"It could. As stated in my announcement, dear customer," Lin Mo admitted. "The gear is designed to recycle foreign energy, boosting summoned units and spells by 50% against creatures not native to our realm. The recycled energy can also contribute to the usage of energy. It won't be as draining. If the target of your expedition is crawling with those green-skinned things, perhaps the Celestial Duel Platform can turn the tide. Problem is, it's not a sword, which I know is something pretty difficult for you to accept. You'd have to rethink your approach."
Jiang Jianxin's lips pressed into a thin line, her pride as a sword cultivator warring with her pragmatism.
"I'll… consider it," she said finally, her tone clipped but not dismissive. "For the sect, if not for myself."
"Wise choice, dear customer." Lin Mo said, his grin widening. "Feel free to message me if you have things you need clarified… or… if you still have time, why don't you join the kids there? Test it out and see if it can blend with your sword path."
She shot him a look that could've sliced through stone, but the faintest twitch of her lips was a sign that she was at least amused at his suggestion.
With a final nod, she paid Lin Mo for the Awakened Celestial Duelist add-on on all five of the Celestial Duel Gears she bought.
Once she finished her transaction, she clasped her hands together before turning to leave, her sky-blue robes flowing like a river as she stepped out of the store. She had an expedition waiting, after all.
She couldn't afford to test it against opponents a whole stage below her.
Lin Mo's gaze lingered on Jiang Jianxin's retreating figure, her resolve practically radiating as she vanished into the bustling streets of Fanling City.
Somehow, the spark in his chest warmed up again. And for some reason, he could tell it was because of how satisfied the Sword Fairy was with her purchase.
"... I guess it's not just tied to my title anymore. Did Taihao know this would happen when he reformed my body? Anyhow, I hope Sword Fairy brings back more information regarding Anchors. It won't be long before the one nearby opens up."
His attention snapped back to the monk, who was now inspecting a pack of [Spirit Rejuvenation Tea] with the intensity of a scholar deciphering ancient runes.
The Towerbreaker's fingers traced the packaging, his [Thousandfold Spring Chant] subtly probing the tea's spiritual properties.
Lin Mo's lips twitched at that sight. This guy was either the most thorough customer he'd ever had or he was stalling because he lacked the spirit stones to buy them.
'Should I treat him? Build up a connection with this so-called Towerbreaker. Who knows? He might change his mind and help us locate more of them instead of destroying every tower he ran into.'
"Find anything to your liking, dear customer?" After calling the First Princess back to the counter to take over despite her protest. Lin Mo walked out and approached the monk. "That tea is a bestseller. It's perfect to consume when you're going to meditate for days on end. Helps with enlightenment."
The monk looked up, his faint smile returning. "Amitabha. This tea carries a trace of divine intent, Benefactor. Subtle, yet potent. Your wares are more than they seem."
He set the pack down gently, as if it might bite, and moved to the talisman aisle, his staff tapping a steady rhythm. "I seek no purchase yet. Only clarity. The divine thread here is… tangled. It binds you, this store, the Tower, and perhaps more."
Lin Mo's business smile held firm, but his Stillwater Perception caught the monk's probing intent, like a fisherman casting a net.
He may be correct in his assumption but to Lin Mo, it was a mere rambling of a broke customer.
"Clarity is free, dear customer, but it's a two-way street. Why don't I give it to you? That way, you can test our wares and find out if our store has any ill intent in our realm."
The monk paused, his fingers hovering over another pack of special tea leaves. His weathered face was unreadable as he weighed Lin Mo's offer.
"Amitabha. A gift, Benefactor? Generosity is a rare thread in a tapestry of commerce. Yet I sense no deceit in your words. Very well, I accept your tea. But know this: clarity is my coin, and I pay in questions."
'The audacity of this monk. You're receiving a free gift and you're paying back with interrogation?'
