Castle of Black Iron

July 3rd, one week after Zhang Tie returned to Hidden Dragon Island and stayed there without arising any trouble...

This day, two amazing events happened for all the clan students in Hidden Dragon Palace.

Firstly, a name Zhang Tie suddenly ranked 1st on the Hidden Dragon Wealth List in Qinyun Palace with 400,000 gold coins. This figure was even double the value of the 2nd place.

When many people in Hidden Dragon Palace were shocked by this news, the second piece of news arrived.

That castle on Yunju Mountain of Hidden Dragon Island finally hung out the banner and logo of its owner at its highest place.

When that castle was under construction, many people in Hidden Dragon Palace thought that was an agency affiliated by Huaiyuan Palace — another important base of Hidden Dragon Palace or Long Wind Business Group on the island.

It was also said that as the Zhang Clan was going to expand the territory of the Zhixing Department, the current Zhixing Department was going to move into that new castle on Yunju Mountain. From then on, the minimal standard for students to enter Hidden Dragon Palace would be above LV 6; those clan elites below LV 6 who entered Hidden Dragon Island would be transferred to that castle on Yunju Mountain.

However, when the banner of the castle of hung out on July 3rd, everybody became dumbfounded as the banner of the castle was nothing to do with Huaiyuan Palace's subordinate agencies at all. Instead, it was a strange 'private banner' which represented the status of its owner.

In Junyun Country which was predominated by Chinese people, there were strict regulations on the styles of banners for various levels of clans, organizations, and individuals. Only national agencies and army could use dragon emblems and patterns.

None of the 4 classical Chinese beasts like green Chinese dragon, white tiger, Rosefinch, and Xuanwu (a species that combines tortoise and snake) were allowed on the banners and logos of feudal princes and local clans in Jinyun Country. Based on Chinese traditions, only emperors who founded the countries or first-class regimes had the right to use the 4 classical Chinese beasts as their banners or logos.

Huaiyuan Palace's banner was Sea and Sky Long Wind Banner.

Besides, there were many other regulations, such as the bottom color of the banners of business groups and societal organizations should not be red or black, because these 2 colors were the bottom colors of the battle flag of the Chinese army. Take another example, besides following the above regulations, private banners that symbolized private territory, interests, and rights should be triangular instead of being square.

That banner rising from the highest place of that castle on Yunju Mountain was triangular and blue, on which there was a strange three-foot bird in a golden sun.

When this triangular banner rose up, its name was exposed under the gate tower — Jinwu Castle!

All the students in Hidden Dragon Palace were shocked as this castle was not a part of Huaiyuan Palace, but a private castle.

Besides the affiliated agencies of Huaiyuan Palace, the only ones that could build house on Hidden Dragon Island were some natives and students of Hidden Dragon Palace. For those natives, even some of them were rich, they could only pay 100,000 gold coins at most. They had no ability to build such a castle at all.

When they knew that the owner of Jinwu Castle was Zhang Tie, a student in Breaking Heavens Department of Hidden Dragon Palace, the Breaking Heavens Department as a whole seemed to go mad. Zhang Tie had broken the record — the first student in Breaking Heavens Department to own a castle on Hidden Dragon Island.

Some curious guys checked the records of the first places on the Hidden Dragon Wealth List and found that before Zhang Tie, the richest student in Hidden Dragon Palace only had 380,000 gold coins, they then became more thrilled. Some careful ones studied Zhang Tie's experience in Hidden Dragon Palace and found that Zhang Tie had created 4 records; instead of 1.

The first student who owned a private castle on Hidden Dragon Island since the founding of Hidden Dragon Palace...

The richest student since the founding of Hidden Dragon Palace...

The student who had formed Iron-Blood Battle Qi in the shortest period since the founding of Hidden Dragon Palace...

The first student who had produced all-purpose medicament since the founding of Hidden Dragon Palace...

In just one day, Zhang Tie had become one of the most famous people in Hidden Dragon Palace as a star student who had produced all-purpose medicament. No matter where it was and which age it was in, any rich people would become attractive, even in Hidden Dragon Palace.

