Castle of Black Iron

Zhang Tie's family members had left on the second day since they arrived at Youzhou City.

Previously, Zhang Tie intended to take a look around Youzhou City with his family members on the second day; however, after arriving at Huaiyuan Mansion, Zhang Tie sensed the intense atmosphere that all the other elders were trying their utmost best to prepare for the coming competition for the position of provincial governor of Youzhou Province. After knowing the importance of Zhang Tie's task, Zhang Tie's dad and mom didn't want to travel in Youzhou City anymore as they were afraid of distracting Zhang Tie from the competition. Therefore, they determined to leave Youzhou City for Golden Light City by airship on the next morning.

"Son, your mom and I really had a good time these days. We've not been so happy for many years. No need to worry about us. No matter what, your mom and I belong to Huaiyuan Palace. Although we cannot help you; if we influenced your preparation, we would feel restless even though we were not condemned by others. Therefore, your mom and I have negotiated with Linda, Beverly and Fiona last night that we would return to Golden Light City today in case of distracting you from the competition. Once the competition comes to an end, we will find another chance to travel here!"

Zhang Tie's dad said.

Realizing that his family members had determined to leave, he could only have the fury-level airship, which had been escorting them all the way here, carry his family members back to Golden Light City together with the touring car "Traveller".

The airship then landed in the airship port of Huaiyuan Mansion.

It would take them only 1 day to return to Golden Light City by airship. Before departure, after confirming that Zhang Tie would not have any dangers in this competition, Zhang Tie's parents and wives became reassured. After Zhang Tie bade a farewell to his parents, he was kissed by his three wives on his cheeks.

"Dad, come on!" Zhang Chenglei, Zhang Chengting and Zhang Chengpei encouraged Zhang Tie in unison before leaving. Zhang Tie replied with a big smile.

At this moment, the clan elders and head of Huaiyuan Palace had closed their doors and entered meditation in Huaiyuan Mansion so that they could handle the fierce battle in Heavens Ball in the best state two days later.

Zhang Tie raised his head and saw the airship flying towards Golden Light City. Until the dazzling morning glow reached his eyes did he move his eyes away and returned to the backroom in the exquisite courtyard.

There was one point that Zhang Ping was right about. After they left, Zhang Tie could indeed try his utmost best to prepare for the battle in 2 days without any concern.

...

Beneath the courtyard, the backroom only covered more than 40 square meters. As for Knight-level powerhouses, it was a bit small for long-time closed meditation; however, it was available for short-term closed meditation.

The backroom had been matched with enough water, food, some kinds of possible medicament and 4 earth-elements crystals which were specially prepared for this competition. After arriving at Youzhou City, each clan elder was rewarded with 4 earth-elements crystals. The 4 earth-elements crystals for Zhang Tie just lay in the backroom of this exquisite courtyard.

When he caught sight of the 4 earth-elements crystals, Zhang Tie remembered those achievements that he had made in Waii Sub-continent. Besides the 5879 earth-elements crystals in the space teleportation equipment of the demon general, he gained 3511 more earth-elements crystals from the secret warehouses of those Three-eye Association clans. All the 9390 earth-elements crystals could not even light 30 scales on his earth-elements chakra.

'Although almost 10,000 earth-elements crystals is already a great figure for the other knights; it's still far away from the 100,000 earth-elements crystals that I need to form the second chakra of King Roc Sutra.'

'100,000 earth-elements crystals? Even if I'm always as lucky as when I was in Waii Sub-continent, I might have to plunder 10 subcontinents at least so as to gain 100,000 earth-element crystals. It's impossible for me. Three-eye Association and demons are not idiots. They will not provide me with so much convenience.' Gorath had been the target of demons and Three-eye Association. After disguising as Gorath and releasing the terrifying ptomaine miasma across Blackhot Sub-continent, Gorath had completely disappeared as Zhang Tie sensed the danger facing Gorath. Demons and Three-eye Association would at least dispatch an earth knight to handle Gorath; instead of a black iron knight.

After picking up one earth-elements crystal, Zhang Tie touched its smooth and brilliant surface before letting out a sigh. He then sat on the bed with crossed legs and took out the Elements Gathering Matrix from that space teleportation equipment of the demon general and put it in front of him. Closely after that, he entered the Elements Realm...

