Divine Convenience Store

"Dear customers, we've got six mid-tier Fledglings guarding the Anchor's Core up ahead. They're tougher than the ones we've encountered and equipped with different abilities. We'll need to clear them to get to the core. Stay sharp, and let's keep those [Emergency Escape Talismans] handy."

Lin Mo relayed the new information to the grip with a wry grin. This was his first trip into the unknown and while he had yet to be injured, his gut feeling continued to nag at him that something dangerous was waiting for him at the end of this trip.

It might just be because of his inexperience but he's hoping to finish their task as soon as possible.

Captain Zhao answered with confidence, "Don't worry, Shopkeeper. We handled worse before. I trust in the Elder and the monk's barriers to mitigate the damage to us. There's also your judgement, Shopkeeper."

His squad of City Guards agreed as they confidently tapped the butt of their spears on the ground.

"Amitabha. Fear not, Benefactor. Mayhaps, this trinket of yours will finally be put to use." The Monk reached for his wrist, showing the Celestial Duel Gear that was still unactivated.

Because they had decent coordination, there wasn't a situation for him to resort to using it.

Lin Mo's lips quivered as he tried to recall if he had activated the Awakened Celestial Duelist mode for the monk's gear. It would be too comical if the monk tried to open his Celestial Field, only to activate the casual mode where the summoned units could only be as strong as peak Spirit Gathering Stage.

'Ah. I did. It was supposed to be mine.' He muttered softly in relief.

Elder Wen smiled, "Shopkeeper, we have reached this far because of your lead. It's impressive. Your store products are truly great. I should visit it after we return."

With his ears twitching in delight, Lin Mo nodded at the elderly lady, "You flatter me, Elder. But you're welcome anytime at our store. We boast convenience. Anything you need, we have it. If we don't. You can just ask and we'll procure it for you. As long as it's not in the realm of impossibility, of course."

He also turned to her junior diviners like a farmer herding his cattle back to their enclosure.

"Alright. Let's not keep the City Lord waiting. Monk Huiyin, you and I take point. Captain, your squad covers the flanks. Elder Wen, keep the diviners' shell tight. These Anchor creatures are no customers of mine."

The group advanced. The monk's golden barrier acted like both a shield and a light, illuminating their path as it weaved seamlessly with the diviners' protective shell.

Lin Mo was now holding a short sword, the weapon he borrowed from Captain Zhao. It's an intermediate mortal-grade artifact, at least. His [Foundational Martial Technique] still had a basic set of techniques that his spiritual energy could amplify.

'Good thing this isn't a wuxia world or I will be laughed at for my lack of martial arts training.' He shook his head inwardly.

As they continued, the passage gradually narrowed and the concentration of foreign energy was getting heavy as it pressed against their spiritual senses.

Lin Mo's enhanced perception caught faint distortions in the space ahead, rippling like heatwaves across a desert. The Fledglings' ability seemed to be working passively.

Eventually, the passage opened into a vast, circular chamber, its ceiling lost in a swirling vortex of silver mist with scattered rays of light shining down to illuminate the chamber.

At the deepest part of it lay a smaller chamber with an entrance obscured with purple haze. The location of the Anchor's Core.

Tendrils that pulsed with foreign energy stuck out of it, six of which were connected to the mid-tier Anchor Fledglings that stood guard in front of it. They're not much different from the low-tier ones. Just taller and more robust.

The moment Lin Mo's group exited the passageway, the creatures' glowing slits flared as they turned, sensing the intruders.

Their limbs twisted with their joints popping unnaturally. Visible spatial distortions and the concentration of energy could be observed around them.

The Divine Interface System updated its notes.

[Note 2: Fledglings (Mid-tier) are connected with the Core. Cutting their link weakens their abilities.]

Lin couldn't help but also take note that the system was quite reactive. It's updating in real time and only relays information it can observe, other than the functions or information supplied by its creator.

"Dear customers, they're linked to that orb. Cut those tendrils behind them, and they'll turn into fancy husks with weakened abilities. Monk, I'll leave it to you and your mantra to slow them down. Captain, split your squad. Three left, three right. Elder Wen, watch out for their spatial distortions. You can focus on strengthening the shell and support fire."

