Divine Convenience Store-Chapter 504: Amenity Demonstration
Expecting that Venom Master Xun would go on the offensive when it comes to her desires, Lin Mo had already steeled his mind. He activated the [Everlasting Serenity Sutra] to its maximum output, ensuring his will was a fortress of unshakeable calm, and braced himself for whatever ’amenity demonstration’ she had in mind.
However, as the door to the private suite labeled ’The Twilight Orchid Pavilion’ slid shut behind them, sealing them in a world of muted violet light and the intoxicating scent of exotic blooms, Venom Master Xun didn’t pounce on him.
Instead, she simply released his wrist and walked towards the center of the room, her movements fluid and unhurried. The irresistible allure of her figure seemed so inviting that Lin Mo unconsciously took a step forward.
Looking around, the room was a little different from the one he had inspected with Xiaoyu. The suite reflected the aesthetic that the patron who rented the room favored.
Dark, polished wood, soft velvet cushions, and a steaming pool that glowed with a faint, bioluminescent purple light, likely mimicking the properties of a rare, spirit-rich grotto.
There wasn’t any moon in the artificial sky. Instead, it was dotted with a constellation amidst the dark purple.
Sensing him stop in his steps, Venom Master Xun slightly turned her face, looking over her shoulder.
"Are you not coming here, Shopkeeper? Must you keep rejecting my advances?"
"It’s not that I’m rejecting it, dear customer. Intimacy requires clarity, dear customer. A transaction must be understood by both sides before it is sealed. Honestly, I’m more surprised that you suddenly became this direct. Are you changing your approach?"
As he said that, his feet moved again, closing in on her. Venom Master Xun raised her brows, anticipating radiating in her eyes.
When Lin Mo started reaching for the control panel embedded in the wall to dim the ambient lighting, Venom Master Xun giggled softly.
She turned fully, her bathrobe fluttering slightly, which revealed a tantalizing glimpse of her collarbone and her enticing valley.
"Changing my approach? Perhaps. Or perhaps I am simply tired of games, Shopkeeper. We have danced around each other enough. You have my loyalty, my resources, and my respect. Is it so strange that I now desire... your presence?"
"Not exactly, I understand the implication of your actions. I’m not so oblivious about the matters between men and women. However, I must know, what are you expecting from me, dear customer?"
"What am I expecting?" Xun stepped closer until she was invading his personal space, her sweet fragrance overwhelming his senses.
She reached out, tracing the line of his jaw with her finger. However, this time her touch was less of a tease and more of a claim.
"You’re a difficult man to move, Shopkeeper. I must admit. Before meeting you personally, I’ve only ever had thoughts on how to seduce you, to make you dance around the palm of my hand like my little spiders, using your incredible influence to my benefit."
"Now that’s a confession I didn’t expect, dear customer. And to answer your honesty, that is one of the reasons why I’m not getting moved by your advances. After all, I have no idea what exactly you’ve seen in me except my current status as this divine establishment’s manager.
Xun Caiyin’s expression softened slightly before she leaned in, resting her forehead against his chest, "Indeed, you are also far too cunning to be fooled by mere seduction."
"Seduction works, actually. If you are seeking something casual, like a simple relationship to sate a primal desire, I wouldn’t mind entertaining that idea. But I sense that isn’t exactly what you’re looking for. A distraction is far too beneath for someone of your stature. If it’s a dao companion you’re looking for, I bet the thought has yet to come to your mind. You’re still far too focused on climbing up the path to immortality. Let’s see..."
He trailed his voice there as his arm wrapped around her slim waist, pulling her close to him, "Dear customer, you are looking for a lifeline."
He finished his sentence with a calm, penetrating gaze that seemed to strip away her seductive layers.
Xun Caiyin froze for a moment as the playful glint in her eyes dissolved into something weary yet fiercely determined.
She let out a soft, self-deprecating laugh, pulling back just enough to look him in the eyes.
