Back at the Divine Convenience Store, Lin Mo was busy rearranging the weapons rack for what felt like the hundredth time. Liu Xiaoyu had insisted that the Celestial Wind Saber should be displayed at an angle that 'captured its heroic glow', whatever she meant by it.
"Boss, it's all about presentation!" Liu Xiaoyu declared, stepping back to admire her handiwork. "The right angle can make or break a sale!"
"If the sword doesn't sell today, I'm blaming your angles. Xiaoyu, let me tell you something."
"Fixating on one thing is not going to help you sell it. A glowing sword will catch the eye whether it's tilted heroically or lying flat like yesterday's snacks. Let's focus on not scaring off the customers with overly artistic vibes, okay?"
Liu Xiaoyu pouted, crossing her arms. "Boss, you have no vision. This sword could be the centerpiece of the store! It's practically begging to be the poster child for the 'Divine Weapon Emporium!'"
"Poster child? It's a sword, Xiaoyu. It doesn't have feelings," Lin Mo retorted, placing the weapon back in a neutral position. "Now, unless you can convince it to glow brighter when someone walks by, we'll leave it . And do not forget. This place is not the Divine Weapon Emporium. It's the Divine Convenience Store. Emphasis on convenience."
Liu Xiaoyu puffed up her cheeks but as she digested his words, realization set in her eyes. "Got it, boss! We focus on providing convenience to our customers!"
"Great. Now go outside and check our surroundings. Tell me what you see."
Liu Xiaoyu didn't need to be commanded twice, she immediately sprinted out to survey the surrounding area.
She bounded out of the store like an overenthusiastic rabbit, leaving Lin Mo to sigh in exasperation. He took a moment to glance around the store, mentally preparing himself for another day of balancing bizarre customers, divine inventory, and the ever-growing expectations of the system.
Not even a minute later, the door chimed behind him.
Lin Mo turned to see Liu Xiaoyu peeking back inside.
"Boss! You're not going to believe this!" The enthusiastic assistant said, her voice barely containing her excitement.
Lin Mo narrowed his eyes, already sensing that he was bound to find something different from what he had experienced for the past two days.
"What is it now? Did someone set up a rival store across the street?"
"No! It's way better, or worse, depending on how you look at it!" Liu Xiaoyu darted back inside, gesturing wildly for him to follow. "Come see for yourself!"
Curiosity piqued, Lin Mo followed her outside. The morning sun of the Nine Heavens bathed the street in a warm glow. For a moment, everything seemed peaceful until his eyes landed on a procession making its way toward the store.
"What the hell? That cultivator… he's truly quick at his work… Now, he's leading customers to our store."
Leading the procession was Zhou Rui, the poisoned cultivator from yesterday who, in exchange for letting him buy the Detoxifying Elixir for less than the suggested price, was tasked by him to spread the word about the store.
Looking closely, the people he's leading wore the same crimson-colored robes as him, likely fellow sect members. Furthermore, given the effectiveness of the Elixir, the man who already had one foot in the grave yesterday looked so healthy and jubilant as he seemingly preached about the greatness of the store to his peers.
As someone noticed Lin Mo and Liu Xiaoyu standing outside the store, they pointed them to Zhou Rui whose attention immediately shifted to Lin Mo and his little assistant.
Activating a movement technique, Zhou Rui crossed the distance between them and instantly arrived before Lin Mo.
Cupping his fist in front of him, Zhou Rui respectfully bowed to Lin Mo, "Benefactor, I have returned after spreading word of your miraculous store."
"You…" Lin Mo started. "I only tasked you to spread the word. How come you're here with a group of your fellow disciples?"
"Reporting to the benefactor, it is your grace that allowed this one to live another day. It is only right for a disciple of the Crimson Vale to repay the favor as quickly as I can."
"Boss, the Crimson Vale Sect is known for its merciless reputation! These guys don't usually bow to anyone!" Liu Xiaoyu whispered, her voice brimming with excitement—and a healthy dose of caution.
Lin Mo pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on.
"Why didn't you tell me that yesterday?" He mumbled in Liu Xiaoyu's direction before shifting back to the man in front of him, "Great. So not only did you spread the word, but you brought an entire sect's worth of trouble right to my doorstep."
The Crimson Vale disciples arrived behind Zhou Rui, their eyes gleaming with curiosity at the peculiar store behind Lin Mo and Liu Xiaoyu.
Zhou Rui straightened up, a look of genuine confusion crossing his face. "Trouble? Benefactor, you misunderstand. My sect brothers and sisters simply wish to experience the wonders of your Divine Convenience Store for themselves. I would never dream of causing you inconvenience. Do not worry, they brought enough and wouldn't ask to haggle for your price!"
Liu Xiaoyu stifled a laugh. "Boss, he said it! He said the store name like a true customer!"
Lin Mo glared at her before turning back to Zhou Rui, his professional facade slipping into place.
"Fine. As long as they're paying customers and not here to cause problems, I suppose it's... manageable. Welcome to our store."
Zhou Rui beamed, clasping his fists again. "Of course! The Crimson Vale Sect prides itself on its integrity. We shall not bring dishonor to your esteemed establishment."
Lin Mo raised an eyebrow, muttering under his breath. "Integrity? Sure. That's exactly the word I'd use to describe a sect known for mercilessness."
As Zhou Rui stepped aside, Lin Mo got his first good look at the group of Crimson Vale disciples now crowding the entrance to the store.
They were a motley crew of cultivators, ranging from serious-looking warriors to a few who seemed entirely too excited about the glowing "Open" sign hanging above the door.
"Xiaoyu," Lin Mo said in a low voice, "Get ready. This is either going to be our best sales day yet or an absolute disaster."
"On it, Boss!" Liu Xiaoyu saluted, her grin widening as she darted back inside to prepare.
"You're not lying, Senior Brother Zhou. This is… unlike any other merchant house we've visited." One of the female disciples, who was the first to enter the store after Zhou Rui, exclaimed as she stopped before a shelf selling an artifact packed like a hairbrush with a mirror at its back.
Through the system panel, Lin Mo could see what kind of item it was.
[Spirit Tress Comb: A spirit-grade artifact that enhances hair growth and luster. Guaranteed to repair even the most damaged strands, making your hair shine brighter than a celestial moon. Price: 30 spirit stones.]
"Of course. The system even sells beauty products now." Lin Mo wryly smiled as she stared at that shelf containing other similar products ranging from that comb to makeup that had been transformed into an artifact. Their packaging had a uniform brand, 'Xing Xing' which he suspected to be the name of another divine being from the Divine Pantheon.
"In any case, this is great too. I've cleared the first Daily Task and it won't be impossible to clear the second one too. They look loaded enough to fork out 20 spirit stones each."