Dawn arrives at the Divine Convenience and like the previous nights, Lin Mo and Liu Xiaoyu spend it meditating next to each other.
Opening his eyes, Lin Mo was met with the floating panel of his cultivation progress.
[Everflowing Serenity Sutra - 1st Layer]
[Current Progress: 15%]
[Comprehension bonus: Due to the harmony with your current techniques, cultivation speed has increased by 30%.]
He checked his body and he could sense that he was close to breaking through again. And it's something that was bound to happen whether he meditated or not because of his enhanced [Passive Spiritual Energy Absorption]
He exhaled and glanced at his side, finding Liu Xiaoyu already fiddling with her Viewing Jade. She finished her cultivation session way before him.
Upon sensing his gaze, the young woman looked up and smiled, "Morning Boss. The Bulletin Board exploded overnight. Sister Yangyang woke me up to help her in moderation."
Lin Mo stretched slightly as he stood up, the faint hum of spiritual energy settling into his lower dantian as he rose from his meditative pose. He then nodded at Yangyang who was still not showing any signs of exhaustion despite her constant work.
"Exploded, huh? Guess the tower's got everyone riled up. What's the hot topic?"
Liu Xiaoyu swiped through her Viewing Jade, her fingers dancing across the glowing surface. "Yan Wei's thread is now leading since Miss Yu stopped updating hers. His challenge for tower rankings has all the Azure Gale Sect disciples with Viewing Jade hyping him up.
Zhou Rui's counter-thread is picking up too; Crimson Vale's throwing shade at Azure Gale's 'reliance on spending.' Oh, someone also posted about the Store Beacon. People are asking if the tower is now a new branch."
"Hmm? I'll post an announcement about it once the Conduit Tower is in full operation and we have challengers who can attest to the Store Beacon's accessibility inside. Anyway, looks like Miss Yu is still working hard out there. Having her as our Distributor is such a great decision."
"Indeed. We should make her an official staff and poach her from the Verdant Sky Pavilion!"
"As if that's possible… But well, I don't think her sect's relationship with our store will deteriorate. Who knows? They might become our official partner if something like that popped up in the future."
"Oh! I can see that happening!" Liu Xiaoyu exclaimed before she went back to her browsing.
It's still a little early for the opening so there's no rush in going out of their quarters.
After moving to the employee's lounge to make himself a hot coffee, he waved his hand, pulling up the Divine Interface System.
He immediately went to his administrator access to the Store Bulletin Board to check his messages. A lot of unread messages popped up even though he set that only the Golden Patrons could send a message to the [Shopkeeper] username.
First, he checked the City Lord's reply. Wei Xian picked the username [CityLordWei] for his Viewing Jade. A straightforward choice that reflected his no-nonsense demeanor. Her daughter, Miss Lan, must've facepalmed when telling him to pick something more discreet.
CityLordWei: "Shopkeeper, I've sent men at what you called an Anchor. Prepare a full explanation."
Lin Mo's lips twitched into a faint smirk. Wei Xian wasn't one to waste words or time.
The City Lord's interest in the store had grown steadily since its opening, He didn't have that much interest in the immortal-grade artifacts but the sudden appearance of the Anchor near Fanling City was clearly something he couldn't ignore.
Although he did say it's still dormant, just the fact that it exists nearby is a hazard to his people.
He typed a quick reply.
Shopkeeper: "You can visit anytime, City Lord. Our store will fully cooperate regarding its containment – if that's even needed."
Next, he skimmed through the other Golden Patron messages. Most were inquiries about the immortal-grade artifacts. Their curiosity was already mired with impatience, especially with the appearance of the Tower.
The message from the High Priest, username [PoisonedOracle] stood out among them.
PoisonedOracle: "Shopkeeper, our cult will be paving a path for your store to expand to this side of the Abyssal Forest. I'll send someone to bring you good news soon. Please consider my previous offer and allow us to be another Distributor. The Great Poison Demon expects a positive partnership with the divine beings behind your store."
Reading all that, Lin Mo's lips twitched in slight annoyance. "He's persistent, I'll give him that."
"Hmm? What is it, Boss?" Liu Xiaoyu asked as she walked into the lounge, catching him murmuring. Yangyang followed closely behind.
