Leilin kept walking without stopping, heading straight out of the Anling Bird Market.
The exit was beside the same small village as before, emerging from inside a hay stack. A black-robed figure wearing the wisteria emblem was standing guard nearby once again.
"Chip! Scan my surroundings!" After leaving the village, Leilin issued the command.
A pale blue screen of light projected before his eyes, clearly revealing a furtive figure following behind him. Against the blue backdrop, a single red dot stood out conspicuously.
"Target's detected energy level: estimated Second-rank Apprentice. No Magical Items," the Chip reported.
"Just a Second-rank Apprentice? Looks like it's not some major faction—just a stray dog who caught the scent of gold!"
Cold light flashed in Leilin's eyes. "If it weren't for the fact that I have other plans…"
The Second-rank Apprentice tailing Leilin proved remarkably patient, following him for over ten kilometers before finally launching an ambush once they were well beyond the market's boundaries.
Whoosh! The ground beneath Leilin's feet suddenly bulged upward in two mounds, transforming into a pair of earth-yellow giant hands that clamped firmly around his ankles.
In the next instant, a dagger glowing with an eerie purple light plunged into the lower back of "Leilin."
"Got him!" A flash of delight crossed the ambushing apprentice's eyes—only for him to discover that the "Leilin" in front of him was grotesquely melting away, transforming into vine after vine covered in barbs that coiled around his entire body.
The barbs pierced into his flesh without mercy. The apprentice could even feel the entire plant as though it had come alive, greedily sucking the blood from his body.
"Damn it!! It's a puppet! What spell is this? Shadow Avatar? Or Bloodsucking Vine?" With so much blood draining from him, the apprentice's head began to swim.
"Ah! You can't do this! Please… please forgive me…"
The apprentice struggled and pleaded, but the vines writhed and sealed his mouth shut.
Crack! The spell's effect faded. All that remained on the ground was the apprentice's withered corpse.
Against his enemies, Leilin never showed mercy.
…
The next day, Leilin returned to the market.
"Sir! Need a guide? I only charge one Magic Stone!" The entrance was still filled with a clamoring crowd of young boys and girls.
Leilin had changed into different clothes today. To further conceal himself, he had even altered his face to an entirely different one. Though his previous face had been a forgery as well, who could say whether some unusual wizardry effect here might see through a disguise or cloak?
As for spiritual energy fluctuations, Leilin wasn't particularly worried. He had deliberately avoided any formal Wizards yesterday and was certain his fluctuations hadn't been recorded. Capturing a
"You'll do!" Leilin casually picked a young girl.
"Thank you, sir! I know this area very well!" The girl looked pleasantly surprised. She wore a white dress and appeared rather thin.
Leilin tossed a Magic Stone into the girl's arms and said slowly, "I'd like to go somewhere a bit more… exclusive."
His voice had been deliberately modified, completely different from the day before.
"More exclusive? You mean… the second level?" The girl hesitated.
"Of course!" This was something Leilin had learned from his repeated visits. The market wasn't very large, and he always felt something was missing—rare resources he expected to find were nowhere to be seen. These greeter-like figures standing here were most likely looking for capable customers to lead to a more hidden venue.
"Since you already know about the second level, you should understand that without at least one thousand Magic Stones in goods or a guarantee, you cannot enter!"
"I have it, naturally. Lead the way!" The girl looked up but couldn't see Leilin's expression hidden beneath his cloak. She simply lowered her head and led the way.
"Places like the second level will certainly have plenty of formal Wizards, but there's no helping that. The
Leilin's expression was somewhat somber. While selling potions along the way, he had been trying to collect the auxiliary herbs for the two ancient formulas as well, but his haul had been meager. The Anling Bird Market was the place with the highest concentration of Wizards in the entire Marsh Duchy outside of the Black Bone Forest Academy. If he couldn't find them here, Leilin was truly out of options.
Leilin followed the girl ahead of him into a rather secluded alley.
She knocked on a stone at the base of a wall.
Rumble! The wall at the end of the alley shifted aside, revealing a passageway leading further downward.
"It's right inside here," the girl whispered, sounding frightened.
"Lead on." Leilin followed her down. Within a few minutes, they had reached their destination.
Two Third-rank Apprentices in blood-red robes stood guard at the gate. According to the Chip's scan, both of them carried Magical Items, which surprised Leilin slightly while also filling him with curiosity about the market beyond.
