m of the matter before deciding on a course of action.
He didn't want to have to leave in disappointment after lining up for several hours at the apprentice queue only to realize that he was unable to issue the prescription.
"Alright!"
The lady nodded.
"I want to buy White Angelica Flower, Crimson-edged Leaf, Wolf Venom Grass..." After pondering for a moment, Zhang Xuan listed out over a dozen medicinal herbs.
Before he could finish his words, the lady's eyes widened into large circles. Alarmed, she took a step back and knocked onto a bronze gong. "Guards, someone is causing trouble..."
"..." Zhang Xuan.
Hualala!
A few armored guards walked over.
"Ya Rou xiaojie, what's wrong?"
The leader of the guards was a tall and bulky man. With a physique as though a steel tower, his presence exerted a huge pressure on those around him.
He was a Tongxuan realm expert!
"That man is causing trouble..."
Receptionist Ya Rou pointed.
"Cough cough..." Zhang Xuan didn't expect that he would be taken for a troublemaker when he was here just to purchase medicine. Shaking his head, he said, "I am a teacher of Tianwu Academy, I am really here to buy medicinal herbs!"
After which, he flashed an emblem indicating his identity as a teacher.
He didn't want to be thrown out despite having just entered the guild.
"Oh, so it's Liu laoshi. Pardon our disrespect!" After taking a glance at the emblem, the leader of the guards clasped his fist. Then, he turned to Ya Rou and asked doubtfully, "What is going on?"
Tianwu Academy was known as the sacred land for cultivators, and the teachers possessed a high standing in the capital. No one dared to look down on them.
Since the other party was a teacher, it was unlikely that he would cause trouble here given his esteemed standing.
"He... despite not having a prescription, he said that he wanted to buy prohibited medicinal herbs like White Angelica Flower, Crimson-edged Leaf, and Wolf Venom Grass. If this isn't causing trouble, what else is…?"
Not expecting that this fellow who knew nothing at all would be a teacher of Tianwu Academy, Ya Rou was taken aback for a moment before she explained the situation.
"Buying prohibited medicinal herbs?"
After hearing the reason, the leader of the guards turned to Zhang Xuan, "Liu laoshi, medicinal herbs like the Wolf Venom Grass possess lethal poison, and thus, the guild deems them prohibited herbs. Even with a prescription, we aren't allowed to sell them to you. Unless... unless a physician steps forth personally, otherwise it will be impossible for you to purchase those herbs!"
"Unable to purchase even with a prescription?"
"Yes! These prohibited medicinal herbs possess lethal poison, and in order to prevent people from abusing these medicinal herbs to conduct vile deeds, the guild decided to impose such strict rules on their sale. Thus, I ask of you to understand this!" The guard clasped his fist and said respectfully.
If not for the fact that the other party was a teacher of Tianwu Academy, he would have thought that he was here to cause trouble as well.
Despite knowing nothing at all, to head to the guild to purchase prohibited medicinal herbs... he sure was brazen.
"Oh!" Zhang Xuan nodded.
He could understand the rationale behind their actions as well. In his previous life, some of the more potent medicine, such as sleeping pill and such, wasn't available to the general public, even with a prescription.
They were simply trying to prevent widespread use of these lethal medicinal herbs, which might potentially cause unrest in the city.
"Since Liu laoshi understands this matter, I have to ask of you to leave and not to make things difficult for us..." Seeing that the other party comprehended their plight, the leader of the guards continued.
However, before he could finish his words, he saw the young man's eyebrows knitted tightly together. With a helpless expression, he shook his head, "Seems like... I have to try taking the physician examination then. Sigh, to think that even purchasing medicinal herbs would be such a hassle..."
"Taking the physician examination?"
"Purchasing medicinal herbs is a hassle?
Upon hearing those words, Ya Rou and the guards nearly keeled over.
Physician was one of the higher ranked occupations of the Upper Nine Paths. As such, the difficulty of the examination was extraordinary.
Despite not even being an apprentice, not to mention being a fellow who didn't even know that a prescription was required to purchase medicinal herbs, how could you boast so arrogantly that you are going to take the physician examination? Furthermore, to think that the reason for it is because purchasing medicinal herbs is a hassle...
Brother, will you die if you act a little more humble?
Ya Rou's complexion immediately turned awful.
She had seen people who liked to brag, but she had never seen someone who was able to brag to the stars.
