Trading!

"Ah, this is a bit troublesome!" Chen Huai'an was truly torn.

The value of a single High-Grade Body Tempering Pill was definitely worth several Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

Besides, this was not something whose value could be measured with Spirit Stones.

He understood well enough the saying that an ordinary man was innocent, but possessing a jade brought disaster. If he sold it now, he would certainly draw the attention of shady people.

Moreover, this was a good item. Aside from those with deep pockets, only shops could afford to buy it.

To sell it to a shop specializing in purchasing pills, he could only go to the market at the foot of Qingyun Sect.

Outer Sect Servant Disciples could not leave the sect freely without the sect's permission.

The things in Chen Huai'an's possession were good, but they were all troublesome goods that should not have appeared in the hands of a nobody like him.

"I'll look around some more. If no suitable opportunity comes up, I won't sell it tonight. I'll wait for a better chance."

With that thought, Chen Huai'an calmed himself and stopped dwelling on all that messy nonsense.

"Little brother, I've seen you wandering around here for quite a while. Have you taken a fancy to something on my stall? If you're sincere about buying it, I can sell it to you cheaper." A broad, brawny man looked at Chen Huai'an and asked.

This man was also an Outer Sect Servant Disciple, but Chen Huai'an did not dare offend him at all. A fierce, overbearing aura radiated from him, and the muscles on his bare arms bulged. One look was enough to tell that he was an expert.

"Senior Brother, I do want the Body Tempering Pills on your stall, but I don't have any Spirit Stones on me. Can I trade something else for them?" Chen Huai'an said after carefully choosing his words.

"Oh, you want to trade something else? Let me make this clear first: I don't want worthless junk. Even in a barter, it has to be something useful to someone at the Body Tempering Realm, Sixth Level." The burly man smiled.

He had reached a cultivation bottleneck. Ordinary things could no longer help him; only higher-grade items could assist him in breaking through it.

"I have a high-grade Body Tempering Pill." Chen Huai'an observed the other man for a while. He could not see through him. Though the man looked fierce and savage, he did not seem like a bad person.

Of course, bad people did not have the word "bad" written on their faces. Still, by his sixth sense, Chen Huai'an felt that this man was not the sort to rob someone in a black-on-black deal.

"A high-grade Body Tempering Pill? You mean a Mid-Grade Body Tempering Pill? It is indeed a good thing, and I've taken them before, but it doesn't mean much to me." Xu Qing scratched his head as he spoke.

To break through the bottleneck of the Body Tempering Realm, Late Stage, Seventh Level, he had taken two Mid-Grade Body Tempering Pills, but their effects had been minimal. Perhaps he had taken too many Body Tempering Pills and developed resistance. He needed a pill one grade higher.

"This pill has been passed down through my family. If I weren't short on funds, I wouldn't take it out to trade for your low-grade Body Tempering Pills." Chen Huai'an said, putting on an air of maturity.

Hearing this, Xu Qing showed interest. He had only set up this stall with the mindset of giving it a try, never expecting someone to actually be willing to trade with him.

As he spoke, Chen Huai'an took the High-Grade Body Tempering Pill out from his clothes.

As he opened the cloth bundle, Chen Huai'an kept watching for changes in the other man's expression. The moment the man made any suspicious move, he would flee immediately.

Fortunately, the man was quite trustworthy and made no improper move. The tension in Chen Huai'an's heart finally eased.

What he feared most was running into a bully like Zhang Hu, someone who loved to rob others in a black-on-black deal.

In truth, Chen Huai'an was being overly cautious.

He had only just entered the sect, while the other man was an expert at the Body Tempering Realm, Middle-Stage Peak. What could a nobody like him possibly possess that would tempt Xu Qing?

If Xu Qing had not heard that several children of prominent clans with considerable wealth had joined this batch of new Outer Sect Servant Disciples, he would not have come here to set up a stall.

"This is a High-Grade Body Tempering Pill? You actually have such a good thing!" When Xu Qing saw the pill in Chen Huai'an's hand, his eyes widened round.

There was actually someone among the Outer Sect Servant Disciples who possessed such a good thing.

But remembering that there were some disciples from prominent clans among the servant disciples, it became understandable.

"I want this. Name your price." Xu Qing snatched the High-Grade Body Tempering Pill from Chen Huai'an's hand, acting as if he were afraid others might see it. He was even more careful than Chen Huai'an, its rightful owner.

