Glen could sense that the creature within his palm was thrashing about like a bullet, desperately attempting to make its escape.

Yet, his intuition told him that this was likely something of great value, and there was no way he would let it slip through his fingers.

Glen gradually constricted the space within his palm, and finally, he clasped the creature firmly in one hand.

"I'll head back and ask the old man what exactly this thing is," he murmured softly to himself.

He then retraced his steps to the spot where he had left the little girl. After examining her body and confirming that she was merely unconscious, he stealthily carried her back to Hank's farm, leaving her there for others to discover.

Running briskly all the way, as he was on the verge of entering the forest outside Baiyek, Glen caught sight of the old man, who appeared to be preparing for a journey.

He called out to him from afar.

The old man heard his voice and came to a halt. He was taken aback to see Glen dashing towards him.

"Old man, where are you off to?" Glen inquired as he drew closer.

"I've been extended an invitation by a friend to attend to some matters," the old man replied nonchalantly. Pointing at Glen's right hand, which had transformed into a wolf's paw and was clenched into a fist, he asked,"What happened to your hand?"

Glen raised his hand."I managed to capture a peculiar creature. It can leap extremely swiftly, and I was worried it would get away."

The old man's expression turned thoughtful, and he said,"What kind of creature? Do elaborate."

Glen then briefly recounted the events that had transpired.

Upon hearing his account, the old man's expression first registered surprise, which was soon replaced by a solemn look.

"Old man, you must know what this is, right?" Glen asked at the end.

After a moment of silence, lasting approximately four to five seconds, the old man said,"Based on your description, it should be a Fire Source Worm. I'm not certain which specific variety it is, though. I can't be sure. There are numerous branches of them, and the distinctions are incredibly subtle."

"What is the use of this thing?" Glen queried.

"Use? It's far more than just useful. This item is considered a rarity among magical materials. A single one of these can fetch a price of over a thousand gold coins," the old man replied with a cold smile.

"Over a thousand..." Glen suddenly gripped his hands tightly, as if fearing the creature would escape, and swallowed hard.

If I were to sell this, I could almost ease off on my efforts!... Glen thought, indulging in a pleasant daydream.

Observing Glen's reaction, the old man couldn't help but heave a sigh."I would strongly advise you not to sell it."

"Why not?" Glen asked, having regained his composure to some extent.

"Such things are extremely rare and difficult to come by. Many mages spend their entire lives in search of one but never encounter it. If you were to sell it and later find yourself in need of it, you would likely regret it deeply," the old man said.

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Is it really that rare?!... Glen was astonished. He couldn't believe his luck.

He then continued,"So, what exactly is the purpose of this Fire Source Worm?"

"The Fire Source Worm is the sole creature capable of producing Turbid Fire on its own. Turbid Fire is indispensable in numerous advanced magic spells, magical patterns, and magical artifacts. Some advanced mages, lacking a Fire Source Worm to supply Turbid Fire, are compelled to take the risk of venturing to the Abyss Rift of the Demons to gather scattered Turbid Fire. One can only imagine the peril involved in delving deep into the heart of the demon territory. Almost none of them, save for the most powerful mages, ever return from such an expedition," the old man explained.

Having finished his explanation, the old man took out an old pocket watch and glanced at it.

This truly is a valuable item. It's a pity I can't sell it... Glen thought with a tinge of regret. He gave his tightly clenched palm a little shake."Then how should I preserve it? Should I find a cage to keep it in?"

"If you can lay your hands on such a cage, that would be ideal. This creature doesn't require food or drink. It can sustain itself by absorbing the elemental energy in the air. All you need to do is periodically collect some of its shed shells as storage materials," the old man nodded and elaborated.

"I don't have such a cage." Glen had merely been making a suggestion. Naturally, he didn't possess such a cage.

The old man seemed to have anticipated this."That's easily remedied. Why not weave a bag out of your wolf fur?"

Is that even possible?... Glen's eyes widened in surprise."You're not pulling my leg, are you?"

"I don't have the time or inclination for that. This method is indeed viable," the old man said with conviction.

Glen had no choice but to take his word for it. Suddenly, he recalled the solemn expression the old man had worn earlier and probed,"Old man, is there something you're holding back? I did notice your solemn expression just now."

The old man let out a couple of chuckles."You've changed quite a bit. You're much more alert now, aren't you?"

Glen remained silent. The old man then said,"The emergence of the Fire Source Worm often portends a disaster. I came across this in an ancient tome. After cross-referencing it with the records of every instance of a Fire Source Worm's discovery, this claim doesn't seem to be without foundation."

"So, you suspect that a disaster will befall this place soon?" Glen interjected.

The old man neither confirmed nor denied it.

Glen looked at his right hand, feeling the creature within struggling. After a moment's thought, he asked,"Were those recorded disasters natural disasters or something else?"

"Natural disasters?" The old man clearly wasn't familiar with this term.

"Disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes, those caused by nature," Glen explained briefly.

The old man fell silent, deep in thought."I don't think so. It's either a rampaging beast tide or the emergence of a powerful evil being. These aren't the result of natural causes."

Now that he knew what kind of disasters were involved, Glen felt more at ease. He let out a sigh of relief. If it were a natural disaster, he wouldn't be overly concerned, but his property...

"There's still some time left. I'll impart some basic information about the Fire Source Worm," the old man said, looking at his pocket watch again and speaking a bit more rapidly.

Glen immediately perked up.

The old man continued to speak at a brisk pace:

"The origin of the Fire Source Worm remains a mystery. When they are first born, they possess little intelligence. Only when they parasitize within other creatures do they acquire intelligence comparable to that of their hosts.

"It's unclear whether it's intentional, but most Fire Source Worms will consciously choose humans as their hosts. This phenomenon doesn't occur with other highly intelligent races.

"Once they have sufficient cognitive ability after parasitizing, they may choose to change their hosts, perhaps to someone of higher status or greater power. However, there are conditions for changing hosts, and there's no unified standard. It could be related to time, physical constitution, or even gender.

"When they have gained a thorough understanding of the world and realize their own value, they will attempt to conceal themselves to avoid detection. However, mages have long since created specialized tools for detecting them, so it's almost impossible for Fire Source Worms to remain hidden."

With that, the old man took a step forward."Well, that's all I know. Be careful not to let anyone steal it from you."

Watching the old man stride away, Glen felt an even stronger resolve to cherish this precious creature.

He rushed home even faster. He had to quickly weave a bag to house the Fire Source Worm.

Upon arriving home, Glen found that Tia was absent. Presumably, she had followed his advice and gone to visit the elf lady.

He searched the house but couldn't find anything suitable to use as a knitting needle. Moreover, with one hand occupied, it was arduous for him to engage in knitting.

Left with no other option, he had to go and fetch Tia back.