Black Iron Order of the Dragon Mountain Mansion

Early in the morning, the day after.

In Water Rites Town, the home of the Great Mage, Bai Yuan Zhi.

A bone chilling northern winter wind blew through an open window into a quiet room. The chill attacked the white robed and barefooted Bai Yuan Zhi as he sat there calmly cross legged. Thanks to the cold northern wind, his entire face was left blushing red.

"Why doesn’t it bond at the end?"

"Why did the experimental body collapse?"

Bai Yuan Zhi ceaselessly pondered the issue he encountered the previous night.

Suddenly.

"Teacher, teacher! The lord of the Xue Ying Territory has come to visit!" A timid voice called from outside the room. Everyone knew that the Great Mage didn’t like being bothered during his early morning contemplations.

Naturally, he disliked being bothered. Disturbances were highly discouraged, but not forbidden!

However, aside from catastrophes as expansive and far-reaching as the sky, all other disruptions were absolutely forbidden during his experiments!

"That young territory lord?" Bai Yuan Zhi said with a faint and vacant look tinged with doubt. It hadn’t been long since the last time Dong Bo Xue Ying had visited. Could it be that he had already obtained a Silver Moon Wolf King’s heart or 50,000 gold coins?

"Hurry up and invite him inside!"

Bai Yuan Zhi immediately got up and left the quiet room. Heading to the living room to welcome his guest.

　　...

The Great Mage Bai Yuan Zhi stood in the doorway to his living room and greeted his guest with hospitality. A black clothed youth bearing a weapon box walked over as Bai Yuan Zhi restrained his fear inwardly . The aura on this young territory lord was extraordinarily withdrawn. Only by using his spiritual power as a Great Mage could he sense the terrifying aura that was withdrawn in its entirety.

"Great Mage." Xue Ying smiled.

"Territory lord, please come in." Bai Yuan Zhi responded courteously.

The two individuals sat down.

"Territory lord, this time you have come for…" Bai Yuan Zhi said as he attentively watched Xue Ying.

"Please take a look Great Mage." With a flip of his hand, a small iron box appeared in his palms. The stench of raw meat wafted from within the box, as Xue Ying handed the box to him.

Bai Yuan Zhi could already guess the contents. Trembling with excitement, he reached out and received the box.

He gently opened it.

Precisely, inside was the heart of a Silver Moon Wolf King. In fact, it was exceptionally fresh! It had only been one day since Xue Ying had killed the Silver Moon Wolf King. In addition, Xue Ying stored the heart in his storage pendant. Thus, the heart maintained the peak degree of freshness.

"The Silver Moon heart? It feels as if it was harvested merely two hours ago." Bai Yuan Zhi excitedly exclaimed. Between the Silver Moon heart and 50,000 gold coins, he wished to obtain the Silver Moon heart much more, since he could only buy some materials with the money… But with this Silver Moon heart, he could use it as the final component necessary to finish his work of art.

Even if he wanted to buy a Silver Moon Wolf King’s heart, it was an item that could only be discovered, not sought after. There weren’t many people that were willing to go to the Mountain Range of Desolation, in addition to killing a Silver Moon Wolf King. He had long since prepared the other components necessary for his experiment, but in the past eight years despite his efforts and patience, he hadn’t been able to get ahold of a Silver Moon heart at all.

It would be far too expensive for him to invite an expert to go to the Mountain Range of Desolation and hunt one for him.

"Great Mage." Xue Ying started.

Bai Yuan Zhi restrained his state of ecstasy and raised his head. "I’m relieved that you’ve delivered the Silver Moon’s heart, territory lord. I, Bai Yuan Zhi, will definitely instruct your brother with all my power and receive him as my personal disciple. And when his spiritual power reaches the threshold, I guarantee that he will be able to become a mage!"

After receiving such a precious treasure, he definitely had to settle things properly.

"I’ll have to trouble Great Mage to do so." Xue Ying smiled. "When can my little brother come over?"

"Anytime is fine." Bai Yuan Zhi answered as he took out a wooden tile. The tile had the word "Bai" engraved onto it. "This is my token. Give this to your brother and he can immediately come over.’

Xue Ying nodded.

He had never been afraid that this Bai Yuan Zhi would be a renegade concerning his promise!

It was impossible for Bai Yuan Zhi to take this precious treasure and turn his cheek. After all, Xue Ying was able to deliver him a Silver Moon’s heart in such a short period of time. Thus, it wouldn’t be hard for Xue Ying to assassinate him either! Being able to kill a Silver Moon Wolf King meant that he was able to kill a Meteor Rank Great Mage.

"I’ll bring my little brother here after the new year. I’ll have to bother you to receive him when the time comes." Xue Ying took the token and immediately got up to leave. "I’ll be taking my leave then."

Bai Yuan Zhi stood up to deliver Xue Ying to the door.

