"Good, they performed very well, identifying the herbs quickly..."
Gu Yuanbai and Jiang Yichun, Song Chengqi and Shen Tonghe, Ding Huixiang, and a group of judges seated on the stage watched Wan Yunting and Song Sinan, Wei Renxin and Huang Jingshan, and others identify herbs blindfolded with remarkable speed. In just two minutes, they had already identified dozens of medicinal materials without a single error, earning praise from the judges.
Of course, Zhang Xiaoyu, He Yan, Xiang Zhao, and Jia Wenle, who misidentified a few medicinal herbs, would have points deducted.
The blindfolded herb identification competition was in full swing. The surrounding teachers and students were discussing in low voices, also marveling at Wan Yunting and Shen Yingrui, and the like. They were indeed talented young figures in the traditional Chinese medicine circles of the Lingnan region. The ability to identify medicinal herbs by smell alone was something that could only be achieved through years of learning from childhood.
As for Wan Yunting, who had only studied traditional Chinese medicine for seven years in prison under his master, the Ghost Hand Medical Saint, he was undoubtedly a genius.
Of course, later on, when Wan Yunting worked as an attending physician in the Traditional Chinese Medicine department, he frequently visited the pharmacy and discussed medicinal herbs and other knowledge with Pharmacist Chen and Pharmacist He.
Therefore, in this blindfolded herb identification competition, his displayed ability was no less than that of disciples from traditional Chinese medicine families like Huang Jingshan, Shen Yingrui, and Miao Yanzheng.
"It's so difficult. If it were me, I definitely wouldn't be able to identify so many herbs."
"That's right. Identifying herbs blindfolded requires a certain level of skill; it's impossible to do without it."
A group of students crowding the entrance of the lecture hall watched Wan Yunting, Song Sinan, and the other sixteen contestants rapidly identify the medicinal herbs. Such a high-difficulty competition amazed many of the surrounding students who expressed their admiration.
"Heh, it's just child's play. Anyone can do it if they spend two years in the pharmacy!"
Yao Xiangming, with his hands clasped behind his back, smirked. His sharp, narrowed eyes fixed on Wan Yunting with disdain.
"Brother Yao is right. Even if I were to compete, I could do better than them, let alone you, Brother Yao."
Dong Yuanlang, walking beside him, seized the opportunity to flatter Yao Xiangming. After all, Yao Xiangming was a prized disciple of Sima Wentang, the chairman of the orthodox Traditional Chinese Medicine Association, and a leading figure among the younger generation in the traditional Chinese medicine circles of the capital. He was certainly worth aligning with.
Yao Xiangming ignored him. His sharp, narrowed eyes beneath his glasses were fixed intently on Wan Yunting. He had come to Huadu City today primarily for him!
"Finished!"
Following that, the teacher supervising Song Sinan raised his hand and called out. Another teacher beside him pressed the stopwatch and announced, "Song Sinan, six minutes and twelve seconds!"
"Finished, Huang Jingshan, six minutes and fifteen seconds!"
The teachers supervising Huang Jingshan shouted loudly.
"Alright, Shen Yingrui, six minutes and twenty seconds."
The teachers supervising Shen Yingrui also completed their task.
"Finished..."
Finally, Gu Luotang also excitedly raised her hand and shouted. Qi Miaomiao beside her immediately pressed the stopwatch and called out, "Wan Yunting, six minutes and twenty-six seconds."
Following closely, Wei Renxin, Zhang Xiaoyu, Lu Xin Jue, Ren Xingbang, and others also finished. Everyone took off their blindfolds and removed the cloth bags. Wan Yunting looked at Gu Luotang, whose face was full of excitement, and smiled, "How was it? Any mistakes?"
"No mistakes, Brother Yunting, you're amazing." Gu Luotang happily said to him, appearing even more nervous and excited than Wan Yunting.
"Brother Yunting, you're ranked fourth."
Qi Miaomiao had quickly calculated based on everyone's finishing times, and Wan Yunting was the fourth to complete.
"Jia Wenle, made twelve mistakes in identifying herbs, disqualified!"
Then, Gu Yuanbai, holding the results, announced, "Zhang Xiaoyu, made nine mistakes in identifying herbs, disqualified..."
"Alas..."
Jia Wenle, Zhang Xiaoyu, and the other five people whose names were called could only get up and leave with a sigh.
