"Nine lives, behave."
The business traveler's chief, who had remained cold and stern the entire time, finally cracked a smile and reached out a hand.
The black cat hopped up with nimble grace, climbed up her arm all the way to her shoulder, and only then unhinged its jaw to drop the crystal, which she caught with a backhanded sweep.
Vice-Steward Lan could not help but spare a few extra glances.
Even though thick haze filled the sky, the crystal in the female cultivator's hand remained clear and bright, glowing with a soft, watery luster as if several stars were hidden within. Its gentle light was immensely pleasing to the eye.
Starlight Stone... and of high grade, thoroughly refined at that. If the raw ore he had just brought out were "processed" by such methods, having even a tiny bit left the size of a pinky nail would be considered a blessing from the heavens.
The quality of the goods was not the main point; what concerned Vice-Steward Lan was this:
Not only was this Starlight Stone refined, but it had also undergone further processing.
For a material like the Starlight Stone, refining was a primary processing step that most merchants performed, and it was also the sole procedure. Under no circumstances would anyone ever add another finger to it afterward.
That was because it already involved the direction of ritual refinement. To take it any further would simply be asking for trouble with the customer.
Starlight Stones of this sort were used on one hand for crafting magical treasures and serving as cultivation conduits, and on the other hand for formations and seals. Both applications demanded exquisite precision, and more importantly, they required seamless control. Whether through ritual refinement or spiritual nourishment, stray qi was strictly forbidden above all