Under One Person: I Opened the Age of Mythology

Chapter 414 Punishment
Sun Wukong smiled slightly, put down the fairy fruit in his hand, glanced at the stall, and asked casually:

"Boss, your business is pretty good. Where do you get these magical herbs and medicines from? They look high quality and the price is fair."

The stall owner laughed and waved his hand:
"Sir, you really know what you are talking about! Most of these spiritual herbs are collected from Northern Julu Continent, where the spiritual energy is rich and the quality of the medicinal herbs is excellent. As for the price, we value integrity in doing business and will never raise the price arbitrarily."

Sun Wukong nodded, reached out and took out a magic stone from the bamboo basket, handed it to the stall owner and said:
"Then I'll have an immortal fruit. The price the boss said is fair. I trust him."

The stall owner took the spiritual stone, quickly wrapped up the fairy fruit and handed it to Sun Wukong, with a smile on his face:
"Take care, sir. If you like it, you are welcome to come again!"

Sun Wukong took the magical fruit, turned and left the stall, his eyes still scanning the surroundings sharply.

He put the fairy fruit into his sleeve and continued to move among the crowd without stopping.

After walking past several stalls, Sun Wukong noticed a thin vendor who was bargaining with a customer in a low voice, with a hint of cunning in his expression.

He slowed down his pace, approached the stall, and pretended to be interested in the elixirs on the stall.

When the vendor saw someone approaching, he immediately put on a smile and greeted enthusiastically:

"Sir, do you want to buy some spiritual medicine? We have top-quality products here, and the prices are absolutely affordable!"

Sun Wukong picked up a magical medicine, examined it carefully, and asked:

"What's the price of this elixir?"

The vendor rolled his eyes and said with a smile:

"Sir, you have good eyesight. This spiritual medicine is a rare variety collected from the Fairy Island in the South China Sea. It costs 15 spiritual stones per plant. If you buy more, you can get a cheaper price."

Sun Wukong frowned slightly and said calmly:

"Nanhai Fairy Island? I remember that the price of spiritual medicine there is always high, but your price is surprisingly cheap."

The vendor heard the doubt in Sun Wukong's words, and his expression changed slightly, but he soon smiled again:

"Sir, you may not know that we have some connections with the monks of the South Sea Fairy Island, so the price we get is naturally lower than the market price. If you are sincere about buying, the price can be negotiated."

Sun Wukong sneered, put down the elixir, and stared at the vendor sharply:

"Really? But I heard that the elixirs from the Fairy Island of the South Sea have never been sold to the public. Your arrival is really strange."

The vendor's face suddenly changed, a few drops of cold sweat oozed out of his forehead, and he pretended to be calm and said:

"Sir, what do you mean? We are serious businessmen. If you don't believe me, you can go somewhere else."

Sun Wukong said no more, turned around and left the stall, having already made a note of the vendor in his mind.

He continued to patrol the market and soon discovered several suspicious stalls.

The vendors at these stalls either engage in price gouging, sell inferior products as good ones, or even deliberately deceive customers in their transactions.

Sun Wukong kept all of this in mind, then quietly left the market and returned to the Qitian Temple.

After returning to the palace, Sun Wukong immediately summoned Yang Jian and Nezha and told them in detail what he had seen and heard in the market.

"Although the trade festival is very lively, there are still many merchants who engage in price fraud and sell inferior products as good ones. If it is not dealt with in time, it may affect the reputation of merchants in the three realms."

Sun Wukong looked solemn, his tone carrying a hint of authority.

Yang Jian nodded in agreement and said in a deep voice:

"What the Great Sage said is absolutely right. This matter needs to be dealt with as soon as possible to avoid causing a greater impact. I have ordered people to post a warning on the information platform to remind businesses to operate with integrity."

Nezha patted his chest and said:
"Don't worry, Great Sage. I will take people to investigate those illegal stalls and collect solid evidence. I will never let them continue to cheat customers!"

Sun Wukong nodded with satisfaction and continued to instruct:

"You two should act separately and make sure to handle this matter properly. I will continue to disguise myself as an ordinary citizen, go deep into the market, collect further evidence, and find a solution to the problem."

Yang Jian and Nezha took the order and quickly started the investigation.

Nezha led the heavenly soldiers and generals to sneak into the market and closely monitor those illegal stalls.

They disguised themselves as ordinary customers, bargained with vendors, and secretly recorded the details of the transaction as evidence.

Soon, Nezha had a lot of evidence against illegal vendors.

He compiled the evidence into a book and prepared to present it to the public at the opening ceremony of the trade festival.

At the same time, Yang Jian issued multiple warnings on the information platform, reminding businesses to operate with integrity, and made public the list of businesses that violated the regulations.

