Chapter 99: A Completely Stunned Ouyang Cheng
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Frappe
Ouyang Cheng and the others felt their insides crumbling apart.
To not even know where the basic tier book collection vault was and to choose to undergo the difficult Pill Debate, they were starting to suspect whether this fellow's head was once crushed by a slammed door.
However, since the other party's determination was resolute, there was no point trying to persuade him otherwise at this point.
After revealing the location to Zhang Xuan and watching as he left, Du Man looked toward Ouyang Cheng and asked, "Isn't he... being too reckless?"
"He is being reckless, but didn't you see that he is full of confidence as well!" Ouyang Cheng said incredulously. "It is truly a wonder where all that confidence came from!"
"Could it be that he doesn't understand the fearsomeness of Pill Debate?" Speaking of such an examination method, Du Man shuddered. "Even though I am a 1-star apothecary, it is definitely impossible for me to pass the Pill Debate!"
Pill Debate was something extremely terrifying. It was equivalent to challenging the ten apothecaries with the knowledge of one. No matter how deep and vast one's knowledge was, how could they compete with that of ten people?
[Furthermore, the main problem is that... You have never forged a pill before!
This is equivalent to the difference between a biologist and a butcher when trying to explain how to slaughter a pig. No matter how excellent your theories are, without trying it out hands-on, it is difficult to succeed!]
"We have already put it out so clearly, it is impossible for him to not to understand!" Ouyang Cheng shook his head. "This person is truly an enigma!"
"Indeed. In the first round, he achieved a perfect score. In the second, not only was his paper flawless, he even turned around to correct our mistakes... Furthermore, he is still so young. It is truly a wonder where his memorization and reasoning abilities came from!"
Recalling what that had happened a moment ago filled Du Man with shock.
The performance of the fellow previously was simply too outstanding! In terms of the ability to discern medicinal herbs, he was probably an entire level higher than them!
An apprentice apothecary that was more knowledgeable than an apothecary himself... Without witnessing it firsthand, it was something no one would believe.
"Actually, it is not that difficult to know where his self-confidence came from. Didn't he go to the book collection vault to study? We can send someone over to follow him. It will just be a matter of time before he gives his secret in!" Ouyang Cheng said.
Since he dared to undergo the Pill Debate, he definitely possessed vast and deep knowledge of pill forging. As long as they sent someone to follow behind him, it should be possible for them to unravel his secret.
"You're right!" Du Man nodded his head. Gesturing with his hands, he commanded his apprentice, "Hua Hua, go and see what he is doing in the basic tier book collection vault. Try to keep your movements silent and inconspicuous so as to not be noticed by him!"
"Yes!" Zhu Hua Hua headed to the basic tier book collection vault.
Not long later, the apprentice apothecary returned with a peculiar expression on his face.
"Why? What is he doing? Is he reading some remote pill forging method?" Ouyang Cheng stared at him.
Apothecaries that participated in the Pill Debate would definitely come up with extremely difficult and remote questions, making it hard for others to answer. If one wanted to pass the examination, not only must they possess vast knowledge, they must also have a deep understanding of these remote pill forging methods as well.
"He isn't!" Zhu Hua Hua's eyes swam around, as though still in a state of disbelief over what he just witnessed. "He is... flipping books!"
"Flipping books? Perhaps he is looking for a specific book. Say, what is he flipping through?" Ouyang Cheng continued his interrogation.
"When I was there, he was flipping through basic pill forging books on the shelves. I secretly took a look, they were 《Basic Pill Forging Methods》, 《How to Extract the Essence of Medicinal Herbs》、《Preserving Medicinal Properties》、《Guide to Moving Cauldrons》 and books of that such. I was afraid of getting discovered, so I dared not get near to him!" Zhu Hua Hua pondered for a moment before replying.
"Basic Pill Forging Methods? How to Extract the Essence of Medicinal Herbs?"
