CHAPTER 492: CONFIGURING THE LAYOUT AND TAKING ANOTHER WALK

Since the Divine System Interface that existed within the store could somehow endlessly expand its space, picking a corner and generating a new door leading to another separate space for the hot spring was easily done.

Still, it needs time to be constructed.

[Facility Expansion has been used to construct the Celestial Hot Spring]

[Estimated Time: 12 hours]

[Configure Layout?]

Lin Mo tapped ’Yes’. A holographic grid appeared, representing the layout of the new facility.

"Let’s see. A grand lobby here. Vending machines or maybe just walk-in coolers lining the walls... They can just pay at the counter. Next, we need a waiting area with massage chairs. Are massage chairs available though?"

There wasn’t any indication. But since its blueprint was also from what Taihao witnessed on Earth, there should be some.

The question is... who’s the unlucky divine being who got assigned to develop those?

Lin Mo just shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it too much. Either it would be like Goddess Xingxing, who loved to promote her brand, or someone like Chuang, who was churning out product after product for the store in his workshop.

After finalizing the reception area, the lounge and the recreation area, it’s now time for the baths.

He partitioned the space into two large public baths. One for men, styled with rugged rocks and pine trees, and one for women, styled with white marble and cherry blossoms.

He also added a row of ’Private Suites’ at the back. Each suite would have its own small pool, a changing room, and a tea table.

"These private suites... can be charged a premium. Fixed hourly rates. And maybe require a Golden Patron status," Lin Mo mused, his merchant soul calculating the potential revenue. "Couples cultivation, secret negotiations, or just someone wanting peace and quiet. The demand will be high. However... it’s going to go against the concept of ’convenience for all’."

At that thought, he switched it up right away. The second floor of the store was already enough privilege for the Golden Patrons. He still didn’t think profiting should be prioritized. It’s good but it shouldn’t mold the store. The Celestial Hot Spring should be open for everyone.

He finalized the layout.

Apart from the main public baths for men and women, he added a few more smaller baths for those who didn’t like a crowded place. Then, the private suites came in different sizes. The more expensive it was, the larger it would be, accommodating larger groups or families.

"There. That should do it." Lin Mo muttered, tapping the final confirmation.

[Configuration Complete.]

[Amenities Added: Divine Vending Machines (Beverages/Hygiene Products), Massage Chairs (Heavenly Touch Model), Sauna Rooms (Infused Steam), Meditation Rock Beds.]

[Cost deducted: 2,000,000 DE]

[Remaining Balance: 1,489,232 DE]

"It’s done," Lin Mo said, turning back to Wu Meiyu.

The princess was watching him with a look of fascination. Even after seeing the store grow, the act of creation via the system always seemed to captivate her.

"Twelve hours. It will be ready by tomorrow afternoon." Lin Mo explained. "Just in time to relax after dealing with the morning rush and finishing the immortal-grade artifact auction."

"You’ve been so meticulous, Shopkeeper," Wu Meiyu said softly. "It must have reminded you of your... previous world."

At this point, being transmigrated to this realm after dying from an accident was no longer a secret to his close aides anymore. Besides, that actually made the store’s growth more convincing. He came from another world, so his ideas were always revolutionary.

"Not exactly, I haven’t been to a hot spring before but I have visited many public baths. After a whole week of daunting tasks at my work, I used to dip into the warm bath, relaxing my muscles."

"I see..." Wu Meiyu’s voice trailed there. Lin Mo glanced at her and found her looking like she still had something to say. Something like an invitation to try out the hot spring together. But she just ended up closing her mouth, not daring to voice it out.

They shared a quiet smile. The night had deepened, and the silence of the store felt comfortable rather than empty.

"Go and rest, Your Highness. Tomorrow will be another battlefield, though of a different sort."

Wu Meiyu nodded, bidding him goodnight before heading to the quarters. Lin Mo lingered for a moment, looking at the blank wall where the door to the hot springs would appear tomorrow.

He then turned and walked to the Portal Room.

He stood there for a moment, staring at the swirling violet-green rift leading to the Martial World.

