Divine Convenience Store

Along with the dark clouds gathering above and the crackling of lightning, the spiritual pressure descending upon the Divine Convenience Store brought upon a suffocating weight that made even the City Lord Wei Xian frown.

It was different from a cultivator's aura. Rather, it was the cold, impersonal, and absolute pressure of the realm itself. Heaven's Will had focused its gaze on Lin Mo which promised absolute judgement.

Even under the protection of the store, Wu Meiyu's face was pale, straining her regal composure.

She couldn't help but take a step back to stabilize the circulation of her spiritual energy and protect herself from that overwhelming pressure.

"Shopkeeper, will you be fine? What I sense is far greater than what I experienced during my own tribulation. It's even stronger than what was reported from Xiaoyu's breakthrough. The heavens are taking your advancement... personally."

Lin Mo calmly nodded, fully expecting this kind of reception from Heaven's Will.

Taihao's warning echoed in his mind. 'Your minor tribulation will be eye-catching'.

As it turns out, it was still an understatement. This felt less like a standard test and more like an audit from a celestial tyrant.

"Mhm. This must be because of my Celestial Providence. And everything else. The store, the Anchors, the 'convenience' we're spreading... It's being written as an anomaly in the First Heaven. It's just trying to balance the books."

"Wow. Look at you, Boss. And here I thought you just wanted a quiet life." Liu Xiaoyu's lips stretched into a thin smile as she looked up. She stood protectively in front of him, her own Perfect Foundation aura flaring in defiance against the celestial pressure.

"Well, that's still my goal. But you know it, Xiaoyu. With this store tied to me, it would be impossible not to be affected by its influence, right?" Lin Mo tapped her shoulder as though saying she didn't need to shield him. After all, this was his minor tribulation. It doesn't allow anyone else to help him tide through its challenge.

"Let me face this inconvenience head-on. But first, I'll leave the store to the two of you. I need you two to manage the store. Keep the staff calm and the customers away from the [Divine Arena & Exhibition Hall]. I'll use that place to face this tribulation."

"Understood, Shopkeeper," Wu Meiyu replied, giving a curt, respectful bow.

On the other hand, Liu Xiaoyu reluctantly nodded. She bit her lips before saying, "You better get the Perfect Foundation, Boss! Anything lower and I won't forgive you!"

"You won't forgive me? Why? Won't it be easier for you to beat me up in our sparring if I only get a Solid Foundation?"

"Bah… That's not fun. If there's someone I want to catch up to my genius, it's you, Boss!"

"Alright. Alright. Who do you think I am? Let's see. I might have to use what I saved in my [Personal Balance]. Will you help me pick items to use downstairs?"

"Idiot Boss. Why go downstairs when you can select from the premium items here? Let's go. Sister Meiyu, I'll join you in a minute."

Liu Xiaoyu grabbed Lin Mo's arm and dragged him over to one of the premium display shelves on the second floor, her usual mischievous energy now channeled into a focused determination. The unprecedented prodigy with the Nine Heavens Exquisite Body had taken over.

The exclusive shelves that were reserved for Golden Patrons were all filled with rare snacks, earth-grade items, or artifacts, and even a few heaven-grade consumable items that would cost a fortune for a normal cultivator.

"Okay, Boss," She began as she faced him again. "The Zhenren Taihao's regimen forged your body and the starlight dew further enhanced it. But the tribulation lightning is pure, destructive heavenly power. It's an external force. We need things that can absorb, deflect, and convert that energy. You cannot be injured by the tribulation lightning to achieve the Perfect Foundation."

Her eyes scanned the shelves with the keen eye of someone who knew the inventory by heart. "Forget simple defensive talismans. It won't work at all against… that.

She paused for a moment to look up, addressing the gathering tribulation cloud beyond the store's ceiling before pointing to a small, unassuming gray rock resting on a velvet cushion. It looked like a simple river stone.

"You need… this."

[Item: Tribulation Null-Stone]

[Grade: High Earth-Grade]

[Description: A fragment of a meteorite that fell through a Nascent Soul Stage's tribulation storm. It is saturated with the nascent principles of heavenly judgment. It does not block tribulation lightning but absorbs and neutralizes its 'will', reducing its destructive power by 30% and turning the remainder into pure, usable spiritual energy.]

