Chapter 33
"I want to know how much protection money Heaven Dou City collects each year," Nan Feng said.
Salas's eye twitched. "Elder Nan Feng, about that..."
Smack!
Nan Feng slapped the Pope Order down on the table.
"How much?"
Salas's expression stiffened. "Around a million."
"How much did you take?" Nan Feng asked.
Salas looked a little uneasy. "Elder Nan Feng, I didn't..."
Nan Feng put away the Pope Order. "How much?"
Salas breathed a sigh of relief. "Two hundred thousand. The rest is divided among the other bishops and subordinates of the Martial Soul Temple."
"But rest assured, Elder. The Martial Soul Temple's work has never suffered the slightest neglect!"
"Of course!" Nan Feng said, exasperated.
"You've pocketed so much and still haven't done your job properly? What, are you trying to reach the heavens?"
Although Spirit Hall traced its origins to the Angel God era twenty thousand years ago and had a long history, it had only truly grown powerful in the past thousand years or so. With the rise of the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire, and the establishment of a complete social system, Douluo Continent had officially entered the feudal era.
Before that, apart from the Soul Master factions, ordinary society on Douluo Continent had been in a state that was practically half slave society, half primitive society. Countless small kingdoms and tribes had been scattered across the continent.
It wasn't until more than a thousand years ago that the ancestors of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family and the Star Luo Royal Family rallied unaffiliated, independent Soul Masters and launched a war. The strong devoured the weak, and over the course of several centuries, the small kingdoms across Douluo Continent were annexed. Finally, a thousand years ago, the two empires emerged as rivals.
The progress of the times brought the exchange and development of information, as well as increased social productivity. Human society gradually prospered, and the great Soul Master factions that had long been isolated from the world—sects like the Clear Sky Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—finally established formal ties with the outside world.
However, these sects placed great importance on passing down their Martial Souls and had little interest in taking in Soul Masters from outside. Only a few Soul Master factions, with Spirit Hall as their chief representative, were willing to accept outsiders. It was only after a thousand years of development that Spirit Hall came to wield the influence it had today, spread across the continent.
When it came to advancing the era of Douluo Continent, Heaven Dou and Star Luo had been the driving forces. At best, Spirit Hall was just hoping to reap the rewards.
If Spirit Hall hadn't constantly played peacemaker between them, Star Luo would have wiped out Heaven Dou centuries ago. Even now, as long as Spirit Hall didn't meddle, Star Luo could take down Heaven Dou with ease.
Star Luo was a militaristic empire with a highly centralized government, while Heaven Dou was a declining empire where the nobility had grown complacent and even the imperial family lacked authority. There was no need to wonder which was stronger.
Conflict created talking points, and war created peace. Spirit Hall needed the two empires to remain at odds so that it could showcase its own greatness.
White needed black to set it off.
"From now on, we split it fifty-fifty," Nan Feng said.
Salas was taken aback. "Elder Nan Feng, this isn't something I can decide on my own."
That million Gold Soul Coins had been collected from the bottom up, bit by bit. In the end, only two hundred thousand had reached his hands. It wasn't that he had received a million, kept two hundred thousand for himself, and let the others split the remaining eight hundred thousand.
He could hand over half of his own two hundred thousand to Nan Feng as protection money to secure his allegiance, but he didn't know whether the others would agree—and he had no way to make them.
"Is it that difficult?" Nan Feng asked.
"I haven't even asked for a seventy-thirty split, and you're already calling it difficult?"
Salas's expression stiffened. "Elder Nan Feng, this involves too many people. It affects nearly every branch of Spirit Hall throughout the Heaven Dou Empire. I truly can't do anything about it on such short notice."
"If you can't do it, can't you get someone else to?" Nan Feng asked.
Salas was taken aback. "What do you mean?"
"Your political and economic thinking is really poor," Nan Feng said, exasperated.
"If the money under Spirit Hall is hard to touch, then go after the people above. Put pressure on the kingdoms, principalities, the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, and the nobles of Heaven Dou."
"When they run out of money, they'll naturally go and squeeze the people below them."
"That way, we get the money, while the Heaven Dou Empire taxes its people to the breaking point and stokes public resentment. Spirit Hall only needs to offer those people a few benefits. The two empires wield the cudgel, and Spirit Hall hands out the sweet dates. Bit by bit, the people will come over to our side, won't they?"
Salas wore a strange expression.
Well, well, well. No wonder he'd become a favorite in Pope Hall at such a young age and was even an Honorary Elder. Who could ever aspire to such thinking?
People said nobles were ruthless, but how could any of them compare to you?
"What's that look for?" Nan Feng furrowed his brows.
"Wasn't Spirit Hall doing the same thing all along?"
Where did the subsidies paid to low-ranking Soul Masters come from?
They'd taken them from the two empires!
Spirit Hall had also used money extorted by the two empires to make a name for itself!
Now he was only taking things a tiny bit further.
"Don't blame me for being ruthless," Nan Feng said with a sigh.
"Strong medicine is needed to cure a grave illness. Look at the people below us. How many have already grown numb to the exploitation and oppression of the two empires?"
"I want to defeat the most terrifying Evil God. I'll inevitably have to tear away the thin layer of sugary coating that disguises false justice."
"Only a ruthless blow will make those people, numb for so long, finally unable to endure it. Only when they have no way left to live will they rise up and fight back!"
"The struggle will be bloody, and it will be brutal. But whether they want to live in safety or with dignity is their own choice."
Salas's expression stiffened. "Elder Nan Feng, the way you put that... it sounds a little off."
Drive those commoners into a dead end and force them to rebel?
What the hell was he trying to do?
If the people below rebelled, Spirit Hall wouldn't come out of it unscathed either!
This sort of scheme would hurt the enemy by eight hundred, but cost them a thousand!
"Off? Is it?" Nan Feng rose to his feet.
"This world needs to change. The rotting flesh has grown foul enough to stink to high heaven. To root out this stubborn disease once and for all, we'll have to endure the agony of scraping the poison from the bone."
"If you don't have the courage to stand up, then you don't deserve the right to stand up!"
This was absurd! This was madness!
Salas looked at the man before him with a hint of fear. "Elder Nan Feng, does His Holiness the Pope know about this?"
"Of course," Nan Feng replied.
"She was the first supporter of my ideas to be influenced by me!"
"You're the third, Bishop Salas. Are you interested in creating a new era for the continent with me?"
Salas's eye twitched. "I... can I choose not to take part?"
He was already old! He'd struggled his whole life to reach his current position, and in a few decades, he'd be in the ground with honors. He really didn't dare get involved in this sort of thing!
"Of course you can!" Nan Feng patted Salas on the shoulder and sighed deeply.
"It's just a pity I've lost a brave ally..."
Lost?
Salas's expression stiffened. "Elder Nan Feng, I think... I should take part!"
What the hell kind of discussion was this?
It was a blatant threat!
"Bishop Salas, don't force yourself. Not everyone has the resolve to put themselves in a desperate situation and fight their way out. I understand!" Nan Feng sighed.
You've already put me in a desperate situation!
Salas cursed inwardly, but all he could do was play along. "Elder Nan Feng, if I can contribute to something this great, then I'll have no regrets in this life!"
"Bishop Salas, what righteousness!" Nan Feng said, his face full of admiration.
"For the sake of the toiling masses, I, Nan Feng, thank you!"
"Think nothing of it..." Salas was on the verge of tears.
He really didn't want to get involved!
He just wanted to keep his head down and work until retirement!!
Before you continue