Qian Ye rose, stretching his body to dispel the numbness and abnormal sensations. The ability that woman had used was a force oscillation, fundamentally similar to Qian Ye’s initial tree-striking technique, but infinitely more refined and well beyond Qian Ye’s level.
In Qian Ye’s memory, the highest secret art of the Yin family in the Empire was renowned for force oscillations. However, this secret art required an immense amount of force, and its cultivation was exceedingly arduous. Often, it would take several generations before one could achieve mastery. Thus, the Yin family remained at the upper echelon of noble clans, without the risk of descending, yet also without any hope of ascending.
This alien woman, in terms of force, was merely at the level of five or six, yet she managed to resonate with Qian Ye’s force, interfering with his actions. The power of her force oscillation was unbelievably strong. It was likely related to the environment of the Dark Forest, and perhaps those peculiar metallic rings were key.
Qian Ye cast a glance deep into the Dark Forest, identifying it as one of the sources of danger.
He did not attempt to track her, for the woman left no traces behind, and her force aura had completely vanished under the dual effect of the force oscillation and the power of the sea. Thus, Qian Ye continued on towards the town.
The rest of the journey was uneventful, and Qian Ye soon arrived at the town. The two guards at the gate noticed the wooden planks on Qian Ye’s back, their expressions turning strange, as if they were looking at a dead man. They exchanged glances, and one of the guards asked, “Are you here to pay taxes or exchange goods?”
“Both.”
“Alright, follow me then.” The guard led Qian Ye into the town, heading straight for the largest building in the center. Along the way, people who saw the wooden planks on Qian Ye’s back were visibly shocked, some even gasping. However, under the stern warning gaze of the guards, no one dared to discuss it.
The building was actually a trading market, with dozens of stalls selling various goods. The tax collection area had been squeezed into a corner, occupying only the space of two stalls. Qian Ye placed the wooden planks and a small pouch on the tax counter. The old, sharp-faced man behind the counter winced when he saw the planks. Opening the pouch, his eyes immediately lit up with greed.
Inside the pouch was a full bag of golden thread snails, the work of Little Zhu Ji and Night Pupil. These snails were naturally adept at hiding, making them hard to find. Although Little Zhu Ji was not skilled at searching, Night Pupil taught her to use her nose, and soon the entire beach was in trouble. The olfactory senses of a spider demon rivaled those of a werewolf.
As the old man tried to take the pouch back, he said, “Although these are not quite enough for the tax, considering you’re new, I’ll give you a break and clear your taxes for this month.”
With a snap, his hand was halfway through the motion when Qian Ye grabbed it. “You made a mistake, didn’t you?”
The old man howled like his tail had been stepped on, “A mistake? I’ve been collecting taxes here for over a decade. How could I make a mistake? You little brat, take your hands off me! Otherwise, my nephew will teach you a lesson!”
Qian Ye’s expression remained unchanged as he tightened his grip. The old man, with only level three or four strength, could hardly resist. His arm bones began to crack. He screamed like a pig being slaughtered, “Someone, kill him! He’s resisting taxes!”
The two guards moved in from either side, raising thick iron rods studded with backward spikes and aiming for Qian Ye’s head. If they hit, even a warrior below the rank of general would be severely injured.
Qian Ye casually deflected the rods with his left hand, then lifted the guard on his left and smashed him into the guard on his right. Their heads collided with a sickening thud, and both fell unconscious.
Qian Ye combined the two iron rods, twisting them together into a single, thick rod. Although the material was not top-notch, each rod was as thick as a fist. The ease with which Qian Ye twisted them into one sent a chill through the onlookers.
Though Qian Ye released his hold, the old man forgot to retrieve the pouch.
Qian Ye pulled the old man’s hand out and pinned it on the counter, saying, “If you want to embezzle, you should know who you’re dealing with. And you, all of you, are only earning salaries, not risking your lives. Don’t sacrifice your lives for a mere salary.”
At Qian Ye’s words, the guards who had rushed over were at a loss. Qian Ye was clearly not a kind person, and the killing intent emanating from him was real. Their salaries were certainly not worth their lives.
Without further ado, Qian Ye raised the twisted iron rods and brought them down toward the old man’s hand!
The old man let out a scream that pierced the sky, but his hand was trapped as if by a steel band, unable to move. Just as his hand was about to be crushed, the iron rods were suddenly halted, just above his arm.
Qian Ye turned to see that the one holding the rods was Little Knife, the young man who had brought him to the territory. Though young, his force cultivation was impressive, reaching level eight. Qian Ye’s face was cold, and without waiting for Little Knife to speak, he sent force waves through the iron rods, assaulting him multiple times.
