Castle of Black Iron
chapter-289

If you don't enter the Breaking Heaven Department, you can't say that you've cultivated in Hidden Dragon Palace——This was what Zhang Su told Zhang Tie when they left Dragon Cave last night.

After coming back yesterday, Zhang Tie couldn't clearly remember the chaotic scene at supper anymore. When he appeared in the canteen last night, all the boys and girls who knew that Zhang Tie had formed Iron-Blood Battle Qi in one day had become dumbfounded. What made it more chaotic were the many senior brothers who rushed in from the Breaking Heaven Department as they were exclaiming loudly —— "Where's Zhang Tie? Where's the Zhang Tie who formed Iron-Blood Battle Qi with a battle qi totem as high as dozens of meters in one day? Where's the Zhang Tie who shocked the entire Hidden Dragon Island?"

When so many people poured into the Zhixing Department, it instantly became as noisy as a vegetable market. However, this was not the end. Closely after, there was another group of guys from the Breaking Heaven Department who rushed down the mountain. The latter ones shouted loudly—— "Where's Zhang Tie? Where's that liar? How could he form Iron-Blood Battle Qi in one day? Is he trying to cheat us out of our money? No way! We have to confirm it..."

To end this farce, Zhang Tie released his battle qi totem in the Zhixing Department——Bloody Banner once again!

When the huge spider of the horrific battle qi totem that was 40-50 m tall emerged which was over 10 times larger than that of common battle qi totems appeared behind Zhang Tie, it covered the entire Zhixing Department and the whole world seemed to stand still...

Everybody then raised their heads and watched the battle qi totem behind Zhang Tie with obsessed, admiring, envious, fearful, shocked, and confused expressions——Damn, what a freak!

Although being suspected of showing off, Zhang Tie found it was beneficial to his physical and mental health by doing this occasionally, especially when he looked at the girls' expressions, Zhang Tie felt pretty comfortable inside. "Guess how this senior brother will deal with you little girls..."

This was the last night that Zhang Tie slept in the Zhixing Department.

The next morning, although being only a short distance from the Breaking Heaven Department, as Zhang Tie's friends in Zhixing Department, Zhang Keliang, Wei Wu and the other guys still insisted on accompanying Zhang Tie there.

"If we knew that you'd have done it so easily, we would have put more gold coins as the wager!" When they bid farewell to Zhang Tie, Wei Wu said regretfully, "Who could have imagined that you were such a freak! How could you form Iron-Blood Battle Qi as easily as drinking water!"

"I really want to know, how much did you put on me?" Zhang Tie asked Zhang Keliang.

"I put 28 gold coins. Yunfei put 2 gold coins and 36 silver coins. Hongsheng put 13 gold coins and 79 silver coins. Wei Wu only put 11 gold coins, hahaha..." Zhang Keliang laughed heartily. After winning money, everybody became very happy.

Hearing those words, Zhang Tie didn't say anything, but he felt a bit moved. After staying with them for several months, of course, Zhang Tie knew that this time, Zhang Keliang, Zhang Yunfei and Zhang Hongsheng had used all their savings to support him. Although being a bit slippery, Wei Wu could only put 13 or 14 gold coins by then. Thinking of how his brothers picked up navy-blue iron ores in the ocean together with him and their sincere support, Zhang Tie felt warm inside.

Zhang Tie didn't say nothing; instead, he just tightly embraced them, "I'm waiting for you in the Breaking Heaven Department!"

"I will reach level 6 in two months. Then I will go form battle qi..." Zhang Keliang smiled, "Hongsheng and Xiaowu are still level 5, Yunfei will soon be level 5 too. We will soon meet each other in the Breaking Heaven Department!"

"After entering the Breaking Heaven Department, I've already got a plan to help us make a lot of money. I'm sure that we'll have enough money every day without having to do hard work anymore..." Wei Wu stealthily said.

"Wuh, what's that?" Zhang Yunfei asked out of curiosity. Even Zhang Tie moved his eyes onto Wei Wu. "This guy always has eccentric ideas. He might really have a way to make money in the Breaking Heaven Department." After hearing Zhang Su's introduction about Breaking Heaven Department last night, Zhang Tie had already considered how to make money.

"This is a very simple plan. We can rent a big tent like that of a circus that could hold several hundred people. The ticket price is 10 silver coins a person. Only by performing three times a day will we earn enough money!"

"You want to perform? If you were there, I'm afraid that you have to reduce the ticket price to 1 copper coin!" Zhang Hongsheng mocked him aside.

"Of course not me, heh..heh...who has ever seen the battle qi totem of Iron-Blood Battle Qi of 40-50 m in height? Once we drag Zhang Tie out and parade him around in a circle while releasing his battle qi totem to broaden the crowd's horizons, would the people on Hidden Dragon Island care about 10 silver coins? No matter what, if it was me, I would definitely pay to have a look. This is would definitely be a travel program on Hidden Dragon Island..." Wei Wu giggled, "Last night, I even thought about advertisements. Cough... dear elders and brethren, as you pass by, don't miss it. You only need to pay 10 silver coins, with only 10 silver coins, you will see a battle qi totem 40-50 m in height of the top grade Iron-Blood Battle Qi up close. Come on and have a look..."

