Chapter 168: A Conversation with Tie Zhi

The group fell with a thud to the floor of the main burial chamber, and beneath this main burial chamber, there was actually an underground palace.

The underground palace was like an Imperial Palace, resplendent and magnificent; one look and it was clear it had been built in the royal style.

In front of the group sat a middle-aged man dressed in black with shiny, jet-black hair.

The middle-aged man looked down from a position of superiority, his eyes staring fixedly at these uninvited guests, Duan Fengyun and the others.

Seeing this person, Duan Fengyun immediately realized that this must be the reclusive expert within this Imperial Mausoleum.

The man said to Bu Jingyun:

"Bu Jingyun, back then you came to the Imperial Mausoleum to disturb my peace for the sake of a loved one, and I did not hold it against you.

Now you have brought a group of people to disturb my peace again; how can you expect me to let you off?"

"Stop playing god and acting like a ghost. Who are you? State your name quickly, or don't blame me for being heartless with my sword."

Bu Jingyun had never liked talking too much with people who played god and acted like ghosts, so he drew the Peerless Sword directly.

"Haha, if I were to say my name, I expect you wouldn't know it anyway.

My name is Tie Zhi!"

Duan Fengyun thought to himself:

"Sure enough, this old fellow is indeed the designer of this Imperial Mausoleum, and the junior martial brother of Tie Kuangtu and Tieshen—Tie Zhi."

When Nie Feng heard the name Tie Zhi, he was still extremely puzzled, because they had heard this name somewhere before, but for a moment, he could not recall it.

After hearing this, Bu Jingyun put away the Peerless Sword and asked in surprise:

"You are Tie Zhi?

You are the junior martial brother of Tie Kuangtu and Tieshen, Tie Zhi?"

Because it concerned the Peerless Sword, Bu Jingyun had kept everything Tieshen told him at the time firmly in his heart, so he naturally recalled Tie Zhi's identity.

"Bu Jingyun, how do you know the names of my senior martial brother Tieshen and second senior martial brother Tie Kuangtu?

Have you seen them?"

After hearing Bu Jingyun's words, Tie Zhi hurriedly stood up from the large chair and walked with long strides to stand before Bu Jingyun to question him.

"That is correct, we met Tieshen, Tie Kuangtu, and the others on Tiexin Island."

Bu Jingyun replied.

"Then are my senior martial brother and second senior martial brother doing well?

How is the Iron Gate?"

Tie Zhi asked eagerly.

Bu Jingyun replied with a solemn face:

"Tieshen was murdered by Tie Kuangtu, and Tie Kuangtu has already come to Zhongyuan; his whereabouts are unknown.

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As for the Iron Gate, after Tieshen died and Tie Kuangtu fled to Zhongyuan, it collapsed and was removed from the martial arts world."

Tie Zhi took several large steps backward; unwilling to believe what Bu Jingyun had said, he said indignantly:

"Bu Jingyun, quickly tell me about all of this."

Seeing this, Bu Jingyun began to recount the story, starting from when Huaikong sought him out.

Finally, when he reached the point where Tie Kuangtu was defeated and fled, and Tieshen gave his final instructions to Huaikong, Bu Jingyun ended his account.

Tie Zhi stood rooted to the spot as if frozen; he shook his head and sighed:

"I never thought my second senior martial brother would end up taking this path.

But I never expected that for the sake of his own selfish desires, he would actually lay a hand on his own biological elder brother.

It is a pity that my senior martial brother toiled his whole life for the Iron Gate and for this biological younger brother of his, only to die at the hands of that very brother."

Tie Zhi was now filled with hatred for Tie Kuangtu and filled with sighs for Tieshen.

"Senior, then why did you choose to live in seclusion beneath this Imperial Mausoleum?"

Nie Feng asked.

Tie Zhi looked at the group, gazed up at the ceiling, and after a deep sigh, said:

"This all started when I left the Iron Gate.

Back then, I did not want the position of Sect Leader to affect the relationship between us martial brothers, so I left Tiexin Island.

Upon arriving in Zhongyuan, I was determined to carve out a path for myself through my own strength, and my unconstrained design concepts earned the appreciation of the imperial court.

At that time, I was bitterly pursuing fame and fortune, so I entered the imperial court and became a royal designer.

Over the next few years, I helped the royals build many gardens, secret chambers, and dungeons.

But in these years, I also saw many examples of 'when the rabbits are dead, the hunting dogs are cooked.'

After experiencing so many things, I became indifferent to the fame, fortune, and disputes of the human world.

When the contemporary Supreme asked me to build the Imperial Mausoleum, I had an idea: to build my own palace beneath this mausoleum and spend the rest of my life in solitude within this palace.

That is why you see me and this underground palace beneath the Imperial Mausoleum."

After listening, Duan Fengyun smiled and said:

"As expected, Senior is truly the one with the greatest wisdom and the most open mind; if it were me, I certainly could not let go of this bustling world."

Tie Zhi smiled and replied:

"You flatter me; everyone has their own pursuits, we just have different ones."

After Tie Zhi finished smiling, he took on a pleading expression and said

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:

"Everyone, I would like to ask a favor of you; I wonder if you would be willing to agree."

"Senior, please speak freely. As long as it is within our power, we will certainly go through fire and water without hesitation."

Duan Fengyun agreed immediately; as for Tie Zhi's request, he had guessed what it was without even needing to think.

Tie Zhi's request was nothing more than wanting to confront Tie Kuangtu face-to-face.

He knew he was no match for Tie Kuangtu himself, which was why he requested that they help bring Tie Kuangtu to him.

"I wish to beg you all, if you should face Tie Kuangtu one day, could you spare his life?

Then bring him to me; I wish to ask him properly why he had to commit the act of killing his own brother."

As expected, what Tie Zhi said was exactly the same as what Duan Fengyun had anticipated.

Tie Zhi stated his request; he wanted to question Tie Kuangtu in person, and he wanted to know if fame and fortune in the Jianghu were truly so important in Tie Kuangtu's heart, important enough to sacrifice his own older brother.

"No problem, Senior.

As long as we encounter Tie Kuangtu, we will certainly bring him to see you, Senior.

It is just that we also have a request, and we hope you can help us, Senior."

Tie Zhi laughed and said:

"You want me to help look after the person in the stone coffin above, right?

You may rest assured about this; with me here, no one will come to disturb her peace."

"Then everything is entrusted to you, Senior."

The four of them thanked Tie Zhi one after another.

"Senior, I imagine that when you built this palace, you must have left a path leading to the outside world for yourself."

Duan Fengyun asked.

"That is correct, this old man did indeed leave a path.

Follow me, and I will lead you all out."

Tie Zhi led them through the palace and arrived at a stone wall.

Tie Zhi walked up to the stone wall, gave a lamp beside the wall a gentle twist, and the stone wall opened.

"This is the path leading to the outside world; you can reach the outside once you pass through the small path ahead.

I hope you will not deceive this old man and will keep your promise to bring Tie Kuangtu here."

Even as they were leaving, Tie Zhi did not forget to provoke Duan Fengyun and the others.

"Rest assured, Senior, we will certainly keep our promise.

Farewell, Senior!"

After Duan Fengyun finished speaking, the five of them walked into the small path behind the stone wall.

And Tie Zhi closed the stone wall once again.

(End of chapter)

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