Lin Mo's wry grin froze on his face, caught between the teasing glares of Chu Yueying, Wu iyu's barely concealed amusent, and now Jiang Jianxin's calm yet piercing silver gaze.
The Divine Convenience Store, usually a haven of controlled chaos, felt like a pressure cooker with these three won converging on his counter. The soothing pulse from the hidden immortal-grade artifact did little to ease the sudden weight of attention.
Sensing the brewing drama, the custors in line slowed their purchases, their Viewing Jades already flickering with Bulletin Board pings as they whispered among themselves.
"Discuss sothing?" Lin Mo repeated as his instincts kicked into overdrive while keeping his tone neutral and seemingly unbothered with the current situation. "Sword Fairy, you've got impeccable timing. I'm just wrapping up here with… enthusiastic patrons." He gestured vaguely at Chu Yueying and Wu iyu, hoping to steer the conversation away from the Bulletin Board's latest obsession.
Jiang Jianxin's expression remained serene, her hand resting lightly on the hilt of her Ethereal Cloud Edge. Her silver sword glead faintly, a quiet reminder of her prowess as her eyes held a flicker of urgency that Lin Mo didn't miss.
"I understand. It is sothing that has to do with what we previously discussed. Elder Chu… And… Miss… May I borrow Shopkeeper Lin for a second?"
Although she's still unaware of Wu iyu's identity, she naturally recognized her as the woman who was recently 'hired' in his store.
The first to respond was Chu Yueying. Her foxy smile didn't waver. Her eyes narrowed slightly, sizing up Jiang Jianxin with the calculating air of a predator assessing a rival.
She straightened her back and pushed out her chest before waving her hand with theatrical grace.
"Borrow him? My, Sword Fairy, you don't waste ti. But I suppose a sect prodigy like you has bigger fish to fry than gossiping with us." Her tone dripped with playful venom. She then gazed at Lin Mo, her eyes seemingly daring him to squirm, "Go on, Shopkeeper. Don't keep the fairy waiting. I'll just browse your wares… unless you'd rather I stick around for this 'discussion'?"
Wu iyu, standing beside Lin Mo, adjusted her store uniform with a deliberate tug, her smirk sharpening as she caught the undercurrent of tension. "Elder Chu is right, Sword Fairy. The Shopkeeper's a busy man, but he's never too busy for an important custor. You seed to have co because of sothing urgent. Take him away."
The First Princess's words were light but the glance she shot Lin Mo carried a teasing challenge, as if daring him to navigate this minefield without tripping.
Lin Mo suppressed a sigh. What else can he do but defuse the situation before the store turns into a stage for won's rivalries, or worse, more Bulletin Board fodder? He clapped his hands once, drawing the attention of the gawking custors and the three won. "Alright, let's keep the line moving, shall we? Your Highness, take over the counter. Dear custor, feel free to browse. We have a lot of new items for you to scrutinize.. Sword Fairy, let's step into the back for a quick chat."
He thought of moving to the corner, like when he talked with Lihua but he rembered he didn't have the sa ability to cast a soundproofing barrier. So, he gestured toward the door leading to the Shopkeeper's Quarters, his amicable smile as he signaled for Jiang Jianxin to follow.
The crowd murmured as their Viewing Jades buzzed with fresh speculation, but Lin Mo ignored them, focusing on the task at hand. Jiang Jianxin's urgency wasn't just about snacks or Card Packs. Her ntion of their previous discussion pointed straight to the Anchor.
Chu Yueying raised an eyebrow but didn't protest, sauntering toward the shelves with a sway that drew more than a few eyes.
"Don't have too much fun without , Shopkeeper," She called over her shoulder in a tone that seemingly painted a velvet allure. She's truly a vixen.
Wu iyu slid behind the counter with a mock salute, copying Liu Xiaoyu. She looked eager to do it as she imdiately went to work, swiping spirit stones from the next custor.
"Don't worry, Shopkeeper. This princess will hold the fort. Try not to start another trending thread back there."
Lin Mo could only shake his head as he made a ntal note to himself, "Won are difficult creatures."
As the door clicked shut, Jiang Jianxin's serene facade softened slightly, her silver eyes locking onto Lin Mo with a mix of resolve and concern. She then looked at Yangyang who was at her workstation, busily talking to a custor connected to the hotline.
Lin Mo nodded at her before guiding Jiang Jianxin to the employee's lounge.
