“That can’t be true, right?”
“Impossible! Storekeeper Tang isn’t like that!”
The street was lively with discussion.
Even though many people were supporting Tang Hao, some of them had begun to waver.
The hint of a smile began to appear on the face of the man from Cloudcore Valley.
That naive brat would not be able to stand up against them.
Before they came, they had thoroughly investigated that brat. Many people were sent to the various major medicine maker organizations and schools.
They did not find any results regarding that person.
That also meant that Tang Hao was not anyone famous or influential, at least not in the medicine maker circle.
Judging from his cultivation base, they guessed that he was probably a disciple from some major faction and had learned some medicine. He probably obtained those recipes from a fortuitous encounter.
Otherwise, he would not have been able to have access to such amazing recipes.
Even the pill makers in Cloudcore valley could not stop praising how amazing those recipes were.
Pill makers were a level above medicine makers. If the pill makers would praise those recipes, it meant that the recipes were indeed brilliant.
If that kid was not renowned in the circle, and those recipes were fortuitous encounters, it meant that he was easy to deal with.
All it would take was some intimidation, and those recipes would belong to Cloudcore Valley. When that happened, they would dominate the market, and all the profits would be theirs.
“Are you still trying to deny it, kid?”
He laughed mockingly and looked at Tang Hao.
“I didn’t expect you to be a despicable person, Storekeeper Tang. You’ve stolen the recipes from someone else and made illicit money. I don’t want your pills anymore. Give me back my money!”
“You’re not a storekeeper but a thief. Bah! Red Leaf Mountain will not conduct business with a despicable person like you. Quick, return me my money.”
“I want a refund!”
“Give me back my money!”
The people from the various factions started to wave their arms and shout. They sounded furious.
Tang Hao’s expression became gloomier and gloomier as he looked at those people with an ice-cold gaze.
Those people must know the inside story, but they stabbed him in the back anyway.
They were so eager when they did business with him in the past, but they turned on him so easily.
“Very well, you guys!” Tang Hao said coldly.
In an instant, the shouting stopped for a moment.
Many of those people cowered and dared not meet Tang Hao’s eyes because of guilt. However, most of them had cold and disdainful expressions on their faces.
They had thought that Storekeeper Tang was the disciple of a master medicine maker. By befriending him, they would be able to hook up with his master. However, they did not expect that the guy was a fake prodigy who did not have a master.
He was quite skilled in making medicine, but he was not really a prodigy. It meant that he had no value.
The only thing of value that he possessed were those recipes, but if Cloudcore Valley had reverse engineered them, then he had lost all his value as a medicine maker.
Someone without value was merely a worthless piece of trash. There was no reason for them to flatter him.
“You’re the one who deceived us in the first place, you brat! How can you blame us? If I were you, I’d just comply with Cloudcore Valley so I won’t lose my life.”
“That’s right, who do you think you are!”
They started mocking and ridiculing him.
“Let me give you some advice, kid. Just comply with us and confess your crimes. Perhaps we’ll show you some mercy and spare your life,” the person from the Cloudcore Valley said shrilly.
“You… you’ve gone too far! You’re the ones who stole the recipe, yet you are slandering Brother Tang. Cloudcore Valley and you all… don’t you have any sense of shame?” Zhao Liu scolded indignantly.
That person was startled. He began laughing loudly.
“Cloudcore Valley stole someone else’s recipe? Haha! What a joke. Do you think Cloudcore Valley needs to stoop to stealing recipes?”
Zhao Liu did not have a retort to that.
Cloudcore Valley was indeed an extremely influential force in the medicine-making circle.
“But the recipe clearly belongs to Brother Tang. If it’s really yours, why did it take an elder in seclusion for you to find out?” Zhao Liu said again.
Instantly, the crowd started to whisper among each other.
“That’s true! Why would Cloudcore Valley keep away such a precious recipe? It doesn’t make sense that no one knew about the recipe!”
That person hurriedly said, “What’s so strange about that? Cloudcore Valley has a long history and a vast library for recipes. It’s not out of the ordinary that something like this happened!
“Why don’t you ask the kid to explain where he got his recipes? He’ll definitely say that he picked it up. Who would believe such nonsense?”
As he said that, he raised his hand and pointed at Tang Hao.
Everyone turned to look at Tang Hao.
Tang Hao grinned and smiled. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I didn’t pick up those recipes.”
That person was stunned. “You didn’t pick them up? Then how did you get them? Tell me!”
“I came up with them myself, of course!” Tang Hao said calmly.
That person was extremely shocked.
The people in the crowd were also stunned.
The next moment, there was a burst of laughter.
“Hahaha! I’m dying of laughter. Could you have come up with such an amazing recipe? Your shamelessness knows no bounds!”
The people from the Cloudcore Valley laughed the loudest.
The people from the various factions were also laughing loudly. They did not expect that the kid to be so stubborn.
Even Zhao Liu’s expression became a little strange.
It was not that he did not believe Tang Hao’s claim, but he thought that Tang Hao was too young to come up with such an amazing formula.
That was too absurd!
“What? You don’t believe me?”
Tang Hao was not annoyed. He spoke calmly.
“Only a fool would believe you!” The man from Cloudcore Valley sneered, “Do you think that you’re a prodigy? Stop dreaming!”
“It’s fine if you don’t believe me. We’ll do this by the rules then!” Tang Hao said.
“What rules?” The man exclaimed in astonishment.
“That’s simple, a duel! Have you heard of it? I, Tang Ritian, challenge Cloudcore Valley to a duel. Whoever wins can lay claim to the recipes. Do you dare to accept the challenge?”
Tang Hao raised his hand and pointed at the people of the Cloudcore Valley.
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire street fell silent.
One could hear a pin drop.
Everyone was stunned, and their eyes were filled with disbelief.
‘That kid wants to challenge Cloudcore Valley?
‘Oh my god! Did I mishear?’
That was the funniest joke they had ever heard in their lives. It was even funnier than the one just now.
“Is that kid crazy?”
“He’s definitely crazy. Who does he think he is? How dare he challenge Cloudcore Valley? Doesn’t he know how powerful they are? They have many master medicine makers. Cloudcore Valley is the authority in medicine making in this region. Tang Ritian is nothing!”
The people from the Cloudcore Valley laughed out loud again. They were overjoyed.
“You’re really gutsy, kid! Alright, we’ll accept your challenge!”
The man agreed readily. He laughed in his heart, ‘He’s a total idiot!’
