Chapter 266: Physician White Toad

"Indeed, this can be done!"

Seeing the formal physician pass through unhindered with his physician badge, an idea sprang into Zhang Xuan's mind.

"Let's go!"

Without further ado, he strode toward the street they had come from.

"What, are you planning to take the physician exam? Tianwu King's City has a Physician Guild. I happen to be planning to take it too, so we can go together. It'll only take five or six days round trip, not too long."

Following behind, Miss Mo Yu asked.

To enter the Great Medicine King's residence, one needed to be a Medicine King, a Poison Master, or have an invitation... all three were difficult. The only simple way was to have a physician badge.

She was an apprentice and had originally planned to become a beast tamer first, then return to take the exam. Seeing how Zhang Xuan treated the Roaring Heaven Beast, he seemed well-versed in this profession. As long as they found a guild, passing the exam to become a formal physician shouldn't be hard.

"Five or six days?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "No need. I have another way."

Going to Tianwu King's City to take the exam would take time. What if, during that time, the Great Medicine King was cured or died? What use would the badge be then?

"Then what do we do? Are you going to gather herbs to become a Medicine King? That's even more troublesome, and you'll face suppression from other Medicine Kings..."

Mo Yu was full of doubt.

Having just waited outside the Great Medicine King's residence, she knew that no one was admitted without those qualifications. Zhang Xuan didn't even know where the Poison Hall was, so he definitely wasn't a Poison Master, nor did he have an invitation. The only way out was to become a Medicine King... but that was even harder than becoming a physician.

In over three thousand years, only thirteen Medicine Kings had emerged in Crimson Lotus City. They had long divided their territories. If he dared to go and buy up herbs, they would truly annihilate him.

"Right here!"

Without answering her doubts, Zhang Xuan smiled lightly, walked a bit further, and stopped.

Mo Yu looked up and saw an upscale herb trading market. Only a few people were examining herbs, unlike the noisy street they had left.

"How dare you! Do you think I'm ignorant, or is this your first time? Trying to fob off this junk on me? Have you found a new buyer and don't want to cooperate anymore?"

As they walked through the market, suddenly a loud shout came from a stall not far away.

It was a middle-aged man of about forty, dressed in a light green robe, with a physician badge on his chest gleaming brightly.

"It's Physician White Toad!"

Miss Mo Yu frowned.

"You know him?" Zhang Xuan looked over.

"Yes, he's a one-star physician of the Tianwu Kingdom. Lecherous and greedy, fond of petty gains, despised by many. I didn't expect to see him here." Mo Yu snorted.

"If his reputation is bad, that makes things easier!" Zhang Xuan smiled slightly. "Let's go take a look."

Mo Yu nodded.

"Physician Bai, you're an old customer of mine. I wouldn't cheat you of all people. These are the best Green Bamboo Grass I've selected!"

As they approached, they saw the stall owner negotiating with Physician White Toad. "How about this: I won't say five thousand or four thousand. Three thousand gold coins per plant, ten plants for thirty thousand! That's the lowest price..."

"Thirty thousand? Twenty-five thousand, and I'll take them all!" Physician White Toad said.

"Twenty-five thousand won't even cover my costs..." The stall owner shook his head.

As the two were bargaining, Zhang Xuan walked over, looking excited. "Physician Bai, what a coincidence to find you here!"

"You are..."

The man was haggling when a strange young man approached him like this. Physician White Toad looked puzzled.

"I'm an admirer of yours, Physician Bai. I've heard so much about you and always wanted to meet you, but never had the chance. Since we've met today, it must be fate!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand. "Boss, wrap up these ten plants of Green Bamboo Grass for Physician Bai. Here's thirty thousand in gold notes!"

With that, he handed over three ten-thousand-denomination gold notes.

"Alright, alright!"

Taking the notes, the stall owner quickly wrapped up the herbs.

"Physician Bai, for you!" Zhang Xuan handed over the wrapped herbs.

"This..." Physician White Toad was taken aback. He made a show of refusing, but his hands had already accepted. "To accept such a valuable gift on our first meeting, how embarrassing..."

"I'm your admirer. Buying you some herbs is only right."

Zhang Xuan smiled.

"What is this guy up to?"

Miss Mo Yu, following behind, saw this tightwad suddenly spend thirty thousand gold coins on herbs for someone else and was utterly confused.

Wasn't he the one who kept pestering her for money? Why was he being so generous now?

"Could it be... he wants Physician Bai to take us into the Great Medicine King's residence?"

A thought struck her.

Instead of taking the exam, he came to pay for Physician Bai—probably with that intention.

But Zhang Xuan didn't know this Physician White Toad. She had heard of him: greedy, lecherous, and not very capable. Even if asked, he probably wouldn't go to the Great Medicine King's residence.

The Great Medicine King's place was a den of tigers and dragons. Without real skill, going there would be asking for death.

