Chapter 94: Discernment Time Trial
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Frappe
Hu!
Exhaling deeply, Zhang Xuan opened his eyes.
After a moment of studying, his knowledge of medicinal herbs had deepened significantly.
The knowledge in the books he flipped through in the room back then had finally assimilated into his mind and became his.
Not only could the Library of Heaven’s Path replicate secret manuals and compile the Heaven’s Path Divine Art, it could also hasten the rate which one learnt new knowledge.
Deng deng deng deng!
A series of footsteps could be heard.
“It is Apprentice Zhu Hua Hua, he passed the examination half a year ago!”
“Didn’t he become Apothecary Du Man’s apprentice?”
“Indeed, he must be here to announce the results!”
“I hope that I am able to pass the examination…”
……
…
Upon seeing the owner of the footsteps, the people outside the examination hall quickly stood up.
“The results are out now. Finally, your facade will be exposed, let’s see whether you can continue on with the act then!”
Wen Xue sneered as she glanced coldly at the young man beside her.
To tell truth, if she didn’t know that this fellow was a playboy scion in advance, she would have thought that he might actually possess true capabilities.
That was because… His acting was way too realistic!
In the two hours after the examination, he sat on the bench without moving in the least. He truly went all out just to attract her attention.
However… It was useless!
He had already offended her thoroughly a moment ago. It was impossible to change her perception of him now!
“There are three people who passed the first round of examinations!” The apprentice named Zhu Hua Hua walked out of the examination hall with a sheet of paper in his hand. He began to read out the names written on it. “Firstly, Sun Tao from Luyuan City. 91 out of 100!”
“Ah, me? I passed…”
The moment the voice sounded, a young man leapt in joy.
His response attracted countless looks of envy from the other examinees.
Even though he had only passed one of the three rounds, he was at least a step closer to becoming an apprentice apothecary.
Even Wen Xue’s eyes were twinkling in respect toward him.
“Second, Qian Wen Man from Ziyun City. 90 out of 100!”
“It’s me…” Upon hearing the words, another person stood up with a flushed face.
“Finally, Zhang Xuan from Tianxuan City…”
Suddenly, Zhu Hua Hua’s face warped in disbelief. He rubbed his eyes and stared at the paper once more. Only now did he confirm that his sight wasn’t playing tricks on him, and with a trembling voice, he said, “100 out of 100!”
“What?”
“100 out of 100?”
“That means… He answered every single question correctly?”
“How is that possible?”
“To be able to achieve a perfect score for such a difficult paper, who is this expert Zhang Xuan?”
“Right, who is it?”
……
…
Upon hearing that the third person who passed the examination achieved a perfect score, the entire area exploded into commotion. Everyone looked around to find the person named Zhang Xuan.
“Alright, the three people who passed the first round, enter the examination hall for the second round!”
Zhu Hua Hua interrupted the commotion and walked into the room.
The two person whose names were called previously also hurriedly followed behind him.
Zhang Xuan stood up as well.
“The names of the three people who passed the examination has already been announced. Why, are you still not going to admit your incapability…” Seeing him stand up, Wen Xue sneered coldly. However, a thought suddenly flashed through her mind and she stopped halfway through her words. Her eyes widened into complete circles and with a quivering voice, she asked, “Wh… What… is your name?”
“Zhang Xuan!”
Couldn’t be bothered with this shallow woman, Zhang Xuan turned around and walked into the examination hall.
“Zhang Xuan? He… is Zhang Xuan?”
“The one who scored hundred out of hundred?”
Wen Xue shuddered and her face paled ghastly white. In this instant, she felt as though a clown, making a fool out of herself.
She kept saying that the other party was putting up a facade and had no abilities whatsoever. In the end… he proved her wrong with an unprecedented perfect score!
[Are you for real?
Didn’t you know nothing at all before the examination?
Weren’t you ignorant of what was being tested?
You liar…
You big liar!
