The first rays of dawn kissed the horizon, painting the sky in hues of lavender and gold. In the Divine Convenience Store, the 'Aura of Harmony', a reward from Zhenren Lihua, shimmered faintly around the whole store, giving a calming ambiance.
He adjusted his freshly laundered striped uniform, which felt slightly stiff against his skin. Liu Xiaoyu had insisted on wearing hers as soon as the system provided another variation of the one they wore yesterday, bouncing around the store like a hyperactive rabbit.
Now, Lin Mo wasn't sure if the uniforms made them look more professional or just comically out of place in this mystical realm.
He glanced at the system panel floating in front of him, its soft glow illuminating the new set of tasks for the day:
[Daily Tasks]
[Attract new customers: 0/10]
[Sell items with a total worth of 20 spirit stones and above to a single customer: (0/5)]
[Repeat customers: 0/5]
"It finally changed from the easy tasks for the past two days," Lin Mo mused as he finished adjusting the position of the new weapons rack, deciding it was the perfect place to show off the peculiar new goods he suddenly had in stock.
He still couldn't help but wonder if all of these items in the store were being produced in some kind of factory in their Divine Pantheon. Do they have a taste for the modern Earth's aesthetic that even an Essence Recovery Pill looked like a ball of chewy candy?
There's also the mystery of how Taihao and company were transporting the items into the store. But considering both Taihao and Lihua could pop up out of nowhere, there must be some kind of portal connected to the store.
It's not that bad, actually. He'd welcome more upgrades if they could appear in an instant instead of him laboriously rearranging the store all by himself.
Last night, after Zhenren Lihua disappeared, he and Liu Xiaoyu welcomed the upgrade of their quarters. Apart from the partition for the privacy of their bed, the kitchen and the items they could use for their meal had expanded.
They're not just instant noodles anymore. There were rice balls, dumplings and assorted vegetables to choose from.
Lin Mo and his quirky assistant feasted on them last night which made it impossible for him to continue his attempt at cultivation.
"Anyway, it's like the system knows how to keep raising the bar," Lin Mo muttered, running a hand through his hair. "At least it's not asking me to wrestle a divine beast. Yet."
Behind him, Liu Xiaoyu suddenly appeared, holding a broom she'd been using to enthusiastically sweep the floor.
She grinned, her uniform somehow looking less ridiculous on her thanks to her boundless energy.
"Boss, you're thinking too small. These tasks are nothing! We've already got a bunch of customers hooked on the soda and noodles. Today's going to be a breeze!"
"You mean the same customers who nearly fought over the last bottle yesterday? What if they come back and start haggling?"
Lin Mo crossed his arms as his mind was already starting to think if he could try to make his own move without the system's prompts. Something like sending Xiaoyu outside to promote the store. But he had to create some kind of pamphlet for it.
His Personal Balance was now a whooping 24 spirit stones from everything he earned yesterday and the reward from completing Daily Tasks. But that was still far from enough.
Liu Xiaoyu waved a dismissive hand. "They won't! Besides, with the Aura of Harmony, even the grumpiest cultivator will be too calm to pick a fight. It's like we've got a magical anti-drama shield!"
Lin Mo smirked, shaking his head. "You're way too optimistic for someone who called herself my 'protector' the other day and then hid behind the counter."
"Hey! When will you drop that boss?! The situation was different back then!" Liu Xiaoyu retorted, puffing out her cheeks indignantly. "Anyway, boss, let's focus on the real challenge: selling those fancy new weapons. Did you see the sword in the rack? It's glowing! That's gotta be worth at least fifty spirit stones."
Lin Mo turned to the new weapons rack he had just arranged near the entrance.
The centerpiece was indeed an elegant sword with a faint, ethereal glow. According to the system, it was called the Celestial Wind Saber, capable of slicing through most low-tier magical defenses. Its price tag? A whopping 80 spirit stones.
There's still no indication whether it's low, mid or high-grade spirit stones so anyone could buy that as long as they have 80 pieces of any grade of spirit stones.
He did inquire about that bit to Zhenren Lihua but she didn't answer straight. It's like the quality of the spirit stones didn't really matter to the divine beings, They cared more about their influence that was slowly taking root within the realm.
"Yeah, let's hope someone with deep pockets walks in," Lin Mo said, rubbing his chin. "But knowing our luck, we'll probably get someone who tries to trade a bag of wilted herbs again. Remember Xiaoyu, we're running a business here not a charity. It's fine to do it once or twice but not every day."
"Understood boss! We'll start turning down those who cannot afford our prices!"
Although he said that, Lin Mo knew that if the system prompted him to do a trade to the customer, he might just do it. But thinking about it, those three customers yesterday were all situational. Zhou Rui was about to succumb to the poison. If he wasn't treated, he'd die outside the store. The kid was naturally someone who wouldn't lie to buy a cure for his mother. And lastly, the woman whose husband suffered spiritual imbalance had something to trade for it.
The system took those herbs and converted them to their spirit stone value, clearing the debt.
—
Meanwhile, at the Verdant Sky Pavilion.
Yu Qingyan paced back and forth inside her private chamber, her brows furrowed in deep thought.
The early morning sunlight streamed through her window, but her attention was elsewhere.
Her gaze occasionally drifted to the almost-empty pack of Heavenly Dew Soda sitting on her desk. The remaining bottle seemed to taunt her with its fizzy allure. She had tried to ration them, but the taste was so addictive that she'd gone through the remaining bottles in a single evening.
"How can something so simple be so... irresistible?" she muttered, her tone half-frustrated, half-admiring.
The thought of returning to the Divine Convenience Store was already circling in her mind but she already used her allowance for the month. This was the first time in a while that she exceeded the budget she set for herself.
Yu Qingyan sighed, slumping into her cushioned chair as she stared at the map sprawled across her desk. Her mind wasn't on trade routes or factional politics, it was stuck on the fizzy, sweet taste of the Heavenly Dew Soda and the peculiar store where she'd acquired it.
Her fingers drummed against the desk as she considered her options. She could request an advance on her stipend, but that would raise questions she wasn't ready to answer.
She could borrow from a fellow elder, but that came with its own complications.
"Why does something so trivial feel like such a dilemma?" She muttered as she rubbed her temples. "I'm an emissary of the Verdant Sky Pavilion, not some spirit-stone-less disciple."
For her, the soda wasn't just a drink anymore; it was a symbol of the store's peculiar charm and the possibilities it held. The noodles, the talismans, the strange shopkeeper. They kept gnawing at her curiosity.
There's one word that could best describe her at the moment. Addicted.