The Lone Dragon of China.

Qin Fei was somewhat surprised by Hao Chunming's words. It was evident that Shen Hongyi held great respect for traditional Chinese medicine, and his confidence was likely absolute.

Qin Fei glanced at Shen Gong and noticed that Shen Gong showed no reaction, indicating his confidence in Shen Hongyi.

"Alright," Qin Fei replied with a smile. "Let's go."

"Wait a moment." At that moment, Shen Hongyi suddenly intervened.

"What if you lose?" Shen Hongyi asked provocatively.

Qin Fei thought for a moment and replied, "What do you want me to do if I lose?"

Shen Hongyi snorted, "If you lose, you just need to admit that you have no expertise in traditional Chinese medicine and that your previous performance was merely a fluke. How about that?"

This request wasn't unreasonable, especially since Qin Fei didn't think he would lose in the first place.

"Fine, I accept," Qin Fei said with a smile.

The group then walked toward the depths of Tian Shun East Street.

"Qin Fei, Shen Gong is the most renowned traditional Chinese medicine practitioner in Jiangcheng. Although Shen Hongyi is arrogant, he does have some skills," Hao Chunming quietly advised.

At this point, he added awkwardly, "If you lose, I might have to witness it, so I hope you won't mind."

"Alright," Qin Fei replied with a smile. "Don't worry; I won't go back on my word."

Hao Chunming felt relieved upon hearing this.

The group arrived at a nearby herbal medicine stall, where the aroma of various herbs was even stronger than before, creating a mixture that was both pungent and oddly appealing.

"Ha ha, Qin Xiaoyou, what do you think of this angelica here?" Shen Gong suddenly pointed at a somewhat yellowed piece of angelica.

Qin Fei glanced at it and said, "This angelica root is cylindrical, with many fleshy fibers, rich aroma, smooth and hairless; it's quite good."

Upon hearing this, Shen Gong remained silent, stroking his beard as he waited for Qin Fei to elaborate.

Qin Fei continued, "If I'm not mistaken, this angelica should come from the southeastern part of Gansu. It's of decent quality, but it can't be considered top-notch."

Shen Hongyi burst into laughter. "Qin Xiaoyou, you're young, yet your insight is sharp. Be careful, Hongyi; you might want to watch out!"

Shen Hongyi sneered, "Such a level of observation is something any traditional Chinese medicine practitioner can make; it's not worth mentioning."

After saying that, Shen Hongyi moved on, intending to find a genuine treasure among the herbs.

"Shen Gong, you've come too!" 

"Shen Gong, my waist has been hurting recently. Can you take a look for me?" 

"Shen Gong, come to my stall; all these herbs are wild and of guaranteed quality!"

Soon, Shen Gong and Shen Hongyi attracted many onlookers and herbal traders. Because Shen Gong was a well-known figure, the traders were aware that wherever he stopped, the crowd would likely follow to buy.

Shen Gong didn't put on airs; he patiently examined each case presented to him, maintaining a cordial demeanor, which made Qin Fei feel a bit more favorable toward him.

Before long, Shen Hongyi stopped at a stall, his eyes fixated on a piece of reishi mushroom, picking it up for a closer look.

At that moment, Qin Fei happened to stop at the same stall. However, his attention was not on the reishi mushroom but rather on a nondescript ginseng nearby.

"That's the one I spotted first," Shen Hongyi said warily, watching Qin Fei.

Qin Fei nodded and smiled. "Don't worry; I won't compete with you."

Shen Hongyi snorted. He examined the reishi mushroom closely for a moment before saying, "Alright, I'll pick this reishi mushroom."

Qin Fei casually glanced at it and nodded. "This reishi mushroom is indeed quite good; while it appears dry and yellow, it has a strong aroma and potent medicinal properties."

Shen Hongyi scoffed, "Qin Fei, is that all you've got? If this reishi mushroom were that simple, would I even choose it?"

The stall vendor couldn't help but widen his eyes at their exchange, filled with excitement.

Many recognized Shen Hongyi, and soon a crowd began to gather.

Qin Fei reached out and said, "Shen Gong, could I take a look at this reishi mushroom?"

