forever be engraved upon the holy arched door. When you treat your brothers as extensions of yourself, you will have already arrived at the level of true knowledge. Although time will stop, the seas will dry up, and the mountains will collapse, your name will never fade away. The sacrifices you have made for your brothers will bring you immortality. One day, when we all gather in the holy land of immortals, everything that you have done for your brothers will return to you. Your brothers will never leave you alone. You should know that the light is in your body, and everything that you have created will stay with you, just like how are one with holiness.”

Hearing Zhang Tie’s aria, which was even more shocking than what the clergymen say, Wood, Jones, Gandhi, and Franca felt as if they were filled with a sense of sacredness. In response, they were all moved to the point where their eyes were turning red and the sides of their nose were expanding and shrinking. Finally, they could not help but burst out into tears. The four people felt as if their souls had ascended, and everything else they had done for the others was worth it.

Seeing them crying again, Zhang Tie could only inwardly sigh at the prowess of words!

“Wood, Jones, Gandhi, and Franca, as the guardians for this holy inheritance ceremony, please loudly tell everybody that before you fall, you will not let anyone else disturb our upcoming holy inheritance ceremony,” Zhang Tie told the four. By then, Zhang Tie felt that he could already control the way these people thought, which was also what all those liars and motherf*cking lecherous clergymen liked and pursued.

“We promise! Before we fall, nobody else is allowed to enter the cave!” After sniffing in their mucus, they raised their fist and glued it to their chest before proudly and loudly swore.

Zhang Tie turned around and glanced over the other animals with an unprecedented solemn look, intending to frighten them again. “Before the sturdiest of guardians, who have sacrificed their own opportunity to see the Big Blessing Skill, stand at the entrance, you will have one last chance to leave. Once the ceremony begins and after you swear on the oath and obtain the mysterious knowledge of the Big Blessing Skill, you will be obliged to take responsibility for this mysterious knowledge. If you cannot do that, then you may have to pay the price with your life. Try to think about it again. Are you ready to obtain the mysterious knowledge?”

Everyone firmed their gazes and shook their head. Nobody left. At this moment, even if Zhang Tie used a stick to drive them away, they wouldn’t leave.

“Since everyone has decided, then… Wood, Jones, Gandhi, Franca, the cave is in your hands now. When we begin the inheritance ceremony of the Big Blessing Skill, please keep out anyone who want to pass the entrance!” Zhang Tie told the four guys.

Hearing Zhang Tie’s instructions, they bowed in front of Zhang Tie. Afterwards, each of them held a torch and pulled out their short sword or dagger from their waists. They stood in a row facing the entrance with a resolute expression on their face, completely blocking the entrance.

“As for the others, follow me...” Holding onto his torch, Zhang Tie walked towards a dark place in the mining field as everyone else silently followed him.

After walking in this mining field for a bit less than three minutes, Zhang Tie had led all the others to a relatively hidden yet spacious area.

“Everyone, find a place to put your torch and then stand in front of me!” Zhang Tie instructed. Hearing Zhang Tie’s instruction, all the animals hurriedly found a place to put their torches. Since there were many rocks in the mining cave, they could either insert their torches into the walls or have them stand up by using the ground and the support of two rocks. After a few minutes when they had all put down their torches, they all came back in front of Zhang Tie.

Under the illumination of the surrounding torch light, in such a dark underground space, the expression of longing and seriousness on the faces of these animals looked more real than before. After experiencing the two incidents with Potter and Wood, everybody had been filled with a sacred feeling. At this moment, Zhang Tie’s figure looked rather big and holy in the eyes of the other animals., especially Potter and the other miners, who had guided the other guys. Their eyes were already filled with true worship and admiration that was not restrained in the least. As long as Zhang Tie glanced over at them, Zhang Tie would feel his face hot. Zhang Tie then tried his best not to glance over them again. However, Zhang Tie’s attitude at this moment made many people think that he was unconventional and mysterious.

When the barbarian lifestyle in mining cave proceeded to this moment, Zhang Tie started to feel that everything had gone smoothly.

“The Big Blessing Skill could be dated back to the far ancient age of 5000 years before the Catastrophe. It is a top mysterious knowledge within Chinese clan, and the lengths of which I had to go through to get this Big Blessing Skill was extraordinary. As the person who will now pass this mysterious knowledge onto you, from now on, you can call me the Enlightener. Only the Enlightener is qualified to complete the inheritance of the Big Blessing Skill...” After naming Potter and the other torch holders as “fire-bearer” and Wood and the other miners as “sacrifices”, in order to make this game and ceremony more holy and more mysterious like he had implied to them, Zhang Tie thought that he should also give himself a title. As the old Chinese saying goes, “If you don’t have an official title, you would not be accepted by the public.” Therefore, Zhang Tie decided to make a title for himself. With this title, his words would have more weight. After thinking for a while, Zhang Tie finally decided on the title “Enlightener” for himself.

Hearing Zhang Tie’s introduction, all the other animals were shocked. None of them could have imagined that the Big Blessing Skill had such a great background, and even Zhang Tie’s title, “Enlightener”, also made many people feel respect.

“Now, please take out the daggers at your waists and cut your fingers before dripping your fresh blood into the stone pit in front of me to mix your blood with that of your brothers. This is the holy symbol of the beginning of the inheritance ceremony. When your blood has mixed with that of your brothers, it symbolizes that from then on, you will not feel alone even after vicissitudes and you will not depart from your brothers as the fresh blood in your blood vessels will be the one and the same!” After saying that, Zhang Tie took out his own dagger, and gritting his teeth, he devoutly made a small cut on his left index finger before dripping a bit of blood into that stone pit.

A dagger was a necessity for all the students attending the survival training used to protect themselves. Seeing Zhang Tie doing that, all the other animals became excited. After seeing Zhang Tie’s demonstration, nobody hesitated as they all pulled out their daggers and made a cut on their fingers. Seeing how fiercely those animals cut their fingers, even Zhang Tie frowned. ‘Motherf*ckers, you’d better not cut off your finger and give me trouble in the future.’ All the animals then silently cut their fingers before standing in line in front of Zhang Tie to drip their blood into that stone pit by squeezing the finger with the cut.

“When you prepare to mix your fresh blood with that of your brothers, please let go of your soul. The fresh blood that you have dropped is you. At this critical, holy moment, when you stay together with your brothers, please let go of your hypocritical moods. You don’t need to feel the need to be humble, as you are incomparable majestic in the eyes of your brothers. You don’t have to pursue perfections, as all your brothers are your perfections. Just like a drop of water when converging into the ocean, it will never feel humble. Just like a drop of water when converging into the ocean, it will become perfect by having the true strength and finding its true identity. Your brothers will lift you up. Their strength is your strength, and their existence is your existence. From then on, we will be in unity and will never feel alone in this dangerous age...”

Hearing Zhang Tie’s words, all the animals burst out into tears...