Divine Convenience Store

The spicy, savory aroma of the noodles had long faded, but the profound sense of defeat still clung to Jin Bao like a second skin as he pushed through glass door leading to the gleaming archway of the Celestial Shuttle Network.

The unactivated Viewing Jade felt heavy in his hand but he'd seen most customers inside the store fiddling with it, so he bought a few more of them after inquiring about its price.

The complimentary meal and the subsequent showcase of store products and services had been a revelation. Delicious, potent, and utterly humiliating.

It was undeniable proof that he had underestimated everything about this place. He was like a frog from the bottom of a well, blind to the wide world outside of it.

Lin Mo walked alongside him with a relaxed and confident posture. He was no longer the sharp negotiator but the gracious host seeing a soon-to-be loyal patron off. His guards, previously so intimidating, now hovered awkwardly a few paces behind, looking more like chastised schoolboys than elite protectors. A look of longing in their eyes as they too tried what the store offered.

"The shuttle will take you directly to the hub at the Jade Hollow Plains," Lin Mo said. "From there, your own transport should be able to get you back to the Western Sacred Lands much faster. A convenient shortcut, wouldn't you say?"

Jin Bao managed a stiff nod, the word 'convenient' now tasting like ash in his mouth. He had come here to dictate terms, and he was leaving as a recipient of charity and travel advice.

"Like I mentioned, keep your eyes out for a tower or an anchor. Our store can extend the range of our network through them. As for my proposal. It still stands, Young Master Jin." Lin Mo continued. "I offer you the newly-opened slot for our Official Distribution channel. You can buy wholesale and you sell at your markup. If you lack the spirit stones, you can also take them for credit, so long as you submit the sales in order for you to get restocks. Remember, you'll gain access to products that are about to reshape the realm, protect it from outside threats in exchange for a foothold of convenience in the Western Sacred Lands. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement."

He paused, letting the silence stretch. "Your father. He's the Guild Master, right? He should be a smart man. I'm sure he understands the value of adapting to a changing market and the potential of our 'convenience'. I hope he doesn't make the dumb mistake of slapping away the hand I am stretching to your Golden Carp Trading Guild. Our store does not lack potential partners and distributors waiting for my approval."

Jin Bao finally found his voice, though he still tried to put on airs. "Hmph. I understand. The Guild Master will... review your proposal. The terms... are unprecedented. But make no mistake… our Guild isn't one to be intimidated."

"Unprecedented problems require unprecedented solutions. No one's intimidating your guild, dear customer." Lin Mo replied with a smile. "And about that other matter... the Heavenly Physique. My offer of one million high-grade spirit stones for the non-exclusive information still stands. Tell your father that the price goes up the longer he waits. After all, information is most valuable when it's fresh. Not that you'll be able to get a hold of that person, so I guess you should save that million in developing the market for us."

He gave a final, friendly nod. "Safe travels, Young Master Jin. I look forward to hearing from your Guild. Do try to activate that Viewing Jade. The Bulletin Board is a fascinating place for a merchant to observe market trends."

With that final, pointed piece of advice, Lin Mo turned and walked back into the store, leaving Jin Bao to stare at the bustling shuttle hub as the discs came and went, carrying customers in and out of the store.

The young master clenched his fists, the smooth surface of the Viewing Jade pressing into his palm. He had been defeated, utterly and completely. But he was a merchant of the Golden Carp. And a true merchant knew one thing above all else. When you find a tidal wave, you don't try to stop it. You learn how to surf.

A while later, after experiencing the wonders of instant transportation without the dizzying side effect, Jin Bao was once again surprised at the scale of the Jade Hollow Conduit Tower.

Their Guild wasn't foreign to the structure, as they had seen reports of it being sighted all around the realm. However, most of those have been reported to be destroyed by the wandering monk. Yet, here was one that was bustling with activity as cultivator factions of the Eastern Abyssal Region and beyond gathered around its base.

As he stepped out of the shuttle hub, he was immediately hit by the chaotic yet seemingly orderly energy of the place. Cultivators were discussing strategies for clearing the tower's floors, bartering for store-bought talismans, and boasting about their latest achievements.

And at the center of it all was the Tower's projected screen, showing the current record holders of each floor as well as the number of cultivators that completed every challenge within.

Upon seeing that the requirements for entry fit his current cultivation base, Jin Bao thought he should try it out. Or at least, on his return.

"Young Master, what are your orders?" One of his guards asked.

"Orders?" Jin Bao murmured, his eyes fixed on the screen and the cultivators disappearing and reappearing from the massive tower doors. "The order is to... learn."

At that, he finally activated the Viewing Jade. When prompted for his username, he thought for a moment before typing [GoldenInvestor].

The interface sprang to life, a torrent of information flooding his senses. He was faced with the front page showing all the posted announcements by Lin Mo and Liu Xiaoyu.

He then scrolled to the bottom, tapping the Bulletin Board icon and he was once again hit by a whiplash.

Before him was a living, breathing marketplace of ideas, news, and opportunities. He saw the recruitment posts for the Sunken Caverns Anchor assault, the excited chatter about the Divine Lecture, and dozens of threads titled 'Jade Hollow Conduit Tower Floors 1-5 Clearing Strategy Guide' or 'Best Snack and Card Talisman Combo'.

The flow of information was staggering. He couldn't help but think about how much spirit stones were being wasted by them publicly sharing all of those instead of selling them. Yet, he knew that the Viewing Jade was not a simple communication tool. It was the nervous system of an entirely new economy. An economy centered on convenience that he had been completely blind to.

He scrolled through the Mercenary's Guild, seeing commissions for everything from escorting caravans to hunting rare beasts, all facilitated by the store. He saw the Faction Recruitment Hall, where even minor sects were advertising for new disciples with the promise of Divine Convenience Store products as a signing bonus.

"Young Master?" His guard prompted again, concerned by his silence.

Jin Bao took a deep breath, the cold, pragmatic mind of a merchant finally taking over from the bruised ego of a young master. His father had sent him here to assess a potential rival. He had failed. Now, he had a new mission, one he was giving himself.

"We are not returning to the Western Sacred Lands just yet," He announced, his voice regaining a sliver of its usual command. "Contact the Guild's nearest outpost. I need a full, detailed report on every product this store sells. I want pricing, effects, and customer feedback. I want to know everything about this 'Celestial Duel Gear' and why an academy is making it a mandatory curriculum. I want to understand the value of this 'Dimension Essence'."

He looked towards the imposing entrance of the Conduit Tower.

"And I… am going to see what it's like to be a 'patron'. I will climb this tower. I will earn this new currency. I will understand this system from the inside out."

He turned to his guards, his earlier humiliation now replaced by a fierce, competitive drive. "Inform the Guild Master. My initial assessment was wrong. We are not dealing with a provincial merchant. We are dealing with the future of commerce in this realm. And the Golden Carp Trading Guild will either be a part of it... or be made irrelevant by it."

As he was about to step towards the line of cultivators waiting for their turn to enter the tower, a high-priority, encrypted message pinged on his own guild's communication token. It was from one of their deep-cover agents, someone embedded within one of their supposed allies in the Western Sacred Lands.

Jin Bao frowned and opened the message, expecting a routine report. But the contents made his eyes narrow into slits.

[URGENT INTEL - Violethaven Temple and its allies]

[The Temple's Grand Elder Mu Wuyan has not returned. Presumed captured, eliminated, or in hiding from humiliation. The Temple is in a state of quiet panic and fury. They have activated a contingency plan with one of their allies. They are planning to direct a wave of foreign creatures to the Eastern Abyssal Domain to trample on the Divine Convenience Store.]