Xue Biyu''s sharp eyes scanned the horizon as the White Ember Sect''s ship construct cut through the clouds. Its sleek hull shimmered with faint white flames as the formation applied within the ship protected it from being hampered by wind resistance.


    The wind whipped through his robes, tugging at the edges of the [Heavenly Shield] talisman he held tightly in his hand that he bought from the Divine Convenience Store more than a week ago. Although he missed the opportunity to visit it more than the others who eventually became regular, he''s still the first customer who stepped foot inside it and purchased an item.


    On top of that, he''s also the only one apart from the Shopkeeper and his assistant to witness Taihao''s divine appearance when He issued a Divine Reprimand to those troublemakers who tried to rob the store.


    Behind him, a dozen White Ember Sect cultivators stood ready. Their cultivation base ranged from Spirit Condensation to Foundation Establishment Stages.


    The Sect Master Lin Yuanzhi swiftly mobilized them after Pill Master Ying or EmberAlchemist showed them the thread posted by Yu Qingyan.


    The tower''s sudden appearance in the Jade Hollow Plains was too significant to ignore, especially with more information within the thread confirming its otherworldly nature.


    Xue Biyu, as one of the sect''s Elders at mid Foundation Establishment Stage, had been chosen to lead this expedition. They were tasked to help and investigate the otherworldly phenomenon.


    "Elder Xue," A young disciple called from the deck, his voice clearly tinged with nervousness. "The plains are in sight. We''ll reach the tower soon."


    Xue Biyu didn''t turn. His gaze was fixed on the increasingly visible dark spire piercing the sky ahead.


    "Good. Prepare the ship''s arrays and ready your Card Talismans. We don''t know what we''re walking into but we''ll face it as White Ember Sect cultivators should. With fire and resolve."


    The disciple nodded quickly, scampering off to relay the orders.


    The ship''s deck became busy with activity as the more than fifty cultivators activated the newly applied array formations that the experts learned from the manual bought from the store. Most of them were of the defensive kind, but there was also one that improved the ballistic damage of the ship construct''s cannons.


    Xue Biyu clutched the [Heavenly Shield] talisman tighter, its familiar weight grounding him.


    It''s a simple talisman but it became like a charm for him as he hadn''t had any reason to use it since buying it during a chaotic first day at the Divine Convenience Store. Its presence within his palm assured him that anything the store offers is all divine-grade in quality despite not openly admitting to it.


    As the ship descended toward the Jade Hollow Plains, the tower loomed larger, its obsidian surface absorbing the sunlight rather than reflecting it. The once-lush green expanse within its vicinity had withered into cracked, barren earth, as though the tower''s mere presence drained the life from the land.


    Winged creatures swarmed around its base like a dark storm, their screeches echoing faintly even at this distance.


    Xue Biyu''s spiritual perception stretched out, brushing against the foreign energy Yu Qingyan had described. It was jagged, discordant, that it was conflicting with the smooth flow of the realm''s spiritual energy currents.


    "There. Faguang City''s defenders are already engaged. That''s the flag of Verdant Sky Pavilion. Their caravan is here as well."


    Xue Biyu''s eyes narrowed as he spotted Yu Qingyan''s verdant wings cutting through the fray, her summoned warriors carving a path through the enemy ranks.


    "She must be the Golden Patron that Pill Master Ying mentioned. There were other smaller forces too but… those winged creatures are too numerous. Even with their addition, they couldn''t take an offensive approach. They were forced to congregate in a small area in front of the city walls and above it."


    "Elder, shall we land near the city or approach the tower directly?"


    "Let it hover above that barrier," Xue Biyu decided after a moment''s thought. "We''re here to assist, not to conquer. No sense diving into the unknown without proper intelligence."


    The ship slowed down and hovered just above the city. Xue Biyu raised a hand, signaling the disciples tasked to operate the cannons to open fire, thinning the winged creatures swooping down.


    "Activate your talismans and ready your flames. Move!"


    With a unified shout, the White Ember disciples leaped from the ship, their bodies wreathed in white fire as they descended like meteors, joining the defenders of the city.


    Xue Biyu led the charge, his sword igniting with the same white flames he''d wielded against the thugs in the store. He pocketed the [Heavenly Shield] talisman back to his spatial pouch as he had intended to continue keeping it as a charm.


    The creatures screeched, lunging at them with jagged claws, but they soon confirmed that they''re not as threatening as they looked.


