Chapter 143: RICH FROM BASIC SKILLS!

After finishing his research, Guo Ming sat down at an empty stall to set up his own.

Equipment without True Spirits: Golden Jade Saddle, Ring-Headed Saber, Crimson Copper Iron Rod, Three Mountains Sword, Hanging Heart Sword.

Skill book items: Soul-Starving Hundred Grains Qi, Iron Sand Palm, Fire Cloud Art, Fire Cloud Palm, Fire Cloud Step, Tai Chang Military Manual.

Knowledge-type items: Iron Palm Flying Dragon Manual, Comprehensive Explanation of the Five Elders' Sword Techniques.

Plus the main attractions: Close Combat Basics and Ranged Combat Basics.

As for the treasure items he'd acquired earlier, Guo Ming didn't want to sell them.

He needed Paradise Points, but these treasures could serve greater purposes.

For example, as gifts in social exchanges.

The Pearl of Night and the Spring Flower Autumn Moon Wall had earned him one cultivation technique upgrade and one Dao Foundation upgrade.

At their original value, thirty thousand Paradise Points couldn't have achieved this.

So the true function of Effect One is to be given as a gift.

"I hope I can sell the Soul-Starving Hundred Grains Qi this time, or I'll be stuck with it," Guo Ming sighed.

Of all the items on his stall, this one was the hardest to sell.

The Tai Chang Military Manual might seem like a chicken knife, but its notes carry the endorsement of "strongest," and it enhances both close and ranged combat skills—there's no shortage of potential buyers.

As long as the price isn't set too high, someone desperate enough will buy it.

But Soul-Starving Hundred Grains Qi has mediocre effects and side effects—it's truly hard to sell.

About three minutes later, a middle-aged man hurried over.

"I'm Qingchi, one of the Reserve-Level Apostles' Regional Coordinators of the Longhu Alliance. Hello."

As a major power, being the first to arrive was nothing unusual.

"Here's my offer," Qingchi said, immediately sending Guo Ming a list.

【Skill Upgrade Crystal (Fine Quality)】

【Equipment Synthesizer (Fine Quality)】

【Same-Type Skill Synthesis Scroll (Fine Quality)】

【Skill Book: Guard】

【Skill Book: Castling】

【Skill Book: Command Follow】

【Skill Book: Life Resonance】

【Skill Book: Summoned Creature Enhancement · Strength, Constitution, Agility, Spirit, Perception, Attack, Defense, Negative Resistance】

【Paradise Points × 100, 00】

"Only Guard is an active skill; the rest are all passive."

"Besides Summoned Creature Enhancement, all others are Fine Quality, but you can use the Skill Synthesis Scroll to merge Summoned Creature Enhancement into a single skill and upgrade it to Fine Quality," Qingchi immediately added.

Hearing this, Guo Ming felt almost incredulous: "Done!"

"Wait, your offer isn't enough—you need to make up the difference," Qingchi quickly said.

"The normal market rate is about three to four Fine Quality items per Basic Skill."

"Yours are Close Combat Basics and Ranged Combat Basics, so you can get four."

"Two Basic Skills can only fetch eight, but if you hadn't demanded Paradise Points, my original offer would've been perfect," Qingchi said with a sigh.

Guo Ming had no objection—the price was indeed fair.

"Pick whatever you want, and I'll make up the difference," Guo Ming said, naturally choosing everything.

Undeniably, the Longhu Alliance was a major power—its stockpile of resources was immense, and everything he requested was available.

"I'll take all the equipment, and all the skill books except the Tai Chang Military Manual," Qingchi said, scanning Guo Ming's stall.

That amounted to a bundled deal worth one hundred thousand.

"Give me one more Fine Quality summoning skill for survival, and I'll throw in the Tai Chang Military Manual as a bonus—I won't take the Paradise Points," Guo Ming continued.

Fine Quality items were hard to find in the Reserve Level, and Fine Quality summoning skills were even rarer.

"You can trade so many Fine Quality items because you have Basic Skills."

"I'll add fifty thousand more—except for these two knowledge-type items, I'll take everything else," the man said, not foolish enough to try trading Good Quality items for Fine Quality ones.

"No," Guo Ming immediately refused: "No Tai Chang Military Manual? Fifteen thousand."

Guo Ming knew the most valuable item here was this inherited skill.

If he added the Tai Chang Military Manual, he'd be at a loss.

The man gave Guo Ming a long look, then said: "For the sake of the Basic Skills, deal."

【You sold: Skill Book (Close Combat Basics), Skill Book (Ranged Combat Basics). Received:】

After the transaction completed, Qingchi said: "To obtain two Basic Skills in the pre-assessment bonus dungeon, you must have at least an A-rank evaluation."

"If you have anything valuable for the next promotion assessment's bonus dungeon, come find the Longhu Alliance's Rank 1 Regional Office—mention my name, Qingchi."

"After I get my commission, I'll give you a 30% rebate," Qingchi smiled.

As for the extra fifty thousand he'd lost? He'd already prepared two hundred thousand Paradise Points to cover it.

Correct—he'd brought out two hundred thousand Paradise Points from the Longhu Alliance, not one hundred thousand.

