Divine Convenience Store

The wind whipped past Su Mei's face, stinging her cheeks with icy rain as she leaped across a jagged ravine as she led the way.

The terrain of the Redice Peaks was unforgiving. It was a maze of treacherous cliffs and wind-scoured gullies. It was a place where the unwary could easily fall to their deaths. The usual training grounds at the Crimson Vale Sect were nothing like this.

Below her, she could hear the chasm echoing with the rush of a swollen river. The dark waters churned with unseen currents.

She clutched her robes tighter, the crimson fabric offering little comfort against the biting chill. Beside her, her fellow disciples moved cautiously but confidently. Their movements seemed like a blur of red against the gray landscape.

After her return from Fanling City's peculiar store following her Senior Brother Zhou Rui, she took up what was supposed to be an easy section mission along with other disciples of similar cultivation stages.

They were to retrieve a stolen artifact from a group of rogue cultivators known as the Shadow Hand Bandits. The bandits had been plaguing the nearby villages, their attacks becoming increasingly brazen and they hit a village that was under their protection, stealing the said artifact.

Because of that, a mission was created to retrieve it and perhaps put an end to their reign of terror.

As they finally reached the bandit's hideout, a cave hidden behind a waterfall, the other disciples took a moment to prepare themselves for what was about to come.

Su Mei's hand instinctively went to the spatial pouch at her waist, her fingers grazing against the small, rectangular case inside. The Spirit Tress Comb. A seemingly frivolous purchase from the Divine Convenience Store that now felt like a lifeline for her.

'It's just a comb. How can a comb help in situations like this?' She mused before remembering Lin Mo's words.

The Spirit Tress Comb was not merely a comb. It was a spirit-grade artifact, capable of enhancing hair growth and luster while repairing even the most damaged strands. That's all she wanted to use for. However, what if it could be used for something else?

If it could enhance hair growth, why couldn't it enhance the speed of her movements?

Junior Sister Mei shook her head, dismissing those thoughts for later. The time for internal monologues will be after their task is completed. Or so, she decided.

The plan was simple: storm the cave, subdue the bandits, and recover the artifact.

But as they entered the hideout, the group of disciples realized that Shadow Hand Bandits had anticipated their arrival.

As they passed the waterfall, they found the cave was lit with torches along the way, their flickering flames casting long shadows that made it feel like they were being invited to their funerals.

And sure enough, the bandits, clad in dark leather and wielding an assortment of crude weapons, were already positioned strategically, ready to defend their territory.

A fierce battle instantly erupted as the clash of steel echoed through the cave.

The Crimson Vale disciples, with their superior training and discipline along with their ruthless demeanor quickly gained the upper hand.

They were meticulous and seemingly ready to stain their already crimson red robes with more blood.

But the bandits, desperate for survival, fought with a ferocity that made the task a lot more difficult than anticipated.

Su Mei found herself facing a particularly agile bandit who wielded a pair of wickedly sharp daggers.

She dodged his attacks, her reflexes honed by years of training but his movements were faster than most thugs she had faced before.

She stumbled back, her foot catching on a loose stone.

As she lost her balance, she felt her pouch bump against her side.

Once again, she was reminded of the comb and that peculiar wording that she vaguely remembered during the sales pitch of that young shopkeeper.

'… enhance hair growth and luster… repair even the most damaged strands…'

'If it can repair hair… could it also repair my speed?'

A desperate idea bloomed in her mind. She had nothing to lose at this point.

Making a decision in a split second, she pulled out the Spirit Tress Comb, her fingers closing around its smooth handle.

Instead of combing her hair, she ran the comb against her legs, brushing against her skin as though trying to stimulate its effect.

To her surprise, she began to feel a faint tingle in her legs as her spiritual energy activated the artifact. A surge of warmth that seemed to spread through her legs.

She shifted her weight and felt the subtle but undeniable difference in her muscles. She felt lighter, faster, more agile.

"It works!" Su Mei cheerfully exclaimed. Her seemingly foolish idea saved her from being skewered by her opponent.

Regaining her balance, she leaped higher, dodged quicker and finally, with a well-timed thrust of her sword, she disarmed the bandit, piercing through his arm and shoulder.

She felt like a completely different person!

The other disciples who'd seen what she did copied her. At least, those who also bought the same comb as her.

And because of that, the other bandits began to falter and the Crimson Vale disciples soon subdued them.

With only a few left alive, Su Mei had them dig through their treasury, retrieving the artifact and also bagging the accumulated wealth of the bandit group.

Most of them happily counted the spirit stones as they wondered about what else they could buy at the Divine Convenience Store tomorrow.

As they started to trek back to their Sect, she glanced at the Spirit Tress Comb again, her fingers tracing the smooth, cool surface.@@novelbin@@

However, her face soon fell when she noticed the crack on its surface.

"N-no… This is… It's cracked! Is it because I used it for something other than my hair?!" Su Mei cried out and just like her, the other female disciples with the same comb wailed upon checking.

The other disciples laughed, telling them to just buy a new one. But when they heard its original price, they felt like they got punched in the gut.

"... This is a reminder. We should use the products bought from that store as advertised… A talisman would be cheaper to use!"

—

Back at the Divine Convenience Store, the last rays of the setting sun cast long shadows across the interior, painting the shelves in hues of orange and purple.

Liu Xiaoyu was humming a lively tune as she restocked the shelf of the Spirit Tress Combs. They were a hit for the female disciples and even she was tempted to buy one but with a lack of funds in her Personal Balance, she's holding off on it.

"Boss! We're almost out of the Spirit Tress Combs already! Should I put up a 'limited stock' sign to make the next batch look even more valuable?"

Lin Mo sighed, placing the 'Shopkeeping 101' book down on the counter. "Xiaoyu, we're not running a shady auction house. If we're low on stock, we restock. No need for marketing gimmicks."

Liu Xiaoyu pouted, crossing her arms. "Boss, it's not a gimmick! It's… called strategic scarcity! Makes people want it more. Trust me, it works."

Lin Mo chuckled, shaking his head. "We're already selling combs that enhance hair. I think the allure is strong enough without any extra theatrics. Are you thinking of raising our prices? Where's the convenience in that?"

Although it was tempting for him, he couldn't just haphazardly do some sales gimmick. There's the loyalty card feature for that. They could give their patrons a discount.

Still, Xiaoyu's idea was worth exploring if he wanted to stop fully relying on the store's suggested prices.

"Oh! I understand, boss! We should not focus on only one item to promote convenience! Let me check all of our Xing Xing product lines. Hehe."

Upon saying that, the bunny-like assistant hopped back to the shelf filled with beauty products.