Chapter 805: The Physician's Life-and-Death Struggle

The Physician's Tower had seven floors in total.

The first floor was used for treating illnesses and housed the Wall of Difficult Cases.

The second floor and the five floors above were examination chambers for one-star to six-star physicians.

The entire Physician's Tower, like the Artifact Sea of the Artifact Refining Academy, was a fusion of mechanisms and formations. Those taking the examination had to possess not only extensive medical knowledge but also experience in treating illnesses.

Treating illnesses was not like refining artifacts. There were tens of thousands of medicinal herbs, and for the same ailment, one could easily prescribe hundreds or even thousands of different prescriptions.

Therefore, the examination in the Physician's Tower could not be as rigid as the Artifact Sea. It contained the lingering wills of countless predecessors, who would test the examinee's prescriptions.

With these wills testing, others taking the examination would have no major problems, but... this Zhang Xuan was different!

He had dismissed many prescriptions from the Forest of Predecessors as worthless, and the 'correct answers' left by the predecessors would certainly not be taken seriously by him... Once he produced a better prescription, the predecessor's will responsible for review would inevitably feel ashamed...

And then, and then... just like the Forest of Predecessors, it would collapse with a roar!

The Physician's Academy had been established for who knows how many years, yet the experience of countless predecessors could not compare to this fellow...

No wonder Dean Mi, Dean Zhao, and even the usually aloof Dean Wei were all kind and courteous to him, even granting him an elder token... This fellow was simply not human!

True essence surged from his body, protecting him from flying debris as he watched the continuously collapsing hall. Sun Yuan's tears flowed.

Vice Dean You was in charge of the Physician's Tower and all matters here. This Zhang Xuan had turned it into this, and within the rules at that... All responsibility would fall on his teacher alone!

Wasn't it just a Ten-Leaf Flower...

Now this was done; the entire Physician's Academy was finished!

Not to mention these buildings, just the reputation would be completely ruined.

A new student who had just arrived at the academy swept through the entire Physician's Tower, with no one able to resist. The four proudest checkpoints, the longest didn't last ten minutes...

Plus, all the credits were swept away, and he still owed a lot... Without thinking, the students would surely flee. Next year, the Physician's Academy would inevitably become the bottom of the ten academies, even worse than the Jinghong Academy!

What the hell was this!

"No, I must tell the teacher immediately..."

Feeling desolate, he suddenly thought of his teacher. It seemed he still didn't know the severity of the matter and was still immersed in the joy of disciplining a new student.

His body shook, and he rushed out from the ruins. Soon he arrived at Vice Dean You's small courtyard and pushed the door open to enter.

Looking up, he saw the vice dean still watering flowers and tending the medicinal garden, seemingly unaware of what was happening outside.

To ensure the spiritual energy of the garden, this small courtyard was arranged with a powerful formation. Spiritual energy could not escape, and naturally, sound could not enter either.

Although the collapse of the Physician's Tower outside was loud, it had no effect on him at all.

"Back? How did it go, did you catch that kid or not?"

As he approached, You Xu gave a faint smile and glanced over casually.

Sun Yuan's mouth twitched: "No..."

"No? Didn't he go to complain to Dean Zhao, Dean Mi, and the others? Speaking recklessly about a senior master is a capital offense..." You Xu sneered.

"He didn't go to complain; he went to the Physician Tower..."

Seeing that his teacher was still lost in his own imagination, Sun Yuan could no longer hold back and spoke up.

"Went to the Physician Tower? What did he go there for?"

You Xu was puzzled.

"Teacher, you'd better come out with me and see for yourself..."

Knowing that even if he explained, the other might not believe him, Sun Yuan had to say.

"See what?" You Xu grew even more curious, but seeing his student so earnest, he nodded and followed him out.

As soon as they stepped out of the courtyard, they saw a stretch of ruins before them; the once towering Physician Tower had vanished.

"This is... the Physician Tower? What happened? Did a powerful enemy invade?"

His lips twitching, You Xu nearly went mad.

This was the Physician Tower, the most iconic building of the Physician Academy, and it had collapsed... Who the hell did this?

Could it be an invasion by the alien spirits?

"No, it's..."

Just as Sun Yuan was about to speak, a thunderous voice erupted, instantly resounding throughout the entire Physician Academy.

"I, Zhang Xuan, hereby apply to the Physician Headquarters for a 'Physician Life-or-Death Duel,' challenging You Xu, the six-star physician and vice dean of the Physician Academy. I request approval!"

Boom!

As the voice ended, a physician token shot into the sky, followed by a beam of light that struck straight down, revealing two huge characters: "Approved!"

"Physician Life-or-Death Duel?" Sun Yuan's vision went dark.

A Physician Life-or-Death Duel is a contest held when irreconcilable disputes arise among physicians, similar to a master challenge.

As long as the headquarters agrees, both parties can engage in various contests to decide life and death, completely settling the恩怨.

"So he... took the six-star physician exam for this!"

Sun Yuan finally understood.

The other party was a new student with no credits, and to assess a six-star physician, without credits one couldn't enter the Physician Tower, so... he first went to the Wall of Difficulties, obtained credits, and only then passed the six-star physician assessment in one go!