He had promised to be in Sunken Dragon City in three days. Two days had already passed in the Realm of Nine Heavens. Time flowed synchronously between the two realms, which was convenient, but it also meant his deadline was approaching.

"I can’t go there blind," he muttered. "I need to know where this city is. If it exists at all."

He still had quite a few hours before the store would welcome a new day. His body, refined by the Primordial Starlight Dew, barely felt fatigue, but his mind still craved the reset of slumber. However, a quick scouting run wouldn’t hurt.

He activated the system.

[Plane Portal – The Martial World]

[Action: Initiate Spirit-Body Projection]

[Cost: 1,000 Dimension Essence]

"Mhm... Let’s go for a walk. Or wait. I shouldn’t scare people anymore."

He checked the interface to see if he could get a better Spirit-Body Projection. One that wouldn’t look like he’s a wandering ghost.

Unfortunately, he didn’t find anything. Either it’s because the Plane Portal was at its lowest level or he needed some kind of anchor in that Fractured Plane to further stabilize the flow of spiritual energy passing through the rift.

—

The Martial World, Shattered Blade Gorge

The sensation of displacement felt familiar now. When Lin Mo opened his eyes, he was once again a translucent, ghostly figure standing amidst the jagged rocks and ancient, broken swords of the gorge.

This was where he had intervened to save Ling Qiumei. The traces of the brief conflict were still visible, scuff marks on the stone, a splatter of dried blood, and the faint, lingering scent of... the popcorn he threw.

Lin Mo sniffed the air, or tried to, with his spiritual projection. It was faint, but unmistakable.

"Alright. Time to find a map. Or at least a signpost," He muttered, willing his spirit body to drift upwards.

Flying was possible because he didn’t have an actual physical body. But upon thinking about it, he believed that he’d still be quite invincible if he passed through the rift with his own body. Unless the zenith of this Fractured Plane reached the boundary before true immortality, it would be hard to find someone able to cope with a real cultivator.

He ascended the canyon walls, phasing through jutting rocks. From the high vantage point, the Shattered Blade Gorge stretched out like an old, desolate battlefield. The night sky here was like a perpetual, bruising purple, devoid of a sun or moon. However, he could see giant fragments floating outside the atmosphere. Either wreckage of this plane’s moon or just something that was cut out from it.

At this point, he had no idea if it was actually orbiting a fixed star. The Realm of Nine Heavens still did despite being a humongous multilayered realm.

As he scanned the horizon, he started looking for signs of a settlement.

To the east, there was nothing but desolate wasteland. He started recalling the initial scan result when he placed the Plane Portal.

The Shattered Blade Gorge was denoted as west from the initial point of the portal. Then, there’s the Iron Crane Dojo in the central region and Slithering Wilderness to the east.

At first, he thought no one lived in the plane anymore and everything was just ruins of the previous prosperous martial civilization.

But it seems not to be the case.

Which means, the resources that were scanned like the Martial Spirit Crystals, Starforged Ore and Celestial Bamboo Shoots must be some hidden treasures that had yet to be unearthed by the inhabitants of the Fractured Plane.

Apart from that, the hostile entities like the Resentful Wraiths, Fractured Spirit Beasts and Darkshadow Creatures should be the mutual enemy of the martial artists.

Those should be beyond the conflict for legacies, stronger techniques and hidden trial grounds.

"How complex will this place be?" He thought as he tried spreading the minuscule spirit sense that he managed to bring over through the Spirit-Body Projection.

The atmospheric density of the martial qi and the lack of spiritual energy acted like a fog, dampening his perception. He could only sense a few hundred meters at best.

"Inconvenient. But manageable. If there are people, there are roads. If there are roads, there is trade."

As he said that, his senses picked up something. Far to the north, there was a faint, golden glow on the horizon. Then, from his vantage point, he saw a cart being pulled by what looked like a domesticated beast and guarded by martial artists.

They stopped in the middle of the road with their weapons drawn.

"That doesn’t look like bandits." Lin Mo mused as he focused on the entities encroaching on them. "Resentful Wraiths, taking on the form of fallen martial artists... No. Those look like zombies, don’t they?"