Divine Convenience Store
Chapter 321 - 321: Shadow Veil Clan Ambushed

Elder Ji heightened his spiritual senses, an instinctive reaction that sent a ripple of alertness through his body. In one swift motion, he unsheathed his weapon, the metallic glint catching the light as he steadied himself, ready to channel his Golden Core and unleash his most powerful spell. "Who goes there?!"

The other elder and their disciples instinctively mirrored his actions, forming a protective circle around one another. Expressions of concern mingled with fierce determination as the atmosphere thickened with an electric sense of urgency. Just as they began to solidify their defenses, rustling sounds emerged from the nearby underbrush, cutting through the silence. The ominous growls of Abyssal Hounds echoed in the distance, becoming louder and more threatening, as if the creatures were closing in on their position with predatory intent.

"My… Do you even need to ask?" A sultry voice broke through the tense atmosphere, melodic but dripping with playfulness and a subtle hint of sharpness. It emerged from the dense canopy above them, weaving through the branches like smoke. "You should've expected this, Shadow Veil. You've been naughty. Who told you to chase after my subordinate?"

Elder Ji gritted his teeth, frustration mingling with realization as his mind raced to identify the source of the threat. And then it clicked, the pieces falling into place with a jarring clarity. There was only one force within the Inner Abyssal Circle audacious enough to confront them, and the name that surfaced was accompanied by a reputation as formidable as it was alluring.

The Poison Demon Cult's Arachnid Branch Venom Master, Xun.

At that moment, a massive Doom Spider, its grotesque form looming at least fifteen feet tall, emerged from the engulfing shadows. Perched atop its formidable back was the figure of an enchanting woman draped in stylish indigo robes, the fabric shimmering like a dark tide under the filtered light. Her long, ebony hair cascaded down her shoulders, intricately threaded with silver strands that resembled delicate spider silk.

Surrounding them, the corrupted Abyssal Hounds growled menacingly, their predatory eyes glinting with hunger.

More Doom Spiders stalked into view, bodies skittering with a sinister flair as they were followed by the ominous figures of Priests and Acolytes clad in moss-green robes of the Poison Demon Cult.

The ambush had been flawlessly orchestrated, leaving no viable escape route for the group from the Shadow Veil Clan.

Trapped and outmaneuvered, they braced themselves for the storm that was about to unleash upon them.

"What's the meaning of this Poison Demon Cult? Are you declaring war on our clan?!" Elder Ji growled.

His furious question was met with seductive laughter. Xun then waved her hand, her sleeves swishing audibly as she addressed another figure kneeling beside her, "Did you hear that, little bird? The old man's acting innocent now that they're backed against a wall.

Marrow Weaver, the former assistant of a Bone Ash Syndicate's head honcho, nodded at her words. Her eyes now had a new spark in them after being baptized by the convenience brought by the Divine Convenience Store's products.

"My lady, the Shadow Veil Clan is known for their craftiness. We shall deal with them swiftly." She said as she raised her hands, showing her enchanted gauntlets she's using to summon her bone constructs. The necrotic energy around her had seemingly transformed back to spiritual energy.

"Hmm. That's no fun, little bird. You have been at the store, haven't you? Tell me, Elder of the Shadow Veil. What have you witnessed there? Is it true that the Shopkeeper has an artifact that can shatter a heaven-grade artifact?" Venom Master Xun probed, her seductive smile acting like a spell weaving through them.

Elder Ji decided not to open his mouth, but the other elder next to him had already been caught by her web.

"... It's true." Elder Chen's voice trembled slightly, the words slipping out before he could clamp his jaw shut. The seductive pull of Venom Master Xun's aura was like a silken thread, tugging at his resolve.

He cursed himself inwardly, but the damage was done. Elder Ji shot him a glare sharp enough to slice through spirit steel but his mental defense was just not strong enough.

Venom Master Xun's lips curled into a wider smile, her indigo robes shimmering as she leaned forward atop her Doom Spider. The beast's mandibles twitched, dripping venom that hissed against the forest floor.

"Oh? How delightful. Shopkeeper is truly a pit of wonders. I can't wait to meet him. In any case… you, Shadow Veil. You know your sins, do you? If you want to step out of her alive, you better tell me everything and surrender all the goods you've procured from the store."

