Chapter 90: Examination Hall
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Frappe
“You…”
It was one thing if she didn’t hear those words. Now, upon hearing these words, Wen Xue felt as though someone was beating on her chest and she was on the verge of erupting.
[Hitting on me? I will tolerate it! Your intentional rambling? I will tolerate it as well… However, to win my favor, you should at least feign to be knowledgeable!
You claim to want to be an apprentice apothecary, yet you are unaware of the basic contents that are being tested, not even knowing what books to read… Do you dare to shout those words out any louder?]
“Why? You also don’t know? Fine, I will ask someone else then!”
Seeing the intense movements at her chest as though it was a ventilation fan, Zhang Xuan felt a little indignant and depressed.
[What is wrong with this lady? If you know about it, just explain it to me. Why do you have to make a big fuss over everything as though you just had a seizure?]
Seeing how the other party was behaving as though saying ‘if you don’t know anything, don’t confuse me’, Wen Xue almost turned insane.
[Fine, continue putting on your facade then! We will see in a while how you embarrass yourself!]
“In the examination to become an apprentice apothecary, one has to remember the medicinal properties of over a hundred thousands of medicinal herbs, as well as the history and founding of apothecaries…” Forcefully suppressing the rage from erupting, Wen Xue started to explain.
Apothecary was a job that involves medicinal herb. If one was incapable of even identifying and differentiating the herbs, how could one forge pills?
The continent was vast and boundless. There were countless medicinal herbs in it, and even though hundred thousand might seem like a huge quantity, it could only be considered as the basics. Despite accompanying medicinal herbs their entire life, some apothecaries were still unable to recognize quite a few of them, needless to say, the apprentices.
“Just these? That’s simple! Where can I find books on medicinal herbs? I will take a look on them right now!” Upon hearing the explanation, Zhang Xuan was taken aback by the simplicity of the examination.
As long as there were books on it, the Library of Heaven’s Path was able to compile books inside his head and be stored in his brain as his knowledge.
As long as only these contents were tested, the examination could be considered as easy to him.
After all, this was an ability much more incredible than photographic memory.
“Simple?”
The corner of Wen Xue’s mouth twitched. If not in consideration of the fact that the other party was a customer and she was only a receptionist, she would have long assaulted him.
Just remembering hundred thousand medicinal herbs was an extremely daunting task! Furthermore, every single medicinal herb had different traits and different reactions would arise when different medicinal herbs were mixed with a specific medicinal herb. Even though Wen Xue self-acknowledged that she had a good memory, she was still unable to remember them all even after several years and she would easily get confused between the different herbs during the examination.
[He, a playboy who only knows how to flirt with girls, actually said that the test is easy?
Act, continue acting! I’ll see how you intend on wrapping up the situation later!]
“There are books on sale at where the apprentice apothecary examination is held. Come with me!”
Upon coming to a conclusion that the other party was intentionally bragging to capture her attention, Wen Xue’s rage calmed down slightly. Sneering coldly, she led Zhang Xuan over.
Soon, they arrived at a spacious room. At the top, two words ‘Examination Hall’ was written. A middle-aged man was sitting by the entrance while reading a book.
The examination hall was a place where apprentice apothecaries were being tested. As such, outsiders were usually forbidden from entering the premises.
This middle-aged man was also one of those who wished to become an apprentice apothecary. Even after persisting for over twenty years, he had still yet to succeed. Similar to Wen Xue, he was studying alongside his work.
For someone to be unable to pass the examination even after twenty years, the difficulty of the examination was clear to see.
“Uncle Li!” Wen Xue stopped before the middle-aged man and greeted him.
“You’re here. Are you here to buy books or for the examination?”
The middle-aged man named Uncle Li raised his head and smiled.
“Not me, it is this mister over here. He says that he wishes to take the apprentice apothecary examination!” Sneering coldly in her mind, Wen Xue pointed to Zhang Xuan.
[Didn’t you say that you want to take the examination? Fine, I will register you right now. Let’s see how you intend to resolve the situation given how ignorant you are!]
