NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 179-184
Chapter 179: Happiness, Anger and Sorrow
No one was discussing anymore. Not one dared to delay the soldiers’ time by even a second because they knew that the release of results was upon them.
Rows of anxious and nervous pairs of eyes focused on the soldiers and the inside of the Imperial Academy. The atmosphere seemed to be suffocating as some kind of pressure started bubbling up.
Some candidates were so nervous that their faces were turning green.
Although Fang Zhengzhi would not mind whatever results he got, however, that was not to say that he did not care about it at all. Therefore, he was beginning to fill up with anticipation.
Yan Xiu, at this point, abandoned his thoughts and focused his eyes on the Imperial Academy.
Soon, a team of official messengers in their black official robes appeared in their sights. Every one of the officials had the character for “Imperial” on their chest, representing their rank.
The person leading the team was someone Fang Zhengzhi knew. He was the Chief Examiner for the Huai An County County Examinations, Imperial Messenger Qin Yumin.
After Qin Yumin stepped out of the gates of the Imperial Academy, his eyes swept the crowd in front of him. He showed a slight hint of shock. It was obvious that the crowd today was greater than the crowds that showed up for the past release of results for the Theory Examinations.
However, it was not surprising if he thought about it.
Previous results release of the Theory Examinations had more candidates and palace officials while the majority of the citizens would view the results after the Combat Examinations.
However, this time it was different.
Because…
A heavenly miracle happened in this round of Theory Examinations, therefore, passing merchants and citizens with free time would come and squeeze for a look.
Everyone wanted to see the outcome of this Theory Examinations.
Qin Yumin did not stand at the gates for long. He cut through the crowd and came to the two huge Roll Tablets beside the door.
These two tablets were different from the tablets at the River of Trust Province.
The tablet had the standard features of a tablet but magnified to gigantic proportions and dark as ink. Whether it was the height or width, they were all twice in size in every dimension compared to the Roll Tablet at the River of Trust Province.
“This round of Imperial Examinations had two thousand three hundred and fifty-seven candidates. Following the rules of the previous rounds, the Theory Examination will have first and second-class rolls. The first-class roll will contain the top twenty while the second-class roll will start from the twenty-first position to the two hundredth position.”
As Qin Yumin explained to this point, his eyes surveyed the anxiously waiting candidates and spectators.
When the candidates heard the number of them that participated, they were all dumbfounded. They would publicise the number of participants in every round of the examinations. However, in this round, the number of participants was a full five hundred more than the previous round.
In this case, the chance of acceptance became all the more precious.
Furthermore, this was only the Theory Examinations. If the disqualifications from the Combat Examinations were taken into account, then, in the end, those that truly passed the Imperial Examinations at most also would not exceed fifty candidates.
Every two years, the number of people in the Great Xia Empire that manage to pass the Imperial Examinations were not more than fifty. For the more than two thousand candidates, their chances were paper thin.
However, if they ever pass, it would be equivalent to the carp jumping through the dragon gate. They gain the rights to step into the palace courts.
Qin Yumin did not say anything redundant because he knew that everyone now only cared about the names on the Roll Tablets.
He swiftly took out an exquisite rectangular box made out of pure metal from his chest.
The box was black and it was hard to tell what was the exact material used to craft it. On the top and four sides of the box were different characters carved into it, there were even some archaic patterns adorning the surface.
“Ka!”
Qin Yumin removed the seal on the box.
After that, he took out an ink-black jade rock that was shaped like a cube from inside the box.
All the candidates immediately tensed up because when this ink-black jade rock was pushed into the tablet, it would determine the fate of their futures…
“Wvoom!”
The ink-black jade rock was pushed into an indentation on the Roll Tablet. After that, the enormous Roll Tablet started to shine was blinding light.
One by one, names started to appear on the rock.
The tension at the location reached saturation point. Everyone opened their eyes wide, intensely scanning the rock for names.
They were all overly anxious to the point where they forgot about their money pouch.
Within the fully packed crowd, some figures started to wind their way through. No matter which world, there was no shortage of such people.
This also made sure that today was a definitely a day filled with happiness and shock.
“It’s out!”
“I thought I just saw my name, where did it go? Where did my name go?!”
“Ah, that’s my name but…why is the address behind my name wrong?!”
There were more than two thousand people participating in the Imperial Examinations, there were bound to have people with the same name. As a result, after every name was the address of each individual and the index number for the examination.
This helped to facilitate the determination of passing candidates in the event of any confusion.
Surprise but after that, it turned to a heavy disappointment so the candidates that tool such a blow broke down and cried on the spot.
“Ah…Why? Why is it that I have the same name but different fortune!”
“It was obvious that I made it. How is it possible that I didn’t? There must be a mistake, a mistake…”
Sobs started to sprout from within the crowd.
“I passed! I really passed this time!”
“I made it… I made it into the roll!”
“Hahaha, ten years of hard work, ten years of poring over books. I finally passed the Theory Examinations today!”
Such exclamations would naturally exist but compared to the wails of failing, it was obviously fewer.
However, these exclamations attracted the most attention.
Whenever there was someone screaming “I passed, I passed”, the surrounding people all looked towards that person with expressions of envy and jealousy.
The students that came from the same province state, after getting over their disappointment, started celebrating for those that made it onto the Roll Tablet.
As everyone was sharing their happiness and sorrows, some voices that did not fit the situation rang out.
“There is no Fang Zhengzhi!”
“Fang Zhengzhi’s name is not on the Roll Tablet!”
“Did he drop out of the roll as expected?”
“In pursuit of quantity, he neglected quality. Such an outcome was as expected. He might have had a chance to get on the second-class roll but he fell out of the rolls instead. He deserved it!”
“As a human, it’s better if we lead down-to-earth lives! Why force it out if we really cannot do it?”
As these voices grew, more people joined in. Whenever they said something, they would subtly glance over at Fang Zhengzhi.
However, Fang Zhengzhi maintained an expression free of worries.
Second-class Roll?
