In the second round, contestants would be judged on the efficacy of their medicinal soups. The one with the better result would advance.

Opponents were once again decided by drawing lots.

This time, Yang Qi drew an opponent ranked in the top twenty on the Divine Doctor List of the Southern Territory. If he won, it would prove he had the potential to be ranked among the top twenty in the next cycle.

Having a stronger opponent has its benefits—it won’t be too boring.

However, when the people from Jingnan Prefecture learned who Yang Qi had drawn, they all gasped.

"Zhang Yao of Qing Mansion! This is trouble." Chen Guo’s brow furrowed.

"What’s wrong? Is Zhang Yao of Qing Mansion that formidable?" Yang Qi asked, puzzled.

"His other skills might not be exceptional, but his mastery of medicinal soups is top-notch. Frankly, if this were a contest based purely on medicinal soups, he would definitely place in the top ten," Chen Guo replied.

"No wonder you’re so anxious. That said, I’m now even more eager to see for myself if he’s as formidable as you say." Yang Qi smiled. Zhang Yao of Qing Mansion... an interesting person.

The man’s overall abilities might not be the strongest, but when it came to medicinal soups, he was truly extraordinary.

The first match of the second round featured a famous doctor from the Su Mansion, Xue Huai, who was none other than the son of Xue Renyi! He was ranked in the top twenty on the Divine Doctor List of the Southern Territory.

However, it was said that his Medical Skills had improved rapidly recently under Xue Renyi’s guidance. Having broken several records, many believed he would make it into the top ten this year and possibly become the youngest of the top ten Divine Doctors.

However, Xue Huai’s opponent was no weakling either, also being ranked among the top twenty on the Divine Doctor List of the Southern Territory.

"Old sir, I advise you to concede. Preparing medicinal soups consumes valuable herbs, so let’s not waste them."

He was confident, perhaps even a little arrogant. But the crowd didn’t see it that way. They felt it was perfectly natural for someone like Xue Huai to say such things. In fact, it would have been strange if he hadn’t.

His opponent chuckled. "I know you’re a genius, both the son and disciple of Divine Doctor Xue. However, I’m afraid I can’t just concede."

"In that case, let’s compete. Judges, present the case!"

The herbs were already on the stage. The judges presented the case directly—a practical test. A case study was provided, complete with a written description of the symptoms and accompanying images. The task was to prepare the correct medicinal soup.

Preparing medicinal soup actually involves two steps. Writing the prescription is merely the first; brewing the soup is an equally crucial step, though one that many overlook.

Both were ranked in the top twenty on the Divine Doctor List of the Southern Territory. Yet, when the case was revealed, the difference became immediately apparent. After only a moment, Xue Huai chuckled, began preparing the herbs, and started brewing. His opponent, meanwhile, was still analyzing the symptoms.

By the time his opponent was ready to select the herbs, Xue Huai had already submitted his answer.

"There’s no need to continue. Xue Huai’s answer is extremely accurate, and he was faster. He wins!" the judges announced.

Although his opponent was unwilling to accept it, speed is crucial in medicine. If a patient is on the verge of death and you still haven’t figured out a treatment, that is simply unacceptable.

"He’s incredibly strong!"

"Yes, that’s Xue Huai for you! Truly worthy of being Divine Doctor Xue’s son. He might really break into the top ten this time!"

"Exactly! The youngest Divine Doctor on the Divine Doctor List of the Southern Territory is about to be born!"

At present, the youngest person on the Divine Doctor List of the Southern Territory was over fifty, whereas Xue Huai was only in his early forties. He was, indeed, very young.

Yang Qi watched Xue Huai and couldn’t help but smile. This Xue Huai really has genuine skills. As expected, with the competition entering its later stages, the truly formidable doctors are beginning to show their true abilities. This is for the better, though. It’s a chance for me to see more and integrate the Medical Skills from the Dragon God Technique with real-world practice, making myself even stronger.

The competition continued.

It was Gu Baiyi’s turn. His opponent was significantly stronger than Xue Huai’s had been. Although both were in the top twenty, there was a large gap between their specific ranks.

But unfortunately for him, when faced with Gu Baiyi, he didn’t even have the courage to compete.

"White Robe Divine Needle, I concede."

The opponent conceded. Just like that, Gu Baiyi advanced smoothly, having faced virtually no challenge.

So this is the formidable aura of the second-ranked doctor on the Divine Doctor List of the Southern Territory.

The competition continued. Anyone who made it into the top fifty was impressive and basically qualified to be on the Divine Doctor List of the Southern Territory. Even if they weren’t officially listed, their Medical Skills were up to par.

For some doctors with similar skill levels, the winner could only be determined by the slimmest of margins after competing through several consecutive cases.

Of course, there were also one-sided matches, such as those involving Gu Baiyi and Xue Renyi. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

As for Xue Renyi, the top-ranked doctor on the Divine Doctor List of the Southern Territory, his opponent also conceded immediately, giving him a win without a fight.

The third-ranked contestant was Gu Cantian, another Divine Doctor from the Gu Family. His Medical Skills were so astonishing they could shake the heavens and move the spirits—truly incredible.

Although his opponent didn’t concede, Gu Cantian’s victory was still effortless. He faced almost no pressure.

"Yang Qi and Zhang Yao, please come to the stage for your match!"

At that moment, the voice of a judge rang out.

Instantly, the crowd grew tense.

"Heh, it’s that Zhang Yao. And of all things, the contest is medicinal soups. Yang Qi’s luck has finally run out!"

"Exactly. If it were any other skill, Yang Qi might have a chance, but Zhang Yao is too formidable when it comes to medicinal soups. Even a top-ten Divine Doctor might not be guaranteed a win against him."

"How many cases do you think Yang Qi can last?"

"He should last at least three cases. His theoretical knowledge is so strong, his skill with medicinal soups can’t be that bad."

"True, it’s not easy for someone so young to get this far. Just making it onto the Divine Doctor List of the Southern Territory is remarkable enough. Still, I doubt he’ll even last three cases. It’s very possible a single case will decide the winner."

Yang Qi smiled and disregarded their discussions. A bunch of ants daring to mock an eagle?

"Mr. Yang, just do your best!" Chen Guo wasn’t very confident in Yang Qi either.

"Don’t worry, I can win," Yang Qi said with a smile. "When have I ever lied to you?"

On the stage, the case had been presented.

The patient had a yellowish complexion and experienced breathlessness. He was unable to engage in strenuous activity for long, as it would inevitably cause dizziness and blurred vision.

This was a simple description, accompanied by photos and a video. The video had been recorded during the patient’s hospital visit and was provided for reference with the consent of both the patient and the hospital.

After just one minute, Zhang Yao began preparing his medicine.

Yang Qi, however, frowned. He was much slower, only starting to prepare his own after three minutes had passed.

Furthermore, the ingredients he used were completely different from Zhang Yao’s, stunning the crowd.

"Yang Qi is definitely going to lose, right? The ingredients he chose are completely different. If one or two were different, that would be understandable, but for them to be entirely different is just bizarre. One of them must have made a wrong diagnosis."

"It must be Yang Qi who’s wrong. How could Zhang Yao make a mistake like that?"

The people from Jingnan Prefecture fell silent, their faces etched with worry.