204: negotiation

After speaking, he made a gesture of invitation, his attitude leaving absolutely no room for negotiation.

Gu Changan felt slightly nervous; he hadn't expected the other party's attitude to be so firm.

He had only just mentioned the name of the crimson flame dragon marrow fruit.

The other party had refused him flat out!

Without even mentioning any conditions, it seemed he dealt with this kind of situation often.

Gu Changan took a breath: "Shopkeeper, won't you listen to my exchange conditions?"

The Golden Core Stage shopkeeper rolled his eyes at Gu Changan: "What kind of conditions could you possibly have?"

"You came here alone to exchange without going through your Family, so you're most likely holding a treasure from the Golden Core Stage!"

"You are already at the Golden Core Stage yourself, yet you still come to exchange for this kind of thing."

"Most likely, it's for other relatives in the Family to use."

"Or perhaps you're taking it to trade!"

"I don't even need to guess to know these things!"

"But what can you bring out?"

"If you could bring out relatively valuable treasures, you would have just exchanged them directly within the Family!"

"Would you still come to me?"

Gu Changan's heart skipped a beat; there was actually a loophole.

The Cultivator at this Treasure Pavilion really had sharp eyes!

He wasn't easy to fool at all; who knew he would spot the problem the moment he arrived?

He had obtained the golden marrow jade milk, yet instead of exchanging it within his Family, he had come to the Treasure Pavilion.

So, how could he smooth over this lie?

Gu Changan's eyes flickered as he thought of a countermeasure.

"My position in the Family has been threatened!"

"Originally, I intended to exchange it slowly through the Family's channels!"

"However, some situations occurred."

"I had no choice but to advance my plans a bit and get the benefits into my hands first."

"As for other losses, as long as they aren't my own, they aren't worth mentioning!"

The Golden Core Stage shopkeeper instantly filled in the blanks with many scenarios.

A formerly favored Disciple in the Family had suddenly fallen out of favor.

Perhaps it was because another Disciple with better Aptitude had emerged.

The Aptitude of the person before him was likely not worth mentioning compared to that other person.

Therefore, the person before him had been abandoned by the people in the Family.

The Family had transferred all resources and focus onto the other Disciple with better Aptitude.

However, the person before him currently still held some resources.

If the resource exchange proceeded normally, these precious resources would most likely be confiscated and used on the other Disciple.

This was not something the Cultivator before him wished to see.

Therefore, he had come privately this time, willing to sacrifice some resources just to get the good stuff into his own hands.

To firmly control it in his own hands, based on his speculation about the crimson flame dragon marrow fruit.

It was likely that someone close to him was about to undergo Core Formation!

So the people in his lineage were supporting him!

The Golden Core Stage shopkeeper felt that he had instantly reconstructed the entire plot.

If Gu Changan knew what the other party was thinking, he would really want to give him a thumbs up.

However, with this, the whole plot made sense!

The Golden Core Stage shopkeeper felt he had grasped the other party's weakness; the other party was eager to trade.

And he could only buy or exchange it here?

Then, in all likelihood, he could suppress the price!

The Golden Core Stage shopkeeper once again revealed a kind smile: "Fellow Daoist, what item do you intend to use for the exchange?"

"May I have a look at it?"

Gu Changan waved his hand, and a jade bottle appeared on the table.

The Golden Core Stage shopkeeper leisurely picked up the jade bottle, opened the cap, and swept his Divine Sense inside.

His eyebrows raised slightly, but he pretended to be nonchalant and covered it back up.

He quietly placed the jade bottle on the table.

"Fellow Daoist! This is a rare item!"

"No wonder you have the confidence to want to exchange for the crimson flame dragon marrow fruit!"

"However, Fellow Daoist, are you aware?"

"The crimson flame dragon marrow fruit is far more precious!"

"Not to mention the cultivation; it takes over a hundred years of cultivation before it can bloom and bear fruit!"

"Furthermore, it must be watered or cultivated with items containing the aura of a Dragon-attribute Spirit Beast."

"Only then will it finally produce the crimson flame dragon marrow fruit!"

"Fellow Daoist, do you know the preciousness of a single crimson flame dragon marrow fruit?"

"If used well, perhaps one crimson flame dragon marrow fruit can be used in a single cauldron to refine a core formation pill?"

"Would you say that's precious or not?"

"However, your golden marrow jade milk is just an inanimate object; it doesn't require such delicate and cumbersome cultivation and care."

"It's just something you got lucky and found one day in an unknown Immortal Cave or mountain range!"

"And then you can use it to exchange for various treasures, just like you are doing now!"

"The only reason it's precious is because it can be used as an ingredient to refine a core formation pill!"

Hearing the other party disparage his item while inflating the value of theirs, Gu Changan felt some disdain in his heart!

He was blowing the crimson flame dragon marrow fruit up to the heavens.

While his golden marrow jade milk was just a treasure one could pick up anywhere!

Gu Changan did not show weakness either, staring quietly into the other party's eyes.

"Fellow Daoist, stop disparaging my item here!"

"I understand that this is how you do business!"

"But its value is right here; no matter how much you talk, its value won't decrease!"

"So, what will it take for you to agree to the exchange?"

"Please, Fellow Daoist, lay it out for me!"

The Golden Core Stage shopkeeper wasn't angry to see Gu Changan's reaction.

That's business, after all!

Disparaging one item to promote another is a very normal thing.

However, he still explained: "My apologies, Fellow Daoist!"

"This one drop of golden marrow jade milk cannot be exchanged for one crimson flame dragon marrow fruit!"

"Even if you included other treasures, or added some more Spirit Stones!"

"I would still have to apply to those above me, and it most likely wouldn't be approved!"

"The higher-ups wouldn't open this loophole just for you, for one drop of golden marrow jade milk."

"If everyone used similar treasures to exchange for another treasure later on!"

"And then paid the difference, do you think our Treasure Pavilion warehouse would still have any treasures left?"

Gu Changan knew what the other party said was reasonable, but wasn't a deal something you negotiate slowly?

With a wave of his hand, another bottle of golden marrow jade milk appeared on the table.

"What about this?"

"Two drops of golden marrow jade milk for one crimson flame dragon marrow fruit!"

"Fellow Daoist, can you apply for this?"

"These two drops of golden marrow jade milk should be enough to refine two cauldrons of Medicinal Pill, right?"

The Golden Core Stage shopkeeper's eyes flickered; the other party actually had another drop of this kind of treasure?

Could it be that the place the other party discovered had a lot of golden marrow jade milk?

Should he try to bluff him again?

To see exactly how much golden marrow jade milk he had in his hands?

Gu Changan watched the other party's eyes flicker, glancing at him from time to time; he definitely had ill intentions and was thinking about how to scheme against him.

Gu Changan hurriedly urged: "Well, are we exchanging or not?"

"I just don't want this kind of thing to fall into the hands of my Family; otherwise, I might not even get a single drop!"

"If I can't exchange it, I'll just give up!"

The Golden Core Stage shopkeeper looked troubled: "This, the value is just about there!"

"However, if I go to apply, I might get a thorough scolding!"

"You also know that two drops of golden marrow jade milk for one crimson flame dragon marrow fruit..."

"This kind of deal can only be considered standard!"

"It doesn't show my personal business standard!"

"I'm also embarrassed to open this request to my superiors!"