"This..."

Yu Changsheng was stunned by the man’s actions.

’A man shouldn’t kneel so easily. Why are you doing it so naturally, so decisively?’

"Sir, everything I’m saying is true! If you don’t believe me, look at the claw marks on my chest, and the bruises on my arms and legs. It’s a miracle I’m even alive today!"

Luo Lesheng looked tragic, tears welling in his eyes. He ripped open his shirt, revealing a blood-soaked bandage underneath, and cried out in a trembling voice.

"Please, just give me two more days! I’ll definitely have the rent by then!"

According to the list, the man owed three Lower Grade Spirit Stones. His usual work involved hunting Demon Beasts outside the city, so injuries were to be expected.

But if Yu Changsheng gave him more time, who would give *him* more time?

The Sect had ordered all the rent collected by tomorrow morning. If any was missing, punishment was unavoidable. And if someone were to frame him for stealing the funds he was supposed to be guarding, he would be completely done for!

Yu Changsheng frowned, wondering how to respond.

Just then, a servant disciple from across the street, who had just finished collecting rent from one household, noticed the situation. A smirk played on his lips as he walked over.

"First time collecting rent, huh? Let me tell you, you can’t be polite with these Cultivators. Don’t believe a word of their bullshit. Who knows if he didn’t just injure himself!"

"I’ve seen plenty of tricks like this in the Fish Market."

The servant disciple grinned at Yu Changsheng. "Watch. You need to have some swagger when you collect rent!"

"Damn it! You son of a bitch, you don’t have any Spirit Stones but you dare to keep living here? Are you trying to make a fool out of me?!"

"Give you time?! How much time have I already given you?! It’s generous enough that I’m not charging you interest on the three Lower Grade Spirit Stones you owe. And you still dare ask for more time? Are you screwing with me?!"

With that, the servant disciple kicked Luo Lesheng to the ground and began pummeling him with fists and feet.

"Ah! Sir! Stop hitting me! I’m going to die!"

Luo Lesheng screamed in agony, curling up on the ground with his hands clasped over his head. He didn’t look like a Cultivator at the Qi Refining Fourth Stage at all; he was more like a poor, common peasant.

"Do you have the three Lower Grade Spirit Stones or not?! If not, I’ll keep beating you! If I beat you to death, I can just take your Hundred Treasures Pouch and see for myself if you were just faking poverty!"

The servant disciple sneered and swung a slap at the man’s head.

"I remember now! I have it, I have it! I just sold a Low-tier Demon Beast Hide yesterday and earned a few Spirit Stones!" Luo Lesheng cried out in pain, quickly fumbling to produce three Lower Grade Spirit Stones.

"Are you renting next year or not? If not, get out now!"

"I’ll rent, I’ll rent!"

Luo Lesheng sobbed, tears streaming down his face, then took out another ten Lower Grade Spirit Stones.

The servant disciple scooped up the Spirit Stones, tossed them to Yu Changsheng, and clapped him on the shoulder with a grin. "See that? That’s how you collect rent. At your pace, how long would it take you to get through a hundred houses?"

"And another thing, don’t be afraid of these worthless bastards. When we walk around wearing this uniform, who’d be stupid enough to give us a dirty look?"

"Alright, I’m off to collect my own rent. Keep it up!"

After saying his piece, the servant disciple left to attend to his own business.

Yu Changsheng was left dumbfounded.

’That was certainly simple and brutal!’

He glanced down at the Spirit Stones. ’But it was also terrifyingly efficient...’ 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Crossing the name off his list, Yu Changsheng ignored the wailing Luo Lesheng and headed for his next target.

"Ah, my Spirit Stones! Those damned thieving bastards!"

Luo Lesheng shouted as he wiped the tears from his eyes and climbed to his feet.

From behind the sleeve hiding his face, his eyes fixed on Yu Changsheng’s retreating figure, and a cold smirk appeared on his lips.

