155: Chief Tax Officer

"Xiao Ling, what is the Spirit Tax Division Bo Lu mentioned? And Bo Lu... is he really in the Star God Realm?" Zhang Sheng couldn't help but ask.

"The Spirit Tax Division is the tax authority of the Tianxing Continent; you'll understand later," Xiao Ling said calmly.

"As for Bo Lu, you've guessed correctly. He is indeed in the Star God Realm, and... he is by no means an ordinary Star God!"

...The spaceship was once again enveloped by profound darkness, clearly entering stealth mode in the Dark Universe.

However, the darkness did not last long this time before light suddenly reappeared!

"Rumble—!"

The ground beneath his feet began to tremble violently without warning!

Countless high-rise buildings collapsed in an instant, and dust billowed into the sky!

"Xiao Ling! What's happening?!"

"Don't panic! Earth is undergoing plane Fusion with the Tianxing Continent. It'll be over soon!"

Before the words finished, the world-shaking tremors came to a dead stop.

Immediately after, the celestial barrier above, formed by the projection of the myriad worlds pearl, was torn apart as if by an invisible giant hand, and a massive rift spanning east to west gaped open!

As the barrier receded, a breathtakingly magnificent azure sky, never seen before, was revealed beyond!

An incredibly dense surge of Spiritual Qi rushed in like a torrential flood from a breached dam!

Zhang Sheng felt every cell in his body breathing greedily, letting out groans of pleasure—the concentration of this Spiritual Qi was several times higher than even the depths of a Red-level Secret Realm!

"Zhang Sheng, we've arrived! This is the Tianxing Continent!" Xiao Ling's voice carried a hint of emotion. "Fly up and take a look!"

With a thought, Zhang Sheng's body soared into the sky!

Ten thousand meters... a hundred thousand meters... five hundred thousand meters!

When he hovered high in the air and looked down, his heart suddenly constricted—in his field of vision was no longer the familiar blue planet, but a boundless, vast land that stretched beyond the horizon!

"Earth has unfolded and integrated into the map of the Tianxing Continent," Xiao Ling's voice echoed in his heart, carrying a sense of parting.

"Zhang Sheng... it's time for me to leave. The main body of the myriad worlds pearl is calling me back to report."

Thinking of the companionship and help Xiao Ling had provided along the way, a strong sense of reluctance welled up in Zhang Sheng's heart.

He took a deep breath: "Xiao Ling, I hope you gain true freedom soon. I hope... we will meet again one day!"

"I hope so too! I also look forward to the day you become a truly powerful expert!"

"Goodbye!"

As the words fell, the spirit ring on Zhang Sheng's finger suddenly turned into a brilliant blue light and vanished into the horizon instantly.

Zhang Sheng withdrew his gaze, feeling a sense of loss.

Suddenly!

At the edge of his vision, a colossal creature burst into view!

It had three hideous and terrifying heads, a neck as long as a snake's, and a torso as sturdy as a lion's that radiated a primitive aura; it was a staggering thousand meters in size!

Atop the giant beast's back, several figures could be seen standing.

One of them took a casual step forward!

This step seemed to ignore the barriers of space!

In the next instant, that figure appeared before Zhang Sheng like a ghost!

Zhang Sheng's pupils constricted! Crossing over two hundred kilometers in one step?! What kind of Divine Ability was this?!

There were five newcomers in total, all dressed in green robes embroidered with exquisite plant-like spirit patterns.

The leader had a goatee and looked to be about thirty years old. The terrifying pressure he radiated was like a physical mountain, crashing down on Zhang Sheng and making it incredibly difficult for him to breathe!

The man with the goatee had a cold gaze and waved his hand!

In an instant, the Spiritual Qi around Zhang Sheng was drained as if by an invisible vortex, becoming thin immediately!

"Who gave you permission to refine the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi of this world without authorization?" The cold voice carried an unquestionable authority.

Zhang Sheng endured the pressure and bowed, keeping his posture extremely low.

"Zhang Sheng, the Star Lord of the Earth civilization, greets the lords of the Upper Realm! This lowly one has just arrived in your esteemed land and is unaware of the heavenly laws. I humbly ask for your lordship's forbearance!"

"Heh, you're quite well-behaved," the goateed man's lips curled into an ambiguous smile. "Do you know our identities?"

"This lowly one has poor vision, but seeing your lordships' extraordinary bearing and profound magic, I imagine you must be immortal figures of this Tianxing Upper Realm!" Zhang Sheng answered respectfully.

"Immortals? Hehe, in the eyes of you Lower Realm ascenders, that's a fitting description." The goateed man seemed quite pleased.

He turned to his companions and laughed, "He's much better than that arrogant fellow last time. Even 'Xiao Hei' would've found his meat too tough and bones too hard to chew."

Zhang Sheng subconsciously glanced at the three-headed black-furred giant beast approaching from behind and felt a chill:

This "Xiao Hei" probably referred to it... Thinking quickly, Zhang Sheng immediately took out a storage ring.

