"By the heavens…" The King murmured as he stopped dead in the center of the lobby. He looked up at the high, vaulted ceiling, at the floating lanterns, and then down at the warm, polished sandstone.
"This atmosphere… it is not opulent in gold, yet it feels richer than this King's palace."
"It is the design, Your Majesty," Left Minister Shen whispered, equally awestruck. "It is designed to soothe the spirit, not to intimidate. It is… masterful."
"Please, esteemed guests," Li Li stepped forward, her voice trembling slightly but clear. "If you would proceed to the counter to receive your wristbands. The men's bath is to the left, the women's to the right. Private suites had to be recorded here. Once done, they can go ahead and pick their rooms."
The process was surprisingly smooth. The novelty of the wristbands, like magic keys that acted as wallets, fascinated the cultivators just like when they first held the Viewing Jades or the Celestial Duel Gears.
Lin Mo watched from the side as the lobby emptied, the patrons filtering into the changing rooms.
"Now comes the fun part," Xiaoyu whispered, suppressing a giggle. "The locker room confusion."
And indeed, moments later, muffled shouts of surprise echoed from the men's changing room.
"By the heavens! My clothes! They vanished into the wall!"
"What is this fabric? A robe? It appeared from thin air!"
"Do I… do I have to be naked? In front of the King?!"
Lin Mo shook his head, a smile playing on his lips. "They'll figure it out. Cultivators adapt quickly."
He turned to Wu Meiyu. "Your Highness, why don't you go and enjoy the women's bath? You've worked hard. Consider it a mandatory break."
Wu Meiyu looked at him, then at the entrance to the women's section. "Are you not joining us, Shopkeeper? In a… private suite, perhaps?"
"The invitation is flattering but I still have a store to run," Lin Mo deflected smoothly.
Wu Meiyu gave him a knowing, slightly disappointed look, but curtsied. "Very well. I believe I also have a store to run alongside you, have I not?"
With that, she stood next to him, taking the place of his assistant, who had already disappeared along with her mother.
—
Around an hour later, Lin Mo pulled up the Bulletin Board from the system interface.
And sure enough, it was now flooded with new posts from those who managed to try the hot spring.
[Heavenly! Absolute Heaven! - ITookAnArrowOnMyHeel]
"I just spent ten minutes in the 'Inferno Spring' pool. My old arrow wound? Gone. My meridians? Singing. And the [Heavenly Touch Massage Chair]? I think I'm in love with a machine. 9/9 would recommend."
[That stupid locked cabinet double-charged me! - NotSoAngryDisciple]
"I only picked one milk and I saw two had been counted! What is this? I need an explanation!"
- Flowing Star (Sub-Administrator): "Do you wish to be banned? Here is a recording of you taking two. Stop with this post, I'm relaxing in the bath myself!"
-- NotSoAngryDisciple: "Eh? How can that be? How to delete my post?"
[Mixed Bathing Inquiry - LonelyDaoist]
"Is there a mixed bath? Asking for a friend."
- FlowingStar: "Private Suites only. Do not test the security system. The Divine Guardian Construct has a 'No Peeking' protocol."
"Looks like it's a hit. Though we might need to put a warning sign on the massage chairs about 'intensity settings'." He mused as he started walking back to the facility to check on those VIPs.
The men's public bath was a cavernous space filled with steam and the sound of splashing water. It was designed to look like a natural hot spring nestled in a mountain grotto, with rough-hewn rock walls and waterfalls feeding into the main pool.
Somehow, he spotted Patriarch Liu and King Wu Tianzhen sitting in a corner of the main pool, immersed up to their chests.
They picked private suites yet they were here on a public area. Lin Mo was a little confused until he saw that they were surrounded by their followers, other Liu Clan elders on Liu Tianfeng's side and the ministers and other court officials on the King's side.
The steam had softened their usual imposing auras. They looked less like the rulers of the domain and more like two old men enjoying a soak.
"So, Patriarch Liu," The King was saying, his eyes closed in bliss. "This 'convenience'… Do you think it's a dangerous thing? I see that it makes one… soft."
"Soft?" Liu Tianfeng snorted, splashing a bit of water. "Nonsense. It is an efficient recovery. A warrior who rests well fights better. Besides, have you tried the [Spirit-Cleansing Steam Room]? It feels like being cooked in a bamboo steamer, but by the heavens, my lungs feel clearer than they have in decades."
