Golden Light Infusion

That afternoon, Liu Ziguang and Liu Ling returned to the capital. Huo Xuan personally drove them to the military airport, waving farewell as their plane departed.

After seeing them off, Huo Xuan called Zhang Wu about Guo Lan's job. The moment Zhang heard "archaeology expert," he agreed immediately. "Let her start in the appraisal department. If she's as skilled as you say, I'll treat her well."

Huo Xuan teased, "Guo Lan's a friend. Don't exploit her like your usual wage slaves—give her a fair salary."

Zhang Wu rolled his eyes. "You're heartless, siding with a girl over your own brother."

After some banter, Zhang suddenly said, "Speaking of calls, I've got something to tell you." He then detailed a recent incident at his pawnshop.

Three days prior, an elderly man in his sixties had brought in an unusual item—a Buddhist sutra crafted entirely from gold, its pages as thin as cicada wings, totaling forty-nine sheets. Housed in a jade box, the sutra exuded an inexplicable aura. The appraisers, uncertain of its value, had consulted Zhang. Normally, he'd avoid such ambiguous items, but an instinct told him it was extraordinary. He'd paid 1 million yuan for it.

Yet even Zhang couldn't decipher its secrets. He'd sought Hua Buyi's insight, but the latter was away. The mystery had gnawed at him since.

Huo Xuan's interest flared. The Golden Light absorbed from Yang Tiansheng's Guanyin statue... Could my left eye unveil this sutra's truth too?

"Fifth Brother," he said, "I'll bring Guo Lan over soon and examine that golden sutra myself."

"I'll be waiting."

Huo Xuan fetched Guo Lan, and they drove to Baoyi Pawnshop in Jiangzhou's Qinglong District. The shop's gilded facade gleamed, flanked by elegant greeters.

At the entrance, Huo Xuan called Zhang, who appeared instantly. Too preoccupied with the sutra to linger, Zhang handed Guo Lan to the appraisal manager and dragged Huo Xuan straight to the vault.

The pawnshop's vault resembled a curiosity shop—cluttered yet brimming with hidden treasures. As Huo Xuan scanned the eclectic collection, Zhang Wu retrieved the jade case and opened it.

At first glance, the sutra radiated Golden Light far more intense than the Guanyin statue's aura. Huo Xuan's pulse quickened as he carefully lifted the case.

True to Zhang's description, the X-ray Vision revealed forty-nine gold leaves, each thinner than cicara wings. Every page bore sparse text and raised illustrations depicting:

Meditation postures

Qi circulation techniques

Mental cultivation states

Annotated guidance

Huo Xuan was spellbound.

Then—flash!—a beam of Golden Light struck the sutra. Its radiance condensed instantly before surging into his left eye. Warmth cascaded through his veins, euphoric as a divine baptism.

Simultaneously, knowledge flooded his mind:

"The Vajra Seal cultivation method of Esoteric Buddhism!"

The sutra's glow vanished, leaving behind mere gilded pages.

Zhang Wu, noticing Huo Xuan's trance, prodded: "Well? Any insights?"

Huo Xuan feigned ignorance. "Just a gold-plated sutra. Nothing special."

"Tch. Thought it might've been some martial arts manual," Zhang grumbled.

Post-vault, Huo Xuan checked on Guo Lan. The manager was orienting her to the departments—she'd already signed the paperwork, thrilled with the opportunity. At Huo Xuan's behest, Zhang waived her probation, fast-tracking her to full employment.

With Guo Lan settled, Huo Xuan left alone. A call to Lin Yue revealed she'd accompanied Lin Hui to Yundong for a week.

Adrift, he wandered to Tianxing Jewelry. The store's name—inspired by "As the celestial bodies move with vigor, so does the nobleman strive tirelessly"—had been his and Lin Yue's joint creation.

It was the second day of the grand opening, and Tianxing Jewelry was running a massive promotional campaign:

Gold jewelry: 20% off

Jade pieces: 22-30% off

Diamonds: 30% off

Customers spending over 100,000, 1 million, 5 million, or 8 million yuan received additional high-value gifts.

The aggressive advertising combined with steep discounts had the store packed to the brim—so crowded that customers nearly broke down the door.

Huo Xuan wandered the shop like any other patron, inspecting for flaws. To his satisfaction, every employee performed their duties with professionalism.

His attention soon landed on Wu Qingying, the store manager poached from Lin Jewelry at great expense.

At 27-28 years old, Wu was a stunning beauty—her delicate features and curves rivaling Lin Yue's. Dressed in a crisp white pantsuit, she orchestrated operations via headset with razor-sharp precision.

No wonder Lin Yue dared leave Jiangzhou—this woman's competence is undeniable.

Within just 15 minutes, Huo Xuan witnessed:

Two transactions exceeding 1 million yuan

Seven to eight deals over 100,000 yuan

Sales staff beamed—each earned 0.3%-1% commissions, translating to thousands per major sale.

His passive observation soon drew security's suspicion. But upon recognizing him, they alerted Wu Qingying at once.

"Manager! President Huo is here!"

Wu approached with measured politeness. "President Huo."

In good spirits, Huo Xuan grinned. "Excellent work. Double today's bonuses."

A flicker of disdain crossed Wu's eyes. "Apologies, but CEO Lin vested sole salary authority in me. Your order is void."

Huo Xuan blinked. Well, she's thorough. Though slightly miffed, he conceded: "Your call."

A backend check revealed 100 million yuan in sales—yet slim few-million-yuan profits due to discounts.

Wu interjected: "President Huo, gold inventory is critical. We need restocks by noon tomorrow."

"What's CEO Lin's protocol?"

"Joint procurement with Lin Jewelry—but that's now untenable."

"You're the expert," Huo Xuan said. "Handle it."

"Then I'll need 100 million yuan spending authority."

"Granted." His instant approval startled her—even Lin Yue deliberated more.

Unbeknownst to Huo Xuan, Wu privately dismissed him as a gold-digging pretty boy who'd seduced Lin Yue into splitting from her family. This smear campaign, engineered by Lin factions, had cemented her bias.

"Thank you for your trust," Wu said coolly, unmoved.

Clueless to her contempt, Huo Xuan departed for his Hongfu Villa residence.

After dinner, Huo Xuan retreated to the courtyard.

The Golden Light absorbed from the golden sutra had imprinted his mind with esoteric knowledge—the Vajra Seal, a tantric practice of Tibetan Buddhism. Esoteric cultivation required initiation through the Three Mysteries:

Body (mudras)

Speech (mantras)

Mind (visualization)

Without a master's empowerment, attempts led only to deviation.

"The Golden Light's infusion must mirror—or surpass—such empowerment. Can the Buddha's Eye Relic assimilate all Buddhist energies?"

Pondering this, he began his practice. Assuming the Vajra Seal mudra, chanting its mantra, his consciousness ascended to the Vajra's Fearless Realm. Instantly, he entered profound samadhi—body, speech, and mind unified in desireless clarity.

This trance activated the relic's power. Golden Light cascaded through him, illuminating seven radiant chakras:

Root Chakra (Base of spine)

Sacral Chakra (Lower abdomen)

Solar Plexus Chakra (Navel)

Heart Chakra (Chest)

Throat Chakra

Third-Eye Chakra (Brow)

Crown Chakra (Head's summit)