Iron-beaked Rock Eagle

Once outside the Cloud and Mist Mountain, Qing Shi Town comes into view in the distance.

Looking from afar.

A large gray bird circled high above Qing Shi Town.

"Hey..."

The large bird let out a high-pitched, sharp cry.

The shout was high-pitched and loud, with super penetrating power; even three miles away, it made everyone's eardrums itch.

Upon seeing the large gray bird, everyone felt a sense of security, but also a strong sense of heartache.

The large gray bird, the Iron-Beaked Rock Eagle, is the contracted spirit beast of Wang Chengwu, the village head of Qingshi Town.

The little demon has a cultivation level of six and is quite powerful.

They spend their days monitoring whether any monsters are invading the town and protecting Qing Shi Town from attacks by evil spirits.

However, the village head's protection of the town's residents was not for nothing; it came with conditions.

Every year, the townspeople, whether hunters, farmers, woodcutters, or merchants, had to pay a large amount of "celestial tax" to the village head and the three great immortal clans behind him.

For ordinary people, it's alright; the tax for immortals isn't high.

The celestial tax for beast tamers is very high.

Moreover, the highest-earning beast tamers and hunters pay the most exorbitant hunting taxes.

You have to pay 50% of the spoils.

A full 50%.

At the end of the year, a huge tax will also be paid.

It's obvious that the three great immortal clans are afraid that the beast tamers in each town will become too powerful and threaten their own position.

Therefore, they ruthlessly exploited the beast tamers of each town, sucking their blood to strengthen themselves.

The village chiefs of each town are loyal dogs appointed by the three great immortal clans to collect immortal taxes for them.

They are also the most hated beings among the beast tamers of each town.

Zhao Erhu gritted his teeth: "It's that damned Ironbeak Rock Eagle again."

Zhao Erxiong was also indignant: "That bastard village headman lets his broken bird patrol all day long. The three great immortal clans of Dayang County have long since wiped out all the powerful demons around the town. Where are there any demons around the town?"

That damn bird of his was clearly spying on the hunters, farmers, woodcutters, and merchants in the town.

They especially keep an eye on us beast tamers and hunters, afraid we'll underpay our hunting taxes.

Sure enough, the Ironbeak Rock Eagle flew towards them at top speed, and in a short while, it was already above them.

Zhao Erhu's Dark Sparrow immediately landed and stood obediently beside Zhao Erhu.

The Ironbeak Rock Eagle circled once above the group's heads before flying away into the distance.

Zhao Erhu's face was grim, and he said in a loud voice, "Damn it, rest, rest on the spot, start a fire and roast meat, cut up more wild boar meat skewers, and let the spirit pets eat as much as they want."

The three immortal clans of Dayang County manage Dayang County and the surrounding thirty-six towns on behalf of the Great Yan Kingdom.

The three immortal clans have clearly stipulated that beast tamers and hunters must pay a hunting tax of 50% of their spoils.

He secretly kept the spoils of his hunt, and when the three great immortal clans found out, they executed him on the spot.

Over the years, the three immortal clans have executed many hunters.

There wasn't a single ordinary hunter; they were all beast tamer hunters.

This is clearly a case of making an example of someone.

Warn these beast tamers to pay their immortal taxes on time and obediently let them suck their blood.

They'll die if they're not allowed to inhale it.

However, the beast tamers and hunters of each town risked their lives in the Cloud Mist Mountain, so how could they not secretly keep their hunted prey?

Zhao Erhu also hid, together with the rest of the Mingque team.

However, those damned Ironbeak Rock Eagles have such bright eyes that their prey is hard to hide.

They only hoard valuable, small-sized medicinal herbs and plants.

Since everyone benefits, no one will report it.

Besides, he had already revealed that he was the illegitimate son of the Zhao Immortal Clan, so none of the hunting team members would be foolish enough to report him.

Recently, the Dark Sparrow Squad has not found any spiritual herbs or medicinal plants; their harvest consists entirely of prey.

