Castle of Black Iron

Chapter 1693: Whose Bait

Translator: WQL Editor: Aleem

Within a few minutes, all the immortal generals of the branch of Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace in Heavenly Square City had arrived in the parlor of the courtyard where they lived in Flyingdragon Manor, including Leng Manxue who had disappeared for a few days.

Since the room was renovated by Zhang Tie, Leng Manxue had not moved in. Zhang Tie didn’t even talk to her about that.

After coming to Dragon Emperor City for one week, Zhou Baimei was called to report his work to the elders of Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace in Dragon Emperor City yesterday. However, today, Zhang Tie couldn’t see anything abnormal on Huang Baimei’s face.

By contrast, Zhou Baifei couldn’t hide his satisfaction even if he wanted to stay calm.

“You’re all here. Take a seat!” Huang Baimei was much more easy-going than before. “I reported my work to the five elders in Dragon Emperor City yesterday. They have already agreed to my resignation!”

Huang Baimei’s message made everyone at present transfixed.

Zhang Tie took a look at Leng Manxue who was glassy-eyed. Zhang Tie couldn’t see any happiness on her face. It might predict something.

“Ah? Head Huang, why do you resign?” Liu Meng asked straightforwardly.

“As the branch of Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace in Heavenly Square City has disappeared and there’re not enough vacancies for branch heads in Dragon Emperor Big Domain, my title of branch head is meaningless. Therefore, I prefer to resign!”

“How do the five elders arrange you, head?” Zhang Tie as the deputy branch head asked Huang Baimei.

Even the branch head had proposed to resign, Zhang Tie felt more tasteless being the deputy branch head, despite he didn’t care too much about this identity.

“I’ve requested a new title from them. I will go to the Blacksilver Snow Mountain in the northernmost part of Dragon Emperor Big Domain as an ascetic cultivator so as to prevent demons. The Church has already agreed!”

As Huang Baimei replied, Zhang Tie had already visualized the map of Dragon Emperor Big Domain in mind. It was a sparsely populated barren land in the northernmost of Dragon Emperor Big Domain. Being an ascetic cultivator over there was equal to staying far away from the pivot of Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace. It was like being banished. Was there any demon? Of course not. Because the army of demons would prefer the south or the west of Dragon Emperor Big Domain rather than going to the wild north after taking a very roundabout way where even a bird would grudge taking a sh*t in. There was no major target for demons over there at all.

The others preferred to avoid from such a wild place; however, Huang Baimei requested to go there voluntarily. Amazingly, those elders agreed with him. Watching Huang Baimei’s calm look, Zhang Tie became complex inside as he didn’t know whether he should be happy or sad about him.

“After I resign it, you’re not my subordinates anymore. From now on, if the immortal palace wants to dispatch you to do something, they don’t have to ask me. You could choose your own way freely. Of course, as new immortal generals, your basic compensation that has been promised by the immortal palace would remain unchanged!”

After hearing Huang Baimei’s words, people at present looked different. A complex light flashed by Leng Manxue’s eyes. By contrast, an ecstatic look flashed by Zhou Baifei’s face.

The title of branch head was absolutely a key title in the entire administrative system of Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace. It connected the high-end immortal generals with the low-end immortal generals. Branch heads could make arbitrary decisions. Without the consent of branch heads, even though the Church couldn’t deliver orders to subordinate immortal generals directly. In other words, branch heads were like overbearing lords who could rule one region.

As for those lobbyists who came to Flyingdragon Manor lately, as long as they could move Huang Baimei, they could move his subordinates like Zhang Tie, Ji Yuelan, Jiang Ruoxin, etc.. As long as Huang Baimei agreed at the risk of his life, his subordinates had to follow him wherever he was. It was the authority of a branch head, which represented the interests of the class of branch heads and the tradition for the succession of all the immortal palaces in Motian Realm. Even the Dragon Emperor would not easily break this rule and tradition by challenging the class of branch heads, not to mention the Church.

Huang Baimei’s resignation meant the disappearance of the constraint of his subordinates. Therefore, those lobbyists who once wanted to rope in Huang Baimei might come for his subordinates. As his fresh subordinates had no reliance in the immortal palace, it was the right moment for those elders and grand justices to cozy up to them at the minimal cost.

If elders and grand justices were on the same page, it was meaningless for them to rope in branch heads’ subordinates; instead, they only needed to deliver the transfer orders. The branch heads’ subordinates could only take it. However, as elders and grand justices had their own considerations for the sake of profit, competitions were inevitable. As a result, they started such a ridiculous thing.

“Before the resignation, I met Elder Shi the head of Immortal Generals Department yesterday. He talked about you to me. He said you might get acquainted with his disciple. Therefore, Elder Shi wanted to transfer you to the Immortal Generals Department. He even asked me whether I agreed with him or not. I agreed. Therefore, you might receive your transfer order in a couple of days...” Huang Baimei said as he watched Zhou Baifei.

The others at present immediately fixated onto Zhou Baifei. Liu brothers even despised him. After hearing Huang Baimei’s words, the others finally knew what Zhou Baifei was doing these days. Before Huang Baimei’s resignation, Zhou Baifei had started to find his reliance so as to leave Huang Baimei’s camp. That was really a mean behavior!

Zhou Baifei’s pleasant look stagnated as it recovered soon, “Head Huang, please forgive me. As Brother Shaopeng is my bosom friend, after knowing that I’ve joined Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace and come to Dragon Emperor City, he talked to his master about me. Elder Shi is kind-hearted!”

