A spring rain quietly nourished the Eastern Region Divine Continent.

In Heroic Spirit City, many shops and households opened their windows.

The rain had fallen all night, coming quickly and leaving just as fast, and had long since stopped.

At this moment, the sun was just rising, and the sky was a deep blue.

The streets of the city slowly filled with pedestrians, and many cultivators flew back and forth in mid-air on their cultivation artifacts and flying swords.

The doors of the Loan Treasure Pavilion hadn't officially opened yet, but many people were already lined up waiting, their hands tight with urgency for spirit stones, the long line stretching to the end of the street.

Under Manager Wu's management, the Loan Treasure Pavilion had opened over two hundred branches throughout the vast Heroic Spirit City, from the outer city to the Imperial City, with branches on almost every main street.

These stores shared information seamlessly, whether for loans or repayments, any branch could handle it without interruption, with astonishing efficiency.

Gu Feng managed these shops using the KPI assessment concept from his previous life, where salaries were not fixed but based on performance. From the staff to the managers of each store, as long as they excelled in their tasks and performance, they could earn bonuses far exceeding their base salary for the month.

The staff and managers, eager to earn more spirit stones, were highly motivated, and the internal healthy competition never ceased, driving each branch's performance to greater heights.

The so-called wolfish nature isn't about discussing ideals and visions with your subordinates, but letting them know that effort brings rewards, motivating them to earn money for the boss. No management technique is as effective as the promise of substantial rewards.

Of course, there were also those unscrupulous individuals who engaged in underhanded tricks for personal gain. Manager Wu, following Gu Feng's orders, would capture them, destroy their Dao foundation, and throw them into the Seven Kill Valley's No Return Mountain to feed the dogs. Whether they lived or died, no one knew.

In the Imperial City, a shop had also opened early, preparing for a busy day.

The signboard of the shop had three large characters written in a flamboyant style: Building of All Phenomena!

The shop was lavishly decorated, but early in the morning, it had few visitors.

Most unfortunate was that next to it was the Loan Treasure Pavilion's forty-third branch in the Imperial City, bustling with people.

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The contrast between the two was stark.

Ouyang Jing, the manager of the Building of All Phenomena, stood helplessly at the shop entrance, letting out a deep sigh.

Beside him, a burly worker with a head as big as a bull wiped the shop counter, glanced at the long line in front of the Loan Treasure Pavilion, and complained, "Sigh! Manager, if this continues, we really won't be able to survive in Heroic Spirit City. We might as well pack up and return to the Building of All Phenomena Sect! At least we won't have to endure this humiliation here!"

"Rubbish!" Ouyang Jing spat angrily, "Second-rate Chen, if you want to go back, go back yourself! I can't afford to lose face like that!"

"Then what can we do?!"

Second-rate Chen glared, spreading his hands in frustration, "When the Loan Treasure Pavilion first opened, I warned you. What did you say? You said we were in the auction business, and this loan business had nothing to do with us! And now? Who the hell still comes to us?"

Ouyang Jing was speechless, filled with regret.

The Building of All Phenomena's backing was a mysterious sect on an island in the Endless Sea of Cang Lan Star—the Building of All Phenomena Sect!

This sect, located on a small island far in the Endless Sea, had disciples who, besides their daily cultivation, were shrewd businessmen. Their biggest business was the auction houses that spanned the four major continents.

The name "Building of All Phenomena" implied encompassing everything.

For millions of years, cultivators on Cang Lan Star, whether human or demon, ghost cultivator or demonic path practitioner, would seek out the Building of All Phenomena in nearby cities for any rare treasures needed in their cultivation.

As long as you could afford the spirit stones, theoretically, there was nothing the Building of All Phenomena couldn't obtain!

Moreover, your identity would be kept absolutely confidential!

Similarly, if cultivators acquired rare cultivation artifacts or elixirs and wanted to exchange them for spirit stones, they would consign them to the Building of All Phenomena for auction, with a hefty commission fee, of course.

Over the years, the auction house of the Building of All Phenomena had become a recognized brand in the cultivation world!

Ouyang Jing had managed the Building of All Phenomena branch in Heroic Spirit City for hundreds of years, always at peace, until a year ago when the Loan Treasure Pavilion suddenly emerged. Initially, he found the business peculiar—how could signing a spiritual soul contract allow one to obtain spirit stones?

He didn't take it seriously at all!

He even tried taking out a loan himself.

At first, he felt nothing, only mocking the Loan Treasure Pavilion's owner as foolish with too much money.

Unexpectedly, after a month, the interest compounded, and the interest on his initial loan of a hundred medium-grade spirit stones more than doubled!

Ouyang Jing was a smart man and immediately sensed something fishy. Facing the Loan Treasure Pavilion's collection department with dozens of Golden Elixir Realm cultivators, he promptly repaid the debt with interest.

The menacing collectors instantly turned friendly, even giving him a beginner-grade spirit stone as a red envelope, inviting him to return next time.

By the time Ouyang Jing awoke from his dream, the Loan Treasure Pavilion had opened over two hundred branches throughout Heroic Spirit City.

He was shocked to find that no one came to his Building of All Phenomena to consign any items anymore.

Cultivators preferred to take their cultivation artifacts and elixirs directly to the Loan Treasure Pavilion to convert them into cash, not only avoiding any commission fees but also receiving extra spirit stones as encouragement!

He had considered using some underhanded tactics.

Unfortunately, upon investigation, he discovered that the owner behind the Loan Treasure Pavilion was none other than the eldest son of the City Lord of Heroic Spirit City, the first in line of the Gu Family, Young Master Gu Feng!

This was in the vast Heroic Spirit City!

Even if Ouyang Jing had a hundred or so guts, he wouldn't dare to act against a member of the Gu Family on their turf! Moreover, the other party's status was noble, far from an ordinary family cultivator!

A few days ago, Gu Feng had caused a stir in the south of the city, and it was rumored that even the Immortal Messenger sent by the Divine King treated him with respect. Ouyang Jing didn't dare entertain any crooked thoughts.

Play dirty? That would be courting death!

Sadly, Ouyang Jing became the first manager in the Building of All Phenomena Sect's tens of thousands of years to operate a branch at a loss, teetering on the brink of bankruptcy!

As he worried about how to pack up and return to the sect, explaining to the elders, a commotion erupted at the Loan Treasure Pavilion next door.

Ouyang Jing hurried out to see two staff members posting a large notice at the Loan Treasure Pavilion's entrance, attracting the attention of many cultivators in line and passersby, all discussing animatedly.

Squeezing into the crowd, Ouyang Jing looked up and saw three large characters on the notice—Talent Recruitment Board!