Outside the Hall of Great Strength, Major Leiyin Temple, Spirit Mountain Holy Land:
Since two days ago, monks had arrived one after another. There were arhats, bodhisattvas, buddhas, and others. They all came to await the Present Buddha’s birthday celebration and his lecture during the celebration. Everyone who participated would benefit.
Before Jiang Gautama appeared, the Past Buddha called over the Spirit Mountain Holy Land disciples who had come from all over the world.
“Salutations, Lord Past Buddha!”
“Lord Past Buddha, what topic will the Lord Buddha discourse on in today’s lecture?” a bodhisattva asked out of curiosity.
When that bodhisattva spoke, the Past Buddha paused, and the others pricked their ears up.
“The Lord Buddha mentioned the topic of this lecture is demons,” the Past Buddha replied seriously.
“The topic is demons? Demons? What demons?” the bodhisattvas and arhats exclaimed.
“The demonic dynasty, the Han Nation,” the Past Buddha said softly.
Even though he spoke softly, all the monks heard him extremely clearly.
“The Han Imperial Dynasty? That demon Gu Hai?” Someone quickly followed up.
Who did not know about the Han Imperial Dynasty? The Spirit Mountain Holy Land had a deep grudge against the Han Imperial Dynasty.
The first clash happened during the Ten Thousand Sages Convention. Gu Hai had used his position as the Qian Nation’s Elite Hall Master to cripple many bodhisattvas and arhats in front of the world, forcing the Future Buddha to return in embarrassment.
The second clash happened when Gu Hai brought people to the Western Sea and snatched all the valuable treasures in the Western Sea Dragon Palace before destroying it. Everything in there should have belonged to the Spirit Mountain Holy Land, but Gu Hai had taken everything away. He had even killed the Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s Victorious Fighting Buddha and wreaked havoc in the eighteen layers of hell, killing many bodhisattvas and arhats. His official, the demon Kong Xuan, had consumed many Spirit Mountain Holy Land disciples. Had the Present Buddha not saved them, they would have suffered a great calamity.
The third clash happened when Gu Hai disrupted the Present Buddha’s plans in Divine Farmer City, using a fake Jiang Lianshan to fool the Spirit Mountain Holy Land.
During the fourth clash, Shangguan Hen killed Bodhisattva Nan Longnu. The Past Buddha, the Future Buddha, Di Shitian, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva went to prosecute him but met humiliation outside Borderless Heavenly Capital. Gu Hai had even pinned the blame for Three Mountains City’s matter on the Spirit Mountain Holy Land and said he would not rest until one side died.
Surely that was a demon, right?
Demon Gu Hai! All Spirit Mountain Holy Land disciples would kill him on sight.
“Demon Gu Hai! This disciple hates that he cannot rid the world of such a demon and bring righteousness to the world!”
“Indeed! Demon Gu Hai! The demon dynasty, the Han Nation! Having such a demon in the world is a calamity for all life!”
The Spirit Mountain Holy Land disciples immediately criticized Gu Hai.
“Past Buddha, is the Lord Buddha holding this lecture to deal with the demonic Han Nation? If so, we disciples will think of ways to deal with it.”
“What do you mean, think of ways? The Lord Buddha just needs to ask, and we will follow the Lord Buddha to trample on that demonic dynasty!”
“No, we can’t do that. There are powerful experts in that demonic dynasty. We must devise a plan to destroy the demonic dynasty and bring balance back to the world.”
As the various monks discussed how to deal with the Han Imperial Dynasty, the Past Buddha smiled. The Past Buddha was giving them a signal, inoculating them.
The Present Buddha no longer wanted to wait. Gu Hai had repeatedly spoiled the Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s plans, so the Present Buddha had decided to destroy the Han Imperial Dynasty after this lecture.
He planned to use lightning-fast measures to show the world the consequences of angering the Spirit Mountain Holy Land.
In the time leading up to the celebrations at the Spirit Mountain Holy Land, the various temples’ abbots headed to the Major Leiyin Temple to pay their respects. During this time, something major erupted in the Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s two thousand subordinate cities.
At this moment, there was a loud commotion at the entrance of Infinite Wealth.
“What do you mean? Why can’t I buy the Treasure Gathering Pot, Mark 16? I begged so many people to gather this batch of spirit stones! Why don’t you let me buy the Treasure Gathering Pot, Mark 16?” an azure-clad man demanded in rage.
“Sorry, the general manager’s stamp is not here, so we cannot sign the contract. This customer, please come back tomorrow,” a staff said politely.
“Tomorrow? Do you know how much interest I will lose after one day? Tomorrow? I have been to ten Infinite Wealth branches, and every branch is the same. You should know I’m one of your big customers. I have bought many financial products from your store. Do you believe I will withdraw all my investments?!” the azure-clad man yelled.
“I’m really sorry. Today is really not a good day to complete transactions.”
“You are open for business, but you can’t complete transactions? Fine! I would like to withdraw all my previous investments. I no longer trust you. You are not the only financial management store in the world!” the azure-clad man said furiously.
After speaking, he took out a stack of contracts.
The staff felt anxious.
“I’m sorry. The general manager’s stamp is not here right now. We cannot process withdrawals,” the staff said.