Fang Zhengzhi barely gave a thought about the Second-class Roll Tablet. At the very least, he felt that Yan Xiu and his name would not appear on that tablet.
Similarly, Yan Xiu did not pay much attention to the Second-class Roll Tablet despite the fact that he was only sixteen.
He was the noblelite from the Yan Clan of Western Liang. Although it was not something to be bragged about, it was his greatest source of motivation.
There was not a single noblelite from the Yan Clan that would want their names on the second-class roll.
There was no such history since the establishment of the Great Xia Dynasty.
As a result, Yan Xiu also would not do it. In his heart, if he got into the second-class roll, it would be equivalent to dropping out of the roll altogether.
Yan Xiu’s expression was aloof. He was waiting.
Fang Zhengzhi was waiting as well.
However, this did not mean that the citizens felt that Fang Zhengzhi should continue to wait because coming up was the first-class roll of the Imperial Examinations.
On the roll would be only twenty names.
Within these twenty names, from the top to bottom, no one was expecting to see his name.
Whether it was during or after the Imperial Examinations, no one had ever thought about this. The reason was simple. Fang Zhengzhi just entered the Heavenly Reflection State.
This was not enough reason to support their predictions.
However, when Fang Zhengzhi’s ability was compared to other candidates, there was quite a considerable gap.
The top twenty in the whole of the Great Xia Empire. Which one of them wasn’t an elite that got into the Rising Dragon Roll? There were even some that had the ability to be in the top twenty or thirty positions on the Rising Dragon Roll but because of the age restrictions, they were not on the roll.
Those people would be the fiercest competitors in this round of the Imperial Examinations.
Forty-year-olds in the Heavenly Reflection State!
They had meditated in the Heavenly State for at least ten years. Whether it was their foundation or their understanding of the Dao of All Creation, they had all reach the highest of levels.
The gap between such individuals and a fifteen-year-old who just entered Heavenly Reflection State was not even the difference between Heaven and Earth.
It was at least, the difference between worlds.
Chapter 180: Missing person
After the 180 names were announced, Fang Zhengzhi’s name was still nowhere to be seen. It would seem that Fang Zhengzhi had failed to be ranked.
Su Donglin did not wander far. Upon seeing Fang Zhengzhi’s name missing from the Second-Class Roll, he walked over.
“Congratulations!”
“You too!” Fang Zhengzhi replied.
“Me too?” Su Donglin was taken aback. He was clearly being sarcastic, but Fang Zhengzhi didn’t seem to get it.
Just as he was about to reply, one of his servants shot him a look.
Su Donglin had no choice but to keep quiet.
However, he snorted to himself, “I will let you be happy for a while, after the First-Class Roll is released, I will see where you can hide!”
…
After Qin Yumin released the Second-Class Roll, he waited for a while so everyone could soak it in. Then, he coughed lightly.
“I believe that everyone knows that the Chief Examiner of the Imperial Examination is the great Han Zhangfeng. The emperor has also sent King Duan and the Ninth Prince to assist him.”
“Now, I would like to invite Official Han to release the First-Class Roll!”
After Qin Yumin finished, he looked respectfully towards the Imperial Academy. All of the messengers and soldiers also became extremely serious.
The moment Qin Yumin finished his statement, a line of people exited the Imperial Academy.
The leader of the pack was dressed in white. His clothes were adorned with golden embroidery of beasts. The beasts were the symbol of the Empire’s armies.
There was only one person in the empire who could wear this design on his clothes. He was the person who controlled the armies, King Duan.
To the left of King Duan was a young man. He looked slightly younger than King Duan, possibly in his early twenties. He was dressed in green, and there was an Ink Lotus on his clothes.
He looked rather pale, but had an aura of elegance about him, except, it was slightly too much…
Even though the youth walked to the left of King Duan, neither Qin Yumin nor the academics, or even the common people took a second look at him.
Even Han Zhangfeng, who was dressed in white official robes, had more looks in his direction than the youth.
“We respectfully welcome King Duan, Ninth Prince, and Official Han!” Qin Yumin led the academics in a deep bow.
King Duan nodded lightly as he turned to look at Han Zhangfeng, “Official Han, can you kick off the First-Class Roll?”
“Sure!” Han Zhangfeng did not hesitate as he walked to the front of the stone.
Then, he retrieved a ink colored box and opened it.
Without a second word, he placed the inkstone inside the grooves of the stone.
In an instant, the First-Class Roll glowed golden. It was as almost as bright as the sun and it stained the entire sky golden.
All of the candidates struggled to open their eyes.
However, no one wanted to shut their eyes. They all wanted to see who had made it to the roll.
Su Donglin did not look at the stone. Instead, he looked at Fang Zhengzhi. He did not believe that Fang Zhengzhi could make it.
He saw Fang Zhengzhi looking at it.
However, his expression was still one of boredom.
Very quickly, names began to appear on the stone. Then, a scream of surprise could be heard.
“Xing Qingsui!”
“Who would have thought that he would have been on the First-Class Roll?!”
The first voice was of surprise, the second one was one of doubt.
It seemed like a good thing.
However, not everyone saw it as a good thing. The fact that Xing Qingsui’s name is on the First-Class Roll meant that he was not in the top three.
Then…
Who could be better than Xing Qingsui?
Su Donglin?
They quickly thought about Su Donglin. However, before long, Su Donglin’s name appeared as well.
“Su Donglin is on this roll too?”
“What… what’s going on?”
Everyone looked at each other in disbelief. In everyone’s view, the only person who could defeat Xing Qingsui was Su Donglin.
But Su Donglin had only made it to the First-Class Roll.
This threw everyone into confusion.
Being in the advanced stages of the Heavenly Reflection State meant that he was the top candidate in the Imperial Examinations.
So, who could defeat Su Donglin?
The key issue here was that it wasn’t just one person. Three people had better scores than Su Donglin.
“Congratulations young master Su!”
A voice rang out.
This voice was like a thorn in Su Donglin’s side. His expression immediately darkened.