[Cost: 200 high-grade Spirit Stones or 20,000 DE]

"Tell me, Xiaoyu. You're really trying to drain my balance, aren't you?" Lin Mo's lips curled up as he read the price. The item was truly something useful for his tribulation but he only had a few hundred spirit stones in his balance. 200 is already more than half of what he had left.

"Hehe. I don't know what you're talking about, Boss." Xiaoyu grinned. "But think about it, why just endure the beating when you can eat it for breakfast? Forget about saving up. Anyhow, that's just for defense. You also need something for recovery. The lightning will still hurt. A lot."

She then pointed to a set of seven, intricately carved pills, each glowing with a different color of the rainbow.

It was something that could catch the eye of an expert. Unfortunately, it was only useful for cultivators below the Core Formation Stage.

[Item: Seven-Star Soulmend Pills (Set)]

[Grade: Mid Earth-Grade]

[Description: A set of seven pills, each refined with the essence of a different celestial body. Each pill corresponds to a different aspect of the user's being: physical body, meridians, spiritual sea, soul, qi purity, will, and foundation. Consumed in sequence, they can rapidly repair damage from tribulation lightning and stabilize a newly formed foundation.]

[Cost: 150 high-grade Spirit Stones or 15,000 DE]

Lin Mo read its description. Different aspects. At the moment, his comprehension of it was still too low but he could tell that each of those aspects was important for a cultivator. On higher stages, he might need to properly understand them.

In total, it would be 350 high-grade spirit stones. His personal balance, which he'd been so proud of accumulating, would be reduced to two-digit figures.

"Take them, Boss," Xiaoyu said, her expression serious. "Your Perfect Foundation is an investment for the entire store's future. It's a convenient expense."

Lin Mo let out a long breath. She was right. This was no time for frugality. He accessed the system and authorized the purchase. The system deducted the amount, and the two items floated gently into his hands.

"Alright. I'll head down to the arena and face this tribulation there. I'll leave the store to you. You can make your own decision if something urgent comes up."

"You can leave it to me, Boss! Oh, right, don't forget to get that pink umbrella, Boss. What is it again? [Protection Against Celestial Tribulations – Modern Limited Edition] or [Modern Tribulation Umbrella] for short!"

Lin Mo recalled that item. It was one of the first products that was present since the opening of the store. Yan Wei used one of them during his tribulation recently. Now, he's also going to use one.

"Yeah. Yeah. I won't forget," He said as he tucked the items into his pocket. He gave Xiaoyu's head a final, appreciative pat. "Keep everyone safe."

"Will do!" She saluted, her serious expression melting back into a confident grin.

With his preparations complete, Lin Mo descended the grand staircase.

The main floor was abuzz with a nervous energy. The new staff, though well-drilled, were casting anxious glances towards the ceiling. Even the customers who had just entered were looking around, bewildered by the oppressive, invisible weight in the air.

He walked directly towards the entrance of the [Divine Arena & Exhibition Hall]. Wu Meiyu was already there, directing the security staff to form a perimeter.

"The arena is cleared, Shopkeeper," She reported, "No one will disturb you."

"Thank you, Your Highness," Lin Mo said with a nod of gratitude. He looked at her, at the determined set of her jaw and felt a profound sense of trust.

Her role in the store was already cemented. She's already a pillar of the establishment.

He stepped through the doors, which sealed shut behind him with a heavy, final thud.

He walked to the center of the stage, the same stage where he had first showcased the Celestial Duel Arena and where he had trained for many nights.

He sat down cross-legged, arranging his newly acquired treasures before him: the unassuming Null-Stone, the rainbow-hued Soulmend Pills, and the ridiculously pink Modern Tribulation Umbrella, which he opened and placed beside him.

He looked up and grinned. The ceiling of the arena, usually a solid, unbreakable surface, was beginning to turn transparent. The divine-grade formations of the store were reconfiguring, creating a direct channel to the sky above. He could now see the swirling, angry vortex of tribulation clouds, a maelstrom of violet and black, crackling with raw, celestial fury.

"Let's get this over with." Lin Mo said, his words addressed to the angry Heaven's Will.