Seeing his actions, the tension in Chen Huai'an's heart eased completely. It proved his guess had been correct: Xu Qing was not the sort of petty man whose greed was stirred by wealth. Today's deal could be made.

"I want Low-grade Body Tempering Pills. Keeping this thing in my hands would just be a waste." Chen Huai'an said slowly.

"You want Low-grade Body Tempering Pills? I don't have many pills on hand—just ten Low-grade Body Tempering Pills and three Mid-Grade Body Tempering Pills. I wasn't planning to sell the mid-grade ones, but since you want them, I'll give you all three. They'll count as thirty Low-grade Body Tempering Pills. For the remaining sixty Low-grade Body Tempering Pills, how about I settle it with Spirit Stones?" Xu Qing was an honest sort. After thinking for a moment, he spoke.

One High-Grade Body Tempering Pill could be exchanged for one hundred Low-grade Body Tempering Pills, while ten Low-grade Body Tempering Pills were worth one Low-Grade Spirit Stone.

"For my current cultivation, I need Mid-Grade and Low-grade Body Tempering Pills. Senior Brother, could you use your Spirit Stones to help buy some more Low-grade Body Tempering Pills for me?" Chen Huai'an asked after some thought.

At this trading fair, every additional transaction meant another layer of risk. If someone set their sights on him during the process, it would be even more dangerous.

"Sure. Wait here a moment. I'll exchange all six of these Low-Grade Spirit Stones for Low-grade Body Tempering Pills for you." Xu Qing said with a smile.

"These are the pills I have on hand. Take them first. I'll be right back."

Looking at the several porcelain bottles of pills Xu Qing handed over, Chen Huai'an accepted them without hesitation.

Seeing the other man hurry off to buy pills, Chen Huai'an found it somewhat amusing.

Not everyone in this sect was a bad person.

If Xu Qing brought him the pills he needed, he would not have to worry about cultivation resources for the next few days. He would stand out in the entry examination.

The pill had been confirmed by Xu Qing to be a High-Grade Body Tempering Pill. Likewise, the Low-Grade Spirit Stones that had evolved and upgraded in the space should also be High-Grade Spirit Stones. If so, he was truly going to strike it rich.

Spirit Stones were so precious because upon reaching the Late Body Tempering Realm, one could not only use pills to aid cultivation, but also Spirit Stones.

Like pills, the higher the grade of a Spirit Stone, the fewer impurities it contained and the more beneficial it was to cultivation.

Take Body Tempering Pills, for example. Though they were both Body Tempering Pills, the price difference between Low-grade and High-Grade Body Tempering Pills was nearly a hundredfold. Most crucially, the medicinal effect lasted longer, the human body could absorb it better, and it would not leave pill toxins behind.

Only alchemy grandmasters could refine High-Grade Body Tempering Pills. Most pills seen on the market were low-grade or mid-grade. When high-grade ones occasionally appeared, acquaintances quickly bought them all up, and they never made it onto the open market.

While waiting, Chen Huai'an kept a close watch on the movements around him. The moment anything seemed wrong, he would run at once.

Fortunately, what worried him did not happen. No suspicious people approached him.

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Xu Qing finally appeared before him at a jog.

"Here, these are sixty Low-grade Body Tempering Pills. Check them. If there are no problems, then our transaction is settled, goods and money both cleared."

"No problem." Chen Huai'an said with a smile.

"Mm, little brother, if you have any more High-Grade Body Tempering Pills to sell in the future, come find me, Xu Qing, at Deadwood Peak. I guarantee a price that will satisfy you." Xu Qing smiled at Chen Huai'an.

"All right, Senior Brother Xu. I have matters to attend to, so I'll be leaving first." Chen Huai'an cupped his fists to him.

After saying that, Chen Huai'an gave a polite smile, turned, and left.

"An interesting little fellow. He could actually produce a High-Grade Body Tempering Pill, and one of such fine quality at that. Could he be some young master from a prominent clan?" Xu Qing muttered as he watched Chen Huai'an's departing back.

After leaving, Chen Huai'an kept an eye on the movements behind him. What he feared most was that Xu Qing would rob him in a black-on-black deal. Until he returned to his residence, the danger had not passed. He had to be cautious—then more cautious still.