He clenched his fists so hard they were turning white.
The person who said this was none other than Fang Zhengzhi.
Furthermore…
Fang Zhengzhi had looked so innocent and sincere when he said that.
It was almost as if he was congratulating a friend.
Su Donglin was fuming, but he decided to suppress it. He saw that Fang Zhengzhi was quite happy, showing no signs of sadness at all.
Did he make it as well?!
Su Donglin looked to the roll as he thought about it.
Then, he realized that Fang Zhengzhi’s name was not there.
“Hahaha… then I must congratulate Young Master Fang for missing out on this one too!” Su Donglin found a sliver of consolation from this.
Top three?!
That was an absolute joke.
There was saying, “The more you do, the more mistakes you make.” Even if one person did the six highest scoring papers on the examination, he could not beat the one person who concentrated on doing one.
“Nangong Mu’s name is not there!”
“Nangong Mu’s name is missing!”
Someone in the crowd suddenly remembered that Nangong Mu, a visitor from the Nangong family, had also come to participate.
More importantly, Nangong Mu had a brother.
He was Nangong Hao, the first talent of the empire.
Could someone like him miss out on the ranking?
Definitely not.
That could only mean one thing. Nangong Mu was in the top three, and he possibly topped the rankings.
All of the officials turned to look at the youth, who was standing under the shade of the trees.
He was wearing an unassuming t-shirt. His ordinary features became rather outstanding and his white patches of hair fluttered in the breeze.
“It is no wonder he is Nangong Hao’s younger brother!”
“With a brother like Nangong Hao teaching him, isn’t it quite expected of him to make the top three?”
“I heard that Nangong Mu had the ability to pass the Imperial Examinations two years ago, but he gave it up.”
“It seems that it had something to do with Chi Guyan, but no one knows the details.”
None of the commotion seemed to affect Nangong Mu. His gaze was still calm, almost lifeless.
“Why does it feel like… there is one name missing from the roll?!”
Just as all the officials were focused on Nangong Mu, a question arose from near the front.
A missing name?!
Even though this sounded ridiculous, it caught the attention of everybody. However, they quickly realized what this person meant.
The First-Class Roll contains 20 names. Taking away the top three, 17 names should have been released.
However…
There were only 16 names on the board?!
“There really is a missing name!”
“It’s not a missing name, it’s a missing person!”
“Could they have missed it out?”
All the confused gazes concentrated on Han Zhangfeng.
However, Han Zhangfeng’s expression did not change.
He simply looked towards King Duan, who was standing nearby.
Chapter 181: Topping the Theory Examination
King Duan naturally knew what Han Zhangfeng meant.
Even though Han Zhangfeng was the Chief Examiner, he was still a King. As such, Han Zhangfeng would not willfully announce the top three names.
In actual fact, King Duan had not wanted to announce the top three. He had tried to push it away, but Han Zhangfeng vehemently refused, even falling to his knees.
“King Duan, please let me off. I am already very old, I cannot take this kind of trauma!”
This exasperated King Duan.
As for the Ninth Prince “Lin Yun”, he was next to useless. All he did usually was race horses and gamble.
He clearly could not take on such a responsibility.
King Duan cleared his throat and retrieved a gold card.
There was a saying that the top names must be written on gold.
This was all the more so for the Imperial Examinations. Writing their names on a gold card emphasized their value.
Seeing the gold card, the entire crowd quietened down.
“As everyone can see, there is one less name on the First-Class Roll. That is because, for the first time ever, there had been a tie in the top three!” King Duan quickly allayed everyone’s worry.
“A tie!”
“That means that there are three others other than Nangong Mu in the top three?!”
“Oh gosh, another three people managed to better Su Donglin and Xing Qingsui? How is that possible…”
The chatter below intensified following the announcement.
Su Donglin’s expression darkened. He did not mind being beaten by someone like Nangong Mu. But being beaten by yet another three people? That was something he could not swallow.
“The tie this time is for third place. The two people are Nangong Mu from the Nangong Noble Family and Qing Yang from the Qing Clan!” King Duan opened the gold card and announced.
“Nangong Mu is third place?!”
“And who is Qing Yang? Why haven’t we heard of him?”
“Where is the Qing Clan? Is that a location or a residence? If he can take top three in the Imperial Examination, why does no one know him?”
The discussions intensified after the announcement.
There were way too many surprises in this edition of the Imperial Examination. First, Xing Qingsui and Su Donglin had failed to make the top three, and then, an unknown named Qing Yang had made it.
King Duan could guess who this Qing Yang was. However, he could not say it because he knew that even the emperor knew about this.
Since the emperor had not said anything, he had to keep his mouth shut as well.
Nangong Mu, who was standing in the shade, had the first glimmer of emotion in his calm eyes upon seeing his name on the roll.
“Third?”
King Duan knew the impact that this ranking would cause. As such, he did not interrupt the discussions, letting them die down on their own instead.
Finally, all their gazes returned to him.
“For this edition of the Imperial Examination, the second place goes to Yan Xiu of the Yan Family!” King Duan unconsciously in Yan Xiu’s direction as he announced the name.
Everyone looked in that direction as well.
Yan Xiu was just 16 and at the pinnacle of the Star Conglomerate State. Because of his second placing at the River of Trust Provincial Examination, he moved to 13th place on the Hidden Dragon Roll.
That was quite a good result.
However, no one was too surprised. After all, he was from the Yan Family.
However, today…
The 16 year old Yan Xiu had managed to take second place in the Imperial Examination. This took the world by surprise because he hadn’t even attained the Heavenly Reflection State.
A Star Conglomerate cultivator can get second place?!
At this point, everyone looked at Yan Xiu with shock. This meant that Yan Xiu’s potential had not been fully harnessed.
When he finally broke through, he may be even better than many of the Heavenly Reflection State cultivators in the city.
Did the Yan Family manage to cultivate yet another talent?
