Gate of God

Chapter 283: Squashed by the door

“No? Okay then… I’m going off first!” Ping Yang seemed to expect this reply from the Ninth Prince. She turned and prepared to leave.

“Hang on!” The Ninth Prince blocked the exit in a hurry. “Sister, don’t leave just yet, let us discuss it!”

“Bang!”

Just at this moment, the door to the room was kicked open.

The Ninth Prince did not manage to dodge in time. He felt the door crash into the back of his head. The force flung him towards the wall. Then, he fell to his knees.

“Surprise!” A voice rang out from outside the door. Then, a figure in a blue long sleeved shirt sauntered in.

…

Fang Zhengzhi thought that he would be giving the occupants of the room a huge surprise.

However, he did not expect to be surprised to see someone kneeling on the floor the moment he entered.

And…

Oh?

Ping Yang!

Fang Zhengzhi could not react in time.

Shouldn’t the servant be here? Why is it Ping Yang and a kneeling youth? Is he proposing?

“I’m sorry for disturbing!” Fang Zhengzhi prepared to turn and leave.

“Stand right there!” Ping Yang was surprised. She never expected anyone to disturb her breakfast at Fragrance Restaurant. More importantly, the person who disturbed her was Fang Zhengzhi.

How did this shameless guy manage to come in?

“What’s wrong?” Fang Zhengzhi stopped.

“You want to leave after injuring someone? I don’t think it is that easy. Furthermore, do you know who you injured?” Ping Yang smirked as she looked at the kneeling Ninth Prince.

“Who is it?” Fang Zhengzhi was looking at the Ninth Prince’s back, so he did not recognize him.

Even if Fang Zhengzhi saw his face, he may not recognize the Ninth Prince. After all, they had not met officially before.

“The Ninth Prince, Lin Yun!” Ping Yang beamed as she announced. She wanted to see the fear on Fang Zhengzhi’s face when he found out who he had injured.

However…

Fang Zhengzhi was expressionless.

“What did you say? I couldn’t hear you properly… it’s early in the morning, what’s wrong with my ears? How strange!” Fang Zhengzhi murmured. Then, before Ping Yang could reply, he bolted out the door.

He left Ping Yang and the Ninth Prince in the room. They looked at each other…

…

Inside an ordinary room beside the Fragrance Restaurant.

Su Ping looked at the crowd. He had a cup of piping hot tea in front of him.

“Your honor, it has all been done!” At this point, a servant dressed in black jumped in from the window and knelt in front of Su Qing.

“Mm.” Su Qing nodded and picked up his tea. He took a sip expressionlessly.

“Your honor, you have great foresight! Fang Zhengzhi really followed me to the Fragrance Restaurant!” The servant continued.

“How much did you sell the Sun Shooting Bow for?” Su Qing ignored the praises as he continued to enjoy his tea.

“About that…” The servant’s expression changed.

“What happened?”

“Fang Zhengzhi is indeed shameless. He really lives up to that name! I only got five coppers for it!”

“Five coppers?!” Su Qing was stunned, the cup in his hand shaking slightly. The tea spilled over the side and onto his hand, causing him to frown.

“Your honor, please save me. If King Duan knew about this, he would punish me severely.”

“Forget it. It is not your fault anyways. If Fang Zhengzhi was so easy to take down, he would not have lived till today. I will handle King Duan. You can leave now!”

“Thank you your honor! I will repay your kindness with my life!” The servant leapt out the window and disappeared into the distance.

“The Sun Shooting Bow for five coppers… how can someone be this shameless? Even if you knew it was a conspiracy, you could have given at least 500? He probably has at least 50? Five coppers… how can a Sword Envoy only give five coppers? It is no wonder he is a lowly villager!” Su Qing muttered to himself. Then, he looked in the direction of the Fragrance Restaurant, “It’s a pity the Sun Shooting Bow is not so easy to get!”

…

Fang Zhengzhi decided to run whilst he still could.

However, he forgot one detail. He was in the Fragrance Restaurant, and the waiter had brought along some backup.

As such…

He was unsurprisingly stopped at the stairway.

Everything else happened naturally. The Ninth Prince bellowed at the guards to back off, then led Fang Zhengzhi back into the room.

All of them looked at each other.

“I am sorry for disturbing your breakfast.” After a moment of silence, Fang Zhengzhi decided to break it. Then, he reached for a snack.

He stuffed it into his mouth.

