Pay to Cultivate Immortality? My Sect is Completely Free - Chapter 98

Chapter 98: Commoners? All are People of the Heavenly Dao Sect!

“Thus, we have come here today to pay our annual tax to Sect Master Su.” The old man chuckled, appearing very sycophantic. With a new master, it was naturally necessary to butter him up for a better existence!

“Annual tax…” Su Bai murmured. He had already gained an understanding of this system. The Exalted Immortals of the Immortal Alliance would come once a year to collect the annual tax, and prior to their arrival, the larger forces would make preparations in advance.

For the various forces within the territory of the Lingxiao Sect, they would pay their dues to Lingxiao Sect, which would then consolidate and submit everything to the Exalted Immortals of the Immortal Alliance. This had become a deeply ingrained rule over the thousands of years, and no one dared to forget it.

Those who failed to pay on time would face the lighter penalty of having their entire year’s revenue confiscated, or the heavier penalty of being made an example of! Now that the Lingxiao Sect had been destroyed and its territory taken over by the Heavenly Dao Sect, these forces naturally had to come to the Heavenly Dao Sect to pay their annual tax.

“I am Lin Tai, the City Lord of Tianhe City. Here, I present to Sect Master Su seventy percent of the City Lord’s residence’s annual revenue. Please accept it, Sect Master Su.” The old man cheerfully took out a storage bag and handed it to Su Bai. This bag contained millions of taels of gold and tens of millions of taels of silver, indicative of a relatively strong force.

“From the Xiao Family of Yunshui City, we submit an annual tax of one hundred thousand taels of gold!”

“From Li Zhuang of Qingyang County, we submit an annual tax of eight hundred thousand taels of silver!”

“From Qing Sect and Yellow Lion Sect, we submit an annual tax of one thousand Spirit Stones and tens of millions of taels of gold.”

…………

More than a thousand forces, including various sects and families, were continuously reporting their annual tax amounts.

Reporting the amounts had also become an unwritten rule. If they didn’t report, many forces could falsify their accounts and pay less tax. However, when reported publicly, there would always be forces familiar with each other; upon hearing the numbers, someone would know it didn’t add up. If reported, and it was discovered that falsification had occurred, that force would be in trouble.

Those who reported fraud were often fierce rivals. If one party fell, the other could easily swallow their power and grow even stronger. Thus, few forces dared to commit fraud, as getting caught meant one thing: death!

Because of this, astronomical figures echoed in the ears of countless ordinary people surrounding the square, leaving everyone silent. How many ordinary people struggled to earn just ten taels of silver in a year? Meanwhile, these forces casually mentioned figures in the millions, even tens of millions, of taels of gold!

How much of this silver and gold was extracted from their toil? But besides their silence, no one dared to say a word. Over the years, those who stuck out had all perished!

Finally, after all one thousand forces finished reporting, over a thousand storage bags floated in the sky before Su Bai. The total worth of the items inside exceeded eighty million taels of gold and fourteen billion taels of silver! This was far greater than the peak year of the Lingxiao Sect!

With a new master in place, many flattered Su Bai by claiming they were offering seventy percent when the actual amount was often well over a hundred percent! They sought to win the new master’s recognition, attention, and support.

Moreover, with the Heavenly Dao Sect having absorbed the territory of the Lingxiao Sect, the population had increased, resulting in such massive annual taxes. Eighty million taels of gold and fourteen billion taels of silver summed up to a total of two hundred and twenty billion taels of silver.

The territory of the Heavenly Dao Sect now, including the area taken from the Lingxiao Sect, has a total population of around sixty million.

On average, that means thirty taels of silver per person!

Let it be known that this average also accounts for the elderly and children who are unable to work!

In the square, the leaders of various forces all looked at Su Bai with anticipation, wondering if this year’s tax would meet the satisfaction of the Sect Master.

Su Bai’s gaze swept over everyone, including the common people on the outskirts of the square.

Then, he softly said, “You will take some time to evenly distribute this silver and gold, ensuring that everyone receives the same amount.”

This statement was naturally directed at his several personal disciples beside him.

“Yes, Master!”

Zhuge Feng, Xiao Lingxi, and the other personal disciples nodded in agreement.

“Thank you, Sect Master Su! Thank you, Sect Master Su!”

The leaders of the forces were all excited, their faces flushed, as they repeatedly bowed in thanks.

Distributing it would mean they didn’t have to pay taxes anymore, right?

Especially the leaders with many subordinates were even more thrilled.

The more people there were, the more there would be to divide!

“Remember, the more than sixty million people in the territory of the Heavenly Dao Sect must each receive a share!” Su Bai added.

“Understood, Master!”

Zhuge Feng responded.

“Sixty million people?”

In an instant, all the leaders were completely stunned.

“Are there really more than sixty million people?”

“Sect Master Su, do those lowly maids, slaves, and commoners count as people? Should they also share equally with us?” The City Lord of Tianhe City spoke up, his brows furrowed as he looked at Su Bai, clearly dissatisfied.

Why should their wealth be shared with those lowly individuals?

However, before he could finish his sentence, Su Bai shot him a cold glare.

In an instant, the City Lord’s short and stout body trembled, and then he collapsed to the ground, lifeless, with no breath left!

“Is ‘commoner’ a term you are allowed to use so casually?”

Su Bai spoke coldly.

His words silenced the other leaders, leaving them too frightened to speak any further.

“From now on, anyone living within the territory of the Heavenly Dao Sect, regardless of whether they are rich or poor, shall be considered part of the Heavenly Dao Sect’s people!”