Watching Wei Wu's hilarious performance, Zhang Tie pretended to kick his butts while Wei Wu smirked and jumped off. In this way, they departed from each other.

Watching the shadows of his friends, Zhang Tie really started to consider the feasibility of Wei Wu's joke. He then revealed a smile and shook his head. If he would really do this, Zhang Tie was sure that in a short while, he would definitely be killed by the assassins dispatched by Norman Empire——if one dared to take the secret knowledge of Norman Empire's imperial household as a joke, he must want to die.

After taking a deep breath, Zhang Tie turned and walked towards the Middle Castle of Hidden Dragon Palace.

The Middle Castle of Hidden Dragon Palace was in the middle of the mountain. The whole castle was over 70 m high and was completely composed of hard black steel rocks. It was much larger than the Lower Castle. The Middle Castle looked more magnificent than Wild Wolf Castle. It was the entrance to the Breaking Heaven Department. Only after entering Middle Castle could he make it to his destination. Standing at the gate of the Middle Castle, Zhang Tie raised his head and looked at various powerful defense facilities that faintly revealed a grim killing intent.

Previously, Zhang Tie was not even qualified to enter the Middle Castle. Now, Zhang Tie finally gained this qualification. After taking a deep breath, Zhang Tie lifted his luggage and walked towards the gate of this huge castle.

After arriving at the gate of the Middle Castle, under the gaze of two rows of fully-armored soldiers, Zhang Tie pulled out of his clan plate and inserted it into a card slot in a one person high metal machine as was told by his cousin Zhang Su. After doing that, Zhang Tie heard the sound of moving gears drifting from the inside the machine. Only after several seconds was Zhang Tie's clan plate spat out of the machine. At the same time, an iron gate that held access to the inside of Middle Castle also automatically open. After that, the two rows of fully-armored soldiers moved their eyes away from Zhang Tie.

Ever since he was born, it was Zhang Tie's first time to contact such a hi-tech machine. According to Zhang Su, Middle Castle was not only the entrance to the Breaking Heaven Department but also to the management point. Under the ground of Middle Castle, there was a steam-driven machine that could identify the special metal grains on the clan plates of Zhang Tie's family. Once Zhang Tie gained access to the Breaking Heaven Department, the gate of Middle Castle would be open for him.

After entering the Castle, what Zhang Tie first saw was a magnificent hall, in which, there was a counter while some youths in the uniform of the Breaking Heaven Department were queuing up. Having been told what to do by Zhang Su, Zhang Tie instantly joined them. Behind the counter were some scholars in rigorous uniforms.

Some in front of Zhang Tie were submitting gold coins over the counter while the others passed their paper tapes over the counter. Along with the gold coins and the paper tapes, were their clan plates. After receiving the gold coins and the paper tapes, the people behind the counter took a serious look at them before inserting each clan plate into a huge machine with more operating buttons and sophisticated keys which was similar to the machine outside the gate. After that, they pressed the buttons and the drawbars to withdraw the clan plate out of the machine.

"Ouyang Guang has submitted 30 gold coins as the monthly payment for March in the Breaking Heaven Department..."

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"Zhang Zhenyue has submitted 30 gold coins as the monthly payment for March in Breaking Heaven Department..."

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"Zhang Wei has finished clan task No. Z125 and gained 120 clan contribution points..."

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"Qi Fei has submitted 30 gold coins as the monthly payment for March in Breaking Heaven Department..."

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"Zhang Guowei has finished clan task No. T14 and gained 50 clan contribution points."

The person in front of Zhang Tie who looked 2 years older was Zhang Guowei. After confirming that he had gained 50 clan contribution points, Zhang Tie heard him let out a sigh, "Can you check how many clan contribution points I have now please..."

After this person asked, Zhang Tie had noticed the people's movements behind the counter. After hearing Zhang Guowei's request, the people who operated that weird machine just pulled down a drawbar on that machine to run some gears. After that, a series of numbers showed up from an odometer-like visible window on the side of that person.

Of course, this machine was not a steam-based machine. Instead, it was a machine application terminal that was connected to the steam-based machine. Zhang Su said the steam-based machine that was underground was about three floors tall. With a steam turbine as the driving force, the perimeter of those gears in the machine, after being connected could circle around the Hidden Dragon Island several times.

"Along with the 50 clan contribution points by finishing this clan task, you have 176 clan donation points in total. Anything else do you want to know?"

"No, thanks!" Feeling a bit agonized, that one called Zhang Guowei shook his head.

After returning the clan plate from the machine, that operator gave it back to Zhang Guowei. When he left, Zhang Tie heard him mumbling while looking at the ceiling, "Alas, I still need 24 clan contribution points to learn Iron Elephant Skill..."

After he left, it was Zhang Tie's turn...

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