Yefutidaolu

Chapter 290 Take action
Gao Jian, Huang Chengshi, and Jin Dafu then spent another night feasting.

That night, Gao Jian reaped a great harvest.

First, they received a pile of gifts, roughly estimated to be worth tens of thousands of gold coins.

Ten thousand gold coins is no small sum. Even Xue Haijun, a seventh-realm cultivator, only has a total of a few hundred thousand gold coins. Clearly, this gift is extremely generous.

Gao Jian naturally accepted it with a smile. If he didn't accept it, how would he get the 800,000 gold coins he was short?
However, this paltry sum of ten thousand taels of gold is certainly not enough to patch up such a huge hole; the real drama is yet to come.

Late at night, after the banquet ended, Gao Jian said, "In that case, I will entrust these matters entirely to the two of you. However, I think we don't need to rush the money matter for now, and we can postpone the tax collection."

"Why?" Jin Dafu asked, somewhat puzzled.

They took on this task precisely for the power to levy taxes, and what Youming was waiting for was for the powerful families to begin collecting taxes.

Once powerful families begin levying taxes, they can legitimately create a large number of vagrants who sell themselves into slavery, thereby reaping enormous profits.

All of this was achieved with the approval of the higher authorities.

But now that Gao Jian has agreed, he is asking them not to levy taxes?

No taxes, you think I'd work for you for free? You probably don't have that kind of influence.

So, Jin Dafu put away his usual smile and asked Gao Jian with a hint of doubt, "Mr. Gao, why is that?"

Instead of turning hostile, he wanted to test Gao Jian's opinion first.

“What I mean is, things are urgent, so we should go to the border to build first. As for tax collection, that can’t be done in a short time. Why don’t we do both at the same time? You go and take care of the border matters, and I will supervise the tax collection,” Gao Jian said.

Jin Dafu was stunned.

Huang Chengshi was also taken aback.

Then, both of them quickly realized what was happening.

This guy! What a huge appetite!

Not only did he accept the gifts, but he also wanted to personally supervise the tax collection, clearly intending to keep a portion for himself!

The cash from taxes will definitely be used to feed him first, and then other things can be discussed later.

However... they immediately smiled again.

“In that case, it’s settled. We’ll go to the border to oversee the construction first. Mr. Gao, you’ll be in charge of the initial tax collection. Once things at the border are settled, we’ll take over. What do you think?” Jin Dafu suggested.

Gao Jian nodded: "Very good, very good! It's settled then. As for the manpower for tax collection, I will be in charge in the early stages, and after the border is established, you will be in charge. How about that?"

"Excellent! Mr. Gao is willing to take responsibility and shoulder the heavy burden of tax collection. He is truly a role model for the younger generation. Hahaha, come on, let me toast you!" Jin Dafu raised his glass, laughed heartily, and said cheerfully.

The distribution of profits has been completed.

So, the next step is to implement it.

Jin Dafu and Huang Chengshi were now relieved and raised their glasses again to celebrate their success with Gao Jian.

Yes, harvest.

The population of Liangzhou, numbering over a billion, has been gradually built up over the past few decades, much like crops that have ripened to maturity. This barren and desolate land of Liangzhou can no longer support more people.

So, it's time to harvest.

The time had come, and this time the harvesters had an additional insightful suggestion, but it didn't matter. He was originally the steward sent by the landlord, so it was only natural to share a cup with him.

That night, the matter was quickly settled, everything was agreed upon, and so it all fell into place.

Time flies by.

Ten days have passed in the blink of an eye.

In ten days, a massive amount of resources were mobilized, including large quantities of food, funds, and materials for formations.

However, they were not gathered in Liangzhou City, but were transported directly to a nearby transportation hub in another place, where they were gathered and then prepared to be transported to the Yongning area.

Such a large amount of resources is enough to build a large fortress, and its value is worth as much as a million gold.

However, transporting such a huge amount of supplies is a problem.

Flying boats are fast, but ordinary small flying boats that can operate anywhere have limited transport capacity. Super-giant flying boats, which are responsible for transporting massive numbers of units for the Divine Dynasty, can only be used effectively on straight circular roads. Otherwise, the amount of magical power required to make a super-giant flying boat fly is astronomical, which would be a waste to use for transporting things.

So, how would you transport goods over such a long distance of tens of thousands of miles from Liangzhou City to Yongning? If not by flying boat, what would you use?
It's very simple: use the most primitive and effective method to let the goods 'carry' them over.

