Chapter 461

Because Yan Buji and other Alchemists were working for the Sun‑Moon Palace, they were not troubled at first; instead a light, symbolic identity check was performed, after which they were each sent back home, and for the recent period they are forbidden to go out at night.

"War‑time management, the rules are indeed increasing," Yan Buji said, looking at the war‑time management regulations. Now it is not only because of the beast tide, but also due to the stray evil artifacts; although ordinary cultivators do not know why, they dare not openly resist the Sun‑Moon Palace.

Things like a night‑time curfew, island exit inspections, and personnel screenings show that whenever the Sun‑Moon Palace is in operation, its enforcement capability is quite high.

"On what grounds do you arrest people?"

"What if we arrest you? We now suspect you of serious criminal activity; come with us for a moment!"

"Let go of me, let go of me, is there any sense of justice left!"

A Foundation Establishment cultivator was carried across the street by a Sun‑Moon Palace enforcement squad, and the surrounding cultivators were silent as cold cicadas, daring not to speak.

The shop clerks stood at the doorway, faces full of worry, and asked, "Boss, is the beast tide in the open sea that large? How come even Qixing Island is under war‑time management?"

Yan Buji laughed, "It's fine; we have the City Lord, so as long as we don't cause trouble during this period, there won't be any trouble."

"Oh."

Having said that, Yan Buji returned to the second‑floor room and began alchemy.

After half a month, once the order was completed, Yan Buji did not rush to deliver it, but instead went out for a walk.

Compared with the previous bustling crowd, the market now looks especially desolate, and it is unclear whether most cultivators have been sent to Xingxiu Island to fight the beast tide, or everyone is staying indoors, afraid to go out.

The shop's front door was open, yet there were few customers; evidently, such war‑time management deals a severe blow to commerce.

Of course the Sun‑Moon Palace cares not for the survival of bottom‑tier merchants; Yan Buji even saw some Sun‑Moon Palace enforcement squads cheerfully walk out of the shop, and the shop owner had to force a smile and politely see them off.

"Who are you?"

A Sun‑Moon Palace enforcement squad approached; its leader was only a late‑stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, yet he was arrogant and overbearing, and even knowing Yan Buji's cultivation was higher, he was convinced Yan Buji wouldn't dare act, so he gathered his men and surrounded Yan Buji to question his identity.

Yan Buji clasped his hands and said, "I am the owner of a pill shop, Yan Buji; I have come out this time to replenish the City Lord's order of Spiritual Material."

"The order's Spiritual Material? What, are your alchemical Spiritual Materials insufficient?"

Yan Buji gave an awkward smile, "Yes, my skill is lacking; I wasted a batch of Spiritual Material."

"I tell you Alchemists, don't line your own pockets with the Sun‑Moon Palace's resources! Moreover, the Spiritual Materials on the market have all been centrally purchased by our Sun‑Moon Palace; do you intend to buy Spiritual Material?" the enforcement cultivator hinted.

Yan Buji understood the implication, immediately stepped forward and handed over a bag of Spiritual Stone, smiling, "Please, fellow Daoist, advise me."

"Alright, alright, go to the grain depot gate at the dock; in due time someone will meet you there," the enforcement cultivator weighed the bag and said with a smile.

"Thank you, fellow Daoist."

The enforcement squad continued its patrol, and Yan Buji squinted and snorted, "Sure enough, there are bullies everywhere."

"Alas, Yan fellow Daoist."

The shop owner next door called out, and Yan Buji walked over: "Boss Zhou, what's the matter?"

"These people didn't come to you to collect protection money, did they?"

"Are they being so brazen?" Yan Buji's expression turned odd.

"It seems you aren't affected, but we here are suffering greatly," Boss Zhou said with a bitter face. "These Sun‑Moon Palace cultivators rely on their connections; now with war‑time management, if you don't offer them a little tribute they will find ways to trouble us. This month I've already been extorted three times!"

Yan Buji frowned, "Can't we report this to the City Lord?"

"The City Lord is also a person of the Sun‑Moon Palace; how would you report?"

"Who downstairs is accusing this official, huh?"

"Hehe."

Yan Buji smiled inwardly, but his face was filled with righteous anger as he said, "How can this be! The Sun‑Moon Palace does not discipline the cultivators under its command; such bullying and collusive extortion will eventually bring retribution!"

"Shh!!" Boss Zhou widened his eyes and quickly hushed, "Yan fellow Daoist, calm down; we all make a living under the Sun‑Moon Palace, so don't let anyone hear us."

"Ah, by the way, Boss Zhou, have all your Spiritual Materials been taken away?" Yan Buji sighed and asked.

Boss Zhou nodded, troubled, "There was originally a batch of Spiritual Material intended for other owners, but it was all seized and sold at market price; after accounting for transport and rent, I actually lost twenty percent of Spiritual Stone!"

"Then what did they mean by sending me to the dock grain depot earlier?"

"You still don't know? This enforcement squad colludes with the Sun‑Moon Palace's Spiritual Material collection officials; now they tell us, the owners whose Spiritual Material was seized, that if we go over there we can quietly buy back the Spiritual Material."

"Isn't that double‑dipping?"

"Exactly, so who would dare go? If they come to seize again, or use this as a pretext to trouble and extort us, we'd lose even more."

Yan Buji thought for a moment, "Since they dare to do this business, they wouldn't be so brazen; if they truly push us to a riot, they won't gain anything either."

"But the crucial point is that the Sun‑Moon Palace's investigation shows, regardless of fault, once war‑time management is in effect, everyone must go to the open sea to resist the beast tide. Moreover, if one commits an offense, they will likely be assigned to the most dangerous zones; any trouble in the offshore guard area could be truly fatal!"

Yan Buji nodded.

In short, the lower‑tier cultivators of the Sun‑Moon Palace dare to act like this because they are sure they won't make the matter blow up; after all, the Sun‑Moon Palace is such a massive establishment, both a sect and a noble family, with intertwined interests in every interaction, and these individual merchants cannot clash with them in a fight to the death.

Having fewer troubles is better than more; this instead fuels the arrogance of those lower‑tier cultivators who exploit scattered practitioners.

Unless one is willing to risk death and fight them to the death, no one will give you even a third of anything.

Thinking this, Yan Buji chatted with Boss Zhou for a while longer, learned some information, and then headed to the dock.

The dock is no longer bustling with ships; although there are still many cultivators loading and unloading cargo, all the vessels around bear the Sun‑Moon Palace's flag, seemingly conscripted from civilian ships by the Sun‑Moon Palace.

In the end, the Sun‑Moon Palace itself is a massive profit conglomerate; the sect forces on Xingxiu Island, Qixing Island, and Sun‑Moon Island are numerous, all nominally under the Sun‑Moon Palace, yet their sub‑forces are tangled and complex, so Yan Buji has no intention of joining them.

Take, for example, Long Xuan Zhenjun of Yuheng Island; although he is a Nascent Soul cultivator appointed as the island's lord, he must still obey the Sun‑Moon Palace's directives.

"With such chaos, those stray evil artifacts leaking out will, for some within the Sun‑Moon Palace, be a good chance to get rich," Yan Buji laughed.

The crucial point is that the beast tide has just arrived; one can only say this drama is only just beginning.