As soon as the news came out, it immediately attracted widespread attention from merchants in the three circles. Many merchants conducted self-inspections, fearing that their names would appear on the list.

Sun Wukong continued to go deeper into the market, talking with merchants from all walks of life to understand their needs and confusions.

He also made a special visit to some businesses in remote areas, listened to their opinions, and promised to do his best to solve their difficulties.

A few days later, Sun Wukong, Yang Jian and Nezha gathered in the Qitian Palace again to discuss the final solution.

Yang Jian handed the file in his hand to Sun Wukong and said in a deep voice:
"Great Sage, this is a detailed list of illegal merchants and evidence. I have reported their behavior on the information platform and spread it throughout the three realms."

Nezha smiled and said:

"When the vendors heard that the Heavenly Court was going to conduct a strict investigation, they were so scared that they closed their shops overnight. Some even ran away."

Sun Wukong took the file and read it carefully, with a hint of satisfaction in his eyes:
"Well done. If these merchants are not severely punished, they will surely tarnish the reputation of the trade of the three realms. We must announce the results of the investigation at the opening ceremony of the Trade Festival to show fairness."

Yang Jian nodded in agreement:

"That's right. I have posted the specific arrangements for the opening ceremony on the information platform. Businesses from all walks of life are very concerned about this matter and have expressed their support for the Heavenly Court's approach."

Sun Wukong stood up, his eyes determined:

"In that case, we will proceed as planned. I will personally preside over the opening ceremony and punish the merchants who violate the rules."

Nezha said excitedly:
"If this trade festival can be successfully held, it will not only promote the prosperity of trade in the three realms, but also establish the prestige of the Heavenly Court!"

Sun Wukong smiled slightly and patted Nezha on the shoulder:

"Thank you for your hard work. You will have to continue to follow up on the next work. The success of the trade festival is inseparable from your efforts."

Nezha grinned, his eyes full of confidence:

"rest assured!"

After the three of them finished their discussion, they each began to make final preparations.

The Huaguoshan Square was bustling with people, and every corner was filled with bustling vendors and tourists.

Above the giant arch in the center of the square, the five characters "Three Realms Trade Festival" were hung, shining brightly. Sun Wukong stood on the high platform, his eyes swept across the crowd below, his expression calm and majestic.

"Everyone!"

Sun Wukong's voice rang out like a huge bell, instantly suppressing the noise in the square.

He held a jade scroll in his hand, slowly unfolded it, and said aloud:

"Today, the Three Realms Trade Festival officially opens. Here, I would like to announce several important matters."

The crowd in the audience gradually quieted down, and everyone's eyes were focused on Sun Wukong, waiting for his next words.

Sun Wukong's expression darkened, his eyes were like torches:

"Recently, we have discovered some bad merchants in the market who have engaged in price fraud, selling inferior goods as good ones, and other illegal behaviors. These behaviors have seriously damaged the fairness and integrity of trade in the Three Realms. For this reason, the Heavenly Court has investigated these merchants and has obtained solid evidence."

There was a sudden whisper from the audience, and many people showed surprise on their faces. They obviously did not expect that the Heavenly Court would deal with these problems so quickly and severely.

Sun Wukong raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet, and continued:
"Today, I will publish the list of these illegal businesses and impose corresponding penalties on them. I hope everyone will take this as a warning, operate with integrity, and jointly maintain the prosperity and order of the Three Realms!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the jade slip in his hand suddenly lit up, turned into a golden light, and spread out in the air. In the golden light, lines of text were clearly visible, detailing the names of the illegal merchants, store information, and illegal behaviors.

"This is……"

A vendor in the audience widened his eyes and muttered.

"The 'Bi Bo Lou' of the Dragon Palace in the East China Sea is also on the list? They are a time-honored brand!"

Another vendor shook his head and sighed:
"It seems that the Heavenly Court is serious this time. Even the Dragon Palace in the East China Sea doesn't give them face."

Sun Wukong looked at everyone with a sharp gaze and said in a deep voice:

"The Heavenly Court will never tolerate any violation of the rules. No matter who you are or what forces are behind you, as long as you violate the trade rules of the Three Realms, you will be severely punished!"

His voice was sonorous and powerful, shocking.

The crowd in the audience nodded one after another, and many of them showed admiration on their faces.

"The Great Sage is wise!"

A demon merchant raised his hands and shouted excitedly.

"We, the demon race, have always followed the rules. We are really convinced by the fair treatment of the Heavenly Court this time!"

"Yeah yeah!"

Other vendors also echoed the voices one after another.

Sun Wukong smiled slightly, raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet, and then said:

"Integrity management is the cornerstone of trade in the Three Realms. In the future, the Heavenly Court will continue to increase its supervision of the market to ensure the legitimate rights and interests of every merchant. At the same time, we will further improve the information platform, enhance transaction transparency, and provide better services for everyone."