“These are mine!” Ping Yang fumed and pouted. However, she did not stop Fang Zhengzhi. Instead, she looked on in anticipation.

“Oh come on, you can spare one! Oh, this snack is quite nice!” Fang Zhengzhi murmured to himself as he grabbed a handful.

“I knew you never had it before. Is it good? Do you want more?” Ping Yang was happy to see Fang Zhengzhi gorging himself.

“You have more?” Fang Zhengzhi’s eyes brightened.

“Of course we do. Ninth Brother?” Ping Yang looked at Lin Yun.

“If Official Fang likes it, I can get someone to bring more to you.” Lin Yun looked at Fang Zhengzhi.

“Okay, that’ll be great!” Fang Zhengzhi nodded, then poured himself a cup of tea. He gulped it down and his eyes glimmered, “Good tea!”

Even though Fang Zhengzhi did not know how to appreciate tea…

One did not need to know the art to know that this was superior tea. Its sweetness and aroma were dead giveaways.

“Tell me, do you have something that you need my help with?” Ping Yang looked at Fang Zhengzhi haughtily.

“Will you believe me if I told you that I went into the wrong room?” Fang Zhengzhi filled his cup again.

“Wrong room? Such a coincidence?” Ping Yang did not believe it.

“It is quite a coincidence. The snacks are almost finished, I’ll take my leave if there’s nothing else.” Fang Zhengzhi looked at the empty plate and prepared to leave.

“You want to leave after injuring someone? You injured the Ninth Prince, my brother. You hit his head with the door. Do you really think you can leave so easily?” Ping Yang knew what Fang Zhengzhi was thinking.

She was not going to let Fang Zhengzhi get away so easily. She was going to use this to make him beg for his life.

“I am sure Official Fang did not do it on purpose, we can…” The Ninth Prince waved her off. Even though he still felt a little faint, to harp on this incident made him look petty.

Furthermore, he knew that Fang Zhengzhi and Ping Yang’s relationship was not ordinary. As such, he did not want to put Fang Zhengzhi in a difficult position.

“Ninth Brother, do you want to borrow the Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion?” Ping Yang interrupted the Ninth Prince.

“Of course!” The Ninth Prince was instantly excited.

“As such, do you think that we should pursue this matter?” Ping Yang smirked.

“Yes, of course we should!” The Ninth Prince instantly understood. Then, he looked at Fang Zhengzhi apologetically, “Official Fang, how about you pay me 1000 silvers?”

“1000 silvers?!”

Fang Zhengzhi and Ping Yang were both in shock.

“Are you trying to rob me?!”

“How can you let him off so easily?!”

The first one was by Fang Zhengzhi, the second one was by Ping Yang.

Then, they glared at each other, flames burning in their eyes. Fang Zhengzhi and Ping Yang were both furious.

“I don’t care. Unless he pays at least 10,000 silvers, you can forget about borrowing the Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion. Furthermore, he has to come and be a servant at my residence for 10 days. He will serve me to atone for his mistake!” Ping Yang ordered.

“Is your brain damaged? I didn’t hurt you, why should I be your servant?” Fang Zhengzhi was infuriated.

This was bullying.

As someone with dreams, intellect, and courage, Fang Zhengzhi would never accede to such a request.

“I just want you to come and be my servant!” Ping Yang insisted.

The Ninth Prince began to sweat. Their relationship is indeed complicated. Fang Zhengzhi seemed to have just scolded Ping Yang?

Most importantly…

Ping Yang was not angry?

What’s going on?

Has Ping Yang changed? The Ninth Prince did not think that Ping Yang had changed for the better. Furthermore, he had just experienced how unreasonable she could be.

There could only be one reason.

The person who scolded her was Fang Zhengzhi.

“What if I don’t admit to… injuring him?” Fang Zhengzhi questioned.

“You want to deny it? Oh please, the injury is so obvious. Furthermore, I was witness to the incident together with so many waiters. With so much evidence against you, you can forget about denying it!” Ping Yang said confidently.

Fang Zhengzhi was silent.

Denying his actions was not going to work. Furthermore, according to the rules of this world, injuring a prince could have massive consequences.

At best, it was a misunderstanding.

At worst…

It could be seen as disrespect for the royal family and an intent to rebel.

F*ck this.

He had really entered the wrong door!

Fang Zhengzhi felt wronged. He had been in a hurry to get to the bottom of his case. As a result, he ended up causing himself more trouble.

Fang Zhengzhi turned to look at the Ninth Prince.

