Wu iyu silently nodded as they moved to the second floor, taking their seats on the comfortable lounge to begin their work.
With her help, Lin Mo decided to spend the next few hours ticulously arranging the virtual seats like they were planning a battlefront as two master strategists.
Wu iyu's knowledge of court politics and the power struggle between strong cultivators was invaluable. Even if the prominent sects appeared friendly on the outside as patrons of the store, their rivalry wouldn't easily go away.
In the end, they agreed to place the Liu Clan, the Red Lotus Academy and the Southern Wu Royal Family in positions of honor, flanking the main stage, a clear sign of their status as the store's primary kingdom, academic and martial partners.
The Verdant Sky Pavilion and the Cerulean Cloud Sword Sect were seated behind them. It wasn't as prominent but that also showed Lin Mo's favorable view of them, especially when he had close dealings with both Yu Qingyan, the Verdant Sky Pavilion's Emissary and Jiang Jianxin, the Cerulean Cloud Sword Sect's Sword Fairy.
The real headache or artistry, however, was in the placent of the more volatile factions.
"The Poison Demon Cult," Wu iyu mused, tapping a cluster of seats. "We cannot place them too close to the righteous sects, Shopkeeper. Even with the alliance, it would seem like an endorsent of their thods. But placing them too far away would be a slight. I suggest we place them here, adjacent to the Shadow Veil Clan. It creates a new, distinct 'unorthodox but allied' power bloc. It shows they are part of the new order, but on their own terms."
Lin Mo rubbed his chin before nodding slowly, "Good point. And the Golden Carp Trading Guild?"
"Here," She said, indicating a set of seats that was prominent but surrounded by neutral, smaller sects. "It gives them visibility but isolates them from the core power structure. It sends a ssage: you are welco here as observers, but your place at the main table is not yet earned. It will force them to network, to build relationships and to work for their position."
One by one, they placed the pieces on the board, each choice a subtle move in the great ga of realm politics. It was a quiet, intellectual battle and a form of convenience just as potent as any artifact.
Naturally, Lin Mo's understanding of everything was still shallow, so with every decision they made, he'd ask Wu iyu about her reasoning for it. Sotis, he'd make a counterargunt and give her his reason why he thought it should be like that.
Little did he know, what he'd shown further elevated his prestige in the First Princess's eyes. She had never seen soone so easily adaptable, especially when it cos to politics. Sothing that not everyone could pick up right away.
As the final seat was placed, Lin Mo let out a long breath as a sense of deep satisfaction washed over him.
The stage was set, not just for a lecture, but for what could be taken as the official unveiling of the store's influence within the First Heaven.
All that was left was for the curtains to rise. And for him to face his own tribulation.
—
Sowhere around the northern boundary of the Abyssal Forest, within the mountainous trail leading to the western side of the continent, a small sect known as the Midsteel Sect had its gates sealed tight.
The atmosphere around their secluded mountain peak was filled with dreadful tension. Quite a contrast to their usual quiet and unassuming existence.
For the past few days, the Midsteel Sect had beco the unwilling host to a group of powerful, and deeply agitated, guests.
The sect grounds beca their forward operating base, a convenient and deniable location from which the Impervious Flare Sect could stage their operation against the Divine Convenience Store.
Inside the sect's main hall, the air was suffocating as if soone had sucked it out of the place.
A man with a face like scorched rock and a temper to match it paced relentlessly. This was Elder Jinshi of the Impervious Flare Sect. The right hand of the Impervious Flare Sect Leader. He was a late Nascent Soul Stage expert and his fury over the news he had received recently was making his spiritual energy erratic.
"Silence!" He roared as he slamd a fist onto a solid stone table, cracking it down the middle. "It has been five hours since Elder Quan and his team went dark! Five hours since their soul candles extinguished in unison. And we still know nothing!" Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs novel[f]ire
Across the table, a man in the regal violet robes of the Violethaven Temple sat calmly and unaffected by Elder Jinshi's volcanic rage.
