After Angel left the Elysium Pavilion, his expression was quite complicated.
Spending 50 Magic Crystals on that token was one thing, but as an Alchemist, paying 30 Magic Crystals for a toy was another. If his peers knew, they would surely laugh at him.
Originally, Angel planned to find the disciple of Esos to reimburse the expenses for seeking a person. But now he could only swallow the loss; he didn’t want anyone to know he’d spent money on these two things.
The only thing he was thankful for now was that he was traveling under a disguise...
Despite the turmoil in his heart, regardless of what happened, he got the tools, and the next step was to find the person.
Finding a hidden spot, Angel took out the token, which looked like a stone slab, and placed it on the ground. Then, he stood the Blackwood Wand, endowed with a guidance spell, in the center of the token.
"In the starry sky of destiny, your reflection is cast." As Angel activated the Blackwood Wand, he murmured this phrase.
The reason for saying this phrase was that the Apprentice from the prophecy system, who attached the guidance spell to the Blackwood Wand, belonged to the "Astrological Coordinate Axis" school. According to that Apprentice, saying this phrase would somewhat enhance the effect when using the Blackwood Wand.
Angel was somewhat skeptical, but the Prophet Wizards he’d encountered, other than Dororo, the chosen one, always babbled strange things.
Maybe this could indeed enhance the prophetic effect?
So, Angel still recited the phrase obediently according to the manual.
As soon as the words were spoken, the Blackwood Wand stood upright in the air atop the token.
A second later, the Blackwood Wand began to sway slowly, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, and finally, it gently tilted, pointing southeast.
Angel put away the token and the Blackwood Wand and began walking southeast.
Every time he covered a considerable distance, he’d use the guidance spell for reorientation, but each time, it was always in the southeast direction.
Until Angel reached the tenth alley, the guidance spell shifted slightly, pointing inside the alley.
Compared to other alleys on Sandworm Long Street, the traffic in the tenth alley was noticeably less, mainly because entering the tenth alley required an eligibility test.
The Sandworm statue at the entrance of the tenth alley served as the eligibility examiner.
There were two ways for the so-called eligibility test. First, prove that you have enough Magic Crystals or equivalent items to qualify for transactions in this alley; second, prove your strength.
The specific amount of Magic Crystals required for the former wasn’t definite, and there was also the risk of being targeted. Proving strength for the latter was the simplest; anyone above a third-level apprentice could enter directly.
Of course, Angel chose the latter, striding towards the Sandworm statue and soon standing before it.
However, before Angel could release his aura, the Sandworm statue spoke in a reverent tone: "Honorable strong one, the tenth alley welcomes your arrival."
Angel was taken aback: "You know me?"
Sandworm statue: "All the statues in the Sandworm Market are actually me..."
Angel suddenly understood. He had previously revealed the aura of an Official Wizard in front of the statue at the entrance of the Sandworm Market, so now he didn’t need the eligibility test.
He’s been added to the whitelist.
Looking at the Sandworm statue before him, Angel curiously asked: "Are you a Stone Spirit?"
Sandworm statue: "Yes."
Angel’s expression was somewhat peculiar: "You are much more agreeable than the noisy and annoying Stone Spirit I know."
After saying that, Angel left the bewildered Sandworm statue and walked straight into the tenth alley.
As Angel entered the alley, thoughts of the Stone Spirit filled his mind. The noisy, annoying Stone Spirit he had referred to was Taros from Silent Hill. It was due to Taros’s obstruction that Isabella, that lunatic, cornered him in Silent Hill.
So, Angel had quite an aversion to Taros. Even after Taros praised him in various Wizards’ magazines, Angel did not forgive him.
"Next time I visit Silent Hill, it will be the time to settle accounts with you," Angel silently thought to himself.
Setting aside these tangled thoughts, Angel continued forward, delving deeper into this tenth alley.
It must be said, the shops in the tenth alley were indeed more refined than those in other alleys. Almost every shop was protected by a Magical Energy Array, and some even had puppet guides at their entrances, only guiding those with a certain affinity. Angel didn’t bother to ask what that meant.
Because rather than aimlessly wandering a Wizard Market, he preferred to focus on the task that brought him here.
After walking in the tenth alley for about five minutes, under the guidance of the spell, Angel stood before a true alley.
Unlike the false alleys outside, this alley matched Angel’s inner vision of an alley.
Narrow, dark, damp, exuding a pungent odor. This odor wasn’t just the stench of garbage; it was heavily mixed with the smell of blood, indicating that some interesting stories had certainly unfolded here.
Without hesitation, Angel slipped into the alley.
The alley was deep and long, without any branches, leading straight to the end. In the deepest part of the alley, Angel saw a wall sign lit by a lamp.
The wall sign was made of round wood, with the words engraved: Cross Tavern.
Seeing "Cross," Angel knew he had found the right place.
Just as he was about to step into the tavern door, a hand stopped him. Angel looked up to see a red-haired man, handsome, clad in a black leather jacket.
Angel had noticed him before, leaning beside the tavern door. He didn’t seem to be a tavern attendant, so Angel ignored him.
However, now that the man blocked him, Angel was curious to hear what he had to say.
"Cross Tavern is only open to members. Sir, you should leave," a slightly hoarse voice came from the red-haired man.
"How do you know I’m not a member of Cross Tavern?" Angel countered.
"Although the organization of Wandering Wizards is loose, it doesn’t mean we don’t have rules," the red-haired man raised an eyebrow. "And everyone entering the tavern doesn’t conceal their appearance; that’s the rule of Cross Tavern."
After a pause, the red-haired man’s eyes suddenly sharpened, staring intently at Angel: "What intentions does a Formal Wizard using the Shapeshifting Technique have coming to a gathering place for Wandering Wizards?"