Gao Jian went to visit at the time, invited by Jin Dafu, who said he wanted to see their actions, probably to demonstrate the power of the Liangzhou aristocratic families.

To be honest, when we set off, Takami almost stopped breathing.

Those domesticated, monstrous super beasts! Carrying countless supplies, their bodies are the size of moving hills, possessing the ability to split mountains and cleave the earth, making them the most powerful transportation force in the Divine Dynasty!
The giant beasts that have evolved to the fifth and sixth realms are often hundreds of feet tall, and some particularly huge ones can even reach three hundred feet in height, which can touch the clouds!
One after another, colossal beasts shattered the clouds and mist, their golden scales reflecting the sunlight and creating a misty haze, their iron hooves striking the ground with thunderous force—a truly magnificent sight.
The foremost mountain-splitting beast, with its horns pointing forward and carrying the entire mountain on its back, was a ridged mountain. As it walked, the bluish-gray rocks on the mountain it carried crumbled away, occasionally revealing the copper veins hidden inside the mountain's belly—it turned out that the entire mountain was material to be transported away.

Such a massive undertaking, moving the entire mine there! They'll smelt it slowly once it arrives!

You can see that the transport team of dozens of people are all lying on the railings of the pavilions on the giant beast, watching them move forward. Every step they take causes the ground to sink, and every pit that sinks into the ground is gushing water.

The hoofprints left yesterday have already formed square ponds, and two or three egrets are skimming across the water. Soon, a series of small ponds will appear here, but they will probably dry up soon.

Moreover, the Mountain-Splitting Rhinoceros is just one of many giant beasts.

The three monstrous white bulls of the Five Realms raised their heads, their hides still dripping with golden-red lava. As they arched their backs, sparks from the hundreds of cool black iron ingots poured down and landed in the canyons trodden by the giant beasts.

The most impressive thing is the tortoise-like creature carrying a bronze tower!
The bronze tower on its back is the 'fortress base' that has already been forged. This tortoise has been tamed by humans and used as a pack animal.

It led the way, golden patterns seeping from the seams of its carapace with each step, for this was an earth-elemental beast, possessing the power to move mountains. Its origins were a 'demon dragon,' and its habits were similar to a snake, lurking in the earth. This "dragon-snake hibernation" allowed it to control the earth; wherever it crawled, mountain ranges automatically split open, only to slowly close again after the herd had passed. This was the supernatural power of moving mountains. Dozens of colossal beasts were advancing along an ancient riverbed, pre-planned as a transport route. Their backs pierced the clouds, each step causing the surrounding earth's veins to tremble. Mountains of millet, piled high with millions of bushels, and warehouses full of provisions and weapons, carried on their backs, step by step, towards the Yongning region.

To be honest, after witnessing this scene, Gao Jian gained a deeper understanding of where the arrogance of the Divine Dynasty came from.

Why treat ordinary people so casually?
It is because of these forces.

That's how the Divine Dynasty was.

Magnificent, grand, beautiful, and magnificent.

Bloody, brutal, cold-blooded, and ruthless.

Each trait exists within the divine dynasty; the difference is that only cultivators can comprehend all the keywords, while mortals can only comprehend the latter few.

It's just...

Gao Jian observed all of this and had already made up his mind.

Very good, the supplies for Yang Ling are ready. These items should be worth around a million gold coins.

The next problem is how to get these supplies sorted out, launder them, and transport them to Yongning so that Yang Ling can build a fortress there.

It's actually quite simple; Gao Jian already has a plan in mind.

As for themselves, they just need to wait until these giant beasts get closer to Yongning.

As for collecting taxes... Gao Jian has no intention of doing so at all.

Why would they need to collect anything? The wealthy families are so rich, wouldn't they be more efficient? How much money do poor people have?
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Another seven days passed.

The transport team continued its advance, cutting through mountains as it went. As for rivers, they generally just crossed them. Liangzhou didn't have any super-wide rivers that were tens of miles wide or deep; ordinary rivers couldn't stop these behemoths at all.

In reality, there was no particular danger along the way. These giant beasts generally possessed combat power at the fifth to sixth realm, and due to their enormous size, cultivators at the same realm had almost no chance of killing them; they could only drive them away.

Carrying mountains and crossing rivers, they moved without any hindrance. Although their pace seemed slow, their enormous size meant that a single leap could cover a distance that would take an ordinary person half a day to traverse. Therefore, traveling thousands of miles a day was no problem for them.
Seven days later, they were already approaching the Yongning area.

