Chapter 32: Harvesting the Loose Cultivator Chives, the Overbearing Xianxia Sect

After receiving this news, Zhou Sui returned home, filled with worry.

At this very moment, Ji Bingyu, Mu Ziyan, Xia Jingyan, and the others had also returned from gathering information outside; after all, they were all Qi Refining Late Stage cultivators, and the circles they could access were slightly higher.

"Husband, things are indeed a bit troublesome. Miyun City has completely changed masters. The Xianxia Sect has decided to station themselves in Miyun City. The original City Lord, Lu Hongran, is nearing the end of his Longevity, and for the sake of his descendants, he has no choice but to defect to the Xianxia Sect and become a Guest Elder of the Xianxia Sect," Ji Bingyu said, revealing the news she had gathered.

Hearing this, Zhou Sui instantly understood why Lu Hongran had to do this; the man basically had no hope of reaching the Golden Core realm, and his Longevity was about to run out.

The problem was that after he died, the Lu Family would have no power to protect themselves and would inevitably be targeted by surrounding cultivators, who would tear them apart like jackals and wolves.

If he wanted to protect the Lu Family, he had to find a powerful backer.

Within a radius of ten thousand miles, who was greater than the Xianxia Sect?

Furthermore, the Xianxia Sect wanted to develop the Cloud Mist Mountain Range and excavate the Red Gold Mine and Spirit Stone Mine within it, making Miyun City one of their most important footholds.

The cooperation between the two parties was a perfect match.

It was not hard to understand why Lu Hongran had to sell Miyun City.

"In other words, is the Xianxia Sect really going to reclaim the property rights of all the houses in the city?"

Zhou Sui clenched his fists.

"That's right."

Ji Bingyu nodded: "Basically, the Xianxia Sect does not recognize any previous property rights. Whether it's a house or a shop, everything must pay rent to the Xianxia Sect.

And it is said that this time the Xianxia Sect is also going to significantly increase the rent. Like the house we are living in now, we will have to pay at least two hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones every month."

What?!

As soon as these words were spoken, Zhou Sui's expression changed. Two hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones—this was practically robbery. Ordinary cultivators might not even earn that many Spirit Stones in a year.

If they really rented a place to live in the city, they would probably be working for the Xianxia Sect, and it would be impossible to make any money at all.

"How could the rent be so outrageous? Is the Xianxia Sect really trying to drive away the Loose Cultivators?"

Zhou Sui frowned.

"No, the Xianxia Sect naturally wouldn't be so unwise. In fact, they want to force the Loose Cultivators to mine for the Xianxia Sect."

Ji Bingyu explained: "Although the Xianxia Sect has opened up a path to the Red Gold Mine, they still need a large amount of manpower to excavate the minerals from the Red Gold Mine.

The problem is that if cultivators stay in the Red Gold Mine for a long time, they will be eroded by the Red Gold Qi, and by then, there will be no hope for Foundation Establishment, and their Longevity will also be depleted. How could those Xianxia Sect Disciples be willing to do such a thing?

But they have to mine, so the Xianxia Sect has set their sights on us Loose Cultivators. They hope that we Loose Cultivators will enter the Red Gold Mine to mine, and they will pay a wage of one hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones per month. At the same time, every Miner can live in the city for free without paying any rent."

"The Xianxia Sect is truly vicious. But aren't they afraid of scaring all the Loose Cultivators away?"

Zhou Sui clenched his fists, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

Clearly, this was the Xianxia Sect's overt scheme: using high rent to force the Loose Cultivators to help the Xianxia Sect mine.

If they didn't want to mine, they would have no choice but to leave Miyun City and head elsewhere.

"Of course they aren't afraid, because there are simply too many Loose Cultivators in the world."

Ji Bingyu shook her head: "It is said that after Loose Cultivators in other places heard about the situation in Miyun City, they started rushing toward Miyun City. The Xianxia Sect is even dispatching Flying Boats for free to help them arrive here quickly. The first batch of cultivators to arrive in Miyun City numbered at least several tens of thousands, and there are still a steady stream of Loose Cultivators rushing over.

Even if we Loose Cultivators leave, so what? The Xianxia Sect doesn't care at all, because there are simply too many Loose Cultivators they can recruit; they aren't lacking people at all."

"This!"

The corners of Zhou Sui's mouth twitched. He had nothing to say. No wonder the Xianxia Sect was so confident; no matter how much they exploited the Loose Cultivators, they weren't afraid of a riot. The reason was that the number of Loose Cultivators was too high, countless.

It was like chives, harvested batch after batch. Human life in this world was simply worthless.

He could be considered to have gained a deeper understanding of the cruelty of this world.

"Husband, what should we do now?"

Mu Ziyan couldn't help but ask.

"When one is under the eaves, one has to bow one's head. Let's pay the Spirit Stones; we can't just leave Miyun City."

Zhou Sui clenched his fists.

To tell the truth, other than Miyun City, other places might not be any better, and their resources couldn't compare to Miyun City.

Moreover, life inside the city was at least much better than life outside, and there was no need to worry about attacks from other Loose Cultivators; safety was still guaranteed to a certain extent.

Although the price of two hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones per month was indeed expensive, he could currently afford it.

Because by selling Spirit Wine, over the past six months, he had basically earned twelve thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones, which was equivalent to the wealth of one thousand two hundred Middle-grade Spirit Stones, earning twenty thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones per month.

After all, one hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones were equivalent to one Middle-grade Spirit Stone.

So, he could still afford such a small amount of rent.

"Indeed, and if there are more Loose Cultivators in Miyun City, our Spirit Wine business can further expand, and we will be able to earn even more Spirit Stones then."

Ji Bingyu also agreed with this point. Although the rent in Miyun City was indeed much more expensive, they could currently afford it easily.

Moreover, the gathering of a large number of Loose Cultivators would also bring vast cultivation resources and a large amount of Spirit Stones.

From this perspective, it might not be all bad.

…………

The next morning.

Just as Zhou Sui woke up, he heard a deep voice suddenly ring out from outside, spreading through the streets and alleys.

"I am Deacon Fan Ze of the Xianxia Sect."

"Starting from today, Miyun City has changed masters. This city will be taken over by our Xianxia Sect."

"The contracts you previously signed with the Lu Family are all void and must be re-signed."

"Regardless of whether you rented or bought your house before, it does not belong to you now."

"All cultivators staying in houses must come out to register and pay rent. Each house must pay two Middle-grade Spirit Stones per month."

"If you do not register today, you will be driven out of your houses tomorrow. Don't blame me for not telling you in advance."

Whoosh, whoosh~~

As soon as the voice fell, the courtyard gates on the street all opened, and one cultivator after another walked out from inside, their expressions very ugly.

Zhou Sui also walked out from inside the house and immediately saw a middle-aged Cultivator dressed in the attire of the Xianxia Sect; the other party was Deacon Fan Ze, a Cultivator at the Qi Refining Eighth Layer.

Besides him, there was also a group of Patrol Guard Cultivators standing by his side, all of whom were at least at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer.

After all, to become a Patrol Guard of Miyun City, one must be at least a Cultivator at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer; if the cultivation base were too low, they would simply be unable to hold down the fort, nor would they be feared by other Loose Cultivators.

Yet this squad of Patrol Guards was enough to make the Loose Cultivators present silent as cicadas in winter.

(End of this chapter)