Divine Convenience Store

[System Notification: Personal Task Generated by Zhenren Taihao]

[Task: Foundation Establishment Preparation]

[Details: Young man, your cultivation base is nearing the peak of the Spirit Condensation Stage. Your foundation is solid, and your breakthrough will be smooth, but your physical vessel requires conditioning to withstand the tribulation and achieve a Perfect Foundation. Your comprehension of foundational techniques is also lagging behind your advanced manual. The system has generated a personalized training regimen. Raise all your current techniques to the ideal state.]

[Recommendation: Utilize the Premium Cultivation Room's 'Physical Simulation' module. A recommended training regimen has been uploaded to your profile to acquire the ideal state.]

[Reward for achieving Perfect Foundation: Depends on Zhenren Taihao's discretion.]

Lin Mo's eyebrows shot up. A personalized task. It seemed that the old man was still watching him from up above.

Although he was already progressing quicker than anyone else, it seemed insufficient in his eyes.

His [Silent Stream Breathing Technique] and [Vein of the Silent Stream] Core Cultivation Technique were still at the 2nd and 1st layer, respectively. Those two were just right for the Spirit Condensation Stage. For Foundation Establishment, it would be best to take them to the next layer.

Furthermore, the bonuses that sometimes pop up from them, like the Stillwater Perception, were actually too useful. The [Everflowing Serenity Sutra] was also still stuck at layer one. But that one was for cultivating the mind. It couldn't be accelerated except for sudden enlightenment.

These past few days, he was too focused on the Foundational Martial Technique and the Starflow Cultivation Manual. He guessed that the old man was also concerned that he was slowly transforming into the typical cultivators within the realm. And that resulted in this, he's going to actively monitor and guide his cultivation on top of keeping an eye on the store's development.

He was Taihao and the Divine Pantheon's chosen agent, and the development of his strength was possibly a critical part of their plan.

He could still remember what that old man said when he first opened his eyes in this realm, that he only needed to manage the store.

So, that was a lie? Lin Mo smilingly shook his head.

In any case, it's quite true. Now that he had an experience in the tower and finished exploring the Anchor that the Cerulean Sword Cloud Sect discovered, he switched his focus to managing the store's explosive growth, dealing with crises, and planning for the future.

He had neglected the most fundamental aspect of this world. His own cultivation. His comprehension could be said to be high, thanks to his Celestial Providence, but his practical application and physical conditioning were still lagging.

"A personal task from the big boss himself, huh?" Lin Mo muttered with a sigh, "Alright, old man. Let's see what you've cooked up for me."

The task specifically told him to use the Premium Cultivation Rooms instead of the Heavenly Mirage Illusion Orb. Is it because they have a function that can't be replicated by the immortal-grade artifact?

After all, those rooms were generated by the system itself, and the system was developed by the divine beings of the Divine Pantheon.

Even as he operated, they're still continuing to tweak it from up there, even if it was already deployed in the store. That's why there's a [Feedback and Suggestion] menu. Even in the event of the Divine Convenience Store being destroyed by an external factor like an enemy or a catastrophe, the Divine Interface System would remain intact. They would still be able to create another store somewhere. The only thing that would be lost was Lin Mo and the progress he made.

Thinking about it, Lin Mo fully understood his understanding. He's still nothing but a pawn to the grander scheme of things. That's why to achieve his goal to live his peaceful life in this place, he had to continuously adapt.

He turned to Wu Meiyu, who had been patiently waiting.

"Your Highness, it seems my own cultivation requires some... urgent attention. I'll be using one of the Premium rooms for the rest of the night. Please ensure Xiaoyu doesn't burn the place down in my absence."

Wu Meiyu offered a small, encouraging smile. "Of course, Shopkeeper. Do you need assistance in operating it?"

"I think it's already preloaded by that whimsical old man." He gestured upwards which somehow confused the First Princess. It was an unusual term for her.

But it didn't take long for her to understand what he meant.

"Preloaded? Oh… Was it Zhenren Taihao?"

