[A Conduit Tower has appeared inside the Abyssal Forest! – Shadowii]
It was late at night but the mont that thread got posted, many Viewing Jade users who were too engrossed in the artifact imdiately clicked on it. Soon they were t with the content of the post, a desperate plea from the user 'Shadowii'.
"Shadowy foreign creatures have been released and we are trapped fighting against them. Send help! There are too many!"
One by one, the cultivators glued to their Viewing Jades across the Eastern Abyssal Domain erupted into frenzied discussion. So Core Formation Elders even flew up to the night sky to check the direction of the Abyssal Forest. And after confirming, their sect ca alive as many started mobilizing their disciples.
After all, what is the Abyssal Forest? It is the ho for the dangerous demonic beasts and serves as the border between the lands populated by orthodox factions and the unorthodox ones.
The Bulletin Board lit up like a festival array as new threads spawned faster than spirit beasts during their mating season.
The post from Shadowii, a na unfamiliar to most, carried a raw urgency that cut through the usual banter and boasts.
[Conduit Tower in the Abyssal Forest?! Our Elder Confird it! The spire could be seen above the treeline! – IroncladBaddie]
[Another Conduit Tower. Another chance to get rewarded! Let's go! – JadeSniffer]
[Calling All Sects! Abyssal Forest Needs Backup! – SkyHypeLord]
The chaos of the thread mirrored the pandemonium unfolding in the Abyssal Forest. Shadowii's follow-up posts, describing the shadowy creatures swarming like locusts, sent shockwaves through the Bulletin Board. The winged beasts, their claws glinting with foreign energy, and the axe-wielding doorkeepers at the tower's door, opted for Yu Qingyan, who was still traveling with her caravan to make a post regarding the first appearance of the Jade Hollow Conduit Tower again. Reminding everyone of how closing the door back then stopped the swarm.
And with her reputation, those still skeptical about the call for help hurriedly inford their superiors or elders.
Because of this, the night in the Eastern Abyssal Domain would be restless.
It's one thing if the Tower appeared on a plain, but inside the Abyssal Forest? That calls for an ergency. It's the ho for demonic beasts. There was a possibility that with its appearance, those beasts would be driven out and start swarming the nearby cities and territories.
—
Back at the Divine Convenience Store, Lin Mo spoke up, cutting through the goofy atmosphere that Liu Xiaoyu and Taihao himself were creating.
"Old man, out with it. I can't think of any reason why you chose to descend tonight. Are you going to bring back this [Starshot Revolver] prototype? It was ntioned in the task that it would be enhanced from data I collected from testing it on the tower. Or are you here because you're going to reveal more information about the threat to our realm?"
Liu Tianfeng tried to call him out for speaking rudely, but the divine being, Taihao, simply laughed it off.
"Ho ho. Young man, you're quite impatient. Alright, let us not beat around the bush. First off, I do have to bring the revolver back. Lihua asked to pick it up. Other than that... Hmm... Is checking on you not a valid reason?"
Ending that with a grin, the old man sauntered to Lin Mo. His whimsical nature made the air in the Divine Convenience Store feel like a playful breeze but Lin Mo would never buy that.
Obviously, his audacity was asured, it's not like he could just continue being rude to soone of Taihao's stature. He's simply venting out his frustration to him, after all, he's the one who brought him to this realm and handed him the store to manage.
"Checking on when you're always watching from up there… Old man, you don't descend from the Divine Pantheon just to pat my head and call a good boy. It won't be bad if you hand out treasures though."
Huoling's laughter erupted, her ember-red hair flaring like a bonfire. "Oh, I like this one, Taihao! His audaciousness is sothing else. No wonder Lihua likes him a lot."
Lihua likes him a lot? Lin Mo couldn't help but wryly smile. It's possibly because he was more polite to her than to Taihao. Furthermore, she's the Goddess of Harmony and Comrce.
Taihao clutched his chest, acting like he was hurt by his words and his long beard quivered comically, making Xiao Ya giggle in amusent.
"Cheeky mortal! Fine, fine. You've earned so answers, Shopkeeper. But first…" He snapped his fingers, and the [Starshot Revolver] at Lin Mo's hip floated into his hand, its jade crystal pulsing faintly. "Lihua and Chuang are itching to tinker with this after your little stunt. Shattering a heaven-grade artifact? Granted, you got Yangyang to charge it for you but if you use it again, it's bound to break. Look at this."