Lin Mo's lips twitched into a wry grin as he handed over the pack of [Spirit Rejuvenation Tea], its packaging glinting faintly under the store's ambient light. Despite what he thought, he had to put on his amiable smile. After all, the monk could be a great asset, especially when even the First Princess couldn't figure out his current strength. In everyone's eyes, he's like a mortal yet he's brimming with power.
"Questions are cheap, dear customer. Ask away. But don't expect me to spill divine secrets. I'm just a shopkeeper, not a sage."
The monk nodded, his fingers brushing the tea's wrapping as if testing its essence one last time.
"A shopkeeper who sells convenience that shapes fates. I am enlightened by your generosity. Tell me, Benefactor, do you know the Towers' origin? Not their trials or rewards, but their roots. The divine intent that birthed them. Your store is bound to them, yet you claim no knowledge of their deeper purpose?"
At that, Lin Mo understood that he was truly misinformed. Or he's just testing if Lin Mo's information aligns with his knowledge.
"Hmm. As promised, I'll answer with honesty in line with what I've uncovered. The Towers? They're trials, opportunities, maybe even traps, depending on how one looks at it. As for their origin, have you heard about the Fractured Realms? The foreign energy they emit is said to have originated from them. I'd wager the culprit in bringing them into our realm is similar to the divine hands that keep my shelves stocked. But I don't lose sleep over it. My job's to sell what helps cultivators face them, not to play scholar with celestial mysteries."
The monk's staff tapped the floor once, a deliberate sound that seemed to ripple through the store's spiritual energy. "A practical man. Yet practicality blinds one to the unseen. The Towers are not mere trials, Benefactor. They are conduits that siphon the realm's essence to feed something beyond our sight. Your store bolsters those who climb, but in doing so, it tightens the divine thread. Have you never questioned what lies at the thread's end?"
Lin Mo's brow furrowed slightly. The Towerbreaker's perspective wasn't new. Plenty of cultivators whispered about the Towers' true purpose on the Bulletin Board. But the way he framed it, it's like a warning etched in stone, carrying a weight that made Lin Mo pause.
Still, he kept his tone steady, his merchant's pragmatism a shield against the monk's probing. Does he trust the Divine Pantheon? It's hard not but he's naturally open to hearing other perspectives. And at the moment, the Tower's benefit to the store and to the cultivators who challenged it cannot be understated.
"If there's something at the end of that thread, dear customer, it's above my pay grade. However, I can see from your perspective. It's difficult to explain if you're not in my shoes, isn't it? But rest assured, our store will never stray from our vision of spreading convenience.
"If the Towers are truly siphoning essence, why then does it gift its challengers with resources outfitted for them? Isn't it the other way around? And like I said, it's best to be more wary of the underground ruins.
"Dear customer, our convenience is here to ensure our realm gets the tools to resist what's coming. Speaking of tools…"
He gestured to the [Celestial Duel Gear] display that's currently out of stock, "Ever tried a game? Might clear your head better than tearing down Towers. I'll gift you one too."
He still has one bundle that he set aside for himself that he can give to this monk.
The monk's faint smile returned, his fingers resuming their slow dance over his prayer beads. "Amitabha. You deflect with skill, Benefactor. A duel holds no interest for one who seeks to sever, not bind. But your wares…"
He glanced at the duel gear, his [Thousandfold Spring Chant] brushing against its aura, probing its divine imprint. "They are remarkable. A weapon that summons allies from illusion, fueled by the wielder's spirit. Such power could sway battles, yet it ties its user closer to the divine thread. You offer freedom, yet each purchase weaves a tighter knot."
Lin Mo snorted, unfazed by the monk's philosophical bent. He's convinced. This one was his most troublesome customer to date. And he's not even a paying customer!
"Knots or freedom, dear customer, that's for the customer to decide. I just provide the rope. Take that tea, for instance. Brew it, meditate, maybe you'll find some of that clarity you're chasing. No strings attached except maybe a good review on the Bulletin Board. Oh… right. I'll also gift you a Viewing Jade. Bind it to you and browse our Store Bulletin Board. It can broaden your narrow horizon."