Castle of Black Iron

Only after half an hour, the entire underground space had changed greatly.

Castle of Black Iron sucked in most of the magma, leaving 20-m high magma residue on the ground. Additionally, all the walls were radiating a dull, red glow in a high temperature like a brick kiln which had just been opened after finishing a round of production of bricks.

Half an hour ago, it was indeed like a closed kiln.

The closed kiln was used to make porcelain or bricks. 15 knights were trapped in here.

Few bloody magmas were flowing off the rock walls on both sides from the broken dome. The huge magma lake above the dome led to a geographical position of magma. By now, three-quarters of the magma had flown out of the magma lake. However, the magma was still gurgling like spring water. It might take the geographical position a few weeks to completely fill the palace downside there and refill the magma lake.

The partial topographic feature of this underground space had completely changed.

The entire space was filled with a strong smell of sulphur.

After coming out of Castle of Black Iron, Zhang Tie took a look around and started to look for the trace of demon general carefully.

Zhang Tie believed that those common black iron knights had already been killed. Even though those guys could survive the explosions, they could barely survive the high-temperature magma. Whereas, Zhang Tie was not sure whether the demon general could survive the magma.

Zhang Tie had learned one thing from the demon general——when you cannot do it, don't think that others cannot do it either. Each one has trump cards. Never think that you could control everything.

'The demon general was trapped again by me due to the following two main reasons: first, he was over-confident; second, he lost his reason due to his animosity about Gorath.'

In the magma of over 1,000 degrees Celcius, those knights' bones might have been melted into ashes. Aluminum's melting point was 660 degrees Celcius, silver's melting point was 962 degrees Celcius, the melting points of gold and copper varied from 1,000 to 1,100 degrees Celcius, steel's melting point was above 1,200 degrees Celcius. Those guys' rune weapons, medicaments or rune equipment must have been melted, softened or been completely destroyed by the magma within half an hour. If rune equipment's physical structures were destroyed, their rune effect would be lost or sharply weakened.

Zhang Tie felt pitiful when he thought about the equipment of those knights. If he could get their rune equipment, he would make a pile for sure. However, it was already a great achievement for Zhang Tie to allure them into this trap. 'People cannot have all the benefits.'

'The demon general was wearing a black armor, If it died, its armor should be left, at least a part of its armor would remain, even after having been softened or broken. As armor was always made of an alloy, which had a relatively high melting point. It would not disappear in only half an hour.

'I will look for the demon general and its armor!' Zhang Tie would never allow the demon general to survive on at this moment.

Zhang Tie started to search over the space.

Zhang Tie noticed some broken weapons of knights floating on the magma partly or completely. However, he didn't see any item from the demon general.

After taking a round, Zhang Tie's face gradually turned solemn as he watched the magma below his feet.

Zhang Tie took a deep breath. Standing in the air, he started to slash towards the magma by his autumn-frost gold sword.

In a split second, he had already slashed over 100 times.

Over 100 sword qi formed a sword qi net as they ferociously exploded the magma.

The magma rose dozens of meters high. Even the magma at the bottom was exposed. Right from the rising magma, a figure flew out of the magma at the bottom and suspended in the air with a yellow brilliance.

With a sound of "Hualala...", the magma fell down like the rain. In the air, Zhang Tie and the demon general watched each other silently with a distance of 100 m between them.

Narrowing his pupils, Zhang Tie just watched the demon general silently.

As was judged by Zhang Tie, the demon general didn't die. However, it looked extremely miserable as its body was covered with wounds. One of its hands had been broken. Its armor had been severely damaged. The demon general's body was wrapped in a yellow light. The yellow light came from an odd shield in his hand. Zhang Tie didn't know where did that shield come from. He remembered that the demon general didn't hold a shield when it chased after him. Neither did the other knights have. However, the yellow light from that shield reminded Zhang Tie of the scene when a long bow with the same brilliance appeared in the hand of Elder Muray with which he killed the head of Senel Clan in the demon corps.

A term occurred to Zhang Tie's mind——"Silver Secret Items".

In the knights' world, "silver secret items" made every knight drool. They were almost the best items that knights could get. It was said that there were "gold secret items" above "silver secret items". However, as of far, Zhang Tie had not seen any black iron knight who had a "gold secret item" even in Mountain of Brilliance.

It required a great power and an unusual fortune for a knight to get a "silver secret item" somewhere in the underground world. It was said that "silver secret items" were products of the brilliant silver age which existed a long time ago. The most important feature of "silver secret item" was that all the "silver secret items" could combine with their owners besides their powerful, special abilities. When their owners needed them, they would show themselves.

Those who had "silver secret items" were all lucky dogs among knights.

Zhang Tie had not imagined that the demon general also had a "silver secret item"——the shield.

With this shield, the demon general survived the high-temperature magma. Zhang Tie guessed that demon general might fail to call out its shield timely; therefore, the demon general suffered from the damages of the alchemist's bombs.

Everyone had their own trump cards. Zhang Tie knew that the shield was the trump card of the demon general. A guy who had almost promoted to a land knight was really something.

The demon general watched Zhang Tie who appeared in front of him in the look of Gorath. Besides animosity, its eyes were radiating a weird light. Behind the weird eye light was some fear and greed which was even hotter than magma.