He was Deacon Feng, a representative sent by the Temple to 'oversee' the operation as an advisor. He held a teacup with a steady hand, but a sign of impatience could not be hidden in his eyes.
"Patience, Elder Jinshi," Deacon Feng said. "Panic is an inconvenient emotion. I have long since sent a request back to the temple. A Void Refinent Elder is coming to ensure the Soul Lure Array will be activated. Focus on accelerating the breach of that 'Anchor' that the store was hollering about."
Upon saying that, he took a sip of his tea. A mont later, his eyes went wide. He was flabbergasted. The tea he was currently drinking was sothing a disciple of the Midsteel Sect had acquired from the Divine Convenience Store. Given how quickly its influence spread, it wasn't surprising. But to taste its serene, spirit-calming properties firsthand… it was far superior to the Violethaven Temple's own prized spirit teas.
He quickly masked his surprise, setting the cup down with a soft click. "Your operators were competent Core Formation experts. For all of them to be eliminated so silently, without a single distress call… it suggests an opponent of exceptional skill. A specialist."
"A specialist?" Elder Jinshi sneered with contempt. "From the backwater Eastern Abyssal Domain? Who could they possibly have? The righteous sects are too honorable for such underhanded tactics. And a Nascent Soul Stage expert was a Sect Master-level existence for their most prominent sects. Do you think soone like that will move for that trivial store?"
"Perhaps you underestimate your opponent," Deacon Feng said, his tone turning colder. He pulled out sothing from his robes. If soone from the Eastern Abyssal Domain could see it, they would instantly recognize it as a Viewing Jade. "You see this jade? This is supposedly the store's revolutionary artifact that allows them to create a platform called the 'Store Bulletin Board'."
"So what of it? Have you managed to glean information from that jade?" Elder Jinshi spat.
"No. Alas, it is accepting my spiritual energy but it is not activating fully. I suspect the Divine Convenience Store has put security in place, preventing its enemies from prying into it.
"Bah! That damn Shopkeeper is mocking us! Give it to him! He should be unaware of this little Sect Master." Elder Jinshi pointed at one corner where a figure silently waited.
The figure was none other than the Sect Master of the Midsteel Sect, a timid-looking Core Formation Stage cultivator. Having been pointed at, he couldn't help but flinch as he tried to make himself as small as possible. He had thought hosting a major power would bring his sect glory and resources. Instead, it had brought him a front-row seat to a brewing catastrophe.
Deacon Feng turned his head in his direction as he took another sip of his tea. "Indeed. He may be able to access this. You, co here."
The Midsteel Sect Master, whose na was Zong Rushi, scurried forward with his head remaining bowed. "Esteed Deacon, Honored Elder."
Deacon Feng tossed the Viewing Jade onto the table. It clattered with a sound that made Zong Rushi jump.
"Activate it. Show us this 'Store Bulletin Board'."
Zong Rushi picked up the jade with trembling hands. He had heard of these miraculous jades. His more adventurous disciples had even managed to purchase so after traveling to Fanling City, drawn by the incredible rumors.
Gripping it tightly, he nervously poured a wisp of his spiritual energy into it.
Unlike Deacon Feng's attempt, the jade responded instantly. It glowed, and a holographic interface sprang to life, projecting a vibrant, scrolling wall of text and images into the air.
It first asked for a 'userna' before the interface transitioned to the front page, where announcents by the Divine Convenience Store were laid out.
With their eyes glued to it, the silence in the hall deepened, replaced by the hushed whispers of the Impervious Flare Sect disciples who had gathered.
They stared, srized.
Elder Jinshi's furious expression morphed into one of stunned disbelief. "What is this sorcery?"
Zong Rushi nervously navigated the interface as Deacon Feng instructed. "This… this is the Store Bulletin Board, Honored Elder. It seed to be a network… a community of the store's patrons."
His fingers trembled as he tapped on the 'Community' tab. The main page was a chaotic explosion of information, but one thread, pinned to the very top and glowing with a stark, blood-red banner, imdiately seized their attention.
[Flash Raid Commission: Cutting the Snake in Half]
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