In the Elements Realm, spiritual hands started to form one after another, 1, 2, 3...10,11...18.

9 spiritual hands were carrying earth elements from earth-elements crystal while the other 9 spiritual hands were capturing those polyhedral earth crystals which were moving swiftly in the Elements Realm.

Anyone would be dumbfounded by such a high efficiency. However, as Zhang Tie had made a breakthrough in this spiritual energy in the Dragon Cave and spent almost half a year to digest that fruit of brilliance which contained the spiritual energy of 13 Three-eye Association knights and practice, he had felt as easy as taking a walk by doing this.

Zhang Tie didn't know whether he had reached a limit in multitasking. Even though he felt that he had surplus spiritual energy, he could not make any progress in multitasking anymore. Whenever he tried to make a breakthrough by visualizing 19 abacuses in his mind, he would feel his brain blowing up with deafening ears, sparkling eyes and disordered spiritual energy. After attempting twice, Zhang Tie did not dare do that any longer. Therefore, he only maintained the current frequency.

18 was 2 times that of 9. In Hua people's recognition, 9 represented an upper limit in mathematics. When he remembered that those fruits on the small tree were always limited to mathematical laws, Zhang Tie speculated that 18 might be the upper limit of multitasking of black iron knights. He didn't know whether he could make the breakthrough after promoting to an earth knight. Currently, if he didn't use earth-elements crystal and just captured those earth-elements crystals in the Elements Realm with the help of Elements Gathering Matrix by spiritual hands, he would capture them faster than the frequency that those earth-element crystals appeared in the range of his perception. 9 spiritual hands were the upper limit that Elements Gathering Matrix could support as of now.

With the concerted efforts of the 9 spiritual hands, the earth-element crystal was consumed very fast. Each earth-element crystal could only stand less than 4 hours.

In 2 days, Zhang Tie consumed 12 earth-element crystals in the backroom in total.

After 2 days of cultivation, the 10th dragon scale on Zhang Tie's knight's crystal plate slowly turned bright...

11 of the 12 earth-elements crystals that Zhang Tie had consumed came from his storage. He only used 1 of the 4 earth-elements crystals that Huaiyuan Palace placed in the backroom for each clan elder.

In this way, if someone else entered the backroom, he would find that Zhang Tie had consumed 1 of the 4 earth-elements crystals in the past 2 days, which was normal for a new knight.

Zhang Tie was usually meticulous in such details.

On the evening of the second day, Zhang Tie entered the trouble-reappearance situation and activated Master Abyan and a lot of demon fighters in Dragon Cave. After reviewing that battle, he drank up two vials of all-purpose medicament and threw himself onto the bed.

Zhang Tie slept 4 hours, which was the longest period that he had slept lately.

At 5 am, October 5th, Zhang Tie exited the backroom as energetic as a horny buffalo with sparkling eyes.

A team of female servants had been waiting in the exquisite courtyard. At the sight of Zhang Tie coming out of his bedroom, they started to help him bathe and cleanse up. They also helped him to put up a set of a brilliant robe of python silk, making him look refreshed all over.

After doing all this, Zhang Tie burned a stick of incense in the exquisite courtyard and entered meditation with closed eyes. When it was 7 am, Zhang Tie opened his eyes and left that exquisite courtyard.

The sky was bright as the first ray of sunglow had reached Youzhou City.

Youzhou City today looked like a still pendulum clock. Previously, the street outside Huaiyuan Mansion used to be boisterous at this time; however today, the street was pretty quiet.

Zhang Taixuan and the other 5 Clan elders of Huaiyuan Palace left their own exquisite courtyards at the same time. Watching Zhang Tie's energetic look, all of them nodded inside, 'It seems that Elder Mushen has made good preparation during the past two days. He's already reached his best state.'

All the members in the Huaiyuan Mansion had gathered solemnly in the main courtyard in rows like muddy sculptures.

"Let's go!" Zhang Taixuan uttered while all the other Clan elders left the ground...

"We hope Clan head and elders to win this battle so as to make Huaiyuan Palace more awe-inspiring!" All the members of Huaiyuan Palace bowed deeply to the ground and saw them off respectfully...