Little Knife felt like he was being hammered, his face turning redder with each blow. By the end, his handsome face was purpling, and he was about to spit blood when the force attacks suddenly ceased.
Qian Ye said coolly, “The tax amount you mentioned yesterday seems much lower than what it should be. Are you revising the rate after just one day?”
Little Knife, finally calming his breathing, looked at Qian Ye with deep wariness. He knew Qian Ye had shown mercy; otherwise, a few more force attacks would have left him critically injured.
What he did not know was that if Qian Ye wanted, a single force attack could make him burst apart.
“Do you want to cause trouble here? Don’t forget, this is the Wolf King’s territory!” Little Knife threatened.
Qian Ye replied calmly, “The Wolf King wouldn’t want his subordinates putting his money into their own pockets. Besides, no matter whose territory this is, it doesn’t stop some people from dying in their rooms in the middle of the night, does it?”
“You…” Little Knife glared fiercely at Qian Ye, but seeing Qian Ye’s unwavering demeanor, he hesitated, his killing intent fading. Qian Ye’s threat was real, and if he intruded in the middle of the night, even Little Knife himself would be powerless. In the neutral lands, no one would waste time on a dead person.
Thus, Little Knife chose to bow to reality. Pointing at the old man, he said, “This is my uncle. Considering his age, let’s drop it this time. How about halving this month’s tax for you?”
“Fine.” Qian Ye did not dawdle, retrieving the iron rods and throwing them on the ground.
The old man still took the pouch but returned a dozen imperial gold coins. This amount exceeded Qian Ye’s expectations, but according to Little Knife, the quality of the golden thread snails he had gathered warranted such a sum.
“How about we go for a drink later? If there’s anything you need to buy, let me know, and I’ll arrange it for you,” Little Knife offered.
“Sure.” Qian Ye was looking for someone to talk to, to learn more about the power distribution in the neutral lands.
Soon, Qian Ye and Little Knife were seated in a tavern, and after a few drinks, both were a bit tipsy, speaking more freely.
After some conversation, Qian Ye gained a rough understanding of the neutral lands. Originally a haven for pirates, outlaws, and indigenous races, the balance of power shifted as strong individuals from both major factions arrived. The dominant races now were humans, werewolves, bloodkin, spider demons, and indigenous races. With the arrival of a mysterious bloodkin powerhouse and the Shattered Stream Year, the bloodkin rose to prominence, becoming the leading race in the neutral lands.
However, the relationships between the races were far more complex than those within the two major factions. For example, the Eastern Desolation was the domain of humans, but it was currently managed by the Wolf King, a werewolf. Thirty years ago, he suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Zhang Buzhou, the strongest human, and thus submitted, being sent to govern the Eastern Desolation.
Zhang Buzhou had not only the Wolf King under his command but also many other dark race powerhouses, outnumbering the humans. Other dark lords in different territories followed a similar pattern, commanding a mix of races, including humans. Only the indigenous races remained pure, hating all outsiders, a stance unchanged for thousands of years.
In the neutral lands, strength and territory, not allegiance, determined power.
The Eastern Desolation was vast, and the Wolf King controlled only about half of it. Of this, only a small part was inhabited. The extreme temperature differences alone kept out the weaker commoners. Expanding the wilderness was a primary goal, but progress was slow.
Having grasped the basic layout of the neutral lands, Qian Ye shifted the topic, asking, “What dangers lurk in the Dark Forest?”
Little Knife’s smile turned awkward, “What did you see?”
“That’s not important. Tell me what you know.”
Knowing he couldn’t dodge the question, Little Knife said, “The Dark Forest is peculiar; its coverage often shifts. Wherever the Dark Forest is, indigenous races tend to appear. We have a deadly enmity with them. Not just us, but the bloodkin, werewolves, and all other races view the indigenous races as enemies. For instance, the Central Land’s Dreamland Heaven was once the capital of the indigenous races, but they were all wiped out, and the Dreamland Heaven was built in its place.”
Qian Ye nodded, recognizing this as a common occurrence in the Empire’s expansion history.
Little Knife continued, “There’s a strange connection between the Dark Forest and the indigenous races. They fiercely hate deforestation. Cutting down trees in the Dark Forest invites their wrath, and possibly pursuit.”
“Then why do you include Dark Forest timber in the taxable items?”
Little Knife looked somewhat embarrassed, “The wood from the Dark Forest is of exceptional quality, lasting for a century without rotting. It’s the best material for airships and sea vessels and the highest-grade fuel. The wood has a special scent, making it invisible to sea beasts in the Eastern Sea. Also… well, you know.”
“You mean, new arrivals who unknowingly cut down the Dark Forest will be marked by the indigenous races, forcing them to seek your protection, right?” Qian Ye sneered.
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