Divine Convenience Store

Instead of Jin Cheng answering, the stern-looking woman finally spoke. "You dare ask us to act as your informants? We have dominated trade in the Western Sacred Lands for five hundred years. Our methods are proven."

"And the dinosaurs dominated their world for millions of years," Lin Mo retorted gently. "Until the meteor came. Dear customer, I am the meteor. The Anchors, the Towers. They are the new climate. Adapt, or become a fossil."

Although he knew they wouldn't get that reference about dinosaurs, he still couldn't help but use it. After all, what he's trying to say was still conveyed perfectly.

The woman and Jin Cheng tilted their heads, clearly processing his words.

After a long moment of silence, the Guild Master raised his hand, preventing the woman who was ready to retort. Then, his sharp eyes bored into Lin Mo.

In his eyes, Lin Mo was audacious, disrespectful... but he was making perfect, terrifying sense.

Jin Cheng let out a heavy sigh, the sound of a five-hundred-year-old business model of the guild cracking under pressure.

The fight had gone out of him, replaced by the cold, clear reality of the situation. He had come here to assess a competitor and potentially acquire an asset. Instead, what he found was a paradigm shift in his worldview.

Naturally, he wasn't someone who was too stuck up to change with the times. That's why their trading remained flourishing in the Western Sacred Lands. They had conformed to changes, not just once or twice for the last century.

"You speak of meteors and fossils," Jin Cheng said, his voice now devoid of any pretense. It was the weary voice of a king who had just realized his castle walls were made of sand. "My guild... we are not accustomed to being... consultants."

"Then consider it a new market to explore," Lin Mo replied, his tone softening slightly. He had won. There was no need to press further. "I am not asking you to betray your allies, Guild Master. And I believe, Violethaven Temple was nothing but a client if you ever had any dealings with them. Information was a precious commodity that was being traded before. Unfortunately for the advent of our Store Bulletin Board, information can now be exchanged freely. What will be left are… secrets. Something that can alter the landscape of our realm."

He paused for a moment to let these inhabitants of the Western Sacred Lands understand that the Eastern Abyssal Domain had already thrown away the practice of selling any types of information.

"I am asking you to protect your investment. The Violethaven Temple's reckless plan threatens the stability of this entire region. An unstable region is bad for trade. And if it is bad for trade, it will also be bad for profit and… your business. I am merely offering you a convenient way to protect your future interests."

The logic was inescapable. Jin Cheng looked at his son, Jin Bao, who had been silent this whole time, his face a mixture of humiliation and dawning understanding. He then looked at the stern female elder, whose defiance had melted into grudging acceptance.

"Very well, Shopkeeper," Jin Cheng said, giving a stiff, formal bow. It was not the bow of a subordinate, but of an equal acknowledging a new power. "We accept your... prerequisite. We will remain in Fanling City and provide what intelligence we can. We will attend your Divine Lecture. After that, we will discuss the partnership further."

"An excellent decision," Lin Mo said, his genial shopkeeper smile returning in full force. "I'm sure you'll find Fanling City's hospitality... convenient. Your Highness, please see to it that our guests are provided with suitable accommodations. The 'Golden Carp Suite' at the city's finest inn, perhaps? Put it on the store's tab."

There was no such thing as a Golden Carp Suit at any inn in the city but the First Princess knew how to adapt to the situation. She looked at him with a meaningful smile before curtsying gracefully.

"Of course, Shopkeeper. Esteemed guests, if you would follow me."

As the Golden Carp delegation was led away, Lin Mo gulped down the cup of tea, refreshing his mind.

Once again, he couldn't help but reflect on how different he was in this world than in his previous one. Back there, he's nothing but a simple office worker, doing only the tasks dropped on his table. Now… he's meeting and dealing with personalities similar to CEOs of top companies. Not to mention, he had direct contact with what could be considered unfathomable existences like 'Gods'.

That's such a leap of responsibility and… he still thought he was not used to it yet.

