43: Chapter 43 Dragon Pride

Returning to the Novice Village, Chen Ergou immediately felt a difference.

Because he had reached level 20, a powerful aura radiated from his body, causing the surrounding players to involuntarily steal a few more glances at him.

Level 20 was the current level cap for the Novice Village, meaning he was already standing at the pinnacle of the Novice Village.

"Level 20..." Chen Ergou looked at his level, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

From a level 1 rookie to the level 20 expert he was now, the journey had been filled with so many trials and tribulations.

He recalled the awkwardness of his first time setting up a stall, the nervousness of his first battle, and every little moment he had fought side by side with Ye Liuli.

"Congratulations," Ye Liuli said, "Once you reach level 20, you can head to the main city."

"Yeah." Chen Ergou nodded, "The teleportation array opens in three days, and we can set off then."

"However, before going to the main city," Ye Liuli reminded, "You had better take care of your stall matters first. Your goods might not be enough once you reach the main city."

"That's right!" Chen Ergou slapped his forehead, "I almost forgot about that."

The two talked and laughed as they arrived in front of Chen Ergou's stall.

However, when they arrived, they discovered a large crowd gathered in front of the stall, and it seemed a dispute had broken out. Bursts of noise came from the crowd, and some people were shouting loudly.

"What's going on?" Chen Ergou frowned and walked over quickly.

He pushed through the crowd and saw a player wearing magnificent armor standing in front of his stall, looking arrogant.

The armor was entirely gold and glittered under the sunlight; it was covered in complex runes, obviously top-tier equipment.

The player was tall and handsome, but there was an air of arrogance between his brows that made people uncomfortable just looking at him.

"You are Chen Ergou?" The player looked at Chen Ergou with disdain in his eyes, "I heard your potions are quite magical?"

Chen Ergou frowned, "Who are you?"

"I am 'Long Aotian,' the guild leader of the [Dragon God Temple]." The player said proudly, with a condescending tone, "I have taken a fancy to your potion recipes; name your price."

[Dragon God Temple]? Chen Ergou was stunned for a moment.

He had heard of this guild; it was the third-ranked major guild in the Novice Village, second only to [Dawn] and [Dark Night].

The [Dragon God Temple] had many members and strong strength, and their guild leader, Long Aotian, was a well-known powerhouse in the Novice Village.

But the [Dragon God Temple] had always been low-key and rarely participated in disputes, so why did they suddenly show up today?

"Guild Leader Long," Chen Ergou cupped his hands, maintaining basic politeness, "I don't know which recipes you wish to buy?"

"All of them." Long Aotian said proudly, his tone brooking no argument, "Your regret potion, chaos potion, truth cookie... I am buying all the recipes."

Chen Ergou raised an eyebrow, "All of them? Guild Leader Long, you have quite an appetite."

"Name your price," Long Aotian said, "Ten thousand gold coins, is that enough?"

The surrounding crowd let out a gasp. Ten thousand gold coins! That was no small amount! For an ordinary player, ten thousand gold coins were enough to buy a full set of top-tier equipment.

But Chen Ergou shook his head, "Sorry, I'm not selling."

Long Aotian's expression changed; he clearly hadn't expected Chen Ergou to refuse. He emphasized his tone, "Twenty thousand?"

"Not selling."

"Fifty thousand?"

"Not selling."

Long Aotian's face darkened completely, and a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes, "Chen Ergou, don't be ungrateful. Fifty thousand gold coins is enough for you to live comfortably in the main city for half a year!"

"Still not selling," Chen Ergou said indifferently, his tone calm but firm, "These recipes are my foundation for survival; no matter how much money you offer, I won't sell them."

Long Aotian stared at him, a flash of killing intent in his eyes, "Are you sure?"

"Sure."

"Good, very good." Long Aotian sneered, "I hope you can still be this tough once you reach the main city."

After saying this, he turned and left, his golden armor shining with a blinding light under the sun. The few followers behind him glared fiercely at Chen Ergou before following him away.

The onlookers began to discuss amongst themselves.

"This Chen Ergou has some nerve, actually daring to refuse Long Aotian!"

"Long Aotian is notorious for being ruthless; Chen Ergou is in trouble now."

"Yeah, I heard Long Aotian also has a lot of influence in the main city..."

Chen Ergou listened to the surrounding discussions, his brows slightly furrowed. It seemed this Long Aotian was not someone to be trifled with. But he did not regret his decision; those recipes were his core competitiveness and must never be sold easily.

"You've gotten into big trouble," Ye Liuli walked to his side and said in a low voice.

"Trouble?" Chen Ergou smiled, "I, Chen Ergou, am least afraid of trouble."