Yu Qingyan's lips pressed into a thin line as she weighed her options. The tower loomed like a silent judge over the plains, from the bottom, those winged monstrosities continued to be released at irregular intervals.
She'd seen enough in her years as a cultivator and Emissary of the Verdant Sky Pavilion to recognize a calamity in the making, but charging in blindly wasn't her way, nor was it the Verdant Sky Pavilion's.
Profit and survival went hand in hand, and she intended to secure both.
"Not yet. They're too close to the tower. If we rush in now, we risk drawing those things to us before we're ready. Let the local sects and that city test the waters. We'll move once we have a clearer picture or if an opportunity presents itself."
Upon saying that, she sent another message to Lin Mo before accessing her Viewing Jade and creating a new thread in the [Community] section.
[Unusual Tower Sighting - MistyRain]
"Attention Divine Convenience Store Patrons. To anyone whose sect resides near the Jade Hollow Plains, a strange tower has appeared abruptly near the trade route northwest of the Southern Wu Kingdom. It is a dark, obsidian tower-like structure emitting foreign energy and releasing winged creatures of unknown origin. My trade caravan is holding position half a mile out, observing. Local sects and cities are likely to investigate soon. This phenomenon is strange. Share any information or sightings here. Stay cautious. Profit lies in preparation, not recklessness."
Yu Qingyan posted the thread and watched as the Viewing Jade's holographic display pulsed faintly, signaling it had gone live.
She tucked the artifact back into her robes, her focus returning to the tower.
The winged creatures were still circling but a few had begun to peel off, soaring toward the distant silhouettes of approaching cultivators—likely the defenders of the nearby city of Faguang. They're the closest to it.
"Elder Yu, Faguang is marked as a small city with their strongest cultivator only at the Foundation Establishment Stage. Only small caravans pass through them. Will they be fine defending against those?" Little Spring asked, poking her head out of the carriage again. "Should we get closer and offer them the Divine Convenience Store products?"
Yu Qingyan's lips curved into a faint smile. "That's unwise, Little Spring. In the face of a crisis, they won't have any thought in buying something unless… we give them a live demonstration. I'll go first and lend a hand myself. You take command here and follow after me at a slower pace. I'll give you a signal whether to continue or retreat after gauging those creatures' strength."
Little Spring nodded reluctantly, her youthful face creasing with worry but tempered by trust in Yu Qingyan's judgment. "Understood, Elder Yu. I'll keep the caravan steady and await your signal. Please… be careful."
Yu Qingyan gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder before turning her gaze back to the unfolding chaos. With a flicker of spiritual energy, she summoned her Verdant Wings, a pair of ethereal, vibrant leaf-like constructs akin to a fairy wing.
They unfurled from her back, lifting her gracefully into the air as she shot toward Faguang, her silhouette cutting through the wind. Her speed was noticeably quicker than only using her spiritual energy to propel her forward.
Meanwhile, Yu Qingyan's thread immediately blew up thanks to the prestige of being one of the Golden Patrons. Her thread title was highlighted and immediately rose to the top of the most discussed thread, even surpassing Yan Wei's challenge.
With the number of users continuing to increase, the comments also flooded as the title of the thread made everyone curious.
UnrivaledGale: "A tower, huh? Sounds like a challenge worth crushing. Keep us posted, Miss MistyRain. We'll go there if it's worth the trip!"
–SilverBreeze: "Young Master, focus on your rematch first! But… this does sound intriguing. Miss MistyRain, are the creatures weak to wind techniques?"
EmberAlchemist: "I'm looking at it from the top of our mountain peak. White Ember Sect will deploy a team to check it out!"
CrimsonDaisy: "I told you, you should've hired me to come with you! You keep on monopolizing the benefits from the Shopkeeper!"
Lin Mo shook his head as he read through those comments. Although it was quite a distance from Fanling City and the store itself, it's already in their region.
He pulled up the [Distributor Interface] again and read Yu Qingyan's last message on the [Communication Hub].
'What is she thinking? Didn't I tell her to play it safe? Why is she going there to give a live demonstration?' He facepalmed as his face twitched slightly.
Lin Mo: 'Miss Yu, are you intentionally making me worry? Look after your safety first. Where else will I get a competent Distributor like you?''
