Wu Meiyu silently nodded as they moved to the second floor, taking their seats on the comfortable lounge to begin their work.
With her help, Lin Mo decided to spend the next few hours meticulously arranging the virtual seats like they were planning a battlefront as two master strategists.
Wu Meiyu's knowledge of court politics and the power struggle between strong cultivators was invaluable. Even if the prominent sects appeared friendly on the outside as patrons of the store, their rivalry wouldn't easily go away.
In the end, they agreed to place the Liu Clan, the Red Lotus Academy and the Southern Wu Royal Family in positions of honor, flanking the main stage, a clear sign of their status as the store's primary kingdom, academic and martial partners.
The Verdant Sky Pavilion and the Cerulean Cloud Sword Sect were seated behind them. It wasn't as prominent but that also showed Lin Mo's favorable view of them, especially when he had close dealings with both Yu Qingyan, the Verdant Sky Pavilion's Emissary and Jiang Jianxin, the Cerulean Cloud Sword Sect's Sword Fairy.
The real headache or artistry, however, was in the placement of the more volatile factions.
"The Poison Demon Cult," Wu Meiyu mused, tapping a cluster of seats. "We cannot place them too close to the righteous sects, Shopkeeper. Even with the alliance, it would seem like an endorsement of their methods. But placing them too far away would be a slight. I suggest we place them here, adjacent to the Shadow Veil Clan. It creates a new, distinct 'unorthodox but allied' power bloc. It shows they are part of the new order, but on their own terms."
Lin Mo rubbed his chin before nodding slowly, "Good point. And the Golden Carp Trading Guild?"
"Here," She said, indicating a set of seats that was prominent but surrounded by neutral, smaller sects. "It gives them visibility but isolates them from the core power structure. It sends a message: you are welcome here as observers, but your place at the main table is not yet earned. It will force them to network, to build relationships and to work for their position."
One by one, they placed the pieces on the board, each choice a subtle move in the great game of realm politics. It was a quiet, intellectual battle and a form of convenience just as potent as any artifact.
Naturally, Lin Mo's understanding of everything was still shallow, so with every decision they made, he'd ask Wu Meiyu about her reasoning for it. Sometimes, he'd make a counterargument and give her his reason why he thought it should be like that.
Little did he know, what he'd shown further elevated his prestige in the First Princess's eyes. She had never seen someone so easily adaptable, especially when it comes to politics. Something that not everyone could pick up right away.
As the final seat was placed, Lin Mo let out a long breath as a sense of deep satisfaction washed over him.
The stage was set, not just for a lecture, but for what could be taken as the official unveiling of the store's influence within the First Heaven.
All that was left was for the curtains to rise. And for him to face his own tribulation.
—
Somewhere around the northern boundary of the Abyssal Forest, within the mountainous trail leading to the western side of the continent, a small sect known as the Midsteel Sect had its gates sealed tight.
The atmosphere around their secluded mountain peak was filled with dreadful tension. Quite a contrast to their usual quiet and unassuming existence.
For the past few days, the Midsteel Sect had become the unwilling host to a group of powerful, and deeply agitated, guests.
The sect grounds became their forward operating base, a convenient and deniable location from which the Impervious Flare Sect could stage their operation against the Divine Convenience Store.
Inside the sect's main hall, the air was suffocating as if someone had sucked it out of the place.
A man with a face like scorched rock and a temper to match it paced relentlessly. This was Elder Jinshi of the Impervious Flare Sect. The right hand of the Impervious Flare Sect Leader. He was a late Nascent Soul Stage expert and his fury over the news he had received recently was making his spiritual energy erratic.
"Silence!" He roared as he slammed a fist onto a solid stone table, cracking it down the middle. "It has been five hours since Elder Quan and his team went dark! Five hours since their soul candles extinguished in unison. And we still know nothing!"
"Perhaps you underestimate your opponent," Deacon Feng said, his tone turning colder. He pulled out something from his robes. If someone from the Eastern Abyssal Domain could see it, they would instantly recognize it as a Viewing Jade. "You see this jade? This is supposedly the store's revolutionary artifact that allows them to create a platform called the 'Store Bulletin Board'."
"So what of it? Have you managed to glean information from that jade?" Elder Jinshi spat.
"No. Alas, it is accepting my spiritual energy but it is not activating fully. I suspect the Divine Convenience Store has put security in place, preventing its enemies from prying into it.
"Bah! That damn Shopkeeper is mocking us! Give it to him! He should be unaware of this little Sect Master." Elder Jinshi pointed at one corner where a figure silently waited.
The figure was none other than the Sect Master of the Midsteel Sect, a timid-looking Core Formation Stage cultivator. Having been pointed at, he couldn't help but flinch as he tried to make himself as small as possible. He had thought hosting a major power would bring his sect glory and resources. Instead, it had brought him a front-row seat to a brewing catastrophe.
Deacon Feng turned his head in his direction as he took another sip of his tea. "Indeed. He may be able to access this. You, come here."
The Midsteel Sect Master, whose name was Zong Rushi, scurried forward with his head remaining bowed. "Esteemed Deacon, Honored Elder."
Deacon Feng tossed the Viewing Jade onto the table. It clattered with a sound that made Zong Rushi jump.
"Activate it. Show us this 'Store Bulletin Board'."
Zong Rushi picked up the jade with trembling hands. He had heard of these miraculous jades. His more adventurous disciples had even managed to purchase some after traveling to Fanling City, drawn by the incredible rumors.
Gripping it tightly, he nervously poured a wisp of his spiritual energy into it.
Unlike Deacon Feng's attempt, the jade responded instantly. It glowed, and a holographic interface sprang to life, projecting a vibrant, scrolling wall of text and images into the air.
It first asked for a 'username' before the interface transitioned to the front page, where announcements by the Divine Convenience Store were laid out.
With their eyes glued to it, the silence in the hall deepened, replaced by the hushed whispers of the Impervious Flare Sect disciples who had gathered.
They stared, mesmerized.
Elder Jinshi's furious expression morphed into one of stunned disbelief. "What is this sorcery?"
Zong Rushi nervously navigated the interface as Deacon Feng instructed. "This… this is the Store Bulletin Board, Honored Elder. It seemed to be a network… a community of the store's patrons."
His fingers trembled as he tapped on the 'Community' tab. The main page was a chaotic explosion of information, but one thread, pinned to the very top and glowing with a stark, blood-red banner, immediately seized their attention.
[Flash Raid Commission: Cutting the Snake in Half]