Swallowed Star 2: Land of Origin

Blood Python Association Leader Mu Yang's eyes turned cold, "I'm not borrowing from you! I'm asking you if you have spotted any good prey recently?"

"We too have ordered our subordinates to search for prey," Vice President Lai Mo explained, "but you are aware, Association Leader, that the True Gods of Void Space within Huyang City are all very cautious. They do not reveal their treasures, making it difficult to select suitable prey.

In the past era, I slaughtered 122 True Gods of Void Space, gaining a total of one thousand eight hundred Cosmic Sand. I keep one tenth, and you take nine tenths; I have already given it to you."

"In the last era, I slaughtered 132 prey, gaining a total of twelve hundred Cosmic Sand, and I've also given you your share," Vice-chairman Mu Lin said. "We have all sworn on the cause and effect contract; we would not lie about these things."

Mu Yang said coldly, "What I want are good prey! Not these inferior ones!"

Both vice presidents shook their heads.

"We can't find any good prey; the city owner's mansion has already set the minimum criteria," said Vice President Lai Mo. "The number of True Gods of Void Space within the city that can be killed is very limited, and they are extremely cautious. Even if they obtain treasures, they would not reveal them publicly."

Vice-chairman Mu Lin expressed his concern, "Association Leader, you have earned enough since establishing the Blood Python Association. You weren't as anxious before; why have you been increasingly anxious lately?"

He and the Association Leader were from the same tribe and had drifted together to Huyang City, so he could say many things that Vice President Lai Mo dared not say.

"How are the residence fees we collected?" the Blood Python Association Leader pressed. "Has there been any increase?"

"The massive number of True Gods in the city mostly hunt Exotic Beasts for a living. Every time they venture out and make a hefty profit, they return to live stably within the city. Besides the occasional shopping, they mostly seclude themselves and do not come out. We simply cannot collect residence fees," Vice President Lai Mo said, shaking his head.

"Is there any overall growth?" Mu Yang pressed further.

"No," Lai Mo shook his head, "It has probably even declined this era."

"A bunch of useless trash!"

Mu Yang was furious, "The Blood Python Association maintains so many subordinates to find suitable prey within the city and to collect residence fees! Not finding prey, and even experiencing a decline in residence fees this era? What use do these incompetents serve? Expel those incapable from the Blood Python Association!"

Maintaining a subordinate also bears a significant cost; subordinates must also pay the city owner's mansion a residence fee of 'one Primal Chaos Crystal per era', in addition to needing cultivation resources. Thus, the average cost of maintaining a True God Level subordinate each era is about 3 Primal Chaos Crystals.

The stronger the subordinate, the higher the maintenance cost!

A vast dark force has high operational costs. After all, collecting residence fees from a multitude of residents, you can't expect the Eternal True Gods to do it, can you?

Finding fat sheep is no easy task.

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"The city owner's mansion has rules; as long as those True Gods live within a cave mansion, the city owner's mansion guarantees their absolute safety. In many places within Huyang City, filled with True Gods, if we make a move, we will be discovered by other True Gods. Once there is concrete evidence, the city owner's mansion must arrest the culprit," said Mu Lin, shaking his head.

"The city owner's mansion ensures these residents' safety in various ways, making it hard for us to collect residence fees."

The city owner's mansion collects residence fees as an official collection; every True God must pay. Once paid, they receive various protections, and this is why many True Gods aspire to live in a big city.

Dark forces also collect residence fees, but the vast majority of residents try all means to avoid it.

Like usually hiding in cave mansions! They travel to places with many True Gods, or even groups of True Gods act collectively!

"The Blood Python Association is being supported by me; you two think of some solutions!" Association Leader Mu Yang's eyes were even more fierce, "How do you find good prey? How do you collect more residence fees?"

"We'll think of something," the two vice presidents verbally agreed, but since the Blood Python Association has been operating for so long, all usable methods had already been employed.