"No way!" Shen Hongyi refused without hesitation. "What if you take it away?"

"Come on, Hongyi, let him take a look," Shen Gong said at that moment. "In front of so many people, how could Qin Xiaoyou do something so underhanded?"

Though reluctant, Shen Hongyi handed the reishi mushroom to Qin Fei.

After receiving the reishi mushroom, Qin Fei carefully examined it and then brought it to his nose to smell, nodding and saying, "As expected from Shen Gong's direct disciple; your discerning eye is truly sharp."

After saying this, he returned the reishi mushroom to Shen Hongyi and slowly remarked, "Though this reishi mushroom looks dry and lacks luster, it has a dark red hue within, indicating it is of the highest quality."

At this, the people around were astonished.

"Who is this young man? How come we've never seen him before?"

"He can tell the quality of herbs at a glance; could he be Shen Gong's disciple?"

Shen Hongyi's eyes flickered, but he remained unconvinced, sneering, "Is that all you have?"

"No, the quality of the herb also largely depends on the growing environment," Qin Fei said lightly. "I just smelled this reishi mushroom, and it not only has a rich medicinal aroma but also a hint of agarwood fragrance."

At this point, Qin Fei turned to the vendor and asked, "Do you know where this reishi mushroom was sourced from?"

The vendor, not daring to hide anything, quickly replied, "It grew on an old piece of wood I had lying around for a long time. I thought it looked good, so I brought it to this exhibition to sell at a good price."

Qin Fei smiled. "That's not just a piece of wood; that's agarwood! Sir, you've struck gold."

Upon hearing this, the vendor's eyes widened, and he jumped up in excitement.

"Are you serious?" He glanced between Qin Fei and Shen Hongyi.

Shen Hongyi scoffed and said, "What he said is correct. This herb indeed grew on agarwood."

"Fantastic!" The vendor, forgetting about the herbs in front of him, turned to leave.

"Please wait," Qin Fei called, stopping him. "I'd like to buy one of your herbs."

The vendor was overjoyed and waved his hands. "Sir, you can have any of these herbs! Take your pick!"

"No, I just want one," Qin Fei said with a smile.

At this moment, Shen Hongyi sneered, "Qin Fei, although you recognized the reishi mushroom's uniqueness, it's a pity I spotted it first, so you've lost!"

Shen Gong couldn't help but stroke his beard, feeling satisfied.

He had already examined all the herbs at the stall, and aside from the reishi mushroom, there was nothing else of interest.

"Although that mushroom is valuable, it doesn't deserve the title of 'King of Herbs,'" Qin Fei replied, shaking his head.

He slowly squatted down and picked up a piece of ginseng from the ground.

Seeing the ginseng in Qin Fei's hand, Shen Hongyi couldn't contain his laughter.

"Qin Fei, is this the 'King of Herbs' you chose?" Shen Hongyi laughed so hard that he almost cried. "This shabby ginseng looks old and brittle, covered in little white spots, like a common radish. It's not even wild ginseng and is completely worthless!"

Qin Fei remained silent, feeling the ginseng in his hand, his gaze filled with intensity.

Shen Gong shook his head and said, "Qin Xiaoyou, it seems your judgment can err as well. Hongyi is right; this ginseng is indeed cultivated and not worth much. Young man, you should accept your defeat."

With Shen Gong's words, Shen Hongyi's confidence grew even stronger.

Qin Fei, however, shook his finger and said, "Shen Gong, this time you might be the one who's mistaken. But I can't blame you; such ginseng is hard for an ordinary person to recognize."

What Qin Fei said was true, but it sounded rather arrogant in Shen Gong's ears.

The crowd around them shook their heads, murmuring, "This young man is so full of himself. He looks to be only in his twenties and dares to show off in front of Shen Gong; he really doesn't know his place."

"Young and arrogant, trying to save face."

"Since Qin Xiaoyou is so confident, why not enlighten us and show us your reasoning? Let me, an old man, learn something!" Shen Gong said, his voice tinged with barely concealed anger.

Qin Fei sighed and, stroking the ginseng, said, "Alright, then let me show you all what I mean!"