72: Chapter 72 A Major Upheaval! Land Deeds Repurchased, the Banner of Ten Thousand Souls!

The group didn't have time to ask too many questions before arriving at the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce.

Upon hearing that Shen Yi had arrived, Steward Zhao hurried out to welcome him.

However, seeing the faint, lingering haggardness on Steward Zhao's face, Shen Yi was quite puzzled!

"Steward Zhao... what happened to you..."

"I usually tell you to indulge less in debauchery, look at you... you're not even that old and you're already worn out!"

Unexpectedly, Steward Zhao did not refute him, but merely revealed a bitter smile.

"If indulging in debauchery had led to this, it would at least be worth it."

"I am completely worn out from worry."

"What happened?"

Steward Zhao looked around, then hurriedly led him into a room.

The table was covered in files, and there was a faint scent of tobacco on him.

Apparently... the cultivation world had tobacco leaves.

And they were much stronger, needless to say.

Steward Zhao gave Shen Yi an apologetic look, ordered his servants to clear everything away, and then spoke.

"Recently, around Taiping County... a major event has occurred!"

"Several towns have been brutally blood sacrificed."

"Among them were many towns that the Chamber of Commerce valued and had established branches in."

"According to the Taiping County government office... the casualties have already reached nearly one hundred thousand."

"That is over one hundred thousand commoners!!!!"

Shen Yi was instantly shocked.

Pei Lingshu had once told him that the Spirit Demon Storm was a man-made disaster.

It was to cover up their tracks, or perhaps for the sake of Yao Beast remains.

He had only thought the Yao Beasts were searching for their ancestors' remains, and that the impact on the Human Race was not significant.

Yet he did not expect that such a tragedy would erupt within the Spirit Demon Storm?

Concerned about the safety of his own territory, Shen Yi couldn't help but ask.

"What is going on... Steward Zhao?"

Seeing Shen Yi's anxiety, Steward Zhao spoke to comfort him.

"It's fine... this matter has nothing to do with Lord Shen!"

"Although Qinghe Town has greatly improved under Lord Shen's leadership, in the end, it is still just a small town with a population of a few thousand."

"It doesn't amount to much!"

"Even if it were completely blood sacrificed, it wouldn't even meet the minimum threshold for those evil cults and Demonic Path Formations."

Upon hearing this, the corners of Shen Yi's mouth twitched.

This sounded like comfort, but why did it sound so grating?

Wasn't this clearly saying that his Qinghe Town was just a tiny gathering place of noobs, and others couldn't be bothered to mess with him?

However, Shen Yi keenly sensed something from these words and said in a deep voice.

"Demonic Path sects?"

Steward Zhao nodded heavily.

"It is the Great Black Heaven Mother Buddha Sect... they are a lineage of evil Buddhas from outside the world."

"They originally appeared in the Central Plains hundreds of years ago. At that time, the Great Black Heaven Mother Buddha Sect could still be considered a heterodox path, regulated by the Jing Dynasty, and was listed in the registry of heterodox paths!"

"But following the Imperial Court's campaign to eliminate Buddhism hundreds of years ago, the Great Black Heaven Mother Buddha Sect vanished without a trace..."

"And when they reappeared, they had already degenerated into an evil cult, a Demonic Path sect."

"Presumably to take revenge on the Imperial Court."

Shen Yi naturally knew about the Imperial Court's campaign to eliminate Buddhism.

Ultimately, it was because those idiots in Buddhism kept interfering with the Imperial Court's interests.

The Immortal Dynasty nurtures the common people and gains Luck, while this Buddhism wanted to use Immortal Dao methods to turn the common people into their own believers.

It was like the Jing Kingdom working hard to provide you with food and clothing, and when it was time for you to repay them, you didn't say a word and threw yourself at the feet of the bald donkeys.

Isn't that courting death?

Thus, the Imperial Court struck back hard.

Buddhism was extremely prosperous at that time... but it couldn't withstand the greater strength of the Jing Kingdom.

It took a full sixty years to completely suppress these bald donkeys.