"Hmm?" Association Leader Mu Yang suddenly looked outside, "Moli Meng is here; you two go out first."

"Alright," Lai Mo and Mu Lin, the two vice presidents, breathed a sigh of relief and promptly left.

Soon, a middle-aged man with four purple curved horns, 'Moli Meng' walked in.

"Here to collect again!" Association Leader Mu Yang sighed.

"This era's fifty thousand Cosmic Sand, it's time you gave them to me," Moli Meng looked at him. "Surely you can't fail to pay after losing twenty thousand Cosmic Sand to Luo He?"

Association Leader Mu Yang shook his head, "Merely fifty thousand Cosmic Sand, of course, I can afford it. But Moli Meng, doesn't the Blood Python Association's minimal territory require way too many cosmic sand payments every era, perhaps it could be less?"

"No way," Moli Meng looked at him and lightly chuckled, "Unless you dissolve the Blood Python Association and give up the territory. The rules of Huyang City are clear; whichever dark force controls the territory must pay the Cosmic Sand; this is the bottom line of the Five Great Families."

Association Leader Mu Yang was quite frustrated.

While competing with other dark forces for territory previously, he also did not want to pay fees to the Five Great Families and suffered their punishment. He suffered a great loss that time and eventually had to step back, which only then did the Five Great Families tolerate him.

"In that case, can the Blood Python Association have a higher quota for slaughters each era?" Association Leader Mu Yang said, "Each era, the death rate within the city cannot exceed one thousandth, but this rate is too low.

True Gods and True Gods of Void Space in the city naturally have conflicts and conflicts across a long era, with a normal death rate approaching one thousandth already, leaving us with too few quotas to kill!"

"No more than one thousandth!" Moli Meng calmly said, "In the recent era, your Blood Python Association should have assassinated over a million True Gods within the city, and perhaps hundreds of True Gods of Void Space; that's enough!"

"The True Gods of Huyang City are countless, and what we've killed is far from the normal death rate," Mu Yang shook his head, handing over a Jade Vial to Moli Meng, "Fifty thousand Cosmic Sand, not one less."

Moli Meng took it, and his expression eased somewhat, then said, "I remind you, recently, over several eras, your Blood Python has done some over-the-line things!"

"What thing? I'm not aware of it," said Mu Yang in surprise, "Don't pin everything on me."

Moli Meng gave him a look, then turned and left without saying more.

Mu Yang watched him leave.

"The five great families of the city owner's mansion are the most ruthless!" President Mu Yang's eyes were cold, but he was well aware that once the bottom line was crossed, the five great families would spare no cost to completely crush the Blood Python Association.

"Every era, all members of the Blood Python Association need a large amount of Cosmic Sand, and so do the five great families. That Luo He even took away twenty thousand units of Cosmic Sand," lamented President Mu Yang, feeling quite impoverished, "This era alone hasn't brought in much profit."

With a thought from Mu Yang, the formation in the hall activated, completely isolating it from the outside world.

Hum~~~

In front of him, the void condensed into a mirror, within which was the figure of a person wearing a white robe and a red mask.

"Divine Monarch Xue Yun." President Mu Yang became somewhat more humble.

The most terrifying two powers in Huyang City were, naturally, the ruling power of the five great families of the city owner's mansion and the forces of the Shi Kingdom. Lurking among the Shi Kingdom's forces was a supremely terrifying existence known as 'Xue Yun'.

The conflict between the Shi Kingdom's forces and the five great families of the city owner's mansion was the most intense, not just minor skirmishes against dark forces.

"President Mu Yang, why have you suddenly contacted me?" Xue Yun's voice was calm, seemingly without any fluctuation.

"The latter part of the 'Primordial Iron Blood Sand Technique' requires one million units of Cosmic Sand, which I really cannot gather," President Mu Yang said, "Could I perhaps have some Cosmic Sand on credit first? I can pay half up front?"

