Zhang Tie

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Zhang Tie (张铁)
Alias(es)	Cui Li; Candle Dragon True Person; Thousand-Machine True Lord; Tie Changong; Golas 788 1171 1206 1355 1559
Species/Race	Hua Clan human 9 549
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Huaiyuan Hall; Iron Dragon Sect; Great Xia; Dragon Emperor Temple 1203 1303 1391 1695
Occupation/Role	Sect Master of the Iron Dragon Sect; Huaiyuan Hall Supreme Elder; knight/divine general; rune-refining Grand Master; former Overseer of Dragon Emperor Pavilion 897 1391 1731
Status	Alive; pursuing the Divine Emperor realm 2005 2051
First Appearance	The Black Iron Castle, Chapter 9 9

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Level 2 Battle Soldier	122	His throwing-perception range expands from 30–40 paces to nearly 30–40 meters.
Level 5 Battle Soldier	272	Consumes a Flawless Fruit and gains Iron-Blood Transformation Force.
Level 7 Warrior	328 342	Ignites a Divine Palace Bright Point, becomes a quasi-level 7 Warrior, then completes the level and condenses Iron-Blood Battle Qi.
Level 9 Warrior	556	Absorbs the Soul Fire of a level-nine Blood Scorpion; his Iron-Blood Battle Qi strengthens and he survives six seconds against the Shadow Demon.
Foundation Establishment	604	Completes Foundation Establishment by manifesting all hidden bright points in his body.
Level 10 Strong Warrior	624	Ignites 21 bright points, opens his qi sea, and demonstrates his new power by throwing a Flying Spear more than 400 meters.
Level 12 Great Battle Master	687	Ignites his 144th Bright Point in the Infinite Roc King Scripture, receiving enhanced lightness and agility.
Level 13 Battle General	714	Cultivates in the Time Tower; his Iron-Blood Divine Fist reaches Battle Qi Taking Form, manifesting as a blood-colored tiger.
Level 14 Battle Demon	715	Ignites 144 bright points over roughly 580 days of isolated cultivation.
Level 15 Knight	715	Passes a spiritual trial and becomes a Knight, triggering a widespread phenomenon among birds and aquatic creatures.
Knight—tenth Earth Chakra scale	836	Lights the tenth dragon scale on his Knight Crystal Token after absorbing an Earth Element Crystal.
Peak of knighthood	897	Strengthens himself with fruits and advances further through secluded Earth-element cultivation; becomes a Grand Master Craftsman.
Black Iron Knight—second transformation	979	Refines and absorbs a Devil Race baron’s Earth Chakra; the 72nd scale grants a further ten-percent enhancement to his abilities.
Black Iron Knight—ninth transformation	982	Completes the ninth Black Iron transformation after refining the baron’s chakras and tempering himself against puppet battle dummies.
Earth Knight	1010	Advances to Earth Knight while operating in the Earth Element Realm under the identity Cui Li.
Earth Knight—Water Chakra advancement	1197	Intensive cultivation in a volcanic crater advances his Water Chakra and greatly strengthens him.
Earth Knight—ninth transformation	1355	Reaches the ninth Earth Knight transformation through captured Devil Race Earth Knights and Water Element Crystals.
Phantom Knight	1443	Condenses a new chakra during battle and awakens the Five Elements Ring manifestation.
Sky Knight	1769	Advances through the absorption of Devil Race Wind Chakras, expanding the scope of God’s Dominator.
Firmament—first transformation	1817	Advances to the first Firmament transformation after returning from Azure Hibiscus City.
Roc King	1911	Emerges from the Infinite Divine Prison after more than eighty years inside and becomes the new Roc King.
Divine-wheel stage	2005	Begins condensing his first divine wheel; his Emperor-class scripture can ultimately form nine divine wheels.

