Castle of Black Iron

Two days later, on March 3rd, the 3584th year of Emperor Nvwa Calendar of Motian Realm, in the main hall of the branch of Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace in Heavenly Square City...

Today, the entire branch of Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace looked pretty solemn. It had been furnished again all over. Soon after 9 am, deacons in black ceremonial robes and immortal soldiers in bright outfits had stood well in rows in the main hall. In the long horns that drifted across Heavenly Square City outside the main hall, Huang Baimei and Leng Manxue entered the main hall with those immortal generals who were ready to join Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace. The inaugural ceremony for immortal generals through the bloody pledge was going to be held here officially today.

7 people were following Huang Baimei and Leng Manxue, who were respectively Liu brothers, Jiang Ruoxin, Ji Yuelan and the three strangers that Zhang Tie saw in the dining hall a couple of days ago. Each of the seven people was in a uniformed long robe and looked pretty serious and decent. They slowly followed the head and the general deacon towards the general altar under the statue of Dragon Emperor and the gaze of the other deacons and immortal soldiers.

At least, they were superficial. In fact, since they entered the main hall, Liu brothers, Jiang Ruoxin and Ji Yuelan had started to murmur secretly using battle qi. Although they closed their mouths superficially with serious looks, they could still communicate with each other freely.

"Where's Zhang Tie?" Ji Yuelan asked Liu brothers.

"He's not here yet. I went to see him this morning. Like yesterday, he was cultivating in his room!" Liu Meng answered right away.

"What the hell! He's indeed indolent..." Ji Yuelan mumbled. Only after two days of separation, Ji Yuelan had got bored.

"He's not indolent. If Zhang Tie did nothing and still got such a great battle strength, I would lose my confidence to further cultivate and doubt what I was doing over these years..." Jiang Ruoxin sighed, "These days, watching him enter closed cultivation in his room without even taking any food, I become composed as I find I'm not too stupid. I've gained some confidence. You reap what you sow. Powerful ones got to be more hard-working than others!"

"Yes, we brothers also think so. I got to say, we felt a bit scared when we saw Zhang Tie's performance a couple of days ago; we felt he was fake. However, after watching him work so hard these days, we feel him becoming a real person..." Liu Yong opened his mouth.

After sharing booties with Zhang Tie, Liu brothers, Jiang Ruoxin and Ji Yuelan became a bit closer to each other as they won more trust mutually. Therefore, they didn't have too many concerns when talking. Gradually, they had formed a small group in the branch of Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace in Heavenly Square City.

"With the connivance of Head, how could Zhang Tie not be allowed to join such an official occasion? Although we've already completed the bloody pledge a few days ago, we got to keep the other three company today..."

"Perhaps Head just hopes that Zhang Tie doesn't show up too many times. As for us, Head just wanted to ensure that we were going to join Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace a few days ago. Strictly, this ceremony is also not unnecessary. After all, our titles in the branch have not been fixed except for that of Zhang Tie. General deacon has told us what happened in Heavens Square Building and Zi Clan Castle that day was classified in the branch of Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace in Heavenly Square City. We should not expose it to the public; even the others in the immortal palace. We came over here to make it more secret..."

As they communicated with each other secretly, head and general deacon had already taken them to the location below the general altar.

After burning incenses, bowing and reading tributes to the statue, Huang Baimei in a serious hairstyle and violet golden crown turned around and watched them with a pretty solemn look.

"These days, Heavenly Square City saw a great accident. Zi clan was exterminated. Those immortal generals of Star Emperor Immortal Palace were also killed in Heavenly Square City. Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace is mired in the swirl. No more people would like to join our branch these days. Therefore, the inaugural ceremony is held two days in advance so as to make you reassured..."

After hearing the head's words, Liu brothers, Ji Yuelan and Jiang Ruoxin felt strange as they exchanged a glance with each other. None of the immortal generals were idiots. As Heavenly Square City was chaotic recently; especially after those immortal generals of Star Emperor Immortal Palace were killed by Zhang Tie, many people were speculating how would Star Emperor Immortal Palace take revenge on the branch of Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace in Heavenly Square City. Therefore, nobody came over here for a job anymore in case of trouble. That also explained why only a few immortal generals attended the inaugural ceremony today.

However, Zhang Tie alone was even more useful than dozens of common immortal generals. Therefore, Head Huang still remained composed when he talked. Because Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace didn't suffer a loss in this trade.

"Before the inaugural ceremony, you could think about it twice. If you want to exit, you could leave now. I would not force you to do that. However, as long as you join us, you got to follow the rules in Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace. Within 100 years, if anyone dares exit, you would be treated as traitors and chased wherever you're. You would not find a safe place in Motian Realm!" Huang Baimei said as he looked around them seriously, asking, "Have you made your decision?"

