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Those two short words seemed to carry a powerful spell, stunning everyone in the council hall into silent, tense breaths.

While the power of the Xiao family had previously existed only in legends, once the Xiao family’s top master Du Sha only managed to battle Xiao Qi to a draw, the Xiao family became an irresistible pressure weighing down on the Du family’s hearts.

In the vast Red Cloud Mountain Range, only three main peaks had arable land. The Xiao family came and occupied two of them. Was this something the Du family willingly accepted? It was simply unavoidable.

On top of that, after the Xiao family occupied the two main peaks, Xiao Jinhn made a public declaration, inviting all the families in Xiling who desired peace and freedom to live in Red Cloud Mountain under the protection of the Xiao family.

Order and stability always held a significant appeal, regardless of time and space. Within just a month, countless middle and lower power factions flocked to Red Cloud Mountain, making the Xiao family momentarily unmatched and a third force able to stand against both the Tang and Mi clans.

To the south was South Ridge Beast Valley, to the north lay the Tang Clan’s mountains, and to the east was Red Cloud’s twin peaks.

After two full months of raging floods, the situation in Xiling had evolved into this precarious tripartite balance of power. Although Red Cloud’s twin peaks were the weakest, the presence of Xiao Jinlin, the strongest in Xiling, gave all families a deep sense of security. In comparison to the dreariness of Red Cloud peak, families on the other two main peaks had already started to cut down trees to build houses and gather stones to construct cities.

The Xiao family of Fierce Realm who possessed the Monument Dragon Diagram stood on the surging floodwaters, extracting various resources from it, creating remarkable scenes on Red Cloud Mountain. Thanks to the robust strength displayed by the Xiao family of Fierce Realm, the issue of resource shortage was smoothly resolved. The Xiao family’s warriors, standing in mid-air, became the greatest deterrent to all power factions in Xiling.

Asking the now substantial Xiao family to pay rent was as outrageous as a fable. The three elders of the Du family quickly tried to dissuade Tang Luo.

“Please reconsider, sir. A child of great wealth sits not beneath leaking ceilings. Times have indeed changed. The Xiao family now dominates a part of the world, and Xiao Jinlin possesses the ambition of a hero. Making hasty decisions and confronting them might lead them to curveballs.”

“Indeed, sir, although the Xiao family has occupied the twin peaks of Red Cloud, they have done no harm to the people. Allowing for the Xiao family’s strong military power, the surrounding rogue forces do not dare to trouble Red Cloud Mountain. This can be considered a mutually beneficial situation. Why would you willingly provoke Xiao Jinlin? If you infuriate him and lead the Xiao family to join forces with the Mi clan, wouldn’t that just add fuel to the fire for the Tang clan?”

The three elders of the Du family appeared sincere, pretending to think in Tang Luo’s best interests, but how could Tang Luo not see through their thoughts?

If he really had a conflict with the Xiao family, Red Cloud Mountain would undoubtedly be the first battlefield. If the Mi clan seized the opportunity to intervene, it would trigger a massive battle, affecting the whole of Xiling. He had just resolved the issue of the Du family’s descendants, but if a large scale war broke out, there would be no peace in Xiling. They certainly preferred a standoff situation, hoping the peace would last as long as possible. Though seemingly considering Tang Luo’s interests at every turn, they were merely considering their own family’s well-being.

Tang Luo did not reply and turned to look at Du Sha, asking, “Mr. Du, do you think the Xiao family, who occupied the main peaks of Red Cloud, should pay rent?”

Ignoring the three elders of the Du family and directly asking the expressionless Du Sha was clearly an act of discrediting the three elders.

Seeing their inner thoughts exposed and the color draining from their faces, the three elders used their expressions to signal Du Sha to utter a few pleasing words.

However, Du Sha only hesitated for a moment before replying, “They should, but no one can collect it.”

The Du family, who had acted as the mountain guardians of Red Cloud Mountain for generations, felt humiliated when their main peaks were occupied, but the Xiao family was simply too strong. Just Xiao Qi alone was like a great mountain pressing down on the Du family, not to mention Xiao Jinlin, renowned as the strongest in Xiling.

Such are the ways of the world. Those in positions of power knowingly commit wrongs, but no one can stop them due to various reasons. The weaker parties are left to find excuses for them.

“What Mr. Du said makes sense. They should pay, but they do not pay, only because the Xiao family appears too powerful.” Tang Luo explained to the crowd, “However, Xiao Jinlin, who assembled clans under the name of peace, how could he partake in stealing another’s home like a bandit? I request Master Sun to name a price, so I can go and collect the rent.”

Sun Jinfang glanced at the ashen faces of the Du family members, sighed, and said, “We still lack 800 spiritual herbs to suppress the plague, but I strongly advise you, sir, the more rigid it is, the easier it is to break, and the stronger it is, the deeper the humiliation. The Xiao family is not what it used to be, please reconsider, sir.”

Hearing Sun Jinfang also trying to persuade Tang Luo, the three elders of the Du family also came forward, “Indeed, sir, Master Sun is right, please reconsider.”

“Previously, Red Cloud Mountain was your Du family’s property, so naturally, Xiao Jinlin could avoid paying rent.” Tang Luo coldly said to the three Du family elders who were dissuading him, “But now, this mountain is my private property. Just because you can’t collect it doesn’t mean 1 can’t. But Mr. Du, would you be willing to accompany me to the Xiao family to collect the rent? Previously, Du Sha, harboring the same sentiments as Tang Luo, had visited the Xiao family, only to end up in a fight with Xiao Qi. Even though he was ultimately driven away by Xiao Jinlin, it did not dampen the warrior s determination.

Hearing Tang Luo’s invitation, Du Sha did not hesitate and directly nodded, “I’m in.”

Sun Jinfang sighed as he looked at the determined faces of Tang Luo and Du Sha, “Since you plan to collect rent from the Xiao family to suppress the plague, I cannot just stand by and watch. Please allow me to accompany you.” The three elders of the Du family glanced at each other, realizing that any further persuasion would be useless. Having agreed to serve as Tang Luo’s bodyguards, they couldn’t let their master face danger. Even if they were reluctant, they had to say to Tang Luo, “Please allow us to accompany you.” Seeing the elders set the precedent, the three young, members of the Du family raised their fists in salute, “Please allow us to accompany you.”

Just a moment ago, they were all vehemently persuading him to rethink his decision, and now, they adopted a gallant demeanor, ready to die. Tang Luo felt both frustrated and amused. He waved his hand, “We’re just collecting rent. We won’t need so many people. Only Mr. Du, Master Sun, and I will do.” Declining the request of several of the Du family members to accompany them, he turned his gaze towards the three elders and said, “I have other tasks for you three. I have arranged for the members of the Righteous Gang to gather at the Du family’s land. You must inform them that any of the free citizens on Red Cloud Mountain who will join my mansion should find the Righteous Gang members to register their names and family members. Later, you, the Du family, will have to work harder to expand the peak caves and arrange for all these affiliated people to live on Red Cloud Mountain.”

“Gulp.”

Du Ting swallowed hard, hesitating to accept the order. He had understood Tang Luo’s intention was to turn over a million free citizens into his domestic servants. In the history of Xiling, many sons of noble families had established their mansions, but none had ever heard of a mansion with millions of housekeepers. This was not building a mansion, it was building a city..