Chapter 495: Chapter 438, A Xiu Becomes an Apprentice
Bai Jin looked at Mahasthamaprapta, fingers tapping nervously on the table.
Bai Jin suddenly said, "Alright then! It hasn’t been easy for you, so I won’t pursue the matter further."
Mahasthamaprapta breathed a sigh of relief and gratefully said, "Thank you, senior brother!"
Bai Jin stretched out his hand, and a scroll appeared in his palm.
Upon seeing this familiar scroll, Mahasthamaprapta’s face changed and his heart started thumping. Could senior brother be asking me to repay money I have borrowed? But I have no money right now!
The high-interest loans I issued haven’t been collected yet! Even if I collected all of them, it still wouldn’t be enough!
Bai Jin handed the scroll to Mahasthamaprapta.
Mahasthamaprapta immediately made a sorrowful face and said, "Senior brother, please show mercy for a few more days. I really don’t have money right now!"
Bai Jin smiled and said, "Junior brother, you worry too much. Am I the sort of villain who would force my junior brother? Just open it and have a look."
Mahasthamaprapta opened the scroll, and, surprised, said, "Lu Ya’s loan agreement."
"When Buddhism was causing me trouble, junior brother pretended to be closed off meditating, and I am thankful for that. Consider this scroll a gift, and you may go to Lu Ya to collect the debts. Whatever money you get back, junior brother can take ten percent. It’s just, I wonder if you dare to collect?"
Mahasthamaprapta quickly closed the scroll and kept it, clasping his hands together in gratitude, and cheerfully said, "Thank you, senior brother!"
Bai Jin continued to remind, "Junior brother, some Immortal Treasures and Divine Fruits can be sold for money; the bank does buy them.
Also, the temples can be sold for money too. The temple of the Great Sun Tathagata on Spiritual Mountain is also one of the best, I presume many Buddhas would be willing to pay dearly to purchase it.
Speaking of which, isn’t he the Devil Race Crown Prince? If he has no money to pay back debts, he could borrow from the Demon Clan!"
Mahasthamaprapta’s eyes brightened, and he hurriedly bowed, saying, "Thank you for the suggestion, senior brother. I know what to do now." and quickly stood up to run outside.
Afterwards, Bai Jin met with the Medicine Buddha and gave him a scroll too, from which Medicine Buddha excitedly left.
After seeing the Medicine Buddha off, Bai Jin leisurely sat in the loft drinking tea, humming a tune: "I’m always too soft-hearted, too soft-hearted, I dislike forcing others!"
The door creaked open slightly, and a head with two small buns peered in, calling cheerily, "Senior brother!"
Bai Jin stopped humming and said, "Come in."
Gu Liang bounced into the room and sat down opposite Bai Jin, propping her smooth chin with one hand and her round eyes filled with resentment.
Bai Jin put down his tea cup and coughed, saying, "Say whatever you want to say! Don’t look at me with those eyes."
Gu Liang pouted and said, "Senior brother, doing this will make us lose a lot of money~"
Bai Jin said earnestly, "Gu Liang, money is external to the body. We neither bring it at birth nor can we take it with us in death, do not regard it too heavily. What matters is what is done with the money."
Gu Liang pouted and said, "But senior brother, I am short on money!"
Bai Jin laughed and said, "Aren’t you the God of Wealth? How can you be short of money?"
Gu Liang looked at Bai Jin resentfully and mournfully said, "Senior brother, it’s me who is short on money.
The money in Heaven and Earth Human Bank either belongs to you or to customers. I am indeed very poor."
Bai Jin laughed heartily and said, "Alright, I’ll give you a raise."
Gu Liang, smiling cheerfully, said, "Thank you, senior brother!"
Bai Jin stood up and said, "Let’s go! We’re heading back."
Gu Liang hopped and skipped along with Bai Jin as they left the Heaven and Earth Human Bank, walking amidst pavilions and towers.
As they approached the Bird’s Nest, they saw Golden Peng walking slowly toward them, with a gray bird perched on his shoulder, occasionally pecking at Golden Peng’s ear.
Golden Peng laughed heartily and said, "Senior brother!"
The gray bird also tilted its head, sizing up Bai Jin with spirited eyes.
Bai Jin smiled and asked, "Junior brother, are you walking your bird?"
Golden Peng stroked the gray bird’s feathers, proudly smiled, and said, "This is my niece. Quick, niece, call him Master. Your master has lots of delicious food at home."
The gray bird suddenly flew up and hid behind Golden Peng.
Gu Liang’s eyes lit up, and she immediately exclaimed with joy, "Is she Ziyao’s child?"
Golden Peng nodded with a radiant smile, "Yes, it’s her. She’s still young and a bit shy. It’s my first time taking care of a child, and I’m not sure what to pay attention to.
I heard that Jingwei once took care of Long Ji, so I came to ask her for advice, but I couldn’t find her, and I don’t know where they went."
Gu Liang immediately chirped excitedly, "I’ll take you to them; I know where they are."
She grabbed Golden Peng’s hand and ran in another direction, occasionally glancing affectionately at the little peacock.
Bai Jin watched the two of them run off, chuckled twice, and continued leisurely walking toward the Bird’s Nest, sighing, "Their pure joy... is mine to guard. It’s truly tiring!"
Bai Jin entered the Bird’s Nest, walked into the grand hall, and sat in the main seat. He gestured with his hand, and a streak of flowing light shot down, transforming into a spectral woman.
A Xiu looked around and said in a faint, hollow voice, "Where is this? Am I not dead? How come I’m here?"
A booming voice came from the main seat above, "A Xiu!"
A Xiu looked up and saw an imposing divine figure sitting above, exuding majestic Divine Light, akin to a sovereign lord of all heavens, supremely noble and dignified, causing one’s entire body to tingle painfully and the soul to shatter.
"Ahh~" A Xiu screamed, quickly drifting backward, her spectral body contorting as she trembled, "I... I pay respects to the Divine Monarch."
A vast Heavenly Sound filled the grand hall, "I am Emperor Gouchen of the Heavenly Court, overseeing the operations of Heaven and Earth.
"You and Jin Naluo’s love moved Heaven and Earth, so I executed the Great Divine Power to reunite your soul."
What kind of majestic existence is the Emperor of the Heavenly Court? Although A Xiu did not know who Emperor Gouchen was, she knew he must be an extremely great divine being and quickly prostrated herself on the ground, shakily saying, "Thank you, Great Emperor!" not daring to raise her head, her soul body contorted.
"A Xiu, would you like to accept me as your master? I can teach you the path of cultivation to step into the way of Ghost Immortal longevity."
A Xiu asked softly, "Your Majesty, after cultivating, can I still see Jin Naluo?"
Bai Jin nodded and said, "Your fate with him is not yet finished, there will be a chance to meet again in the future."
A Xiu suddenly looked up, the divine light painfully piercing her eyes. She screamed, "Ahh~" and quickly bowed her head, kowtowing, "Disciple pays respects to the Master!"
...
Elsewhere within Buddhism, Great Sun Tathagata was seated in his temple of the Great Sun, silently scheming. By aligning Buddhism with the Demon Clan, he would become the ultimate beneficiary. In the Demon Clan, he is the Devil Race Crown Prince, and in Buddhism, he is the Great Sun Tathagata, wielding the power of both great forces.
As for offending Bai Jin, the Great Sun Tathagata sneered coldly, "Bai Jin is merely a petty person. Does he really think I am not aware of his plans?
He has always been using it to disrupt Buddhism, and naturally, I have also been using him for my gain. The so-called alliance is just a joke. Even if I betray the pact, what can he do to me now?"