    Xue Biyu''s blade flashed, cutting through a few winged creatures in a single stroke, their bodies falling, joining the growing mountain of corpses on the ground.


    "Weak, but persistent," He noted. "Stay in formation!"


    The White Ember Sect cultivators followed suit, their fire techniques lighting up the battlefield along with the ship''s cannons as they slowly pushed back the endless creature to the tower''s gaping maw of darkness at its base, which pulsed with foreign energy that Yu Qingyan had described.


    Their arrival drew attention.


    Yu Qingyan glanced their way, her flute pausing mid-note as she registered their presence.


    She redirected her summoned warriors, freeing Elder Tang''s group to focus on the creatures still pouring from the tower. Sёarch* The n??el Fire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, with a quick flick of her Viewing Jade, she updated her thread:


    [MistyRain - Update]


    "White Ember Sect has joined the fray at Faguang City. Creatures remain numerous but manageable. Locals holding strong with our aid. Caution advised for the other factions heading here for aid."


    Yu Qingyan addressed Xue Biyu as she flew higher with her Verdant Wings. "Elder Xue, a pleasant surprise. White Ember Sect moves fast."


    "Pill Master Ying saw your thread," Xue Biyu replied, his tone clipped but respectful. "We couldn''t ignore this. What''s your read on that tower?"


    Yu Qingyan''s expression darkened slightly. "The Shopkeeper said to focus on closing the entrance. That''s the way to stop them from producing more. These creatures are mindless. Their energy core is comparable to low-grade spirit stones but the tower''s energy feels unstable. For now, we''re conserving our energy until someone can take a lead in cutting through them.


    She then paused and gestured to the stall the Verdant Sky Pavilion set up in the city''s square. "My caravan is distributing supplies. Divine Convenience Store''s products. Your sect is also welcome to stock up. Of course, as long as you have the spirit stones to purchase."


    Xue Biyu''s face twitched slightly but he didn''t voice out his thoughts. ''Typical Verdant Sky Pavilion. They''re profiting in this chaos. But now that she''s also peddling the store''s goods… this enticement is a deadly threat to our pouches.''


    "I see. If the Shopkeeper said as such, we cannot be careless. We''re dealing with the unknown here."


    "Agreed," Yu Qingyan nodded, her lips stretched thinly into a small smile. "Let''s thin these pests out first."


    They returned to the battlefield. The White Ember Sect cultivators joined the Verdant Sky Pavilion talisman-powered caravan guards and Faguang''s desperate defense, creating more scenes of destruction on the side of those foreign winged creatures.


    Down below, Qianmeng darted among the defenders, handing out Energy Replenishing Candies and Basic Card Talismans from Yu Qingyan''s gift. She''s doing her best to aid those stronger than her.


    At this point the tide had already turned to their favor, the defenders only needed to wait for someone who could burst through the wall of them and reach the entrance.


    —


    Back at the Divine Convenience Store, Lin Mo relieved Xiao Ya of her duty of tending to the cash register.


    He rang up purchases and sold more Viewing Jades. While doing so, his eyes scanned the latest updates on the Store Bulletin Board or specifically, Yu Qingyan''s thread that exploded with activity.


    Customers from different sects or forces who bought the Viewing Jades had continued to flood in, either theorizing the tower''s origin or informing the others that they would come to aid.


    Yan Wei''s challenge had been bumped down though his comments still peppered the discussion with those like him, itching for a challenge.


    Liu Xiaoyu hovered nearby, her Viewing Jade in hand as she moderated the flood of posts.


    "Boss, this tower thing''s getting wild," she said, swiping through comments. "It seems the White Ember Sect has arrived. They''re torching those winged creatures with their spells. They''re all powered by our talismans. Oh, and MistyRain is still rallying everyone to contain it. It seems there''s no Core Formation Stage nearby yet."


    Lin Mo couldn''t help but shake his head. She''s intentionally being loud about it, letting the customers lined up for check out to hear it. Now, they''re more than intrigued.


    "Shopkeeper, hurry up! We have to return to our sects and join the expedition to the Jade Hollow Plains."


    "When will you add another counter? This long line is ridiculous and slow."


    Similar complaints started to rise but with only one glare from Lin Mo and the silent pulse of the [Spirit-Dispersing Beacon], they were immediately silenced.


    "Dear customers, please be patient. That tower isn''t going anywhere and… I heard your complaints."