"Since you're so insistent, young friend, I'll reluctantly accept."

As she was speculating, Physician White Toad had already put away the herbs, smiled slightly, and put on an air of a master.

"Not at all, not at all! Being able to buy herbs for my idol is my honor!" Zhang Xuan laughed. "Does Physician Bai have time now? Since we've met, let me treat you to a drink to show my admiration."

"This..." Physician White Toad hesitated.

A stranger suddenly appeared, paid for his herbs, and now wanted to buy him a drink. Even someone as fond of petty gains as he was felt suspicious.

"Ah, Physician Bai doesn't know me yet, so you have concerns."

Knowing what the other was thinking, Zhang Xuan smiled lightly, walked two steps to Mo Yu, and said, "You should know this lady. She's my friend. With her here, you can rest assured."

"Princess Mo Yu?"

Seeing Mo Yu, Physician White Toad was startled.

Though she was only a physician apprentice, she was a bona fide princess of the kingdom, far above a mere one-star physician like him.

"Mm."

Unexpectedly pushed forward by this guy, Mo Yu had no choice but to nod.

"So you're a friend of the princess. I should be the one to treat you to a drink..."

Seeing that the young man was a friend of the princess and seemed close to her, Physician White Toad dared not put on airs and quickly smiled.

"No matter who treats, since we've met, it's fate. Let's go!"

Zhang Xuan laughed and led the way. Soon, the three left the trading market and arrived at a deserted street.

"Why are we here? I know a tavern with good wine..."

Seeing they had entered a small alley, Physician White Toad showed a hint of caution, but thinking the princess was present, nothing should happen, so he smiled.

"We'll have the wine later. Actually, I have something to discuss with you, Physician Bai."

Zhang Xuan turned around.

"Oh? What is it?" Physician Bai looked over.

"It's like this: I'd like to borrow your physician badge. Is that possible?" Zhang Xuan said.

"Physician badge?" Physician Bai was taken aback. "How can that be! The badge represents a physician's identity and status. How can it be casually lent out..."

Before he could finish, his vision went dark as a fist slammed into his face.

Smack!

With a crisp sound, Physician White Toad's vision went black, and he lay flat on the ground, unconscious.

"I asked to borrow it. Just hand it over nicely. Why all the nonsense!"

He reached out and took the physician badge from the man's body.

"You... what are you doing?"

She had thought the young man would ask Physician White Toad to take them to the Great Medicine King's residence, but instead he knocked him out with a punch. Mo Yu was completely stunned.

"Oh, nothing much. Just borrowing his badge." Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Borrowing?" Mo Yu was exasperated. "This is tantamount to robbing a formal physician. Once he wakes up and reports it to the Physician Guild, there will be big trouble..."

Every profession had its own guild for protection. Luring a physician here, knocking him out, and stealing his badge—if he reported it to the guild, they would be in serious trouble.

This was too reckless!

"Trouble? What trouble? He doesn't know me anyway, and I didn't give my name!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand, looking unconcerned.

"Doesn't know you..." Hearing this, Mo Yu nearly spat blood. "He doesn't know you, but he knows me!"

"That's not my problem. You're the princess, so you should be able to handle it. If you really can't..."

Zhang Xuan hesitated. "The money you owe me, I'll forget it. Besides, I just spent thirty thousand gold coins buying herbs for him—that counts as compensation..."

"You..."

Mo Yu staggered, nearly losing her mind.

Damn it!

How could he be such a jerk?

He doesn't know you, but you just pushed me forward. When he wakes up and can't find you, he'll come after me!

And the money I owe you...

How much could a ride on a flying beast cost?

You steal his badge, and I end up taking the blame... My reputation as a princess...

"Put the badge down, and let's think of another way... Ah, what are you doing?"

Just as she was about to stop him, she saw his next move and was startled again.

The guy had crouched down and started taking off Physician White Toad's clothes.

Stealing the badge wasn't enough—now he was stripping him...

And worst of all, she was an accomplice...

Mo Yu felt like she might faint at any moment.

"Get ready a bit. We're going to the Great Medicine King's residence now!"

Too lazy to argue, Zhang Xuan put on the outer robe he had taken off.

"Go to the Great Medicine King's residence? Just like that? Physician White Toad may not be very famous, but his name is on the badge. If another physician sees it, we'll be exposed..."

She had thought he had a good plan, but now Mo Yu understood: he was going to impersonate Physician White Toad and try to sneak into the Great Medicine King's residence.

That might work for other professions, but the physician badge had a name engraved on it. If another physician saw it, they'd immediately know it was fake.

"Exposed?"

Before Mo Yu could finish, she saw Zhang Xuan had already put on the clothes and turned around.

Seeing the young man turn his head, Mo Yu was first stunned, then her body trembled, and her eyes went wide.

"Physician White Toad... oh, no, you... this is the ability of a Disguise Master? How is that possible..."