But…
Why would such a talent stay together with Fang Zhengzhi, who did not even make it? That was so confusing. As everyone looked at Yan Xiu, they looked at Fang Zhengzhi as well.
When one person did well, it was only natural for others to compare him with those around him.
But the difference was way too big.
One was the second place in the Imperial Examination. The other was a greedy, obnoxious, reputation driven boy. It defied reason why the two would hang out together.
At this point, Su Donglin came over with two of his servants.
“Congratulations! The fact that Brother Yan is able to come in second place surprises me. I heard that you are still in the Star Conglomerate State. For the combat examinations, you can travel with me. I can make sure you make the First-Class Roll!”
“It’s okay.” Yan Xiu glanced at Su Donglin expressionlessly, almost as if he was talking to a stranger.
“This is the first time Brother Yan is participating in the Imperial Examinations. I am afraid you do not know the dangers of the combat examinations. Furthermore, this edition will be different from the others. It would be unwise for you to travel alone as a Star Conglomerate cultivator.” Su Donglin advised again.
“You’re… very naggy!” Yan Xiu’s tone became incredibly icy.
“Naggy?!” Su Donglin’s expression changed and he clenched his fist before lightening his grip.
The Yan Family…
No one dared to antagonize them, even in the capital.
“Why don’t you tell him that you already have a partner?” At this point, Fang Zhengzhi looked at Su Donglin and Yan Xiu.
“Even if I told him that you would be travelling with me, I doubt that he would be able to comprehend it based on his intelligence.” Yan Xiu replied.
“That’s true!” Fang Zhengzhi nodded.
When Su Donglin heard the conversation, his expression darkened significantly and was filled with disbelief.
“Fang Zhengzhi is travelling with you? Hahaha… you’re telling me Fang Zhengzhi is travelling with you?! How can someone who didn’t even make the list travel with you?!” Su Donglin looked at Yan Xiu and chuckled.
Even though he did not dare antagonize the Yan Family, he still dared to throw in a few words of mockery.
At this point, King Duan’s voice rang out again.
“The top scorer on this edition of the examination is the River of Trust Province, Huai An County, Northern Mountain Village’s… Fang Zhengzhi!”
Su Donglin’s laughter ceased.
He couldn’t even close his jaw. His entire face was contorted into an unrecognizable mess. This was a face of immense sadness and disbelief.
At this moment, the entire crowd went silent.
All of those who were just discussing why Yan Xiu would hang around with Fang Zhengzhi all stared in disbelief.
“Fang Zhengzhi is the top scorer on the Theory Examinations?!”
“How can he possibly top the Theory Examinations?!”
“This must be wrong, it is definitely wrong. He completed six different papers, how can he possible top the exam? Does the theory exam value quantity over quality?”
“We want to examine the papers!”
“Yes, we don’t believe that he can top the exam!”
No one was willing to believe that Fang Zhengzhi could top the Theory Examinations even though the announcement came from king Duan.
How can someone so greedy and unfocused top the examinations?
How can someone possibly finish six papers in four hours and still manage to top the examinations? That is impossible.
King Duan’s expression was quite ugly. In fact, announcing that last name was incredibly difficult for him.
He knew the impact that this announcement would cause.
When he had heard the news, he was in greater disbelief than anyone in the crowd.
However…
That was the truth.
Fang Zhengzhi had finished six papers in four hours. Furthermore…
Every word was flawless!
Full marks.
There was nothing to fault in any one the papers.
When King Duan had saw Fang Zhengzhi’s answer sheet, he was incredibly conflicted. He had never expected that someone could be this good.
Han Zhangfeng was trembling slightly.
He knew that he had defied an order, but, he did not regret.
In fact, whilst he was in the Imperial Academy, he had plenty of time to alter Fang Zhengzhi’s script.
However, he hesitated. He hesitated upon seeing Fang Zhengzhi’s script. The script was too perfect. It was a flawless work of art.
For some like Han Zhangfeng who spent his life amongst books, this work of art was of extraordinary value.
This represented a piece of history.
This was one of the greatest moments in the entire history of the empire.
In four hours, a candidate managed to complete six sets of papers flawlessly. His handwriting was immaculate and his answers were well thought out. It was almost a replica of the answer sheet.
How can he let such a script disappear simply because of a personal feud?
Han Zhangfeng raised his pen again. He had dipped it in ink, but he could not bring himself to alter the script, finally dropping the pen to the ground.
At that point, Han Zhangfeng was stunned.
But he was incredibly happy.
He had personally sent this script into the annals of history for the entire populace to see.
This script was now available to all the officials, all of the noble families…
It was possible to finish all six sets of papers!
“King Duan, my lord, please release the papers!” Han Zhangfeng bowed. He was unwilling to let Fang Zhengzhi pass. In fact, he did not want Fang Zhengzhi to live.
However, he had to respect the script, the script that could bring the entire empire to its knees.
Chapter 182: World of the Sage
“Release the scripts!”
“Yes, we want to see the scripts!”
Upon hearing Han Zhangfeng, the entire crowd turned rowdy again. Without seeing the script, none of them were willing to believe the fact.
This was something that went against anything that they could understand or comprehend.
King Duan looked at Han Zhangfeng, then back at the rowdy populace. If he had a choice, he would reject the proposal.
But, he did not.
Ever since the moment he began announcing the top three, he knew that no one would be able to believe the result.
As such, the only choice was to release the scripts to prove the fairness of the examination. Furthermore, this was an order from the Emperor, Lin Mubai.
An academic wearing black official robes appeared next to King Duan (Lin Xinjue). In his hand was a wooden box covered by a gold cloth.
King Duan knew that it contained Fang Zhengzhi’s script.
“Release it!” King Duan nodded. He tried to look as approachable as possible. He had to bring himself to smile.
So, he smiled, and he smiled radiantyly.
The gold cloth was lifted and the wooden box was opened. The other academics move forward.
12 academics held up each of the 12 pieces, raising it high above their heads. They stood in a straight line and the name on each script was clear for all to see.
Fang Zhengzhi.
