Ron nodded silently. In this world where extraordinary powers prevail, even the most inconspicuous creatures might possess unexpected abilities.
"Lizard Alley, as the name suggests, initially gathered many Lizardman merchants."
Andre explained while leading the way:
"Lizardmen have a knack for trade. Their original homeland was in the Southwest Swamp Zone, but as human territories expanded, some bordering alien tribes were forced to migrate. Initially, a group of Lizardman merchants found the environment near the Black Mist Jungle suitable for their survival, and the management here was loose enough, so they settled and started small-scale trading."
He brushed aside a cluster of particularly dense mushrooms with his hand, revealing a clearer path:
"But now it has become a trading district mingling various races, and almost anything can be found there."
"And one more thing." He suddenly stopped walking, turned to face Ron, and his expression became particularly serious:
"The merchants of Lizard Alley are notorious for their deceit. They particularly love to play tricks on outsiders. Testing customers with counterfeit goods, like Otto does, is just the basic; there are many more tricks waiting for you."
"I understand." Ron nodded, unconsciously revealing a confident smile at the corner of his mouth:
"You saw my ability to identify the authenticity of herbs earlier, so there’s no need to worry too much about being deceived. Combined with the enhanced perception I’ve gained after advancing to an Elementary Apprentice, it should be enough to deal with most of the fraudulent tricks."
Andre sighed, his expression becoming complicated. He has always been very envious of his companion’s advancement and talent in Magic Potion Making:
"However, although the things here are difficult to distinguish in terms of quality and authenticity, the price negotiation is much more flexible than in the school marketplace. With your ability to differentiate, we can also buy more regular materials to take back later."
Passing through a desolate forest of withered trees, the brittle sound of branches breaking echoed underfoot, and the air was filled with a scent of decay.
Ahead, a narrow stone road suddenly appeared, distinct from the previously chaotic path. This road was smooth and orderly.
On both sides stood some oddly shaped stone pillars, each carved with totems of multi-headed dragons. Some have been eroded by the elements, rendering them indistinct, yet the fierce dragon heads could still be discerned.
"Here we are." Andre lowered his voice: "This is the entrance to Lizard Alley."
Ron could feel the difference between this place and the Sunset Tavern—a more chaotic magic power fluctuation permeated the air here.
Traces of various energies intertwined chaotically, forming an unsettling ambiance.
It was a mix of different Extraordinary Systems and alien bloodline auras, without any discernible pattern, yet marvelously maintaining a fragile balance.
Upon stepping on the stone road, Ron felt a slight sting from his feet, as if something was scanning his body.
He instinctively became alert, but Andre’s expression remained calm; it seemed to be just a routine check.
"Don’t worry, it’s just the entrance’s defensive mechanism confirming whether we are carrying large-scale destructive extraordinary items."
Andre whispered an explanation: "They have no restrictions on personal weapons but do not allow powerful alchemy explosives that might threaten the entire market."
Ron breathed a sigh of relief and continued to move forward.
Through the simple arch formed by the stone pillars, the scene before him was astonishing.
This was no mere "alley"—it was a narrow but extraordinarily long street, densely packed with various temporary stalls and simple shops on both sides.
Contrary to the hidden nature of the Sunset Tavern, the transactions here were conducted entirely openly, with shouts, haggling, arguments, and laughter blending into a unique symphony.
All sorts of bizarre-looking creatures traversed the streets and alleyways, such as Lizardmen with skin that appeared scaly, varying in size yet clad in brightly colored fabrics, with metallic ornaments clinking;
Short-statured goblins with pointy ears, eyes darting restlessly, seemingly judging which targets were suitable for theft;
And even a few trolls reaching three meters in height, hunched over carefully to avoid the low-lying canopy, their rough skin etched with tribal tattoos.
There were quite a few humans too, but most looked like exiles or adventurers, dressed in shabby clothes, watching warily, in stark contrast to the pampered apprentices within the school.
"Pay attention to those marks." Andre pointed to some special symbols hanging on certain stalls:
"Red triangles represent extraordinary materials, blue circles are weapon equipment, and yellow squares denote various exotic treasures. We mainly look at those stalls with red triangles."
The two slowly advanced along Lizard Alley, occasionally stopping to inspect those stalls marked with red triangles.
Most stalls displayed common herbs—Snake Fang Grass, Evening Primrose, Silverlight Mushroom, and so on.
Occasionally, they could spot slightly rarer items, such as Dragon Beard Grass or Fire Crystal Orchid, but the rare materials on Lady Allen’s list were hard to find.
Through a narrow alley, Ron carefully avoided the debris and unidentified liquids scattered on the ground.
The air was filled with a weird aroma, mixing the odors of herbs, rotting flesh, and alien body scent.
Andre pointed to a crude tent made from animal hides, where a small green-skinned goblin was fiddling with various bottles and jars:
"This goblin is an alchemist, though his level is average, his collection of materials is quite comprehensive, especially some Knight Cultivation resources."
As they approached the tent, the goblin immediately looked up, a pair of yellow-brown eyes gleaming with shrewdness.
"Ah, esteemed guests, what treasures are the young fellows looking for?" The goblin spoke in heavily accented common speech, revealing a mouthful of sharp yellow teeth.
"We need materials for making Qi Blood Potions."
Ron said calmly, while keenly scanning the various goods inside the tent:
"The rhizomes of Fire Crystal Orchid, Red Iron Grass, and Dragon Blood Leaf, if you have them."
The goblin’s eyes lit up: "Oh? A young bloodline cultivator? That’s rare around here."
He delved into the depths of the tent, rummaged for a while, and then brought out several small cloth bags and glass bottles: "Here they are; top quality, and the price is reasonable."
Ron carefully examined these materials using his [Herb Recognition] ability.
The rhizomes of Fire Crystal Orchid glowed faintly red, a sign of top quality;
The leaves of Red Iron Grass had a slight serrated structure at the edges, delivering a strong sharp sensation when touched;
And the Dragon Blood Leaves sealed in small glass bottles appeared a deep dark red, seemingly retaining a trace of vitality.
"Not bad, these materials are very fresh, and the quality is quite good." Ron nodded with satisfaction, then asked, "What’s the price?"