"Ah. That was enlightening. I shall try it," The King agreed. "But tell me… this alliance. The Shopkeeper has bound us all together. Do you truly believe the Violethaven Temple will just sit back and watch?"
"Let them come," Liu Tianfeng grunted, opening one eye. "The Divine Convenience Store is built by the divine beings watching over our realm. Now, we are its protectors."
Lin Mo smiled and quietly backed away. The hot spring was doing exactly what he intended: creating a neutral ground where rivals could bond over simple comforts.
For the women's side, he let Wu Meiyu check on them. Instead, he moved to the lounge area, where he found a surreal sight.
The High Priest of the Poison Demon Cult was sitting in one of the massage chairs, vibrating violently. His eyes were rolled back in his head, and he was making a low rattling noise that might have been chanting or just the clattering of his old bones.
Beside him, Sect Master Li Changqing of the Cerulean Cloud Sword Sect was sipping a bottle of [Heavengrass Cow Milk], looking at the High Priest with a mixture of disgust and fascination. The air around him seemed to be sharpened by his Sword Will swirling around him.
"Is he… dying?" Li Changqing asked as Lin Mo approached.
"He's… relaxing. Aggressively," Lin Mo replied, checking the chair's settings. "Deep Tissue, Max Intensity. Of course."
"The pain… clarifies the mind…" The High Priest rasped, his voice vibrating with the chair. "The toxins… are being… kneaded out… Glorious…"
"If you say so," Li Changqing muttered, taking another sip of milk. "Shopkeeper, this milk… it is potent. It calms the sword heart. I might need to order a crate for my disciples. They are too high-strung lately."
"Consider it done, Sect Master. However, you must understand that you cannot buy more than a box of it at once. But you can work around it," Lin Mo said with a wink.
He continued his rounds, checking the locked cabinets, the towel dispensers, and the staff. Everything was functioning perfectly. The 'culture of convenience' was taking root even in the most mundane activities.
As he walked back towards the reception, he felt a familiar tug on his sleeve.
"Shopkeeper."
He turned to find Venom Master Xun standing there. She was wearing one of the store-provided bathrobes, which was perfectly modest on anyone else, but on her, it somehow managed to look like a dangerous invitation. Her damp hair clung to her neck, and her skin was flushed from the heat of the bath.
"Venom Master," Lin Mo greeted, keeping his voice neutral. "I trust the women's bath is to your liking? Or did you take one of the private suites?"
"Indeed, I've taken it," Her lips stretched into a thin smile as she stepped closer. "Though it lacks a certain… personal touch. I was hoping for a special presence to join me in it. I heard you're the person to find if I wish certain understanding of the special amenities inside."
Once again, he was put into a tight spot. Unlike Liu Xiaoyu who still had childish airs around her, this woman was flaunting her full allure.
If not for his reinforced will, he would've fallen prey to her already.
"Oh? Is that so, dear customer? Very well, I can explain them to you." Lin Mo said without budging from where he was standing.
"Hmm?" Venom Master Xun trailed a finger down his arm. "You seem determined to avoid me, Shopkeeper. Is my devotion so terrifying?"
"Your devotion is appreciated, Venom Master. Your methods of expressing it are… intense," Lin Mo replied honestly. "And I am currently on duty. There's a better time and place for that, is there not?"
"Ah. Always on duty. But I understand," She sighed, withdrawing her hand but keeping her gaze locked on his. "The lecture is over. The auction is done. And you promised me that 'dual cultivation'. You're about to run out of excuses soon, dear Shopkeeper."
Lin Mo could only smile at that, knowing how right she was.
"I haven't forgotten, dear customer. A promise is a promise." Lin Mo assured her. "Well then, I shouldn't hold you back anymore. I still have somewhere to be, and I need to prepare for it."
He thought using that as an excuse would work. However,t before he could step away, Venom Master Xun grabbed his wrist, holding it tightly.
The glint in her eyes told him he was about to get dragged into her private suite if he didn't at least entertain her for a little longer.
After taking a deep breath, he said with a small cough, "Very well, dear customer. Allow me to demonstrate how to use the special amenities in your room."
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