On the same day, when the girls in Zhixing Department were told this news and felt it was unbelievable, they all received Zhang Tie's invitation.

— As my castle is completed, I've prepared some drinks. I now invite you for a party at sunset tomorrow!

— Zhang Tie.

All the girls who'd bet with Zhang Tie had received his invitation, including Guo Miaoli and the other girls who had already entered Breaking Heavens Department. At the sight of the scrawls on the letters of invitation, all the girls looked pretty weird.

"It's really senior brother Zhang Tie! Only he would send such a letter of invitation..." Liu Shasha sighed as the other girls in Zhixing Department nodded.

"Will we go there then?" a naive girl asked hesitantly.

"Of course we will go there. That guy is narrow-minded. If we don't go there, he might come here to collect our debts!"

The girls then giggled.

"If we get along well with senior brother Zhang Tie, we might be helped by this richest person in the future! If so, we wouldn't have to work so hard to make money!" A girl joked.

"It's said that senior brother doesn't have a girlfriend yet. But this is a good opportunity. If anyone of you have fallen in love with him, you have to seize this chance; otherwise, it might be late!"

"As Yuhan has already given her first kiss to senior brother Zhang Tie, Yuhan should have a try!"

"No way..." Du Yuhan's face slightly blushed, "Forget about that, he was just saving me out of the sea!"

The girls were all joking with Du Yuhan except for Qu Liangying, who was just smiling. Out of a strange yet powerful instinct, Du Yuhan exchanged glances with Qu Liangying. The two girls instantly knew what that meant...

Besides the 12 girls who had bet with Zhang Tie, many others received Zhang Tie's letters of invitation too, including Zhang Tie's good friends in Zhixing Department — Zhang Keliang, Zhang Yunfei, Wei Wu, and Zhang Hongsheng, and Yang Yuankang's group who cooperated with Zhang Tie to sell the all-purpose medicament for the first time, Gu Caidie, Ma Aiyun, who taught Zhang Tie basic movements, Liu Xu, whom Zhang Tie had a drink with, and Zhang Lin, Zhu Wenqiang whom Zhang Tie got acquainted with when he was a yaksha in the sea.

After receiving Zhang Tie's invitation, Zhang Keliang, Zhang Yunfei, Wei Wu, and Zhang Hongsheng all felt warm inside. Due to different courses and tasks between Zhixing Department and Breaking Heavens Department, they'd had fewer chances to meet each other since Zhang Tie entered Breaking Heavens Department, especially after Zhang Tie became famous. After receiving Zhang Tie's invitation, they looked forward to seeing Zhang Tie's familiar and kind face again...

Everything was changing, except for the friendship between them.

When receiving Zhang Tie's invitation, Zhang Lin and Zhu Wenqiang were also very shocked. After watching the letters of invitation for quite a while, they finally accepted the fact——the junior brother who was working as a yaksha in the sea together with them had been unusual in only a few days.

Zhang Lin and Zhu Wenqiang were not idiots. They both knew the importance to maintain the friendship between them and Zhang Tie.

Anyone who could rank 1st on any Hidden Dragon List had never been an average figure in the history of Huaiyuan Palace unless they died at a young age. Zhang Tie was only 17 years old. Anyone who was farsighted could see that Zhang Tie had a bright future.

They got acquainted with Zhang Tie together with Yang Yuankang. Recently, they were told that Yang Yuankang was living pretty well in Breaking Heavens Department. When they were still struggling for a few clan contribution points and the monthly payment of Breaking Heavens Department, Yang Yuankang had already stabilized his business on Hidden Dragon Island.

Although the relationship between Yang Yuankang and Zhang Tie could not be completely duplicated, this at least indicated that Zhang Tie had already been able to easily influence and decide the destiny and future of people around him.

Zhang Tie was definitely a reliable and powerful friend. He was the so-called good teacher and helpful friend.

Liu Xu, who got acquainted with Zhang Tie through Zhang Su, also had the same feeling. After receiving Zhang Tie's invitation, Liu Xu felt slightly overwhelmed by the special favor. He had not imagined that Zhang Tie still remembered him at this moment. After all, they only met a few times and had a drink together.

