Divine Convenience Store

"Boss, it's here!"

Upon exiting the quarters, Liu Xiaoyu instantly noticed the eye-catching change on the counter and excitedly ran up to it.

Lin Mo's gaze followed Liu Xiaoyu's excited pointing finger, landing on the sleek, tablet-like devices now adorning the counter. They were neatly placed on a shelf, displayed for every customer that would line up for checking out their purchases later.

The Viewing Jades shimmered under the soft glow of the store's light. Looking at it closely, there wasn't that much difference to the first five that Lihua presented as prototypes before, which he handed to the first five Golden Patrons.

Their smooth surfaces remained engraved with delicate golden inscriptions that pulsed softly in rhythm with the surrounding spiritual energy and faint divine energy. They looked out of place in this world yet somehow perfectly at home in the Divine Convenience Store's eclectic mix of wares.

It's the revolutionary device that would grant the customers access to the Store Bulletin Board.

The price tag remained at 1 high-grade spirit stone or half of it if the customer accumulated 2 high-grade spirit stones worth of purchase. It was made that affordable so even the mortals can have the chance to buy it at a lower price. Naturally, there's also a note that it will be soulbound upon activation and every customer is limited to only one Viewing Jade.

On the wall behind the counter and next to the Shopkeeper Quarter's door, the poster announcing the Viewing Jades before had been replaced. Now it's saying that it was out on sale. There were instructions on how to activate them and the function of the Store Bulletin Board, which could save Lin Mo the time to explain to every customer.

Then, a third poster was now present on the right of the customer hotline poster, introducing the [Celestial Duel Platform] and the upcoming release of [Celestial Gears], [Starter Packs] as well as the rules for that game.

"Great. You should get one of these too. Xiaoyu. Set aside four of them for us. Miss Yangyang and Xiao Ya should also get one. Although I won't need it since I can access the Store Bulletin Board through the Divine Interface System, it's better to be prepared in case I need to step out of the store in the future." Lin Mo said as he picked one up, turning it over in his hands, inspecting it thoroughly.

Liu Xiaoyu bounced on her heels beside him. The excitement in her eyes barely contained. "Okay Boss! I'll activate mine then."

She picked up one of them and immediately poured her spiritual energy into the device.

Soon, the screen lit up as the holographic display popped out. It flickered faintly before the display shifted, prompting her to input her username.

Liu Xiaoyu's fingers hovered over the holographic display. Her grin widened as she tapped in her username with a flourish.

FlowingStar

The Viewing Jade chimed softly, a ripple of golden light spreading across its surface as it bound itself to her soul.

The screen shifted again, revealing the Store Bulletin Board. A sleek interface that instantly showed the store's posted announcements.

Since he's the one with the admin privilege through the Divine Interface System, Lin Mo still had to post about the Viewing Jade's release. He decided to do it later before opening the store.

He stood behind Xiaoyu, watching her scroll around it, checking each post and leaving a comment below the ones made by the five Golden Patrons.

As she continued scrolling, she noticed a section labeled 'Community'.

"Boss, look at this!" Xiaoyu exclaimed, swiping through the interface.

Turns out, Zhenren Lihua already rolled out the updates for a forum-based community where every user can post a thread or comment on one.

Lin Mo leaned over her shoulder, his Stillwater Perception picking up the faint hum of divine energy emanating from the Viewing Jade.

"Alright, Xiaoyu. You should make the first post in the community section. I'll put you and Yangyang as the moderators of it."

"Okay, Boss!" Liu Xiaoyu saluted. With the way she fiddled with the Viewing Jades, she was like a kid getting her new toy.

Lin Mo nodded, "Bring the three Viewing Jades inside our quarters and give Yangyang hers to activate when she's done with the beacon. I'll give you two moderating privileges to delete threads and comments. The direct messages should also be opened, but we should limit that feature as it can be used maliciously."

"Got it!" Xiaoyu chirped, carefully placing three of the devices behind the counter in a small storage box marked with their names.

After posting the new announcements concerning the Viewing Jades and Celestial Duel Platform, Lin Mo turned his head to the entrance of the store.

Once again, customers were already lined up in an orderly manner, waiting for the store's opening. Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire

Liu Xiaoyu returned from the quarters with Yangyang following behind her. In her hand was the [Spirit-Dispersing Beacon] ready to be deployed.

---

Emerging from the Abyssal Forest, Luo Ming adjusted the spatial pouch at his side, its weight a constant reminder of the High Priest's trust and the stakes of this mission.

Behind him, his contingent of Priests and Acolytes moved with discipline and vigilance. Their moss-green robes blending with the forest's shadows, yet their usual air of menace was tempered by a subtle unease.

Their hands occasionally brush against the packets of snacks or talismans tucked into their belts.

While most of them had already visited the city once, the High Priest's absence weighed heavily on them.

Wei Xian's decree had been unexpected but not entirely surprising.

Their cult was known to be cruel and bloodthirsty, the City Lord had little tolerance for the cult's reputation, divine store or not.

Still, it left Luo Ming as the spearhead of this expedition, a role he accepted with grim determination. At the very least, even if they became uncomfortable from the surveilling eyes of the City Guards, they only had to finish their mission.

The High Priest had been clear:. Secure the store's wares, bring back proof of its power and let the Venom Masters taste the future he envisioned. Failure was not an option.

As they left the vicinity of the forest, the walls of the Fanling City lay before their eyes.

Watchtowers were already alerted to their presence but Luo Ming and his subordinates didn't stop.

Soon, a platoon of City Guards led by Captain Zhao emerged from the City. All of them exuded newfound confidence. They were also empowered by the Divine Convenience Store's products and the manual the City Lord bought from it had elevated their strength. Now, they're not afraid to meet the cultists like this.

"Stop right there!" Captain Zhao hollered. "State your purpose."

Luo Ming raised a hand, signaling his contingent to halt. The Priests and Acolytes behind him stilled, their hands hovering near their weapons but not drawing them.

Tension immediately rose as the faint hum of spiritual energy from both sides mingled uneasily.

Luo Ming's sharp gaze met Captain Zhao's and he noted the subtle glow in the guards' armor. It seemed to be spirit-grade armor bought from the store.

"We mean no harm. We've come to trade at the Divine Convenience Store, as we have before. Our spirit stones are ready, and our intentions are peaceful."

Captain Zhao narrowed his eyes, his grip tightening on the hilt of his sword. "Peaceful, you say? The Poison Demon Cult isn't known for peace. Your kind brings bloodshed wherever you tread. Why should we trust you? What if you're just using that as an excuse to bring chaos inside our city?"

Luo Ming's lips twitched into a faint, humorless smile. "Because that's not our intention. We're here to visit the store per our High Priest's orders. We've already abandoned our intention to conquer. If you've used their wares yourselves, Captain, you'd understand why it was so alluring."

The guards exchanged glances, a flicker of recognition passing between them. Captain Zhao's stern expression faltered for a moment, his gaze darting to the talismans and faint glows emanating from his men's gear. They were products unmistakably sourced from the store.

He grunted, clearly weighing his options.

"The City Lord has forbidden your High Priest from entering Fanling City," Captain Zhao firmly said but with less hostility. "He didn't say anything about the rest of you—yet. If you're truly here to trade, we'll escort you to the store. One wrong move, though, and you'll wish you'd stayed in your forest."

Luo Ming inclined his head slightly, a gesture of acknowledgment rather than submission. "Fair enough. Lead the way, Captain."