’Damn. Divine Monarch Realm?’
’That’s, like – wait, isn’t that right above Heavenly Emperor, system]
[Correct, host. The Divine Monarch Realm is the final mortal cultivation stage. Cultivators at this level are on the verge of ascending to the upper realms.]
[Their attacks are incredibly destructive and often carry the power to alter landscapes.]
’So you’re telling me this tiny badge can tank a hit from someone who can casually turn a mountain into gravel?’
[Yes, host. Once per day. It will recharge after twenty-four hours. The badge is restricted to registered employees only.]
[In addition to defense, it grants employees the ability to choose their exit point when the store is linked to multiple worlds, realms or locations.]
Basically, his employees were invincible for one hit. Once a day. And not just from anyone – but from a Divine Monarch!
That was one step away from soaring into the heavens.
In this world, people at that level should already be preparing to ascend, refining their dao, maybe even vanishing into heavenly tribulation clouds. So who would still be picking fights?
’That part about choosing the exit…’ He narrowed his eyes.
’That’s actually really useful.’
Hao had assumed employees could only return through the same door they entered from. But if they could choose where to leave – it changed everything.
If a gate opened in a dangerous place, they didn’t have to go back there. If Sovereign City got blocked off, they could exit into another world entirely.
More options meant more safety.
And more freedom.
He stared at the badges for a moment longer, then chuckled softly.
He couldn’t help but imagine it.
Himself and his employees walking out through the door into a completely different dimension. An apocalyptic world, maybe.
Cities in ruins, skies choked with smoke. Endless waves of mutated zombies charging from the dark.
And in that ruined world… How would his employees, born and raised in the cultivation world, perform in a place ruled by death and decay?
Could a single cultivator outrun a virus that devoured entire cities? Would mountain-born flame arts burn hotter than man-made bio-weapons? Could ancient martial techniques still stand against infinite number of undeads?
Hao grinned. There was a strange kind of excitement burning in his chest.
The Dimensional Convenience Store wasn’t just a shop anymore. It was a bridge. A key. And he hadn’t even unlocked its full potential yet.
There were other worlds waiting. Other civilizations. Other kinds of survival.
And Hao had every intention of selling snacks in all of them.
But that was for the future.
Who knew how many more missions he’d have to grind through to get there? One step at a time.
For now, he was about to unlock a new location within the cultivation world.
The rest of the day went by quietly.
Hao handed out the safety badges to Mo Xixi, Kurome, and Tian Lu. He explained their function one by one, even though Tian Lu just nodded once and slipped it into his robe like it was just another weapon in his arsenal.
No fuss, no questions – as expected from someone who treated life-and-death like a checklist.
’Look, Yoru. Tsuki. Mama got something new.’ The two black kittens pawed at it curiously while she smirked, clearly pleased with herself.
Mo Xixi tried to act composed, nodding solemnly at first. But her eyes sparkled with barely contained excitement.
The moment Hao looked away, she hugged the badge tightly against her chest.
“Boss, I-It’s not that I like it or anything… but it’s pretty useful, okay?”
Hao just watched them with a crooked smile.
They all reacted differently – but the meaning was the same.
They were strong in their own right. They didn’t fear death. But that wasn’t the point.
If this badge came from anywhere else, they might have doubted it.
But it was from Hao.
Which meant it worked.
No gimmicks. No cheap tricks. It could really block a full-force blow from someone at the Divine Monarch Realm.
That was already beyond the limit of this world. If news of this badge got out, it would start wars. Entire sects would slaughter for a treasure like this.
But it only worked for employees.
And more than its power, the message behind it struck them deeply. Hao wasn’t just giving them a tool for survival.
He was trusting them with something valuable. Personal.
A sect might hoard something like this for its inner circle or high elders. And even then, there’d be politics – whispers behind closed doors, grudges over favoritism, maybe even blood spilled in secret just to get one.
But here?
Hao handed it to them without a second thought.
It wasn’t about power. It was about belonging.
That unspoken gratitude built quietly in each of them.
And while they didn’t say it out loud, the seed had already been planted.
They weren’t just passing guests anymore.
They were part of the store.
The badge wasn’t just a shield. It was a statement.
Kurome, a spirit beast feared for her bloodline.
Tian Lu, a silent executioner who never once pledged loyalty to any sect.
And Mo Xixi, heir to a fallen demonic cult that the world would rather forget.
Out there, they were threats. Outcasts.
But in this place…
They were trusted.
Respected.
And above all… they were no longer alone.
Even Tian Lu, who had only recently joined the store, found himself thinking about staying for good.
He had planned to treat this place as a temporary shelter – just a quiet hideout to lay low for a while. But things had changed faster than he expected.
A powerful defensive artifact handed to him without conditions. No test of loyalty, no binding oath, no tricks. Just trust.
He wasn’t naive. He knew loyalties could shift, and situations could turn.
But for now?
Tian Lu didn’t feel like that change was coming anytime soon.
Not here.
Not with this employer.
…
Time flowed within the store. Days turned into weeks.
Customers came and went. Shelves were refilled. Hao kept checking the system’s mission board.
And before Hao even realized it –
The side task he had been looking forward to the most… was already completed!
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Side Task 1: Sell 30 Bags of Original Salted Potato Chips and 50 Cans of Peach Oolong Tea.
Progress: 30/30 Bags, 50/50 Cans
Reward: System upgrade to Version 2.0. Unlocks the option to unseal your meridians. Crystal payment required, so get those savings ready!
Status: Completed! Claim your reward now?
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Reward claimed!