More importantly, each paper had the same score, each one had the same imperial seal which read, “The Emperor’s Seal”!
The entire crowd fell silent.
The entire crowd stared at the row of scripts wide eyed. They did not need to verify that, they knew what the seal meant.
“The Great Sage marked it himself!”
“The Emperor’s Seal… it is the Emperor’s Seal!”
“All correct?! He got them all correct!”
“12 pieces papers, four hours, not a single mistake, not even a misspelled word!”
“No marks deducted at all!”
All of the officials at the scene were stunned. The crowd was in awe, especially the candidates who had just taken the exam.
They were the least willing to accept this fact.
Anyone who had seen the exam knew that this edition of the Imperial Examination was much harder than any they had ever seen.
Four hours…
They couldn’t even finish two papers.
Those who had made it to the Second-Class Roll had finished one paper at most, and those who had made it to the First-Class Roll had only managed to do most of the questions.
It was too difficult!
Yet, for such a set of papers, someone actually managed to finish them all in four hours, and without mistake! Completely flawless!
How did he do it?
It was impossible for someone to cheat. In the entire history of the empire, no one had managed to cheat the exams.
So how did he do it if he didn’t cheat?
Su Donglin felt his face heat up as he flushed. He felt like his face was on fire.
“The Emperor’s Seal… all correct?!”
Su Donglin felt like he had wasted two decades studying. In the face of the examination paper, he felt worse than a three year old kid.
“Fang Zhengzhi!” Su Donglin began to tremble. That was a tremble of shame and anger.
He thought about what Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu had said previously.
“Why don’t you tell him that you already have a partner?”
“Even if I told him that you would be travelling with me, I doubt that he would be able to comprehend it based on his intelligence.”
“That’s true!”
That was mockery and humiliation. Complete, unadulterated humiliation. Su Donglin was being completely ignored by Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu.
“The first round!”
“The first round of the combat examinations!”
“I will be sure to kill you!”
Su Donglin did not stay around. He could not. Just moments ago, he had said to Fang Zhengzhi, in front of everyone, that his name would be carved at the highest point of the Roll.
But now…
Fang Zhengzhi’s name occupied the top spot.
The top scorer of the Theory Examinations, Fang Zhengzhi!
At this point, no one dared to question the validity of Fang Zhengzhi’s ranking. Everyone looked at Fang Zhengzhi with envy and jealousy.
All of the officials were incredibly flustered.
An unprecedented talent had just made his name today. This meant that the ancient traditions of the courts were bound to be injected with new blood.
All of the candidates looked at Fang Zhengzhi with fire in their eyes.
He may be the top scorer in the Theory Examinations. However, he is just in the elementary stages of the Heavenly Reflection Realm. What a great stepping stone. What a great opportunity for them all.
Why won’t they be excited?
As long as they defeated Fang Zhengzhi in the combat examinations, the whole world will focus on them.
All of the Heavenly Reflection candidates looked at Fang Zhengzhi like wolves stalking the sheep. They were all filled with anticipation.
Nangong Mu, who was in the shade of the trees, also left.
He left the moment the scripts were released. He did not say anything to anybody. Just before he left, he unconsciously glanced southward.
That was where the Nangong family was.
There was another stunning talent there, Nangong Hao.
Xing Qingsui did not leave. He was not angry. However, when he saw those scripts, his eyes became brighter and brighter, almost like a predator who had just spotted its prey.
…
Inside the aromatic garden of Ping Yang’s residence.
Ping Yang wore a red cloak as she sat on the swing, staying still as she stared in the direction of the academy.
“He must be very happy now?”
“Damn it, I can’t let him be this cocky!”
“But, why is it that this damned hillbilly can do that well? The entire test…”
“Argh, he’ll be the death of me, he’ll be the death of me, oh oh oh…”
Ping Yang continued to mutter to herself as her expression changed continuously. She was happy, angry, sad, crazy…
At an isolated small courtyard on the other side of the Ping Yang residence.
Chi Guyan, who was dressed in a pink dress, lay on a wooden chair wrapped with beast hide. The dress was knee length, and it revealed her exquisite legs.
Her posture looked rather lazy, and her starry eyes looked into the sky. The golden rays of light from the sun shone on her, making her look like an immortal who descended from heaven.
“It is no wonder that shameless thief always lies down in this position. It is quite comfortable… the entire examination. This time, I don’t have to push, he went up there himself, then let me take a break…”
Chi Guyan muttered to herself before closing her eyes, smirking to herself.
Yue Er, who was dressed in a green dress, stood guard at the entrance to the small courtyard.
She was stunned by what she saw. Having followed by Chi Guyan’s side for so long, she had never seen Chi Guyan sit this way.
“Why does it feel like missus has changed. Didn’t she always scold me for poor posture?”
…
…
With the announcement of the Theory Examination rankings, everyone could not believe their eyes and the commotion in the city showed no signs of abating.
There were still quite a few people who came to visit Yu Yiping, the Left Prime Minister. However, his gates were visibly less popular.
He had once said that it was unwise to try to finish the entire exam. Yet now, it had become a forbidden phrase.
No one dared to mention the incident.
However, it was now a story that everyone in the city knew. The storytellers in the teahouses even weaved stories based on it.
This was clearly the work of his detractors.
Yu Yiping knew this, and so did the Crown Prince, Lin Tianrong. Only Lin Xinjue told it to everyone he saw, “I don’t know! Who is so audacious? Who dares to defame the Left Prime Minister!”
The stable political system was now being rocked. This did not seem to have anything to do with Fang Zhengzhi. But without Fang Zhengzhi, would this even have happened?
…
The combat examinations would be held in bad weather.
The rain on this day seemed to be even stronger than before. Dark clouds filled the sky and winds raged around the entire city.
Today was the beginning of the combat examinations, and the weather was not good.
But so what?
There could be no rainbows if there was no rain.
Over 200 candidates in armor stood in the open as the rain pummeled their bodies. They stared intently at the front.
