Amidst the chaotic applause and cheers, Lin Mo jumped onto the stage and stood next to Xiaoyu basking in her triumph.


    "Not bad, Xiaoyu. You turned it around with style. Guess you''re not just a prodigy in name."


    Liu Xiaoyu puffed up her cheeks and smirked, "Heh. Told you, Boss! Skill over luck this time. But I must admit, these three are great. They''ll be better when the [Celestial Duel Platform] is officially released! By then, I''ll also beat your [Celestial Beasts]!"


    "Don''t get too smug, if my luck plays on it again, everyone will get to see another Level 5 Unit getting summoned."


    "Hey! That''s cheating, Boss!"


    "Is it? Let''s ask our audience. Or Mingzhu… what do you think about our match?"


    The boy excitedly nodded his head as he exclaimed, "It was amazing, Shopkeeper! The Jadevein Qilin is so cool!"


    The crowd also echoed his words, making Xiaoyu miffed.


    She stuck out her tongue again before turning to the Red Lotus trio. "Forget about the smug boss. You three were awesome! Jiahao, Liying, Mingzhu. You three will become great Celestial Duelists!"


    Jiahao crossed his arms, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "Next time, I''ll save my big moves for the end too. I was too hasty. Many thanks for the experience, Miss Liu."


    Liying inclined her head gracefully as she bowed. "Miss Liu, I will study the recordings and come back stronger."


    Mingzhu''s excitement never died down despite his loss. He pushed Xiaoyu to the point that everyone thought he was going to win, after all.


    "That was so fun! Miss Xiaoyu, your idols are cool, but my beasts are gonna roar louder next time! Shopkeeper, can I buy more [Starter Packs]? I need better cards!"


    Lin Mo raised an eyebrow, amused. He nodded at him before turning to the audience as he used this chance to further promote the upcoming product.


    "Mhm. [Starter Packs] will guarantee a full deck from the preset decks. But there will be more, smaller packs you''re free to buy in order to build your own deck. Sticking to the preset decks won''t be mandatory. Everyone can be creative."


    "Oh?! So, that''s the case! I''ll combine [Celestial Beasts] and [Crimson Battle Spirits] then!" The boy''s eyes sparkled with more fervor.


    Everyone, including the audience, who were already itching to get their hands on it, had the same reaction.


    From there, Grandmaster Lian rose from her seat, her entourage following suit as she approached the stage.


    Her sharp gaze softened slightly as she praised her academy''s students for their impressive display. Losing didn''t matter as they were here to test it out and judging from their reaction, the integration of the [Celestial Duel Platform] to their curriculum had already been sealed. Even the reserved professors wouldn''t be able to deny its potential.


    She then turned to Lin Mo, a determined look on her face, "Shopkeeper, we''re grateful for this experience."


    "No problem, dear customer. If you''re still thinking of adopting our [Celestial Duel Platform], we can have a more detailed discussion about it once I get the confirmation for its date of release. The version you all witnessed and experienced is merely the prototype. When the official version is released, it will be more polished and sophisticated."


    She smiled faintly, her eyes sparkling with more interest now, " I understand. I''ll be back for a formal offer. I''m certain, this won''t just be a strategy game or entertainment. It can elevate our training regimen beyond anything we''ve seen. And studying its system will contribute a lot to our stagnant progress in talisman forging and formation designs."


    —


    In the skies above Faguang, Yu Qingyan soared toward the descending creatures, her Verdant Wings flapped in a mesmerizing rhythm, drawing the attention of the winged creatures from the tower.


    Now within a more observable distance, she was more certain that they radiated a foreign energy that was conflicting with the realm''s spiritual energy. It''s like they''re contesting with each other in regards to supremacy.


    Glancing down at the ground where the tower seemed to have sprouted, the green plains had turned into a dried land with the earth beneath it cracking up.


    Not far from her, Elder Tang and the two local Foundation Establishment cultivators clashed with the first wave.


    A sword cultivator unleashed a flurry of silver arcs, slicing through one creature. Elder Tang''s palms glowed with a fiery orange light, hurling a barrage of flame orbs that exploded on impact.


    The creatures fell one by one as they couldn''t endure the strength of the cultivators.


    "They may look fearsome but their strength isn''t much," Yu Qingyan muttered, drawing a slender jade flute from her sleeve.


    She brought it to her lips, channeling spiritual energy into a haunting melody. The notes rippled outward, forming a wave of verdant sound that slammed into the nearest creature. It screeched before it shattered into pieces.