He had injured the Ninth Prince. Ping Yang was simply leveraging the fact that the Ninth Prince would listen to her. However, what if the Ninth Prince didn’t?

What did Ping Yang say just now?

Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion?

The Ninth Prince must have wanted to borrow the Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion. That was why he was listening to Ping Yang.

What if he helped the Ninth Prince get the Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion back?

Hmm…

Once he thought about the guards in Ping Yang’s residence, he realized that it would be too much of a risk. Since he could not do it covertly, he had to snatch it from her now.

To deal with Ping Yang was easy.

However, he had to know why the Ninth Prince wanted to find Ping Yang to borrow the Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion.

“May I know why the Ninth Prince would like to borrow the Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion?” Fang Zhengzhi turned to the Ninth Prince, ignoring Ping Yang.

“Official Fang should have heard about the hunting competition that the Emperor is hosting?” The Ninth Prince answered.

“Yes, I do.” Fang Zhengzhi nodded.

Before every examination, all of the talents would have a gathering. Ever since Fang Zhengzhi exposed Yun Qingwu’s veil, he had been known as a pervert.

As such, he rarely attended these gatherings.

“There is a horse race in the competition. The Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion is my ride, as such…” The Ninth Prince sulked.

Fang Zhengzhi had an idea of what was happening.

Ping Yang probably stole the Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion from the Ninth Prince.

Now, things were easier. All he had to do was take the Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion back from Ping Yang and everything would be settled.

How was he going to do it?

Just as Fang Zhengzhi was thinking about it, he scanned Ping Yang’s face…

“What are you looking at? If you don’t come and be my servant, I will never lend the Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion to the Ninth Prince. If you can, you can try snatching it from my place!” Ping Yang saw Fang Zhengzhi’s scheming expression and replied arrogantly.

Chapter 284: Profound

Servant?

Fang Zhengzhi looked at Ping Yang scornfully as he snorted. He would never be a servant in Ping Yang’s residence.

“Okay then, I agree to being your servant!” After snorting, Fang Zhengzhi agreed to Ping Yang’s demands.

“What?!”

Ping Yang and the Ninth Prince both exclaimed in surprise.

Even Ping Yang could not believe what she just heard, much less the Ninth Prince. This shameless fella actually agreed to be a servant?

“You… agree?” Ping Yang asked doubtfully.

“Yes, I agree!” Fang Zhengzhi nodded.

“Hahaha… Fang Zhengzhi, I never expected this day to come, hahaha…” Ping Yang nearly fell over laughing when she heard this.

“Hahaha, yes indeed. I never thought this day would come.” Fang Zhengzhi chuckled.

The Ninth Prince looked at Fang Zhengzhi, then back at Ping Yang. He felt that something was amiss. Why would Fang Zhengzhi agree to be a servant?

After laughing for some time, Ping Yang noticed that Fang Zhengzhi was laughing too. This dampened her spirits.

“What are you laughing about? You’re so happy being a servant?” Ping Yang’s eyes glimmered doubtfully.

“Of course! Not everyone can be a servant in Ping Yang’s residence.” Fang Zhengzhi replied sincerely.

“Do you really think so?” Ping Yang did not believe him.

“Yes.” Fang Zhengzhi nodded.

“Hahaha… okay then, you can follow me back to my residence and start now!” Ping Yang could not help but chuckle.

However, Fang Zhengzhi did not move from his seat.

He continued to drink the tea.

“What’s happening? Are you going back on your word?” Ping Yang then added, “if you’re not my servant, I will never loan out the Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion!”

“Would someone as trustworthy as me go back on my word?” Fang Zhengzhi replied with scorn.

“Then why aren’t you going back to my residence with me?” Ping Yang asked.

“No matter what, I am still the Sword Envoy, a rank four official. If I just go and be your servant right now, what would the public think?” Fang Zhengzhi queried.

“I will cut out the tongue of anyone who dares to say anything stupid!” Ping Yang replied haughtily, her arms akimbo.

“Sister, Official Fang raises a valid point. As a rank four official, it is not appropriate for him to be a servant at your place.” Even though the Ninth Prince did not know what game Fang Zhengzhi was playing, he did not know what to say at this point.

“So what do you want?” Ping Yang pouted and looked at Fang Zhengzhi.

“We have to sign a statement that says that I am serving you voluntarily. That way, there will be evidence and no one will say anything unwarranted.

