Swallowed Star 2: Origin Continent - Chapter 20: The Blood Python President’s Poverty

President Mu Yang of the Blood Python Society’s gaze turned cold, “I am not asking to borrow from you! I am asking if you have recently found any good prey?”

“We have ordered our subordinates to look for prey,” Vice President Lai Mo explained, “But President, you also know that the Void True Gods in Huyang City are very cautious and do not show their treasures, making it difficult to find suitable prey. In the last era, I killed 122 Void True Gods and obtained a total of 1,800 Cosmos Sand. I gave you nine-tenths and kept one-tenth for myself. I have already given it to you.”

“In the last era, I killed 132 prey and obtained a total of 1,200 Cosmos Sand. I have also given you what I should have,” Vice President Mu Lin added. “We all made a causality contract; we would not lie about these things.”

Mu Yang said coldly, “I want good prey! Not these pitiful prey!”

The two vice presidents shook their heads.

“Finding good prey is difficult. The City Lord’s Mansion has long set the bottom line,” Vice President Lai Mo said. “In the city, the number of targets we can kill is very limited, and those Void True Gods are very cautious. Even if they obtain treasures, they will not reveal them openly.”

Vice President Mu Lin expressed concern, “President, since we established the Blood Python Society, you have earned enough. You were never this anxious before. Why have you become increasingly urgent lately?”

He and the President belonged to the same clan and had wandered into Huyang City together. He could say things that Vice President Lai Mo dared not.

“How are the residence fees being collected?” President Mu Yang inquired further, “Have they increased?”

“There are a large number of True Gods in the city, most of whom hunt exotic beasts for a living. Every time they venture out and make a substantial profit, they return to the city to live peacefully. Besides occasional shopping, they usually stay secluded. We can hardly collect residence fees from them,” Vice President Lai Mo shook his head.

“Has the overall amount increased?” Mu Yang pressed.

“No,” Lai Mo shook his head. “It has even decreased slightly this era.”

“A bunch of useless people!”

Mu Yang was furious, “The Blood Python Society supports so many subordinates to find suitable prey and collect residence fees! They can’t find prey, and the residence fees have decreased this era? What use are these useless people? Expel those incompetent ones from the Blood Python Society!”

The cost of keeping a subordinate was also quite high. Subordinates had to pay the City Lord’s Mansion a residence fee of ‘one Chaos Crystal per era,’ and they also needed resources for cultivation. Therefore, the average cost of keeping a True God-level subordinate was about three Chaos Crystals per era.

The stronger the subordinate, the higher the cost of maintenance!

A large dark force had high operational costs. After all, collecting residence fees from a vast number of residents could not be done by an Eternal True God.

Finding fat sheep was not an easy task either.

“The City Lord’s Mansion has rules: as long as those True Gods live in their caves, the City Lord’s Mansion guarantees their absolute safety. And in many places within Huyang City, True Gods are everywhere. If we make a move, we will be discovered by other True Gods. Once there is concrete evidence, the City Lord’s Mansion must arrest the culprit,” Mu Lin shook his head. “The City Lord’s Mansion ensures the safety of those residents in various ways, making it very difficult for us to collect residence fees.”

The City Lord’s Mansion’s collection of residence fees was official, and every True God had to pay. Once paid, they also received various protections, which was why many True Gods longed to live in the big city.

The dark forces also collected residence fees, but most residents tried to avoid it in every way possible.

For example, they usually hid in their caves! When going out, they went to places with many True Gods or even moved in groups of True Gods!

“The Blood Python Society is supported by me. You two should come up with some ideas!” President Mu Yang’s gaze was fierce, “How can we find good prey? How can we collect more residence fees?”

“We will think of something,” the two vice presidents responded verbally, but the Blood Python Society had been operating for so long that they had already used all possible methods.

“Hmm?” President Mu Yang suddenly looked outside, “Magili Meng is here. You two go out first.”

“Alright,” Lai Mo and Mu Lin, the two vice presidents, sighed in relief and immediately left.

Soon, a middle-aged man with four purple curved horns, ‘Magili Meng,’ walked in.

“Here to collect the debt again!” President Mu Yang sighed.

“The 50,000 Cosmos Sand for this era should be given to me,” Magili Meng looked at him. “Surely, you won’t fail to deliver after compensating Luo He with 20,000 Cosmos Sand, will you?”

President Mu Yang shook his head, “Only 50,000 Cosmos Sand, I can certainly pay it. But Magili Meng, isn’t 50,000 Cosmos Sand per era too much for the small territory of the Blood Python Society? Can it be reduced a bit?”

“No way,” Magili Meng looked at him and smiled lightly, “Unless you disband the Blood Python Society and give up the territory. The rules of Huyang City are that whichever dark force controls the territory must pay Cosmos Sand. This is the bottom line of the five great families.”

President Mu Yang felt stifled.

Back when he competed with other dark forces for territory, he was unwilling to pay fees to the five great families and suffered their punishment, taking a big loss. Eventually, he compromised, and only then did the five great families tolerate him.

“In that case, can the killing quota of the Blood Python Society be increased a bit per era?” President Mu Yang asked. “The death ratio within the city cannot exceed one in a thousand per era. This ratio is too low. True Gods and Void True Gods have conflicts and battles in the city over a long era, and the normal death rate is close to one in a thousand. The quota for us to kill is too small!”

“It cannot exceed one in a thousand!” Magili Meng said indifferently, “In the last era, your Blood Python Society should have secretly killed over a million True Gods and several hundred Void True Gods, which is enough!”

