Castle of Black Iron

Zhang Tie thought that he was dead, at least when the blurry awareness reappeared in his mind like a sparkle swaying in wind…

When the unstable, weak awareness recovered, Zhang Tie’s brain started to run again slowly and steadily like a steam engine being restarted. His cells started to recover their consciousness one after another, causing the last scene in Zhang Tie’s mind before he fell asleep to be more and more vivid.

Moonlight, valley, path and bamboo wood…

A girl in a red skirt was sitting on a black-ox like a boulder, bathing the clear and bright moonlight and leisurely blowing into a green jade flute.

Sitting on the black boulder in a decent manner, the girl was like a fairy in the painting with snow-white skin and straight and smooth black hair. She was playing water with her tender feet lightly.

If death was a dreamland, Zhang Tie wished to die watching such a fascinating, beautiful face in such a picturesque dreamland.

As long as he could see that girl playing with water and blowing into the flute, sitting on the black boulder, he would have no regret even if he couldn’t wake up.

The last scene in his mind undulated a bit like ripple before it melted, closely followed by a great sense of fatigue and weakness. Zhang Tie felt his head being pressed into a piece of cotton. He was sinking constantly towards the depth of the cotton, being left in dark…

It made Zhang Tie so sad that he even wanted to spurt out blood.

However, this sad feeling flashed away at once, replaced by another whim——I am still alive!

——If I was dead, I would not have such a feeling. It indicates that my body and brain are still working and returning signals to me.

Zhang Tie had a similar experience in Kalur Theater of Operations when he fought the Black Feather Corps of Sun Dynasty with the rest of Iron-Blood Camp. That time, he also thought that he was about to die; however, he finally survived.

Although being still weak physically and spiritually, when he realized that he was still alive, he burst out an irresistible will to survive himself; instead of being further deteriorated.

His “sinking” feeling gradually stopped. Zhang Tie tried his utmost effort to raise his head in the soft cotton…

At this moment, a blurry voice drifted into Zhang Tie’s ears from afar…

“Don’t put too much dragon marrow ointment into the blood pool. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to bear it. Only 1.86 grams between 11 am and 1 pm every day. I suggest adding some Jiuyou Life Continual Grass as an adjustment…”

Closely after this voice was another one.

“Jiuyou Life Continual Grass is feasible, but I’d better protect his meridians all over using my golden needles ahead of Jiuyou Life Continual Grass so as to make it more effective…”

Then came the 3rd voice.

“Over these days, Qianji immortal’s bones are gradually healing. I suggest injecting some vital essence into his body so as to stimulate his vital essence besides using the blood pool. I’ve already calculated it. As Qianji immortal cultivates Five Elements Ground-look Sutra, he still has some five-elements qi left in his body. If we find a 16-year-old girl who’s born on the same day and cultivates the same secret method to inject her vital essence into Qianji immortal’s body, we will definitely see a miraculous effect. Born on a yang day, yang month of a yang year, his battle qi possessing the attribute of wood is yang wood. Wood reinforces one’s vital essence and “fire” attribute. The moment his wood qi was reinforced, his fire qi would be opened. Heart possesses “fire” attribute. When “fire” qi rises, his heart meridian would be reinforced. After that, his physical foundation would be stabilized. Additionally, the 16-year-old virgin is purely yin, which dominates constriction. The combination of yin and yang methods would bring us a much greater effect…”

“The condition is too rigorous. I’m afraid that we could barely find a proper one…”

“Rigorous?” Another one said with discontentment, “Are those guys in Agricultural Bureau across Taixia Country good-for-nothing? The birth population is recorded in each city, each province across Taixia Country. As for what secret methods do they cultivate, I don’t believe that those officials don’t know that. They’re humans, not pigs. After all, I’ve already provided the suggestion. As for whether you could find her, it’s none of my business.”

“Haven’t you heard what Mr. Mao said? Hurry up…”

“Yes, sir…” Someone replied before leaving out of there.

After being silent for 1 minute, the one who opened his mouth first continued.

“Thanks to the constant, vital essence inside immortal’s body, he could stay alive until now. Otherwise, even celestial beings couldn’t save him. I’ve been a doctor for 100 years. It’s my first time to sense such a powerful vital essence in one’s body…” The very person sighed with feeling.

“Hopefully, immortal could be supremely fortunate and live through this catastrophe. That would be the great fortune of humans and the happiness of Taixia Country…”

“Good people always die earlier than evil people. F*ck! Why are good people always hapless? Why not those b*stards get struck by the thunder of nirvana? Whereas, now that he could survive the thunder of nirvana, I don’t think that he would die easily…”

Hearing this dialogue, Zhang Tie tried his best to open his eyes.