“Statement?” Ping Yang had thought that Fang Zhengzhi would use this opportunity to ask for some benefits. She did not expect Fang Zhengzhi to dig his own grave. “That’s a great idea, let’s sign that document!”

“Official Fang, you really want to sign this document?” The Ninth Prince was in disbelief.

He had thought that Fang Zhengzhi was just trying to get the Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion for him. Then, he would simply walk off after that. Yet, Fang Zhengzhi had asked for an official document.

Isn’t that digging his own grave?

“Of course! Words are empty! We need evidence!” Fang Zhengzhi asserted.

“Hahaha… good! Get me someone!” Ping Yang leapt to her feet and rushed out.

Within moments, a servant rushed into the room with the necessary writing instruments. Then, she bowed to the three occupants and left.

Fang Zhengzhi immediately picked up the pen. However, after twirling it in his hands, he did not write anything.

“Now what?” Ping Yang asked suspiciously.

“I can be your servant, but, I need you to agree to a few conditions.” Fang Zhengzhi put down the pen and sipped his tea.

“Tell me what they are!”

“First, I need a room to myself! I cannot stay with anyone else. This room must be spacious, clean, elegant…”

“Enough, I will give you your own courtyard!” Ping Yang interrupted.

“Okay then!” Fang Zhengzhi nodded his head in satisfaction. Then, he continued, “I need to be paid. My salary is not much, 1000 silvers a day, 10,000 silvers in total. This must be given each day.”

“Okay! We will do as you say, 1000 silvers a day!” Ping Yang agreed.

The Ninth Prince was sweating profusely. Is Fang Zhengzhi really going to be a servant? Which servant was paid 1000 silvers a day and had their own courtyard?

However, seeing that Ping Yang had no objections, he did not raise any either.

Furthermore…

More importantly, Fang Zhengzhi was going to be a servant so that he could benefit. He would not destroy Fang Zhengzhi’s plan.

As for Ping Yang, did she ever care about silver?

Of course not. She was already thinking of how to torture Fang Zhengzhi. Will she have him clear the toilets? Or have him wash her legs?

If he dares to disobey…

She’ll have him whipped!

Once Fang Zhengzhi entered her residence, her wish was his command.

“Next, I need to have personal time. The court examinations are coming up, I need time to study.”

“Okay, I promise you. I will give you four hours daily.”

“Fourth, I…”

“Okay, I’ll give it to you!”

“Next…”

“I agree to all your terms! I will give you whatever you want. Do you have any other problems?” Ping Yang waved her hands in exasperation.

“No problems, but I need to write them all down. If not, if you don’t pay up then, who will I go to?” Fang Zhengzhi replied.

“Write it down then!” Ping Yang nodded. She thought to herself, “Even though you’ve written it down, you won’t be able to do anything once you enter my residence!”

“Okay, now that the terms are agreed upon, we need a witness.” Fang Zhengzhi turned to look at the Ninth Prince.

The Ninth Prince heard this and nodded, “I will be the witness.”

Ping Yang had no objections.

Everything fell into place.

Fang Zhengzhi began writing. Before long, he had a whole page, then a second one, and a third one… He was writing for so long Ping Yang was falling asleep.

“Okay, I’m done, do you want to take a look?” Fang Zhengzhi nodded satisfactorily. Then, he placed the stack in front of Ping Yang.

“I don’t have to look at it, just sign it!” Ping Yang signed her name without hesitation.

Then, the Ninth Prince signed his name beside the word ‘Witness’.

The stack of papers reached Fang Zhengzhi. Ping Yang looked on in anticipation. Once Fang Zhengzhi signed it, the document would take effect.

However, Fang Zhengzhi was in no hurry.

“So, I’m sure you won’t go back on your word?” Fang Zhengzhi hesitated as he glanced at Ping Yang.

“Why would I? Am I such a person?” Ping Yang pounded her chest and asserted.

“Then why aren’t you lending the Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion to the Ninth Prince?” Fang Zhengzhi looked at the Ninth Prince worriedly.

“That’s simple. Ninth Brother, take this token and you can retrieve the Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion from my residence!” Ping Yang retrieved a golden token and passed it to the Ninth Prince.

The Ninth Prince reached forward ecstatically.

However, he came up with nothing.

“Hang on, I nearly fell for your trick!” Ping Yang kept the token and pointed to the document. “You have to sign it first!”

“Okay!” Fang Zhengzhi signed on it without hesitation.