As soon as he finished speaking, there was warm applause from the audience.

The vendors all showed relieved smiles, and were obviously very satisfied with the handling results of the Heavenly Court.

"Next, Nezha will host the 'Treasure Competition' and the 'Food Exchange Meeting'."

Sun Wukong turned sideways and looked at Nezha beside him, motioning him to go on stage.

Nezha was in high spirits, walked forward quickly, and said to everyone with a smile:

"Everyone, this 'Treasure Competition' and 'Food Exchange' are really exciting, don't miss it!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the booths on both sides of the square lit up one after another, displaying all kinds of rare treasures and delicious foods, which were dazzling.

"The Treasure Fighting Conference has officially begun!"

Nezha announced loudly and clapped his hands, signaling the heavenly soldiers and generals to maintain order.

The vendors and tourists in the audience flocked to the booths, vying to see all kinds of treasures.

The magical herbs of the demon tribe, the pearls of the water tribe, and the jade artifacts of the mortal world, each one is breathtaking.

"This is the Jade Ruyi of Taishang Laojun!"

A vendor stood in front of the "Treasure Fighting Conference" booth, his eyes full of amazement.

“I didn’t expect that the Heavenly Court would even bring out such a treasure!”

"This jade ruyi is the most precious treasure in the three realms. It is said to be able to turn decay into magic."

Another vendor whispered, his eyes filled with awe.

Nezha stood beside the booth, watching the crowd's reactions, a smug look on his face.

He turned around and instructed the assistant beside him:

"Keep a close eye on them and don't let anyone touch these treasures."

The assistants nodded one after another and quickly dispersed to the various exhibition stands, closely guarding each treasure.

At the same time, the "Food Exchange" booth was also very lively.

The aroma from various food stalls is mouth-watering.

"This is the 'Ambergris Cake' from the Dragon Palace in the East China Sea. It is said that eating it can prolong one's life."

A diner stood in front of the stall, looking at the delicious food in front of him, and couldn't help swallowing.

The stall owner handed over a piece of cake with a smile and said enthusiastically:

"Sir, come and try it! This is our East China Sea specialty. I guarantee you'll want more after you try it!"

The diner took the cake, took a bite, and his eyes suddenly lit up:
"It's really delicious! No wonder the food in the Dragon Palace in the East China Sea is so famous!"

At the mortal booth nearby, Mr. Li was busy greeting guests.

His stall was filled with silk, porcelain and tea, each piece exquisite.

"This is the 'Nine-Turn Colored Glass Lamp' that has been passed down from our Li family's ancestors."

Mr. Li pointed to a crystal clear glass lamp and said with a smile.

"It is said that the lamp never goes out and is the greatest treasure in the world."

“This lamp is really amazing!”

A tourist exclaimed in admiration, reaching out to gently touch the surface of the glass lamp, feeling the cool air contained in it.

On the other side of the square, Yang Jian stood in front of the information platform booth, holding a jade slip in his hand, and was publishing the progress of the event and transaction status in real time.

"Just now, the final treasure of the 'Treasure Fighting Conference' - the Jade Ruyi of Taishang Laojun has been reserved, and the transaction amount is 100,000 spirit stones."

Yang Jian's voice spread throughout the square through magic, causing a burst of exclamations.

"One hundred thousand spirit stones! This is truly a sky-high price!"

A vendor murmured, his eyes full of envy.

Yang Jian smiled slightly and continued:
"Next, the selection of the best food at the 'Food Exchange' will begin. Everyone is welcome to actively participate!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the food stalls in the square were crowded with people, and everyone was voting for their favorite food.

Sun Wukong stood on the high platform, overlooking the entire square, his eyes full of satisfaction.

He nodded slightly and whispered to himself:

"This trade festival seems to be a success."

The square was crowded with people and cheers were heard one after another, making it very lively.

Sun Wukong stood on the high platform, his eyes swept across the bustling crowd, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, and there was a hint of relief in his expression.

The sky gradually darkened, and the afterglow of the setting sun sprinkled on the Peach Garden, giving the fairy peaches in the garden a layer of golden sheen.

Sun Wukong was walking alone along the winding paths of the Peach Garden, with the soft grass under his feet, and occasionally a few fallen leaves floating gently in the breeze.

He reached out and plucked a crystal clear fairy peach from a peach tree, weighed it gently, and the fruity fragrance filled his nose.

"This peach is of top quality."

Sun Wukong muttered to himself as he glanced over the peach tree. He quickly picked a few excellent peaches and put them one by one into the bamboo basket that had been prepared.

As a reward for this conference.

(End of this chapter)