“Cannot process? Why can’t you process them? Doesn’t the contract clearly state it? Where is your manager? Where is the manager?” the azure-clad man demanded furiously.
Many customers immediately swarmed over. These people were here to buy financial products, so the commotion naturally attracted them.
Hence, the commotion intensified.
Soon, a manager came over and kept apologizing while asking the azure-clad man to return the next day.
Courtesy was one of the necessary skills taught in the financial management store training. Courtesy allowed them to calm others down. However, this customer had lost access to his money. How was he to calm down?
Suddenly, the azure-clad man realized something terrible. Is my money gone?
“You! You are the nephew of the Eastern Forest Temple’s abbot. I recognize you. I recently had a meal with the Eastern Forest Temple’s abbot. You are the manager here now. Can I trouble you to help me withdraw my money? According to the contract, I can withdraw whenever I want. Withdraw it immediately! Quickly! Hurry up! Faster! I need it urgently!” the azure-clad man exhorted anxiously.
With a faint bitter smile, the manager said, “Customer, the general manager is not here now. I do not have the authority—”
“What do you mean you do not have the authority? It is all clearly written in the contract. Quickly, return my money!” the azure-clad man said anxiously.
The staff hemmed and hawed, all of them feeling anxious.
The other customers noticed something off and showed suspicious expressions. They accompanied the azure-clad man, helping him demand his money.
“The store does not have money at the moment. We can only wait for the general manager to return.” That manager eventually folded under the pressure.
“What?!”
The surrounding customers let out startled cries. No money? How is that possible? Even if all the stores in Spirit Mountain City have no money, your Infinite Wealth can’t possibly have no money!
How can you have no money? Look at your lavish decorations?!
A chill ran through the azure-clad man’s body. My money is gone?
It’s not just this branch. I have been to all the branches in Spirit Mountain City, and they are all in the same situation. The stamp is not present? No, it is because they have no money.
When one’s wealth was snatched away, even a cultured person would turn ferocious.
“Look here! Look carefully! These contracts were signed by you, right? That’s a total of one hundred eighty superior-grade spirit stones. You can have the contract back, and you must return the money. If you cannot pay me back, I’ll take something to make up for it. That! That purple-gold glazed lamp! I’ll take that!” The azure-clad man immediately grabbed an extremely valuable treasure.
“Don’t! This customer, that lamp is worth two hundred superior-grade spirit stones. Are you trying to rob us? I’m reporting you to the authorities!” the manager shouted.
“You are not paying what you owe. This is only right. Since you owe me, I’m taking this treasure. When the officials come, send them to my residence! My contract has detailed terms!” The azure-clad man rushed out of the store while holding the lamp.
“Halt! Men! Men! Inform the city guards! Quickly inform the Eastern Forest Temple’s martial monks! Men!” the manager shouted furiously.
Now, the other people in the shop startled awake. Although they had not dared to imagine it, once this crack appeared in their confidence, their confidence collapsed.
“Return my money! Return my money! I don’t want the financial products anymore. Quickly! Cash out my contract! Return my spirit stones!”
“Don’t snatch! Don’t snatch! You bastard! This is robbery!”
“I’m just taking back my money! How is it robbery? If you are not returning my money, you have to compensate me!”
Chaos broke out, and it was not just in this branch. The same situation occurred in nearly ninety percent of the financial management stores in the city.
The city guards immediately rushed to the various financial management stores to maintain order, but the commotion only escalated.
The news of the financial management stores was like a virus, proliferating in all directions.
In a restaurant:
“The general managers of the financial management stores ran off with the money?” a customer said in shock.
“How can that be? Do financial management stores need to run off with the money? If a monk runs, can a temple run? Stop kidding me. The Eastern Forest Temple’s spirit stone mines are theirs.”
“I bought their financial products. What kind of sick joke are you making?!”
“It’s true! Right now, people have surrounded the financial management stores. Many of them brought their contracts to get their money back.”
“Is it true?”
“Why would I lie to you? Many people snatched treasures in the financial management stores, but the city guards captured them. The city guards arrested many people, which caused an uproar.”
“What about the money? Where’s all the money?”
“I don’t know. In any case, it’s all gone. The financial management stores are just shells now. Who knows where all the money went?!”
“My money! My money! I invested in Bodhi Financial Management!”
“I’m going to the financial management store right now. My money is gone?! That’s impossible!”
All the customers in the restaurant left in the blink of an eye.
When the waiter returned with more wine, the initially bustling restaurant was empty. The waiter gaped in confusion.
“Ma-Manager, where’s everyone? Why is everyone gone? Are they not drinking anymore?” the waiter asked in shock.
“Drink, my ass! Close the shop! Close the shop! We are not opening for business today! I need to go get my money back!” the manager cried out.
“Not opening for business today? Manager, didn’t you say even if it rains knives, our restaurant cannot close? That is not good, according to geomancy,” the waiter said in confusion.
“Scram! Don’t block me. Where’s my contract? Ah! It’s here! Found it! My money! My money!” The manager rushed out of the restaurant.
Word of good things never traveled far, but bad news spread like wildfire. When the financial management stores publicized, it had taken a lot of effort to get their names known. Now that the money was gone, no publicity was necessary. All the citizens found out in less than a day.
The entire Spirit Mountain City suddenly turned topsy-turvy.
