Divine Level Witch Doctor

Hearing the crowd’s thunderous shouts, Zhao Yuan remained calm, showing no reaction. He had anticipated this.

The material he had just presented was the quintessence of Wu Peng’s research. Its standard was so high and its theories so brilliant that every word was a pearl of wisdom. Everyone in attendance was an expert in the field. It would have been stranger if they *weren’t* shocked and astounded.

However, the host on stage was so startled by the crowd’s shouting that he staggered.

’An encore?’

’Do you think this is a comedy routine? You can’t just ask for an encore!’

This professional reporter from Huashang TV Station was, once again, completely floored. He had no idea what to say.

Down in the audience, the gloom that had previously shrouded the delegation from West Hua Medical University was completely gone. They didn’t join the shouting, but instead clapped while whispering excitedly amongst themselves.

Xiao Xianlin was grinning from ear to ear, looking as blissful as if he’d just eaten a Ginseng Fruit. ”Haha, look at their reactions!” he said gleefully. ”They’re completely floored by Zhao Yuan’s lecture! But I have to admit, what Zhao Yuan just presented was truly brilliant. Even I was captivated!”

Qiu Haogu nodded in agreement. ”Exactly! I originally thought Zhao Yuan would, at best, present some interesting research findings. I never imagined the material he’d present would be of such a high caliber, so fully developed. It was as if it had been researched, summarized, and refined over a thousand years! There wasn’t a single wasted word—it was all pure substance!”

Yang Jingbo was in full agreement. ”Zhao Yuan’s presentation could be published in a top-tier medical journal without a single revision! After today, he has well and truly made a name for himself. Nothing else matters—at least in the field of research on the *Outer Canon of the Yellow Emperor*, he will become an authority, the foremost expert! An authority who’s not even twenty years old... The very idea is insane!”

All the experts and professors from West Hua Medical University were beaming with pride and joy for Zhao Yuan.

The rather hot-tempered Liu Mingzhang scanned the crowd shouting for an encore and sneered. ”Just think about their cold indifference before, and now look at their reaction. Tsk, tsk. They’re really eating their words now. What Zhao Yuan did was brilliant! He slapped everyone in the face, but they can’t even get mad. In fact, they’re eagerly turning the other cheek for more. Reminds me of myself when I was young!”

Xiao Xianlin rolled his eyes at him and called him out. ”Oh, give me a break. Don’t go patting yourself on the back. You think we don’t remember what you were like when you were young? It would be a miracle if you could have ever handled something with as much skill, grace, and restraint as Zhao Yuan.”

A little embarrassed, Liu Mingzhang quickly changed the subject. ”Hey, do you think Zhao Yuan will actually listen to them and go back up to talk more?”

As soon as the question was raised, the West Hua Medical University contingent erupted into a flurry of discussion.

Ma Guotao, who had been silent until now, spoke up. ”Absolutely not.”

”Why?” everyone asked in unison, turning to look at him curiously.

Ma Guotao said, ”Do you guys not know Zhao Yuan at all? He may have seemed calm and indifferent to the crowd’s cold shoulder earlier, but deep down, he was nursing a grudge. That’s why he had to get on stage and prove himself; he had to deliver a lecture so brilliant it would stun the entire hall. Now that he has perfectly demonstrated his capabilities, the fact that he didn’t rub their faces in it on the spot was already him being polite. Why would he possibly go back up for an encore?”

After considering it for a moment, they all agreed that Ma Guotao had a point.

”It’s a shame, though. I really wanted to hear more about the *Outer Canon of the Yellow Emperor*,” Xiao Xianlin said with a hint of regret.

Ma Guotao smiled. ”There’s no need for regrets. When he comes back down, we can find him and ask about the problems we’ve run into while researching the *Outer Canon of the Yellow Emperor*. I’m sure he’ll explain everything to us patiently. I also plan to convince him to teach a class next year on the *Outer Canon*...”

At this, everyone’s eyes lit up. ”That’s a great idea!” they said in unison. ”We’ll all go and beg him. We’ll swallow our pride as his elders. We refuse to believe he’d still turn us down then!”

While they were whispering amongst themselves, the leadership of the Chinese Medical Exchange Forum was also discussing the matter.

Kang Fengyu glanced at the worked-up crowd in the conference hall, shaking his head. ”This is the Chinese Medical Exchange Forum, not a comedy festival. What are they doing, shouting for an encore?”

Several people beside him immediately chimed in with sycophantic agreement. ”Exactly! It’s quite improper!”

Kang Fengyu waved his secretary over and instructed, ”Go tell the host to ask Zhao Yuan if he could possibly speak for a little while longer.”

The same few people who had been agreeing with him just a moment ago were now completely dumbfounded.

Someone couldn’t help but ask, ”Chairman Kang, didn’t you just say shouting for an encore was improper?”

Kang Fengyu nodded, his expression completely serious. ”That’s right. Shouting for an encore is indeed wrong. They should be shouting, ’Please teach us a little longer.’ That would be much better.”

”Is... there a difference?” someone else asked.

Kang Fengyu shot them a look. ”Of course there’s a difference,” he said irritably. ”Did you people even pass your language classes?”

The men opened their mouths, but ultimately said nothing. They just grumbled inwardly, ’Since the Chinese Medical Exchange Forum was founded, there has never been a precedent for asking a speaker to continue after they’ve finished. Today is a first! Still, the content of Zhao Yuan’s lecture is incredibly valuable. It would be wonderful to hear a little more.’

Without a doubt, Zhao Yuan’s lecture had won over everyone in the conference hall. Even the leadership of the Chinese Medical Exchange Forum was deeply impressed by his presentation.

The secretary quickly found the host and relayed Chairman Kang’s message.

The host glanced over and saw that Zhao Yuan had already left the stage and was almost back at the West Hua Medical University seats. He quickly raised the microphone. ”Mr. Zhao, please wait! Given how enthusiastic the audience is, would you perhaps consider coming back up to speak a little longer?”

Zhao Yuan stopped in his tracks. The host, showing great presence of mind, hurried over in a few long strides and thrust the microphone toward him.

Taking the microphone, Zhao Yuan swept his gaze across the conference hall.

The hall, which had been buzzing with noise just a second before, fell instantly silent. Everyone, regardless of their status, stared at him with looks of hopeful expectation.

Then, Zhao Yuan calmly uttered two words: ”I won’t.”

The entire hall was stunned.

The host hadn’t processed it yet. He said reflexively, ”That’s wonderful, Mr. Zhao has agreed to...” His face suddenly paled as he let out a shocked cry. ”Uh, what did you say? You... you won’t?”