CHAPTER 449: YOU CAN BE CERTAIN OF OUR LOYALTY

In a hidden cave miles away, Ling Qiumei finished chewing one of the sweet-smelling tablets that ’Senior Ghost’ had given her.

She watched in utter disbelief as the deep gash on her arm, which should have taken weeks of careful meditation and herbal poultices to heal, was already closing, leaving behind only a faint, pink line. The pain was completely gone.

However, it wasn’t just the healing effects that astounded her. It was also the fruity taste. In a world where medicine was a bitter, grueling affair, this was a sweet, pleasant miracle.

She couldn’t help but tightly hold the packet of fruity tablets and tucked it deep in her robe. It was more precious than any pills she had taken before.

Her gaze then fell upon the other gift, the pristine longsword. She slowly unwrapped the simple cloth it came in, and a soft, clear light seemed to emanate from the blade, pushing back the gloom of the cave.

She ran a trembling finger along its edge, gasping instantly from its sharpness. Her old, chipped sword, the last legacy of her sect’s armory, felt like a crude farming tool in comparison. What the Senior Ghost has given her was a work of art. No, a peerless treasure that could redefine her sect’s dwindling fortunes.

"Senior Ghost... Shopkeeper..." She whispered, the name feeling strange and momentous on her tongue. Who was this being? What was this ’Divine Convenience Store’ he spoke of?

For months, her life had been a desperate scramble. He fled not just from the Crimson Tiger Sect but from many similar organizations that caught wind of her sect’s complete copy of their core manual.

Hope had become a luxury she could only wish for but not afford. Now, in the span of a few minutes, a benevolent ghost and a peerless expert in disguise had not only saved her life but had also armed her with a miracle pill and a high-quality sword.

He had given her hope. A tangible, razor-sharp piece of it.

Now, her path was clear.

The manual was the past, the legacy she had to protect. But this Shopkeeper... he was a glimpse of a bright future.

She would go to Sunken Dragon City. She had to understand this new, impossible path that had just opened before her.

Steeling her resolve, she secured the manual in her robes, stood up, and gripped her new sword. The weight felt perfect. The sword instantly felt like an extension of her own will.

With the help of the fruity tablet, her inner energy had recovered to its peak state, bringing back her original strength as someone at the pinnacle of the 1st-rate martial artists.

Although she still lacked enlightenment to cross the boundary to become a Peak Realm martial artist, she’s still among the top experts of the younger generation.

After spending half a day recuperating, she exited the cave, her senses sharp, her body healed, and her spirit renewed.

However, she had not taken ten steps before a new sound made her freeze.

The crunch of boots on gravel. From the rocks above, five figures dropped down, surrounding her. They wore the same crude armor as the men from before, the snarling tiger insignia of the Crimson Tiger Sect emblazoned on their chests. These men were different, however. Their killing intent was stronger, their movements more disciplined.

"There she is!" Their leader, a grim-faced man with a claw-like scar across one eye, called out. "Hu Gan and his fools were defeated by a ghost, they said. What nonsense! She must have used some trick. Seize her! The Sect Master wants the manual, and he wants her alive!"

Ling Qiumei’s heart pounded but the terror from before was gone, replaced by a cold, focused calm.

Three against one had been a desperate struggle because she was too exhausted. But now that she has the time to properly rest and recover from her injuries, six against one, especially when they’re all second-rate martial artists, would be a breeze.

She took a deep breath, recalling the fluid, graceful movements of her sect’s [Silent Rain Sword Style]. A style that required a flawless blade to perform its most profound techniques. A style she could now finally unleash.

Although she possessed the [Sky-Rending Sword Manual], it was something that she had yet to fully comprehend. Even its basic stance was too complicated. Hence, she believed she had to grow further before tackling it again.

Seeing her taking up a stance, the first two men charged.

Ling Qiumei’s eyes glinted sharply as she flowed forward to meet them. Her new sword became a blur of silver light. It moved with a silent yet deadly precision. Like a drop of rain before an ensuing storm.

Shing!