Background and History

Early life and cultivation

Zhang Tie grew up in Black Flame City, where he eagerly played his family’s New Year drum each Spring Festival. Though physically well developed for a Hua Clan youth, his height and stamina ranked in the lower-middle among his school peers. 9 289

Mining, repeated life-or-death experiences, and cultivation through Soul Tribulation Fruits gradually hardened his body, broadened his shoulders, and gave him a deeper, more striking bearing. 105 During six months at Hidden Dragon Island, he rose from level five to level seven, evolved an ancestral bloodline, condensed Iron-Blood Battle Qi, and decided that he should become a source of strength in his own right rather than depend on powerful patrons. 342

Zhao Yuan and the Huaiyuan bloodline

Zhao Yuan saved Zhang Tie from a level-ten Strong Warrior and accepted him as a disciple, warning that their connection could draw the attention of level-fifteen Knights. Zhao Yuan gave him a Soul Crystal for locating him and a Blazing Red Lotus seed pod. 338

A Bloodline Crystal later confirmed Zhang Tie’s direct descent from Duke Huaiyuan. Huaiyuan Hall’s elders classified his awakened appearance-altering power as a divine lineage outside the eight normal ancestral-bloodline grades, while his Precision Throwing bloodline was identified as Desolation-grade. 548 549

Cui Li, Earth Knight, and sect master

Zhang Tie used the Illusory Body Divine Bloodline to assume the identity of Cui Li, concealing his advancement while operating in the Earth Element Realm. Cui Li earned a fief, slew Devil Race knights, and founded the Iron Dragon Sect before Zhang Tie’s identity was publicly confirmed. 1010 1145 1206

After revealing himself to his disciples as Candle Dragon True Person, he became a more active master to the Iron Dragon Sect and personally guided its members in combat and cultivation. 1094 1171

Great Xia military service

Zhang Tie served as a Black Armor Army scout on Ring Province’s border before later becoming Logistics General and Junior Historian to Grand Marshal Zuo Qiu Mingyue. 1303 1341 His battlefield achievements—including the destruction of Devil Race Earth Knights with thrown Flying Spears and the killing of Prince Firmament—made Thousand-Machine True Lord a name feared by enemies and revered by Great Xia’s knights. 1449 1559

Dragon Emperor Temple and later campaigns

Upon entering the Sky-Piercing Realm, Zhang Tie became a Vice Temple Master of the Dragon Emperor Temple. He later accepted the post of Overseer of Dragon Emperor Pavilion, using the office to investigate and suppress traitors within the temple. 1695 1731 1828

After surviving the Infinite Divine Prison and emerging as the Roc King, Zhang Tie returned to the wider world vastly stronger. He later spent five years in a Time Tower, strengthened the Castle of Black Iron through its fusion with the Mountain Ruins, and rushed back toward Great Xia when he learned that the Iron Dragon Sect was surrounded. 1911 2005

Appearance

Zhang Tie’s natural appearance develops from that of an ordinary Hua Clan youth into a tall, upright, heavily muscled man whose presence is compared to an approaching mountain. Despite years of extreme cultivation, his face retains a youthful appearance. 105 1911

• Continuous labor and cultivation broaden his frame and make his musculature increasingly defined. 105
• He has appeared bald while presenting himself publicly as the Iron Dragon Sect’s master. 1071
• His eyes eventually conceal a tyrannical, kingly aura beneath an outwardly lazy and unconcerned expression. 1911
• Through the Illusory Body Divine Bloodline, he can alter his face, build, age, hair, skin color, voice, and apparent race. 788 1145
• His disguises include the sinister Golas, the rune refiner Tie Changong, Cui Li, and a likeness of the Dragon Emperor. 788 1203 1355 1741

Personality

Zhang Tie is persistent, good-humored, and difficult to discourage. During his early training at Hidden Dragon Island, he repeatedly returned to the Plum Blossom Stakes after being knocked down and did not hold grudges over injuries or petty disputes. His honesty and magnanimity gradually overturned hostile rumors about him. 310

He is protective of family and treats personal strength as the foundation of their safety in chaotic times. This responsibility motivates much of his cultivation and his willingness to take dangerous assignments. 788 1303

Despite his status, Zhang Tie is capable of treating people from radically different backgrounds as equals. His companions have included aristocrats, sect disciples, merchants, and former classmates, all of whom could gather around him without feeling out of place. 1232 He is also patient and calculating when necessary, preferring to conceal trump cards, use aliases, and wait for the proper moment before acting. 977 1817 1982

