Chapter 818: Even "They" Have Fled

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

In that instant, Lu Feng's body swayed weakly from side to side.

It was just a moment ago that he had declared his confidence in his lessons, but then these fellows said that they would like to withdraw from his tutelage.

Must you really slap my face like that?

Suppressing his overwhelming rage, School Head Lu asked hoarsely, "Why?"

One of the students hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Reporting to teacher, after listening to Zhang shi's lecture, we feel like we have squandered the past few years of our lives learning pill forging. Thus, we hope that you can let us go! Even though we are withdrawing from your tutelage, you will forever be our teacher in our hearts. We will never show the slightest disrespect to you!"

If there's no comparison, there's no damage.

It was only after hearing Zhang shi's lecture that they finally understood what pill forging truly was and how many detours they had taken under School Head Lu's tutelage!

If they had learned from Zhang shi from the very start, they would have definitely already become a 6-star apothecary or even higher by now!

They knew full well that withdrawing from their teacher's tutelage would sully his reputation, but for their own futures, they had no other choice.

Just like how teachers could choose their students, students could choose their own teachers as well. Even if they had already acknowledged Lu Feng as their teacher, they still had the freedom to withdraw from his tutelage. After all, they were just ordinary students, not direct disciples.

Squandered the past few years of your lives… School Head Lu staggered, and he felt a crushing pressure on his chest. For a moment, he found himself unable to catch his breath.

To think that he, the head of the Apothecary School, as well as the most formidable master apothecary in Hongyuan Empire, would have his lessons described to be… squandering one's life away!

Argh, my heart and my lungs…

Just what did that fellow say for all of you to be so mesmerized and impressed by him?

With a livid expression, Lu Feng dripped a drop of blood on their tutelage tokens as he said, "Fine, I will allow you to withdraw from my tutelage as long as you tell me where Zhang Xuan is!"

His students had already spoken such words. It would only further his humiliation if he were to attempt to retain his students after all of that!

The student pondered for a moment before replying. "After Zhang shi finished his lecture, he headed to the Apothecary Pavilion… It seems he intends to take the 6-star apothecary examination!"

"Apothecary Pavilion?" Ignoring those fellows who had just withdrawn from his tutelage, School Head Lu turned around and beckoned the others. "Let's go and take a look!"

Similar to the Tower of Physicians, the Apothecary Pavilion was a place where apothecaries could interact with one another and take their examinations. There were also all kinds of tests that one could take there.

Leaving Lu Hui behind to guard the library temporarily, Lu Feng and the other vice school heads hurriedly proceeded forward.

Just like the Tower of Physicians, the Apothecary Pavilion was also an extremely tall building, as well as the landmark of the Apothecary School.

Seeing that the Apothecary Pavilion was still standing tall and grand, the group heaved a sigh of relief.

Judging from Zhang Xuan's past history of bringing forth destruction, even Lu Feng couldn't help but feel a little fearful.

Entering the Apothecary Pavilion, there was a huge crowd selling and purchasing pills and looking for pill forging services, as per usual. There didn't seem to be anything out of ordinary.

"Did he not come here?" The school head and vice school heads glanced at one another in confusion.

They had long heard of what had happened to the Tower of Physicians. Wherever Zhang Xuan appeared, destruction and catastrophe followed. If he was truly here, how could everything still be intact?

This didn't make sense!

"Let me ask around!"

After a moment of hesitation, Vice School Head Wei stepped forward and stopped a student. "Student, was there anything… weird that happened here?"

"Vice School Head Wei!"

Recognizing the other party, the student leaped in shock. She pondered for a moment before hurriedly replying, "No, nothing happened at all!"

"Nothing happened at all?"

Vice School Head Wei gazed at the student's face intently for a moment before waving his hands. "I see. You may go!"

"Yes!" The student hurriedly left.

After which, Vice School Head Wei proceeded to ask a few more students, but they gave the same response as well. Having confirmed that nothing had happened, he returned back to a group with a relieved smile on his face.

