Divine Convenience Store-Chapter 535: Abyssal Forest Conduit Tower
Abyssal Forest Conduit Tower, Floor 1.
Unaware of the horror that Mu Wuyan faced at the forbidden area of the Western Sacred Lands, Lin Mo found himself in an environment that was humid and teeming with the scent of ancient, damp earth. It was different from the identical bleak rooms of the Jade Hollow Conduit Tower,
If he had to call it, it was akin to a primordial jungle. Massive ferns blocked his line of sight, and the roar of beasts that was clearly not ordinary echoed through the canopy.
At the corner of his eyes, he was greeted by the familiar floating panel that was inherent in the tower.
[Challenger: Lin Mo - Mid Foundation Establishment Stage]
[Current Floor: 1 out of 25]
[Linked Challenger: Currently Unavailable]
[Objective: Clear the area of the ferocious beasts or survive for one hour]
[Rewards: 1 Green Chest, Dimension Essence, Access to Floor 2]
[Store Beacon Access: Active]
[Dimension Essence Balance: 22118]
A smirk formed on his lips as he glanced at his current balance. Since he never truly had a chance to use his acquired Dimension Essence from the previous Towers and Anchors he explored, it accumulated to that amount.
His 'Personal Balance', the one that the Divine System Interface generated for him, still contained his 'salary' from the store's operation. It's also continuously accumulating. But unlike his Dimension Essence, he had already used it before. Once for buying the manuals and another for treating Xiaoyu with a store product she was eyeing before.
Truthfully, he truly didn't have anything to buy with it. And if he needed something from the store, he could just take it from the inventory and put it in his tab.
Nevertheless, his daily necessities were already covered by the store. He was essentially living a life of luxury in a dangerous world, provided he kept the business running.
Still, he would have to use it in the future. For opening a new branch. Or if Xiaoyu found another manual for him from the mystical lost manuals shelf of the store which still had its quirky 'only the fated' function. If a patron wasn't destined for it, they'd forget they picked up something from that shelf and return the manual unconsciously.
As for how Xiaoyu could pick a manual for him, he also had no idea. When he asked her before, she just mentioned she could browse it without any restrictions.
"Well, enough of that. Knowing that girl, she'll breeze through the first five floors and wait for me there. How dangerous will this be compared to that one at the Jade Hollow Plains?"
As if responding to his question, the foliage ahead exploded.
A creature with a sleek figure and covered in vibrant, emerald scales lunged at him.
It resembled a raptor from the Cretaceous period of his old world, but its claws glowed with a faint, earth qi and its speed was easily comparable to a late Spirit Condensation Stage cultivator.
[Entity Identified: Verdant-Scale Raptor]
[Threat Level: Low]
Like he expected, the tower once again adjusted itself to the challenger's strength. But it would get increasingly more difficult as he progressed through the floors.
His heaven-grade spear appeared in his hand with a thought.
Grabbing it tightly, the [Starlit Dragon Spear] hummed as the cold starlight qi within it resonated with the nodes in his dantian.
Without wasting even a millisecond, his [Stellar Domain] expanded instantly, covering a five-meter radius and engulfing the lunging raptor.
Its momentum visibly slowed down, causing it to screech a high-pitched sound that seemed to pierce his eardrums.
"Alright, don't make too much noise, you're not alone, aren't you?" He sarcastically said as if the generated creature could understand him.
Then, his spear moved.
In a split second, the creature's eyes widened in primal confusion and then… death.
The tip of the spear pierced through its hide with the starlight qi erupting from the spear tip, and scrambling the raptor's insides, before exiting from its back.
It was a simple, efficient thrust, guided by the principles of his [Flowing Star Combat Style].
Thwack
The creature went limp, sliding off his spear as he withdrew it. It dissolved into motes of green light before the familiar notification of his earned Dimension Essence appeared from the corner of his eyes.
[Dimension Essence Earned: 10]
[Remaining Creatures: 99]
"This… The Jade Hollow Conduit Tower's challenge was done in waves. Am I supposed to explore and find the ninety-nine other creatures?"
Then, he paused.
Similar shrieks erupted from the dense undergrowth surrounding him. Not just from the front, but from the left, the right, and even from the canopy above.
A coordinated ambush.
Lin Mo wryly smiled as he gulped down his saliva.
"I stand corrected. You're not waiting to be found. You're already here. How very convenient."