Abilities & Skills

Castle of Black Iron

Zhang Tie possesses the Castle of Black Iron, a private spatial world governed with assistance from the intelligent spirit Heller. Though Heller can act autonomously, expenditure of the Castle’s Basic Energy Reserve, Merit Value, or Spirit Qi Value requires Zhang Tie’s approval. 265

• Stores materials and equipment, allowing Zhang Tie to remove excavated earth instantly while digging or to equip clones at short notice. 360 1311
• Produces fruits that improve his body, cultivation, talents, and combat abilities. 165 782 897
• Houses the Little Tree, Bloodline Treasure Mountain, Mountain of Hidden Weapons, and other cultivation resources. 665 982
• Eventually fuses with the Sky-Piercing Realm’s spatial orb and absorbs the entire Mountain Ruins. 2005

Infinite Roc King Scripture

Zhang Tie cultivates the Emperor-class Infinite Roc King Scripture, an exceptionally demanding manual that grants extraordinary returns as he advances. 604 2005

• Ignites bright points and condenses chakras at a resource cost far greater than lower-ranked manuals. 715 2005
• Grants periodic improvements to his physical and combat capabilities, including enhanced agility at level twelve. 687 979
• Produces a nine-layer divine-wheel embryo, allowing him to cultivate as many as nine divine wheels and potentially reach the highest realm. 2005

Iron-Blood Divine Fist

The Iron-Blood Divine Fist is Zhang Tie’s foundational martial art and the source of his Iron-Blood Battle Qi. 122 342

• His footwork integrates the manual’s five basic styles and compensates for a weakness in the fist art. 310
• At level thirteen, his Battle Qi takes the form of a blood-colored tiger; the manual describes this state as a fist striking “like a tiger.” 714
• Its principles guide his bloodline choices: he favors powers that amplify his existing advantages rather than unrelated techniques. 665

Ancestral bloodlines

Zhang Tie possesses several bloodlines, selecting and developing them to complement his combat style.

• Precision Throwing / Throwing Reflection — A Desolation-grade throwing bloodline that evolves into Throwing Reflection during his battle with level-nine Warriors. 549 453
• Illusory Body Divine Bloodline — Alters his appearance and physique at will; when combined with Phantom Body, Theatrical Mask, and Blood Soul Temple arts, it can support complete impersonation. 704 788 1145
• Kuafu Bloodline — Increases his speed. 665
• Phantom Body Bloodline — Supports shapeshifting and disguises. 665
• Theatrical Mask Bloodline — Enhances acting and imitation. 665
• Sword Affinity — Awakened after more than eighty million Basic Swordplay strikes, improving his swordsmanship potential. 687
• Kua’e Bloodline — A Heaven-tier strength bloodline associated with the power to carry mountains. 1838

Great Wilderness Scripture and beast taming

Zhang Tie’s Great Wilderness Scripture and Soul-Entrusting Beast-Taming Art allow him to control creatures and employ them as external incarnations. 626 897

• At the fifteenth layer, he can control creatures below level fifteen, including level-fourteen Double-Headed Mother Worms. 1109
• He can remain safely inside the Castle of Black Iron while controlling an external incarnation, such as his Thunder Falcon. 626
• The Great Wilderness Scripture combines with his disguise-related powers to expand the range of identities and tactics available to him. 704

God’s Dominator and kinetic attacks

God’s Dominator is Zhang Tie’s most feared combat power, enabling advanced object control and devastating kinetic strikes. 1311 1449

• His Mirror Clone can use God’s Dominator for more than half an hour without immediately exposing the clone’s nature. 1311
• He can launch a 680-kilogram Flying Spear at more than thirty-six times the speed of sound, generating over seventy billion joules of energy. 1449
• This kinetic force can kill Earth Knights in a single strike and break enemy knight formations at ranges exceeding ten thousand meters. 1449
• His later Sky Knight advancement expands the ability toward control of wind and gases. 1758 1769

Clones and spiritual techniques

Zhang Tie employs multiple techniques for infiltration, reconnaissance, and battlefield misdirection.

