In the future, Earth becomes a relic of the mythical era.

Chapter 246 Welcome home
federal.

Donghai City, Tongtian Pagoda.

"you're awake?"

As soon as Xie Lingxin opened her eyes, she saw a person wearing a federal work uniform standing next to the life support pod.

Fingers moved rapidly across the three-dimensional interface in the air.

He said, "Body temperature normal, heart rate normal, blood normal, metabolism normal, vital signs and physiological indicators are all normal."

"Welcome home."

"It is currently October 17th, 5202 in the Federal Calendar. 77 days have passed since you entered the domain."

"Congratulations, you are the longest-lived and longest-experienced trial participant below the title level in the Domain Realm so far."

He was extremely fluent with both his hands and mouth, clearly not doing this job for the first time.

Clearly, quite a few of the trial participants had already awakened.

"Experiencing death is a rare experience."

"Especially since you've lived so long, it's like you've lived an extra lifetime."

The staff members looked somewhat wistful.

The unique nature of this realm makes reincarnation more difficult, but because the body entering the realm is not one's own, even if one dies, the body in the Federation will not be affected.

Unless you're incredibly unlucky and get killed so badly that you're completely exhausted.

Xie Lingxin was aware of this before joining the working group.

Seeing him in a daze, the staff didn't urge him but just waited by his side.

He had seen this situation many times before, after all, he had spent so much time in the Domain Realm.

Others say it feels like a lifetime ago, but for him it truly feels like a lifetime ago. How could he not feel disoriented?

After a while, Xie Lingxin finally snapped out of her daze.

A strange feeling of having lost something and then regained it washed over me.

It was as if, in that instant, countless things that had been lost were rapidly returning to the body.

Is it life?

He didn't know if there was anyone who wasn't afraid of death. Even when Da Zhou was getting old and felt his time was coming to an end, he felt no fear and no reluctance.

But at this moment, Xie Lingxin cherished her life even more.

Composing himself, he asked, "How many people have come out already?"

The staff member said, "You are the 472nd person. Below the title level, you are the last one."

Xie Lingxin asked curiously, "What about those at the title level and above?"

The staff member laughed and said, "I don't know. It's not that I don't want to tell you, it's just that I don't have the authority to know."

Those below the title level simply could not have passed through the twelve heavenly gates in just a few decades under the circumstances of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

It is almost impossible for someone to live to be over 100 years old.

Given that all the trial participants are so reckless, it's estimated that few will survive long.

I've lived to be 77 years old, which is quite an achievement.

Even without using the Blood Essence Pearl, he would probably only live to be a hundred years old at most.

In that environment, even with the Pure Bottle and Jade Jujube Grotto, the initial 400-plus spirit essences and 3 spirit essence beads were completely consumed. In addition, the spirit essences and 10-plus spirit essence beads that were obtained from various channels later on totaled more than 3,000 spirit essences and more than 10 spirit essence beads.

These spiritual substances and spiritual beads were all put into the Jade Date Cave Heaven. The resulting jade dates could only push one's mental cultivation to the sixth level.

Having hunted monsters relentlessly for over a decade, he had long been regarded as a thorn in the side by the Miro Demon Kingdom.

If it weren't for my noble status, I wouldn't be alive today!
If he continues to hunt demons, the entire Miro Demon Kingdom will likely mobilize its entire nation and will not rest until he is killed!
For the next forty years, he no longer had these resources.

Want to break through the six physical barriers under these conditions?

That's dreaming.

At this point, the staff member added, "Your psychological assessment is also fine, but my assessment may not be comprehensive. After all, you've been through so much, it's inevitable that it will affect your psychology and personality."

"If needed, you can go to the third floor for a comprehensive evaluation. There are professional spiritual masters there who can help you heal your mind and restore your condition."

Xie Lingxin subconsciously shook her head, but when she thought about the heavy, gloomy atmosphere of her "old age," she actually had the thought of "wanting to die."

He quickly changed his mind: "Three floors? When did this configuration come about?"

The staff member laughed and said, "I almost forgot, you're also a member of the work group, and you arrived even earlier than me."

"They were sent by the federal government, and they're even a mage!"

“Many of the trial participants woke up in very strange condition; some even went insane,”

"However, most people are scared by 'death'. People like you who have lived a long time and have just become a bit...unlike young people are still a minority."

Xie Lingxin came out of the life support pod: "Okay, thank you, I'll go take a look."

He decided to undergo some psychological treatment.

Although his body is young, he still feels a bit too old.

I'm only 17 years old...

The staff member said, "Okay, after the treatment, go to the second floor to register your domain harvest. After you get the tax payment slip, you can leave the Tongtian Pagoda."

"These are your personal belongings. The password is the day you wake up, which is today."

He handed me a locked box.

Inside were his personal belongings, such as his cell phone, which he had placed there for safekeeping before entering the realm.

"Tax payment slip?"

Xie Lingxin was stunned for a moment before she realized what was happening.

The Federal Territory Management Act stipulates that the harvest in the territory shall be divided equally among the federal government, the territory owner, and the direct beneficiary.

The platform fee goes to the domain owners, while the tax goes to the Federation.

Last time, Daheishan was given a direct reduction in fees.

This time, the domain realm also has a reduction.

