Gou Zai Sect Beast Taming Longevity

Chapter 13 Rent Collection

Five days passed in the blink of an eye.

Over the past five days, Yu Changsheng has accumulated 675 essence points by feeding the chickens. Adding the 300 essence points remaining after the last point addition, he now has a total of 975 essence points.

This amount is enough for him to level up his Wind Walk skill to Mastery as well.

However, Yu Changsheng planned to save it a little longer, since these essences were hard-won and would be used to transform spirit beasts and fuse with them in the future.

Moreover, his Divine Refinement Technique requires a large amount of essence, which seems somewhat wasteful for an uncertain danger.

His current methods are sufficient to protect himself; he can add more Wind Walk when he really needs it!

The end of the year is approaching, and it's time to collect the rent.

Twenty servant disciples gathered in the courtyard and, led by an outer disciple, headed to the servants' hall of Fish Market.

In the Miscellaneous Service Hall of Yufang City, besides Yu Changsheng and his group of miscellaneous service workers, there were many other miscellaneous service disciples from other peaks. They looked at each other curiously and whispered among themselves from time to time.

Normally, the outer peaks don't keep in touch much, so it was quite lively for a while when so many servants gathered.

"Hey, isn't this Zhuang Yan? Haha, it's been five years since we joined the sect together last time."

Upon hearing his name called, Zhuang Yan turned around and saw a burly-looking man approaching, calling out uncertainly, "Wu Shang?"

"It's me. It's been five years. You probably don't recognize me anymore," Wu Shang said, laughing as he approached Zhuang Yan.

"I hardly recognize you. I remember you used to be skin and bones, but you've become so strong now. It seems you're doing quite well on the outer peak."

Zhuang Yan was surprised to run into an acquaintance and smiled.

Wu Shang glanced at the servants behind him and whispered, "It's all luck. A couple of years ago, a benefactor took a liking to me and brought me to work in the Fish Market. I'm thriving in the streets and have earned a lot of tips."

"Otherwise, how could I have reached this level of attainment?"

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Yan noticed that the other party's cultivation level was already at the fifth level of Qi Refining, and he was greatly surprised.

They both joined the Myriad Manifestations Sect in the past, and he was even one realm ahead of the other. Unexpectedly, he was overtaken five years later.

He felt a pang of unease.

At this moment, Wu Shang seemed to notice his dejection, and a smile appeared on his lips as he said, "This rent collection is actually an opportunity as well."

"Oh? What do you mean?" Zhuang Yan looked up and asked, somewhat surprised.

Yu Changsheng and the others couldn't help but prick up their ears.

Seeing several servants gathering around, Wu Shang didn't chase them away. Instead, he smiled even more and said, "Think about it, the sect sent us to collect rent. Ten spirit stones a year for each house. Not everyone in the shantytown can afford that."

"For those with higher cultivation levels, we can be cautious and report them to the sect so that outer disciples can drive them away. But what about those who are too weak to pay rent? Aren't they just left to be slaughtered by us?"

"Outside the shantytown is a dense forest; you all understand the rest without me saying more, right?"

Wu Shang narrowed his eyes and smiled slightly.

The chill in that smile was clear to everyone. They looked at each other, some of the menial disciples were tempted, some remained silent, and some, like Yu Changsheng, frowned.

"We can't pay the rent, and the sect only orders us to evict them. Wouldn't doing that tarnish the sect's reputation and go against their wishes?"

Zhuang Yan stared wide-eyed at the other person, feeling a sense of unfamiliarity.

Is this the same playmate he had five years ago?

Wu Shang disagreed, saying, "Who would know if we died? Besides, it's already harder for us menial disciples to cultivate immortality than for ordinary disciples. If we don't strive and do nothing, when will we ever be able to enter the outer or inner sect?"

"But killing innocent rogue cultivators for some resources..."

Zhuang Yan felt somewhat depressed and gritted his teeth, saying, "It's still a crooked and evil path!"

Wu Shang sized him up and, seeing that he was serious, gave up trying to persuade him. He laughed and said, "They'll die at someone else's hands sooner or later. Alright, since you're not willing to do this with me, then just collect the rent honestly."

"I still have some energy left, let me help you get an easier order."

After saying that, he patted Zhuang Yan on the shoulder. It was unclear whether his words were meant as a threat, but no normal person would report him.

After all, such things are too common in this cruel world. Reporting them will only be a thankless task, and the perpetrator will at most be punished.

Zhuang Yan had no intention of offending Wu Shang, so he nodded and said, "Then thank you very much, Brother Wu."

Wu Shang's smile remained unchanged as he waved and said, "Wait for me here."

After he left, Zhuang Yan looked at the others and said earnestly, "You all heard what I just said."

"I don't know who's tempted, but since you call me Senior Brother Zhuang, there are some things that need to be said. Don't get involved in this. The rogue cultivators in the shantytown are a mix of the real and the fake. How could you Qi Refining Level 3 cultivators possibly see through them? So, if you're tempted, take it back. I don't want to be the one to collect your corpses."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the several handyman disciples changed slightly. One of them smiled and said, "Don't worry, Senior Brother Zhuang, we know. Honest cultivation is the right path."

"Yes, yes, those rogue cultivators who are barely surviving here, how many of them are good people? We're not stupid enough to go after them."

"Haha, Junior Brother Yu, don't you think so?"

Yu Changsheng nodded and said, "Only by developing cautiously can you live a long life."

Soon, Wu Shang retrieved several forms and the keys.

"Here, this is yours."

He distributed the items one by one, saying, "Collect according to the numbers on these signs. Each person is responsible for about a hundred houses. Collect them all and hand them over here by tomorrow morning."

"If you encounter danger, you can ask the nearby handymen disciples for help; they are all not far apart."

Yu Changsheng took a form and a set of keys from his hand.

The list shows numbers 550 to 650 in Xilong Street, a shantytown, followed by the tenant's name, registered address, and rent to be paid.

Some of them owe two or three months' rent. If they want to continue living in the shantytown, they have to pay ten low-grade spirit stones a year and make up the arrears. If they don't want to continue living there, they also need to make up the arrears. Then they will be ordered to move out tonight.

Yu Changsheng glanced at it and got a general idea of ​​what was going on.

"Time waits for no one, let's begin."

Wu Shang clapped his hands and shouted, "Those from Xilong Street, follow me!"

Inside the servants' hall, hundreds of servant disciples set out under the command of their respective leaders.

"Slap slap slap!!!"

"Rent is due! Rent is due!"

A series of loud knocks echoed through the shantytown.

Yu Changsheng had never collected rent in his previous life. He followed Zhuang Yan and the others into Xilong Street, picked up the list and checked the numbers. He was just thinking about how to start the conversation when...

Hearing the commotion inside, the cultivator opened the door and knelt down before him, his face pale.

"My lord, my lord!"

"I was seriously injured while hunting demonic beasts a few days ago, and I used all my spirit stones to buy medicine. I really don't have any more. Please grant me a few more days!"

(End of this chapter)