With the same rank, applying to headquarters for a life-or-death duel would be justified and logical.

In other words... he wanted to challenge the teacher's medical skills and utterly force him to death!

This was a contest between physicians, upright and open, using medical skills to overpower others!

No wonder this fellow, earlier at the other courtyard, specifically said he would ask one last time; clearly, he was giving the teacher a chance, but unfortunately... the teacher didn't take it seriously, treating him as an ordinary new student, not caring at all...

Now it's come to this: not only did he completely destroy the Physician Tower, but he also proposed a life-or-death duel... What should be done now?

"Life-or-death duel? Overestimating himself. Fine, I was just thinking of teaching him a lesson. Since he's delivered himself to my doorstep, don't blame me for being rude!"

Vice Dean You on the side hadn't expected a new student to challenge him to a physician life-or-death duel. His face darkened, and with a flip of his palm, he took out his six-star physician badge representing his identity, bit his finger, and let blood drip onto it.

Whoosh!

A flash of light, and the badge flew into the sky, emitting a grand voice: "I, You Xu, as you wish!"

"Teacher..."

Not expecting a decision so quickly, Sun Yuan swayed.

He had been too shocked just now to elaborate on Zhang Xuan's astonishing actions.

Who knew that with this delay, the teacher had already accepted the duel? What should be done now?

A physician life-or-death duel, like a master duel, once accepted, the news is immediately sent back to headquarters. If one backs out, punishment will follow, ranging from revocation of physician qualifications to direct execution!

In the past, if a new student challenged the teacher, he would have thought the other was seeking death, but... recalling what he had just seen, instinct told him... even if the teacher fought ten thousand rounds, he would never win a single one!

In other words... absolute crushing!

"Teacher, you shouldn't have agreed. This Zhang Xuan is not that simple..." Unable to hold back, he quickly spoke out.

"What's the matter?"

Seeing his student belittle his own prestige and boost the enemy's morale, You Xu's face darkened, and he waved his arm, snorting coldly: "Just a little brat, nothing to worry about. Daring to fight me, I'll finish him off in no time! You go back to the courtyard first and warm some fine wine. By the time the wine is hot, I should be back..."

Having said that, he ignored the other, leaped up, and flew straight toward the direction of the badge.

In his view, no matter how talented the other was, he was just a twenty-year-old kid. He had spent his whole life immersed in the physician profession; challenging him to a duel—wasn't that just asking for death?

"Warm some fine wine? Teacher..."

Sun Yuan almost cried. Someone would indeed be finished in no time, but it would be you, not the other!

He hurriedly called out, only to find the teacher had already flown far away, lost from sight.

"No, I must go and stop him..."

Knowing the teacher had no chance of winning against the other, he could no longer hold back and chased straight after.

...

At the residence of the Physician Academy Dean, Zhong Dingchun, Elder Mi was visiting. Cupping his fists, he asked: "Dean Zhong, do you have any news about Senior Ziyang Beast?"

Zhong Dingchun shook his head.

This Dean Zhong was an old man with a black beard, dressed in very plain clothes.

"I've checked everything I could and even went to Leiyuan Peak myself, but unfortunately found nothing..."

With a worried expression, Zhong Dingchun said.

Upon learning that the Ziyang Beast had been captured by the alien race, he began investigating. Six or seven days had passed, and he had found nothing; even he felt somewhat helpless.

The longer the delay, the less likely the Ziyang Beast was to survive.

Could it be that the old dean's bones were not yet cold, and this beast pet of his would die like this?

"I have no news either. These days, I've had the academy students release all their flying spirit beasts to search everywhere, but... not a trace was left, as if Senior Ziyang Beast had vanished into thin air!"

Elder Mi shook his head.

He was also very helpless.

Senior Ziyang Beast had accepted his invitation to go to Leiyuan Peak to assess the students, but who knew... after the assessment, it disappeared!

If not for him, this senior wouldn't have vanished... Thus, he was full of self-blame.

"Alright, let's not talk about this for now... We can only hope that Senior Ziyang is blessed by heaven and doesn't encounter too big a problem!"

Shaking his head, Zhong Dingchun looked over: "I heard you've taken a keen interest in that new student named Zhang Xuan and even wanted to take him as a student?"

"Yes, but unfortunately... I didn't have that fortune!"

Elder Mi said with a bitter smile.

"Didn't have that fortune?" Zhong Dingchun was full of doubt: "What kind of talent does this person have, that you, this ten-thousand-year withered tree, would also blossom?"

"His matter is too miraculous. Listen to my explanation and you'll understand..."

Stroking his beard, Elder Mi was about to recount the glorious deeds of this Master Zhang when he felt the ground shake, followed by a violent rumble in the distance.

Then he saw the towering Physician Tower in the middle of the Physician Academy collapse with a crash.

"What's going on?"

His pupils contracted, Zhong Dingchun quickly walked out of the courtyard. Before he reached the Physician Tower, he heard a faint voice resounding in all directions.

"I, Zhang Xuan, hereby apply to the Physician Headquarters for a [Physician Life-or-Death Duel], challenging Vice Dean You Xu, a six-star physician of the Physician Academy. I request approval!"