Castle of Black Iron

"An unknown member?" Zhang Taixuan revealed a sneer as he looked at Zhang Tie with jealousy, saying, "In Blackhot City, you were indeed an unknown fighter; however, who could become a knight in 1-2 years? The unknown member was an idiot before age 16. After 16, he lit his surging points as easily as drinking water? Do you remember the inscription that you left on the stele at the sea bed where you collected navyblue iron ores? Do you know how much hardships had I experienced and how many resources have Huaiyuan Palace spent on me before I reached there at 17? How could you break my record at 16? You always feel that you're an unknown person, even now. That's the common sickness of people from grassroots like you. You don't know your own value; however, it doesn't mean that the others are blind. If you were me, wouldn't you pay attention to such a talent who suddenly appeared in the clan? As I kept an eye on you, of course, Ma Aiyun was under my control..."

"So you were already preparing for screwing me at that time?"

"I've told you that every one of Huaiyuan Palace should be preparing for sacrificing himself or herself for the clan. As the head of Huaiyuan Palace, of course, I'm entitled to decide whom to sacrifice. If anyone disagreed with me, I could make him agree with me. It's just a political trick!"

"Where's my kid? Where did you hide him?"

After hearing this question, Zhang Taixuan became silent for a second as he replied, "I have no idea!"

Zhang Taixuan's words infuriated Zhang Tie at once as he gave vent to it like a volcanic eruption.

With a sound "bang...", Zhang Tie broke the table between them by a punch as he sent Zhang Taixuan flying backward in the air. Spurting out a mouthful of blood in the air, Zhang Taixuan didn't stop until rolling over 30 m away. Zhang Tie had already come to Zhang Taixuan's side as he caught the latter's clothes, lifting him up. Gazing at Zhang Taixuan furiously, Zhang Tie roared with a horrible look, "You did the whole thing, yet you told me you have no idea?"

After saying that, Zhang Tie threw Zhang Taixuan onto the ground forcefully, breaking a lot of floor tiles in a split second.

Zhang Taixuan spurted blood again as many bones had been broken. He fleered, "I used the kid to control Ma Aiyun and you. Therefore, I dared not keep him in Huaiyuan City. These years, I had my subordinated dare-to-die fighters change a lot of places with him. He would only stay in each place for one or two years. He was in Flyingcloud City last time. I've not imagined that bloody figures could spread over the country after the turmoil in the emperor's imperial city. Flyingcloud City in Tongzhou Province also deteriorated into ruins by bloody figures. Too many people were killed. Even those dare-to-die fighters on his side had lost their contact with me. From then on, your kid had been missing. I've dispatched some batches of people to look for him in not only Tongzhou Province but also the other places of the country in vain. Actually, I don't know where he is either. I guess he's already been killed by bloody figures..."

Zhang Taixuan's words made Zhang Tie hopeless at once. As of now, both parties had come straight to the point. Zhang Tie knew that Zhang Taixuan wouldn't tell a lie on the whereabouts of a kid in this case because it was unnecessary. However, it was really a piece of shocking news.

Bloody figures had not been cleaned up completely until now. Due to the existence of bloody figures, so many people had died and been missing across the country. Zhang Tie had just lost Ma Aiyun a few days ago. Ma Aiyun's last wish was to find their kid; however, given the current situation, this request could barely be satisfied.

Looking up at the dome of the shrine palace, Zhang Tie couldn't refrain from his grief...

"I want that kid safe; however, it was out of my control. It was an accident. Nobody could control it. Like what I did this time, as long as I could get that immortal item, I didn't want so many people to die at all..."

With a cracking sound, a shiny long sword appeared in Zhang Tie's hand. Zhang Tie then pointed at Zhang Taixuan with the long sword as he said icily, "What you did was not for the sake of Huaiyuan Palace, but for the sake of your ambition and lust. The entire Huaiyuan Palace is your tool. When you need it, you could push everybody even Huaiyuan Palace as a whole into the fire pit without demur. Therefore, stop saying that you're doing that for the sake of Huaiyuan Palace. You're not qualified to do that. According to the Taixia Law, knights should be beheaded for killing people. According to the rules of Huaiyuan Palace, anyone of Huaiyuan Palace including clan head, elders and relatives who dare screw clan disciples and elders would be sliced into pieces. You deserve death according to both Taixia Law and the rule of Huaiyuan Palace. I will clean up the evil person for Huaiyuan Palace in front of the tablets of the forebears of Huaiyuan Palace, including Lord Huaiyuan today. What else do you want to urge..."

"Speaking of killing people, you've killed much more people than me!" Zhang Taixuan said as he burst out into laughter and almost dropped off his tears, adding, "The so-called life for a life is just a joke, especially for knights. Except for a couple of unfortunate guys who seek for death, few of knights were beheaded for killing people over almost 100 years. The so-called life for a life is just a fig leaf for Taixia Law. Each major clan has late guards, servants or maids being wronged. Aren't those guards, servants and maids people? But when do you see a major clan pay lives for late commoners? It's just some trivial person. I've just lost some dare-to-die fighters; Jinwu City just lost some guards; Hidden Dragon Palace just lost some ordinary female disciples. Was anyone of them surnamed Zhang? They're as trivial as grass!"