Ping Yang picked up the document and made sure that Fang Zhengzhi had signed his own name.

“Hahaha… Fang Zhengzhi, this day has finally come!” Ping Yang smiled happily as she passed the token to the Ninth Prince.

The Ninth Prince looked at Fang Zhengzhi apologetically as he took the token.
“Official Fang, I am sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry about. Please go collect your Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion.” Fang Zhengzhi waved him off.

The Ninth Prince flew out of the room without a second word.

He was really afraid that Ping Yang would go back on her word.

…

Inside the room.

Ping Yang was beaming.

Fang Zhengzhi sat quietly by the side, drinking his tea. Then, he called for a waitress and ordered even more snacks. Since Ping Yang was paying, he did not need to be too conservative.

Ping Yang was not angry at all. “Eat up eat up, when you’re done, I will show you how ‘fun’ my residence is!”

15 minutes passed.

An hour passed.

Fang Zhengzhi still did not move.

Ping Yang was getting annoyed, “Aish, you’ve been eating for an hour already! Are you done?”

“Oh? Has it been that long? Okay then… I’m off.” Fang Zhengzhi pat his bum and looked at the rising sun, smirking as he did so.

“Where are you going? Aren’t you going back with me?” Ping Yang was getting anxious when she saw Fang Zhengzhi getting up to leave.

“Why should I do that?” Fang Zhengzhi looked at Ping Yang with a confused expression.

“Are you trying to go back on your word? The document has been signed and the Ninth Prince is the witness. You are to be my servant, so you should go back with me!” Ping Yang held up the document and waved it in front of Fang Zhengzhi.

“Oh… yes, about the document. You now owe me a small courtyard, 10,000 silvers, two sets of superior writing instruments. Also…” Fang Zhengzhi began listing out the terms and conditions.

“Hold on, I will give them all to you. However, you have to be my servant first!” Ping Yang asserted.

“Why?” Fang Zhengzhi queried.

“Because you signed the document!”

“Yes I did.”

“So why aren’t you going back with me?”

“Why should I?”

“You… because you signed the document!”

“And so?”

“It is clearly written that you are to be a servant at my residence for 10 days! Are you trying to go back on your word?”

“Why would I go back on my word?” Fang Zhengzhi waved her off. Then, he pointed at the document in Ping Yang’s hand. “Are you sure it says that I will be a servant at your residence for 10 days?”

Ping Yang’s expression changed as she stared intently at the document. It was written clearly that Fang Zhengzhi sincerely requested to go to Ping Yang’s residence to learn to be a glorified servant…

“There’s nothing wrong with it!” Ping Yang asserted.

“What does it say?”

“It says that you are going to learn how to be a glorified servant at my residence!”

“Is that so? Let me see.” Fang Zhengzhi looked at the document. Then, he caressed the document before returning it to Ping Yang. It just says that I requested to learn at Ping Yang’s residence.

“How can that…” Ping Yang’s jaw dropped.

There was a full stop placed strategically to break up the sentence.

“I’m sorry, I changed my mind. I do not want to learn there anymore. I’ll be off now!” Fang Zhengzhi waved and ran away.

Ping Yang looked at the document, stunned.

“Fang Zhengzhi!”

Ping Yang’s furious screams echoed throughout the entire Fragrance Restaurant.

Fang Zhengzhi sauntered along the streets of the capital. “Just a simple matter of changing the punctuation. Everything else will fall into place easily.”

Of course, Fang Zhengzhi had to plan the entire incident carefully. He needed to offer to draft the document and discuss the terms.

It was just like a bargain. He just had to make sure Ping Yang thought that she was getting a good deal.

If he didn’t go through all that…

It would have been quite the risk to scam Ping Yang.

“I hear that there’s a hunting competition tomorrow?” Fang Zhengzhi looked into the sky and felt the bow with his hand. “The perfect time to test out this bow!”

Chapter 285: Lousy Horse

…

The next morning.

The sun shone brightly in the sky. It made the entire city look golden, the autumn vibes heavy in the air.

Fang Zhengzhi ran over to Yan Xiu’s room the moment he woke up.

Yan Xiu had already woken up, but he did not look well. It was unlikely that Yan Xiu would be able to participate in the hunting competition.

After saying his goodbyes, Fang Zhengzhi went downstairs.

The moment he left the hotel, he saw a figure by the entrance. She was dressed in the Red Flame Flower Armor and wielded the Blazing Qilin Spear.