“Of course, Elder Shi is kind-hearted!” Huang Baimei replied with a smile as he stayed calm, adding, “Immortal Generals Department is one of the five major departments of Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace. Of course, it’s good for you to go to the Immortal Generals Department. Although you’re not my subordinate anymore, I still hope each of you could have a bright future!”

“Thanks, Head Huang!” Zhou Baifei cupped his hands before being silent.

“I’ve already recommended you to Elder Xia the head of the Supervision Department!” Huang Baimei said as he watched Zhang Tie seriously.

Zhang Tie revealed a bitter smile as he shook his head, at a loss of what to say.

“Well, given your future, I have to tell you about that. There were recruitment announcements for immortal generals outside each of the five major departments of Dragon Emperor City, if you have any intention, you could go have a try. As for the future, it depends on you...” Huang Baimei said as he waved his hand towards them. All the others left after exchanging a glance with each other, except for Zhang Tie.

When everyone else left, Zhang Tie smiled as he started the talk with Huang Baimei using his battle qi, “I’ve not imagined that Head Huang could be so decisive. I really admire you!”

“What you said that day really moved me a lot. Previously, I didn’t belong to any party of the five elders and the two grand justices. It would be shameless if I went for one of them at this moment. Additionally, I didn’t want to do that at all. As an immortal general, I always put cultivation first. It might be a good thing for me to leave this dangerous place!” Huang Baimei smiled as his words sounded a bit desolate. Among those immortal generals in the Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace, besides Leng Manxue, only Zhang Tie could talk with him about that.

“Head Huang, have you heard about the fable The Old Frontiersman Losing His Horse ?”

“No!”

Zhang Tie then told the story to Hung Baimei vividly. As this story didn’t happen in Motian Realm but in Taixia Country, Huang Baimei was instantly fascinated by this story.

“Thank you so much. After hearing your story, I feel much better. This time, I might be the frontiersman, hahaha...” Huang Baimei burst into laughter.

“Perhaps Head Huang would realize soon how correct your decision is!” Zhang Tie said with a smile.

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing. As I was traveling outside these days, I couldn’t help thinking about what I would do if I were the demon emperor and knew the internal situation facing Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace, doing nothing or doing something?”

Huang Baimei deeply frowned at a stroke as he asked, “What do you mean?”

“It’s a method to let Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace solve its internal contradictions itself; but the result of this method might be that one of the five elders and two grand justices of Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace might promote to an immortal king within 100 years and lead Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace to its heyday once again. Then, that person would promote to an immortal emperor faster with the resources of Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace. It’s the risk of facing demons. If demons take action at this moment, they could at least split up Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace and destroy one opponent in advance with the contradictions between human immortal palaces!” Zhang Tie said as his eyes sparkled, being far away from being casual.

“Impossible!” Huang Baimei exclaimed.

“Of course it’s possible!” Zhang Tie smiled, revealing his white teeth, which Huang Baimei felt gloomy, saying, “If I were the demon emperor, I only need to dispatch some powerhouses to kill the five elders and two grand justices of Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace, even by myself. As long as the five elders and the two grand justices were killed, Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace would perish itself. As a result, the other human immortal palaces might fight each other for sharing Dragon Emperor Big Domain. Demons could make us chaotic internally. Why not? Therefore, it might be wise for you to leave Dragon Emperor City on this occasion...”

Huang Baimei was transfixed completely. Being limited to his position and insight, he had almost not thought about that...

In many cases, one’s overall strength and position determined how far he could see.

Huang Baimei felt muddle-headed as he sprung up and intended to leave.

“Elder Huang, you’ve just resigned yesterday and determined to be an ascetic cultivator. If you go to tell those elders and grand justices that they might become the targets of demons and would face dangers, do you think they would believe you? What would they think of you?” Zhang Tie sighed as he continued, “They would never appreciate you; instead, they would only feel that you’re insulting them and mocking at their short-sightedness and greed and threatening them for your maximal profit. As long as they’re alive, they would hate you and mock you and treat you as the sore in their eyes. If it happens and it proves that you’re right, they would first kill you; instead of fighting demons as long as they survive it. As for the reason, Head Huang, what if they frame you for colluding with demons? If not, how did you know demons’ plan?”

After hearing Zhang Tie’s warning, Huang Baimei instantly became froze as his foot had already stridden out of the threshold.

After half a minute, Huang Baimei hardly turned around as he returned to his seat, throwing himself onto his seat with a bitter look. He then watched Zhang Tie as if it was his first time to see him, saying, “Wh...why did you tell me this?”

“Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace is a human force. As a human, I don’t want to see my friend die for idiots. Is it enough?” Zhang Tie explained as he shrugged.

“Erm, what about you? What’s your choice?”

“Me? Of course, I’ll stay in Dragon Emperor City!” Zhang Tie replied with a smile.

“Why? Why don’t you leave?”

Zhang Tie then watched Huang Baimei with a solemn and righteous look, saying, “As a human, of course, I should do something for humans. If there’s really such a day, I’d like to avenge for the elders and grand justices!”

If Zhang Tie said it previously, Huang Baimei might have believed him; however, Huang Baimei didn’t believe in him at this moment because Huang Baimei faintly felt that Zhang Tie was waiting for demon powerhouses in Dragon Emperor City... In Zhang Tie’s eyes, the elders and grand justices in Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace might be his bait for demon powerhouses...

It was such a weird and shocking feeling that Huang Baimei even doubted that there was something wrong with his brains.

“D...did you really lose your memory?” Huang Baimei asked him.

“Ah, Head Huang, that reminds me. I have a headache again. What did I say just now? Ah, ayaya, why I couldn’t remember it. Head, do you remember it...” Zhang Tie suddenly watched Huang Baimei with an innocent look as he stroked his head.

Huang Baimei became speechless...