"In your eyes, commoners' lives are like grass? Those being screwed by you could only admit that they're unfortunate..." Zhang Tie asked as he recovered his composure.

"Isn't it? In the holy war, some commoners' lives are nothing serious. Tens of millions of people were killed for no reason at the bank of Weishui River. Weren't they commoners? On the battlefield, they're nothing different than a cattle or a sheep. If I succeed this time, I would become the king; if not, I would be the traitor. I would not say anything about my failure. Hahaha, but if you want to kill me with this excuse, you must be extremely hypocritical. You just want to fully rule Huaiyuan Palace. After my death, you would be the No. 1 person in Huaiyuan Palace. I know..."

In Zhang Taixuan's guffaw, Zhang Tie had already raised high his sword...

Right then, with a boom, the gate was broken from outside as Lan Yunxi showed up. Tears over face, she watched Zhang Tie who was holding high his long sword and his father lying on the ground.

Battle qi looming over her, Lan Yunxi was apparently an earth knight.

Zhang Tie and Zhang Taixuan had not imagined that Lan Yunxi could show up at this moment.

At the sight of Lan Yunxi, Zhang Tie and Zhang Taixuan had utterly different eye light. Besides shock and amazement, Zhang Tie's eyes were filled with grief. However, Zhang Taixuan's eyes contained hopeful glimmer.

"Yunxi..." Zhang Taixuan called.

"I've already heard...your words..." Lan Yunxi said as she shook his head. Instead of looking at Zhang Taixuan, she watched Zhang Tie with tears who was holding high his long sword. Her look was heart-wrenching, "I've just promoted to an earth knight in the tower of time. The moment I got out of there, I had heard about your event. Therefore, I hurriedly came over here to meet you. Unexpectedly...he's my father. No matter how wrong he is, he's my father, the very one who treasures me. Look at me, look into my eyes, please, for me, for us, please forgive him and forget about what happened...could you?"

Zhang Tie was in trance for a second because Lan Yunxi's look and eye light were completely as same as that he imagined when he discovered that the culprit was Zhang Taixuan——the same beautiful eyes full of tears and imploration which was heart-wrenching.

Zhang Tie threw a glance at Lan Yunxi as a drop of tear flowed off his eyes unconsciously.

Time appeared coming to a pause when Zhang Tie's tear dropped off his face.

Zhang Tie slashed his sword, causing Zhang Taixuan's blood flew over 10 m away, tinting the instep of Lord Huaiyuan's sculpture...

Zhang Taixuan's faint, glimmering hope froze at that moment. Zhang Tie's slash destroyed his last hope and verve. In the bloody light, Lan Yunxi's imploration turned into numerous pieces too.

"Papa..." Lan Yunxi saw Zhang Taixuan being killed by Zhang Tie. With a miserable roar, she instantly rushed forward to the front of Zhang Taixuan's bleeding body. Embracing the corpse, she burst out into tears. Zhang Tie just stood aside and watched her kneeling down and crying over there. At that moment, Zhang Tie felt losing all of his strength because of that slash.

"Go to hell..." Lan Yunxi turned around as she prodded towards Zhang Tie with a sword while gritting her teeth.

Facing her strike, Zhang Tie didn't hide; nor block it. He just watched her painful and hateful look calmly.

With a cracking sound, Lan Yunxi's long sword turned into pieces from 10 cm away from Zhang Tie.

At this moment, Yan Feiqing appeared on Zhang Tie's side. She stretched out her hand to break Lan Yunxi's long sword into pieces. After that, Yan Feiqing waved her hand, sending Lan Yunxi flying backward before falling on the ground beside Zhang Taixuan. However, she was not wounded.

After falling on the ground, Lan Yunxi hugged Zhang Taixuan's corpse as she burst into tears...

Watching Zhang Tie's distant look, Yan Feiqing dropped off her tears too. At this moment, she finally understood Zhang Tie's pain in his calm eyesight.

Besides killing Zhang Taixuan, Zhang Tie also killed himself, Lan Yunxi and the future of them. Zhang Tie turned himself into the enemy of his beloved woman because he killed her father...

That slash cut off the animosity and the affection!

Zhang Tie had long known the result; therefore, he felt pretty miserable.

Even so, he still slashed his sword...

"Let's go..." Yan Feiqing pulled Zhang Tie's hand. After throwing the last glance at Lan Yunxi, they disappeared in the shrine palace of Huaiyuan Palace, leaving Lan Yunxi's cries drifting across the shrine palace.

As for a woman, nothing was crueler than watching his father being killed by her beloved man...

...

When I remember you,

I should forget you,

When I miss you so much,

I lose the reminiscence,

I have to say bye,

Like the ocean losing its billows,

At the most turbulent moment,

Leaving earth-shaking loneliness!