Volume One: The Devil's Nature Never Changes
Arc: The Great Guerrilla War
As soon as Liu Zai Hang finished speaking, Ikalat and Scarlet King smiled and glanced at each other, while Lin Yuan looked at them innocently and said:
"Oh, alright. We will collect the taxes and come back, but what is the reward?"
The other three looked at Lin Yuan in surprise.
Scarlet King asked:
"Since when did you become like me?"
Liu Zai Hang told Lin Yuan:
"There is no reward. This is a mission from the sect. I will try to give you some contribution points, but you can enjoy yourselves and make some money along the way."
He gave him a quick wink, but Lin Yuan failed to understand the implication and sighed.
"Hah… Alright. At least we will get something out of it."
Liu Zai Hang took out a map along with a tied brown bag.
Twenty-two sects were marked on the map, and the three of them had to visit each one to collect taxes amounting to fifteen percent of each sect's annual profits.
"Alright, go. When you return, head to the Mission Hall and hand over the spatial bag."
Lin Yuan asked:
"Is that bag in your hand the spatial bag, or whatever it is called?"
Liu nodded and tossed it toward him.
Lin Yuan caught it.
"Why am I the one carrying it?!"
Liu answered:
"Scarlet King and Ikalat already have spatial-void rings, so I figured I would give the spatial bag to you. Now go. We do not have all day to stand here talking."
Scarlet King began calculating.
"Alright. If each sect takes an hour and a half to hand over the stones, and another hour and a half for rest, preparation, and exploration, that makes three hours per sect. I can use Vaporization each time to shorten the journey, so we will need about three days to complete the mission."
Scarlet King looked toward Liu Zai Hang.
"Have you visited these sects before?"
Liu Zai Hang smiled and closed his eyes.
"Of course. I visited all of them back when I was still a disciple, before I became an elder of the sect."
Scarlet King replied indifferently, as though he had just obtained a useful piece of information.
"Good."
He approached Liu Zai Hang and placed a finger against his forehead.
A faint aura emerged from his fingertip.
Liu asked suspiciously:
"What are you doing?"
Scarlet King withdrew his finger and answered:
"Copying your memories of the locations of the sects you have visited so I can use Vaporization."
[Inside the Infinite Library Within Scarlet King's Mind]
A book suddenly appeared in the air.
It floated through the vast library before sliding into an empty space on one of the shelves among countless other books.
These were Liu Zai Hang's memories of the sects' locations, transformed into a book and placed in its designated location.
This was one of Scarlet King's abilities:
Reading / Copying / Stealing / Altering / Erasing Memories.
Scarlet King immediately wrapped his arms around the other two's necks and said:
"Vaporization."
Mist instantly surrounded them.
However, Liu Zai Hang suddenly remembered the sect token belonging to the Second Elder and threw it directly into the mist so that it would travel with them.
When the three emerged from the mist, the token was hovering above Lin Yuan's head.
Ikalat burst out laughing.
"Pffffft! Man, it looks like a chicken laid something on your head."
Scarlet King took the token.
"Unfortunately, I was hoping it would be an egg. I would have eaten it raw."
He thought:
(Damn it. That cartoonish personality is starting to influence me. I will whip him the next time he affects me.)
He hid the token inside his coat.
"Now come on. Let us head to the first sect. It is right in front of us."
This was the Black Wing Sect, a sect distinguished by its completely black interior design.
However, it was also one of the hottest sects, which was why most of its members spent most of their time outside.
It was also a first-rank sect.
Across all dimensions, sects were divided into six ranks, ranging from sixth rank to first rank.
Above them were the Great Sects, which occupied a rank of their own and stood at the very top of the hierarchy.
The same classification system applied to families, empires, clans, and kingdoms.
However, a sixth-rank sect in the Second Dimension would still be wealthier and more powerful than a Great Sect in the First Dimension because of qualitative superiority.
The three immediately descended before the sect's gate.
Two guards stood there, each holding a spear and wearing black armor.
Sweat visibly covered their bodies.
Both were at the fifth level of the Qi Condensation Realm.
One of the guards asked:
"Who are you?"
His voice was weak and calm, as he was suffering from heatstroke.
Scarlet King raised the token and replied:
"We are here to collect taxes on behalf of the Heavenly Food Sect."
Scarlet King pressed the token.
An aura belonging to someone at the ninth level of the Path Initiation Realm erupted from it.
It was so powerful that it knocked the helmets off both guards and jolted them out of their heat-induced daze.
One of them immediately moved.
"I will go get the Financial Elder right away! Please wait a few minutes, sir."
The guard flew off and quickly entered the sect.
Scarlet King then looked toward the second guard.
His eyes glowed blood-red with yellow edges, as though he were about to fire his lasers.
"Where is the hospitality?"
The guard immediately became nervous and gestured for them to follow.
"Please follow me. I will take you to the Distinguished Guests Hall."
Scarlet King, Ikalat, and Lin Yuan followed the guard, with Scarlet King walking at the front.
The sect was nearly empty except for a few disciples walking around while using treasures to cool their bodies, along with several guards standing at their posts.
[Distinguished Guests Hall]
The hall had a lowered floor and a raised platform where distinguished guests were seated.
Four pillars supported the ceiling.
Scarlet King, Lin Yuan, and Ikalat sat in their chairs, while the Financial Elder sat in his own seat beside them.
His name was Shen Wan Cai.
Between Scarlet King and the Financial Elder stood a small table covered with juice and fruit.
Scarlet King was about to speak when Elder Shen Wan Cai interrupted him.
"Before we discuss the reason for your visit, Lord…"
Scarlet King said:
"Gu Yue."
The elder continued:
"Lord Gu Yue, allow us to honor your presence for a while before we begin discussing the main matter."