A few minutes later, when the group of the Rising Sun Ocean Pavilion congregated at the back of the line, their baskets filled to the brim with different items, Lin Mo approached them again.
Elder Shen Lian was guarded but Lin Mo's expression remained the same.
"What is it, Shopkeeper?"
Lin Mo clasped his hands in front before saying, "Dear customers, I believe an apology is due from me. It was unbecoming of me as the Shopkeeper of this establishment to treat a customer in that way. Young Master Xue… For real this time, I'd like to show you something."
"W-what?" With an expression filled with wariness, the so-called prodigy stutteringly replied.
Lin Mo straightened his back and then produced something in his hand.
It was an artifact that many regular customers of the shop could recognize.
"Oh! That's the [Celestial Duel Gear]!"
"What?! Don't tell me Shopkeeper will do another test for the [Celestial Duel Platform]?!"
"Wait… Is Shopkeeper going to let that rude customer test it?"
"What do you know? Shopkeeper is fair to all. He was reflecting on his earlier actions. That guy is so lucky."
Hearing the excitement bubbling up around them, the group of Rising Sun Ocean Pavilion all appeared confused and excited at the same time.
In particular, Elder Shen's eyes landed on the artifact in Lin Mo's hands.
"Shopkeeper. That artifact. What is it?"
"An upcoming product from our store." Lin Mo swiftly answered before asking the confused 'prodigy', "Young Master, may I interest you in another challenge?"
In the Divine Pantheon, Lihua was treading the long hallway toward the chamber of Taihao. She had just finished the final adjustments needed for the [Celestial Duel System] and was late to read about the decision to send immortal-grade artifacts to the Divine Convenience Store.
"Isn't it too early for it? Did he foresee something again?" She murmured to herself.
As she approached the magnificently carved doors of Taihao's chamber, they swung open on their own, revealing a vast hall bathed in soft celestial light suffused with divine energy.
Taihao lazily sat in front of a suspended astral map, a swirling constellation of lights that depicted various realms.
His gaze was fixed on a particular point. The center of the map. A glimmering node pulsating with an unusual rhythm. It depicted a nine-tiered light stacked upon each other. The bottom three are shining brightly while the upper six appear dimmer and seemingly disjointed from the rest.
Revolving around it were four swirling nodes with lights twice as shinier than the bottom three. There was a semi-transparent line extending from those four swirling nodes connected to the dimmer part of the nine-tiered light.
"Hoho… You're here, Lihua." Taihao said without turning around. "I assume you've just seen the latest development that I implemented?"
Lihua exhaled and stepped forward, her long robes trailing behind her as her gaze also became fixed at the astral map,
"Yes, I have. And I must say, I'm surprised. Sending immortal-grade artifacts to the store already? The store is only on its ninth day. Are you expecting him to handle such things without issue?"
Taihao nodded as he twirled his long white beard with his fingers, "He will manage. He has to. The moment he took on the role of the store's manager, he set himself on this path. He may not realize the extent of our intention for it, but the store will be a beacon for the First Heaven. A beacon that will become a symbol of not just convenience but hope for everyone in that realm. "
Lihua frowned. "Can we not do anything to stop it?"
Taihao flicked his fingers, and the astral map shifted, zooming in on a cluster of points glowing with fluctuating intensity. "We cannot. They have already anchored themselves in all three heavens. They will be moving soon and our little experiment, Lin Mo's little store, will become a focal point to resolve future complications."
Lihua's lips pressed into a thin line. "And you believe arming the forces around with immortal-grade artifacts will help him fend off what's to come?"
Taihao's gaze remained fixed on the astral map. His fingers traced an unseen pattern through the swirling lights, a faint glow following the motion as if responding to his intent.
"Hoho… Fending off? No. It is about preparing the board. Giving pieces the means to grasp at the straws left for us.."
Lihua sighed. Her eyes narrowed at the pulsating nodes as a helpless look flashed across her beautiful features.
Taihao continued, "We are merely providing opportunities. What happens after that is dictated by the choices of those who grasp them."
Lihua had known Taihao long enough to recognize the layers beneath his words. While he claimed to be letting events unfold naturally, he was undoubtedly guiding them in a certain direction. The Divine Convenience Store wasn't just an experiment or an endeavor to reestablish influence. It was his latest attempt in preparing the entire Realm of Nine Heavens to what is to come..
And Lin Mo's Divine Convenience Store, for better or worse, will be the igniting light that will spark a revolution.
Her fingers twitched slightly. "He will need to be informed, even if only partially."
Taihao's eyes gleamed with amusement. "Oh? You're growing fond of the boy?"
"Don't twist my words," Lihua retorted with an exasperated sigh. "But throwing immortal-grade artifacts into the store without so much as a warning will invite trouble. If he doesn't understand the stakes, he may misuse them, or worse, sell them to the wrong hands."
Taihao nodded, finally shifting his gaze from the map to her. "Then, how do you propose we proceed?"
Lihua took a deep breath before answering. "We will gradually introduce him to the reality of his position. Right now, he still thinks of the store as just a business, albeit a divine one. But if we're going to keep pushing him into a larger role, he at least deserves to know that forces beyond him are already moving."
"Mhm. I expect nothing less from our Goddess of Harmony and Commerce. You do what you must. However, our Pantheon's priority is the continued development of that store." Taihao said in finality.
Back in the Divine Convenience Store. Inside the [Divine Arena & Exhibition Hall].
Once again, spectators lined up at the audience platforms while most of them crowded around Zhou Rui who once again took up the role of opening up a betting stall.
His dedication to his Benefactor was truly inspiring.
Up above the arena, the golden display flickered into light as it detailed what was about to happen.
Standing on one side was Elder Shen Liang and Xue Yuan, the so-called prodigy who got baited by Lin Mo for another challenge.
Then on another side was Lin Mo and the young staff of the store, Xiao Ya.
At the moment, the [Celestial Duel Gears] that were used by Lin Mo and Liu Xiaoyu yesterday were already on the wrist of the two designated Celestial Duelists.
"What? Are you insulting me, Shopkeeper? Is she my opponent in this duel? A young girl, who barely started cultivation?" The prideful prodigy scoffed.
But Lin Mo's smile didn't falter.
"Well, something like that. If you've listened to my explanation earlier, shouldn't you know that this is a bit different? I assure you, dear customer. It'll be a spectacle that will blow your mind away. As you can see, as much as possible I aim for everyone who steps into our store to leave satisfied."
Xue Yuan frowned, seemingly still unconvinced.
Hearing the excitement bubbling up among the regular customers, he narrowed his eyes. His earlier disdain had not completely faded, but now there was something else. Curiosity. He had expected an argument, maybe another snarky remark from Lin Mo but instead, the Shopkeeper's challenge was .
Although he felt insulted that his opponent would be the young girl who's still wet behind the ears, he swallowed his indignation.
Nevertheless, a question ran in his head. How is this [Celestial Duel Platform] going to be better than traditional duels? Isn't it just a game? There's no way he's going to lose against a young girl!