He Xi secretly praised the shopkeeper. He seemed like a pretty honest guy.
Expensive goods brought higher profits, yet the man had taken the initiative to consider what was best value for his customer.
But He Xi wasn't here to buy. He was here to sell.
"Then... how much does it cost?"
The shopkeeper held up five fingers.
He Xi cautiously asked, "Five gold shields?"
The shopkeeper smiled and shook his head. "You're joking, young man. I mean fifty gold shields."
Fifty!
He Xi's heart leaped with joy. Fifty gold shields! Did that mean the one in his bag could fetch an astronomical price too?
He immediately pulled the dark red crystal core from his pack. Under the shopkeeper's slightly startled gaze, he said, "What a coincidence, boss. I've got one that looks just like yours. Would you buy it?"
This slick "ask the price first, then bring out the goods" move had clearly caught even the experienced shopkeeper off guard. He froze for a moment.
But he quickly composed himself and glanced over the crystal core. "What kind of monster did this come from?"
He Xi answered honestly. "A Spined Boar."
At the name, a flicker of surprise passed through the depths of the shopkeeper's eyes.
Then he furrowed his brow and shook his head regretfully.
"A Spined Boar... That's a shame."
He Xi's heart tightened. "Is something wrong with it?"
"Very wrong." The shopkeeper sighed and laid the two crystal cores side by side. "Look, young man. They may look similar, but the strength of their magical fluctuations is completely different.
"The Berserk Snake Lizard's crystal core has pure, savage power. But the Spined Boar's... how should I put it? It's all show on the surface, while the power inside is a complete mess. The failure rate for