The entire atmosphere at the Imperial Academy’s backyard was solemn.
There was a yellow umbrella in the midst. This umbrella covered two people. One was the bored looking, sapphire color armored Fang Zhengzhi, and the other was the seemingly icy Yan Xiu.
The two of them stood under the yellow umbrella. They looked extremely clean, a clear difference from the rest of the competition.
Han Zhangfeng, who was in white official robes, stared at the lonely umbrella. He raised his head to look at the torrential rain.
Did I make a mistake then?
After so many years of being Chief Examiner, he had seen his fair share of bad weather. However, he had never seen a case where the candidates used an umbrella when he himself did not!
He could only wish that this kind of people did not join the army. Else, such undisciplined fellows were bound to suffer.
But this was just the Imperial Examinations. Could he say anything?
Naturally not.
“You are all the elites of the empire. You are also the future of the Empire. One day, when you walk into the courts, into the armies, I hope that your indomitable spirit will hold strong!”
“The keys to the Great Xia Dynasty will soon be open to you. However, you must first cross this door. Inside this door is competition, cruel, intense competition!”
“They will try to stop you in your tracks. Your responsibility is to smash them!”
“I believe that you all know what “Meng Tian” means to the Great Xia Dynasty. That’s right, he is the one who rode a thousand miles to kill the Devil Lord, “Di Sikong”, the “Sagely Battle God!”
“Today, you all have the honor of entering the “World of the Sage”. That is Meng Tian’s world, and it records all of Meng Tian’s exploits.
“At every level, you will all see a different world, and understand different things.”
“Of course, you must be able to find them, and remain standing!”
“The rules are simple, the last one standing is the champion of this edition of the combat examinations!”
As Han Zhangfeng finished, he scanned the group of candidates. All of them had an insatiable thirst.
They looked on in anticipation.
For this edition of the Imperial Examination, the Emperor had agreed to use the “World of the Sage” as the battleground. He may have been feeling generous. Anyone who entered, regardless pass or fail, would benefit greatly.
However, this also meant that there were immense dangers…
The World of the Sage may be rather difficult for the candidates here today. However, as the Emperor aptly said, “Which warrior has not bled?”
Naturally, Han Zhangfeng knew what he meant.
Without brushes with death, one could not stand tall in the battlefield no matter how strong one was. That person could not be the bastion of the Great Xia Dynasty.
The demons were incredibly vicious and this was a fact every human must accept.
However…
Why did it look like Fang Zhengzhi was not at all nervous. In fact, he looked like a bored outsider?
Han Zhangfeng could not understand what Fang Zhengzhi was thinking about. Did he not want to pass the combat examinations? Or, was he that confident?
That was impossible.
The combat examinations were different from the theory examinations. They required skill.
Even though an elementary stage Heavenly Reflection Cultivator was not weak, he was in no position to be cocky. Furthermore, there was a target on his back.
More importantly, the people controlling the World of the Sage were Han Zhangfeng and King Duan.
Time, space, and people…
If Fang Zhengzhi still managed to be the last man standing.
That would be senseless.
“Go on in!”
“Yes!”
Everyone except for Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu answered in unison.
Fang Zhengzhi could not be bothered, and Yan Xiu was unwilling to answer.
They felt completely differently, but the two of them stood under the same yellow umbrella.
The huge stone door parted.
This signalled the official opening ceremony of the Imperial Combat Examinations…
“The World of the Sage? Meng Tian… why haven’t I heard of him?” Fang Zhengzhi looked on in confusion. Then, he sighed lightly as he looked at the drenched candidates around him.
“Why act… dumb!”
However, he did not notice that every candidate who walked through the stone doors unconsciously looked in his direction, their eyes glimmering.
Chapter 183: Weak
Fang Zhengzhi had never heard of Meng Tian, and he had never heard of the World of the Sage. But so what? It would all be fine as long as Yan Xiu knew about it.
Yan Xiu and Fang Zhengzhi trusted each other immensely.
“Do you know this Meng Tian?”
“Yes I do.”
“Do you know about the World of the Sage?”
“I know a little.”
“Good!”
Fang Zhengzhi nodded.
Each of the candidates rushed to go through the gates.
There was an age old saying that it was better to enter first. Being inside first meant that one was more familiar with the world and thus in an advantageous position.
However, Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu were in no hurry.
As such, the two of them waited quietly outside. They only made their way through the gate after everyone entered.
There was no big plan behind their patience. Fang Zhengzhi was just afraid that squeezing with the rest would dirty his clothes. He also did not want to get wet.
…
The moment they stepped through the stone doors, the rained stopped.
A vast expanse greeted them. There were no tables or chairs, not even a tree in sight. The only thing that could be seen were the green stones on the ground.
The space was not big, but it allowed enough space for all 200 of them to stand inside.
In the near distance was a bridge, a stone bridge. To be more accurate, it was a broken stone bridge.
On the other side of the bridge was a mountain. The mountain was covered by mist so no one could see anything clearly. They surmised that it was a mountain from the silhouette.
This did not seem much different from an ordinary pocket dimension. However, since it was known as the World of the Sage, how could it be this simple?
“Cross the stone bridge!”
Four simple words echoed out throughout the space. It clearly laid out what they had to do.
This was a stone bridge that was broken from the center.
There was a stone at the start of the bridge. It was carved with two words, “Broken Bridge!”
There was nothing else.
Everyone’s gazes focused on the broken bridge but no one took the first step. This was an endless broken bridge.
The gap was clear for all to see, but everything past the gap was covered with white mist.
No one knew how long the bridge was, or if there was even a bridge on the other side.
Everything was unknown.
This was the most unsettling thing.
Fang Zhengzhi did not look at the bridge. He looked at the stone plate, at the two words to be exact…
“Broken Bridge.”
These were two incredibly sharp words.
Every stroke was carved deeply into the stone.
“If my guess is correct, Meng Tian’s weapon was a sword?” Fang Zhengzhi glanced at Yan Xiu.