The girl stepped forward and spoke in hushed tones to the two apprentices, then returned to Leilin, curtsying while holding her skirt. "Esteemed sir! I can only take you this far!"
The moment she finished speaking, the girl darted back up the stairs and vanished into the darkness.
"Seems like there's something in this upscale market that terrifies her," Leilin thought calmly as he approached the two red-robed figures.
"Pledge of entry! Or items worth at least one thousand Magic Stones!" the red-robed apprentice said coldly. Standing before them, Leilin could faintly feel the wailing of tormented spirits lingering around them.
"Truly frightening people," Leilin thought to himself, tossing over a small pouch containing ten high-grade Magic Stones.
The red-robed apprentice caught it, opened it for a look, then tossed the pouch back to Leilin and opened the gate behind him.
Leilin entered calmly. Only once the gate slowly closed behind him did he take the time to observe the plaza before him.
This plaza appeared to be located beneath the market above. It was fairly small, roughly the length of a single street.
Wizards passed through at intervals, their density sparse—people kept considerable distance from one another. First-rank Apprentices were virtually nonexistent, Second-rank Apprentices were rare, and the majority were Third-rank Apprentices radiating intense energy fluctuations. Formal Wizards were also relatively common.
Leilin took a deep breath and walked into the street…
More than half an hour later, Leilin finally emerged from a stone building marked with an apothecary sign, an unmistakable look of delight on his face.
"除了果法特老师说的主材之外,其余的材料居然都有,不愧是大型集市!"
Everything Professor Guofate had mentioned as a primary ingredient was already beyond his grasp, but all the rest of the materials were actually available. For the Azure Potion and Maria's Tears, the primary ingredients were by far the most critical, and the other components were relatively common substances. Still, being able to purchase every last one exceeded Leilin's expectations.
To buy all these materials, Leilin had spent most of the one thousand Magic Stones he'd prepared, but it still felt entirely worth it.
Stowing the herbs away and estimating that once he found a stable base, he could begin the potion simulation experiments, Leilin was in quite a fine mood and began browsing at leisure.
The items here were clearly a full tier above those in the market above. Leilin even spotted a low-level Magical Item shaped like a dagger on display.
But the listed price of four thousand Magic Stones instantly shattered his hopes.
Suddenly, a burst of noisy commotion reached his ears, surprising him. Following the sound, Leilin made a new discovery.
"A slave market?"
Before him stretched a large fenced enclosure. Inside stood numerous slaves behind the railing, their faces either numb or humiliated as Wizards browsed and inspected them.
"Just what I need. I could use a few servants."
Leilin would be settling in Polar Night City for roughly three years. He couldn't handle everything himself during that time. He had originally planned to hire servants and mercenaries once he arrived, but acquiring some high-quality slaves here would be far more convenient.
"How did you acquire them? I mean—as nobles, won't there be trouble?" Leilin asked with some curiosity.
"Please don't worry! These are all nobles who lost in political struggles. Their fiefs and families have been destroyed and stripped away. Legally, they are 'dead people' who have already served their sentences. There will absolutely be no trouble!"
The merchant explained with evident pride.
Leilin couldn't help but recall the noble girl he had encountered in the woods. If her bid for revenge failed, she might well end up sold to a place like this.
"Well? Buy a few!" the merchant urged, trying his best to persuade him.
Leilin shook his head. "I'm looking for some guards—ideally Knights. I also need a few research assistants, that sort of thing."
"Is that so!" The merchant stroked his chin. "What you're after are premium-grade slaves, and they don't come cheap! Of course, anyone who can make it here is a person of means. Please, follow me!"
Leilin trailed behind the merchant, passing by many more slaves. Some were adult males in their prime, others were children. All of them stared through the railing at the outside world with fearful eyes as several Wizards pointed at them, discussed them, or stepped closer for a more thorough inspection.
Leilin even spotted some Beastkin and sea-dwelling slaves surrounded by a ring of Wizards, with bids being called out one after another.
The merchant led Leilin to a large tent and called over a portly man. "This is my friend Trlan. He happens to have a batch of high-quality stock on hand."
Trlan must have offered the merchant some kind of incentive, because the merchant left with a satisfied smile. Trlan then turned to Leilin and said cheerfully, "Respected customer! I fully understand your requirements. We've just received a new shipment of premium slaves. Please, come with me!"