……
[The questions for the examination are brainstormed by the apothecaries themselves. Yet, you dare to charge in here despite not knowing anything at all? This is equivalent to challenging their dignity. Let’s see how you cry after you incur their wrath…]
“You wish to take the examination?”
The middle-aged man looked at Zhang Xuan and frowned.
He had studied for twenty years and yet, he had yet to pass the examination. This fellow looked barely eighteen to nineteen and he intended to take the examination?
“Yes!” Zhang Xuan nodded his head.
Only when he became an apprentice apothecary could he enter the Apothecary Guild’s basic tier library to browse their books. Without a choice, he could only give it a try.
If the other two were to know of his thoughts, they would definitely spurt blood and die from excessive blood loss.
[All of us study every day to memorize those contents, spending several decades of efforts only to end in vain. Yet, despite not reading a single book, you intend to go for the examination, not to mention just to give it a try… Are you sure it is okay to be acting cool like this?]
“The registration fee is 2000 gold coins. If you pass the examination, the money will be refunded to you. However, if you fail, the money will be the Apothecary Guild’s! This is to prevent others from wasting resources here despite not knowing anything at all!”
Upon seeing him confirm his intention, the middle-aged Uncle Li mentioned the rules for the registration of the examination.
“Alright!” Zhang Xuan casually whipped out two-thousand dollar notes and passed it over.
After the treasure speculation and the incident with the scammer Yang Mo, he had earned quite a wealth. 2000 gold coins meant nothing much to him.
“As expected, he is a rich playboy!”
Seeing him hand over the money so casually without a shred of hesitation, Wen Xue was even more ascertain of her judgement.
2000 gold coins. If it was them, they would have to work for quite a period of time before they could whip out such a sum. This fellow was obviously doing this to catch her attention. To hand over this sum of money so easily, what could he be if not a playboy?
However, it was a pity that he used the money incorrectly. Not only would it not generate the effects he had intended, he would also become a laughingstock!
“Un!” Taking the money over, Uncle Li nodded his head and passed a personal particulars form to Zhang Xuan. After which, he said, “It just happens that there is an examination that will be held today. However, there is still four hours before its start, so you just have to return within four hours!”
“Four hours?”
A trip from the academy toward here took an entire two hours, so naturally, he couldn’t head back now. Looking at the middle-aged man, he asked, “Is there any books for those taking the apprentice apothecary examination? Can I take a look at them here?”
“You wish to do a last moment sharpening of your knowledge? Sure! That room is full of books so you can feel free to pick any book of your choice! However, studying four hours from the examination seems a little too late!”
As he spoke, Uncle Li pointed towards Zhang Xuan’s back.
Turning around to take a look, he saw a huge collection of books filling up dozens of bookshelves behind him. From the looks of it, there were at least ten thousand books over there.
“So many?”
It was no wonder that the apprentice apothecary examination wasn’t easy. Just finishing these books were enough to tire a person to death, needless to say, remember them!
“I will just take a casual look. I won’t be buying any of it…” At which, Zhang Xuan walked into the room.
To him, there was no point in purchasing books. Just by flipping through it, he was able to imprint the knowledge into the library to become his own, so there’s no use in buying them.
“Seems like you are quite tolerant. Today, I will go all out with you, let’s see how long you can keep up your facade for!”
Seeing how the other party walking in and saying that he would take a look even after seeing so many books stacked on the bookshelves, Wen Xue didn’t leave and instead, sneered coldly at his back.
To tell the truth, she had seen many shameless people, but she had never seen such a shameless person!
……
[Despite not knowing anything at all, he brazenly registers himself for the apprentice apothecary examination. Not only so, he still publicly declares that he is going to study…
If it wasn’t to put on an act, anyone who sees the amount of book on the bookshelf would feel a little conscience-stricken upon seeing that number of books and think that it is an impossible mission!
Nearly ten thousand books… It takes nearly half a day just to move them all, needless to say, to read them.
Since you are so shameless, I will quietly watch by the side at how you will continue to act cool.
Even if my wage today is deducted, I must see you make a fool out of yourself!
Let’s see how you will deal with the embarrassment four hours from now!]
Wen Xue’s wrath had been incurred quite a fair bit, and she intended to go until the end with that fellow.
