Two Realms Shuttle Gate: Don't Call Me a Demon! Chapter 70

Chapter 70: Chapter 68: Chu Family

Su Jie watched as Chen Yun and a few others entered the store to fetch supplies. That so-called Chu Family was clearly the owner of the spirit field; they were used to throwing their weight around in the town. Today, they hadn't expected to be beaten by newcomers, and surely they wouldn't let it go. If one wished to avoid trouble, it would be wise to leave as soon as possible.

Su Jie did not participate in gathering supplies; instead, he strolled around the town.

“Uncle, may I know your name? I'm a businessman from out of town. I'm a bit thirsty after my travels. Could I trouble you for a bowl of water at your place?”

Su Jie stopped an old farmer who had just finished tilling the land and was carrying his hoe back to his house, his face crisscrossed with deep wrinkles.

“Everyone just calls me Old Man Chen. You look like you come from a wealthy family, as long as you don't mind our humble little home.”

Old Man Chen was slightly taken aback, then he pushed open the door to his house and invited Su Jie inside.

The interior of the house was simple, with a set of old and damaged furniture, and a corner rice bin piled with coarse grains, not many in quantity.

There were other people in the house too, an old woman with white hair lying on a bed in an inner room, fast asleep.

In addition, there were five children, the oldest about twelve or thirteen years old and the youngest three or four.

Curious yet somewhat fearful, the children hid inside the house and took furtive glances at Su Jie, the unfamiliar guest, through a crack in the door.

“We don't have much to offer. If you're really thirsty…”

Old Man Chen was somewhat restrained as he brought over a bowl of water. The bowl was chipped in several places; perhaps feeling embarrassed to present it, Old Man Chen's dark face flushed slightly.

Su Jie took the bowl and drained it in one gulp. Wiping his mouth, he smiled and said, “Uncle, what are you talking about? We who travel and trade in the wilderness drink from rivers when we're thirsty. Why should I be so finicky?”

Old Man Chen sighed in relief. Seeing that Su Jie was easy to talk to, he relaxed and called out to the inner room, “Erlang, mind your siblings and don't disturb the honored guest.”

Su Jie pat himself down and, secretly from his storage bag, took out a bag of unwrapped candy, slipping it into the hands of the children and patting their heads, “Take these candies to eat.”

“Oh, oh, this isn't right.”

The children's faces lit up with joy, but Old Man Chen repeatedly tried to refuse.

“It's fine, we're fated to have met. Besides, I have to ask the uncle here some questions.”

Su Jie waved his hand, and Old Man Chen, unable to stop him, let the children go out to play.

“Thank you, big brother.”

The children sweetly called out their thanks, delightedly running out the door. In the Tianyuan World, just like in ancient times on Blue Star, sugar was a precious commodity; these children rarely had the chance to taste something sweet.

Putting down the bowl, Su Jie started to ask, “I'd like to inquire about this Chu Family from you, uncle. I've noticed many people in the town paying rent to them. Are your fields not your own?”

Old Man Chen's face darkened as he said, “Not to deceive you, young master, in our Shaoshan Town, those who still own their fields are few and far between. That accursed Chu Family hired experts from the big city to cast spells, diverting local underground water veins to the spirit field, forcing us to rent from them because we haven't water to irrigate our lands. Otherwise, we can only watch helplessly as our fields yield nothing.”

Su Jie pondered in his heart. Major Sects generally look down on the trivial produce of commoners, but it's different for the smaller households of cultivators.

By consolidating land and making the populace tenants, they could amass a large output of grain.

Grain could be exchanged for gold and silver, and gold and silver are related to artifact refining materials. Although the value was low, for cultivators of small households, it was entirely possible to exchange gold and silver for cultivation resources, making it a very decent way to realize assets.

After a moment of reflection, Su Jie asked, “Doesn't the government care?”

“The Chu Family is a major local clan. For generations, they produce scholars, and some of their people hold office in the city. Plus, with their reliance on the output of the spirit field to cultivate cultivators, the government turns a blind eye.”

“I see.”

