In the gorge between two mountain peaks stood a sprawling cluster of pavilions and halls.
Wang Yu brought his mechanical bird down before a magnificent, gilded pavilion and strode inside.
The hall on the pavilion's first floor contained only several long counters, with rows of tall storage cabinets behind them.
Behind each counter stood a vacant-looking mechanical puppet, attending to several Four Symbols Sect disciples.
Without giving the others more than a glance, Wang Yu walked straight up to one of the counters.
The puppet behind it, which had been standing motionless, immediately stepped forward. A languid male voice came from inside its body:
"If you're selling, take out your goods and I'll give you a price. If you're buying, tell me the name."
The puppet's body was emerald green, its limbs plump and rounded, but its head was square. Even its features, including a mouth opened in a broad laugh, had been carelessly painted on with a brush.
"I'm here to buy something, but I don't know what it's called." Wang Yu felt rather strange looking at the puppet, but answered honestly.
"If you don't know its name, describe it," the male voice inside the puppet said, still sounding indolent.
"I'm looking for a kind of stone that falls from beyond the heavens. It's fairly hard and smooth, and might contain metallic minerals..." As Wang Yu spoke, he gestured with his hands to describe the shapes of meteorites commonly found on Blue Star.
"You mean Chaos Stones. They often contain rare materials, but their outer layer completely blocks Divine Sense and Dharma Power, so you usually only see them in cultivator markets or stone-gambling establishments. Our Spirit Goods Pavilion doesn't stock many, only seven or eight. Each costs a hundred spirit stones." Before Wang Yu could finish, the puppet