"I've made my decision. I would not regret joining Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace!"

The one who opened his mouth was the youth in white garment that Zhang Tie saw in the dining hall of the branch a couple of days ago. Today, he was in black garment and looked as handsome as before. As he said, he took a look at Jiang Ruoxin on his side. Jiang Ruoxin and this young man were both earth immortal generals who were more powerful than the other five.

"I've made a decision. I would like to join Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace!" Jiang Ruoxin said calmly and decently.

"Mee too..."

"Count me..."

"We brothers would like to join Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace..."

All seven people expressed their attitudes.

"Fine, now that you've all determined to join Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace, we're a family from today on. You would share felicity and troubles with Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace..." Head Huang declared as he turned around and removing a black cover over the general altar, exposing that 1.5 cm-long transparent crystal dragon, saying, "Those who want to join Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace please drop you blood on its head to complete this bloody pledge and become an official member of Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace..."

The seven people then moved forward and accomplished the bloody pledge by turns.

Although it was their second time to do that, the four people accomplished it successfully without any side effect just like how they did the last time.

During this process, the four people finally knew that handsome young man was called Zhou Baifei, the tough bald guy was called Lu Tianqiang while the old teacher was called Xun Zizhou.

Since they met him in the dining hall, Zhou Baifei had been absent these couple of days. The other two were also frantic cultivators who kept cultivating in their rooms last day. As a result, the four people didn't have a chance to contact them until now.

Watching them finish the bloody pledge, Head Huang nodded, saying, "In the next, let's declare your titles in the immortal palace..."

"Zhou Baifei!"

"I'm here!" the handsome young man strode one step out as he answered in a muffled voice.

"You're appointed as the general priest of the branch of Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace in Heavenly Square City, with class VI silver dragon pattern as your title rank!"

"Yes, sir!" Zhou Baifei replied calmly. After making a hand gesture out of respect, he moved one step backward.

"Jiang Ruoxin..."

"I'm here!"

"You're appointed as the intelligence of the branch of Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace in Heavenly Square City with class V silver dragon pattern as your title rank!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Lu Tianqiang!"

"I'm here!"

"You're appointed as the military commander of the branch of Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace in Heavenly Square City; you're in charge of all the immortal soldiers and guards of the branch, with class III silver dragon pattern as the title rank!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Ji Yuelan!"

"I'm here!"

"You're appointed as general inspector of the branch of Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace in Heavenly Square City with class III silver dragon pattern as the title rank!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Liu Yong, Liu Qiang!"

After hearing their names, Liu brothers hurriedly moved one step forward, saying, "We're here!"

"You're respectively appointed as the two judges of the branch of Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace in Heavenly Square City with class II silver dragon pattern as the title rank!"

"Yes, sir..."

"Xun Zizhou!"

"I'm here!"

"You're appointed as the librarian of the branch of Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace in Heavenly Square City with class II silver dragon pattern as the title rank!"

"Yes, sir!"

Only after a short while, all the seven people had been granted with titles and ranks in the branch of Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace in Heavenly Square City.

"After joining the immortal palace, within three years, each of you would get 10 element crystals per month; namely 10 earth element crystals for fierce immortal generals and 10 water element crystals for earth immortal generals. Three years later, your compensation would be distributed according to your titles and ranks. In addition, 10 years later, you would be qualified to access to the Classics Pavilion and the Secret Palace of Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace and enjoy numerous resources over there. Although Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace faces troubles for the time being, we could tackle them. Hopefully, we could unite with each other and help each other and push Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace to its apex in 100 years so as to live up to our expectation!" Huang Baimei encouraged all of them.

"Yes, sir!"

"If you have any questions about Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace, you could ask me now..." Huang Baimei's tone turned mild at a stroke after the inaugural ceremony.

The others exchanged a glance with each other quietly. Only Zhou Baifei strode one step forward as he asked, "Head, I saw a young man in the immortal palace a few days ago. He's already Class VII like the deputy head. I wonder whether he's also a member of our immortal palace. I always admire talents and would like to learn from him..."

"He's Zhang Tie, the deputy head of our branch. As he's in cultivation, I allow him to not participate in this ceremony. You got to get closer..."

"Oh..." Zhou Baifeng replied as a shrewd light flashed across his eyes. Closely after that, he moved backward...

...

As they were gathering in the main hall, they didn't know that Zhang Tie was suffering a complete change in the void above his mind sea at the critical moment...