NOVPUBInner Abyssal Circle. Poison Demon Cult Main Temple.
Luo Ming once again visited the High Priest's chamber in the middle of the night as he relayed a new report to the old man.
"High Priest, the Crimson Fang Brotherhood's movements suggest they've found a lead on an Anchor. They fortified their outposts, and the Poison-bearer spies we planted in them reported an expedition forming in the northern ravines. The Shadow Veil Clan also made their move. They've been spotted going to Fanling City. Venom Master Xun sent word about intercepting them. It should yield results on their return."
A few seconds of silence passed, and the High Priest, engrossed with another bowl of his instant noodles, didn't react as much to the report. After slurping down the last of the soup, he simply raised his head and tapped his bone staff on his chamber's floor.
"Magnificent. The suspected Anchor will be our priority. Shopkeeper has been tackling the Tower himself. He has begun leaving the confines of his store to deal with these occurrences. If what the Brotherhood found was truly an Anchor, we must secure it for our cult. The Great Poison Demon emphasized preventing them from stabilizing. Order the Poison-bearers to get into that expedition and discover everything they can."
"Understood, High Priest," Luo Ming replied, clasping his hands and bowing deeply before the old man. "I'll send more Poison-bearers to infiltrate the Brotherhood's expedition. As for the Shadow Veil Clan, I'll coordinate with Venom Master Xun to ensure her ambush leaves no loose ends."
The High Priest's hollow eyes shone with grim light.
"See that you do, Luo Ming. The Shopkeeper's movements at the Conduit Tower are… illuminating. The store's influence grows on that side, and with it, the eyes of the realm. We cannot afford to lag behind. The Anchor must be ours, not the Brotherhood's, And…" His voice dropped a little as a threat weaved into his words, "... ensure our cult's loyalty to the store remains unshaken. The Convenience Saint's wares are our strength and we're his sword to spread his convenience in this side of the realm."
Luo Ming nodded, his mind already racing through logistics. "I'll reinforce our supply of store products to keep the branches motivated. If the Brotherhood's expedition yields an Anchor, we'll be ready to act."
The High Priest raised a hand, dismissing him. "Go. And Luo Ming. Bring me results, not excuses. The Divine Convenience Store may be our ally, but we are not its pawns."
Although that sounded contradictory to what he had just said earlier about loyalty, Luo Ming didn't find it weird at all. After all, he was aware that the reason the High Priest steered the cult's plan away from simply invading the Eastern Abyssal Domain was to get his hands on the divine products of the store.
Luo Ming bowed deeply and exited the temple, making sure his steps were silent on the stone floor.
As he descended into the cult's sprawling complex, his Viewing Jade pinged with a new thread from Venom Master Xun but he hurriedly put it back to his pocket, it was another thread singing praises for the Shopkeeper.
His lips curled into a faint smirk. Venom Master Xun's efficiency was unmatched, but her flair for theatrics was enough to make someone feel second-hand embarrassment, especially when the Shopkeeper never replied to her.
Still, her loyalty to the cult's cause was unquestionable.
The cold pre-dawn air of the Inner Abyssal Circle remained thick with the scent of decay and spiritual energy as Luo Ming summoned a group of Poison-bearers. Their moss-green cloaks blended into the shadows, their eyes glinting with the fervor of those touched by the store's influence.
"Prepare for infiltration," He ordered. "The Crimson Fang Brotherhood is moving. Find their expedition's path and report every detail. No mistakes."
As the Poison-bearers dispersed, Luo Ming's thoughts turned to Lin Mo. The Shopkeeper's climb in the Conduit Tower was no mere test of wares. A man backed by the store's endless innovations was a force that could shift the realm's balance. And yet, his insistence on neutrality, serving righteous and demonic factions alike, made him an enigma. A dangerous one.
At least, that's how he's seeing it as he recalled the Shopkeeper accepting the cult in his store despite the other customers' and even the City Lord of Fanling's insistence to turn them away.