Acting as though an ignorant fool, only to score a full mark… Brother, you must be joking with me!]
Wen Xue felt a burning sensation on her face and she felt herself going insane.
“The fellow who simply flipped through all of the books just now… got a perfect score?”
At the side, Uncle Li’s eyes were about to fall to the ground at any moment now.
The heck!
Just a moment ago, he was thinking that perhaps the other party was here to play. He didn’t expect the other party to be such a formidable character.
He had never passed the examination despite taking the test frequently ever since he was a teenager. Yet, this fellow received a perfect score in his first attempt…
Truly, comparisons between fellow humans were what that turned out to be the most infuriating…
“It’s that fellow who handed up the papers after an hour into the examination!”
“I thought he had given up, to think that he had obtained a perfect score…”
“Too incredible! Getting all of the questions correct in just an hour, how did he study to reach such an incredible level?”
The other examinees also recognized him and a dizzy spell assaulted them.
……
…
Oblivious to the shock and disbelief of the others outside, Zhang Xuan sat down before the desk once more.
On the table before him, several rarely-seen herbs that could not be seen in the market were laid out before him.
“There is a total of ten medicinal herbs on the table. Before this incense burns out, you have to write out its name, properties, and its uses out! For this round, you have to achieve a perfect score to pass!”
~15 minutes
Standing at the front, Ouyang Cheng gestured, “The time starts now!”
In the second round, Medicinal Herb Discernment, one had to achieve a perfect score to pass. That is to say, if one recognized even a single of the ten medicinal herbs inaccurately, one would be disqualified.
Zhang Xuan looked at the first stalk of herb.
It had a green flower, a green stem, and green leaves.
“Green Mane Grass!”
Upon recalling such a plant being recorded in the books, a name floated into his mind.
Following closely behind, the description of Green Mane Grass appeared before him in the Library of Heaven’s Path. He casually jotted it down.
After he was done with the first one, he proceeded onto the second one.
Even though these medicinal herbs were not commonly seen, to him who had an archive in his mind, the examination wasn’t difficult at all. Soon, he finished writing down the information of nine of the plants, with only a single one remaining.
This was a bizarre plant with a yellow flower, a gray stem, and white leaves.
Just as he was struggling to figure out what plant it was, a thought flashed through his mind and he froze. Smiling bitterly, he patted his forehead.
Why didn’t he think of it earlier!
With the cheating machine called the Library of Heaven’s Path, he didn’t have to go through so much trouble to discern the medicinal herbs!
He stretched out his hands and gently picked up the medicinal herb.
Hu!
A book appeared before him and a detailed explanation of the medicinal herb was compiled within the book, with all of its strengths and flaws recorded within.
He casually copied it onto the paper.
Then, he touched the other nine of the herbs to double confirm his answer.
The results were exactly as how he discerned it, except for a particular stalk.
Zhang Xuan knew that it is impossible for the Library of Heaven’s Path to make a mistake and thus, he edited his answer.
The incense had barely burnt halfway through by the time he was finished.
He passed the answer sheet.
Previously, Ouyang Cheng thought that Zhang Xuan was here to fool about, so he didn’t have a good opinion of him. However, upon seeing him achieve a perfect score in the first round of examinations, he dared not underestimate him any further and hurriedly picked up his paper to take a look.
Apothecary Du Man walked over by the corner to look at the paper as well.
The answers on the paper were all correct.
They nod their head in satisfaction as they browsed through his paper.
Not just the name, even the properties, unique traits and uses of the medicinal herb written in the script of the young man were flawless.
Just as they were certain that he would pass the examination and were about to offer him compliments, they suddenly paused simultaneously and stared intently at his paper once more.
“Alright, there is only one person who passed the second round of examinations. I will announce his name now…”
Soon, after the remaining two candidates handed in their papers, Ouyang Cheng swiftly marked their papers. Then, his gaze swept through the surrounding as he announced the result, “Sun Tao from Luyuan City!”