He wanted to keep the meat for himself and secretly transport it back to Qing Shi Town, but every time he returned from a hunt, he would encounter that damned Ironbeak Rock Eagle.

Zhao Erhu was very angry.

However, even if they don't keep anything to themselves, it's perfectly fine to let the spirit pets that have worked hard hunting have a good meal before the hunting team enters the town.

What you eat doesn't count as hoarding.

Even if immortals are not human, they would not prevent hunters and spirit pets from having enough to eat.

The group skillfully put down their prey, cut off pieces of wild boar meat, and tossed them to their spirit pets.

Chen Changqing also dropped the pork on his back, took out a small knife from his pocket, cut off a large piece of wild boar meat, threw it to Little Black Tiger, and then quickly cut the meat.

Throughout his journey, the black fire lotus continued to burn in his mind, with a line of small golden characters occasionally floating above the flames.

Physical fitness +1.

A warm, special energy continuously flowed into his limbs and bones, slowly strengthening every cell in his body.

The feeling of continuously getting stronger excited him.

But as time went on, the feeling of hunger in my stomach became stronger and stronger.

Now, he's so hungry his stomach is practically sticking to his back.

It seems that the special energy of creation not only enhanced his strength and endurance, but also his digestive ability.

Everyone gathered firewood and cut meat, then began roasting the wild boar meat, all very enthusiastically.

We had been hunting for most of the day and had carried the wild boar meat for such a long distance; we were all very hungry.

Zhao Erxiong cut the meat with a disgruntled expression, cursing, "A full 50% hunting tax, that's fucking too high."

Zhao Erbao gritted his teeth: "The three great immortal clans are clearly suppressing us beast tamers and sucking our blood."

Chen Changqing silently skewered wild boar meat and roasted it over the fire.

From his past life's memories, he clearly understood the cruelty of this world.

It's a blatant jungle law: big fish eat little fish, and little fish eat shrimp.

The three great immortal clans and the village headman exploited their ordinary beast tamers.

They, the beast tamers, exploit and bully ordinary people.

Just like the members of this Dark Bird Hunting Team, they were all cursing and swearing, looking quite aggrieved.

But in town, they usually act arrogantly and domineering, often bullying ordinary people, though none of them are as outrageous as him.

But in the eyes of ordinary people, they were all rotten scum with pus dripping from their feet.

In short, they are exploited and bullied by the stronger ones, and then they exploit and bully the weaker ones.

The weak have no human rights.

The strong have privileges.

We still need to become stronger.

Chen Changqing's desire for power grew even stronger.

If he were strong enough, Zhao Erhu wouldn't dare to bully and exploit him like this.

If she were strong enough, how could her sister be bullied by her brother-in-law's three wives?

Yin Jianqiang lamented, "It's so tough being a beast tamer. The three great immortal clans are relentlessly suppressing us, sucking our blood, and giving us absolutely no chance to rise up."

"That heartless bastard, the village head, is so much more comfortable. We pay 50% of our hunting tax, and supposedly only 40% goes to the three great immortal clans, leaving us with 10%."

Yin Jianqiang gritted his teeth: "The three great immortal clans all have Qi Refining Level 9 experts stationed there to slay demons and monsters."

Protecting the safety of our Dayang County, taking 40% is one thing, but it's another.

"That heartless, rotten bastard village headman also wants to take ten percent. Why should he?"

Zhao Erhu sneered: "Just because they're dogs raised by the three great immortal clans."

"Captain, watch your words," team member Yin Qiang quickly reminded him, pointing to the sky with his eyes as he spoke.

Before anyone knew it, the Iron-Beaked Rock Eagle flew over again and circled high above the group.

If the village head finds out about what I just said, it will be troublesome.

The village head of Qing Shi Town is a Qi Refining Level 3 Beast Taming Immortal, and his Iron-Beaked Rock Eagle is a Lesser Demon Level 6 cultivator, making them the strongest people in Qing Shi Town.

If the other party finds out, they'll definitely get a beating.

Deputy Captain Zhao Erxiong scoffed: "Hmph, so what if the village head knows?"

