Chapter 320: Exchange

Uh…

Hearing that He Pingsheng wanted to borrow a Suluo Sacred Fruit, the Ninth Imperial Prince immediately wore a look of agony.

He Pingsheng said: "What's to fear? I won't run away!"

"I'll return it to you tomorrow!"

"Fine!" The Ninth Imperial Prince was no stingy man, so he fished out a lower-grade Suluo Sacred Fruit the size of a grape and handed it to He Pingsheng.

After taking the lower-grade Suluo Sacred Fruit, He Pingsheng directly placed it inside his Treasure Basin.

He had previously promised the Thirteenth Imperial Prince to exchange one of his own top-grade items for two of the prince's upper-grade fruits—not out of submission or flattery.

But out of calculation.

He wanted to first test whether this lower-grade Suluo Sacred Fruit could be upgraded to top-grade quality.

Of course, enhancement was certainly possible—just whether it could be done now was the question.

If it couldn't be enhanced now, no matter; once He Pingsheng reached the Golden Core realm, he could enhance it naturally.

Let's first try with the Ninth Imperial Prince's lower-grade Suluo Sacred Fruit.

During enhancement, He Pingsheng noticed six talismans inside the Treasure Basin.

These six talismans were the three 【Swift Step Talismans】 he had previously thrown in; he hadn't checked on them since, yet in just a few days, all had been upgraded to top-grade.

Hmm…

Let's take one out and see!

He Pingsheng stealthily pulled out one talisman and plunged his spiritual sense into it.

Its information instantly surfaced in He Pingsheng's mind.

Name: Meteor Talisman.

Rank: Third-grade top-grade.

Effect: When activated and stuck onto the user, it doubles the speed of a Golden Core cultivator and triples the speed of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, lasting fifteen days.

He Pingsheng's brow slightly furrowed.

Clearly, the talisman's properties left him unimpressed.

Because before enhancement, it already doubled the speed of Golden Core cultivators and tripled that of Foundation Establishment cultivators.

The difference lay only in duration.

Before enhancement, the duration was only one day.

Now, it lasted fifteen days.

Hmm…

How to put it? A bit of a mixed blessing.

He Pingsheng stored the 【Meteor Talisman】 in his ring; though the enhancement was modest, the item remained useful.

As for being a mixed blessing…

Who expects everything to go perfectly?

Forget it!

He Pingsheng waved his hand and pulled out another bead: the Five Elements Poison-Repelling Treasure Pearl.

A top-grade magic treasure with twelve seals; once assimilated into the body, it repelled poison and blocked the energies of the Five Elements.

The Ninth Imperial Prince had just said that in the Five Dragon Gorge, the Wood Dragon was the only primordial dragon cultivators could approach and touch; the Water and Fire Dragons were inaccessible.

Not because they couldn't be found, but because the Five Elements' energies were too intense to approach.

If so, if I assimilate this Five Elements Poison-Repelling Treasure Pearl, could I approach them?

Let's try!

Boom…

He Pingsheng pulled out another top-grade 【Dual Soul Pill】 and swallowed it whole.

To assimilate it quickly, he needed the Dual Soul Pill to boost his spiritual sense—otherwise, it was impossible.

So He Pingsheng slowly began the assimilation process.

At first, the seals were absorbed rapidly.

In the blink of an eye, night passed.

Overnight, He Pingsheng had assimilated four of the twelve seals on the Five Elements Poison-Repelling Treasure Pearl.

That powerful.

The next morning, He Pingsheng paused assimilating the pearl and casually sent his spiritual sense into the Treasure Basin.

The lower-grade Suluo Sacred Fruit had not been enhanced.

Seems this thing's rank is too high.

"Here you go!" He Pingsheng returned the lower-grade Suluo Sacred Fruit to the Ninth Imperial Prince, then asked casually: "Your Highness, I have a question: what rank is this Suluo Sacred Fruit?"

The Ninth Imperial Prince took the lower-grade Suluo Sacred Fruit and replied: "Probably fourth-grade."

"It contains Dao principles usable by Nascent Soul cultivators to comprehend rule-force—likely fourth-grade."

The Ninth Imperial Prince wasn't certain.

But it was almost certainly fourth-grade.

He Pingsheng nodded; he now had a clear idea.

No wonder it couldn't be enhanced.

Normally, He Pingsheng's Treasure Basin can only enhance items one major rank above his own.

He was Foundation Establishment, so he could only enhance Golden Core items—meaning third-grade heavenly treasures.

Many things couldn't be enhanced: this Suluo Sacred Fruit, the Rift Soul Thunder Fruit, the fourth-grade 【Teleportation Talisman】 Princess Wei Chuan gave him, and the unknown incomplete array plate he bought from a stall.

Not surprising.

But if this Suluo Sacred Fruit is fourth-grade, no rush—I'll be able to enhance it after breaking into Golden Core.

Hmm…

Still, let's trade. I trust the Treasure Basin won't let me down.

"Comrade, have you decided?"

The Thirteenth Imperial Prince, flanked by two guards, arrived before He Pingsheng.

He still wore his detached expression.

Swish…

On the square, countless eyes turned toward them again.

He Pingsheng pulled out a top-grade Suluo Sacred Fruit and said: "Decided. Let's trade."

"Hehe…" The Thirteenth Imperial Prince laughed, waved his hand, and his subordinates completed the exchange with He Pingsheng.

Holding the top-grade Suluo Sacred Fruit, the Thirteenth Imperial Prince smirked: "Not bad… Truly, the wise adapt to circumstances."

This was just slapping gold leaf onto his own face.

He was plainly showing off to onlookers: See? This fellow bowed to me today—finally, under my pressure, he traded with me.

On the square, many began whispering.

Someone said: "Come on, this realm belongs to the imperial family—who'd be so foolish as to resist?"

"Exactly! Survival matters most!"

"Still, the kid earned enough face yesterday!"

"The Thirteenth Imperial Prince's intimidation is still strong!"

He Pingsheng didn't care.

Because he hadn't traded out of submission.

So after the Thirteenth Imperial Prince and his group left, He Pingsheng pulled out another top-grade Suluo Sacred Fruit and said: "Ladies and gentlemen, I have one more. Anyone with an upper-grade Suluo Sacred Fruit? One for two!"

Holy shit…

Everyone exploded.

What now?

Still trading?

Earlier you traded under the Thirteenth Imperial Prince's coercion—why are you trading again?

"Are you crazy?" The Ninth Imperial Prince stared at He Pingsheng in disbelief.

He Pingsheng said: "I'm not crazy."

"Fine, it's your business," said the Ninth Imperial Prince. "But as far as I know, no one here besides the Thirteenth Imperial Prince has an upper-grade Suluo Sacred Fruit!"

"So… you won't be able to trade it."

"Pfft…" Nearby, the Thirteenth Imperial Prince sneered: "Knowing no one possesses an upper-grade Suluo Sacred Fruit—this is deliberate!"

The Thirteenth Imperial Prince truly thought so: This guy is deliberately saving face—knowing full well no upper-grade Suluo Sacred Fruit exists outside, he's pretending to trade?