Although the Tongtian Pagoda is located in Donghai City and is nominally a joint development project between Donghai City and Leizhou, it actually belongs to the federal government.

The platform fee has been directly waived.

Border taxes are unavoidable.

This tax is approximately 33% of the harvest value.

However, when Xie Lingxin joined the working group and signed the contract, she also saw a series of reduction and exemption clauses.

It lists many conditions for exemption. As the discoverer of the domain and a member of the exploration and research team, he himself is entitled to a certain amount of exemption.

The discoverer receives the highest reduction, up to 50%.

The working group members are ranked according to their contribution, ranging from a minimum of 1% to a maximum of 50%.

Xie Lingxin silently did the math.

33% minus 50% equals 16.5%, and even if one's contribution is calculated at the lowest level, it's still 15.5%.

Besides, my contribution, if not the highest in the working group, is certainly among the top; it's impossible that it's so little.

He estimated that even if it wasn't the highest, it wouldn't be lower than 40%.

That leaves only 3.3%.

Thankfully... although it hurts, I can barely accept it.

The territory tax does not cover all gains.

Knowledge-based gains such as techniques and ancient scriptures are not included.

This is also a federal measure to encourage the acquisition of knowledge.

I've gained quite a lot; if you really count all of it as knowledge-based, I wouldn't even be able to pay taxes if I sold myself.

Arrive at the third level of the pagoda.

They quickly found the monk who could help with spiritual healing.

"You... are Master Jianyue?"

Whether the person before me is a master or not is another matter, but... he is truly amazing...

This is a woman who looks to be around thirty years old; she's very beautiful.

None of that matters. What matters is... this woman is dressed extremely provocatively.

She was wearing only a few pieces of cloth draped over her body, and her hair was tied in a loose high bun.

It looks a bit like a flying apsara in a mural.

She exudes a subtle, alluring charm.

You call this a master of healing the soul?
Wasn't it some demonic witch from some realm that escaped?
"Although I have a name, you can call me that too. It's the title that Lundokan gave me two hundred years ago."

Master Jianyue leaned back on a sofa, a lazy smile on his lips, his revealing clothes exuding a deadly allure.

Two hundred years ago?
So, she was already a titled person two hundred years ago?
Xie Lingxin was secretly alarmed.

This was the first time he had ever seen such a long-lived species that could maintain its youthful appearance.

"Let me see... Oh? Interesting, a teenage body, but the mind of a seventy- or eighty-year-old?"

"You've had a very fulfilling life in this realm over the years."

Xie Lingxin was startled, as if she had seen through her completely in that instant.

Master Jianyue chuckled and extended a slender, jade-carved finger, gently tapping the air.

The air was like the surface of water, and she touched it, creating ripples.

Xie Lingxin felt a moment of dizziness.

Then came Master Jianyue's sweet, cloying laughter that could make one's skin crawl: "Alright, you can leave now."

"what?"

That's it?

Xie Lingxin looked down at herself, seemingly feeling nothing.

"The moon's reflection in the water, the flower's image in the mirror, the reflection of the moon in the mirror is all in vain."

"Helping you erase the effects of the Domain Era on you is a simple matter, but remember, you are you..."

Master Jianyue smiled and pointed outside; it was daytime outside.

But with that one gesture, it turned into night, at least in Xie Lingxin's eyes.

A bright moon hangs high in the night sky.

"If you consider yourself the moon in the sky, then you are the moon in the sky, unchanging through the ages."

Master Jianyue chuckled and then waved her hand lazily.

Xie Lingxin came to her senses and sincerely said, "Thank you, Master Jianyue."

Master Jianyue lay sprawled on the water, looking languid and somewhat intoxicated, ignoring him completely.

Xie Lingxin had no choice but to turn around and walk out.

Her steps were light, it seemed... she was really cured?

At least he no longer felt that heavy, gloomy atmosphere, and regained some of his former liveliness.

But my own perception has not changed at all.

So amazing?

Upon arriving on the second floor, I discovered that there was indeed a new "Federal Revenue Service Border Office".

There were quite a few people who were excluded, but he didn't have to wait long before he received a form.

Clearly, all the relevant information was already available when he woke up.

"Xie Lingxin, right? Sign your name on the tax form. You can pay it here or at the local tax bureau."

Xie Lingxin glanced at the tax bill and frowned: "Why is the tax rate 35%?"

The taxes listed here actually include the 17 spirit beads and 3766 spirit essences he obtained, as well as the Xuanhe Bise Banner, the Soul-Capturing Mirror, the Hehuan Bell, the Golden Crow Staff, and the Hundred Ghosts Painting.

He didn't know what kind of method could be used to see through a person so thoroughly.

Given the Federation's resources, this isn't too surprising.

However, this tax rate is clearly abnormal.

The tax officer was an unremarkable middle-aged man who kept staring at the virtual screen in front of him.

He hasn't lifted his eyelids since he came in.

Only then did she raise her eyelids slightly, and said irritably, "How would I know? If you have a problem with that, go check with the tax bureau yourself, don't waste my time here!"

Xie Lingxin stared at him for a while, and although it was very subtle, she caught a fleeting glint of something unusual in the man's eyes.

I knew there was something fishy going on, but I couldn't be bothered to argue with him.

He took out his phone and made a call...

(End of this chapter)