Upon saying that, the [Starshot Revolver] shone as the old man's divine energy seeped into it. Before Lin Mo's eyes, the flawless surface of the revolver suddenly beca filled with cracks. The jade crystal, once radiant, now flickered like a dying lantern, its surface marred by hairline fractures that pulsed with an unstable aura. He then recalled the details of the revolver when it was sent last night. It wasn't intended to be filled with divine energy. His audacious shot at Mu Wuyan had pushed the prototype beyond its limits.
"I see. So, that's the case." Lin Mo said, giving up the notion of keeping it. He thought he could still use it for their Anchor exploration with the Sword Fairy. He was being naive.
"Fear not, for I have brought sothing else for you. Bring out the spear you received from the Conduit Tower." Taihao grinned as he waved a hand and a shiny stone appeared on his palm.
Lin Mo narrowed his eyes and noticed that it was not an ordinary stone. It was shaped like an anvil and it's emitting so kind of energy. Not divine or spiritual. More like... starlight?
He pulled out the [Starlit Dragon Spear], the high spirit-grade weapon he received from the Blue Chest after defeating Ye Zhong and completing the Floor 5 Challenge.
The spearhead, forged from an unknown alloy, shimred like a captured cot. It was a fine weapon but he had yet to use it. With how busy the morning was, he hadn't even sat down in ditation yet.
The [Starflow ditation Manual], the reward he got from the other Blue Chest, was even left untouched. He vowed to cultivate it and see how it would empower him. Alas, he lacked the ti.
In any case, his instincts told him that Taihao's 'gift' was about to elevate the spear to sothing extraordinary.
Taihao's grin widened as he held the starlight-anvil stone aloft. "This, young man, is a [Celestial Forge Ember]. A little trinket from the Divine Pantheon's treasury. It's not divine grade, it just holds so sentintal value to Chuang. So you better not tell him I gave this to you."
Huoling burst into laughter, "Wait, Taihao, isn't that the trinket he received from his apprentice after the young man forged his divine spark and beca a divine blacksmith? You fool!"
"Indeed, it is that trinket. But that apprentice is already working next to him. He won't mind at all."
"Pfft. Alright. Alright… I'll keep my mouth shut for our Shopkeeper's sake."
Hearing that exchange between the two divine beings, Lin Mo started hesitating. He could sll trouble from a mile away.
However, the other people inside the store had different reactions. Liu Tianfeng looked on enviously. Wu iyu remained silent but he could feel her racing heartbeat from behind him, whatever was in her mind, he had no idea. Yangyang just nodded, as if telling him that it was fine.
As for Xiao Ya, she's already clapping, congratulating him. She's too innocent. And Xiaoyu? Well, his prodigious assistant would probably grab that stone and hand it to him as she's too curious about what it would do.
"Ho ho. Excited now, young man? Anyways, it's not divine-grade, mind you. Can't have you breaking the First Heaven's balance just yet but it'll juice up that spear into sothing that'll make Mu Wuyan's shattered scepter look like a child's toy."
Huoling snorted, her crimson ladle reappearing in her hand as she twirled it with a flourish. "Don't oversell it, old man. It's a fine upgrade, but it's no [Inferno Dragon Broth]."
She then shot Lin Mo a wink. "Stick with my snacks, Shopkeeper, and you'll outlast any fight. I have tonics for you. One that can bring out your latent energy in a mont of crisis. No side effects. Just… you'll feel a burning sensation in your ridians for a month."
Lin Mo's lips twitched. How is that 'no side effects'?
Shaking his head, he kept his focus on Taihao. "A [Celestial Forge Ember]. Is there also a catch with its use other than the possibility of Chuang coming to for it?"
Taihao's laughter bood, shaking the snack displays ever so slightly. "Catch? You wound , Shopkeeper! The only catch is you keep doing what you're doing. Turn all this chaos into profit and spread your 'convenience' doctrine throughout the realm. Now, hold that spear steady."
Without waiting for him to respond, Taihao floated closer, his divine aura condensing into a focused stream as he pressed the [Celestial Forge Ember] against the spear's shaft.
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