Her blade slid past one man’s clumsy saber block, the sound like a soft whisper.

The man froze, a thin red line appearing on his neck. He crumpled to the ground before his companion even realized what had happened.

The others stared in shock. The girl who had been on the verge of defeat was now a whirlwind of deadly grace.

"Witchcraft!" The scarred leader roared, charging forward himself.

Ling Qiumei met his charge and let her sword dance. It weaved a net of silent, cutting rain. It flowed and found gaps, turning their own momentum against them.

Every parry was a redirection and every thrust a pinpoint strike to draw blood.

In less than a minute, five bodies lay on the ground. The scarred leader was the last one standing, his saber arm hanging uselessly at his side, his face a mask of disbelief.

"Who... what are you?" He stammered.

"Funny you say that. Aren’t you lots chasing after me? I am Ling Qiumei, of the Silent Rain Sect," she said, her voice steady and clear, her sword held ready. "Remember that."

With that, she turned away and disappeared from their sight, leaving them drowning in their blood.

—

Back in the Divine Convenience Store, King Wu Tianzhen didn’t stay too long conversing with Lin Mo. After getting informed about the auction, he excused himself to continue exploring the store.

Wu Meiyu volunteered to guide her royal father, leaving Lin Mo on his coffee as he waited for the other important patrons who would surely look for him before the Divine Lecture.

He didn’t have to wait long.

The first to arrive was a delegation from the Poison Demon Cult, led by the High Priest. The old man used the Celestial Shuttle Network, bringing only his Priest slash trusted assistant, Luo Ming, and three Venom Masters from the Toad, Serpent and Scorpion Branches, respectively.

Of course, his concern was about the immortal-grade artifact too but at the same time, he started boasting about his plan on how to properly use the authority of becoming the second Official Distributor of the Divine Convenience Store.

He showed him a map of the Inner Abyssal Circle, marking the factions around the Poison Demon Cult’s Temple and which one would be more susceptible when it comes to accepting ’convenience’. He also mentioned the suspected Anchor within the Crimson Fang Brotherhood’s territory. He had spies in there but they fortified their outposts as they prepared for an expedition. Until now, there have been no new reports. In the end, the High Priest promised to personally visit the brotherhood himself to confirm if there was an Anchor there or not.

After that, the Ancestors and Sect Masters of the qualified bidders showed up and Lin Mo talked to them one by one. Naturally, everyone was trying to probe for information for the auction. But little did they know, the system was also working in the background, scoring their approaches.

It would give them either bonus points or a penalty when the day arrives. After all, even a mountain of spirit stones wouldn’t be enough if the system deemed them unfit to acquire the artifacts.

Soon, the last one among the qualified bidders arrived.

It was Liu Tianfeng, followed by other elders of the Liu Clan. After all, Liu Zhongzhu, his son and the designated Clan Head, was managing the new Anchor.

The old man surprisingly appeared refreshed and excited. It clearly had to do with the Divine Lecture or just the fact that he’d be able to see divine beings from the Pantheon again as well as the battle with Elder Bing Xin. That one was invigorating for him.

"Shopkeeper!" he boomed, his laughter filling the lounge. "I have returned from chasing away the Violethaven dogs and properly interrogating our Outer Realm friends."

"Patriarch Liu, welcome," Lin Mo said with a grin. "I trust your own... discussion... with them was equally successful?"

"With our captives? Yes. But those Violethaven scums are stubborn. They clearly won’t admit defeat. They may plan another ploy in the future." Liu Tianfeng grunted, though there was no frustration in his voice. "That woman ran off with her tail between her legs after her little assassin friend got turned into flower fertilizer!"

He then sat down and whispered, "Now, about that [Everlasting Spirit Fountain]. The Liu Clan has been preparing. We have cleared out the most sacred ancestral ground in our estate. It sits atop a convergence of three earth veins. The perfect place for the fountain to take root. Our bid will be... substantial. As for whatever pledge we need to make, you know that we worship Taihao. You can be certain of our loyalty to this establishment."