Castle of Black Iron

In the early morning of August 7, the 3586th year of Emperor NvWa’s Calendar, the foot of Tigerback Mountain had long been crowded like a fair.

Being different than before, those who were here today were not those who wanted to seek Bian Heng’s medical treatment; instead, they were doctors who had been waiting for so long to learn from Bian Heng.

Some doctors had already stayed in Tigerback Town for dozens of years in order to learn from Bian Heng; some had stayed there for a few months at least.

The first kind of person had already improved their medical skills a lot through communicating with the other doctors in Tigerback Town even though they were not able to go uphill. What was more, many patients with different, rare diseases would come to Tigerback Town every day with the similar idea of these doctors——now that they could barely go uphill for Bian Heng’s medical treatment, they could at least try here. Maybe they could be cured. As a result, the medical industry in Tigerback Town gradually became vigorous.

Zhang Tie also knew that it was the date for Bian Heng to select his disciple. Therefore, he came here to join the fun in the early morning. On one aspect, Zhang Tie wondered how Bian Heng selected his disciple; on the other hand, he wondered about Tang Mei’s performance as he remembered the talk between him and Uncle Guan.

As for whether he could help Tang Mei or not, Zhang Tie was not confident about it at all. Speaking of medical skill, Zhang Tie was just an outsider. As for Bian Heng’s tests, even those in Tigerback Mountain didn’t know about it, not to mention Zhang Tie.

In the early morning, over 10,000 people had been gathering at the foot of Tigerback Mountain, which scared Zhang Tie a lot. If not the open square which could park airboats, they couldn’t even be held here.

Among 10,000-odd people, Tang Mei was still the most eye-catching one.

At first, most of these people were male. Less than 1 in 100 people was female. Among those females, Tang Mei in veil, who smelled like the lily, was pretty eye-catching.

The moment Zhang Tie entered the crowd in the square, he had caught sight of Tang Mei; however, Tang Mei didn’t see him.

Tang Mei was very quiet. Many male doctors were surrounding her like a myriad of stars surrounding a moon. Meanwhile, they were communicating with each other in a low voice. Even so, it was still like shouting by a tweeter as for Zhang Tie.

“I will definitely try my best to go uphill. As long as I could become Bian Sage’s disciple, I will definitely find a solution to cure Miss Tang’s disease…” a youth in blue said with a strong will beside Tang Mei. The youth was handsome and tall. As he said that, he kept looking at Tang Mei with an arrogant and eager look. Anyone could feel that youth had a crush on Tang Mei as long as they were not blind.

“Hahaha, through competitions here, if I could go uphill, I would have a bright future. As I’ve learned medical skills for dozens of years, I will not give way to you this time, Lang…” Another youth who also looked excellent instantly interrupted the former one as he kept watching Tang Mei with the same eager look. He said, “No matter what, I will definitely find a solution to cure your cancer…”

“Miss Tang has special expertise in medical skills. After discussing with you for a few days, I know Miss Tang has her special view. Although we always treated ourselves as famous doctors before coming to Tigerback Mountain, through communicating with Miss Tang, we also achieved a lot. Bian Sage has not taken any female as his disciple; additionally, we know nothing about his tests. Miss Tang might get an opportunity to go up the hill…” A middle-aged man said as he stroked his mustache with special respect…

“Thank you. God helps those who help themselves. Let nature take its course…” Tang Mei slightly opened her mouth as she looked pretty calm.

As for those who kept silent, they kept nodding their heads after hearing Tang Mei’s words…

…

Watching the performance of Tang Mei and the other males around her, Zhang Tie admired Tang Mei too. He wondered what she had done in Tigerback Town over the past few days. Given those people around her, they must be special in Tigerback Town…

Although over 10,000 doctors were gathering in the square at the foot of Tigerback Mountain, there was not any loud noise. All of them were waiting for the tests. Additionally, more people were heading here from Tigerback Town in the distance to see the fun. The event that Bian Heng selected his disciple aroused the attention of numerous people.

“Hahaha, it’s not late…” With a guffaw, a tough man flew towards here from afar. When his voice was over 7 miles away, a literati had already landed in the front of the square.

The arrival of this man aroused a hubbub at a stroke. As he could fly, he was definitely an immortal general; additionally, given his flight ability, he should be a high-level immortal general.

Zhang Tie had not imagined that even a wind immortal general would like to be Bian Heng’s disciple.

Zhang Tie was here on time. Therefore, only in a few minutes, he had seen General Butler Qin going downstairs leisurely, followed by some people.

General Butler Qin held nothing as those people behind him were holding writing brushes, inkstone, rice paper, and incense burner.

At the sight of them, the square at the foot of the mountain became quiet instantly.

“General Butler Qin, I’m here to see the fun, don’t care about me…” Zhang Tie told General Butler Qin secretly. After taking a look at Zhang Tie, General Butler Qin moved his eyes away calmly as if he had not seen anything special.

Those people put writing brush, ink, rice paper and inkstone into the room next to the decorated archway before exiting the room.

“Today, I want to select a disciple among you. Cut the crap. I’ve got three questions, namely three passes. If anyone among you could finish it correctly within the regulated period of time, you will be my disciple…”

A voice reached the square from the top of the mountain. After hearing it, a few people among the crowd became excited.

——That’s Bian Heng’s voice.

“The first test will cost you about 30 minutes. Within this period of time, anyone among you could write the answer inside the room. If your answer is correct, you could enter the second pass. If you fail, you have to leave…” General Butler Qin opened his mouth calmly.

“Please start…” the immortal general who came here at the last moment shouted loudly.

General Butler Qin clapped his hands. Closely after that, two people behind him directly took out a piece of white cloth. In the blink of an eye, the two people had hung the piece of white cloth on the decorated archway. With several meters in length and width respectively, it was like a curtain which was used for presenting film.

When they watched the first question, all of them at present were petrified including Zhang Tie…

After being shortly stunned, many people in the square exclaimed weirdly in a split second…

“Ah? What’s that f*cking thing…”

“Yes, what’s that…”

“Why are there numbers and blank spaces…”

“Won’t he test our medical skills?”

…

“You’ve all known nine-check arithmetics. Please fill the 25 numbers into the 25 checks. My request is that the addition of numbers in each line should be the same, horizontally, vertically or diagonally…” General Butler Qin opened his mouth calmly again. Closely after his words, someone behind him started to insert an incense into the burner and started to calculate time…

The square was in a hubbub at a stroke…

…