Wizard: Starts with Advanced Meditation

"Wizard Gak, since you're a member of Fugri, I won't beat around the bush."

Hughes flew over and landed next to Jacques.

"Your Spire has been conducting a lot of experiments lately, so the consumption of test subjects must be huge. I'd like to know what channels you usually use to obtain these test subjects?"

In fact, ever since Ysera conceived the idea of ​​"merging souls with secret sources," a portion of the entire Spire had already been dedicated to experimenting with the fusion of souls and secret sources.

It was those people who successfully accumulated experience in fusing the apprentice's soul with the secret source, thus advancing the fusion of the wizard's soul with the secret source, and thus forming the team of Gak and others.

Then Hughes joined.

After that, the experimental project was preserved and implicitly became the second research area of ​​the Fugri Spire.

However, Hughes and his group studied the souls of human wizards, while the other members of the Spire began to study the apprentice-level souls of other races.

Upon hearing this, Jacques' expression changed slightly. He looked around and then led Hughes to a secluded spot.

"What you want... isn't an apprentice, but a wizard, right?"

He said in a low voice.

Across from him, Hughes nodded, not denying it.

"Since the establishment of this research field, our Fugri Spire has indeed consumed a large number of spirits, through two channels."

As he spoke, Jak stretched out his palm and held up two fingers.

"One way is for the tower master to apply to the academy, or for the academy to buy prisoners from the aerial prison—these kinds of spirits are the most rational, because we have to extract them ourselves."

"Either the Academy will send us some spirits from its 'Deathwhisper Spire,' which contains spirits collected from the war and extracted from the unclaimed corpses of those who died within the Academy."

"However, most of these spirits are defective and have been sealed for a long time, so their rationality is not that high."

After a pause, Gak continued:

"As for the other channel, we Spire members found it ourselves: we went to the towns near the academy—there were 'black markets' there, where slave traders sold apprentices and wizards."

As he spoke, his expression darkened.

"However—the apprentices and wizards sold there—are not necessarily criminals."

"Nearby towns?"

On the other side, Hughes was slightly taken aback.

"Do all the towns here have black markets?"

"Yes, once a town develops to a certain size, it will establish some secret trading locations."

Gak nodded, his eyes revealing an unreadable meaning.

"Of course, this was tacitly approved by the Myriad Peaks, since some things cannot be done openly."

"..."

After listening to Jacques' explanation, Hughes asked him for the locations of black markets in nearby towns, and luckily, one of them was the black market in Wiesholm—the Throat-Slitting Tavern.

"Hughes, not all of these places necessarily have wizard slaves, and I can't be sure which ones specifically."

Before parting, Gak gave him some instructions.

"Also, prepare enough magic stones, or even other precious items, since this is practically equivalent to buying ourselves."

"Okay, I understand. Thank you for providing the location, Jake."

Hughes nodded, then flew back into the air.

"call out--!"

"..."

"Buzz—"

Soon after, Hughes arrived at the property in Wiesholm.

He looked through the scrolls hand-drawn by Jake and discovered that the so-called Throat-Slitting Tavern was actually located in the Midtown area.

"This is a bit tricky... I really don't want to reveal my identity as the Wizard of the Myriad Spire."

Seeing this, Hughes muttered to himself.

Like Corella, he had to go through identity verification to enter different districts, and his current residence was in the Upper Town.

But soon, after glancing at Mr. Poison Demon standing motionless in the corner, an idea instantly popped into his mind.

"I've got it—!"

"..."

On the bustling streets, people dressed in various shamanic robes walked by continuously.

They were all residents of the Upper City, and compared to the wizards of the Middle and Lower City, they had more magic stones and wore more luxurious and high-class clothes.

But today, there was an unusual figure on the street.

It was a thin figure draped in a black robe. He nimbly weaved through the crowd and headed towards the gate of the upper city.

"Buzzing..."

Like Corella, Wisholm also uses a purple magical barrier to isolate the various districts, and identity verification is required upon arrival.

"You may enter now, Wizard Targon."

Soon, the black-robed wizard passed the identity verification and passed through the purple barrier.

"Sizzle—"

After arriving in the central district, he strolled around and came to a deserted alley, where he slowly stretched out his hand.

"Buzz—"

The next moment, a silver dot of light suddenly appeared on the back of his hand.

"Whoosh—"

Immediately afterwards, a flash of silver light appeared, and Hughes's figure suddenly appeared beside the black-robed wizard.

"Phew... this gap anchoring is really useful."

Hughes murmured, then raised his hand and put the Poison Demon beside him into the Corpse Space.

"So now... let's go check out the Throat Slit Tavern. Hopefully, they're not closed."

"..."

Compared to the bustling Upper East Side, the Midtown area is much more subdued.

Deep in a certain alley, a small tavern built of ironwood stands out prominently.

The tavern's exterior was somewhat worn, but a brand-new wooden sign hung on the wooden door.

The wooden plaque had no words on it, but instead had a severed human head embedded in it, with blood still dripping from the cut at the neck.

This is the Throat-Cutting Tavern, the place where the wizards of Wisholm conduct secret transactions.

"clatter--"

Soon after, Hughes, now wearing a bird-beak mask, arrived and entered the secluded alley.

As he stepped into the alley, a strong smell of blood pierced through his mask and rushed into his nostrils.

"Could it be blood magic?"

Hughes frowned, knowing that this mask could filter gases.

"It seems this throat-cutting tavern is quite brazen. I wonder why the Golden Ring Crown didn't come here."

He glanced at the head embedded in the doorplate, then pushed the door open and went inside.

"Creak—"

Unlike the noisy atmosphere of ordinary taverns, the Throat Cutting Tavern was unusually quiet.

The guests here are all dressed in ordinary clothes and quietly drink ordinary drinks.

But as soon as he stepped into the tavern, Hughes immediately sensed several auras of blood witches emanating from them.

—This place still seems to be a gathering place for blood witches.

Hughes thought to himself, then walked toward the bar counter of the tavern.