Divine Level Witch Doctor

”Who is Zhao Yuan?” asked Qiu Haogu, head of the Medical Ancient Texts research group, his voice low as he scanned the students in the classroom.

”That’s him!” Ma Hanqing pointed across the room at Zhao Yuan, who was rising to his feet.

Qiu Haogu strode up to Zhao Yuan, held up the notes in his hand, and asked with a serious expression, ”The punctuation and translation on these pages—did you do this?”

”Yes,” Zhao Yuan nodded.

Qiu Haogu’s brow twitched. ”Explain yourself. Why did you choose this punctuation and translation? You must know that your versions are vastly different from the textbook.”

Of course, Zhao Yuan couldn’t tell the truth. He’d already come up with an excuse in the time Ma Hanqing was gone.

”Well, it’s like this. A few days ago, while I was preparing for our class on the *Treasure of Life and Form Theory*, I just felt like the textbook’s interpretation didn’t quite match my own. So... I just worked out this punctuation and translation myself...”

He hadn’t even finished speaking when the professors and teachers who had accompanied Qiu Haogu collectively gasped, exclaiming in shock.

”He really figured out this punctuation and translation himself? That’s amazing!”

”What’s even more incredible is that he figured all this out in just a few days! When did our students get to this level? Compared to him, I feel like *I’m* the student!”

”Are all the freshmen monsters these days? The text of the *Treasure of Life and Form Theory* has been studied by countless generations of Medical Families; both its punctuation and translation are considered highly refined. To think someone could still find a new way to interpret it—and the crucial part is, this new way makes perfect sense.”

”I know, right? Seeing these new interpretations has given me so much insight! Perhaps the textbook really is wrong, and the corrections offered by this student, Zhao, are the correct ones!”

”I’m more curious about whether he really figured all this out himself. It’s not that I don’t believe him, but for a first-year student to come up with something like this... it’s just unbelievable!”

Qiu Haogu had the same suspicion. Narrowing his eyes, he asked, ”Zhao, what is your relationship to the Jinling Zhao Family?”

’How did the Jinling Zhao Family get involved again?’ Zhao Yuan froze for a moment. Wang Jiasen, the famous doctor he had met at the Chinese herbal medicine market, had also mistaken him for a member of the Jinling Zhao Family.

Ma Hanqing, standing nearby, answered for him, ”Elder Qiu, Zhao Yuan isn’t from the Jinling Zhao Family. He’s from a remote mountainous area, and his family has no history of doctors.”

”Oh?” Qiu Haogu’s brow rose again. He took a moment to study Zhao Yuan seriously, a fiery intensity kindling in his eyes. ”In that case, you really did figure all this out on your own? Wonderful! You’re a truly incredible talent!”

”Elder Qiu, you flatter me. I was just messing around,” Zhao Yuan said modestly.

Qiu Haogu made a rare joke. ”No need to be so modest. If you call this ’messing around,’ aren’t you saying that the rest of us have wasted decades of our lives and still can’t measure up to your ’messing around’?”

Zhao Yuan quickly waved his hands. ”Elder Qiu, that’s not what I meant at all. Your skills as teachers are far beyond mine. I just got lucky, that’s all.”

”Skill is what creates luck. Without enough skill, you can’t have this kind of luck,” Qiu Haogu said with a smile, no longer teasing Zhao Yuan, and got down to business. ”The other teachers and I have seriously discussed your punctuation and translation. We agree it represents an entirely new line of research. Therefore, we plan to write a paper centered on it and submit it for publication in the *Chinese Medicine* journal...”

A sudden shriek cut off Qiu Haogu’s words.

”What? Zhao Yuan is going to be published in the *Chinese Medicine* journal? That’s impossible! How is that garbage he cobbled together worthy of being in *Chinese Medicine*?!”

At the classroom door, Cao Han stood with his mouth agape, unable to believe what he’d just heard was real.

’That was *Chinese Medicine*! The most prestigious and well-known medical journal in the country! It was even famous internationally! Its impact factor wasn’t just number one domestically, it ranked among the top in all of Asia! The only people who could publish in that journal were renowned experts and senior professors who had been steeped in the field of medicine for years!’

’And Zhao Yuan was going to be published in a top-tier journal like that?!’ Cao Han felt that either he was hallucinating or Qiu Haogu and the others had lost their minds.

Qiu Haogu’s expression darkened instantly. He turned to stare at Cao Han, his gaze chilling to the bone. ”Garbage? Heh. If what Zhao has brought us is garbage, then what does that make us old geezers? Something less than garbage?”

The words were similar to the joke he’d just shared with Zhao Yuan, but the tone was entirely different—it was absolutely frigid.

”No... that’s not what I meant...” Cao Han was so terrified he began to tremble, breaking out in a cold sweat.

”You’ve got no talent to speak of, but you’re overflowing with jealousy. A person like you is unworthy of studying medicine!” Qiu Haogu snorted coldly. Ignoring the ashen-faced Cao Han, he turned back to Zhao Yuan and said, ”I, Old Chang, and a few others will be listed as co-authors on this paper. Don’t misunderstand; we’re not trying to steal your credit. Once this paper is published, it will undoubtedly cause a great deal of controversy. By putting our names on it, we can shoulder some of that pressure for you.”

The alternative punctuation and translations Zhao Yuan had provided were tantamount to overturning the research of generations of Medical Families. It was certain to attract a great deal of criticism. Some would even mock and suppress him simply because he was a student.

In a situation like this, anyone with a weaker disposition could easily be broken by the immense pressure. By co-authoring the paper, they were essentially providing Zhao Yuan with a layer of protection. Any criticism would be directed at Qiu Haogu and the other old-timers first, greatly reducing the pressure on Zhao Yuan.

Filled with gratitude, Zhao Yuan said earnestly, ”Thank you, Elder Qiu. But, will doing this bring trouble for all of you?”

Qiu Haogu chuckled. ”We’re just a bunch of old bones with one foot in the grave. What trouble could we possibly be afraid of? If we can shield you young people from the storm a bit, that’s more than enough for us. Alright, that’s settled. Now, we have a few questions for you.”

Qiu Haogu proceeded to ask several questions, all of them issues he had encountered while studying the new punctuation and translations. The other professors and teachers chimed in, each raising their own questions.

These questions didn’t stump Zhao Yuan, as the Information Leaf contained detailed explanations.

”I’ll answer Elder Qiu’s question first...” Zhao Yuan cleared his throat, about to begin.

”Hold on,” Qiu Haogu interrupted. ”Go up to the lectern to speak!”

Just like that, Zhao Yuan was pulled onto the lecture platform. Meanwhile, Qiu Haogu and the other professors sat down below, listening attentively to ’Teacher Zhao’s’ lesson like a group of students.

The students in the classroom were utterly stunned by the scene.

A student lecturing his teachers was an incredibly rare sight! Especially when those teachers included several professors renowned both at home and abroad!

This student, Zhao, was on a completely different level!