• Mirror Clone Technique — Creates an illusory copy with a portion of his abilities for one hour. 977
• Soul Tribulation Realm — Recreates environments around defeated enemies, allowing him to train, scout, and repeatedly test battle methods. 1130
• Godslaying Sword — A spiritual attack that targets an opponent’s Sea of Consciousness. 1717 1838
• Bloodwheel Lock and Purgatory Reincarnation — Lock enemy chakras and batter them into submission during close combat. 1717

Rune refining and equipment crafting

After consuming the Fruit of Plunder, Zhang Tie becomes a Grand Master Craftsman with extensive rune-refining knowledge. 897

• Creates and understands rune equipment at a level rare even among knights. 897
• Uses master-level Awakening of Insects runes on Flying Spears to inflict amplified damage on Devil Race targets. 1449
• His Chaos armor combines defensive enchantments with offensive blades, spikes, and a recovery effect exceeding the knight Black Iron Effect bottleneck. 1183

Equipment

• Thor’s Hammer — A 6,800-kilogram hammer suited to Zhang Tie’s extraordinary strength. 1336
• Golden Flying Spears — 680-kilogram thrown weapons used with God’s Dominator and master-level runes to kill Earth Knights. 1449
• Dragon-Devouring Greatsword — A heavy combat sword used in knight-level battle. 1449
• Chaos armor — Armor forged from Abyssal Demon Iron and mithril alloy, enchanted with Toughness, Sharpness, and Recovery effects. 1183
• Masudra’s Protection — A rune ring that increases Battle Qi recovery by 15% and extends detached Battle Qi attacks by 8%. 671
• Rose Ring — Improves physical-strength recovery by 11%, meditation effectiveness by 15%, and includes the Blood Energy Art. 660
• Tri-edged dagger — Reforged by Zhao Yuan from a Gold-Eating Python tooth. 905
• Invisibility Mirage Pearl — Fused with his divine will, allowing instantaneous, warningless invisibility. 1906
• Spatial equipment — Zhang Tie possesses numerous spatial rings and other storage items, enough to regard them as ordinary despite their rarity among knights. 1145 1196 1817

Relationships

• Zhang Yang — Elder brother and trusted family partner. They discuss the Zhang Family’s future, commercial ventures, and Zhang Yang’s cultivation path. 1197 1352 1523
• Zhang Tie’s parents — His family’s safety and happiness are a central motive for his pursuit of strength; he remains affectionate and attentive toward them despite his status. 544 788 1467
• Linda, Beverly, and Fiona — Zhang Tie’s three wives and the mothers in his immediate household; they support him and share responsibility for their family. 828 831
• Bai Suxian — A trusted companion and romantic partner who repeatedly supports Zhang Tie’s decisions and shares tender moments with him. 1171 1303 1405
• Zhao Yuan — Zhang Tie’s master, rescuer, and a powerful Demon Refiner who continues to guide him after years apart. 338 905
• Heller — Intelligent spirit of the Castle of Black Iron; acts as Zhang Tie’s adviser, steward, and cultivation assistant. 265 625 2005
• Lan Yunxi — A knowledgeable cultivation companion who explains advanced manuals to Zhang Tie; his conflicts with the Taiyi Mystical Sect complicate their connection. 575 1332
• Mountain-Bearing True Person — A close friend and ally entrusted with Zhang Tie’s true identity and many of his personal experiences. 1145
• Aurora — A former captor and adversary in the Ice and Snow Wilderness; their relationship develops into a wary mutual understanding. 446 453
• Tang De and the Airplane Brotherhood — Longstanding friends from Black Flame City whom Zhang Tie continues to support as New Black Flame City develops. 105 1478

Notable Quotes

“The fastest shortcut to power and status was not to cling to a big tree or hug a thick thigh, but to demonstrate one’s own value and ability, to become a big tree and a thick thigh oneself.” 342

“Any kind of power, so long as it was developed to its utmost limit, could gain the ability to tower above all things.” 665