Lin Mo watched them go before going down the stairs, finding Xiaoyu looking up with wide, sparkling eyes.

"Boss. What did you do? Did you just turn the biggest, meanest shark in the west into our little goldfish?"

Lin Mo chuckled and flicked her forehead gently. "What are you saying? They're still sharks, Xiaoyu. Our soon-to-be sharks who will swim the ocean for us. Now, about those invitations for the Divine Lecture..."

He pulled up the list of his twenty Divine Patron tickets on the system interface.

"Let's see. The Golden Carp will get three. I'll naturally give your Grandfather and Father two tickets. The Verdant Sky Pavilion will get two. Three if Miss Yu can return before the Divine Lecture. I promised the Red Lotus Academy two tickets. The Cerulean Cloud Sword Sect for Sword Fairy and her master or ancestor. One for the Southern Wu Kingdom, Azure Gale Sect, Crimson Vale Sect, Lightning Amethyst Sect and White Ember Sect. That's five more invites, one for each of their highest representatives."

"That leaves us with five left, Boss! Assuming your favorite distributor returns." Xiaoyu counted on her fingers.

Lin Mo's lips twitched at her remark. He wouldn't deny it though. He only had one distributor. She'll naturally be his favorite.

"Then, let's give one to the City Lord, as a courtesy for hosting us. One for the Poison Demon Cult's High Priest, to solidify our... unorthodox partnership. One for the Shadow Veil Clan, to reward their new allegiance."

"That's eighteen! We have two left!" Xiaoyu declared. "Who gets the last two golden tickets, Boss?"

Lin Mo paused, a thoughtful smile playing on his lips as his gaze drifted towards the system update on the Southern Wilderness. He saw the report from the Blazing Maw, their successful fortification, and their request for arms. He saw the messages from Venom Master Xun, her ruthless efficiency and her bold proposal. And he thought of a small, sun-drenched village and its resourceful mortal leader, a woman named Chi Yang.

"The last two tickets," Lin Mo said, his decision made. "Is for Venom Master Xun and our new Branch Manager. Send a message to her. Tell her to give the invitation to Chi Yang. Let's see how the future manager of our Southern Wilderness branch handles herself among the giants of the realm."

Xiaoyu's jaw dropped. "W-wait, Boss. I understand the Venom Master. But… to a... a mortal? Boss, that's...!"

"Convenient," Lin Mo finished for her, a confident glint in his eye. "It's time we showed the realm that true value isn't measured by cultivation, but by competence. And I have a feeling our new manager is going to be very competent indeed. It might be too much for her, but can you help look for a suitable cultivation technique for her? She can't naturally remain a mortal if she's going to work at our establishment."

Even if Chi Yang's spirit roots were unsuitable for cultivation, there were ways to turn her into a cultivator. And in the Divine Convenience Store, they wouldn't lack a method for it. The real concern for it is… whether it will be painful or expensive. Hopefully for her, she'd possess a natural talent.

Add the fact that she's going to listen to divine teachings, she might just get enlightened enough to bypass any restriction.

Liu Xiaoyu tilted her head for a moment before nodding in confusion, "Got it, Boss. But it's weird. You haven't met that woman personally yet and you're already doing her all this favor."

"It's not a favor, Xiaoyu. Let's just call it employee benefits, shall we? She'll be responsible for our new branch and we need her to not just be competent but also grateful to us. We're going to change her life."

"... I don't know. That sounds like a devious plan, Boss."

"Come on, Xiaoyu. How devious is it? It's not like we're putting her up in a scam. If you're worried, you can guide her, you know? Miss Assistant Shopkeeper." Lin Mo winked at her.

Liu Xiaoyu narrowed her eyes as her expression softened into a thoughtful pout. "Hmph. If you put it that way... I guess I have to make sure our new Branch Manager doesn't get eaten alive by those old monsters. Fine. I'll be her designated big sister and bodyguard for the event!"

Big sister? That woman should be older than her. Lin Mo thought. However, before he could say that, the young woman had already skipped away to do what he asked.