Douluo: Law of Heaven and Earth

Chapter 1015 Conflicts in Wuhun City

Due to the long and arduous journey, and in order to allow the teams from each academy to recover to their best condition, the Pope of the Spirit Hall granted everyone three days of relaxation.

Three days is not a long time, but it was enough for Zhou Qing and the others to understand how a city where more than 99% of the residents are Soul Masters operates.

Just as Zhou Qing had guessed, their main business was business.

However, in recent years, Hu Liena has served as the city lord of Wuhun City, and has carried out certain planning and construction for the entire city, especially greatly enhancing the status of blacksmiths.

In agriculture?

Zhou Qing knew very well that Hu Liena wasn't stubborn and wouldn't simply copy the situation in the Holy Soul Village area. Given the situation of all the Soul Masters in Wuhun City, how could they be expected to farm? Even Soul Masters with plant-type Martial Souls, out of pride, wouldn't want to do farm work; at most, they would trim flowers and plants.

Therefore, if Wuhun City wants to engage in production, it can only start from the perspective of forging.

"Hu Liena is indeed capable, but Wuhun City is a large city with a population of twenty million. To expect to complete a transformation within two or three years is nothing short of wishful thinking. Moreover, some problems have already surfaced, and if they are not resolved, they may cause internal turmoil..."

Tang San shook his head when he saw people in special costumes inspecting shops on the street, and even demanding that the owners of shops from outside pay commercial taxes.

They were also aware of the situation: Hu Liena was imitating the model of the Red Society and had begun collecting commercial taxes from Wuhun City.

This is indeed a way to increase revenue for the Spirit Hall, and it is even possible that the commercial tax revenue in a year could be equivalent to 30-40% of the money siphoned from the two great empires.

No one in the entire Spirit Hall probably understands the wealth of merchants better than Hu Liena, who had worked for the Red Society.

However, once this policy was implemented, the Spirit Hall officials only collected commercial taxes from outside merchants, while levying no taxes, or very little tax, on shops opened by local residents of Spirit City throughout history.

This exacerbated the conflict between outside vendors and local vendors.

"Getting taxes from merchants is no easy task." Compared to Tang San, Zhou Qing knew better how difficult it was to get money from merchants.

Capitalists, whether ordinary people or soul masters, will not easily give up the meat that is already in their mouths. The collection of commercial taxes must first establish a system from scratch, so that merchants have an adaptation period.

However, Wuhun City has stood for 20,000 years, and both locals and outsiders have become accustomed to its original system.

Sudden changes may not seem like major problems in the short term, but if they are not taken seriously, they will inevitably lead to chaos.

The reason Zhou Qing chose to implement the reforms in towns and small cities is that the residents of these areas are simply trying to survive. As long as the new rules allow them to live better than before and their lives are more secure, they will actively adapt and even be willing to spontaneously uphold the rules.

Furthermore, during this process, the public's trust in the Red Cross will gradually increase, and they may even feel proud of it.

“Hu Liena is too hasty,” Romantina said.

“At least we didn’t stay there for nothing. If nothing changes, that would be a real failure.” Xiao Wu stretched and said to Zhou Qing and the others, “Come on, let’s take a good look around Wuhun City. We’ve come all this way, we can’t just rush through it.”

"makes sense."

Tang San agreed.

They hadn't walked more than a few steps when Chrysanthemum Douluo approached them, crossed his arms, bowed to the four of them, and said with a smile in a delicate voice, "Gentlemen, His Holiness the Pope invites you."

"Your Majesty Ju Douluo."

"cough."

Chrysanthemum Douluo walked ahead, glanced back at Zhou Qing, and said indifferently, "No need to address me as Your Majesty. The Spirit Hall respects the strong. You have combat power that transcends the mortal realm. I can't even withstand three rounds from you. Just call me Yue Guan."

"Not bad! Yue Guan, you have a good sense of self-awareness!" Xiao Wu said with a grin.

Chrysanthemum Douluo's face darkened. However, it wasn't a big problem that Xiao Wu addressed Yue Guan by his given name. After all, considering Xiao Wu's years as a soul beast, she could be considered Yue Guan's ancestor.

Moreover, this is not an informal occasion, so it's fine to be casual.

"Your Majesty Chrysanthemum Douluo, please don't take it to heart." Zhou Qing still gave Chrysanthemum Douluo face.

"I have always been magnanimous."

Chrysanthemum Douluo stood tall and proud, not intending to stoop to Xiao Wu's level.

At the center of Wuhun City stands a mountain, about a thousand meters high, which serves as a symbol of the entire city, making it seem like the center of the world. There are two buildings on it.

Located halfway up the mountain, the building adopts a columnar architectural style, which is quite grand, but looks somewhat cold overall.

The other one is located on the mountaintop. It is much smaller than the buildings halfway up the mountain, but it exudes a sacred aura, as if it wants to make everything in the world submit to it.

"The building located on the mountaintop is called the Douluo Hall, also known as the Hall of Worship. It is the residence for worshipping Douluo. For all the titled Douluo on the continent, being able to leave their names in the Douluo Hall is the most honorable achievement in their lives," Chrysanthemum Douluo explained.

"Not all of them, right?"

Xiao Wu suddenly retorted, "Once my soul power reaches level ninety or above, I will absolutely not leave my name behind."

"Everyone has their own ambitions."

Chrysanthemum Douluo was speechless, so he began to introduce the building halfway up the mountain, saying, "That is the Papal Palace. Usually, only His Holiness the Pope cultivates or handles affairs there. It is also a symbol of the power of the Spirit Hall!"

We arrived outside the Papal Palace.

The grand palace doors slowly opened, revealing a spacious hall. Apart from the papal chair on the high platform in the center, there were no other furnishings around it.

"Your Holiness, Zhou Qing, Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Romantina have arrived." Chrysanthemum Douluo bowed respectfully.

"Go back."

Bibi Dong rose from the papal throne, ordered Chrysanthemum Douluo to leave, and then slowly descended the steps. Her gentle and bright eyes looked the four of them up and down, and she sighed, "Since the last time we met, your cultivation has improved."

Even I can't imagine that someone in the world could be so outstanding.

respectable!

How enviable!

"Enough with the pleasantries, what do you want?" Xiao Wu had no patience for her mother's killer and went straight to the point. "Or do you want to spar with Sister Xiao Wu?"

"You must be the escaped Soft Bone Rabbit?" Seeing Xiao Wu's reaction, Bibi Dong stopped pretending but didn't make a move. She simply said, "It's only natural for Soul Masters to hunt Soul Beasts. If you want to blame someone, blame the rules of this world."

To Bibi Dong's surprise, Xiao Wu didn't rush to attack her; instead, she just stared at her intently without saying a word.

[Good character!]

Bibi Dong secretly praised him, and then said, "Zhou Qing, Chairman Zhou, I invited you here in the hope that the Spirit Hall can cooperate with the Crimson Society."

Tang Chen's inherited position as the Asura God seems to be incomplete, and he wants to gather faith to complete the Asura Godhood, while the Star Luo Empire is equally ambitious.

If I'm not mistaken, after this year's Mainland Elite Tournament, Xingluo will take action against Tiandou...

(End of this chapter)