"Mhm. Anyway, if you wish to stay the night and not return to your courtyard, feel free. Our store is now spacious. Unfortunately, I cannot extend the same invitation to your escorts.

Wu Meiyu gracefully giggled, "I understand, Shopkeeper. May you have a fruitful night."

With a nod, Lin Mo ascended to the second floor.

He strode past the lounge and stood before the sleek terminal for the Premium Cultivation Rooms.

A bright light scanned his body, identifying him. Through that, his personal profile was automatically created. Upon accessing it, he found a new, glowing tab labeled 'Taihao's Regimen'.

He selected it and stepped inside.

The room had white, featureless walls. The reinforced door creaked shut behind him, sealing him in absolute silence. A moment later, a calm, synthesized voice echoed through the space.

[Taihao's Personalized Training Regimen: Foundation of Convenience]

[Module: Physical Simulation]

[Objective: Achieve the Ideal State for all foundational and core techniques. Let the suffering begin.]

Lin Mo's eye twitched. Let the suffering begin? That whimsical old man…

Before he could process the ominous final words, the floor beneath seemingly gave way as his senses plunged him into a disorienting freefall through an abyss of swirling light. When his senses returned, he quickly glanced around him and found himself no longer in a white room.

Whatever formation was activated transformed it into this simulated environment. At first, it felt pretty much the same as using the Physical Simulation of the Heavenly Mirage Illusion Orb. The only difference is… the rich spiritual energy around him. It's like he was sealed inside the Everlasting Spirit Fountain that continuously produces spiritual energy.

Before long, a chime echoed in his ears, and a holographic display appeared before him.

[Module 1: Physical Conditioning - The Unyielding Stream]

[Objective: Temper the physical body to withstand the tribulation lightning for a Perfect Foundation. Enhance resilience and stamina.]

[Simulation Environment: The Thousand-Step Waterfall]

[Time Acceleration: 20x (Max safe limit for current physique)]

Lin Mo didn't hesitate. He looked at the timer and saw that it was already booked for an eight-hour session, just in time before the store's opening. That would feel like nearly a week inside.

A moment later, the environment changed again, and he found himself standing on a moss-covered rock at the base of a colossal waterfall.

From his observation, even though it was probably mostly simulated, the water looked like pure, liquid spiritual energy, so dense it looked like molten silver.

The roar created as it crashed down was deafening, and the overwhelming pressure of the cascading energy made the air heavy, which threatened to crush him.

[Objective: Ascend the Thousand-Step Waterfall. Each step taken under the torrent will temper your muscles, bones, and meridians. Do not use starlight qi for reinforcement. Rely only on your physical strength and the Silent Stream Breathing Technique to circulate and endure.]

Only his breathing technique? Lin Mo found it absurd but he had no other choice but to grit his teeth and complete it. No matter how brutal, it was for his development.

He took a deep breath and activated the [Silent Stream Breathing Technique], not just letting it run passively like usual.

A sense of calm flowed through him, but it did little to negate the crushing physical pressure. He took the first step onto the staircase carved into the cliff face behind the waterfall.

The moment he stepped under the torrent, it was like a mountain had fallen on his shoulders. The liquid spiritual energy wasn't gentle; it was violent, scouring his skin and hammering his bones. His legs trembled, and every muscle screamed in protest.

He pushed forward and it's taking him one agonizing step at a time.

The first ten steps nearly broke him but he persevered. His green and white uniform was immediately torn away, leaving him topless.

His skin became battered and his muscles felt like they were being shredded. But he noticed something.

As he focused on his breathing, on the calm, steady rhythm of the [Silent Stream], a tiny fraction of the violent energy was being absorbed and refined by his body, reinforcing it from within.

It was excruciating, but it was working.

With that, his motivation to complete this challenge surged upward and he began climbing up the steps with more zeal.

If Taihao was watching him right now, Lin Mo thought he should show him that he could also adapt to the harsh reality of being the face of the Divine Pantheon that stood against the encroachment of the Outer Realms.