The rustling intensified, transforming into the thunderous sound of a stampede.
The vegetation parted violently as dozens of Verdant-Scale Raptors poured into the clearing. Their eyes glowed with hunger, their earth-qi-infused claws tearing up the damp soil as they charged towards him.
They moved as if they put a tracker on him.
The ones in front crouched low, preparing to spring, while the ones in the back circled to cut off his retreat.
"Ninety-nine left," Lin Mo murmured, tightening his grip on the spear. "Let's see if my stamina can keep up with your numbers."
Upon saying that, he pulled out a pack of Energy Replenishing Candy and popped one in his mouth.
As the sensation of spiritual energy entered his body through his mouth, his figure blurred, leaving behind a crimson afterimage that a pouncing raptor shredded instantly.
Crimson Flow Phantom Steps!
He reappeared in the middle of the pack, his [Stellar Domain] flaring to life with blinding intensity.
The silver light acted like a sudden increase in gravity. The raptors within the five-meter radius stumbled, their screeches turning into confused chirps as their movements became sluggish.
"Be like water. Or rather, flow like water, strike like a star."
Lin Mo tried to imitate the famous words of a legendary martial artist on Earth but changed it up a bit, matching it with his current state.
His spear shone with a silver light. He didn't need flashy, explosive techniques. He used the efficiency he had honed in the simulation.
A thrust to the throat. A sweep to the legs. A pommel strike to the skull.
Every movement was calculated and according to his Flowing Star Combat Style. Every expenditure of starlight qi was measured.
Qi Solidification!
As three raptors lunged at his back, Lin Mo willed his energy to condense.
A translucent, jagged wall of starlight materialized behind him.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
The raptors slammed into the barrier, stunning themselves. Then, he spun as he traced a perfect circle.
Dragon Crescent Sweep!
The arc of light decapitated the three stunned beasts in a single motion.
They dissolved into motes of light, their energy rushing into him.
[Dimension Essence Earned: 30]
The battle became a rhythm. Dodge, strike, solidify, kill. The [Stillwater Body] absorbed the kinetic energy of the near-misses and the minor impacts, feeding it back into his stamina reserves. He somehow became a perpetual motion machine of destruction.
Minutes passed. The pile of dissolving corpses grew, and the counter in his vision ticked down rapidly.
90… 80… 50…
When he reached that count, he suddenly sensed a change in his surroundings.
The aura of the raptors intensified as they seemingly grew in size. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮
Then one by one, they started emitting the pressure of an early Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator.
"Huh… Xiaoyu must've been enjoying this tower more than anything else. This kind of challenge is something a supreme talent like her would find appealing. But me? I shouldn't have stepped out of the store."
Upon saying that, he recalled Wu Meiyu's reminder, "Shopkeeper, I'm certain you're a very cautious person. But remember, you still have a store to look after. So, take care."
That sounded like a normal reminder but the tone she used was like that of a woman sending off her husband to war.
Yu Qingyan also said something similar when he informed her of his plan. As for Venom Master Xun…
Well, he'd better not talk about her for now.
Focusing his mind, he immediately circulated his spiritual energy and let the complete constellation floating above his dantian spin rapidly, infusing his spirit channels with the newly acquired [Psionic-Tempered Starlight Qi].
The silver light surrounding his body suddenly gained an amethyst edge. It wasn't just pure energy anymore. It carried the weight of a refined will, capable of striking at the spiritual consciousness of his enemies.
With a thought, Lin Mo lunged.
The fifty upgraded Verdant-Scale Raptors roared in unison, their combined killing intent forming a suffocating pressure.
Compared to the other tower, there wasn't a floor guardian among them. Still, their numbers alone could overwhelm an ordinary cultivator.
Thankfully, he prepared enough thanks to the posts of the patrons who had challenged this tower before him.
But what kind of preparation?
Simple…
He pulled out a packet of a Demon King Chili Edition of [Taihao Spicy Noodles] and slipped a [Windstrike Talisman] inside it before throwing it in their direction.
BOOM!
The packet exploded with fumes of red dust, engulfing a fourth of the charging raptors. Another fourth scattered but they inhaled the atrociously spicy seasoning, causing them to writhe in pain, their green skins turning red.
Meanwhile, the remaining half faced the tip of his spear, charged with one of his self-created techniques.
Starcoil Thrust!
