Divine Convenience Store

Before heading to the premium cultivation room to resume his training for the night, Lin Mo received the latest report from Venom Master Xun. A moment later, he couldn't help but stare at it, dumbfounded.

"I only told her to scout out the village, not recruit her with a black-ops intimidation squad. What is that woman thinking?" He muttered as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He reread the concise, almost smug message.

ArachnidMistress: "Candidate Chi Yang has accepted the terms of employment under the Divine Convenience Store. She understands the… urgency of the situation. Awaiting your authorization for Phase 2: Landlord Eviction. We have already provoked the Crystalweb Tyrant. It will run amok the moment my messages get delivered to it."

Attached to her message was a short, shaky visual clip taken from where she was watching. It showed all the events. The arrival of the broodlings, Marrow Weaver and the Priests' intervention, even the absurd way of preparing that spicy noodle by one of them. It was a perfect, terrifyingly effective summary of her 'negotiation'.

Lin Mo let out a long sigh. He didn't know whether to be exasperated or express grudging admiration for her method.

Venom Master Xun branched out of a simple scouting request to conduct a full-blown corporate takeover of the entire village's security situation. She had created a crisis, solved it with overwhelming force, and then presented the store as the only viable long-term solution for the inevitable retaliation of the Crystalweb Tyrant.

It was ruthless, manipulative, and… undeniably convenient.

If it were him, he'd probably just evacuate or relocate everyone from that place and ask stronger cultivators to take down the gigantic spider acting as a landlord.

"Boss, what's wrong?" Xiaoyu asked, peering over his shoulder at the message. Her eyes widened upon finishing it.

"Whoa! Venom Master Xun works fast! So that SunnyDay lady will be our new Branch Manager? By the way, what's a 'Landlord Eviction'?"

"It's Xun's poetic way of saying she wants to go to war with the giant foreign spider," Lin Mo explained dryly. "And she wants my permission to do it."

"So, are you going to give it?"

Lin Mo paused and put his hand on his chin. He had two choices.

He could reprimand Venom Master Xun for overstepping her authority, which would alienate a powerful and now highly motivated new partner. Or, he could lean into it, accept the method she applied and this chaotic turn of events. Use it to his advantage.

Knowing her personality, she would likely go ahead with her plan with or without his explicit permission. Her asking for his authorization was merely a formality, a gesture of respect to the 'Shopkeeper' she's trying to win over. Denying her would accomplish nothing but damage their new partnership.

"What do you think, Your Highness?" Lin Mo asked, turning to Wu Meiyu, who had been listening intently.

"I think," The First Princess replied, her expression analytical, "... that Venom Master Xun has just handed you the entire Sunstone Village and a potential resource node on a silver platter. Her methods are… unorthodox, but the efficiency and result are undeniable. She has created a situation where the villagers will view the store not just as a business, but as their saviors. Their loyalty will be absolute. You cannot buy that kind of foundation. Besides, you plan on relocating them near the new branch, am I correct?"

She was right. As usual. Those villagers might be lacking in terms of strength but SunnyDay had been protecting them. She'd be more delighted to also give them a chance to be employed by the store. Not that they'd have to do a lot of things, considering even the Blazing Maw Tribe of Akasha was also going to help out.

"Alright," Lin Mo said, making his decision. He typed out a reply to Xun.

Shopkeeper: "Your initiative is noted, Venom Master. I authorize your 'Phase 2'. Your proposed resource-sharing plan is acceptable. However, I have one condition: ensure the safety of the villagers and our new Branch Manager. Once you're done, relocate them to the site of the new branch. A small tribe from the collective Emberfall Tribes will be there to receive them. Convenience does not thrive on collateral damage. I expect a full report on the 'Tyrant's' capabilities and origins after the 'eviction' is complete. Do not fail me. And if you need assistance, do not hesitate to contact me for it. Our store has everything you need."

The reply from Xun was a single, confident word.

ArachnidMistress: "Understood."

With that crisis managed, or rather, delegated, Lin Mo finally felt the exhaustion of the day settle in.

The store successfully finished a day's operation with the newly hired staff, set in motion two separate military expeditions against Outer Realm threats, and greenlit a corporate-hostile takeover of a monster's territory. All in a day's work.

"Alright, I'm heading to the training room," He announced. "My tribulation is getting closer. I need to be ready."

"Good luck, Boss! Don't let the old man's regimen break you! Also, we can finally spar when you succeed." Xiaoyu cheered but the grin on her lips told him everything about what she was planning.

This prodigious assistant of his had long been waiting for him to catch up. To beat him up. Or will she?

After checking on Xiao Ya, Pan Ruo and then arranging a more comfortable accommodation for the First Princess since she's gonna stay again, he ascended the stairs to the second floor.

The Divine System Interface chimed with the day's final, automated notification.

It wasn't an evaluation but a simple calendar reminder.

[System Reminder: The Divine Lecture will commence in two days. Please finalize the Divine Patron Tier invitation list and prepare the Divine Arena & Exhibition Hall.]

Two days. The entire realm's elite would be gathering at his doorstep. He had assassins, barbarians, and spider-tamers handling his foreign policy, and now he had to play host to the most powerful figures in the land while a reincarnated immortal stocked his shelves.

His life was getting anything but quiet.

He stepped into the Premium Cultivation Room, the door hissing shut behind him, sealing him away from the world's chaos.

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

[Module 3: Foundational Synthesis - The Unwavering Mind]

[Objective: Consolidate all gains. Push all core techniques to the peak of their current layer. Refine your mental state to face the tribulation.]

[Simulation Environment: The Eye of the Storm]

The world dissolved and he found himself standing on a small, perfectly calm island of rock. All around him, a cataclysmic spiritual storm raged. Hurricane-force winds howled, mountains of water crashed, and arcs of raw, untamed lightning tore through the sky. It was a maelstrom of pure, chaotic energy.

His objective was simple. Meditate.

He had to find his center, his 'Stillwater' state, in the heart of the ultimate chaos. He needed to circulate his qi, refine his techniques, and prepare his mind while the universe around him tried to tear him apart. It was the final training for this phase. He now had to harmonize with a force and maintain his own serenity in defiance of it.

That's what it means to reach the peak of his core techniques' current layer.

He sat down, closed his eyes and began to breathe. The storm was approaching, both within the simulation and in the real world. He had to be ready for both.