Divine Convenience Store-Chapter 566: Day 26
The Star-Forged Iron appeared like ordinary iron ore, but upon closer inspection, glittering specks could be seen embedded within the rock, pulsing with a weak, cold light.
"This is the meteoric ore from the Martial World. It contains trace amounts of stellar energy. I believe this will be the key to our next phase of product development, and perhaps… my own cultivation."
Wu Meiyu scanned the ore with the gaze of someone who had appraised the treasures of a kingdom. "It feels… dense. And cold. Unlike the spiritual ores of our realm. If this can be refined, the weapons and armor forged from it would possess incredible durability."
"Mhm. But its value probably goes beyond metallurgy. We should let the divine beings inspect it for its use first. Who knows? Given their expertise, we'd know if it's the level of the ores that could be found up there in the Third Heaven. If not, our patrons in the Professional Foundry could try to forge them into spirit-grade equipment suitable for the masses. Efficiency, Your Highness. We must always have a Plan B."
Wu Meiyu nodded, "Indeed. If the Professional's Foundry can master this material, the equipment standard of the entire Eastern Abyssal Domain will rise by a level. It will be another tether binding the cultivators to the store."
"Mhm. Now, let's see what the experts up there think."
Lin Mo placed a hand on the chunk of ore. He didn't need to physically send it. The Store Token acted as a scanner and a transmitter for data. He accessed the [Feedback & Suggestions] tab, a channel he was becoming increasingly familiar with.
[Submission: Material Sample - Star-Forged Iron]
[Origin: Martial World (Fractured Plane)]
[Query: Analysis of composition and potential utility for cultivation or artifact forging. Is it compatible with the Starflow Meditation Manual?]
A beam of soft light scanned the rock on the table.
Moments later, a notification pinged. It wasn't the standard automated response, but a direct message tagged with a familiar, whimsical mark.
[From: Zhenren Taihao]
[Subject: Oho?]
[Message: "Well, look at what you dragged in. Star-Forged Iron? A crude name for 'Stardust Slag', but accurate enough. It is indeed debris from a shattered star that a being of divine-level once used in an ancient war. That still contains trace amounts of Stellar Essence.
For a divine craftsman like Chuang, it is already useless after losing most of its essence. But for you, my young friend? It is a nutrient. Your [Starflow Meditation Manual] requires starlight. That ore once contained solid starlight. You can absorb it directly to temper your nodes, though it will be… crunchy.
As for crafting? It is excellent for spirit to earth-grade weapons. Heaven-grade is also possible but it requires a skill nearing the peak of what the First Heaven could offer. It conducts qi with minimal resistance.
Tell your artificers to use a high-temperature spirit flame, preferably the White Ember kind.
Rating: B+. Good find. Keep digging."]
"Stardust Slag... The old man really doesn't mince words," Lin Mo chuckled, closing the interface. Although it appeared that Taihao truly knew about the war that turned the Martial World into that state, he decided not to pry into it for now. It's probably on a scale that he still couldn't imagine at his current level.
"But it's good news. It's compatible with my cultivation. And it seems the White Ember Sect's artificers will be very busy soon. But let's not play favorites. Everyone can have a chance to forge it."
He looked at Wu Meiyu. "We'll list a commission on the Professional's Foundry. 'Refining Star-Forged Ingots'. We'll pay them in store credits. Once refined, we can sell the ingots to them as well or have the Cerulean Cloud Sword Sect fashion them into standardized weapons for their Sword Saint Corps."
"A complete cycle," Wu Meiyu noted with a smile. "From the mines of a different world to the forge of a sect, and finally into the hands of our defenders. What a clever circle, Shopkeeper."
"I prefer to call it a supply chain. Now, sit down and drink tea with me. You're the princess, you don't have to stand before me."
"If that's the case, can I sit next to you?" Wu Meiyu asked in a whisper that was both bold and hesitant. A rare crack in her perfect royal demeanor.
Lin Mo paused, his teacup halfway to his lips. He looked at the First Princess. The soft lighting of the lounge cast gentle shadows across her features, highlighting the elegance of her high cheekbones and the depth of her dark eyes.
There was no political calculation in her gaze right now, only a genuine, unguarded affection.