"Please appease your anger, Lord! This is a small local specialty brought from the Lower Realm. It's not much, but I hope your lordship will accept it."

The storage ring contained some Spiritual Artifacts, Medicinal Pills, and Talismans he had obtained from the Red-level Secret Realm.

A plump man standing behind the goateed man reached out and took the storage ring, communicating silently with the goateed man for a moment.

Then, the fat man used sound transmission, his voice echoing directly in Zhang Sheng's mind:

"Listen up, kid. This is Lord Zhao Kang, the Head of the Tax Division of our Qinglan Prefecture! Remember it!"

Zhao Kang weighed the storage ring in his hand, a smile appearing on his face.

"The items are indeed low-grade. However, kid, I am very satisfied with how 'sensible' you are."

"When a Lower Realm civilization undergoes Ascension, they are placed in different regions according to their potential. As for where exactly they land, it all depends on fate," Zhao Kang said with a hint of charity in his tone.

"Since you have landed in Qinglan Prefecture of the Qingchuan Province in our Song Kingdom, it is your good fortune. But remember, our kingdom's laws are strict and must not be violated!"

"Please be at ease, Lord! The Earth civilization will certainly abide by the laws of the superior kingdom!" Zhang Sheng quickly guaranteed.

A Jade Slip flew in front of Zhang Sheng.

"This is the outline of our Song Kingdom's laws; you must commit it to memory!" After saying this, Zhao Kang turned to look behind him. "Xiao Wu, explain the rest of the rules to him clearly."

Before he finished speaking, the figures of Zhao Kang and the other three vanished like bubbles, leaving only the fat man called "Xiao Wu."

Zhang Sheng put away the Jade Slip and said politely, "Lord Wang Wu, if you don't mind, please come down and experience the local customs of my Earth?"

He noticed that this man had very faint eyebrows and narrow eyes that hinted at a mean-spirited nature. Although he looked about the same age as Zhang Sheng, he was definitely not someone to be trifled with.

"Hmph, I don't hide my name or change my surname—I am Wang Wu! Remember it well!" Wang Wu snorted coldly.

Zhang Sheng led him as they flew.

Wang Wu's expression suddenly changed, and he abruptly raised his hand. Several fierce flaming dragons instantly flew downward!

Their target was the spaceship half-exposed in the Pacific Ocean!

A corner of the spaceship melted at a speed visible to the naked eye!

"Zhang Sheng, listen to me clearly!" Wang Wu said harshly. "In our Song Kingdom, we loathe these scraps of technological civilizations the most! I give you three months to completely clear them out from your territory! Otherwise..." A cold light flashed in his eyes.

Zhang Sheng's heart sank. Judging from the aura the other party was faintly emitting, he was by no means a match for him.

He suppressed his anger and said in a deep voice, "Rest assured, Lord Wang Wu. Within three months, all technological creations will vanish from my Hua Prefecture!" He didn't ask for a reason, knowing well that now was not the time.

"Eh?" Wang Wu's gaze was suddenly attracted by some trees shimmering with spiritual light. "These few mist-condensing spirit firs are of decent quality; I'll take them!"

"Since you like them, Lord, I shall naturally offer them up," Zhang Sheng said expressionlessly.

"Ho! These two mixed-blood Demon Dragons are quite interesting and rare!" Wang Wu had spotted the Swift Dragons in the sky.

"...If you find them interesting, Lord, just take them with you." Zhang Sheng's voice betrayed no emotion... After Wang Wu finished his looting, he finally threw out a Jade Slip with satisfaction: "Take it! This is my communication jade slip. Prepare the spirit tax on time, and I will come to collect it. If you can't pay in full..."

He gave a sinister smile. "Then what you'll be handing over won't be spirit crystals, but the flesh and Divine Soul of the living beings in your territory!"

After saying that, he turned into a streak of light and disappeared into the horizon.

Zhang Sheng stood where he was, the respect on his face instantly fading, leaving only a cold, somber expression.

It's easy to deal with the King of Hell, but hard to manage the little ghosts!

The vast world of the Tianxing Continent now gave him a heavy sense of suffocation.

He took out the Jade Slip left by Zhao Kang, probed it with his Divine Sense, and began to read the vast sea of information within.

As his understanding deepened, his face became increasingly unsightly, and his knuckles turned white from gripping!

After Earth integrated into the Tianxing Continent, it was designated as a prefecture under the jurisdiction of Qinglan Prefecture.

Zhang Sheng named it "Hua Prefecture"!

The territory of Hua Prefecture consisted of the original body of Earth after it had unfolded, plus the vast land radiating ten thousand miles outward.

And Zhang Sheng was the founding Lord of this Hua Prefecture!

This should have been a good thing.

But what truly made him seethe with rage was the appalling tax policy of Qinglan Prefecture recorded in the Jade Slip, which was practically bone-deep exploitation!