Yan Chen passed by numerous training areas where disciples were honing their skills, their movements as fluid as the wind itself. He barely noticed them. His thoughts were solely focused on his recent experience at the Divine Convenience Store and his conversation with its enigmatic shopkeeper.
The Azure Gale Sect was renowned for its mastery of speed and agility, and the sect's training grounds reflected this. The area was a vast expanse of meticulously maintained open areas, dotted with obstacle courses and targets designed to test the disciples' reflexes and precision. The air was alive with the sound of whistling wind and the rhythmic thud of feet as the disciples honed their skills. It was a reminder of their sect's core principles: speed, agility, and precision.
Yan Chen reached the main hall, a grand structure built from a smooth, polished, azure stone. The interior was as spacious and meticulously designed as the training grounds, its high ceilings adorned with carvings depicting windswept landscapes and soaring falcons, symbolic of the sect's ideals.
The sect master, Yan Tianfeng, was seated at the head of the hall. His posture was as straight as a bamboo stalk, his eyes closed in meditation as if not bothered by anyone who would interrupt him.
As if sensing his presence, the sect master opened his eyes and gestured for Yan Chen to approach.
"Yan Chen, you have returned. I apologize for asking you to make a trip for my foolish son. So, what do you think of this rumored store?" Yan Tianfeng's voice was calm and measured, carrying an undercurrent of authority that made the air in the hall feel heavy. It was as if he already knew all that had transpired in the city.
Yan Chen bowed respectfully. "Sect Master, I must admit the journey yielded unexpected results."
Upon saying that, Yan Chen produced the Blossoming Lotus Breathing Technique and presented it to him.
Yan Tianfeng's sharp gaze narrowed as he accepted the manual.
He inspected it with an intensity that made Yan Chen stand a little straighter.
The Sect Master's fingers brushed over the cover, his expression unreadable as his mind was already analyzing the spiritual energy emanating from the seemingly new book.
"The Blossoming Lotus Breathing Technique…" Yan Tianfeng muttered in awe and slight apprehension, "This technique was thought to be lost for centuries. It had been said that the disciples of the Lotus Immortal Hall were wiped out in the aftermath of the Great War and their secret technique had been buried with them."
He opened the manual, flipping through its pages with a slight urgency as if he couldn't wait to confirm its contents.
His brow furrowed slightly as he scanned the descriptions of the meridians and the intricate instructions for guiding spiritual energy.
"Where did you acquire this? Is it authentic?" He asked as his eyes finally met with Yan Chen's.
"Reporting to Sect master, it's from the Divine Convenience Store. The rumored establishment." Yan Chen respectfully answered, " It's the same place where little Yan Wei bought the item he brought yesterday. When I arrived there, I had to handle the commotion he was starting with the disciples of the Crimson Vale Sect."
Yan Tianfeng's lips twitched in a rare show of amusement. "Indeed. My son needs to learn the meaning of 'patience' and 'discretion' in due time, I'm certain of that. But tell me, Yan Chen, if this manual came from that store, what do you think about the force behind it?"
Yan Chen answered with a grave expression. "It is impossible to gauge, Sect master. The store seems to operate under rules that we don't know. The items are of high quality, even those that are as mundane as a set of hairbrushes or a small mirror. And the Shopkeeper carries himself with an air of confidence that doesn't belong to an ordinary mortal. He's not even afraid to maintain eye contact with me."
Yan Tianfeng's gaze lingered on the manual in his hand. "Interesting. A mortal has been charged to man that mysterious store? Impossible. Something's not adding up. Anyhow, what about its patrons? Have you seen any influential figures?"
"Yes. We've run into the Pavilion Master of the Verdant Sky Pavilion on our way out, Sect Master. Her granddaughter, Yu Qingyan, seemed to be the one who convinced her to come and check it out."
Yan Tianfeng's eyes widened slightly. The Pavilion Master, a figure of immense power and influence, rarely visited places that weren't directly related to diplomacy or trade. Her presence in the Divine Convenience Store was a significant development.
"The Pavilion Master herself? Hmm... This place must be something else entirely. It seems I have underestimated the influence that this little shop was about to possess. If a divine being is truly the one behind that store… We might have to choose whether to antagonize or patronize it."
He closed the manual and set it down on his desk, his gaze drifting towards the panoramic view outside.
The Azure Gale Sect, a bastion of strength and order, was clearly not immune to the changes sweeping the region. And a seemingly innocuous establishment such as the Divine Convenience Store was also a sign that more changes were about to happen in this ever-evolving world.
The so-called Divine Beings are different from normal cultivators. Their origin may not be unknown but cultivators and mortals alike are vastly different from them.
They wielded divine energy which most cultivators believed to be a higher type of energy than the Nine Heavens' spiritual energy.
No one knew how they were born except the divine beings themselves but one thing they could agree on was that… they cannot stay within the realm for too long. At most, they'll be spotted at a certain place but they'll disappear soon after.
That's why most of the recorded divine beings have been known to be the subject of worship for mortals and cultivators.
For example, the Supreme Sun Church that dominated the Western Continent worshipped a divine being only known by the name, Solaris, the Supreme Sun God.
"Yan Chen, tell me in detail everything that happened within the store and your thoughts on how we should proceed."
"Understood, Sect Master. But do you want me to take the same actions as the Verdant Sky Pavilion and try to gain control over that store? In all honesty, I can't think of a way for our organization to do that. It's like it's a fortress. Or a place that they will never control." Yan Chen replied, his eyes reflecting his own internal questions about the store.
"Indeed. The Verdant Sky Pavilion may be powerful and have a bottomless purse but they cannot simply buy that store," Yan Tianfeng scoffed, his voice as calm as ever but his aura made the room tremble as he said it, "You can't simply buy something that isn't for sale. Instead, we have to focus on understanding it and its potential benefits. If it is as you described, we have to find a way to cooperate with them and not challenge their existence. We cannot afford to offend any higher powers that could threaten our sect."
"Also," Yan Tianfeng said as he looked back at the manual, his fingers tracing the cover again. "I want you to test the authenticity of this manual. The Blossoming Lotus Breathing Technique might be old but its unique effect in balancing the body and the spirit is one of a kind. Good job on purchasing it."
Yan Chen bowed deeply. "Understood, Sect Master. I shall see to it personally. Shall I include little Yan Wei?"
"Hmm. Yes. But ensure that it won't cause a backlash when swapping out his breathing technique. Let this be a lesson to him." Yan Tianfeng broke a smile as he thought about his unruly son.