Divine Level Witch Doctor

The moment they stepped into the office, Qiu Haogu, Ma Hanqing, and the other Medical Ancient Texts professors were stunned.

They had expected to see one of two things: a crowd of people fighting over Zhao Yuan’s exam, or everyone huddled around it, discussing it as they read. They never imagined the professors from the Basic Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine department would be sitting calmly at their own desks, grading exams. Even Xiao Xianlin, Liu Mingzhang, and others who weren’t from the department had found seats and were poring over an exam paper.

The entire office for the Basic Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine department was perfectly orderly, not the least bit chaotic.

Qiu Haogu remarked with great admiration, ”I never thought this bunch from the Basic Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine department could be so composed. To be able to settle down and finish their work first, even when faced with Zhao Yuan’s exam.”

After singing their praises, he turned to Ma Hanqing and the other Medical Ancient Texts professors and said, ”If it were you lot, there’s no way you’d be this composed! You all need to learn a thing or two from our colleagues in the Basic Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine department!”

Ma Hanqing and the other Medical Ancient Texts professors nodded meekly, feeling quite embarrassed. At the same time, they were deeply impressed that the professors from the Basic Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine could actually resist the ’temptation.’

Then, Qiu Haogu asked the professors from the Basic Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine department, ”Where’s Zhao Yuan’s exam? Can we take a look?”

Ma Hanqing and the others nodded in agreement. ”Since you’re all busy grading, why not let us take a look at Zhao Yuan’s paper first?”

The professors from the Basic Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine were so engrossed they didn’t even look up. They just waved their hands dismissively and said, ”Elder Xiao has plenty. Go get them from him yourselves.”

’Plenty? What does that mean?’

The Medical Ancient Texts professors were collectively dumbfounded. They all walked over to Xiao Xianlin, but before they could even ask, he beat them to it, pointing at a stack of papers on his desk. ”Take one yourself. Don’t bother me!”

Qiu Haogu froze. Xiao Xianlin was always very polite and rarely took this kind of tone. ’What’s with him today? Is he in a bad mood?’ He was about to ask when he heard Ma Hanqing, who was beside him, let out a surprised ”Huh?” He swallowed his words and turned to ask, ”What is it?”

Ma Hanqing picked up a paper, his face a mask of astonishment. ”Why is this exam a photocopy?”

”Isn’t that obvious?” Xiao Xianlin finally looked up. ”If we didn’t make multiple copies, how would there be enough for everyone? We can’t exactly fight it out to decide who gets to read Zhao Yuan’s exam first, can we?”

Only then did the Medical Ancient Texts professors notice that the paper in Xiao Xianlin’s hands was also a copy of Zhao Yuan’s exam. Looking around at the other professors from the Basic Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine department, they saw it was the same for every single one of them...

It was only then that they realized they had completely misunderstood. The professors from the Basic Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine department weren’t doing their work or grading exams at all. They were all just studying Zhao Yuan’s paper!

Everyone rolled their eyes in unison.

’Damn it! And to think we were just admiring you all. We never imagined this was the truth... Give us back our admiration, you frauds!’

Qiu Haogu was also furious. With a deep frown and a stern expression, he said gravely, ”This is simply preposterous... How could you come up with a solution like this and not share it with us?” Then he turned and ordered the Medical Ancient Texts professors, ”All of you, remember this. After the Medical Ancient Texts exam, we are to immediately make multiple copies of Zhao Yuan’s paper, so that everyone can study it right away.”

The Medical Ancient Texts professors were collectively speechless. They had thought Elder Qiu was about to criticize the other department, but instead, he wanted to join them...

At Qiu Haogu’s instruction, Ma Hanqing distributed the photocopied exams.

When the Medical Ancient Texts professors saw the exam, their expressions changed yet again. Then, they all cried out in condemnation, ”How shameless!”

They weren’t talking about Zhao Yuan, of course, but about the professors from the Basic Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine department. The exam they had prepared for Zhao Yuan had no multiple-choice or fill-in-the-blank questions. From beginning to end, it was composed entirely of essay questions!

The Medical Ancient Texts professors had also prepared a separate exam for Zhao Yuan, but they had at least kept some multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions, merely reducing their number. They never imagined the professors from the Basic Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine department would be so direct, so extreme—they’d gotten rid of all other question types and simply listed their own research problems on the exam. It was a blatant attempt to force Zhao Yuan to solve their personal academic puzzles for them!

No wonder the Medical Ancient Texts professors had all condemned them in unison.

Qiu Haogu added his own voice to the condemnation, then turned to the Medical Ancient Texts professors and said, ”All of you, remember this...”

Before he could finish, the Medical Ancient Texts professors declared in one voice:

”Elder Qiu, rest assured, we will never be as shameless as them!”

”That’s right, we’ll be sure to take this as a cautionary tale!”

”We will absolutely not follow their example!”

Qiu Haogu’s expression shifted in an instant. His face grew as dark as a thundercloud as he barked, ”Shut up!”

The Medical Ancient Texts professors were so startled they didn’t dare make a peep. They stared at Qiu Haogu in astonishment, wondering why he had suddenly gotten so angry.

Qiu Haogu said, ”What nonsense are you all spouting? I was telling you to remember this so that when you go back, you can revise our exam! Learn from this paper! Get rid of all the fill-in-the-blank and multiple-choice questions—they’re useless anyway—and just list all of the problems we’ve encountered in our own Medical Ancient Texts research! If one sheet isn’t enough, make it two! If two isn’t enough, make it three! We’ll keep going until we’ve listed every single one of our questions!”

The Medical Ancient Texts professors were all dumbfounded.

’Damn, Elder Qiu, when did you get so shameless and devious? But... we love it!’

The Medical Ancient Texts professors were soon beaming with joy again.

Previously, when they were writing the exam, they had argued so fiercely over whose research problems would make it onto the essay section that they nearly came to blows. Now, they didn’t have to agonize or feel left out anymore. With one order from Elder Qiu, everyone’s questions could be added to the new exam. It was perfect!

”Isn’t it a bit wrong for us to scheme against Zhao Yuan like this?” Ma Hanqing whispered, having a sudden pang of conscience.

He was met with a volley of furious glares from the other Medical Ancient Texts professors.

So he chickened out without a moment’s hesitation and immediately turned traitor. ”Uh, I was just spitballing! I’m totally in favor of scheming against Zhao Yuan!”

「In the dorm.」

Zhao Yuan sneezed. He rubbed his nose and muttered innocently, ’That’s weird. Why did I just sneeze out of nowhere? Am I catching a cold? No way. With my constitution, strong as an ox, how could I possibly get sick?’

Zhao Yuan’s answers on the Basic Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine exam were absolutely brilliant. After reading it, the professors all felt it wasn’t an exam, but a top-tier medical journal! Many of the solutions he provided could become classic case studies; they were more than worthy of being included in textbooks!

After finishing the exam, Xiao Xianlin sighed. ”West Hua Medical University is truly fortunate to have Zhao Yuan!” He immediately turned to Liu Mingzhang and Qiu Haogu. ”Gentlemen, I’m planning to send this exam directly to the *Chinese Medicine* journal. What do you think?”

The two men nodded and said in unison, ”This exam doesn’t need any summarizing or editing. It’s best to send it in exactly as it is!”