The same as yesterday, the moment the Divine Convenience Store opened its doors, a flood of customers entered, all eager to check the wares.
A line of mortals soon stood before the counter as they one by one showed whatever they considered treasure in hopes of being able to convert it into store credits.
Lin Mo listened to their noisy chatter as they excitedly waited for their turn, bragging about the estimated value of their 'treasures'.
Unfortunately, a large portion of them brought something that the system deemed useless. In a way, those rejected items also gradually formed what is and what isn't going to be accepted by the store's Barter System.
The ones with the most value were fresh herbs – even unknown ones as long as they contained a hint of spiritual energy.
Next, the ores or even normal rocks since something could be hidden within them that the system scanned and detected.
And lastly, artifacts or heirlooms passed down to those poor mortals. Most of them had an embedded precious gem or a raw spirit stone of indeterminate quality.
"Shopkeeper, can you scan it again? My late grandfather bought this from a merchant for 1000 gold coins. He said their value should be high and sought after even by a cultivator."
As the line dwindled, some mortals started getting desperate. A middle-aged man held out a bronze pendant with an intricate engraving, his expression full of hope.
Lin Mo sighed inwardly but maintained his professional smile as he glanced at the system's appraisal.
[Item: Bronze Pendant (Mortal-Grade)]
[Description: A well-crafted but mundane trinket. No spiritual energy detected.]
[Value: 0 store credits]
"I'm afraid this item doesn't hold any value for our store," Lin Mo said patiently.
The man's face fell. "B-but my grandfather said—"
Lin Mo cut him off gently. "It may hold sentimental value, but the Divine Convenience Store only accepts items with practical use, such as herbs, ores, or spiritual artifacts."
The man sighed in disappointment and stepped aside.
Meanwhile, Liu Xiaoyu, who had been rejected by some customers browsing the store returned to his side pouting, "Boss, am I not helpful enough anymore? Why don't they want my assistance anymore?"
"That's because you don't always have to assist them. If they need your assistance, they will call for you. You'll do well just greeting them at the door than sticking your face when they want to take time browsing."
"Eh… My suggestions are great though. By the way, boss. How's your study with cultivation? Are you satisfied with just the Silent Stream Breathing Technique? Don't you want to learn some combat techniques? I bet we have some in the store. It'd be nice if you could at least throw a punch if we ever get into trouble."
Lin Mo shot Liu Xiaoyu with a flat look. "You think I should go out there and start brawling with cultivators?"
Liu Xiaoyu grinned, her fox-like ears twitching. "Nooo, of course not. But, y'know, it'd be fun to see you do something flashy."
Lin Mo sighed. "My job is to sell, not fight. That's why I have assistants like you."
Yangyang, who had just stepped out of the Shopkeeper's quarters since there were no customer complaints yet, chimed in while nudging her glasses.
"Shopkeeper, while Liu Xiaoyu's suggestion is, as usual, a bit exaggerated, she does have a point. As the store's influence grows, it's inevitable that you will face more… direct threats. Even with the store's protections, having a basic means of self-defense would not be a bad idea."
Lin Mo hummed in thought. He wasn't opposed to learning a technique or two since he even had a notion of becoming a cultivator. But he hadn't come to this world to cultivate and become a peerless martial god especially because he was thrust by Taihao into running this establishment.
Last night, he progressed to another stage even with his Celestial Providence triggering on Liu Xiaoyu which made the girl more energetic today.
"I'll look into the manuals later. But for now, Xiaoyu…You better start learning how to operate this register. There will come a time that I'll leave this task to you."
Liu Xiaoyu gasped dramatically, placing a hand over her heart as if Lin Mo had just given her the greatest responsibility in the world. "Boss… are you finally acknowledging my talents?!"
Lin Mo smirked. "No, I'm acknowledging that I need more breaks."
Yangyang chuckled at that, adjusting her glasses. "A wise decision, Shopkeeper. Liu Xiaoyu's enthusiasm should be put to better use."
Liu Xiaoyu pouted but then beamed as she hopped over to the register. "Alright, alright! Teach me, Boss! I promise I won't mess up… too much."
Lin Mo rolled his eyes but proceeded to explain the basics. He figured that with how quickly she picked up the store's layout and sales techniques, she'd handle the register just fine.
At the edge of the Abyssal Forest, teams of agile cultivators from various forces have begun moving. Armed with the Divine Convenience Store's Scout's Survival Kit bundle, they navigated through the dense foliage, their senses sharpened as they scanned the surroundings for any signs of movement.
Among them was Yan Wei, the young master of the Azure Gale Sect, who had been dispatched alongside his juniors to monitor the forest's borders.
After that day he brought his juniors and splurged more than 100 high-grade spirit stones just to compete with Zhou Rui, he had been grounded by his father, the Sect Master. On top of that, he was also shown the Blossoming Lotus Breathing Technique to study.
However, since he couldn't stay still in his courtyard, he decided to join the efforts in scouting inside the Abyssal Forest.
None of the disciples could stop him because of his seniority and status within the sect. But rather than become troubled, they were actually rejoicing for his presence.
Yan Wei, despite her attitude, remained to be their esteemed young master with the highest talent among the disciples.
With his sharp eyes and wind-enhanced agility, he was the first to notice something amiss.
He crouched on a sturdy tree branch, peering through the thick canopy. The early morning mist had yet to clear, but even through the haze, he could see the unnatural movement of the undergrowth in the distance.
A large force was moving—no, advancing.
Yan Wei's heart pounded as he signaled to his fellow scouts, urging them to stay silent. Using the binoculars he had received from the Divine Convenience Store, he zoomed in on the figures beyond the mist.
What he saw made his stomach tighten.
Dozens. No, hundreds of figures clad in dark robes moved in formation, their bodies shrouded in poisonous miasma. Alongside them, demonic beasts with venomous fangs prowled the terrain, their eyes glowing with eerie green light.
"The Poison Demon Cult…" Yan Wei muttered under his breath.
One of his junior disciples named Chen, who had been watching from the side, swallowed hard as she readied her card talisman to activate them for their to escape the scene, "That's… a lot of them, young master. They're moving as if they're preparing for a siege."
Yan Wei's grip tightened around his sword. On his head was the cap he bought from the store, "This is an advanced force. Hurry and retreat."
His mind raced. If they were already this deep into the Abyssal Forest's outskirts, that meant the cult had sent them in the middle of the night. The reports from the city guards and informants had mentioned some activity, but this was beyond expectation.
Yan Wei quickly activated his voice transmission talisman, relaying the urgent message to the sect.
"This is Yan Wei of the Azure Gale Sect. We have confirmed large-scale movements of the Poison Demon Cult at the forest's edge. Their numbers are significant, and they appear to be advancing toward the plains. Immediate reinforcements are required."
The talisman flickered as the message was sent. His fingers curled into a fist.
"They're really going all out for this," he muttered. "But why now?"
Another scout beside him frowned. "Could it be… because of that store?"
Yan Wei's expression darkened. The Divine Convenience Store had caused a stir in the region, its influence growing day by day. If the Poison Demon Cult saw it as a threat, then…
"Let's go back to that store and inform the Shopkeeper," he said grimly. "They might be being targeted by the cult as well."
He couldn't accept it. If the cult occupied the store, where would he buy those delectable snacks? He heard there were new flavors of the Potato Chips, he had yet to taste those!