Chapter 452: You Covet My Celestial Crystal Interest, I Want Your Celestial Crystal Principal

On the other side.

Xutian World.

It has been a full six months since the imperial edict, personally issued by the Celestial Empire's emperor and endorsing the Gu Family Bank, spread across the realm.

In these six months, the entire Xutian World underwent a cataclysmic upheaval.

The upheaval did not stem from a world‑destroying natural disaster, nor from an invasion of foreign demonic forces, but from an invisible virus called "finance."

In Qingfeng City, the Gu Family Bank's 99‑story Luminous Glass Treasure Tower is no longer an isolated case.

Backed by the Gu Family Chamber of Commerce's terrifying cash flow, identical Luminous Glass Towers sprouted like bamboo shoots after rain in every capital city and every major immortal stronghold of the Thirty‑Three Heavens.

Even the heart of the Celestial Empire's power—Heaven Capital—specifically the center of the bustling Zhuque Avenue, was purchased by the Gu Family Chamber of Commerce at a price that even the Minister of Revenue Qian Bapi could not refuse, and a super‑headquarters soaring 999 stories, taller than the imperial palace, was erected there.

All cultivators in the Xutian World fell completely into a feverish illusion called "financial freedom."

At the top floor of the Gu Family Bank, in an elegant chamber.

Lin Feng is no longer that timid, trembling low‑level failure.

He is clad in the chairman's robe woven from premium celestial silkworm silk and etched with hundreds of defensive formations; his every gesture now exudes the authority of one who controls the world's wealth.

His cultivation, infused with endless resources, has been forcefully pushed up to the Nascent Soul stage.

But he knows clearly that everything he possesses stems from the man before him, calmly sipping tea.

"Grand Elder, here is this month's data summary."

Lin Feng respectfully handed over a jade tablet, his voice trembling with barely concealed excitement,

"To date, we have opened 12,000 branches across the Thirty‑Three Heavens, and the total savings absorbed have reached… three hundred trillion premium celestial crystals."

Upon hearing that figure, even Gu Xue Dao, who was meditating with eyes closed nearby, couldn't help but open his eyes, his corners twitching slightly.

Three hundred trillion premium celestial crystals!

Such terrifying wealth—no need to mention a mid‑thousand world; even in the Primordial Immortal Realm, it could purchase an entire illustrious Immortal King lineage!

Yet Gu Linjiang didn't even raise an eyebrow, merely replying with a faint "mm": "How are the loan disbursements?"

"Replying to the Grand Elder, as per your instruction, we have fully launched the Universal Cultivation Benefit Program."

Lin Feng inhaled deeply and began reporting in meticulous detail.

"First are the Flying Sword Loans and Artifact Loans. Low‑level cultivators need only pay a ten‑percent down payment to withdraw their desired artifacts from the Gu Family Chamber of Commerce; the remaining ninety percent is repaid over a hundred‑year term at a monthly interest of one percent. Currently, these two loan types cover eighty percent of low‑level cultivators."

"Next are the Cave Residence Loans and Spirit Vein Loans. For mid‑level cultivators seeking to establish a sect, we offer full‑amount loans, using their future sect revenues as collateral."

"The hottest is the 'Breakthrough' and Sect IPO plans you proposed last month."

Lin Feng swallowed, his eyes flashing with fervent light,

"As long as a premium is paid, if a breakthrough fails, our bank fully compensates with healing pills; and the sect IPO drives those sect heads completely mad!"

Gu Linjiang set down his teacup, a smile finally tugging at the corner of his mouth:

"Oh? Tell me, how exactly are they going mad?"

"We package the projected hundred‑year earnings of major sects into ten thousand Spirit‑Rights contracts and trade them publicly on the Xutian Spirit Treasure Exchange established by the Gu Family Chamber of Commerce. Those sect heads realize that the celestial crystals they painstakingly amassed over millennia earn less than selling just a one‑percent Spirit‑Rights contract after the IPO!"

Lin Feng's voice trembled:

"Now, across the Xutian World, no one mines, no one farms spirit fields, not even anyone retreats to cultivate! Everyone is trading Spirit‑Rights contracts! Even the supreme elders who once sealed themselves have broken out, standing daily before the exchange's formation barrier, watching the market!"

"Some sects, to purchase the Gu Family Bank's supreme wealth product with a ten‑percent monthly interest, actually pawn their ancestral premium spirit veins to us, borrow huge sums, and then deposit the money back into our bank to earn interest! They call this… left foot stepping on right foot, ascending in place!"

"Foolish," Gu Xue Dao coldly spat out two words.

"Not foolish, greedy."

Gu Linjiang stood, walked to the floor‑to‑ceiling window, and looked down at the bustling, fervent crowds of Heaven Capital City,

"Greed is the original sin, and also the sharpest knife in this world. When they discover that doing nothing but circulating money through the Gu Family Bank yields ten‑fold or hundred‑fold returns, who will still do the hard, laborious work?"

"But Grand Elder…"

Lin Feng hesitated briefly, then voiced his concern,

"Now the circulating market is filled with our Gu Banknotes. Everyone uses the banknotes to trade contracts, to buy wealth products. In reality, the interest we must pay each month has become an astronomical figure. If at this moment someone tries to make a massive withdrawal, to extract real celestial crystals…"

"They won't be able to pull them out."

Gu Linjiang turned his head, eyes deep as abysses, "Because the true premium celestial crystals have long ceased to exist in this world."

Lin Feng jolted, staring at Gu Linjiang in disbelief.

Gu Linjiang smiled faintly, offering no explanation.

He could not tell Lin Feng that the three hundred trillion premium celestial crystals physically gathered over the past six months had already been continuously sent back to the Gu Family's ancient stronghold in the Primordial Immortal Realm, where they were given to Gu Family descendants as candy.

Now, aside from a small portion of inferior spirit stones kept for daily circulation, the vaults across the Xutian World contain nothing but piles of ledger numbers!

"What's happening on the Celestial Empire's side?" Gu Linjiang shifted the topic.

"The upper echelons of the Celestial Empire are happier than anyone else right now."

Lin Feng's expression grew odd,

"Prime Minister Li Si and Minister of Revenue Qian Bapi each month draw ten‑plus trillion tribute from us. Moreover, because our transaction volume is so massive, the Celestial Empire's monthly transaction stamp tax now exceeds their total tax revenue from the past year by ten times!"

"It is said that a few days ago, the Celestial Emperor was overjoyed in the court, not only granting you the honorary title 'First Benevolent of Xutian,' but even…"

Lin Feng paused, lowered his voice,

"Even the Emperor and Li Si secretly diverted seventy percent of the Celestial Empire's strategic reserve celestial crystals into our supreme wealth product, hoping to reap that ten‑percent monthly interest."