"You see too much, Lin Mo. It is... inconveniently disarming." She sighed as she let her shoulders relax, dropping the persona of the predatory spider queen. "You are right. Primal desire is something I’ve set aside on my path to power. Although a casual fling with you won’t be so bad."
She licked her lips seductively, but that only lasted for a moment.
She took his other hand and placed it over her dantian. Even through the fabric of her robe, Lin Mo could feel the warmth of her body and underneath it was the chaotic churning of her spiritual energy.
It was like holding a container filled with agitated vipers, ready to break out.
She was truly on the cusp of breaking through. Every second is a waste of what can be gained if she has already broken through to the next stage.
Unfortunately, she still had to stabilize her core in order to safely tide through it.
"Can you feel it, Shopkeeper? Tell me, can your hot spring abate this storm? Can a simple soak truly calm a sea that threatens to drown me?"
Her voice trembled slightly, a crack in the porcelain mask of the Venom Master.
It wasn’t fear of death. She had faced that a thousand times. It was the fear of stagnation. The fear of burning out before she could reach the peak she had sacrificed so much to climb.
Lin Mo didn’t pull his hand away. Instead, he channeled a wisp of his purified starlight qi through his palm. It was cool, serene, and unyielding, a drop of order falling into her ocean of chaos.
Naturally, he didn’t know how it would affect her. Besides, he’s merely a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator. The quality of his qi was still lower than hers.
"The water alone? No," Lin Mo answered honestly. "The hot spring is a balm, not a cure. It can soothe the body and relax the mind, but what you must be seeking to accomplish is to prepare your body for the birth of your nascent soul. However, you built your power on consumption and assimilation, stacking poison upon poison until the mixture became too potent for the vessel."
He looked around the opulent, violet-lit suite. "However, this environment... is a good start. It is isolated. Secure. And filled with the calming properties of the spring’s water. A perfect operating theater for what you need to do."
Venom Master Xun’s eyes widened slightly as she looked at him, seeking enlightenment, "So you... you are ready? Now?"
"Ready for what I promised you? I don’t think so. But then again, why wait?" Lin Mo shrugged, his calm demeanor acting like soothing balm for her rising anxiety. "You brought me here for a demonstration of amenities, did you not? Let us demonstrate the most important one: privacy. Besides, although this might not lead to what you’re expecting, delaying will only let that chaos fester."
He gently guided her towards the steaming pool. "Into the water, Xun Caiyin. Let the heat open your spirit channels. I will join you."
For the first time since he had known her, the Venom Master looked hesitant. She glanced at the water, then at him, a flicker of vulnerability warring with her usual confidence.
Then, with a shaky breath, she untied the sash of her robe. The fabric slid from her shoulders, pooling on the floor like a shedding skin.
Underneath, her body was a masterpiece of lethal beauty. Her skin was pale and flawless, marked with faint, shifting patterns of violet tattoos that pulsed with her internal energy.
She was undeniably alluring, but Lin Mo’s gaze, sharpened by his refined soul, saw past the flesh.
He didn’t know if it was because of his sharpened will or just a gift he hadn’t fully explored yet but he could tell.
He saw the turbulent, toxic aura writhing beneath her skin, the spiderweb cracks in her spiritual channels that were barely holding together.
As per his instruction, Venom Master Xun stepped into the water, a hiss of steam rising as her potent energy reacted with the potent liquid.
She sank until the water reached her beautiful mounds.
Lin Mo followed suit, shedding his own robe with efficient movements.
His body, tempered by the waterfall and the starlight dew, had already transformed from what it was when he was a mortal. He was still lean but it now had a defined trait that seemed to glow with a healthy luster, repelling the gloom of the room.
He stepped into the pool, sinking behind her.
The water was hot yet totally comfortable. It was truly made for the convenience of the patrons.
His [Stillwater Body] activated, absorbed most of the heat and converted it into a gentle, rhythmic energy flow.
"My apologies but I must hold you again, Venom Master."
"Caiyin. I’d prefer it if you’d start calling me by my name, Shopkeeper." Venom Master Xun softly said before subtly nodding, permitting him to do what he must.