Su Jie nodded and continued to query Old Man Chen about the situation in Shaoshan Town.

“Child, why are there strangers at home? Could it be the government officials have come to collect the Demon Extermination Tax again, haven't we already paid it this year?”

Just then, an elderly woman with white hair fumbled her way out from the inner room, awakened by the conversation between the two. She was Old Man Chen's mother.

The old lady walked unsteadily, with a vacant look in her eyes—it was clear she could no longer see clearly.

“Mother, it's not that, we have a guest at home.”

Old Man Chen quickly helped his mother back to her bed, afraid that she would fall because she couldn't see the path.

When Old Man Chen had returned, Su Jie curiously asked, “Uncle, what is this Demon Extermination Tax that the elder mentioned?”

“Ah, you don't know, young master?”

Old Man Chen was taken aback and then smacked his forehead: “I almost forgot, with your background, young master, surely the tax doesn't fall upon you.

The Demon Extermination Tax is imposed by the Jia Shao Government. They claim it's to guard against the havoc wrought by the Demon Ghost Ridge Palace on the common folk. They collect this tax to train armies, with the aim of securing peace for the realm and eradicating the cancer that is the Ghost Ridge Palace once and for all.

The tax is especially burdensome, and each year we have to dish out quite a bit of our wealth to cover it. However, I've heard that if a family has produced a cultivator, then they can be exempt from this tax. It's said that since cultivators contribute to the fight against the Ghost Ridge Palace, there's no need for them to pay taxes. I'm sure someone from your family must have practiced cultivation, right?”

“Ah, something like that.”

Having heard this, Su Jie was speechless and, at the same time, a certain phrase came to mind involuntarily.

We certainly lack the guts to wipe out the bandits, yet we have the audacity, and quite substantial at that, to amass wealth under the pretext of doing so.

The Demon Ghost Ridge Palace has taken root in the mountains for so many years, and Su Jie had neither heard nor seen any government troops entering the mountains.

On the contrary, the prosperity of the black market at the Ghost Ridge Palace likely had much to do with the local government's laissez-faire approach.

As the topic of the Demon Extermination Tax grew somber, Old Man Chen's mood sank.

Seeing his state, Su Jie did not continue to bother him, and suggested that he should take his leave.

Before leaving, Su Jie discreetly placed a piece of broken silver beneath the water bowl, then departed from the place.

By the time Su Jie returned to the shop and grain store, Chen Yun and the others had already gathered the supplies, loading them onto the Horned Scale Horses.

It was unexpected how quickly the Chu Family had mobilized; just as Su Jie and his companions were about to mount their horses and leave, a large group of Chu Family members blocked their path.

“Esteemed Heavenly Masters, it was they who assaulted our Chu Family members.”

Among this group of Chu Family members, several cultivators distinguished by their elegant clothing adorned with embroidered patterns and silk bandanas emerged, exuding an air of nobility.

The one at the lead had the appearance of an ancient, with the poise of both a dragon and a tiger, and eyes that shone with vitality, creating the image of a venerable person.

“I am Lu Feng, the Sacrificial Elder of the Chu Family. Who might you young ones be apprenticed to, and what brings you here? Speak the truth promptly, or else do not blame me for being discourteous.”

With a cold snort, Lu Feng guessed that Su Jie and his companions possessed cultivation, yet he did not fear them, instead he demonstrated his power, allowing his spiritual power to surge unabashedly within him.

His cultivation was at the Yunling Realm Second Level; the fluctuation of spiritual power was not like a tidal wave but more like a refreshing breeze brushing against the face.

The cultivators following Lu Feng did the same, proudly releasing their spiritual power fluctuations, and these individuals were even more formidable, each possessing the cultivation of the Yunling Realm First Level.

The expressions of Su Jie and his group were peculiar, especially Chen Yun, who had previously engaged in the fight. She had thought that Lu Feng was a great hidden expert living discreetly in town, with cultivation no less than her Master, Taoist Qiu of the Secret Realm.

Yet, after this introduction, such modest ability proved anticlimactic, and all of her fright had been for naught.

Chapter end

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