Chapter 95: Dragon Scale Grass

"Me?"

Sun Tao clenched his fists in excitement, glanced around at Zhang Xuan and the others, and lifted his chin with arrogance.

Having passed two assessments, his status as an apprentice was basically as good as confirmed.

Ignoring the narcissistic Sun Tao, Zhang Xuan frowned upon hearing that he hadn't passed.

That shouldn't be.

He had checked everything with the Library of Heaven's Path; it was impossible to make a mistake. How could he have failed?

"Two Alchemist Masters, may I ask where I went wrong?"

Unable to hold back, Zhang Xuan stepped forward.

"What? You're questioning the masters' grading? If you're wrong, you're wrong. You must have failed to recognize some herb or written it incorrectly!"

Sun Tao blocked his way, flicking his sleeve with a lecturing tone: "Go back and study hard. Theory is theory, practice is practice. You answered the theory well, but if you can't recognize herbs, you still can't become an alchemy apprentice!"

His voice was deep, his demeanor elegant.

Kid, weren't you smug just now?

A perfect score on the written exam is impressive, but failing the timed identification makes it useless!

"You wrote that fish scale grass incorrectly, calling it dragon scale grass," Ouyang Cheng said, seeing his doubt. "Don't be discouraged. Getting a perfect score on the written exam shows you have a good understanding of medicines. As long as you observe herbs carefully and combine theory with practice, you'll definitely pass next time!"

"Yes, you're still young, no need to rush. With humility and diligence, combining study with practice, it shouldn't be long before you become a true alchemy apprentice," Alchemist Du Man added.

For ordinary people, the two wouldn't have bothered to explain, but this young man had just scored full marks, and they felt a strong desire to nurture talent.

"You mean this?"

Zhang Xuan finally understood why he had failed the second assessment. He went back to the table, picked up a herb, and looked at it seriously: "Are you sure this is fish scale grass?"

"Of course. The rhizome is like fish scales, the leaves are grayish-green. If it's not fish scale grass, what is it?"

Before Ouyang Cheng and Du Man could answer, Sun Tao spoke with pride.

Fish scale grass was a relatively obscure herb, with characteristics as he described: rhizome like fish scales, leaves slightly grayish-green.

Though rare, it was recorded in books.

This was exactly what Zhang Xuan had written incorrectly.

"Is it not?"

Ouyang Cheng apparently agreed with Sun Tao's judgment and looked at him with confusion.

"Of course not!" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "Two Alchemist Masters, you haven't even identified the herb used in the exam, yet you concluded I failed. Isn't that too hasty?"

"How dare you!" Sun Tao thought the young man was just trying to be sensational and interrupted: "The alchemist masters set the questions themselves; how could they be wrong? Stop talking nonsense here..."

He had passed the assessment and was likely to become an apprentice to these two, so naturally he wanted to curry favor in advance.

"Whether it's nonsense is easy to prove! There are books in the outer room. Someone please fetch the book 'Overview of Special Herbs' from the bottom of the seventh shelf," Zhang Xuan said calmly, not wanting to argue with this guy.

"Hua Hua, go get it."

Ouyang Cheng and Du Man exchanged glances, and the latter gave the order.

The alchemy apprentice who had led them into the room nodded and walked out. Soon he returned with a book, exactly the 'Overview of Special Herbs' Zhang Xuan had mentioned.

"Turn to page seventeen; there's a detailed description of fish scale grass."

Zhang Xuan said.

The apprentice Zhu Huahua couldn't help but open the book and indeed found a detailed explanation of fish scale grass.

"He can remember that?"

Ouyang Cheng and Du Man also looked over, their bodies trembling simultaneously, showing disbelief.

Fish scale grass was a random herb they had taken out, with no prior disclosure, so there was no possibility of cheating!

To state outright which book, which page, and where in the room it was located... such memory was already astonishing.

"Please read aloud the detailed introduction of fish scale grass," Zhang Xuan continued, ignoring their shock.

"Fish scale grass grows in swampy areas, named for its fish-scale-like rhizome. The whole plant is grayish-green, with slight white spots at the tips of the leaves. Mature fish scale grass has scales about the size of soybeans..."

As alchemy apprentice Zhu Huahua read, his voice grew quieter, because even he noticed many differences between these characteristics and the 'fish scale grass' on the table.

"Fish scale grass has slight white spots at the leaf tips; this one doesn't. Mature fish scale grass has scales the size of soybeans, but this herb's scales are each about the size of a fingernail, clearly much larger!" Zhang Xuan raised the herb in his hand and explained point by point.

"This..."

Ouyang Cheng and Du Man quickly took the 'Overview of Special Herbs' from Zhu Huahua's hands and read it again, indeed finding many differences.

"Since it's not fish scale grass, it must be something similar. Among many herbs, the one most resembling it is the dragon scale grass I wrote. If you think this herb doesn't exist, you can go to the room just now. On the fourth shelf, top right, there is a book 'Compendium of Rare Herbs' by Master Liu Daxian. Page fifty-four has a detailed record!"

Liu Daxian was a famous alchemist from thirty years ago who had ventured into barren lands to find herbs, achieving great merit.

"Of course, if you still don't believe me, I have another way to identify it," Zhang Xuan smiled. "Fish scale grass is a warm-natured herb; when you break its rhizome, it oozes a milky white liquid. But this root is a cold-natured herb; when cut, it oozes a pale yellow liquid and emits a damp, cold aura. Both alchemist masters are experts in medicine; this basic knowledge should be easy to distinguish!"

"This..."

Du Man signaled Zhu Huahua to fetch the book again, while he exerted force with both hands and gently pulled.

Snap!

The rhizome of the 'fish scale grass' in his hand tore open, and a pale yellow liquid slowly flowed out, giving a sense of chill.

"Indeed!"

The two staggered.

Exactly as he had said!

This herb really wasn't fish scale grass!

At that moment, Zhu Huahua also came over, holding a copy of 'Compendium of Rare Herbs.' On page fifty-four, they indeed found a record of dragon scale grass, identical to the herb before them.

They, the examiners, had actually given a wrong answer for grading...

Ouyang Cheng and Du Man felt their faces burning.

The room fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone looked at the young man before them as if he were a monster.

Damn, remembering the difference between dragon scale grass and fish scale grass wasn't a big deal, but remembering which book, which page, and where in the room...

That was too incredible!

Was he even human?

Sun Tao, who had been trying to show off and mock Zhang Xuan, stood dumbfounded, his body trembling, wanting to cry but having no tears.

Damn it, if he had known the other had such a memory, he would never have tried to show off!

Now look—trying to be impressive, he ended up looking like an idiot!

If there were a crack in the ground, he would have crawled into it long ago...