“It was a sword, but he stopped using it.” Yan Xiu was slightly surprised. How did Fang Zhengzhi know Meng Tian used a sword when he didn’t even know who Meng Tian was?
Fang Zhengzhi pointed at the two words.
Yan Xiu glanced at it and nodded in understanding.
“Speaking of swords, there is a legend in the Great Xia Dynasty. It says that a sword is hidden in the World of the Sage. That is the sword that Meng Tian used to kill the demon lord Di Sikong!”
“There is a sword hidden in the pocket dimension?” Fang Zhengzhi was confused. If that was the case, why can’t he keep his own sword in his pocket dimension?
“When you are at that level, you can keep tens of thousands of things in your pocket dimension. Naturally, you can keep a sword.” Yan Xiu was not surprised by Fang Zhengzhi’s question. After all, he knew Fang Zhengzhi had never gone to school. Ever since Fang Zhengzhi completed the Theory Examination in four hours, he believed this fact even more.
No academy would teach a student like that.
“So… where is the sword?”
“No one seems to be able to find the sword. It is said that the Sagely Battle God never used it again after killing the Demon Lord.”
“Then what did he use?”
“Sabre, a short one.”
“A short sabre? Why would someone who uses a sword change to using a short sabre…” Fang Zhengzhi had difficulty understanding it. Would a right handed person be able to use his left hand to write at such short notice?
Neither he nor Yan Xiu understood it.
No one in the Great Xia Dynasty could explain it either. However, the fact was that he did change to using a short sabre after killing the Demon Lord.
Just as Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu were discussing it, a figure appeared next to them. This was a figure in a red cloak, and her petite body made her look rather frail.
“You managed to sneak in?” Fang Zhengzhi did not even need her to take off her hoodie for him to recognize her.
“What do you mean sneak in? I came in here on my own accord okay?” The crisp, unhappy reply came from under the red cloak.
Fang Zhengzhi was in disbelief. He did not see Ping Yang in the Imperial Academy. She was also not in the courtyard when they entered the World of the Sage.
It was easy to verify this, her cloak was dry.
“Do you have something to say?” Fang Zhengzhi was too lazy to call her bluff.
“I want to defeat you!”
“Sure, but I heard that there is a sword here. I want to go take a look first.”
“You’re talking about the Sagely Battle God’s sword? Hahaha… you want to find that sword? No one has been able to find it in centuries… okay, this feels like fun, I have decided to join you, celebrate!”
Ping Yang stiffened, then guaffawed. She immediately agreed and proposed something rather selfless.
It was all a quick process.
Then, Ping Yang waited for Fang Zhengzhi to welcome her into the group, but instead, Fang Zhengzhi shook his head.
“You are too weak!”
This was a simple and direct statement. But it was an impactful one. Ping Yang began to doubt herself for the first time.
“Fang Zhengzhi, how dare you say that I am too weak?!”
“Isn’t that the case?”
“I am somoene who wants to defeat you!”
“But, the truth is that you are too weak.” Fang Zhengzhi maintained his viewpoint.
“Okay, you forced me into this!” Ping Yang pouted, her crystal clear eyes filling with rage.
Then, she turned and left without hesitation.
Fang Zhengzhi was quite pleased with Ping Yang. At the very least, she knew what shame was. It was not easy for a Star Conglomerate State cultivator to leech of someone like him.
However, very quickly, Fang Zhengzhi found that he had overestimated Ping Yang.
Because…
Ping Yang returned quickly. This time, there was a male in bright green armor next to her.
“Bodyguard? Protection?” Fang Zhengzhi thought to himself.
“Tell them what your cultivation level is now.” Ping Yang walked to Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu and said.
“In reply to the princess, I hit the Heavenly Reflection State a year ago!” The middle aged man replied respectfully.
“Okay, now, I want you to defeat me!” Ping Yang looked at Fang Zhengzhi as she said this.
“I cannot touch the Princess!” The middle aged man was scared out of his wits when he heard it.
“Enough with the excuses. If you can’t defeat me today, I will go raid your house tomorrow!” Ping Yang was incredibly domineering, ignoring the pleas of the man.
“Princess, do you really want me to defeat you?” The middle aged man was in disbelief.
How could he possibly take up this battle. He was in the Heavenly Reflection State and she was just a Star Conglomerate Cultivator. The difference was way too stark.
“Of course!” Ping Yang nodded.
All of the other candidates began to take notice as well.
All of them were in disbelief.
“That’s… Princess Ping Yang!”
“Why is she in the combat examinations? And it looks like she’s challenging Wang Chuanping?”
“Wang Chuanping is a Heavenly Reflection cultivator. Princess Ping Yang is only in the Star Conglomerate State, why would she challenge him? Did Wang Chuanping antagonize her?”
The candidates thought to themselves.
Su Donglin stepped out from the crowd at this moment.
Su Donglin was dressed in green. His hair was let down and he was inexplicably charming. However, it was a pity he could not rid himself of that look of tiredness.
Chapter 184: Ping Yang’s Pillar
He looked at Fang Zhengzhi and Ping Yang, his fists clenched, “Fang Zhengzhi, you look like you’re quite free?”
Fang Zhengzhi was really quite free.
He finally understood what Ping Yang wanted to do.
She wanted to challenge a Heavenly Reflection candidate to prove her abilities? This was not something normal people would choose to do.
But, Ping Yang was just a Star Conglomerate cultivator, where did she get the confidence to defeat a Heavenly Reflection cultivator from?
“Princess, my apologies!” Wang Chuanping also understood. He was already 36 years old and the competition was getting more and more intense each year.
He did not wish to give up his chance here.
Furthermore, Ping Yang had already asked him to defeat her. All he had to do was ensure he didn’t injure here.
Ping Yang smiled when she heard Wang Chuanping.
Then…
Something unbelievable happened.
Ping Yang attacked.
She jumped into the air and kicked at Wang Chuanping. Even though she could not match him in cultivation level, she did not lose out in speed or power.
