Divine Convenience Store-Chapter 191: Seeking Partnership

In the Abyssal Forest, the High Priest stood at the edge of the stronghold, his skeletal hands gripping the Viewing Jade as a patch of sunlight broke over the treetops.

Luo Ming approached, flanked by his subordinate Priests to report.

"High Priest," Luo Ming said, bowing. "The Acolytes and Abyssal Hounds have been deployed. The Poison-bearers tasked to purchase more Viewing Jades from the Divine Convenience Store have returned. I've given each Acolyte leader a Viewing Jade to simplify reporting of their findings."

The High Priest's grimy grin widened, his voice as raspy as ever. "Great. If they found one, share it with the Shopkeeper too. That way, he'll be inclined to work with us for the advancement of the store's influence."

Luo Ming acknowledged with a bow.

"We march to the main temple now. The conclave will bend, or they'll break. The store's shadow grows. And our cult will ride it."

Luo Ming signaled for his subordinates to issue the command to march out of the stronghold.

The High Priest turned his gaze westward, the direction of their main temple where the Divine Convenience Store's influence loomed ever closer.

The Great Poison Demon's will thrummed in his veins, and he took to the skies, flying to the front of the pack, inspiring awe with the devout followers of the cult.

After yesterday's trip, everyone, even the lowest ranking Poison-bearer, had gotten a taste of the Divine Convenience Store's offering. Now, they're singing praises of the Great Poison Demon's will and the store.

—

Meanwhile, at the main temple of the Poison Demon Cult, Venom Master Xun sat cross-legged in her chamber. The [Xingxing Glimmer Bundle] unwrapped before her as she tried makeup and a comb that had been promoted to enhance a woman's appearance. The shimmering powder glittered under the dim light as the soft brush touched her cheeks, its subtle energy tingling against her senses.

Beside her lay her newly acquired Viewing Jade, its screen alive with updates from Jade Hollow Plains.

Her priest knelt nearby, reporting in a hushed tone. "Mistress, the High Priest and our cultists have left the stronghold. They bring more store wares. Talismans, pills, brews, even peculiar artifacts like the Viewing Jades. Gao and Kang are rallying the other branches for a confrontation. I've ordered our branch's Priests and Acolytes to stand by. Our Doom Spiders, ready to be deployed."

Xun's lips curled into a cold smile. "Mhm. Let them try first. We'll assist the High Priest when it truly evolves into a confrontation. His vision outstrips their traditional petty schemes. They've been falling behind with the recent changes in the wind.

She then picked up the Viewing Jade and scrolled down to the Community Section of the Bulletin Board. "This, alone, changes everything. Real-time knowledge, straight from the plains. The store's reach is not just divine, it is revolutionary."

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She swiped the screen, pulling up Yu Qingyan's latest update. "Two floors cleared. Impressive. We'll need to be prepared and secure our own tower too. And while we're at it, expand our territory in this region."

The priest hesitated. "Mistress, the High Priest also ordered to scour for fissures that opened up to an underground space. What could that mean?"

Xun's eyes narrowed. "Something only revealed to him by the Great Poison Demon, perhaps? Go out and search for something like it as well. It may be related to these Conduit Towers."

The priest immediately headed out, disappearing from his kneeling position like dissipating smoke.

Xun looked ahead, her gaze passing through the thick walls of the main temple and into the venomous mist surrounding it where Gao, Kang, and the other Venom Masters lay in ambush.

She fiddled her Viewing Jade and created a thread specifically directed for the High Priest's eyes.

As his username was kept secret, she had no other choice but to send her message publicly.

The cult teetered on the edge of upheaval, the store's shadow looming larger by the hour.

—

At the bustling Divine Convenience Store, Lin Mo stepped out from the corner and casually approached Wu Meiyu.

His green and white striped uniform shirt naturally pointed at him as the Shopkeeper in the First Princess's eyes.

However, his relaxed posture and faint smirk hinted at an indifference to formality.

Liu Xiaoyu trailed a step behind, her grin wide and unrepentant despite the forehead flick she'd just received.