He let out a soft, resigned chuckle. "You are the Chief Operations Officer, Your Highness. You can sit wherever you please. Besides, the couch is large enough."
He shifted slightly to the side, making space.
A radiant smile blossomed on Wu Meiyu's face. She moved with refined grace, settling into the plush cushion beside him. She didn't press herself against him like Venom Master Xun would have, nor did she bounce energetically like Xiaoyu. She simply sat close with their shoulders brushing occasionally. A comfortable warmth of companionship radiates between them.
"Thank you, Lin Mo," She said softly, dropping the title for a moment.
"Don't mention it," Lin Mo replied, taking a sip of his tea to hide the slight awkwardness he felt. He wasn't made of stone, after all.
Like this, they spent the next hour in comfortable silence while waiting for Xiaoyu, who spent the night inside the Premium Cultivation Room.
—
Day 26. The morning rush at the Divine Convenience Store was a beast that never slept. It only napped.
There was no end to patrons returning who mostly only buy one product or new faces who traveled to Fanling City from far away.
To his surprise, people from the east and south of the Eastern Abyssal Region had started coming in droves. Due to the lack of discovered Towers or Anchors that could be connected to the store down there, most of them traveled days after either hearing from the delegation of Rising Sun Ocean Pavilion that once passed by the store or the merchants who peddle store products.
"Shopkeeper, it's been a while." Elder Shen Liang, the Storm Elder of the Rising Sun Ocean Pavilion, greeted him.
Lin Mo glanced behind him, trying to find the so-called prodigy of their sect. The one whom the Elder escorted to the Liu Clan back then, only to not find Liu Xiaoyu there. And when they passed by the store, he failed to recognize her.
"Indeed, but I believe it has only been two weeks?"
"I promised to return to buy the Viewing Jade you spoke of back then. Many merchants have already appeared in our territory, but the Viewing Jades they peddled were always sold out before they even reached the vicinity of our sect. The Ocean Pavilion Master has also not been that keen on the tales we've brought back."
"The Ocean Pavilion Master is a cautious man," Shen Liang sighed as a look of helplessness crossed his weathered features. "He believes that relying on external tools weakens the Dao heart. He dismissed the [Spirit-Infused Potato Chips] as mere gluttony and the talismans as crutches for the weak. Without the Viewing Jade to show him the reality of your convenience, he remains... unconvinced."
"Skepticism is the luxury of those who haven't faced a calamity yet," Lin Mo replied, "But ignorance is an inconvenience that can cost lives. Tell me, Elder Shen, where is Young Master Xue Yuan? I recall he was quite… spirited during his last visit."
Elder Shen Liang's face twitched, a flush of embarrassment coloring his cheeks. He pointed a trembling finger toward the noisy corner of the store.
"He… he ran off the moment we entered. Right there. It seems to have caught his interest. That is related to that [Celestial Duel Platform], is it not?"
Lin Mo followed the finger. Sure enough, in the [Divine Convenience Arcade Zone], amidst the cheering crowd of rogue cultivators and off-duty mercenaries, stood Xue Yuan.
The prodigy of the Rising Sun Ocean Pavilion, dressed in robes that cost more than a small city, was currently hunched over Cabinet #5. His hands were restlessly pressing all the buttons while his eyes were bloodshot with intensity.
"Die! Die, you pixelated beast! [Oceanic Sword Slash]! [Tidal Wave]!" Xue Yuan screamed at the screen, abandoning all dignity. He was mouthing off his own techniques despite only giving commands to the summoned unit in his game. He then turned to another disciple of his Pavilion standing behind. "You, buy more Card Packs. I need more tickets to get that limited edition card sleeve!"
Lin Mo chuckled. "It seems the young master has found his Dao. The Dao of Gaming."
"It is… shameful," Shen Liang groaned, covering his face. "He is supposed to be the future of our sect. But that previous loss against the little girl in your store had him become obsessed with being better at it. Alas, when he heard about its release through the merchants' mouths, his father didn't grant his request to send someone to purchase a Celestial Duel Gear." 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖
Lin Mo could only nod. No wonder he never heard from them again. But given that they were now here today, it seemed they had finally gotten permission to return.