"It seems like our worry is unfounded. No matter how formidable he is, that Zhang Xuan is still only a twenty-year-old lad. Since he already possesses a profound understanding in the Way of Medicine and smithing, it would be asking too much for him to be skilled in pill forging as well. Perhaps it might be something else that led to the students before withdrawing from the school…"

"Let's hope that's the case!" School Head Lu nodded with an uneasy smile.

Even though nothing had happened, he still had an ominous premonition.

If it was so easy to deal with that fellow, he wouldn't have been so troubled over this matter.

"Let's head to the 6-star apothecary examination Apothecary Forge to take a look," School Head Lu said.

The group headed to the upper levels of the Apothecary Pavilion, where the Apothecary Forges for the apothecary examinations were located. However, the examination area was extremely peaceful. It didn't seem like anything had happened here at all.

Thus, they called the teacher in charge of managing the Apothecary Forges over.

"Did anyone come over to take the apothecary examination earlier?" Lu Feng asked.

"No one at all! I have been here since morning, and I haven't seen anyone here!" The teacher shook his head doubtfully, not sure why School Head Lu would ask such a question.

"No one at all?" Lu Feng was still slightly doubtful.

His students had clearly told him that Zhang Xuan had headed here to take the 6-star examination, but why wasn't he in the Apothecary Forges then?

"No one at all. If school head still doesn't believe me, I have the records here…" Noticing the slightly peculiar state the school head was in, the teacher hurriedly handed over a book recording the students taking the apothecary examination.

School Head Lu took the book and confirmed that no one had been there since the morning. He traded glances with the other vice school heads, and they heaved a sigh of relief together.

It seemed like Vice School Head Wei was right. As talented as that fellow was, he couldn't possibly be that skilled in pill forging as well.

After all, each human had their own strengths and weaknesses. If a human were to be that talented in all aspects, he wouldn't be a human but god!

"It seems I really worried over nothing this time around… Alright, there's nothing else; you can return to your station now. However, if a twenty-year-old young man comes here, make sure to report the matter to me immediately!" School Head Lu instructed.

"Yes!" the teacher replied. At that moment, another thought suddenly struck him, and he asked, "School head, I suddenly remembered something. Other than taking the examination here, it's also possible to take the 6-star apothecary examination at the Ancestral Hall as well!"

"Ancestral Hall? Impossible! The Ancestral Hall is prepared solely for students who intend to challenge the Pill Debate, but it's not like you are unaware of how difficult it is. Even I can't say with absolute confidence that I would be able to pass a 6-star Pill Debate! Why would anyone go through that additional effort for it when there is an easier way?" Lu Feng shook his head.

There were two formats for apothecary examinations.

One of them was to forge a pill with a grade corresponding to the rank which the apothecary was intending to advance to. For example, to clear a 6-star apothecary examination, one had to successfully forge a grade-6 pill.

As for the other format, it was the Pill Debate.

The Pill Debate was conducted in the Ancestral Hall. The Ancestral Hall had a Communication Wall linked to the Apothecary Guild headquarters, and the headquarters would dispatch 6-star pinnacle apothecaries to conduct the examination. These apothecaries would raise questions in order to verify the examinee's comprehension of pill forging, and the examinee had to answer every single question without making the slightest mistake.

However, the 6-star pinnacle apothecaries in the headquarters possessed a far deeper understanding of pills than those in the branches due to their association with higher ranked apothecaries. To answer their questions without making the slightest mistake… nigh impossible!

Putting aside the fact that Zhang Xuan was only a twenty-year-old lad, even a veteran with eight hundred years of experience like him couldn't hope to succeed in a Pill Debate!

As a result, almost all apothecaries would opt for the easier pill forging examination rather than the nearly impossible Pill Debate.

"That's true…" Understanding the logic behind it, the teacher nodded in agreement.

"But regardless of the case, I think that we should still head to the Ancestral Hall to take a look…" Vice School Head Wei interjected.

"Un!"

Since they were already there, they might as well check on the Ancestral Hall as well to bring them peace of mind. Lu Feng emphasized for the teacher to keep a tight watch over the Apothecary Forges once again before heading to the Ancestral Hall with the group.

The Ancestral Hall was located in the vicinity of the Apothecary Forges, so it didn't take too long for them to arrive there.

