At the estate prepared by City Lord Wei Xian, First Princess Wu Meiyu reclined on a cushioned chair in the spacious living room.
Her fingers deftly navigated the Viewing Jade's interface as she fascinatingly reveled at its exquisite design. The soothing glow of its golden runes illuminated her focused expression as she scrolled through the Store's Bulletin Board, reading every announcement posted by Lin Mo before continuing to the Community Section.
A steaming teapot rested on the ornate wooden table before her, its fragrance mingling with the crisp and salty scent of [Spirit-Infused Potato Chips] and the subtle sweetness of different-flavored [Energy Replenishing Candies] arranged on a jade plate.
Her Royal Army guards stood at a respectful distance, their presence unobtrusive yet vigilant.
She paused on a thread that talked about the most recent happening at the tower.
Jiang Jianxin ascends to Floor 3. The first challenger to do so after many peak Foundation Establishment Stage experts stepped out after clearing Floor 2.
"I have only heard of stories about her, but she's one of the few cultivators I look up to." She murmured softly as she recalled her childhood memories of being too fascinated with swords despite her Royal Father's insistence that a lady and a princess such as her shouldn't be enamored of sword masters.
Naturally, she didn't listen to her royal father and still pursued sword cultivation. Although her talent with it was far from being called a genius like the Sword Fairy, she successfully cultivated her Sword Intent to minor perfection.
Unfortunately, her days in the Royal Court had already dulled her previous sharpness. Her Sword Intent and cultivation of peak Spirit Condensation Stage weren't even enough to intimidate the Shopkeeper. It even looked like he disregarded it earlier when she tried to subject him to it.
"This tower is so mysterious. If not for the store, I will make a trip to see." Wu Meiyu sighed again as she bit into another chip, savoring its exquisite taste and the side benefit it brought.
Zhu Min, stationed near the doorway, shifted his weight as his armor clinked softly.
"Your Highness, should I dispatch scouts to Jade Hollow Plains? If the tower draws such attention, it may benefit the kingdom to secure a foothold."
Wu Meiyu shook her head, her gaze still fixed on the Viewing Jade. "Not yet, Captain Zhu. There is no benefit in rushing towards it. Besides, it's near the northern borders… My royal brother will have heard of it by now."
A bitter smile flashed on her lips before she raised her teacup to her lips, soothing herself by sipping the brewed tea from the tea leaves she bought from the store.
"It is best for me to remain here. Understand the Shopkeeper's game. And solidify our partnership. Haven't you experienced how mystical that establishment is, Captain Zhu? Just look at this Viewing Jade. If this was produced by anyone else, it wouldn't be sold cheap and there would be no such ease in information exchange."
"Information is wealth, yet the store has shown no concern about it. In the name of convenience, they're willing to spread this artifact to the general public."
She popped a candy into her mouth, the burst of energy sharpening her thoughts as she comfortably shifted on her seat.
"The Southern Wu Kingdom can't afford to lag behind the sects associated with them. The Tower is one thing but there's another threat that the Shopkeeper mentioned. Send your men to the City Lord and see what they're dealing with outside the city."
Zhu Min bowed crisply as he turned to carry out her orders. "As you command, Your Highness. I'll have a squad report to City Lord Wei at once and investigate any disturbances beyond the walls."
Wu Meiyu nodded absently, her attention drifting back to the Viewing Jade. She tapped into a new thread titled [Sword Fairy Ascends – Floor 3 Speculation], skimming the excited chatter of users debating Jiang Jianxin's progress. Some praised her methodical approach even though no one could spectate an ongoing challenge, while others speculated on the dangers awaiting her on the third floor. A few even mentioned the possibility of Core Formation-level guardians and the possibility of the Sword Fairy failing that challenge.
She set the jade artifact down for a moment and crunched another [Spirit-Infused Potato Chip]. The subtle surge of spiritual energy tingled through her meridians, a reminder of the store's uncanny ability to weave power into even the simplest indulgences.