“There are countless True Gods in Huyang City. What we kill is far less than the normal death rate,” Mu Yang shook his head, handing a jade bottle to Magili Meng. “50,000 Cosmos Sand, not a single one less.”

Magili Meng took it, his expression slightly improving, and said, “Let me remind you, in the last few eras, some of your Blood Python Society’s actions have been excessive!”

“What actions? I don’t know,” Mu Yang was surprised. “Don’t put everything on me.”

Magili Meng glanced at him without saying more and turned to leave.

Mu Yang watched him leave.

“The five great families of the City Lord’s Mansion are the most ruthless!” Mu Yang’s eyes were cold, but he knew that once he crossed the line, the five great families would spare no effort to completely destroy the Blood Python Society.

“Every era, the Blood Python Society’s members require a large amount of Cosmos Sand, and the five great families also demand Cosmos Sand. Luo He took 20,000 Cosmos Sand. I really am poor,” Mu Yang felt wretched. “This era, I haven’t earned much at all.”

Mu Yang activated the hall’s formation, completely isolating it from the outside world.

Buzz~~~

In front of him, a mirror formed in the void, reflecting a figure in a white robe with a red mask.

“Blood Cloud Divine Lord,” President Mu Yang showed some humility.

The two most terrifying forces in Huyang City were naturally the five great families of the City Lord’s Mansion, the ruling power, and the Shiguo force. The Shiguo force had an extremely terrifying figure named ‘Blood Cloud.’

The conflict between the Shiguo force and the five great families of the City Lord’s Mansion was the most intense, far more than the minor skirmishes with dark forces.

“Why has President Mu Yang suddenly sought me out?” Blood Cloud’s voice was calm, without any fluctuations.

“The lower part of the ‘Muddy Iron Blood Sand Technique’ requires one million Cosmos Sand, which I really can’t gather,” President Mu Yang said. “Can I owe some first? I’ll pay half first?”

Blood Cloud smiled slightly, “Relying on the bloodline cultivation technique, reaching the Chaos Realm is your limit. The ‘Muddy Iron Blood Sand Technique’ is a ‘perfect level’ Chaos Realm bloodline cultivation technique that suits you very well. Such a cultivation technique is a rare opportunity for you. If it weren’t for your great merits… we wouldn’t give you the chance to buy it.”

“I know, but one million Cosmos Sand is too hard to gather,” President Mu Yang said.

“Because you work for my Shiguo, you have this purchase opportunity. Try Yan Feng Pavilion, and you won’t be able to buy it,” Blood Cloud said.

President Mu Yang understood.

Shiguo was generous, willing to offer the ‘Muddy Iron Blood Sand Technique,’ one of

the most top-level bloodline cultivation techniques, naturally driving Mu Yang mad with desire.

With ordinary cultivation techniques, he had no hope of reaching the Chaos Realm in his lifetime. Such a perfect bloodline cultivation technique at least gave him a glimpse of hope.

“If you slowly run the Blood Python Society, you will earn slowly,” Blood Cloud said softly. “If you want to earn more, you must take some risks. Think about it.”

The connection was then cut off.

President Mu Yang pondered. He had dealings with all parties in Huyang City and was deeply entangled with both the City Lord’s Mansion and the Shiguo force.

“In Huyang City, normal businesses are heavily influenced by the City Lord’s Mansion and can’t earn much. It takes time to accumulate slowly. To make a significant amount, I need to take some risks,” President Mu Yang’s gaze grew colder, “Once I get the ‘Muddy Iron Blood Sand Technique,’ I will immediately leave Huyang City. I won’t get involved in the battles between the City Lord’s Mansion and the Shiguo force.”

******

Chaos Armor, Cave Mansion No. 913.

On a mountaintop, Luo Feng sat alone on a large stone, drinking.

In fact, he was practicing the ‘Great Destruction Tempering Heart Technique,’ with his mind and will constantly being destroyed and tempered, making his mind and will more refined each time they condensed. This was normal survival adaptation.

Under the extreme destruction and tempering, each condensation naturally resisted such destruction and tempering.

In the short term, the progress was not as good as the ‘Seven Emotions Tempering Heart Technique,’ but the ‘Great Destruction Tempering Heart Technique’ excelled in long-term practice, yielding better results over time.

“With Brother Entropy Tianyan guiding me, I will soon understand the second layer theory of the ‘Chaos Force Diagram,’” Luo Feng, who had a deep understanding of laws, naturally grasped it quickly. “But even if I fully comprehend it, so what?”

“I am too poor! I can’t afford the materials needed for the second body refining,” Luo Feng also had a headache.

“The first body refining, merely laying the foundation, consumed materials worth 100,000 Cosmos Sand.”

“According to the estimates, the second body refining requires at least several times more materials.”

“The third body refining requires even more materials.”

“Where can I gather enough Cosmos Sand?”

Luo Feng was very troubled.

With his current strength, significant improvement required either a breakthrough in the ‘Chaos Realm Peak Will’ or a second body refining of the ‘Perfect Divine Body.’

His divine body was enormous, and his divine power was extremely pure, making each body refining very impactful.

“Will improvement cannot be rushed. It requires gradual self-tempering,” Luo Feng understood this. “The materials for the second body refining need to be figured out. Sigh, I am still too poor!”

Thinking of this, Luo Feng activated the Yan Feng Pavilion’s Dark Hall communication token to check the bounty tasks.