He quickly wrote his response at the same time as the cheers inside the [Divine Arena & Exhibition Hall] spilled out into the store proper. Whatever's happening there, it must be something to be hyped about.
His curiosity piqued, he walked towards it to check.
And there, he saw Liu Xiaoyu's face projected on the golden screen dripping with sweat yet her smugness remained. On the side, her remaining Celestial Energy was highlighted.
She's losing. Her opponent pushed her to the brink. And upon checking it, it was already Round 6.
"Was she that unlucky with her draws?" Lin Mo murmured as his gaze rested on the stage.
In the Celestial Field, the young boy from the Red Lotus Academy was already grinning from ear to ear with her Celestial Energy still above 1000.
As the [Setting Phase] was about to be over, the crowd erupted as they peeled their eyes to watch what could be Liu Xiaoyu's last stand or maybe a turnaround of her situation.
Her [Celestial Idols] already looked worn-out, flickering weakly as their once-vibrant forms dimmed by the relentless assault of Mingzhu's [Celestial Beasts].
The young Red Lotus student rubbed his nose, his [Celestial Duel Gear] pulsing with a fierce orange light as he commanded his deck with utter confidence.
On Mingzhu's side of the field, a towering [Stormfang Behemoth] roared, its massive claws raking the air and a sleek [Shadowprowl Panther] circled with predatory grace. Both of them were Level 4 Units.
The moment they moved, Liu Xiaoyu had to sacrifice her units or use whatever [Spell Card] she set to survive.
Liu Xiaoyu wiped the sweat from her brow. However, while she looked pressured, her confidence was also not diminishing. It was as if she had all this calculated in her head and despite her disadvantageous position, she'd still come out the victor.
"Well, well, Mingzhu, you're tougher than you look! You learned well watching how your seniors lost against. Boss would be proud of how you're channeling his beastly luck."
Mingzhu beamed joyfully. He was a kid, alright. His youthful exuberance undimmed by the intensity of the duel.
"Miss Xiaoyu, I watched the Shopkeeper's match with you over and over on my Viewing Jade! I knew I had to bring out the big claws to keep up! Now, let's start!"
The crowd roared with laughter and cheers, the tension breaking momentarily at the boy's earnest declaration.
Lin Mo, now standing closer to the platform, crossed his arms and sent a voice transmission to Xiaoyu. "Kid's got spirit. Are you really going to lose against the [Celestial Beasts] deck again, my prodigious assistant?"
She snapped back to him and stuck her tongue out, "Watch and learn, Boss. This match is not about luck but skill!"
She faced the front and took a deep breath as the signal for the [Battle Phase] chimed. "Okay, dear customer. Let's see if my idols can sing their way out of this one! I won't lose again until I get my revenge on Boss!"
With that declaration, the crowd erupted into cheers as the illusory units projected in the stage began to move.
Jiahao, Liying and even the group of Grandmaster Lian in the audience all cheered for the boy.
And then, as his [Behemoth] and [Panther] charged in to end the duel, two [Spell Cards] activated from Liu Xiaoyu's side.
Mingzhu's eyes widened in shock as the [Celestial Idols] materialized before him, their shimmering forms striking with unexpected precision. His units faltered mid-charge as their targets disappeared, their roars cut short as a wave of celestial light engulfed the field.
The golden screen above flashed an update:
[Activated Spell Cards: Celestial Transposition + Idol's Encore]
[Mingzhu's Celestial Energy reduced from 1,200 to 0]
The crowd erupted into a mix of gasps and cheers, the sudden reversal sending a ripple of excitement through the hall. Liu Xiaoyu's [Sapphire Melody] struck a final, resonant note, her microphone glowing as the [Idol's Final Encore] amplified the attack. The [Celestial Transposition] had swapped her weakened idols' positions, placing them directly in Mingzhu's vulnerable backline, bypassing his beasts entirely.
Mingzhu stumbled back, his grin replaced by a look of stunned disbelief. "W-What?! How did you–?!"
Liu Xiaoyu twirled her Duel Gear with a triumphant smirk, wiping the last of the sweat from her brow before winking. "Dear customer, it's all about timing! You pushed me hard, but I've been saving these cards for the perfect moment. Can't let my idols go down without a grand finale, right?"