The Buddhist lineages that exist in the world today have already had their hands and feet severed and possess no autonomy.

But... the Jing Dynasty also left behind many hidden dangers.

Many Buddhist Cultivators fell into the Demonic Path, went underground, and waited for an Opportunity to act.

Causing many tragedies.

Of course, these are all old news, not worth mentioning!

Shen Yi slowly frowned... suddenly thinking of the registry of the Great Black Heaven Mother Buddha Sect...

According to the registry, the Great Black Heaven Mother Buddha Sect should be active in the Chuan Nan Bei Hai river basin... why did they inexplicably come to Taiping County?

But very quickly, he received a slightly vague answer.

It must be that the Great Black Heaven Mother Buddha Sect considered Chuan Nan Bei Hai their own preserve... so they were reluctant to leave.

And had only just set their sights on Taiping County.

Taiping County was also unlucky.

Steward Zhao sighed repeatedly and said in a deep voice.

"Once this happened, both the Chamber of Commerce and the Imperial Court were enraged."

"The Imperial Court's dignity has been challenged... and our Chamber of Commerce has also suffered heavy losses."

"We even lost a batch of precious treasures."

"We stewards are also suffering, having to constantly analyze the movements of the Demonic Path Cultivators and search for clues about the Great Black Heaven Mother Buddha Sect."

"If we do it well, there will be great merit."

"But if we don't do it well, there will be no shortage of punishment!"

Shen Yi nodded, his mind becoming active.

He had the registry on him... this thing was crucial to the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce and the current Imperial Court.

And this time, with the Imperial Court hunting down the evil cult, they would definitely need to mobilize the surrounding towns... perhaps there would be huge changes, an Opportunity!

This was his chance.

With the registry in his hands, he could pinpoint and kill the evil cult members, and likewise... he could hand it over to the Imperial Court or the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce.

To curry favor!

It just depended on... which side offered the highest stakes!

Shen Yi calculated incessantly in his heart, while his face remained unmoved!

Steward Zhao scratched his head, then realized, and said with a bitter smile.

"Look at me talking about all this useless stuff... Lord Shen, you came here, is there something important?"

"Are you selling Yao Beast corpses, or?"

Shen Yi smiled slightly... and took out the Yao Beast corpses, the Demonic Path Cultivation Technique gathered from the Blood River Sect evil cultists, as well as some talisman paper and artifacts.

He piled them onto the floor!

These items came from the Black Fiend Bandits, Young Master Huo Chen, the Huo Family guards who were wiped out by Pei Lingshu... and the remnants of the Demonic Path who followed Young Master Huo Chen.

The items were numerous... difficult to count.

Among them, the Demonic Path Cultivation Technique, heterodox paths, and broken methods were not things Shen Yi wanted to cultivate.

Nor did he want his subordinates to cultivate them, so he dumped them all on the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce!

Upon hearing this, Steward Zhao examined them carefully and said with a smile.

"It seems... the Spirit Demon Storm has indeed made Lord Shen rich."

"Hmm... there is also the Black Fiend Bandits' Body Tempering Cultivation Technique."

"Congratulations, Lord Shen."

Shen Yi was stunned for a moment.

"You recognize these too..."

Steward Zhao smiled mysteriously.

"Naturally... after all, these are items that flowed out from the Chamber of Commerce, how could I not recognize them!"

"However, due to client privacy, it is not easy to say clearly."

"Even the Imperial Court cannot force us to disclose it."

"Then why did you tell me?"

Steward Zhao pursed his lips.

"Aren't they all dead? What secrets do dead people need?"

"The rules naturally become invalid."

Shen Yi opened his mouth... and was left speechless.

"Let's count it as three thousand copper coins in total."

"Very well."

Shen Yi nodded.

Afterwards, he slowly took an item out from his bosom.

The one emitting rolling black Qi... the ten thousand soul banner.

And Steward Zhao's brows furrowed sharply...

"The... ten thousand soul banner of the Great Black Heaven Mother Buddha Sect?"