"Magical Items?"
The young boy shook his head. "Those are very precious things! The auction house only seems to have sold one low-grade Magical Item last year, and back then even a full Wizard participated in the bidding..."
"Is that so? Take me to a weapon shop!"
Leilin followed the young boy and arrived at the Fire Hammer Workshop.
"Hey! Papa Beard, I've brought you some business!" The boy started shouting as soon as he entered the workshop.
"Coming, coming!" The shop owner indeed had a very thick beard. He wasn't tall, but the muscles on his arms were very firm, giving a strong impression.
"Hello! Respected customer! I am the owner of the Fire Hammer Workshop, you can call me Blackhammer!" The shop owner introduced himself.
"I need a Cross Sword!" Leilin stated his purpose. His previous Cross Sword had been destroyed during the battle with the mutated Green Tree Spirit, and finding another of better quality wouldn't be easy.
"A Cross Sword? Please follow me!" Blackhammer untied the wineskin from his waist, opened it, and took a sip. A strong scent of alcohol emanated from it.
"Oh! Didn't I tell you to drink less?" The young boy frowned, covering his nose.
"Hic... Yeg, you're still a child, you don't understand the joy of tasting fine wine!" Blackhammer shook his head and led Leilin to a wooden rack.
"All our finished Cross Swords are here. You can pick any one you like. Of course, if you're not satisfied, we can also make one to order. As for the price..."
When it came to price, Blackhammer spoke very clearly, nothing like someone who'd been drinking.
Leilin casually examined the long swords on the wooden rack. These swords were clearly sharpened, their silver blades giving off a bloodthirsty glow.
Leilin casually picked one up. A fine, solid texture transmitted through his palm; it felt heavy.
"The blade is made entirely of refined steel, with Star Iron added. The hilt is wrapped in black silk thread to prevent slipping..." Blackhammer introduced from the side.
Leilin nodded, placed the long sword back on its yellow wooden rack, and picked up another one next to it.
This Cross Sword's exterior was somewhat blackened, emitting a steady luster.
"A long sword made of Donuo Alloy. The blade has been treated to effectively resist corrosion, fire, and other damage!"
"Oh?" Leilin felt a stir in his heart upon hearing this. "Can it resist a Wizard's spells?"
"Of course not!" Blackhammer immediately shook his head. "To resist spells, you'd need to at least engrave runes on the blade and add precious alchemical materials. A long sword made that way would already be a Magical Item; it couldn't possibly be put out here for sale..."
"My apologies, I was being too greedy!" Leilin shook his head.
He picked up the black long sword. "I'll take this one. Also, prepare twenty crossbow bolts..."
"Alright, the price is..." Blackhammer's eyes lit up, forgetting even about his drink.
Once Leilin and the young boy left the weapon shop, Leilin hung the Cross Sword at his waist and also produced a Magic Stone to give to the boy.
"This is your reward for today! I'd like to walk around on my own for a bit now!"
"Okay! Have a pleasant time!" A look of pleasant surprise appeared on the young boy's face. He pocketed the Magic Stone and trotted away.
Leilin stood by the roadside until the boy's figure disappeared from sight before turning back to wander around the original market stalls.
He wasn't sure how long he had strolled, but he had looked through all the central wooden shop buildings before finally entering a store whose sign depicted a test tube.
"Sir, how may I be of service?" The attendant was a young man, dressed in attire similar to a suit.
Leilin glanced at the potions on the shelves. The crystal-clear tubes glowed with various bright colors, and inside the transparent glass counter were displayed various precious materials.
"It seems this shop's strength is a bit greater than that fat guy Wus's!" Leilin nodded to himself.
"I need Firebird feathers, Multi-tailed Owl eyeballs, Human-headed Bird feathers, Pink Ink Oil, Green Coconut Stone..."
Leilin rapidly listed the materials. Some were medicinal herbs needed for treating injuries, while others were raw materials for Explosive Potions and other basic potions.
The attendant listened quietly until Leilin finished, then bowed slightly and said, "My apologies, but I still have to ask, are you an Apothecary?"
"I've done a little research." Leilin's face was entirely concealed beneath his cloak, preventing the attendant from reading his expression.
"Our Walker Family sincerely extends an invitation to an Apothecary like you. The conditions are absolutely the best among comparable Wizard families..." The attendant bent even lower.
Leilin had actually anticipated this. The difficulty of cultivating an Apothecary was well-known, but Wizards couldn't do without various potions, so Wizard families all offered various favorable terms to recruit them.
He needed to buy raw materials, so his identity as an Apothecary couldn't be hidden. But as long as no one discovered his true talent, he didn't fear others knowing. After all, unless he said it himself, others couldn't know whether the person before them was an Apothecary Grandmaster or merely an apprentice.
"I'll consider it. Do you have the materials I just listed in your shop?" Leilin's voice came out hoarse.
"We have two Firebird feathers in stock here. As for the Multi-tailed Owl eyeballs, we still have a pair, but they've been stored for three years, so their potency is somewhat diminished. As for the Human-headed Bird feathers, Pink Ink Oil, and Green Coconut Stone, we have all of those. Also..."
The attendant seemed to have all the shop's inventory memorized; after a brief moment of thought, he spoke rapidly.