Luo Ming's hand brushed the [Heavenly Dew Soda] tucked in his robe, a habit he's slowly picking up since he started eating the store's snacks that they stocked. He popped the can open, the crisp hiss soothing his thoughts.
—
Red Lotus Academy. A certain training hall.
Despite being late in the night, the place was still a hub of activity. Around twenty students, including Jiahao, Liying and Mingzhu, were scattered across the hall's floor as they sat in a lotus position.
They're not meditating or cultivating, instead, each of them had their [Celestial Duel Gear] on their wrists and their respective Celestial Fields were spread open underneath them.
Within those fields were various summons from their decks but instead of battling the other students, they were simply ordered to stay down.
"What's the status? Has anyone succeeded in summoning a Level 5 Unit yet?" A professor entered the hall and walked over to another professor watching over the progress.
The second professor glanced up from his Viewing Jade, where he was recording the progress of the students on an obscure thread, and shook his head. "Not yet, Professor Wen. Jiahao's close. His deck synergy's improving, but he's still missing the right combination for a Level 5 summon. It needs Level 1 to 4 units to be in the field."
He paused for a moment as he projected the thread to a holographic view. 𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑝𝘶𝘣.𝑐𝘰𝘮
"The average draw time is around 30 seconds. The deck size is sixty. It'll take at least ten minutes to accumulate 20 additional cards after the initial five. The maximum cards a Celestial Duelist can have in their playing hand is ten. The ratio between Spell Cards and Unit Cards in a preset starter deck is around 1 out of 3."
"Realistically speaking, the only obstacle in quickly summoning the strongest unit possible is the fact that there were fewer Summon Cards for Level 4 and 5. Even if one completed the requirements for it early on, their units might be destroyed in a battle before they could draw the higher-level cards."
"Hmm. That means luck still plays a part. And relying on a Level 5 Unit is inadvisable. But continue the test. We must figure out how to more efficiently utilize this new path that the Divine Convenience Store opened. Oh. And let the kids take a break. Grandmaster Lian will be returning soon. She'll not be happy to see the students pushing themselves like this."
Professor Wen's voice carried a weight of authority softened by concern as she surveyed the training hall.
It was a wondrous sight seeing the Celestial Fields spread out like this. The decision to adopt the store's product for the academy's curriculum has been met with a lot of support the moment many professors and even the academy's sponsors got their own Viewing Jades where they could watch the showcases posted by the Shopkeeper.
Now, many students are eager to become a Celestial Duelist.
"Understood, Professor Wen," the second professor replied, dismissing the holographic thread with a flick of his wrist. He turned to the students, his voice cutting through the hum. "Alright, everyone, those who want to take a break, do so now. Your spiritual energy isn't infinite. Grandmaster Lian's orders."
A collective sigh rippled through the hall as some students deactivated their [Celestial Duel Gears]. The Celestial Fields faded and their summoned units dissolved into motes of light.
Jiahao with sweat beading on his brow, leaned back as his deck of cards floated briefly before settling back into his gear. Liying stretched her arms while having a satisfied smile on her face. Mingzhu ruffled his hair, his gaze lingering on his own deck with a mix of frustration and resolve.
Jiahao produced a can of [Frosty Lotus Brew] from his spatial pouch. The hiss of the can opening drew a few envious glances. "I was this close to a Level 5 summon. If I'd drawn a Level 2 Unit instead of another Spell Card…"
Liying smirked, popping open her own [Heavenly Dew Soda]. "Until now only Shopkeeper has managed to summon a Level 5 Unit on the field. And he did it through a Spell Card. He said it's impossible to be recreated. The Spell Card has been modified."
Mingzhu, quieter than the others, sipped from a water gourd, his eyes distant. "Yes. One must be lucky to draw their needed cards. But utilizing them effectively during a match or a fight is what Shopkeeper emphasized."
The second professor overheard their banter and approached, his robes swishing softly. "You're not wrong, Mingzhu. That's how the Celestial Duel System must be used. However, we, as an institute of learning, must study the mechanics of this new path thoroughly. The Divine Convenience Store's artifacts are reshaping our realm's landscape and we must be the first to adapt to it."
