Chapter 530

Finally, a faint fluctuation, barely detectable, was sensed by Star Mind Force, precisely at the core of this massive chaotic stone.

Wang Yu then opened his eyes and retracted his mind force.

In just this brief moment, his mind force had already consumed significantly.

Although chaotic stone could not completely block Star Mind Force, entering it was extremely difficult, with massive losses along the way.

Wang Yu looked down again at the wooden plaque on the stone pedestal, thought for a moment, then instructed the nearby page:

“I’ll take this chaotic stone too. Record it.”

Since someone was willing to pay the Spirit Stones for all three chaotic stones, he had no reason to be modest.

“Yes.”

The page responded happily, recorded it in the ledger with his brush, and affixed a talisman to the chaotic stone.

Next, Wang Yu visited several other nearby giant chaotic stones, examined each one, and selected another chaotic stone of comparable size.

As soon as the three chaotic stones were chosen, Wang Yu declared he would not pick any more stones; the page summoned several burly men who, using magical power, lifted the stones out of the hall and into an adjacent side chamber specially designated for cutting stone.

Wang Yu called out to Yan Lingxiang from afar and followed them inside.

Inside, three cultivators—two men and one woman—were gathered around a white-haired elder, cutting stone.

The woman, around forty, had an ordinary face but radiated the spiritual pressure of Foundation Establishment.

The two men, both in their twenties, were tall and handsome, with similar features, yet their spiritual fluctuations were only at Qi Refining level.

The woman glanced at Wang Yu as he entered, swept her eyes over the three chaotic stones, then turned back to watch the white-haired elder, showing no intention to speak.

The two young men, however, kept stealing glances at Wang Yu—they clearly recognized him as the “senior” who had caused a commotion in the main hall earlier.

Before the white-haired elder floated a large chaotic stone, and a half-foot-long snow-white short blade danced silently around it.

Where the cold light passed, countless fragments fell away, and the chaotic stone shrank rapidly.

On the floor nearby lay several high piles of stone fragments—clearly, several other chaotic stones had already been cut; this one was the last.

At that moment, Wang Yu’s gaze suddenly flashed.

The ordinary-faced woman suddenly cried out, “Stop!” Her voice was hoarse, like a broken gong.

The cold light on the chaotic stone’s surface vanished, and the snow-white short blade hung motionless in midair.

Now, the chaotic stone was only as large as a human head; on the side facing Wang Yu, faint green light seeped out, revealing a small piece of emerald-green crystal.

“Master, we’ve struck spiritual material!”

The two young men, delighted, one of them exclaimed excitedly.

“You’ve seen much, Elder. Could you help me identify this material?” The woman studied the emerald-green substance inside the stone, seemingly unable to recognize it, and asked the white-haired elder.

“This should be ‘Green Dream Stone.’ Though a first-rank spiritual material, it’s an auxiliary ingredient for crafting spirit-based artifacts, its value rivaling that of ordinary second-rank materials.” The elder replied calmly, as if recognizing the green crystal at a glance.

“At second-rank material prices, this time I won’t leave empty-handed. Elder, please extract it fully.” The woman smiled slightly.

“Alright.”

The white-haired elder gave a brief reply, made no visible movement, and the short blade transformed into a sheet of cold light, enveloping the remaining chaotic stone.

Moments later, when the cold light vanished, a green crystal the size of an egg appeared before them.

The woman reached out, seized the crystal, and examined it closely; after a long while, she sighed:

“Pity—this Green Dream Stone is too small. I still lost a fair amount on this stone gamble.”

“You simply had bad luck this time. Next time, you might uncover a true heavenly treasure. Do you plan to sell this or keep it?” The elder offered a few words of comfort, then asked.

“I’ve never seen Green Dream Stone before. I’ll keep it for a few days to study first.” The woman replied without hesitation.

“Fine. When you decide to sell, remember to offer it to our stone shop first.” The elder responded indifferently.

The woman nodded and left the side chamber with the two young men, not exchanging a single word with Wang Yu.

After the woman departed, Wang Yu stepped forward, pointed to the three newly brought chaotic stones, and smiled at the white-haired elder.

“Elder, I have a few chaotic stones here. Please cut them open.”

The burly men who had carried the stones had vanished from the side chamber without notice.

“You have boldness indeed—choosing the largest chaotic stones from our shop to gamble on. These three stones cost over ten thousand Spirit Stones combined. Aren’t you afraid of losing everything?” The elder glanced at the towering chaotic stone, nearly as large as a pavilion, and the slightly smaller one beside it, his expression oddly skeptical.

“Ten thousand Spirit Stones aren’t trivial for Foundation Establishment cultivators.”

“Heh, I have some confidence in my stone-guessing skills. Besides, someone else paid for these stones—why should I worry?” Wang Yu chuckled.

“So you’re the cultivator from Bishui Palace who caused a stir in the main hall earlier. That explains it. I’ll start with the smallest one, then.” The elder nodded in realization, then gestured with one hand.

The chaotic stone, the size of a washbasin, floated gently into the air, hovering midway between the elder and Wang Yu.

“Alright.”

Wang Yu replied immediately.

“According to shop rules, we may cut directly through, or gradually shave off the outer layer. Which method do you prefer?” the elder asked.

“Cut directly—won’t that damage whatever’s inside?” Wang Yu asked instinctively.

“Rest assured—I’ve cut countless chaotic stones. This cutting tool is specially crafted; if it senses even the slightest anomaly, it automatically avoids the object and causes no damage whatsoever.” The elder spoke with confidence.

“Then no problem. Cut this small one directly, then divide it into pieces the size of fists.”

“I want the fragments large enough to collect and re-cut myself—might turn up some unexpected surprises.” Wang Yu watched the floating chaotic stone calmly.

“Understood. But if you don’t find anything after dividing it into fist-sized pieces, don’t expect too much.” The elder nodded, then sent his spiritual intent to activate the blade; the snow-white short blade whirled around the disc-sized chaotic stone.

At that moment, footsteps approached the side chamber door.

Yan Lingxiang rushed in, followed by two large men, each carrying two chaotic stones the size of human heads.