Although a little confused at the distribution of rooms, the Sword Fairy put it down since she had more urgent matters to discuss with Lin Mo.
"Shopkeeper, I apologize for the timing. The Anchor expedition… it didn't go as planned. The Elder accompanying us was poisoned and we need a [Spirit Cleansing Elixir] to counter the foreign toxin. The sect's apothecaries are stretched thin, and I hoped…" She trailed off, her hand clenching as a rare flicker of uncertainty crossed her face.
Lin Mo's grin faded, replaced by a focused nod as he accessed the [Divine System Interface], his fingers brushing the jade slip from Venom Master Xun still tucked in his pocket. He'd deal with that later. Jiang Jianxin's request took precedence. He's also curious about their expedition. For them to return with poison, that ant they truly encountered Outer Realm entities inside it.
"Poison from the Anchor, huh? Let's see. The store doesn't have a [Spirit Cleansing Elixirs] in stock, however, there's an equivalent product for it."
Since the divine beings have been influenced by Taihao to transform traditional products with a modern feel to it, the elixir or sothing more potent than it might've beco a snack or a drink, like how the Replenishing Pills turned into candies.
He accessed the inventory list, which logged every product within the store and then narrowed it by inputting keywords such as 'purification', 'toxin', and 'foreign energy'.
The [Divine System Interface] holographic screen flickered as it filtered through the store's vast catalog. Lin Mo's eyes scanned the results, sifting through the modernized equivalents of traditional elixirs.
A single product stood out, its description glowing with promise.
"[Starfire Energy Tonic]," Lin Mo read aloud as he tapped the interface to pull up the details. "A carbonated beverage infused with starlight essence and purified lunar dew. Neutralizes foreign toxins, including those of otherworldly origin, and stabilizes cultivation bases against external energy corruption. Effects last for twelve hours, with a recomnded dose of one can per day. Side effect: mild euphoria and a faint glow around the user for an hour."
He had seen this before. It wasn't as popular as the Heavenly Dew Soda and its different variants because of its staggering price. If he could compare it to a product on Earth, it's an energy drink.
He glanced at Jiang Jianxin, whose silver eyes flickered with cautious hope. "This should do the trick for Elder Shi's poison. It's unconventional as you've observed from most of our products, but these should work wonders. We've got at least ten boxes in stock, priced at 2 high-grade spirit stones per can or 55 high-grade spirit stones per box of 30 cans."
Jiang Jianxin's lips parted slightly, her brows lifting at the price before her eyes widened, "Co again, Shopkeeper. Did I hear 2 high-grade spirit stones?"
"Indeed. Is it too expensive? I apologize but this price has been curated by the demand and effect."
"Far from it, it's too cheap! The [Spirit Cleansing Elixir] is quite a valuable concoction. Only Grade 5 Apothecary and above can brew them. Are you certain it's the right price?" Jiang Jianxin's voice carried a mix of disbelief and cautious optimism, her silver eyes narrowing as she studied Lin Mo's expression for any hint of exaggeration.
Lin Mo's business-like smile resurfaced. "It's the right price, Sword Fairy. Maybe it was valuable here but our store sells products made by our divine beings. It's priced that low because of its low demand. If many figured out that the entities within the Anchor could poison our spiritual energy streams, many will look for the sa fix. Also, the [Starfire Energy Tonic] might look like a mortal's fizzy drink, but it's brewed with lunar dew harvested from a mystical spring and starlight essence only a divine being could refine. If it doesn't flush that poison out of Elder Shi, I'll eat my store uniform."
Jiang Jianxin's lips twitched, a rare flicker of amusent breaking through her serene facade. "I'll hold you to that, Shopkeeper. Very well. I'll take a box of 30 cans. And…" She hesitated for a mont as a rare pink flush appeared on her cheek, "Li Ruo requested [Celestial Peach Gummies] and [Celestial Duel Card Packs]. I'd like those as well, for the disciples. They perford admirably in the Anchor, despite the setbacks."
Lin Mo tapped the [Divine System Interface] to log the order. "One box of [Starfire Energy Tonic], a bag of [Celestial Peach Gummies], and a [Celestial Duel Card Pack]. Got it. The gummies are becoming a crowd favorite thanks to Xiaoyu. We'll get it ready for you once we're done here. I assu you have another matter to discuss."
Straightening her back, Jiang Jianxin answered with a resolute nod.
User Comments
0 comments from readers