「Time passed quickly, and night soon fell.」

The entire shantytown area of the Fish Market was abuzz with activity due to the rent collection sweep. Many Cultivators who had paid up brought out chairs to watch those being evicted, laughing uproariously.

A few other Cultivators, who refused to pay rent and resisted eviction, were dragged out and beaten to death in the streets.

In the Fish Market, the Wanxiang Sect *was* the law. Weaker Cultivators dared not resist. Just as the other servant disciple had said, it was others who should fear *them*.

The number of Spirit Stones in Yu Changsheng’s pouch grew steadily. By the third watch of the night, the count had reached a staggering one thousand.

The dense Spiritual Qi emanating from them made him want to take a few deep breaths.

He had never seen so many Spirit Stones since he’d transmigrated. It felt like a test of his willpower. He was tempted to just grab the Spirit Stones and make a run for it.

But on second thought, one thousand Lower Grade Spirit Stones were only equivalent to ten Middle Grade Spirit Stones—the kind Golden Core Cultivators used. It would be incredibly foolish and short-sighted to betray the Sect and get hunted down over such a small amount of resources.

"That’s the last household collected."

Yu Changsheng sighed, hefting his Hundred Treasures Pouch, which now felt noticeably heavier.

The Cultivators on his list were all the type to bully the weak and fear the strong. At first, he hadn’t grasped the essence of rent collection and was almost duped. But after a couple more stops, he adopted a slightly tougher attitude, and people were scared into handing over their Spirit Stones right away.

Out of more than a hundred households, only two Cultivators truly couldn’t afford to renew their lease. He had evicted them and locked the doors. Now, homeless on the streets, he wondered if they would even survive the night.

’Why is this area so quiet?’

After walking a short distance, Yu Changsheng suddenly stopped. He scanned the surrounding houses, all with their lights extinguished, looking completely deserted.

’It’s only the fourth watch. There’s no way the Cultivators who just paid rent would have left already!’

The strangeness put Yu Changsheng on high alert.

"SWOOSH!"

At the same time, a sound of something slicing through the air rang out.

Yu Changsheng didn’t turn his head. The sneak attack was so sudden he had no time to react.

’Not good!’ His Divine Sense had already seen it—a long spike that glowed with a faint, sinister light.

A distance of sixty meters was nothing against a surprise attack from a Magical Artifact like this. He had barely begun to raise his hand when the spike was a mere three meters from his head!

Realizing his Wood Shield Skill wouldn’t be fast enough, he simultaneously turned to duck and pulled a Talisman directly from his System Space.

It was the Tier One Protective Talisman he had spent fifty Spirit Coins on at the gathering!

"CLANG!"

The Protective Talisman turned to ash as a brilliant golden light flared, blocking the spike’s attack.

Fortunately, the Protective Talisman was in his System Space, retrievable with a single thought. Had it been in his Hundred Treasures Pouch, he was certain he would already be dead, pierced by that spike.

However, the Protective Talisman had been crafted by a Loose Cultivator and was only Tier One. It strained to block the Magical Artifact, and after just one second, the golden light began to crack.

But that one second gave Yu Changsheng the opening he needed to cast a skill.

"Wood Shield Skill!"

An instantly cast Wooden Shield materialized in front of his hand.

Just as the spike shattered the golden light, it struck the Wooden Shield.

BANG!

Yu Changsheng felt a sharp pain jolt through his arm as the force of the blow sent him flying backward. The impact was no weaker than that of the Red Snake King!

In mid-air, he formed a hand seal to cast the Wind Travel Skill. With a light tap of his toes, he used the momentum to land on a rooftop on the opposite side, making a clean escape.

Having missed with both strikes, the spike transformed into a streak of dark light and flew into the hand of a shadowy figure.

"Well, that’s unexpected. You actually survived."

Yu Changsheng focused his gaze and was utterly shocked.

The figure was none other than Luo Lesheng, the man who had been kneeling on the ground and crying pitifully during his very first rent collection!