Wang Chuanping did not move. He did not even think of dodging.
If he had to dodge, then what was the difference in their cultivation levels for?
“Bang!”
Ping Yang stopped in mid air, almost as if there was an invisible wind stopping her from getting any closer.
“Star Conglomerate against Heavenly Reflection? It doesn’t seem like much of a fight…”
“But, she’s Ping Yang!”
Two of the candidates began to discuss the battle, and the tide also seemed to change slightly.
Ping Yang, who was finding it difficult to advance, burst into flames. That was real flames, and it burnt her red cloak into ashes.
The sky was scattered with grey ashes.
However, in the middle of the ashes, almost like an elf bathing in fire, Ping Yang looked out arrogantly.
A bright red armor covered her body from head to toe.
This was an armor for a lady. It was designed with flowers and red crystals lined the plates, each crystal bursting into flames.
“The Red Flame Flower Armor!”
All of the candidates, including Su Donglin, realized what was going on the moment they saw the armor.
That’s right…
She is Ping Yang, the princess most pampered by the emperor. It was only normal that she had the best treasures the empire had!
So long as she wore the Red Flame Flower Armor, even the advanced Heavenly Reflection Stage Su Donglin could not do any harm to her.
Wang Chuanping, who was only in the intermediate stages, was even less of a question.
But was the armor enough?
It would only be enough to force a tie.
“Roar!” A beastly roar rang out, and another flame shot skywards from Ping Yang’s body.
Under the intense red light, there was a spot of gold that seemed to flicker.
It was like a gold point, and from the moment it showed itself, it brought with it an incredibly vicious and domineering aura.
“The Blazing Qilin Spear!”
“One of the ten great treasures of the Great Xia Dynasty!”
“The Emperor actually gave her the Blazing Qilin Spear…”
All of the candidates were in awe when they saw Ping Yang holding the Blazing Qilin Spear.
They had all heard rumors that the Emperor, Lin Mubai, had given the Blazing Qilin Spear to Ping Yang for her birthday, but no one had seen it before.
Until today…
The Blazing Qilin Spear was out for all to see.
The devilish girl of the capital was no longer just armed with an indestructible armor, she was now armed with the Blazing Qilin Spear. She was now… a vicious devilish girl with a credible way to hurt people.
That being said, no one would dare attack Ping Yang.
However, daring to, and being able to, were two completely different concepts.
To put it simply…
They had the ability to protect themselves before. Now that Ping Yang has the Blazing Qilin Spear, she could destroy any defence they put up.
Fang Zhengzhi had heard about the Blazing Qilin Spear when Lin Mubai mentioned it at Ping Yang’s birthday party.
Today was the first time he saw the Blazing Qilin Spear in person.
It was a completely red spear. At the tip of the spear was a golden pearl. Light flowed inside the pearl, almost as if there was some sort of blood flowing inside.
Below the the pearl were scale like designs. The designs extended all the way to the bottom of the spear, making it incredibly exquisite.
“Good spear!” Even though Fang Zhengzhi did not know his spears, it did not take a genius to figure out that this was a good spear.
Wang Chuanping’s expression of calm had been replaced by crimson.
He had finally understood why Ping Yang had said that if he did not fight her, she would go raid his home.
A Star Conglomerate Ping Yang was nothing to be afraid of.
But, with the protection of the Red Flame Flower Armor and the attacking prowess the Blazing Qilin Spear brought, Ping Yang was incredibly terrifying.
Ping Yang smirked as she raised her head. She unconsciously looked at Fang Zhengzhi as she thursted the spear towards Wang Chuanping.
“Roar!” The beastlike roar echoed out once again.
The entire sky filled with flames and crashed towards Wang Chuanping. In the midst of the fire was a golden point, which was going straight towards Wang Chuanping’s throat.
Wang Chuanping wanted to retreat, but the aura seemed to root him in place.
He wanted to defend himself. However, the wind he controlled only managed to repel the flames but not the golden light.
That was a homing golden light.
It was impossible to block!
This was the Blazing Qilin Spear. It could penetrate everything.
Only a spear like that could qualify to become one of the top ten treasures of the Great Xia Empire. It was said that this was the most fearsome weapon around.
The golden light stopped.
It stopped about an inch from Wang Chuanping’s throat.
Wang Chuanping sat on the ground. He had underestimated his opponent, and that was his undoing. If he had kept his distance from Ping Yang from the start, he would not have lost so quickly.
“So what about my abilities?” Ping Yang turned to look at Fang Zhengzhi.
Fang Zhengzhi ignored Ping Yang, looking at Yan Xiu instead.
Yan Xiu understood what Fang Zhengzhi was asking, and nodded.
Then, Fang Zhengzhi nodded to Ping Yang.
“Not bad!”
“Not bad?! You…” Ping Yang wanted to flip out. Her Blazing Qilin Spear and herself were not just ‘not bad’. No one there could block an outright attack from her.
However, her goal was to join Fang Zhengzhi’s group and find the legendary sword.
Even though…
The possibility of it was unlikely, she had a feeling that if anyone had a chance, it would be Fang Zhengzhi.
Someone who managed to finish the entire examination should know this world well right?
That was what Ping Yang thought.
If Ping Yang knew that Fang Zhengzhi did not even know Meng Tian, she may not think that way…
Ping Yang swallowed her words before she could say them.
As such, Fang Zhengzhi did not say anymore and accepted Ping Yang with exasperation. Then, he walked over to the fallen Wang Chuanping.
“You have lost!”
“Yes…” Wang Chuanping was not happy about it, but that was the fact.
“The Imperial Examinations are only held once every two years, and each one is harder than the last. You don’t want to go out like this, do you?” Fang Zhengzhi pressed.
“Of course, but…” Wang Chuanping’s eyes glowed with pain, but he could not do anything.
“Then, do you want a second chance?” Fang Zhengzhi smiled radiantly.
“A second… second chance?!” Wang Chuanping was floored. He did not really understand what Fang Zhengzhi was saying.