The Abyssal Hounds snarled, their corrupted forms pacing closer, their eyes glowing with an unnatural hunger. The Poison Demon Cult's Priests and Acolytes fanned out, their moss-green robes blending into the shadows as they began chanting softly, weaving a subtle array that pressed against the Shadow Veil's defenses.

Marrow Weaver's bone constructs also joined the encirclement skeletal frames pulsing with a faint spiritual glow, quite a contrast to the necrotic energy they once wielded, leaving no holes for the Core Formation elders to exploit.

Elder Ji's aura flared, his Core Formation Stage cultivation pushing back against the encroaching pressure. "Xun, your cult's arrogance will be your downfall! The Shadow Veil Clan bows to no one, least of all a spider-witch playing at power. Release us, or the Inner Abyssal Circle will know war!"

Ven Master Xun's mocking laughter rang out. "War? Oh, Elder Ji, you're adorable. Who is it that started this war? If you haven't chased after my subordinate and tried to capture, will I even know you went and visited our beloved convenience store? Anyways, the Inner Abyssal Circle is a pit of vipers, and your clan's just another fang."

Elder Chen's hand instinctively moved to his pouch, his face paling. "Venom Master, we… we only bought what was offered. The Divine Convenience Store is open to all. We're no threat to your cult. Let us pass, and we'll share what we know."

"Chen!" Elder Ji hissed, his blade trembling with restrained fury. "Hold your tongue, or I'll cut it out myself!"

Regrettably for him, Elder Chen had fallen completely under her enchantment. With a distant look in his eyes, he began recounting every detail of the events that unfolded, his voice weaving it like a tale of old age, highlighting the epicness surrounding it. As he spoke, he turned to one of the disciples who cleverly decided to record the events earlier after they had found refuge within the safe confines of the store, where both the physical and mystical dangers seemed to momentarily fade away.

Venom Master Xun satisfyingly pulled it with her web. Reading those events unfold on Bulletin Board posts was insufficient to quench her thirst for it. Besides, given that all of her threads trying to get the Shopkeeper's elusive attention got buried from the volume of new threads as the events transpired earlier, she paused making more threads for now.

Her fingers danced over the recording jade as she activated it. Her expression showed a hint of excitement as she saw the chaos of Fanling City unfold before her eyes.

The Shopkeeper's audacious shot, the Divine Guardian Construct's unyielding presence, and the coalition of sects rallying behind a mortal merchant. That was a spectacle that set her heart ablaze with ambition. Her Doom Spider shifted beneath her, its mandibles clicking in sync with her racing thoughts.

"Marvelous," She exclaimed, "A Spirit Condensation Stage cultivator shattering a heaven-grade artifact? Oh, Shopkeeper, you're making my webs tremble with delight."

She tucked the recording jade into her sleeve before her gaze returned to the Shadow Veil Clan's trembling cultivators. "Now, little mousies, let's not drag this out. Hand over your purchases, and I might let you scurry back to your Patriarch with your tails intact."

Elder Ji's blade flared with dark qi, his Core Formation aura surging like a storm trapped in a bottle.

"Xun, you overstep! The Shadow Veil Clan's dignity isn't yours to plunder! These goods were bought with our spirit stones, earned through blood and shadow. You'll pry them from our corpses!"

Xun's laughter was a venomous melody, her indigo robes rippling as she waved a hand.

The Abyssal Hounds lunged forward, their corrupted jaws snapping inches from the Shadow Veil disciples' legs, forcing them to tighten their defensive circle. The Poison Demon Cult's Priests intensified their chant, the array's pressure coiling like a noose around the clan's cultivators. Marrow Weaver's bone constructs clattered, their spiritual glow now fully in sync with the cult's sinister intent.

Even if they tried to fight back, the fierceness of the corrupted demonic beasts was just not something they could resist at the moment.

"Corpses, Elder Ji? I'd rather not waste such fine material. But if you insist…" Xun tilted her head, her smile as sharp as a stinger as she flicked her wrist.

A thread of silver spiritual energy shot from her sleeve, slicing through Elder Ji's defensive aura like paper.

Despite their cultivation base not being far from each other, Venom Master Xun was simply the superior of the two.

The thread wrapped around Elder Ji's blade, yanking it from his grip and pinning it to a nearby tree with a dull thunk. "Oops. Looks like your dignity's a bit… disarmed."