Even if you don't know that a prescription is required to purchase medicinal herbs, you should at least know that taking the physician examination requires an in-depth knowledge of medicinal herbs!
To not even know that White Angelica Flower, Crimson-edged Leaf, and Wolf Venom Grass are prohibited medicinal herbs... and you still want to take the physician examination? You must be joking with me!
"Liu laoshi, the physician examination isn't as easy as you think..."
The leader of the guard was infuriated by how lightly the other party was taking the occupation, but in consideration of his identity as a teacher of Tianwu Academy, he suppressed his anger and tried to explain the matter to him.
"Un, I understand! How can becoming a member of an occupation of the Upper Nine Paths be easy?" Zhang Xuan nodded.
Hearing the other party's words, the leader of the guards nodded, thinking that the other party had given up on the idea. However, upon hearing the words that followed behind it, he staggered and nearly spurted blood.
The young man looked at him with a serious face and asked, "So... may I know where the physician examination is held?"
To not even know where the physician examination is held... and you want to take the examination?
"It's at the Physician Hall over there..." The leader of the guards was seething with rage, but he still managed to hold himself back. Pointing to the front, he replied with a trembling voice.
Looking toward where the other party's finger was pointed, Zhang Xuan saw a huge hall, and a plaque placed on top of the entrance that wrote 'Physician Hall'!
"Alright, thank you. May I trouble you to prepare the medicinal herbs that I just spoke of? I will come and claim them after I'm done with the physician examination!"
Upon knowing the location, Zhang Xuan instructed the receptionist, Ya Rou, before heading over.
"Braggart!"
Upon seeing the other party leave, Ya Rou could no longer hold herself back and harrumphed with clear disdain in her voice.
She was already absolutely certain that this fellow was here to wreak havoc.
Otherwise, who would attempt the physician examination despite knowing nothing at all?
"He does seem somewhat unreliable. Given the prestige associated with being a physician, how can it possible for anyone pass the examination that easily?" The leader of the guards shook his head as well.
It was one thing if you once studied the Way of Medicine, but to not even know where the physician examination was held and that a prescription was required to purchase medicinal herbs, it was clear he was a newbie! Yet, he wanted to take the examination...
Are you underestimating this occupation?
"That may not necessarily be so. I recall that there's a person in our guild who managed to pass the 1-star physician examination despite not being an apprentice!"
A guard spoke up.
"Oh, you're speaking of 3-star Physician Mu Hong? He is an exception. Having come from a lineage of physicians, he has been learning the Way of Medicine since young. He possesses true ability, that's why he's able to pass the 1-star physician examination straight!"
The leader of the guards said.
The other party was right, there was indeed an exception in the guild.
It was the famous Physician Mu Hong.
Even though Physician Mu Hong had never taken any examination prior to passing his 1-star physician examination such that he wasn't even an apprentice then, he had been accompanying his father on diagnosis and treatment runs and he was already famous by then.
"He is just an arrogant lad, how can he be compared to Physician Mu Hong?" Ya Rou harrumphed coldly.
Physician Mu Hong had begun learning Way of Medicine from young, and by the age of thirteen, he was already treating patients by himself. Even though he had never taken the examination prior to that, he practically grew up in the Physician Guild and he was well aware of everything here.
On the other hand, that fellow clearly knew nothing at all. Given the foolish and ignorant look on his face, and how he didn't even know of the prohibited medicinal herbs... how could the two of them possibly be the same?
"But no matter what, the other party is a teacher of Tianwu Academy. I don't think that he will complete not care for his reputation like that!"
The leader of the guards said.
"This..."
Ya Rou fell speechless.
The standing of a teacher was beneath that of a physician, but due to their relationship with master teachers, it was an esteemed job as well. As an official teacher of Tianwu Academy, it was unlikely for him to abandon his pride to cause trouble at the Physician Guild.
"He might really be a person possessing true ability!"
"Indeed, it's possible that he might, like Physician Mu Hong, pass the 1-star physician examination straight and amaze everyone!"
The two guards held deep respect for teachers.
"Now that you speak of it, it isn't entirely impossible..." Hearing the analysis of the others, Ya Rou hesitated for a moment before nodding her head. Just as she was about to continue speaking, the young man who just left a moment ago returned and asked sheepishly.
"May I know... what procedures are there to the physician examination? Also, what books do I have to read?"
"..." Ya Rou.
"..." The guards.