Bai Yuan Zhi tightly held onto the metal box as he watched Xue Ying leave and inwardly thought, ‘This juvenile territory lord said that he would deliver the Silver Moon’s heart or 50,000 gold coins within a month, yet he has already delivered it so soon after. The Silver Moon’s heart is also extremely fresh. Clearly, the Silver Moon Wolf King was just recently killed. But who killed it? The Xue Ying Territory shouldn’t have such a powerful expert.’

Zong Ling and Tong San had risen to fame long ago, but neither of them were able to kill a Silver Moon Wolf King.

‘Could it be that juvenile territory lord?’ Bai Yuan Zhi guessed.

He had met Zong Ling before. Zong Ling was an expert Six-Armed Serpent Demon, but he didn’t evoke any fear in him.

Yet, he was unable to see through that young territory lord.

　　...

Xue Ying went to pay his 10,000 gold coin debt for the Flying Snow God Spear, before returning to Xue Ying Territory with his subordinates.

Along the path from the castle’s main gates.

Ten soldiers were kneeling down with utmost respect.

"Big brother, big brother. You didn’t bring me with you this morning to Water Rites!" Qing Shi called out from behind the railings of the castle’s third floor.

"You were still sleeping when I set out." Whoosh. With a single leap, Xue Ying reached the third floor and landed beside his younger brother. He took out the token and handed it to Qing Shi. "Look here Qing Shi. What do you think this is?"

Qing Shi was puzzled with the wooden tile. "It’s a wood tile isn’t it? With a "Bai" character engraved onto it?"

"This is the token of the Great Mage, Bai Yuan Zhi. You will go and become his personal disciple after the new year." Xue Ying said.

"Ah. The Great Mage is looking to accept a personal disciple?" Hahaha…" Qing Shi was practically shaking his butt back and forth as he said so. "Amazing, simply too amazing!"

"But brother, doesn’t that mean I won’t be able to see you?" Qing Shi said reluctantly.

"Hahaha. How far is it from here to Water Rites? You can come back and visit me anytime, and I can visit you anytime too." Xue Ying laughed.

"En." Qing Shi vigorously nodded. He was already looking forward to becoming a mage after devouring all of the books concerning mages that his mother had left behind.

　　...

In the afternoon of the same day.

A flurry of snow floated down from the sky, blanketing the northern provinces of the empire. Snow was a common sight in the north.

Xue Ying watched the gentle snow steadily fall outside as he sat upright in a lotus position. After reaching the realm of a Great Spear Master, he would still spend two hours a day cultivating. However, the only effect of cultivating now was the improvement of his bones and muscles. But in order to improve his spearmanship? This required time... and comprehending the nature of the Heavens and the Earth.

By mastering the nature of the Heavens and the Earth, he would achieve enlightenment.

"Master, master. There’s someone outside who calls himself the Lord of Dragon Mountain Mansion. He wishes to visit you." The servant said as he ran over with labored breath.

"Dragon Mountain Mansion?" Xue Ying’s eyes lit up.

He had heard of the Dragon Mountain Mansion before.

It was a very mysterious organization established throughout the empire. The lord of the Dragon Mountain Mansion’s Water Rites branch wasn’t any lower than the lord of Water Rites Town.

Xue Ying immediately got up and hastened to personally welcome the lord at the gate.

"Open the gates and let my guest in." Xue Ying called out as he arrived at the main castle gates.

Led by a black haired middle aged man, a group of people were standing outside of the gates. Beside the middle aged man was a grey haired elder, and behind him, a group of bodyguards who were all Heaven Rank Knights.

"Haha! I’ve long since heard the great name of the Spear Demon Dong Bo Xue Ying, but seeing you today has confirmed it. You truly are extraordinary!" The middle aged man said with a smile. "I am the lord of the Dragon Mountain Mansion’s Water Rites branch, Si An!"

"Greetings, Lord Si An." Xue Ying replied politely. "Please come inside, Lord Si An."

Xue Ying and Lord Si An walked away shoulder to shoulder, leaving everyone else behind.

"What matter has you trekking all the way here in the snow for, Lord Si An?" Xue Ying asked with a smile.

"With your strength alone, you were able to wipe out the Bent Blade Union. Could it be that you’re still trying to hide such a major matter? You were also bearing a Silver Moon Wolf King’s fur as you continuously dashed for over 400 kilometers yesterday. More than a few people witnessed this. Are you also trying to hide the fact that you killed a Silver Moon Wolf King?" Lord Si An smiled as he asked in turn.

Xue Ying was inwardly startled.

Yesterday’s matter was already completely known by Lord Si An in less than a day! The Dragon Mountain Mansion really was formidable.

"Naturally I came today to deliver the reward for killing the major criminal, Ge Bin! The second matter is even more important. It’s to deliver the Black Iron Order of my Dragon Mountain Mansion." Lord Si An replied.

"The Black Iron Order?" His heart trembled as he repeated those words.

He had been waiting for this day...

He had already waited for far too long!