As they traversed thousands of miles and the weather grew increasingly cold, the caravan of giant beasts had completely left the rolling mountainous region and entered a vast, flat Gobi Desert.

The clouds rapidly changed shape and moved in the field of vision ahead.

The sky was vast and the earth seemed endless. Even after traveling tens of thousands of miles, the end could not be seen. The giant beasts were mostly silent, occasionally letting out a huge roar or a long cry, making the atmosphere seem exceptionally desolate.

Corresponding to the vast and magnificent scene, the wind grew stronger and stronger, howling through the heavens and earth. Those escorting the giant beasts, whose cultivation was insufficient, all wore masks, scarves, neck warmers, and large hats with ear flaps.

The closer you get to the border, the colder it gets. You have to cover your whole body with a mask, hat, and cotton-padded coat, leaving only a half-finger-width slit showing around your eyes.

This creates a very oppressive atmosphere, making the world seem increasingly narrow amidst the occasional roars of giant beasts.

However, though narrow, it was very safe. Soon, a layer of white frost covered the giant beast's skin, and the frost grew thicker and thicker. The wind and frost began to fall, and nothing could be seen in the distance.

But there's no need to see it—the world is unobstructed, and the giant beasts will move forward on their own, without any obstacles whatsoever. Even mountains cannot stop these giant beasts; the road is smooth all the way.

So, at the beginning, some of the passengers on board were still very cautious, but now that seven days have passed, all the members of the transport team on the giant beasts are too lazy to move, sitting on their horses and swaying back and forth, waiting for time to pass.

Only after crossing this monotonous and empty wilderness will the terrain change, and at this moment, they are faced with only a vast, slightly sunken salt flat.

Staying in such a place, the salt in the air and the dry wind can cause the rider's face and the back of his hands to become chapped in just a few hours. Such skin is very painful and needs to be washed. However, without magic, ordinary people cannot wash it because the pot of water they brought has long been frozen into a block of ice, and not a single drop can be poured out. Even the mouth of the pot is hard and cannot be peeled off no matter how hard they try.

Although it was a sunny day these past two days, it felt very cold along the way, especially on windy afternoons.

But we can't leave yet.

Because the ground was only lightly dotted with dry, sparse vegetation, the giant beasts gradually slowed their pace—because they were about to eat.

They only ate this one meal along the way.

As you can see, there are two young boys, probably errand boys, squatting between the giant beast's toes scraping moss, their jade pendants jingling.

The two boys, one fat and one thin, both did odd jobs.

They were talking to each other when the fatter one suddenly lowered his voice: "I've heard about the newly established Dongfu District to the north of Liangzhou City."

"It is the innate spiritual energy of young boys and girls that is used to irrigate the spiritual field." As he said this, he seemed a little apprehensive, as if he was glad that he had broken through to a higher realm.

The skinny one rolled his eyes: "Where did you hear that ghost story? Do you need young boys and girls to irrigate the spirit field? Men have done plenty of immoral things, how could this be possible? Using blood and qi in the spirit field, wouldn't that defile the spiritual materials?"

"Oh...that's true." The chubby boy patted his chest and said, "Luckily, I've already reached the first realm, so I won't be randomly chosen to be eaten."

“Alright, now that we’ve settled things here, let’s go upstairs and talk. The cuticles have been removed, now we just wait for the giant beast to eat,” the skinny, quick-witted one said.

As they spoke, the Bixi, the mythical creature carrying the bronze tower behind them, suddenly snorted, and the fallen stones transformed into a ghostly green light in the air.

Meanwhile, in the sky, several high-level cultivators were calculating with abacuses, the sound of jade beads colliding mingling with the snorting of giant beasts.

"These spiritual materials were all produced by ourselves," a purple-robed cultivator said, licking a cinnabar-stained notebook as he kept accounts. "This batch of earth vein spirit stones is enough to forge twenty Karma-Slaying Swords. What are the higher-ups thinking? In the past, they only took in and never gave out."

“We should invest where it’s necessary.” Another martial artist stood to the side: “Establishing a border post is a major event that will shake the entire province. The amount of money involved will be substantial. The initial investment is also to gain the trust of that official from the Imperial Academy.”

"The students of the Imperial Academy... truly." The purple-robed cultivator sighed.

at this time--

A flash of light appeared on the horizon, and a giant beast suddenly collapsed to the ground.

The two high-level cultivators immediately stood up!
(End of this chapter)