Anyone who made five mistakes and had the last finishing time would be eliminated. The remaining contestants were Wan Yunting, Song Sinan, Huang Jingshan, Ding Zipeng, Shen Yingrui, Wei Renxin, Miao Yanzheng, Ren Xingbang, Xu Yuanhang, Lu Xin Jue, Qin Mengxue, and eleven others. However, the second round of the competition was not yet complete.
"Next is the preparation of medicinal herbs!"
Gu Yuanbai stood up and looked at the remaining eleven contestants below. He said, "After discussion, we will decide the winner of our traditional Chinese medicine preparation by slicing Paeonia lactiflora!"
"Slicing Paeonia lactiflora? Isn't that the specialty of Ding Zhipeng, the grandson of the First Knife King Ding Huixiang?"
When the students around heard that the second round of the competition was about preparing medicinal herbs, and the task was to slice Paeonia lactiflora, they started discussing it.
"Hey, don't forget our Teacher Xu, Xu Yuanhang. He's the First Knife King of Huadu City!" another student immediately shouted.
Upon hearing that the next round of testing was slicing Paeonia lactiflora, both Xu Yuanhang and Ding Zipeng immediately revealed confident smiles. However, Xu Yuanhang couldn't help but turn his head to look at Wan Yunting. He still remembered the last time a general meeting was held, when he had taken Wan Yunting and others to tour the school, and they had even had a slicing competition.
Although Wan Yunting had stated at the time that it was his first time slicing Paeonia lactiflora, he had displayed astonishing knife skills. Although it seemed like a draw in the end, Xu Yuanhang knew in his heart that Wan Yunting had surpassed him that time!
Later, Xu Yuanhang practiced diligently in private. Seeing that the second round of medicinal herb preparation testing had Paeonia lactiflora slicing as the topic, Xu Yuanhang's heart immediately filled with excitement, and his gaze towards Wan Yunting was full of fighting spirit.
This time, I will definitely not lose to you again!
"I say, Old Ding, did you set this question?"
Huang Jingshan shouted towards Ding Huixiang, the First Knife King, seated on the main stage.
Shen Yingrui, Wei Renxin, and others also laughed. It was obvious that this was a question devised by Ding Huixiang, purely to showcase his grandson Ding Zipeng's knife skills.
Jiang Yichun, Wei Datong, and others also laughed. The question was indeed devised by Ding Huixiang. Gu Yuanbai said with a smile, "Everyone, please calm down. This test is merely to assess your ability to prepare medicinal herbs. As long as you can slice two hundred and ninety-five slices from one inch of Paeonia lactiflora, you will pass."
It should be known that a normal pharmacist can slice at most two hundred and ninety-five slices from a regular piece of Paeonia lactiflora. This requirement was not excessive. It could be said that this round did not even need to be tested, as these young talents could all achieve it.
"That's more like it."
Hearing that the test was not difficult, Huang Jingshan, Miao Yanzheng, and others were relieved.
Knowing that this round was designed by the First Knife King, Ding Huixiang, specifically for his grandson Ding Zipeng to showcase his extraordinary slicing skills in front of everyone, Song Sinan, Wei Renxin, and others saw no need to compare themselves with him while slicing the herbs.
Because everyone knew that it was impossible to outperform Ding Zipeng, the grandson of the Knife King!
"Begin."
Seeing that the slicing knives and prepared Paeonia lactiflora had been brought to Wan Yunting and the others, Deng Hongsheng called out, instructing them to start the formal slicing competition.
"Brother Yunting, cheer up."
Gu Luotang and Qi Miaomiao stood beside him, cheering for Wan Yunting.
Dai Qiuyue, standing on the periphery, watched everything silently without saying anything.
Wan Yunting smiled at them before picking up a moistened piece of Paeonia lactiflora and pinching it. He nodded and smiled, "No water damage, just right."
"What fast knife skills..."
However, a gasp came from the other side. It turned out that Ding Zipeng had already started slicing. The slicing knife in his hand fell repeatedly with a "click, click" sound, and slices of Paeonia lactiflora, as thin as cicada wings, fluttered down. A teacher was responsible for collecting the sliced pieces, causing Huang Jingshan, Qin Mengxue, and others to exclaim in amazement, "As expected of the grandson of the First Knife King, these knife skills have inherited the Knife King's mastery..."
"Look, Teacher Xu is also very fast..."
Someone saw Xu Yuanhang also concentrating, slicing the one-inch Paeonia lactiflora in his hand with a flick of his wrist and a drop of the knife. Slices of Paeonia lactiflora fluttered down under the blade, like snowflakes, astonishing the surrounding students.
It seemed that the most exciting part of this competition would be the battle between Ding Zipeng and Xu Yuanhang!