As Huang Xiao listened to the accounts of the Grand Elders and Elders, he gained a better understanding of the Wild Ox Sect and some of the surrounding sects.
In fact, Gao Tianhe had already told them about some of these matters on the way here.
Most of what all these people were saying now had already been covered by Gao Tianhe, though some details differed.
"So you pay the Fierce Mountain Gang fifty thousand taels of silver each year?" Huo Lian asked.
"Sect Master, that was the amount in previous years. There will reportedly be an adjustment this year. Fifty thousand taels probably won't be enough," Gu Haiying said.
"Is that so?" Huo Lian glanced at Gao Tianhe.
Gao Tianhe had not mentioned this.
Seeing the Sect Master's questioning look, Gao Tianhe could only look bewildered. How would he know?
"No one else in the sect knows about this yet," Gu Haiying said. "I only received the order from the Fierce Mountain Gang a short while ago. I'm afraid the increase will be rather substantial. Otherwise, I wouldn't have sent so many Elders out to raise silver this time. I was worried the amount would be too great for us to satisfy the Fierce Mountain Gang. If we can't satisfy them, I'm afraid things won't end well."
"This old man has heard about it. Whatever shortfall remains will accrue compound interest until it becomes impossible to repay. You can only spend the rest of your lives paying off your debt to the Fierce Mountain Gang," Huo Lian said.
"Yes. That's why none of our sects dares fall behind on payments. Once we do, our sect will fall into a bottomless abyss and never climb out again," Gu Haitao said with a sigh.
The Fierce Mountain Gang's methods were rather