Heeding his words, Captain Zhao barked orders, his squad splitting evenly.

"You heard the Shopkeeper! Left flank, with me! Right flank, Scar, take lead!"

The scarred guard grinned, tightening his hold on his spear as he led his trio.

Huiyin stepped forward as he chanted, his prayer beads released a golden wave that surged towards the Fledglings.

Sensing its effect on them, they shrieked and immediately retaliated.

Their [Spatial Distortion] was woven into one and warped the space in front of them, rendering the monk's golden light ineffective.

After that, the ground seemed to tilt and Lin Mo's vision blurred as space folded around him.

Elder Wen mouthed some incantation as her compass stabilized the diviners' shell, countering the distortion that also affected them.

"Hold fast! The shell's straining!" she shouted.

Lin Mo didn't waste a second and darted forward, [Crimson Flow Phantom Steps] blurring his form as he weaved through the warped space. His spirit-infused sword crackled as he slashed.

He targeted the Fledgling at the forefront, its elongated limbs swiping through the air. His sword deflected its arm but the creature's [Energy Manipulation] sent a shockwave of foreign energy, knocking him back.

Lin Mo groaned in pain as he rolled to his feet, "... I could've broken some bones there."

He tried to focus his senses to mitigate the heaviness of the Fledgling's ability.

His energy channels seemingly opened up, absorbing some of that energy and blending it with his spiritual energy to amplify his next strike.

He lunged again, his sword tearing through the Fledgling's shoulder, drawing a sizzling green blood.

Behind him, the Monk followed up with his staff, piercing through the creature's chest and accurately cutting the tendril linked on its back.

Compared to his shallow slash, the monk's strength was truly extraordinary. After observing him since their first encounter with the Fledglings, Lin Mo could put him at the same level as the Sword Fairy, if not stronger. Yet, his cultivation base remained a mystery.

As that lead Fledgling fell back to try and reconnect with another tendril despite the hole in its chest, Captain Zhao's squad engaged their targets, their spears thrusting in tight coordination.

The left flank pinned a Fledgling. Their [Iron Will Combat Method] seemed to be ignoring the spatial distortions at the expense of higher output of spiritual energy.

The scarred guard's trio on the right flank worked differently, one guard baiting a Fledgling while he and the other city guard struck its flanks, cutting the tendril linked to its back.

"These spears are worth every stone, Shopkeeper!" Scar shouted as he jumped back, dodging a claw swipe. Among the City Guards, he's enjoying this situation the most. Breaking through and continuing to grow stronger at every creature they defeated was quite addictive for him.

Lin Mo and the monk chased after the Fledgling with a hole on its chest, preventing it from reconnecting to the core.

However, after taking it down with a combined assault on its head, two Fledglings turned to them along with the slithering tendrils near the core's chamber.

Lin Mo reached for his pocket and pulled out a piece of [Spirit Embodiment Sticker Seal. He peeled its protective film and slapped the sticker on his wrist.

As it activated, the illustration of a [Six-armed Crimson Giant] was projected behind him and then merged with his body.

This was his first time using the sticker seal but he had seen a lot of cultivators making use of them. And he couldn't help but feel the satisfaction as strength seemed to fill his veins.

On top of that, vague abilities that were probably related to the giant flashed in his head.

Before he knew it, he was already holding the short sword with both hands and brandishing it like a blunt weapon.

CLANG!

With a metallic sound as though hitting another metal, the Fledgling, who's about to stomp on him, flew away and crashed into the wall on the far side of the chamber. The link behind it got severed by the impact.

While blinking in stupefaction, he turned to the monk, whose forehead was shining, "Benefactor. That was magnificent. Mayhaps you prefer a blunt weapon instead? I can lend you my staff."

"Shut it, Monk. Behind you!" Lin Mo warned but it seemed to be unnecessary. The monk's body swayed, dodging the Fledgling and tendril trying to wrap around his body effortlessly.

Following that, his staff, wrapped in a golden light, slashed horizontally, cutting the creature in half and severing the tendril.

"... Is that staff of yours secretly a bladed weapon?" His lips quivered wryly. The monk's blunt strike was sharper than his sword slash.