"I wonder how senior brother Zhang Su would feel if he knew that his younger cousin had become a popular person in Hidden Dragon Palace!", a thought flashed across Liu Xu's mind.

...

"Do we need to buy an expensive gift for Zhang Tie?" Compared to others, Yang Yuankang and Zhang Feng became both excited and touched. As they all made money with the support and preferential treatment of Zhang Tie, the moment they received Zhang Tie's invitation, they had gathered together and discussed about visiting Zhang Tie's castle tomorrow.

The more money they made through Zhang Tie, the more important Zhang Tie was in their heart. Therefore, they became more careful about their relationship with Zhang Tie. The one who asked was Yang Yuankang's partner. Soon after he asked, the rest had started to discuss about that, except for Yang Yuankang who was gazing at Zhang Tie's letter of invitation seriously and silently.

Among them, Yang Yuankang was most dignified; therefore, finally they all waited for Yang Yuankang's reply.

"Do you think that Zhang Tie needs our gift?" Yang Yuankang asked. They then exchanged glanced with each other and didn't say any more.

"Yuankang, what do you mean?"

"It's just a party between friends. We only need to treat him sincerely. No need to bring any gift at all. Just take yourselves to enjoy supper there. Just take your girlfriends or boyfriends there to visit the first student's castle of Hidden Dragon Palace, if you have one. I will take my girlfriend at least!" Yang Yuankang smiled.

"Erm...is this proper?"

"You will know it later on. Not everybody can enjoy this special treatment. Seize this opportunity to enjoy yourselves; if not, you will regret it!" Yang Yuankang said seriously.

After thinking about Yang Yuankang's words carefully, they all felt they was reasonable.

...

Lan Yunxi who lived in Phoenix Resting Pavilion also received a letter of invitation. Previously, she was executing a clan task away from the island; when she came back to Hidden Dragon Island, it was already June 28th.

Not until she returned did Lan Yunxi know what Zhang Tie had experienced during the period when she had been away.

Lan Yunxi knew that a LV 9 powerhouse assigned by Long Wind Business Group to protect an important figure betrayed Long Wind Business Group and Huaiyuan Palace while cooperating with an unknown power was nothing different than a terrifying earthquake in Long Wind Business Group and Huaiyuan Palace. It contained too much horrible information.

What was the background of Liu Xiang? Was he a mole assigned by another power before he joined Long Wind Business Group? Was there someone else like Liu Xiang in Long Wind Business Group and Huaiyuan Palace? Was it a coincidence or a planned arrangement to dispatch Liu Xiang to protect Zhang Tie? Wasn't it a shame for Huaiyuan Palace to let someone assassinate its student on Hidden Dragon Island? Additionally, how was the confidential message that Zhang Tie could realize large-mass production of all-purpose medicament leaked?

Each of the above questions was fatal. Lan Yunxi became really worried about that.

At the beginning, someone in Long Wind Business Group still doubted Zhang Tie's testimony that Liu Xiang betrayed Long Wind Business Group and assassinated Zhang Tie. After all, Zhang Tie was the only witness. Now, Liu Xiang had died and Zhang Tie could only provide simple evidence. In some people's eyes, these pieces of evidence were not persuasive enough.

When Long Wind Business Group started to survey Liu Xiang's background, some key figures who introduced Liu Xiang in the Business Group committed a suicide one after another. After this clue was cut off, those who doubted Zhang Tie's testimony finally shut up.

Now, even idiots would know that Liu Xiang was not innocent. However, what was more terrifying was that Long Wind Business Group didn't know how seriously it had been infiltrated by other powers.

The Seniors Association of Huaiyuan Palace became furious while Zhang Taibai, Lan Yunxi's uncle, had been asked to accept the inquiry of Seniors Association.

At this moment, although outsiders thought Yiyang City and Huaiyuan Palace were as safe and sound as before, the sky had been covered with black clouds and a terrifying and destructive rainstorm was brewing.

However, the one who aroused this storm still asked his friends for a party in his new nest.

The moment she remembered Zhang Tie's roguish look, Lan Yunxi was be driven mad.