However, such an extremely simple movement was as hard as lifting two 10,000-ton sluice gates for Zhang Tie.

Even so, Zhang Tie finally opened his eyelids.

After being blurry for a second, the scene in his eyes became clear.

Zhang Tie found that he was lying in a huge crystal bathtub, being immersed in some strange liquid. The pattern of the crystal bathtub and the bloody runes wandering around the crystal bathtub reminded Zhang Tie of the blood pool in Pingxi Valley, even though this one was only a bit larger than an ordinary bathtub.

The liquid in the crystal bathtub was not blood, but a bizarre herbal medicine. Although the herbal medicine felt cold, a warm qi was entering his body through his skin all over, making him very comfortable…

Zhang Tie faced a brilliant and tall dome while three elders were talking with each other on his side.

All the three elders had gray hair and beard. However, each of them was distinctive. One of them wore a uniform of imperial doctor; another one wore a white boa silk robe like a celestial being; the rest one was skinny and bald like a monkey. With a spirit-containing gourd on his back, he looked unkempt. He was the very one who asked why good people always died earlier than evil ones.

Zhang Tie’s eyes fixated onto the last elder. The old man sensed Zhang Tie’s eye light at once as he turned around and looked straight into Zhang Tie’s eyes.

After realizing that Zhang Tie had woken up, that old man became stunned for a second. Closely after that, he became delighted and pointed at Zhang Tie, stammering, “Ahh, he’s awake; he’s awake; he’s awake; Qianji Immortal is awake…”

The other two old men also turned around. At the sight of Zhang Tie opening his eyes, the two elders couldn’t cover their ecstasy on their face…

“Where…where are…we…Xuanyuan Fortress?” Zhang Tie opened his mouth as he started to pant due to weakness.

The three elders exchanged a glance with each other. Closely after that, they became busy. The one in imperial doctor’s uniform and the one in white boa silk robe held Zhang Tie’s hands respectively as they started to feel Zhang Tie’s pulse by putting some fingers onto Zhang Tie’s wrists. As for that bald old man who carried a gourd, he directly put his palm onto Zhang Tie’s chest.

10 seconds later, the three old men exchanged a glance with each other as they nodded and moved their hands away. They all felt that Zhang Tie’s vitality was very weak; however, he was already recovering rapidly.

“You’re not in Xuanyuan Fortress, but in Xuanyuan Hill…” The old man in the imperial doctor’s uniform told Zhang Tie in a tender voice. At the same time, he turned around and told a person on his side, “Hurry, go report the crown prince that Qianji Immortal is already awake…”

A servant hurriedly left the room.

Almost at the same time, two voices sounded outside the room.

“Husband…”

“Hubby…”

The first voice came from Yan Feiqing; the second came from Bai Suxian.

The two voices were so euphonious for Zhang Tie.

At the sight of Yan Feiqing and Bai Suxian, the three old men hurriedly stayed aside. The two beautiful faces immediately appeared in front of Zhang Tie as they pulled one of Zhang Tie’s hands respectively.

Bai Suxian had long burst out into tears while Yan Feiqing’s eyes turned wet too…

They both watched Zhang Tie with deep love.

Zhang Tie wanted to reply to them with a smile; however, he couldn’t due to the sense of weakness and fatigue. On the contrary, he felt a bit sleepy and closed his eyes again.

“Doctors, how’s my husband?” Yan Feiqing’s voice sounded in Zhang Tie’s ears.

“Qianji immortal is recovering his vitality. However, he’s still very weak and needs more rest…” That imperial doctor said meticulously as if he was clear of Yan Feiqing’s status.

“Hmm, thanks for your hard work. Please take a short rest outside. I will accompany my husband here…”

The three old men exchanged a glance with each other before leaving the room.

“You too. I alone am enough…” Yan Feiqing told Bai Suxian distantly.

“Why? I will also stay here…” Bai Suxian said stubbornly as if she was mistaken.

“You always cry. Our husband can’t have a good rest. I alone am enough…”

“You…you’re too much…” Bai Suxian said with a cry.

Yan Feiqing’s voice remained calm and dignified, “Later on, I will be responsible for the internal affairs of our family. I’ve lived with him for 6 decades in the tower of time. I should be the principal wife of our husband. If you don’t agree, you can fetch your dad here to argue with me. If you continue to stay here, I will throw you out of here…”

Bai Suxian was then driven out of the room by Yan Feiqing, tears over her face.

After driving Bai Suxian away, Yan Feiqing pulled one hand of Zhang Tie; put it on her face and slowly moved Zhang Tie’s hand against her face as she watched Zhang Tie with deep love and grief who was already in deep sleep.

“What an idiot…” Yan Feiqing whispered to Zhang Tie as she couldn’t stand to drop off tears, making Zhang Tie’s palm wet…