SWISH! SWISH!
A Jujube Wood Stick danced in Chen Ku’s hands, whipping up a howling wind as if about to burst the very air.
Yet, Chen Ku himself was well aware. The reason for such an effect was simple: re brute force—strong enough to fling bricks and heavy enough to wield a solid stick!
His own Martial Talent was not outstanding, and with just one month’s ti, it was impossible to achieve Minor Achievent in the Spirit Ape Knocking Mountain Stick technique.
But since it was the monthly exam, which determined whether he beca an Apprentice, of course, he could not hold back. When else to show his capabilities if not now?
It’s like the college entrance exams in my previous life, he thought. No one held back during those, unless they didn’t want to go to college!
Naturally, Chen Ku needed to showcase his strengths.
"A genius, a diligent person, and another...possessing brute strength."
Cao Shouxiong glanced over the three individuals before him. His gaze first swept over Zhang Erniu, who practiced diligently every day, before settling on Che Ping.
Martial Arts are like a dish; two chefs following the sa recipe can yield different results. The sa goes for martial arts training. A single set of punches, a single Stick Technique, undertaken by two different people, produces disparate results, evident to any discerning observer. One must be moved inwardly to create outwardly aningful results.
This difference is the distinction between a genius and a slow learner. A genius, for example, understands, comprehends, and forms their own ideas about the sa concept effortlessly. The slow learner, however, rely sticks to the routine, labors in isolation, and achieves limited success.
Sotis, even more unfair than one’s Bloodline is their innate Talent, Cao Shouxiong sighed inwardly, his gaze returning to Zhang Erniu. Effort is useful, but it cannot bridge the gap with a genius.
Then he considered Chen Ku. This person practiced Martial Arts even before he entered our hall, Cao Shouxiong mused. Hence, even without reaching Minor Achievent, he executed his Stick Technique with both power and murderous intent. This is an example of strength overcoming skill. Yet, it remains to be seen just how formidable his power really is.
As Third Shopkeeper scrutinized Chen Ku, Huang Gun was also quietly observing. He wondered to himself, Dachen Village? Huang Ba? It seems like I’ve dealt with this kid before, but Huang Ba died from a dog bite... It should have nothing to do with him. Even then, he could not entirely dismiss his suspicions.
The first portion of the exam, ’technique,’ concluded.
All the clerks could see that there were five outstanding participants in this section. How would the top three be chosen?
Instead of announcing directly, Huang Gun gestured for soone to bring out bags of herbal dicines. He said, "Those who have taken the monthly exams before know this section tests knowledge of herbal dicine. Though the category is the sa, the content differs from previous tests. Each bag contains one hundred and fifty different herbal dicines, mixed together, including plants, animals, and minerals—parts commonly used in dicine. Take a fraction of each to form your answers. We Apprentices in the dicine King Hall interact with dicine every day, so each of us must be able to ’identify a hundred herbal dicines and discern a thousand dicines.’ You have two hours. Whoever identifies the most herbal dicines by sll, recognition, observation, and identification will be the top candidate. Start!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Ku thought, This is getting more and more like an exam. So, the full score is one hundred and fifty points? With my Dog Nose, I can’t justify not getting a perfect score!
All the clerks then sat down in the courtyard, painstakingly identifying each herbal dicine one by one from the sizable bags in front of them. Regardless of accuracy, their findings had to be recorded on a sheet of paper.
Clearly, this was also an implicit requirent for recruitnt by the dicine King Hall: if you couldn’t read, you’d falter at understanding prescriptions, let alone preparing dicine for others.
Zhang Erniu, who initially had full confidence in the first section, now completely lost it. Furthermore, he was even less adept at identifying herbal dicines, especially when it ca to recognizing a fragnt of a leaf the size of a fingernail.
Che Ping, who had purposefully played dumb previously, also furrowed his brows in consternation.
Looking around, most of the clerks in the courtyard were carefully identifying each herbal dicine, knowing that each mistake cost a point. Only the top three would be chosen in this section, leaving no room for error.
"Third Shopkeeper, Master Qu, and the others, please go inside to rest and have a drink," a Steward ca up and said. "This section always takes the most ti. Every ti, the clerks only reluctantly hand in their papers after the full two hours have passed..."
Cao Shouxiong nodded silently. This second task is indeed difficult, he thought. Having climbed up from the bottom himself, he had experienced this stage in the past.
The Steward continued, "I rember, Third Shopkeeper, your best record in two hours back then was identifying one hundred and forty-five different herbal dicines. In those years, no new Apprentice surpassed your Talent."
Cao Shouxiong couldn’t help but smile.
"Let’s not talk about these old stories of bravery," he said. "It’s been many years since I personally concocted any dicine. Co on, let’s go have a cup of tea, rest a bit, and then wait for the results..."
Although he spoke these words, he indeed felt proud of his past achievents.
Just as Cao Shouxiong was about to leave, he suddenly noticed Hundred Herbs Hall’s Pharmacist Qu Hua, standing frozen, staring in one direction.
"Master Qu? What are you looking at..."
Cao Shouxiong turned around curiously to ask but, following Qu Hua’s gaze, he also exclaid in surprise, "Eh!"
At that mont, all the notable figures from dicine King Hall turned their attention toward the young man at that table.
One could see the youth grab a handful of herbal dicine fragnts in each hand, look at them, sll them, and then casually write down the answers on a piece of paper beside him. He did so with almost no hesitation, as if he didn’t need to think at all... Both hands moving simultaneously, one herbal dicine na after another flowed onto the paper smoothly and unhesitatingly, as if he were...scribbling!
This child... Cao Shouxiong thought, furrowing his brows.
Suddenly—CLACK!
Chen Ku put down his pen, stood up, and silently approached Master Qu Hua from the Hundred Herbs Courtyard, who was supervising. Chen Ku bowed slightly. "Master Qu, I have finished."
Qu Hua looked at Chen Ku with astonishnt and suspicion before turning that dubious gaze to the paper in his hands. The more he read... the more vibrant his expression beca.
Seeing this, Cao Shouxiong slowly walked over. "Let see," he said.
Taking the paper from Qu Hua’s hand and looking it over, Cao Shouxiong saw the sowhat ugly handwriting, but it indeed listed nas of herbal dicines. He raised an eyebrow at Qu Hua. "What’s the matter? Did he scribble randomly?"
"No..." Qu Hua murmured, shaking his head. "He’s got them all right."
Cao Shouxiong’s face showed deep emotion. "How long has it been? Just the ti for a cup of tea, and he’s got them all right? One hundred and fifty herbal dicines? All correct?"
After speaking, he first cast a cold glance at Chen Ku, then looked at Qu Hua with suspicion.
Qu Hua exhaled deeply. He knew full well what Third Shopkeeper was thinking and couldn’t help but say, "Third Shopkeeper, I know what you’re thinking. But I only decided on this test today, and I have no relationship whatsoever with this lad. Besides, who would cheat so blatantly?"
"Then?" Cao Shouxiong asked subconsciously. "How do you explain this?"
"There’s only one explanation. In the field of herbal dicine concoction, he is..."
Qu Hua murmured four words:
"Prodigious Talent!"
Having said this, Qu Hua looked at Chen Ku with fervent eyes and declared, "Third Shopkeeper, this kid, let him co to my Hundred Herbs Courtyard as an Apprentice. I want to ntor him personally; no one else should dare compete with for him!"
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