    Having confirmed it herself, an idea popped up in her head. She pulled a Summoning Card Talisman and activated it with her spiritual energy. The card enlarged and the illustration printed in the card talisman stepped out bearing the strength of only peak Spirit Gathering Stage.


    It was a lithe, emerald-armored warrior wielding a pair of curved daggers. Its form was humanoid but faintly translucent, its edges flickering as though it were woven from spiritual energy itself.


    She waved her hand, commanding it to engage. The summoned warrior darted forward, striking at the nearest winged creature on its way down with a flurry of slashes.


    The creature shrieked and tried to defend itself with its sharp limbs. It was successful but the summon cut off one of its wings, causing both of them to plunge to the ground.


    Yu Qingyan''s eyes narrowed as she observed the exchange. "Peak Spirit Gathering strength yet it''s holding its own. The store''s products never cease to amaze. These creatures are only as strong as Spirit Condensation Stage cultivators. Not threatening at all."


    She lowered her flute momentarily as she assessed the battlefield. Elder Tang and the other cultivators were managing to decimate waves after waves, but more creatures were spilling from the tower''s base, their numbers growing steadily.


    Below, Qianmeng stood atop the city wall, her hands trembling as she clutched her worn talisman. She''d activated it moments ago, summoning a weak barrier of light to shield a group of fleeing mortals.


    With her meager spiritual energy, she was almost spent just by its activation but the sight of Yu Qingyan''s intervention reignited her resolve.


    "Who… who is that?" She whispered, squinting at the figure in the sky with verdant wings.


    Yu Qingyan noticed her from up above and smiled. She adjusted her trajectory and dived toward the fray, helping out the Elder Tang.


    Before Qianmeng''s eyes, Yu Qingyan activated a [Windstrike Talisman] which cut through another wave of winged creatures. Then, she used two more Summoning Card Talismans which helped out in defending the wall.


    "Amazing… Must be nice to have those talismans…"


    Qianmeng''s voice was barely audible over the chaos, her wide eyes locked on Yu Qingyan''s graceful yet devastating display.


    The summoned warriors danced through the air, their weapons striking down the winged creatures, sending them down to the ground to get pummeled by the defending guards and cultivators. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The [Windstrike Talisman]''s aftermath left a trail of severed wings and shattered forms, buying Elder Tang and the other cultivators precious moments to regroup.


    Elder Tang wiped sweat from his brow, his fiery orbs flickering as he glanced up at Yu Qingyan. "Verdant Sky Pavilion… I''d recognize those wings anywhere," He muttered, his tone filled with relief. He turned to the sword cultivator beside him. "Hold the line! Help has arrived!"


    Yu Qingyan descended closer to the wall, her Verdant Wings folding slightly as she hovered near Qianmeng. "Are you the one holding this barrier?"


    Qianmeng blinked, startled by the sudden attention. "Y-Yes! I''m Xie Qianmeng. I… I''m just trying to help. Who are you?"


    "Yu Qingyan, Emissary of the Verdant Sky Pavilion and a Distributor for the Divine Convenience Store," She replied with a faint smile, gesturing to the summoned warriors still cutting through the enemy ranks. "These are its products. Handy, aren''t they? Here, take this candy. It''s sweet, unlike the bitter pills, and will instantly recover your energy."


    Qianmeng''s jaw dropped slightly as she caught the Energy Replenishing Candy in her hand. She inspected it for a moment before instinctively popping it in her mouth. Her eyes immediately widened in pleasure as the sweet taste exploded followed by the surge of spiritual energy, refilling her near-empty dantian.


    "This… The Divine Convenience Store? You mean… those talismans came from that shop everyone''s been talking about? I thought it was just rumors!"


    "No rumor," Yu Qingyan said, twirling her jade flute before playing another brief melody. The sound wave rippled outward, shattering two more creatures mid-flight. "It''s real and everyone can get a hand on their products like the candy I''ve given you. They''re affordable too. These creatures are numerous but not invincible and I believe you and everyone here will have more chances if you''re equipped with better items. What do you think?"


    "I… I''ll take anything! I have spirit stones! I''ll take anything I can afford!" Qianmeng stuttered a bit but not because of nervousness. She''s excited.


    And with Yu Qingyan''s voice loud enough to be heard across the whole battlefield, the defenders also had their interest piqued.


    Live demonstration. Success.