Wu Meiyu turned from the [Taihao Spicy Noodles] display as he neared, her sharp gaze locking onto him with the precision of a hawk.

She stood tall with her pristine jade robes radiating an aura of quiet authority, but her curiosity softened the edges of her regal demeanor. Wei Xian straightened beside her, while Zhu Min's hand twitched subtly toward his sword, ever vigilant.

Although she's a princess, she's also a talented cultivator. Not to the level of Xiaoyu, however.

As soon as she noticed Lin Mo's cultivation base, her eyebrow jumped slightly. She remembered the report of the Silver Lotus Hall that arrived at her table.

They mentioned that while Lin Mo refused to defer to their authority and insisted that they follow the store's, their observed cultivation of the Shopkeeper was merely the late Spirit Gathering Stage. Yet, how come that's already inaccurate? Did they gauge it wrong? It has only been a few days and he's already halfway through the early Spirit Condensation Stage. Furthermore, there was a unique air around him that made her chest tighten.

That dreadful sensation was previously something she could exclusively feel coming from her Royal Father.

What kind of person is this Shopkeeper?

"Shopkeeper Lin, I presume?" Breaking her own thoughts, Wu Meiyu asked, her voice carrying a weight that demanded attention without raising its volume. "I am Wu Meiyu, First Princess of the Southern Wu Kingdom and Royal Envoy to Fanling City. I've come under royal decree to establish ties with your… establishment."

Lin Mo stopped a respectful distance away, offering a slight nod rather than a bow. "Mhm. That's me. Welcome to the Divine Convenience Store, Your Highness. I got the memo–or rather, the decree. I've been expecting you. Nice to see the kingdom's taking an interest in our little shop."

Wu Meiyu's lips twitched upward at his informal tone.

'Expecting me? Shouldn't you open the door for me if that's the case? You had me line up along with the commoners!' Wu Meiyu snarled inwardly but didn't dare voice it out.

"Little shop? Hardly. Your wares have turned Fanling City into a hub of activity and tales of your influence reach even the capital. How can this be a little shop? Furthermore… This…interior of your store. They're spatially expanded…"

Wu Meiyu's eyes shifted around the store's interior, lingering on the shelves that stretched impossibly far from the modest exterior outside. The spatial expansion was a marvel that defied the architectural norms that only the top ranking factions in the realm could ever produce. Even their Royal Treasury had only been expanded twice its original size, but this… not counting where the door at the far side leads, it's already five times what it should've been if only based on its exterior.

She masked her awe with a composed tilt of her head but her curiosity burned brighter.

Lin Mo shrugged casually, his hands clasping behind him. "Indeed, it's a perk of being backed by divine beings, Your Highness. Even if you ask me, I cannot explain how this store came to be. My job as a Shopkeeper is only to manage this store and serve our dear customers. Speaking of which, what brings you here, Your Highness? Official business, or are you just browsing?"

Wu Meiyu's faint smile sharpened, catching the playful edge in his tone. "Official business as stated in the decree, Shopkeeper Lin. The Southern Wu Kingdom seeks a partnership. Your store's products are all otherworldly in quality. And these 'Viewing Jades', I don't know why you're selling it publicly and at a cheap price. It's baffling. Yet I understand that we'd be fools not to secure an alliance. Tell me, what exactly are your intentions with this… enterprise?"

Lin Mo rolled his eyes inwardly. How many times had he been asked the same question already? Unfortunately, it's impossible for him to run away from it.

He put on his business-like smile and answered, "Intentions? Pretty simple, really. Spread convenience, make a profit, and maybe help a few cultivators along the way. The Divine Convenience Store's here to serve, Your Highness. Everyone is a customer, be it a commoner or a princess. If you're probing about grand schemes… let's just go back to what I already mentioned. We're here to provide convenience. So, this partnership that you're hoping to achieve… I must say it may not go in the way you expect it to go."

Upon saying that, Lin Mo snapped his fingers and the divine-grade formation where the immortal-grade artifacts were hidden opened up, swallowing him and the First Princess inside, leaving Wei Xian and the anxious Zhu Min dumbfounded.

Before they could question where they went, Liu Xiaoyu hopped forward, calming them down.