"Preserving Medicinal Properties? Guide to Moving Cauldrons? This..."
Du Man and Ouyang Cheng stared at one another, dumbfounded.
[Those are the most basic books for apprentice apothecaries, alright... They are knowledge that all apprentice apothecaries need to wield, just like how a human can walk and eat. This fellow is going to undergo Pill Debate tomorrow, and yet he is flipping through such books only now?
Are you sure you aren't mistaken?
This is as though after challenging the top swordsman under the heavens to a duel, you suddenly recall that you had to buy a sword and learn how to use it...
Are you for real?]
"Are you certain that he is reading these books?"
Unable to believe it, Ouyang Cheng asked once again.
"I am not certain. He doesn't seem to be reading but flipping... He flips all the book that he passes by, I have no idea what he is doing!" Zhu Hua Hua was on the verge of tears.
He truly had no idea what the other party was doing. It was as though he was a lunatic, flipping all the books from the first row of books all the way over. He didn't seem to be reading through them or searching for a specific book, so what in the world could he be doing?
"Flipping books? All of the book that he passes by?"
Ouyang Cheng and Du Man blinked their eyes.
Why did it sound like nonsense to them?
"How is he flipping through them? Show us!" Du Man said.
"Alright!"
It happened that there were quite a few books in the room as well. Zhu Hua Hua walked in front, grabbed a dozen of books and flipped through them. The sound of the flipping pages echoed in the room.
"You're done?"
Seeing that there were no actions after he was done flipping through those books, Ouyang Cheng and Du Man's eyes enlarged into perfect circles, unable to comprehend the situation.
"Yes!" Zhu Hua Hua nodded his head. "Just like that, after he's done, he moves on to the next shelf..."
"..."
Ouyang Cheng and Du Man stared at one another and saw the frenzy in the other's eyes.
They thought that this fellow went to the basic tier book collection vault to study, but in the end, he was there just to flip through books... [Furthermore, no matter how fast others flip their books, they would at least try to see what was in it. Yet he... What in the world can one see flipping through the book at such speed!
Putting aside the contents in the book, he probably doesn't even know what the book is about…]
"It can't be that... He wishes to see what material the books are made of so that he can burn them down?"
After a long while, Du Man squeezed out a few words.
Other than to burn these books, he truly had no idea what the use of flipping through all those books like that was.
"Impossible. Even though there aren't any secrets of the Apothecary Guild in the basic tier book collection vault, it isn't something that one can burn down casually. As an apprentice apothecary, he shouldn't be that rash!" Ouyang Cheng shook his head.
Even though Du Man's words seemed a little absurd, he was truly at a loss for a better explanation. His frown caused his forehead to wrinkle into large lumps.
"Then, what do you think is going on? What is he trying to do?"
Du Man couldn't help but ask his colleague.
"I…” Ouyang Cheng's face reflected nothing but confusion as well. He had never heard of such a freak in his entire life, needless to say, see one.
"Could it be... Is he trying to look for a specific book? Furthermore, the book is made of a special material such that one can only identify it through touch?" After a long moment of silence, he came up with a new theory.
"That's possible..."
The two of them sat before the desk, frowning at one moment and showing a bitter expression at the other. No matter how hard they tried, they were unable to figure out the secrets of Zhang Xuan.
In a few short moments, they had come up with all kinds of reasons, generating excuses sufficient to last them for an entire lifetime. Even so... they were still oblivious to what the other party was trying to do.
In between, Zhu Hua Hua paid the book collection vault several visits and reported on the other party's situation upon returning.
Upon hearing that his movements had never stopped, and he was still flipping through the books, not even sparing books like 《What are Pills》, 《The Types of Medicinal Herbs and Their Classification》、《Do You Need Cauldrons to Forge a Pill》... Several emotions flashed across their faces: bewilderment, dilemma, contemplation, confusion...
At this moment, they realized that there was still capacity in their minds to generate more peculiar excuses...