The first rays of dawn painted Fanling City’s streets in hues of gold and amber. However, just like any other day since the appearance of that certain establishment, the air buzzed with an electric anticipation that had nothing to do with the sunrise.

A throng of cultivators, disciples, mortals and curious onlookers had already gathered outside the Divine Convenience Store. Most of them were passing their time with their Viewing Jades flickering between different Store Bulletin Board threads that burned hotter than a fire spirit beast’s breath.

The events at Jade Hollow Plain starting with Liu Xiaoyu’s completing all ten floors of the Tower, her minor tribulation towards Foundation Establishment Stage, the revelation of her Nine Heavens Exquisite Body, Lin Mo’s audacious speech, and the factions scrambling to get an audience had turned the unassuming storefront into the realm’s epicenter.

Now, more people were coming from outside the Eastern Abyssal Domain, with most of them coming from the factions that could rival the nearby upper-tier sects like the Azure Gale Sect and Crimson Vale Sect.

The City Guards deployed by the City Lord Wei Xian also started concentrating on the street, ensuring that no conflict would arise.

Among the crowd stood Shang Shuiyin, a disciple from the Arctic Sea Palace from the Northern Arctic Dominion, her white and blue robes blending seamlessly within the sea of bodies.

At the 7th level Spirit Condensation Stage at age 20, she was no prodigy, but her sharp instincts and knack for sniffing out opportunity had kept her alive through countless skirmishes, palace missions and treasure hunts.

After getting her hands on a Viewing Jade from a travelling merchant, she became aware of the existence of the Divine Convenience Store. She wasn’t actively posting at the Bulletin Board but she kept up with everything she had read from the hottest threads in it.

That’s why she took the risk to travel and finally, after a few days, she reached it. On her waist hung her spatial pouch containing her life’s savings, a hundred high-grade spirit stones as she hoped to get her hands on the [Celestial Duel Gear] and buy a pack of the popular store products like the [Card Talismans], [Spirit Embodiment Sticker Seals]. Naturally, she also wanted to taste the lauded [Heavenly Dew Soda] and [Taihao Spicy Noodles].

“Move it, you’re blocking the line!”

Suddenly, a burly Core Formation Elder growled, his purple robes marking him as an Elder of a sect situated far from the Fanling City.

Shuiyin sidestepped but before the elder could pass, pressure dropped on his shoulders, forcing him to kneel.

“No cutting in line! Observe orderliness if you don’t want to get kicked out of my city.” Up above, City Lord Wei Xian unleashed the aura of his early Nascent Soul Stage, making the Core Formation Elder and those who were trying to do the same stand back. They trembled at their knees before apologizing to him.

“I’m doing you all a favor. If you want to get past that door, you’d do well not to cause trouble.” Upon saying that, he grunted and then disappeared, leaving everyone standing in line in awe.

Shuiyan stared at the now-empty space he vacated, a hint of respect in her eyes. “Impressive. Even the City Lord is at the store’s side.”

Not minding that rude elder anymore, her gaze fixed on the store’s glass doors as the bell kept chiming from the customers entering and leaving it.

The line stretched halfway down the street and wrapped around to another corner, making it more like a spectacle. A chaotic mix of sect disciples, rogue cultivators, and even a few richly dressed merchants from the Southern Wu Kingdom’s capital. Whispers rippled through the crowd, each voice tinged with awe or skepticism.

Shuiyin kept her thoughts to herself and simply listened. She’d heard the rumors. Divine backing, mysterious artifacts, a store that sold miracles in snack-sized packages. But what intrigued her most was the talk of a

‘Divine Lecture’. If a divine being were truly involved, even wandering cultivators could be enlightened to their path towards cultivation.

She adjusted her robes as the line started moving, pushing her closer to the door.

Suddenly, the crowd’s chatter grew louder as a faint tremor shook the ground, followed by a pulse of spiritual energy and something else. It was so potent that it made Shuiyin’s knees buckle.

Gasps rippled through the line and all eyes turned to the store again as a towering figure materialized at the entrance, its presence silencing the crowd and even alerting the city guards.

However, they all stopped when they noticed what it was exactly.

A construct. Humanoid but unmistakably otherworldly, standing eight feet tall with a body of polished obsidian and jade.

Its armor sparkled with intricate engravings of ancient scripture and its faceless helm glowed with twin orbs of azure light. A massive halberd, wreathed in faint divine energy, rested in its grip as its blade shimmered with sharp intent that could cut through anything.