Let me tell you, ten days ago in the afternoon, Zhao Jingyun of the Zhao clan in Dayang County recognized my brother as his godson.

"Oh my god."

Everyone was stunned. Their gazes towards Zhao Erhu changed, becoming even more respectful, and they all hurriedly offered their congratulations.

Congratulations, Captain!

"Congratulations, Captain!"

"By establishing a connection with the Zhao Immortal Clan, we've made it big."

Previously, there were rumors that Zhao Erhu was the illegitimate son of Zhao Jingyun of the Zhao Clan of Dayang County, and it seems that the rumors are probably true.

Otherwise, why would members of the Qi Refining Immortal Clan recognize Zhao Erhu as their godson?

Zhao Erhu smiled, then gave his younger brother Zhao Erxiong a wink.

Receiving a knowing look, Zhao Erxiong cheerfully revealed more: "Last night, my brother received a letter from Uncle Zhao saying that the people in Liangshui Town are suffering from the venom of the Three-Colored Wind-Chasing Snake, and they have at most a month to live."

Uncle Zhao has already agreed to help my brother. As long as my brother's cultivation level advances to the third level of Qi Refining within a month, the position of the head of Liangshui Town will be his.

Village head.

Managing the town's taxes and corvée labor, mediating disputes among the townspeople, and so on.

The various taxes alone would be enough to make them eat their fill.

It should be noted that the entire eastern foothills of Yunwu Mountain are the territory of the three major immortal clans.

The people of the thirty-six towns had to pay various high taxes, whether they were hunting, chopping wood, fishing, growing grain, or running shops.

At the end of the year, another tax must be paid.

Of these various taxes, a small portion was levied on the village head.

Although most of this small portion is offered as tribute, even a small fraction of it is still a rather terrifying number.

Moreover, each shop has to make offerings every year.

Even if ordinary people wanted to be exempted from corvée labor, they still had to make offerings.

The village head was essentially a local tyrant.

Look at Wang Chengwu, when he first came out of the miscellaneous service office of the Immortal Spirit Cave, he was only at the first level of Qi Refining, and the Iron-Beaked Rock Eagle was only at the third level of Lesser Demon.

In just twenty years, he used resources to cultivate the Ironbeak Rock Eagle, which had extremely poor aptitude, to the sixth level of Lesser Demon, and he himself advanced to the third level of Qi Refining.

The entire hunting team was stunned upon hearing this.

Zhao Erhu's Dark Sparrow, although it has already reached adulthood.

However, as long as you spend money to buy some pills for the Nether Sparrow, you can make the Nether Sparrow stronger and help Zhao Erhu advance to the third level of Qi Refining.

After advancing to the third level of Qi Refining, I can fill the vacancy of the village head.

Once everyone came to their senses, they immediately became even more obsequious and flattering.

"Captain, once you become the village head, I'll be your patrolman. If you tell me to go east, I'll never go west. If you tell me to beat a dog, I'll never chase a chicken." Zhang Erbao said with a fawning expression.

"Yes, Captain, I'll also serve as your patrolman. Just say the word, and I'll brave any danger without batting an eye," Chen Changming quickly added.

"Yeah yeah."

Everyone wore fawning expressions and shamelessly flattered him.

Town patrolmen are also entitled to a small amount of tax revenue.

Although the income is not much higher than what they earn from hunting.

But it's safe.

Unlike them, whose lives are in danger every time they hunt.

Just like today, if it weren't for Chen Changqing, Zhao Erbao would have been eaten by the withered tree demon monkey.

Moreover, the patrolmen held a much higher status in the town than the hunters.

If you become a patrolman, all the pretty girls in town will vie to get into your arms.

She would be willing to be a second or third wife.

Even Chen Changqing chuckled and chimed in with a few words of flattery.

However, I was slightly surprised.

Why announce something like this before there's concrete evidence?

It would be so embarrassing if someone took the place of the village head.

However, Zhao Erhu may seem rough and crude, but he is actually a thoughtful and meticulous person.

There must be a demon in the abnormal situation.