Chu Yueying smirked faintly as Yu Qingyan vanished. Her crimson robes fluttered as she stepped up next.
"Can't let her have all the fun," She muttered as her saber appeared in her hand, humming with crimson energy. She pressed her hand to the door, and the vortex flared again, swallowing her in an instant.
[Active Challenger(s): 2]
Xue Biyu followed without hesitation, his white flames flickering briefly before the dark light engulfed him. His calm demeanor was a mask, covering the storm of anticipation within him. He'd seen the store's power, and now he'd test his limits in this alien trial.
[Active Challenger(s): 3]
Yan Wei shoved past Zhou Rui again with his grin wide and reckless. Nevertheless, his confidence in himself was sky-high.
"My turn!" He slapped a [Spirit Embodiment Sticker Seal] onto his chest and touched the door. The vortex whisked him away, his pompous laughter echoing briefly before it cut off.
[Active Challenger(s): 4]
Zhou Rui shook his head but he didn't think much of it. He just stepped forward next.
"It doesn't matter who comes in first." He gripped his saber, its sharp edge glowing as he also slapped a [Spirit Embodiment Sticker Seal] on his chest. The vortex claimed him next, his figure vanishing in a swirl of dark energy.
[Active Challenger(s): 5]
Little Spring took a steadying breath, her fingers tightening around the [Windstrike Talisman]. She glanced at Qianmeng, offering a small nod of encouragement before stepping forward.
"I won't back down!" She whispered, pressing her hand to the door. The vortex pulled her in, her slight frame disappearing without a sound.
[Active Challenger(s): 6]
The remaining Verdant Sky disciples followed one by one, their movements disciplined and precise, each clutching store-bought talismans and brews. The crowd thinned as more challengers entered. Disciples from Azure Gale, Crimson Vale, White Ember, and a few rogue cultivators bold enough to test their luck.
The panel ticked upward steadily:
[Active Challenger(s): 28]
Yan Chen and Zhao Jianshi watched in silence, their Core Formation auras steady as they tracked each entry. The signatures of those who entered truly vanished as the interior of the tower could be considered an isolated realm.
"They're brave," Yan Chen said, his voice low. "Or foolish."
Zhao Jianshi chuckled, twirling his saber idly. "Both, probably. The store's got them cocky. Let's see if it holds up in there."
The last of the initial wave hesitated. A City Guard of Faguang with a battered sword and a single packet of [Energy Replenishing Candy] in his hand. He swallowed hard, then touched the door. The vortex took him, and the panel updated:
[Active Challenger(s): 29]
Qianmeng stepped back further, her heart pounding as she clutched her spatial pouch. She'd wait, as Yu Qingyan instructed.
The tower loomed silently now, its doors still cracked open, the vortex swirling ominously within.
Inside the Conduit Tower, Yu Qingyan materialized in a brightly lit wide chamber. The air was thick with foreign energy that pressed against her senses.
She looked around, taking in the interior of the place. The walls were smooth and appeared a little too ordinary. Inscriptions could be found etched within them. The ceiling couldn't be seen clearly because of the light source hanging above.
On the other side of the narrow chamber was a narrow staircase that spiraled upward while it was enclosed within a barrier made from foreign energy.
A holographic panel flickered into existence in front of her, identical to the one outside but personalized:
[Challenger: Yu Qingyan - Peak Foundation Establishment Stage]
[Objective: Defeat the Floor Guardian or Survive for 30 Minutes]
[Rewards: 1 Green Chest, Access to Floor 2]
[Store Beacon Access: Active]
Yu Qingyan exhaled slowly as she studied it. She wasn't nervous, only cautious.
This wasn't her first Secret Realm or Trial Ground. She had already ventured in other such places before. The only difference was… those were made by ancient cultivators or left behind by sects that ascended along with their ancestors.
Her Verdant Wings appeared behind her as she adjusted to the oppressive atmosphere then pulled out her jade flute, covering it with her spiritual energy to prepare for whatever was about to happen.
Before taking a step forward, she pulled up the Store Beacon.
It didn't need a special command, she just had to tap it from the holographic panel that was seemingly going to follow her.
[Divine Convenience Store - Tower Branch]
[Available Currency: 236 Dimension Essence]
[Items for Sale: Emergency Escape Talisman (3000 DE), Heavenly Dew Soda (3 DE), Windstrike and Heavenly Shield Talisman Bundle (150 DE), Spirit Embodiment Sticker Seal (50 DE)...]
[Note: Earn Dimension Essence by defeating enemies, and completing objectives.]
Yu Qingyan's lips curved into a faint smile. "It works. Shopkeeper, you've outdone yourself. So, the Dimension Essences are automatically credited."
Her eyes focused on her current Dimension Essence and found that the core of the gargoyles she collected yesterday had vanished from her spatial pouch.
As she scoured the list to compare their prices when sold in the Divine Convenience Store, they were slightly inflated. For example, the Heavenly Dew Soda became 3 Dimension Essence as opposed to its price tag of 2 low-grade spirit stones. The Emergency Escape Talisman costs 20 high-grade spirit stones but it was 3000 Dimension Essence in this Store Beacon.
Luckily, she didn't need to spend 3000 Dimension Essence at all. She still has access to her Distributor Inventory and there are a few Emergency Escape Talismans there. She could just pay for it using her spirit stones. There's no also no reason for her to buy any listed items but for the sake of testing it, she used her current balance, buying herself the [Sticker Seal] and a few [Heaven Dew Soda] – she still couldn't resist the allure of that indulgence.
After downing a can and letting out a satisfied burp, she dismissed the store interface and turned her attention to the chamber.
Nothing happened yet but it was easy to tell the reason was that she had yet to step into the challenge area. There's not even a countdown of 30 minutes yet.
She had to move further to start it.
Yu Qingyan stepped forward cautiously, her jade flute held lightly in one hand as her spiritual energy pulsed through it, ready to amplify her techniques at a moment's notice.
The smooth walls of the chamber gleamed faintly under the overhead light, their inscriptions vibrating with a rhythm that felt almost alive. She extended her spiritual perception, brushing against the foreign energy that saturated the air. It was dense, heavier than anything she'd encountered in the secret realms.
Five steps later, she stepped out of the initial corner of the chamber and entered the wide space. Then, as if seemingly coming alive and recognizing her presence, a transparent barrier enclosed the space, preventing her from retreating to her initial position.
Then, from several corners of the chamber, the walls opened up as foreign creatures appeared from the seams, their forms coalescing out of the foreign energy like shadows given flesh.
They were humanoid but their bodies glistened with an oily, iridescent sheen. Their limbs were elongated and ended in claw-like appendages. Their faces were featureless save for glowing slits where their eyes should have been.
Five of them emerged and she could sense that they were stronger than the gargoyles at the very least but still not as strong as a Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator.
Their movements were eerily synchronized as they fanned out to encircle her.
Following that, the holographic panel updated with a soft chime:
[Objective Initiated: Defeat the Floor Guardian or Survive for 30 Minutes]
[Current Wave: 5 Dark Sentinels]
"My goodness, they come in waves? What a way to exhaust your challengers. How many will there be until the Floor Guardian?" Yu Qingyan shook her head as she prepared her jade flute, her spiritual energy channeling into it as she cast a spell.