Qingchi wasn't new to buying Basic Skills—he'd seen this many times before.

Guo Ming could've gotten two hundred thousand, but only if he added the Tai Chang Military Manual.

But since Guo Ming didn't mention it, Qingchi wouldn't bring it up.

For Qingchi, it wasn't profitable—the Longhu Alliance didn't lack such items.

What they lacked were strategic resources like Basic Skills.

Without Basic Skills, he wouldn't have considered buying anything from Guo Ming.

"Alright, next time for sure," Guo Ming replied vaguely.

As for Guo Ming having killed a Reserve-Level Apostle of the Longhu Alliance? Who would know if he didn't say anything?

The Longhu Alliance wouldn't bother leaving behind death-revenge markers for a few Reserve-Level Apostles.

They're just Reserve Level—the Longhu Alliance has countless such Apostles.

If they pursued revenge for every one, the entire Paradise would be full of enemies within days.

Only members who were valued and reached a certain status had such privileges—like this Regional Coordinator, Qingchi.

Qingchi saw through Guo Ming's vagueness but said nothing. He stood up and turned to the others behind him: "You're too late. Come earlier next time."

With that, he turned and left.

These people were all leaders of Reserve-Level regional factions, here for the two Basic Skills—but they arrived too late.

Now that the deal was done, they dispersed.

As for befriending Guo Ming? Unnecessary.

He'd leave the Reserve Level after his assessment—he wouldn't stay here.

No need to recruit him—he'd have joined already if he'd wanted to.

An Apostle who earned an A-rank in the trial? If you want to recruit him, do it in Rank 1—the Reserve Level has nothing worth offering.

Watching everyone leave, Guo Ming felt a tinge of regret.

He'd expected fierce competition, hoping to profit as the bystander.

But they had their own unspoken rules—during his exchange with Qingchi, none had raised prices or tried to sabotage the deal.

The remaining items would be sold slowly; Guo Ming began using what he'd acquired.

【You used a Skill Upgrade Crystal on Blood Oath Pact, targeting: Summoning】

【Upgrade complete. You obtained the skill: Mountain River Pact】

【Mountain River Pact (Active) LV. : Consume (10/100/1000/2000) Paradise Points to summon an ally of (1 rank lower/same rank/1 rank higher/2 ranks higher) to fight for you. While active, consume (0/10/100/500) Paradise Points per hour. Max allies: 10. Initial rank cap for pact: Rank 3】

(Note: If the pact ally dies in their original world or during summoning, death is permanent.)

(Note: During summoning, pact allies receive bonuses from Summoning, Summoning Arts, Command, and Summoning Skills.)

"Done!" Guo Ming stared at the skill description and the new skill in his mind—its quality had risen from Good to Fine, and its cap had increased.

The cost dropped sharply—the gap between Good and Fine Quality was indeed vast.

Then, Guo Ming learned all Summoning Enhancement skills and used the Same-Type Skill Synthesis Scroll to merge them.

Making them into a Fine Quality skill.

【Summoned Creature Enhancement (Passive) LV. : Summoned creatures gain +1% to all five attributes, +1% HP, +1% MP, +1% Attack, +1% Defense, +1% Negative Resistance】

"I lost out early," Guo Ming calculated quickly and understood the issue.

For example, LV. Summoned Creature Enhancement · MP used to add 100 points, but now the bonus was too small.

The bonus only applied to base stats, not additional ones.

"Too hasty—I underestimated Fine Quality skills," Guo Ming admitted.

Overall, he wouldn't lose—later on, the bonuses would grow larger.

"No problem—I'll make it back later," Guo Ming wasn't short-sighted.

Then, Guo Ming learned all four Fine Quality summoning skills.

—

【Guard (Active) LV. : Consume 50% of maximum MP to gain an equal-value shield, forcibly summon a designated summoned creature to your side, granting it +1% to all attributes, and increasing movement speed of all summoned creatures moving toward you by 10%, lasting 1 minute】

(Note: Shield stacks; attribute bonus and movement speed do not stack.)

—

【King's Move (Passive) LV. : When attacked, forcibly swap positions with a designated summon within (Spirit × 1) meters; each swap consumes (1 meter × 10) mana points】

(Note: If no designated summon is within range, prioritize the summon farthest away)

(Note: Trigger can be toggled on or off) —

【Command Follow (Passive) LV. : Once a summon enters follow mode, it consumes 10 mana points per minute; summon maintenance cost reduced by 5%】

(Note: Applies only to mana-based consumption; Shanhe Covenant does not apply)

(Note: Combat ends follow mode; re-entering follow mode requires 10 minutes out of combat)

—

【Life Resonance (Passive) LV. : When taking damage, transfer 1% of that damage to a designated summon】

(Note: Designated summon can be changed; each change triggers a 10-minute cooldown)

(Note: Damage transfer can be toggled on or off) —

Three survival abilities, one reduces consumption.

The survival abilities include rescue, teleportation, and damage transfer.

Greatly ensures Chu Danqing's survival rate.

The rest? Not considered for now.

As a summoner, one must naturally protect oneself—the greatest weakness.

(End of Chapter)