Just like the Apothecary Forges, the Ancestral Hall was extremely quiet as well. As there were nearly no students who would attempt the Pill Debate, the Apothecary School also didn't bother dispatching anyone to look after the premises.

The group entered the grounds, but the area looked exactly how they remembered it to be. It didn't seem like anything had happened there.

"It doesn't seem like anyone has been here…" Vice School Head Wei heaved a sigh of relief.

As long as the Ancestral Hall was still standing, it should mean that that fellow hadn't been there, and there was no problem whatsoever, so they need not worry about the matter.

However, the next moment, Vice School Head Zhou suddenly widened his eyes and exclaimed, "No, something is wrong!"

"What is wrong? The Communication Walls and the other items are completely undamaged…" Vice School Head Wei asked doubtfully.

There were ten massive Communication Walls erected in the Ancestral Hall, and all of them were undamaged. It didn't seem like Zhang Xuan had come here at all.

"The Communication Walls might be fine, but look at the Communication Jade Screen in front!" Vice School Head Zhou pointed.

Everyone hurriedly turned their gazes over as well.

As well as the Communication Walls, there was also a Communication Jade Screen in the Ancestral Hall. The former was to relay messages to 6-star apothecaries in the headquarters while the latter could establish communication with 7-star apothecaries in the headquarters.

At the moment, there was still a slight glow on the Communication Jade Token, and it was a little warm to the touch as well. It seemed like someone had just used it.

"Someone used the Communication Jade Screen? Could it be that… Zhang Xuan didn't establish communication with the 6-star apothecaries but the 7-star apothecaries instead?"

"Impossible! Is he intending to take the 7-star apothecary Pill Debate examination?"

"It's questionable whether he can pass the 6-star apothecary Pill Debate examination or not! To take the 7-star apothecary Pill Debate examination…"

Lu Feng, Vice School Head Wei, and the others shook their heads in disagreement.

How could it be possible for a twenty-year-old freshman of the Master Teacher Academy to take the 7-star apothecary examination?

After a moment of silence, a vice school head suddenly spoke up. "He's probably here to request a grade-7 pill formula!"

There could only be two possibilities where one would need to activate the Communication Jade Screen. One, to take the 7-star apothecary examination. Two, to request a grade-7 pill formula from the headquarters.

"But regardless of what it is, one has to use ten different grade-6 pills as a deposit in order to activate the Communication Jade Token. Where did the fellow find so many grade-6 pills?" one of the vice school heads asked.

7-star apothecaries were extremely busy. They weren't figures whom one could meet just because they wanted to.

As such, one had to compensate the 7-star apothecaries duly for their time, and that was through grade-6 pills.

Only if one could take out ten different grade-6 pills could one activate the Communication Jade Screen. It was due to this rule that there had rarely been anyone who had established communication with a 7-star apothecary ever since the Ancestral Hall was built.

It wasn't that no one dared to reach out to them, but… the price was simply far too heavy!

No matter how talented Zhang Xuan might be, he was only a twenty-year-old young man. It was already extremely difficult for him to even buy a residence; how could he possibly be able to take out ten different grade-6 pills at once?

"But… it is clear that the Communication Jade Screen was activated just a moment ago. This shows that someone did communicate with a 7-star apothecary," Vice School Head Zhou said.

Even though it was hard to believe, it was a fact that the Communication Jade Screen had been activated just a moment ago. There was no doubt about this.

"Could it be…"

At that a moment, Lu Feng suddenly thought of something and his eyes narrowed. Just as he was about to speak, a figure abruptly rushed into the room.

"School Head Lu! School Head Lu! Bad news!"

The person who arrived was a familiar middle-aged man in his forties. It was the teacher who was in charge of the Pill Chamber.

"What's wrong?" Lu Feng's eyebrows shot up upon seeing the other party's anxious state.

"The grade-6 pills forged by School Head Lu, the vice school heads, and the teachers of the Apothecary School that are stored in the Pill Chamber have… have…" The middle-aged man looked as if he had seen a ghost, and his lips couldn't stop quivering.

"What's wrong with the pills?" Vice School Head Wei asked anxiously as the other party stuttered at the crucial point.

With a tearful face, the middle-aged man exclaimed, "The pills have escaped!"

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