The air around it thrummed with authority, as if the heaven itself had sculpted the guardian to stand watch.

Shuiyin’s breath was caught in her throat. She’d faced spirit beasts and rogue cultivators, but this construct radiated a pressure that dwarfed even the City Lord with his Nascent Soul Stage cultivation.

The crowd erupted into hushed speculation, their Viewing Jades buzzing as they posted furiously to the Bulletin Board.

“Is that… a peerless expert?” A disciple from Azure Gale Sect stammered, “Did the Shopkeeper hire a Nascent Soul expert to guard the store after last night?”

“No way,” Another cultivator scoffed but it was noticeable how shaky their voice was, “That’s no cultivator. Look closely, it isn’t human! The Shopkeeper must’ve summoned a Divine Guardian from the Divine Pantheon! The one whispered in the Bulletin Board threads.”

A Core Formation Elder’s lips curled into a wary smile as she sighed helplessly, “After the assistant’s provocative stunt, every sect is now eyeing this place. The Shopkeeper is not taking chances. That thing can probably wipe out half the Inner Abyssal Circle.”

Shuiyin couldn’t help but nod inwardly. A guardian like that wasn’t cheap. And spirit stones alone wouldn’t cut it. It should be something that no sect within the realm possessed, not even her Arctic Sea Palace.

Whatever this construct was, it screamed power and permanence. She’s now more convinced that her trip wasn’t in vain. If she can bring something back from the store to the palace, she might be recognized for her contribution and be promoted to the inner palace!

Suddenly, her Viewing Jade vibrated as a new Bulletin Board thread popped up.

[Divine Guardian at the Store?! Shopkeeper’s Flexing After Jade Hollow! – ILoveGossip]

Shuiyin glanced skimmed the comments:

[GallantWindRider: What the hell is that? If it didn’t appear out of nowhere and flexed its limbs, I would’ve thought it was a statue! But it should be a construct straight from the Divine Pantheon! The Shopkeeper’s got the divine being’s favor! They wouldn’t let anyone touch him!]

[CrimsonFlame88: Bet it’s not just here to scare off those Elders. No one can kidnap Xiaoyu at the door anyway. It’s there to make a statement. The Divine Convenience Store is now showing its fangs!]

[HiddenMoon: Anyone else feel that divine energy? My Core Formation master knelt!]

Shuiyin eventually pocketed her Viewing Jade as she approached the steps leading to the store.

Liu Xiaoyu stood at the entrance, her green-and-white uniform pristine despite last night’s tribulation. Her grin was as playful as ever, and her Foundation Establishment aura, bolstered by her Perfect Foundation, radiated a subtle brilliance. Behind her, Xiao Ya peeked out, copying Xiaoyu’s liveliness..

“Morning, everyone!” Liu Xiaoyu called, her voice cutting through the murmurs. “Welcome to the Divine Convenience Store! Line up nice and orderly, or our new friend here might get grumpy!”

She patted the construct’s arm, which didn’t so much as twitch. The crowd chuckled nervously, unsure if she was joking.

Shuiyin’s eyes widened. The construct didn’t react to Xiaoyu’s touch, but its azure orbs seemed to scan the crowd, locking onto anyone who stepped out of line. She swallowed hard, her grip tightening.

As the line surged forward, Shuiyin caught sight of Lin Mo behind the counter, his merchant smile looking a little lazy but she could feel its hidden sharpness. He stood behind another employee who was scanning the items of the customers lined up in front.

Soon, Shuiyin stepped past the door and she was immediately hit by the dense spiritual energy that was seemingly inherent inside the store. It’s like entering an immortal cave with spiritual arrays that gather the spiritual energy from heaven and earth. It was refreshing.

She glanced at Liu Xiaoyu and Xiao Ya, who greeted her with a lively smile before asking, “Welcome, dear customer? Is this your first time here? Do you need assistance?”

She absent-mindedly nodded and Xiao Ya cheerfully raised her hand before stepping forward, “Allow me to assist you, dear customer! Here, take a basket first.”

Before she knew it, she was already following the little girl as they went from aisle to aisle. For Shuiyin, she felt like she had entered a new world filled with boundless treasures.

With her curiosity peaking, she stopped in her steps and tapped Xiao Ya’s little shoulder, “Uhm… Excuse me. Can I ask something?”

The little girl turned around and asked, “What is it, Big Sister?”

“That guardian outside, what is it?”

“That? Boss called it our Security Guard! It looked peerless, didn’t it? Hehe.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep