Divine Convenience Store

From behind the shimmering veil of the illusion, four figures stepped forward. Sect Master Yan Tianfeng of the Azure Gale Sect. Sect Master Hong Ying of the Crimson Vale Sect. The Pavilion Master Yu Mingrou. And Sect Master Li Changqing of the Cerulean Cloud Sword Sect.

Each one of them was a peak Nascent Soul expert. Each one of them now wore a [Celestial Duel Gear]. And each one of them now held a single, glowing card as the summoned units behind them emerged.

They were about to mimic what Jiang Jianxin had just demonstrated.

Upon seeing that, Xiu Jian's laughter died in his throat. The confidence that had defined his every move, the absolute certainty of a Void Refinement master toying with lesser beings, shattered like a cheap teacup. Or at the very least, this wasn't what he was expecting when he agreed to provide aid to this plan.

The four Spirit Severing Ancestors, whom he had nearly defeated, were already a considerable force.

Jiang Jianxin's summon, the [Petal-Storm Sovereign], no matter how shocking it was, remained irrelevant to the current predicament of the Spirit Severing Ancestors.

But this… this was an ambush within an ambush. A trap sprung from the jaws of another trap.

"How…?" Xiu Jian's distorted whisper was no longer a tool of intimidation, but a genuine expression of disbelief. "How did you bypass my senses? A Void Refinement expert's spiritual perception should be absolute within this domain!"

"Your senses are formidable, Sect Master Xiu," Pavilion Master Yu Mingrou said calmly. Her voice carried the quiet authority of a seasoned leader. "But you were looking for threats of cultivation. For auras and spiritual fluctuations. You were not looking for patrons of the Divine Convenience Store."

She tapped the [Mirage Veil Projector] at her feet, the 1000 high-grade spirit stone artifact shimmering as its illusory power finally dissipated completely.

"This," She declared, "is a lesson in convenience. You rely on your own singular, powerful senses. We rely on a network and superior technology."

The logic was as cold and inescapable as the grave. He had been so focused on the powerful cultivators in front of him, he had failed to consider the possibility of the weaker force becoming a threat to him.

But he was still a Void Refinement expert. Panic gave way to a desperate, cornered fury.

"You think a few more Nascent Soul ants and summoned puppets can threaten me?" Xiu Jian roared, his shadowy form exploding outwards. "I will show you the true abyss that separates our realms! [Phantom Mirage Domain: Thousand Shadow Purgatory]!"

The world warped. The very fabric of space twisted as Xiu Jian unleashed his Domain. The rocky ground, the distant trees and the sky itself dissolved into a swirling vortex of black and grey.

Illusory chains made of solidified shadow erupted from the ground, lashing out at everyone. Phantoms, each one a perfect copy of Xiu Jian with a portion of his power, began to coalesce from the churning darkness.

This was the true power of a Void Refinement expert. The ability to overwrite reality itself, to create a personal hell for their enemies.

The Spirit Severing Ancestors gritted their teeth to protect their successors as the chains wrapped around them, their own domains flickering and failing against a superior will.

Behind, the four Sect Masters and Jiang Jianxin remained unshaken. They stood within the serene, petal-strewn aura of the [Petal-Storm Sovereign] also protected them from the illusory chains that the Ancestors failed to block.

Jiang Jianxin continued to down pills and pellets to continuously refill her spiritual energy as maintaining the Level 5 Unit was draining her quickly.

"Your domain is impressive. But it is an inconvenience. And our Shopkeeper has taught us how to deal with inconveniences." Sect Master Yan Tianfeng pressed a finger on his forehead, activating a Sect Treasure that further stabilized their current location.

Then, with a unified cry, the four Sect Masters slammed their own glowing cards, sacrificing the Level 1 to 4 Units on their respective Celestial Fields.

"I summon the Level 5 Unit, [Azurefrost Dragon]!" Sect Master Yan Tianfeng roared.

"I summon the Level 5 Unit, [Crimson-Crowned Emperor]!" Sect Master Hong Ying declared.

"I summon the Level 5 Unit, [Heavenly Conductress]!" Pavilion Master Yu Mingrou commanded.

"I summon the Level 5 Unit, [Tidal-Sword Swordmaster]!" Sect Master Li Changqing bellowed.

Four more beams of divine light shot into the swirling darkness of the Thousand Shadow Purgatory.

The chaotic, illusory world created by Xiu Jian was torn asunder by the raw, manifested power of four more divine entities. And this time, their auras reached the realm of his current stage. Void Refinement.

A colossal dragon of shimmering azure ice materialized, its breath a blizzard that froze Xiu Jian's shadow phantoms solid.

A regal emperor clad in crimson and gold armor appeared, his mere presence radiating an authority that made the illusory chains crumble to dust.

A graceful woman holding a conductor's baton ascended into the air, and with a single wave, she began to orchestrate the flow of spiritual energy in the domain, wresting control from Xiu Jian himself.

Finally, a silent swordsman with eyes like the deep ocean emerged, his blade not of metal but of pure, flowing water and blossoming petals, ready to cut through any illusion.

Four level 5 summons, one from each of the four starter decks of the [Celestial Duel Platform].

Soon, the sound of chains breaking, followed by the relieved gasps of the four Spirit Severing Ancestors, echoed through the collapsing domain. They were free.

Sect Master Xiu Jian stared, his shadowy form flickering violently, not from exertion, but utter disbelief. He was no longer the master of this reality. His domain, his ultimate power, was being systematically dismantled by divine projections, each one radiating a pressure that matched his own.

Five Void Refinement-level opponents. It was an ambush of impossible proportions.

"This is not cultivation," he rasped, his distorted voice cracking. "This is... cheating."

"You think so?" The Verdant Sky Pavilion Ancestor, Yu Qingmei. She and the other Ancestors fell a step back, allowing the four Level 5 Units to take their place.

Then, from their spatial rings, they pulled out a pack of [Spirit Embodiment Sticker Seals] and formation flags to activate another array.

Despite their current state, they're still determined to take down the strong opponent before them.

"This is something the Shopkeeper recommended," Yu Qingmei declared, her voice ringing with newfound confidence. She slapped a sticker seal depicting a unified, glowing sigil onto her chest. "For a limited time, we can pool our strength into one of us through these flags and exert the strength similar to a Void Refinement Stage expert. A convenient, albeit temporary, power-up."

The other three ancestors did the same. Four beams of light shot from their bodies, converging onto Yu Qingmei.

Her aura, previously battered and weakened, surged with an explosive, terrifying power, her robes whipping around her as her eyes began to glow with a verdant light. She had momentarily stepped across the threshold, her power now rivaling Xiu Jian's own.

Five Void Refinement-level opponents. One real and four divine projections. All united against a single, isolated master of shadows.

Xiu Jian's mind finally shuddered. But he still had yet to lose hope. Unlike his opponents, he's a mid Void Refinement Stage cultivator. A minor realm above them.