Chapter 448 - 405: Grand Promotion

Chapter 448: Chapter 405: Grand Promotion

That day, just as the shop opened, a middle-aged cultivator in a crimson robe walked in.

Gu An hurried forward to greet him. "Sir, what can I get for you?"

The man in the crimson robe waved a hand dismissively. "I hear your Golden Core Hall buys Spirit Grass and gives fair appraisals. Is that true?"

Gu An quickly agreed. "Our shop is built on integrity. We never intentionally lowball our prices or try to pull a fast one. This way, fellow Daoist, please come in!"

He led the man in the crimson robe to a seat in the inner hall and served him a cup of Spirit Tea.

Gu Dezhao stepped forward, cupping his hands in greeting. "I am the Shopkeeper here. Greetings, fellow Daoist. What treasure might you be looking to sell?"

Zhao Lin followed him but didn’t join the conversation, taking a seat to the side to observe and learn.

Gu Dezhao had always been responsible for the shop’s acquisitions. Having been in the business for decades, his eye for appraisal and his shrewdness were second to none.

Since the shop opened, he had appraised and acquired all sorts of cultivation items without ever making a mistake, and Zhao Lin had also benefited greatly from watching him.

"I wouldn’t call them treasures. Just a few stalks of Spirit Grass."

As he spoke, the man in the crimson robe slapped the storage pouch at his waist, producing three wooden boxes that he placed on the tea table.

Then, in a casual tone, he said, "Please appraise them, Shopkeeper. Tell me how many Spirit Coins these are worth."

"Then I’ll get right to it."

Gu Dezhao acknowledged him and gently opened one of the wooden boxes. He took out a mushroom-like Spirit Grass that was pure white with an inky patch on its cap and began to examine it carefully.

"This is a White Crane Mushroom. Its medicinal properties boost qi, calm the spirit, and fortify one’s essence. It’s often used to refine pills for consolidating one’s cultivation."

As he spoke, Gu Dezhao turned the Spirit Grass over and over, inspecting it for any damage and examining the patterns on its flesh.

He also brought it to his nose, sniffing lightly to discern its medicinal fragrance.

After a moment, Gu Dezhao placed the Spirit Grass back in the wooden box and said to the man, "A wild White Crane Mushroom, approximately forty years old, in rather good condition. This shop will purchase it for seventy-five Spirit Coins!"

The man’s eyes flickered upon hearing the price. "A sharp eye," he said. "Take a look at the other two."

Gu Dezhao nodded, opened the other two wooden boxes, and began to inspect the Spirit Grass inside.

"One Cyan Sheep Flower, thirty years old. The petals are slightly damaged. Purchase price: sixty Spirit Coins."

"One Changyang Grass, forty years old, in perfect condition. Purchase price: one hundred and twenty Spirit Coins."

When he finished, he smiled at the man and asked, "Are you satisfied with my offer, fellow Daoist?"

The man in the crimson robe gave a slight smile and pushed the three wooden boxes forward. "The prices are very fair. Let’s proceed."

Gu Dezhao called for the accountant and paid out two hundred and fifty-five Spirit Coins.

The man took the money but didn’t hurry to leave. Instead, he took a small brocade box from his storage pouch. "I have one more item. I wonder if your shop would be interested?"

Gu Dezhao paused, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. He slowly sat back down. "As long as it’s a tradable item, our shop can purchase it."

Zhao Lin inwardly praised him. ’Gu Dezhao is truly a veteran. His acting is first-class, absolutely flawless.’

’After helping run this shop for over six months, I’m no longer the rookie I once was. The man didn’t come here to sell those three stalks of Spirit Grass. His real goal was the item in the brocade box. Everything before was just a prelude.’

’It was a classic tactic: tossing a stone to scout the path.’

’For instance, if you have a valuable item but are unsure of its worth, you’d worry about getting ripped off if you rashly tried to sell it.’

’So, you first offer a few less valuable items whose prices you know precisely. If the shopkeeper gives a satisfactory quote, it proves they can be trusted.’

’As for why not just shop the valuable item around directly—perhaps the seller has his reasons, or maybe the item’s origins are questionable.’

’Gu Dezhao certainly knew what the man was up to, yet he feigned complete surprise. I have to admire that.’

"Then I’ll trouble you to appraise this as well, Shopkeeper."

The man in the crimson robe opened the small box. Instantly, Spiritual Qi billowed out amidst a swirling, brilliant light. Inside lay a pearl the size of a pigeon’s egg.

"A Spirit Pearl!"

Gu Dezhao exclaimed in shock. This time, his expression wasn’t an act. He even glanced back at Zhao Lin.

Zhao Lin was slightly taken aback. He was all too familiar with this object. The year before last, he had been on a mission to collect Spirit Pearls and had seen countless of them. He even had a Third Grade Spirit Pearl in his storage pouch at that very moment.

Judging from this Spirit Pearl’s size and quality, it was likely also Third Grade.

"Correct. It is a Spirit Pearl."

The man in the crimson robe leaned forward. "What price are you offering, Shopkeeper?"

"Let me take a look."

Gu Dezhao picked up the Spirit Pearl. Holding it in his palm, he circulated his energy and drew from it, and a stream of Spiritual Qi immediately surged into his body.

A moment later, he placed the Spirit Pearl back into the box.

"Well?"

For the first time, an expression of concern showed on the crimson-robed man’s face.

"The Spiritual Qi is plentiful, and it seems to be almost completely unused."

Gu Dezhao pondered for a moment before stating a price: "One thousand five hundred Spirit Coins and forty merit points."

Zhao Lin was slightly taken aback. When he had been on his mission, a Third Grade Spirit Pearl could only be exchanged for one hundred Spirit Stones and twenty merit points.

The price Gu Dezhao offered was fifty percent higher in Spirit Stones, and the merit points were doubled.

But he quickly figured it out. A mission was one thing; the sect obviously had to turn a profit, and the cultivators stationed on Red Tail Island needed their salaries.

The crimson-robed man remained impassive. He uttered only two words: "Too low."

Gu Dezhao hesitated, then looked back at Zhao Lin.

Zhao Lin said seriously, "The decision is yours, Elder Gu."

Gu Dezhao mulled it over for a long moment before saying, "I can go up to one thousand eight hundred Spirit Coins and add five more merit points. That’s the highest we can go. If you’re still not satisfied, sir, then I’m afraid you’ll have to look elsewhere."

"That price is acceptable."

The man in the crimson robe finally agreed, a satisfied expression on his face. He collected the Spirit Coins and the merit point voucher, then swiftly departed.

"I took the liberty of purchasing that Spirit Pearl. I hope you don’t mind, Shopkeeper Zhao?"