"It's that old man from the cult. Miss Yangyang, this Chaotic Deity. Are they an enemy to the Divine Pantheon?" Lin Mo answered as he turned his question to the 'mortal' functionary of the pantheon.
Yangyang fixed her glasses first as she put on a serious expression, "Enemy? Not exactly. There are numerous factions in Third Heaven. Our Divine Pantheon is simply one part of those who follow the Heavenly Law. On the other hand, Chaotic Deities follow the Chaotic Law. Cooperation with them isn't prohibited but highly discouraged as the way they wield their divinities is rooted in chaos."
Both Lin Mo and Liu Xiaoyu listened to her words intently, processing the unfamiliar knowledge within them.
Lin Mo also picked up a slight edge in her words, clearly something personally rooted in her.
After contemplation, he asked, "Do you have any experience in dealing with the Chaotic Deities, Miss Yangyang?"
"I do. Someone important to me had been misled by a Chaotic Deity. They left the Pantheon and followed them."
Yangyang's voice carried a faint tremor as she spoke, her usual demeanor giving way to a quiet intensity. "It's not uncommon for the Chaotic Deities to lure followers with promises of freedom or power. They thrive on disruption, on bending rules the Heavenly Law seeks to uphold. That person… they chose chaos over harmony, and I haven't seen them since."
Lin Mo pressed his lips together, not daring to utter a word, the steaming coffee forgotten as he processed her words. Liu Xiaoyu sat across from him, her Viewing Jade resting on the table, her usual cheer was also subdued by the weight of Yangyang's revelation.
After a while, Lin Mo mused, "So, the Great Poison Demon is one of these Chaotic Deities but like you said before, they should not be well-known. And now the High Priest wants to tie his cult in partnership with us after getting a taste of our products. Miss Yangyang, would the divine beings reject it if I… hypothetically, accepted his proposal."
Yangyang adjusted her glasses again, her fingers lingering on the frame as she considered the question.
"Not directly. The Divine Pantheon doesn't wage open war with the Chaotic Deities unless provoked. It's more… a matter of principle. Taihao and Lihua value order, and convenience through structure. The Poison Demon Cult's methods – sacrifices, poison, and chaos – clash with that. If you allied with them, it might strain your standing with the Pantheon, but they wouldn't abandon you unless you crossed a line."
Lin Mo nodded slowly as his mind considered the implications "A strained alliance isn't ideal, but outright enmity is worse. The High Priest's offering a foothold in the Abyssal Forest could be lucrative for spreading the store's influence. Still, I'd rather not dance too close to chaos unless I know the steps. I guess I'll consult Taihao or Zhenren Lihua about that when they visit."
Liu Xiaoyu tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. "Boss, you're not seriously thinking of saying yes, are you? That cult's creepy! What if they start selling our stuff to poison people?"
"They might," Lin Mo admitted, his smirk faint but sharp. "But they're customers first. If they want to play distributor, they'll follow our rules just like how I reminded them regarding the products they bought from our store. I'll draft a reply to keep them at arm's length for now. We've got enough on our plate with the Anchor and the tower. And… the arrival of that Royal Envoy. It should be today."
He pulled up the Divine Interface System again, his fingers hovering over the holographic keys as he composed a response to the High Priest.
Shopkeeper: "PoisonedOracle, your offer's noted. The store appreciates your intent to expand our reach. However, distribution rights are still limited. Prove your cult's reliability. Once you're done, send an envoy with details of this 'path' you're paving. We'll discuss further then. Cooperation is possible but the store's purpose remains convenience, not chaos."
After reading it twice, Lin Mo sent the message before nodding in satisfaction. "That'll buy us time. Let's see how serious he is."
Liu Xiaoyu grinned, her usual energy creeping back. "Smart move, Boss! I never liked dealing with them but they're well-behaved even yesterday. Those Poison-Bearers too. They're still hoping to be freed from the cult's influence."
"Well, the fact that they scrapped their plan to invade eased a lot of minds," Lin Mo said, taking a sip of his coffee at last. "Anyway, enough about that. We have another busy day incoming. Cult or not, we'll reform them to be independent with our convenience."