30 Chapter 30: Shen Bi Rus Shock (2/2)

She intentionally recited the phrase wrongly so that he would offer the wrong guidance. In her viewpoint, this fellow was just making up a show in the Compendium Pavilion, not absorbing the slightest bit of knowledge in those book at all. If she were to casually whip out the contents of a book, he would be foreign to them!

Thus, she recited it inaccurately so that he would make a fool of himself!

Who knew that… he would see through her inaccurate reciting and even offered the most correct answer!

How… How is this possible?

Could it be that this fellow has really remembered the entirety of ”Eight Methods of Pill Refinement” just by flipping through it?

But that's impossible!

He is a fellow who scored zero in the Teacher Qualification Examination, how could he possibly be knowledgeable in something as unconventional as pill refining?

”Alright, do you have any other questions?” Stroking his shriveled stomach, Zhang Xuan hurries her.

”I still have more!” Despite the overwhelming shock, upon seeing the impassive look on his face, Shen Bi Ru immediately recovers and poses another question, ”There is another phrase that I don't understand. 'When refining a metal in flames, never meld them when it is impure!”

After finishing her words, she smiles coldly as she awaits for the stumped look on the other party.

The question she asked previously was on pill refinement while this one is a dictum on weapon forging. This is a phrase she saw on an ancient book. She was unable to understand the saying ever after analyzing it for a month. In the end, she only managed to clarify it after consulting a master blacksmith!

Initially, she only wanted to embarrass the other party to let him know the price of offending her. Yet, she didn't expect him to be able to explain the meaning of the words in the Eight Methods of Pill Refinement!

This provoked the competitive spirit within her, inducing her to come up with a difficult question to leave him speechless.

”This…”

Standing by the side, Elder Mo was surprised when Zhang Xuan was able to answer the first question. Even so, he wasn't particularly shocked.

Eight Methods of Pill Refinement is a basic manual that innumerable rookie apothecaries would have to learn, similar to what Hongtian Nine Dan Formula is to cultivators. Even if one doesn't learn pill refinement, it isn't peculiar for them to know a thing or two about it.

When Shen Bi Ru asked the second question, he is stunned. That's because even he found it hard to decipher the meaning of these words.

”When refining a metal in flames, never meld them when it is impure!” Just when the two of them thought that he would be incapable of answering, Zhang Xuan shakes his head and looks at Shen Bi Ru as though he is looking at an idiot. ”What is so hard to comprehend about these words? It just means that when forging weapons, one must first refine the respective materials in fire to thoroughly to clear away all impurities. Only then can the weapon be melded together more effectively! May I trouble you to ask some harder questions? This basic knowledge can be grasped easily after reading more books!”

”This…”

Shen Bi Ru's slim body jolts.

She had to consult many different people before she got an answer to this question of hers. Yet, this young man managed to point out the crux of the dictum instantly, this…

Not just her, even Elder Mo almost faints from astonishment.

For Zhang Xuan to answer a question he didn't know the answer to, could it be that… he was studying seriously when he was flipping through all those books?

”Zhang Xuan laoshi, your answer seems to be incorrect though. I remember that there is an explanation of it on ”Discussions of Miscellaneous Disputes” which is different from what you claim. It states that if one wants to add metal material to a pill, one would have to refine it first, otherwise it would not coagulate as one!”

In a state of disbelief, Elder Mo speaks up.

”You remembered it wrongly, there isn't such a phrase in ”Discussions of Miscellaneous Disputes”, neither is there anything of that sort written in it. The one you read must be ”Discussion of Miscellaneous Theories” written by senior Liu Ze. There is a phrase similar to it in there, but what that is written is 'When refining a metal along with a pill, never mix them when it is impure', and not refining a metal in flames!”

Zhang Xuan waves his hand majestically.

He isn't aware that the both of them are testing him. He truly thought that the both of them couldn't remember the contents clearly and thus, he casually continues, ”Oh, this book is at the corner of the 9th row in the Compendium Pavilion. The words that you just said are recorded on the 49th page! As for the question Shen laoshi just asked, if you hold doubts about my explanation, you can browse through ”Three Arts of Fire Crafting” left behind by senior Du Qu. It is by the corner of the 15th bookshelf and the explanation of it is written on the 24th page!”

”Let me take a look!”

Shen Bi Ru looks at him with doubtful eyes. She hurriedly rushes back into the Compendium Pavilion and in a short moment, she comes back with two books in her hand, ”Discussion of Miscellaneous Theories” and ”Three Arts of Fire Crafting”. Flipping to the page that the latter said, she staggers and almost passes out on the spot.

To think that it would be… identical to what Zhang Xuan said, there is not even a single discrepancy!

Not only did he remember the contents of the book, he could even point out which book it came from, its location and even the page number?

Is this for real?