"Convenience," She muttered, echoing Lin Mo's mantra with a wry smile. "Such a foolish concept for someone who can make the whole realm kneel with his products. I wonder how Royal Father will react when my gifts arrive."
The room fell silent save for the crisp crunch of the potato chips and the subtle hum of satisfaction escaping the First Princess's mouth.
Inside the Divine Convenience Store, Lin Mo stood behind the counter, the earlier scuffle resolved with minimal fuss.
The rogue cultivator had shuffled off to line up for the Viewing Jade, grumbling but compliant. Meanwhile, the sect cultivator finished his noodles and picked up the empty packet, putting it in his shopping basket before lining up as well.
Although tension rose again, Lin Mo's cold gaze landed on the two while the [Spirit-Dispersing Beacon] hummed faintly, its suppressive aura ready to deal with them again.
Liu Xiaoyu darted over, carrying a box of [Taihao Spicy Noodles] to restock the shelf. The automatic restocking only happens during the night, after all. And with this many customers, she had to go back and forth to fill up the empty shelves.
"Boss, won't you make an announcement about the Tower? You know… to promote it more since the Store Beacon is present in it."
Lin Mo shook his head, "I will after I finish dealing with Miss Yu's complaints."
Xiaoyu giggled, stacking the noodles with ease. Her Heaven's Reflex was getting fully exerted by her.
"What is she complaining about? Is it because you cannot reply to her right away? Isn't she acting like a wife?"
Lin Mo shot Xiaoyu a sidelong glance, his lips twitching into a faint smirk. "A wife, huh? Don't let Miss Yu hear you say that, or she'll have my head for not replying fast enough. She'll point at me again for teasing her. She's already mad about the cooldown keeping her out of the tower. Probably thinks I'm slacking instead of running a store drowning in customers."
Xiaoyu snickered, balancing the last noodle packet before hopping back toward the counter. "Well, Boss, you are the Shopkeeper. Can't you just magic up a reply with that fancy Divine Interface System? Tell the system to compose the reply for you. Won't that be possible?"
Lin Mo rolled his eyes and shrugged. While that's possible, it'd probably sound so stiff that Yu Qingyan would think she was talking to a machine.
"I'd rather not poke the beehive until I've got something solid to say. She did us a favor testing that [Emergency Escape Talisman]. I owe her a proper response, not a half-baked excuse. In any case… it looks like she's going to stay there and not continue with her caravan's route."
Given how effective the store products are, she might really be able to sell everything in her inventory by camping outside it.
Lin Mo was still waiting for what kind of fortuitous encounter she'd experience if she traveled to another region but he couldn't just tell her to move, right?
That's why after thinking carefully, he composed what he believed to be the proper response,
Lin Mo: "Miss Yu, I apologize for the late reply. I owe you one for the testing of the [Emergency Escape Talisman]. If you have any requests, I will do my best to grant them. On another note, are you planning on staying there?"
Lin Mo tapped away at the Divine Interface System, his brow furrowed as he reworked his message to Yu Qingyan. The initial draft felt too formal, too detached, like something a clerk might send instead of a Shopkeeper with a personal stake in the game. He wanted it to carry his voice, a blend of gratitude and the easy familiarity they'd built over their exchanges. After a few tweaks, he settled on something that felt right.
He read it over once more, nodded to himself, and hit send. It struck the right balance. Appreciative without groveling, casual without overstepping.
'Wait, why does it feel like I'm giving her special treatment?' Lin Mo questioned himself.
Liu Xiaoyu peeked over with a teasing grin from where she was organizing a stack of [Spirit-Infused Potato Chips]. "Finally done, Boss? Took you long enough. What'd you say? Something sweet to charm her back?"
Lin Mo walked over to her and flicked her forehead strong enough for the mischievous assistant to yelp and rub the spot with indignation. "Who's charming who? Hurry up. You're relieving Xiao Ya on the counter. I'll deal with the other things that need to be done."
Then, before she stepped away, Lin Mo added, "Oh, right. Later, can you ask Xiao Ya's family to let her stay with us? It's for her cultivation. We'll make use of those artifacts tonight."