As Abulei frantically sprinted towards the Laksum Principality, on the other side, Angel had already followed Docks out of the Sandworm Market.
Looking at the vast yellow sand around, Angel doubted: "Didn’t you just say that Kael is at the Sandworm Market?"
Docks expressionlessly said: "According to Mesomyia’s regulations, the entire Wizard Market of the Laksum Principality, with the market as the center, extends a hundred miles in radius as the market’s range."
Angel: "...So, as long as Kael is within a hundred miles, it can be considered that he is at the Sandworm Market?"
"Yes."
Angel: "..."
Seeing Angel rendered speechless, Docks suddenly changed his tone: "That was just the official line; those who actually reside permanently at the Sandworm Market would never consider the vast desert as part of the market. Moreover, there’s no need for me to play word games with you. Kael is indeed at the Sandworm Market, but the market he is in is a black market secretly controlled by the Nomir family, not far from the Sandworm Market."
When Docks spoke to this point, he suddenly stopped: "Here we are, this is the entrance to the black market."
In front of Docks stood a huge boulder, next to which was a columnar cactus with a bright red flower blooming on top.
Angel glanced back; indeed, the distance from the Sandworm Market was not far, estimated at about two hundred meters in a straight line, and from here one could still see the densely packed buildings of the faraway Sandworm Market.
"So what you initially told me about the radius of a hundred miles was actually all nonsense?" Angel asked.
Docks: "No, no, no, I was just enlightening you. Whether you interpret my previous statement ’Kael is at the Sandworm Market’ broadly or narrowly, it is correct."
Angel: "...But it’s still nonsense."
Docks felt choked by Angel’s deadpan complaint; he had many eloquent words bubbling in his throat, but ultimately suppressed them.
The other party is, like him, an official wizard.
The other party is very likely not a wandering wizard.
Must hold back, do not quarrel over trivial matters.
Docks took a deep breath, then nonchalantly turned his head, saying: "Those are all irrelevant matters. Aren’t you here to find Kael? Kael is just below."
Angel glanced at the stone and cactus; indeed, he felt a faint energy fluctuation.
Docks: "Entering the black market is simple. As long as you feed it enough, you can enter the black market."
Docks pointed at the cactus.
"Feed it enough? What do you mean? Water it?"
"No, no, no, it doesn’t drink water; it drinks blood. Any kind of blood will do. As long as it can be fed enough, it will open a door for you." Docks paused: "A friendly tip, it prefers the blood of extraordinary creatures. If it’s the blood of an extraordinary creature, just a few drops are enough. But if it’s ordinary blood, like from a common person, you’d need to drain their entire body of blood to satisfy it."
After hearing this, Angel frowned slightly; since Docks mentioned that ordinary human blood could be used to feed the cactus, it suggests that most wizards would likely choose this method due to their nature. In other words, this cactus blooms so brightly because beneath it lies a pile of accumulated bones.
Angel originally didn’t have any particular feelings towards this well-growing cactus, but now he felt a surge of disdain.
While Angel expressed aversion towards the cactus, Docks quietly stared at Angel. After being stared at for a while, Angel looked back at Docks with curiosity, silently questioning with his eyes: Why are you looking at me?
After roughly ten seconds of mutual gazing, Docks finally spoke: "I’ve already told you how to enter the black market, just go in."
"Didn’t you say I need to feed it enough?"
Docks replied grumpily: "I’m just here to guide you. You’re the one looking for Kael, so why should I be the one to feed it?"
Angel now understood; Docks had been standing still just waiting for him to bleed.
But on the other hand, Docks had a point. After all, Docks was merely guiding him. However, if Angel were to feed the cactus, although he had extraordinary blood, it was mostly precious alchemy materials, and using it here seemed wasteful.
Angel thought for a moment: "Wait for me."
After speaking, Angel turned and headed back to the Sandworm Market.
Docks quietly watched Angel’s departing figure, thinking to himself that an ordinary person in the Sandworm Market was likely to be out of luck.
While Docks sighed softly, Angel returned from the Sandworm Market with great speed.
Under Docks’ puzzled gaze, Angel tossed out a sandworm larva about ten centimeters long: "Will this feed the cactus?"
"Did you go buy a sandworm?" Docks asked in surprise.
"How else would I get one, steal it?" Angel replied grumpily, then couldn’t help but mutter under his breath: "Another 3 Magic Crystals, this will have to be charged to Kael. If Kael doesn’t reimburse me, I’ll go find Esos."
Listening to Angel’s muttering, Docks felt inwardly speechless.
Docks looked at Angel with a deep gaze, then nodded: "That’s enough. Although this orange peel sandworm is a larva, it’s still an extraordinary creature, and just ten drops of its blood will satisfy it."
Without another word, Angel cut a small slit at the larva’s tail and let the blood drip onto the cactus.
Docks’ judgment was incredibly precise; at the tenth drop, the cactus trembled slightly, and its crown flower grew even more vibrant. Subsequently, Angel sensed the surrounding energy becoming active, probably indicating that the cactus had triggered some mechanism, activating a hidden node.
As the energy node changed, the large stone in front of them slowly moved aside, revealing a downward passage.
"Let’s go, Kael is in the black market."
Docks resumed the lead, while Angel followed slowly behind, contemplating... how should he handle this sandworm?
The value of sandworm larvae is low, often used as food for adult worms. Currently without an adult worm, and after bleeding, this larva seemed rather listless; likely even the adult worm would find it lacking in meat.
Angel thought for a moment, then turned to look at Dangross, who was curiously looking around on his shoulder.
"Ahem, you’ve been following me for so long, and I haven’t officially given you a gift. I’ll give you this sandworm." Angel directly tossed the sandworm larva to Dangross.
Dangross couldn’t help but roll its eyes at Angel. It wasn’t foolish; judging by Angel’s hesitant expression while holding the sandworm earlier, it knew he was figuring out how to deal with it. Now, to claim it as a gift — who would believe that!
That’s what Dangross thought, but it still picked up the sandworm and began twirling it around its fingers.