Time flew, and in the blink of an eye, another half year had passed.
Bright sunshine fell upon the bustling Merchant Street of Broad Cloud Ward, bringing a hint of early summer warmth.
Vendors' cries and the haggling of traveling merchants rose from both sides. Cultivators and Shaman Folk coexisted harmoniously here, filling this newborn city with vigorous vitality.
A Puppeteer dressed in plain blue robes, in the guise of a Demon Hunter, rode a leopard-shaped Mechanism Beast through the crowds, his face expressionless.
He made his way through streets and alleys, following a familiar route to a shop bearing the Fuji Trading Company sign. Only then did he stop and put away his puppet.
"Careful, all of you. Don't chip it..."
Two mortals who looked like hired hands were moving goods under an old shopkeeper's direction. It was a Demon Beast skeleton over ten feet long, apparently quite heavy, its bones gleaming an eerie white in the sunlight.
Other goods were piled in the main hall as well, making access difficult. The two hired hands maneuvered carefully, squeezing inside only after considerable effort.
"Oh, Fellow Daoist Lin! It's been a while. What a rare visitor." The shopkeeper noticed the blue-robed cultivator and greeted him with a smile.
The blue-robed cultivator teased him. "Shopkeeper, why don't you get a Mechanism Automaton specifically for moving goods?"
"Listen to you," the shopkeeper said. "A single Mechanism Automaton starts at ten thousand Talisman Coins. Maintenance and operation cost extra, and you need a dedicated Puppeteer to tend to it. Isn't hiring ordinary workers much simpler? They can serve tea and water, mind the shop, and run errands too."
"Besides, these workers left their homes behind to come here and earn a living. Aren't they all just trying to put food on the table?