Xue Yun chuckled lightly, "Relying on the Bloodline Cultivation Method, refining to the Primal Chaos Realm is your limit, whereas the 'Primordial Iron Blood Sand Technique' is a 'Perfection Level' bloodline cultivation method for the Primal Chaos Realm and especially suits you. Such a cultivation method is a rare opportunity for you. If it weren't for your great contributions...

we would not have given you this purchasing opportunity."

"I know, but one million units of Cosmic Sand is just too hard to gather," said President Mu Yang.

"You have this purchasing opportunity because you work for our Shi Kingdom. You wouldn't be able to buy it at all in the Flame Wind Pavilion," Xue Yun stated.

President Mu Yang, of course, understood.

The Shi Kingdom was generous enough to offer something like the 'Primordial Iron Blood Sand Technique', a top-tier Bloodline Cultivation Method, which naturally drove Mu Yang mad with desire.

Ordinary cultivation methods would leave him hopeless to ever reach the Primal Chaos Realm. But such perfect bloodline cultivation methods at least gave him a glimmer of hope to reach the Primal Chaos Realm.

"You're slowly earning through the Blood Python Association, which naturally means slower profits," Xue Yun said softly, "If you want to earn more, you'll have to take some risks. Think about it yourself."

Then the connection was cut off.

President Mu Yang pondered. He had dealings with all sides in Huyang City, entangled quite deeply with both the city owner's mansion and the Shi Kingdom's forces.

"Normal business within Huyang City, all under the infiltration of the city owner's mansion, can't make too much. It requires time to slowly accumulate. To earn a significant sum, some risk must be taken," President Mu Yang's eyes grew colder, "Once I get the 'Primordial Iron Blood Sand Technique', I'll leave Huyang City immediately.

Let the city owner's mansion and the Shi Kingdom's forces fight as fiercely as they will, I'll stay out of it."

******

Primal Chaos Armor's Cave mansion no. 913.

Atop a high mountain, Luo Feng sat on a large rock, drinking alone.

In reality, he was operating the 'Great Destruction Heart Refining Technique', and his spiritual will was continuously being destroyed and worn down, which made each condensation of his spiritual will more refined. This was normal adaptation to survival.

Under such strong destruction and wear, each condensation naturally had to resist this kind of destruction and wear.

Short-term improvements were not as effective as the 'Seven Emotions of Heart Refining Technique', but the advantage of the 'Great Destruction Heart Refining Technique' was that it could be carried out long-term, and over time, the results were good.

"With Shang Tianyan's guidance, I should be able to fully understand the theory of the second layer of the 'Primal Chaos Great Strength Diagram' soon," Luo Feng, with his deep understanding of the laws, naturally comprehended quickly, "But even if I fully understand it, what can I do?"

"Poor! I simply cannot afford the materials required for the second body refinement," Luo Feng also felt the headache.

"The first body refinement, merely foundational, already consumed materials worth a hundred thousand units of Cosmic Sand."

"According to estimates, the second body refinement will require many times more materials."

"The third body refinement, again, will increase severalfold."

"Where can I gather so much Cosmic Sand?" Luo Feng was quite vexed.

With his current strength, to significantly enhance his power, he either needed to break through the great realm of 'Peak Will of Primal Chaos Realm' or undergo the second body refinement of 'Perfect Divine Body'.

His godly body was too massive, and his Divine Power incredibly pure, so each body refinement offered significant growth.

"Advancing the will can't be rushed. It requires daily accumulation and gradually honing oneself," Luo Feng understood this, "As for the materials for the second body refinement, I need to think of a solution. Alas, I'm just too poor!"

Thinking this, Luo Feng triggered a thought and began scouting for bounty missions using the Flame Wind Association's Dark Hall's Transmission Order.

——

Thank you to the two Alliance Hierarchs who tipped: Hidden Night Behind the Moon and The Sea in Your Eyes.