"You're not dead!" Zhang Tie said calmly as he watched demon general. Closely after that, he took a deep breath and released his battle qi, which grew more and more aggressive.

The demon general revealed a grim, yet genial smile like a crocodile who opened its bloody, big mouth, "Gorath, I've not imagined that you could have such a secret. You have the last chance. As long as you surrender to demons and be loyal to me, I will grant you with supreme power and influence. You can rule all the Three-eye Association clans across Waii Sub-continent!"

Zhang Tie revealed a ridicule, "Your benefits would be more persuasive if you told me earlier instead of being reluctant like now!"

The demon general's smile grew extremely grim. It stretched out its long tongue like that of vipers and licked around its mouth rapidly. At the same time, its eyes turned bloody, "Innocent human, wisdom is utterly different than timidity. Do you think that I cannot defeat you with my current look? You will soon know about the great difference between a common black iron knight and a guy who will soon promote to a land knight. Even though I only have one hand left, I will kill you easily. I will explore your secrets one after another."

"Let's start then!" Zhang Tie roared as his battle intention surged to the highest level. Closely after that, he accelerated towards demon general as fast as a lightning bolt.

'Kill it when it's injured, it's the best time to try my best to kill demon general.'

After shooting out a shrewd eye light, the demon general put away its shield immediately and rushed towards Zhang Tie.

They chose close combat, the fiercest collision mode.

In the first collision, Zhang Tie's wounds which had not been healed were broken once again while spraying his blood over the magma; so the did demon general's wounds...

The moment their blood touched the magma, it had been evaporated.

With the first collision, Zhang Tie's protective battle qi rocked for a while. By contrast, the demon general's protective battle qi just rocked one time. They were both sent flying backwards by the opponent's sheer animal strength. In a wink, they roared and flew towards the opponent once again. They collided for over 100 times in a split second, causing constantly loud sounds in the air...

It was definitely the toughest combat that Zhang Tie had experienced since he left Blackhot City at 16.

After being severely wounded by alchemist's bombs, one of the hands of the demon general had been broken. Even in this case, the demon general's battle force was still as awful as a mountain peak in front of Zhang Tie.

It was Zhang Tie's choice. In one's whole life, one had to face some combats. Even if it was a mountain peak in front of him, Zhang Tie still chose to collapse it even with his broken bones while gritting his teeth.

...

At this moment, neither the demon general nor Zhang Tie knew that the last knight of Three-eye Association had arrived at the underground world.

This knight was Quintin, the employed knight of Senel Clan whom Zhang Tie had met twice, the very one who should have been killed by Elder Muray's longbow and the one who survived to the last among all the knights of Three-eye Association.

The sharp collisions between Zhang Tie and the demon general reverberated in the underground like thunders.

After hearing the reverberating sounds, Quintin stopped at once as a brilliance flashed across his eyes.

Standing in the dark underground cave, Quintin just listened to their fight quietly. After staying there for half an hour, he revealed a sinister smile. Closely after that, he disappeared into the dark cave...

...

Zhang Tie's autumn-frost gold sword was sent flying backward by his opponent...

At the same time, Zhang Tie's right arm became numb all over from his fingers to his shoulder. After uttering a hum, the autumn-frost gold sword flew off as fast as a light nail and nailed onto the cliff over 100 m away.

For the first time, Zhang Tie's another hand broke the demon general's protective battle qi and ferociously exploded demon general's body. He even tore off a piece of bloody muscle fiber from the demon general's body through the wound on its shoulder.

The demon general also struck into Zhang Tie's chest ferociously...

With a roar in unison, the demon general kicked Zhang Tie forcefully; before Zhang Tie was sent flying back, he turned around in the air and kicked the demon general's head heavily in a movement called 'lying dragon facing the moons'...

They both spurted out blood and fell into the magma lake, arising a magma wall of dozens of meters in height...

After a couple of seconds, they both flew out of the magma.

"You're seeking for death!" Demon general glared at Zhang Tie with bloody eyes. All of a sudden, a light beam rose from his body. At the same time, a complex, geometrical light ring appeared below his feet. The demon general looked complacent.

However, the demon general's fierce and complacent look lasted less than half a second, it turned into a shock; because it saw the same light beam and light ring rising from Zhang Tie's body.

The knight's aiding strength could increase the strength for both others and themselves.

In the next, it was a duel between knights' aiding strengths on both speed and defensive ability...

When he triggered his aiding strength, Zhang Tie also triggered his super rapid moving skill.

Roars and fierce collisions sounded once again...

The demon general accelerated its speed. However, as one of his hands had been crippled, his attacking frequency was limited. Additionally, Zhang Tie's counterattack was very fierce; especially Zhang Tie's terrifying sheer animal strength. As long as the demon general was hit by Zhang Tie's sheer animal strength, it would feel a steel plate being broken through by Zhang Tie.

Zhang Tie's defensive and recovering ability intensified in a split second. However, facing the powerful strike of the demon general, in each collision, Zhang Tie's protective battle qi would rock and almost collapse. Besides, the demon general's battle qi kept drilling into Zhang Tie's body as erosive as weird poisons.