“I heard that you are participating in the competition?” Ping Yang asked haughtily.

“Do you have any objections?” Fang Zhengzhi replied.

“You’re riding this horrible horse?” Ping Yang queried scornfully when she saw Fang Zhengzhi’s deplorable stallion.

Fang Zhengzhi turned back to take a look.

In all honesty, his horse was…

Quite bad.

However, he had already left his Snow Treading Dragon Stallion in Dong Lin City. He had bought this horse as a cheap replacement.

“Yes.” Fang Zhengzhi asserted.

“As a servant in my residence, your horse is an insult to my reputation. If you beg me, I will lend you my second best stallion.” Ping Yang pointed to the horse next to her Snow Jade.

Beside Snow Jade…

There was a battle horse adorned with green scaled armor.

Fang Zhengzhi did not recognize it. However, if Ping Yang called it her second best stallion, it could not be much worse than the Snow Jade or the Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion.

“It’s okay.” Fang Zhengzhi rejected the proposal unequivocally. If he accepted the stallion, he would be admitting to being a servant in Ping Yang’s residence.

“You really don’t want it? I hear that the prize was set by the Emperor himself. It is definitely going to be good. Don’t you want it?” Ping Yang tempted.

“Based on pure quality, even if I took your offer, my stallion would still be second to yours.” Fang Zhengzhi replied.

“Of course… there is no stallion that can match my Snow Jade in the city!”

“What about the Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion?”

“Not close! It is ranked third at best!” Ping Yang replied haughtily.

“Oh? Which stallion is second?”

“Second? That is Sister Yan’s Scarlet Flame Snow Cloud.”

“Damn it!” Fang Zhengzhi did not like to curse. However, when he thought of the Scarlet Flame Snow Cloud, he couldn’t help himself. After all… that was his horse…

…

By the time Ping Yang and him made it to the hunting grounds, the sun was high up in the sky. Its beams lit up the hunting grounds and the surrounding areas golden.

Just as Fang Zhengzhi expected…

The area was bustling with activity.

Many armored talents were interacting with each other. Most of them were compliments about the others’ horse. They would also look surprised when they fawned over the quality of the horse.

Other than compliments for the horse, they complimented armor, weapons, even the hair clip used.

Fang Zhengzhi had always not been interested in this.

It was a good thing no one complimented him. After all, his horse was so horrible it didn’t deserve any praise. Even its ears were drooped as it looked at the grass by the side of the road lacklusterly.

“Oh? It’s Fang Zhengzhi?”

“Who would have thought that he would participate in the hunting competition and horse race?”

“I heard that ever since the previous incident, he had never attended such gatherings. Why is he here all of a sudden?”

“I guess it’s for the Emperor’s reward”

“Hang on, his stallion is… what is it called? I can’t remember it’s name.”

“Mud Striped Horse! It is native to Dong Lin City and is herbivorous.”

“Herbivorous? Aren’t all superior breeds carnivorous? Is this horse good? Why is he riding it to the competition?

“Not at all. You can easily get one from Dong Lin City for 20 silvers!”

“Hahaha…”

All of them began to laugh. Then, they realized that Fang Zhengzhi was travelling with Ping Yang.

Before long, many gathered around Fang Zhengzhi.

This was a competition hosted by the Emperor himself. Everyone brought their best stallion and Fang Zhengzhi’s ride stood out from the crowd for all the wrong reasons.

However, Fang Zhengzhi did not mind. If a competition depended entirely on the horse, what was the human for?

Ping Yang did not mind either. In fact, she was smiling very happily. She wore the Red Flame Flower Armor, wielded the Blazing Qilin Spear, and rode the Snow Jade.

Ping Yang was definitely the best equipped person there.

As such, Ping Yang was glad to stand beside Fang Zhengzhi. She shone like a bright star next to him. Furthermore, she stuck to him like glue. Wherever he went, she went.

Fang Zhengzhi knew that Ping Yang was using him to make herself shine.

After the gong rang out, the Emperor’s arrival was announced. There were a few princes dressed in gaudy attires following behind.

This was a gathering of the elites, and was also a chance for the princes to show off their skills.

Fang Zhengzhi quickly spotted the Ninth Prince riding the Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion. Then, he spotted the Crown Prince and King Duan riding battle stallions.

Other than them, there were many officials following behind. However, there were significantly less officials than there were at the preliminary court examinations.

That being said, there were more than twice the number of generals.

They wore different armors. They were at least 50 of them of various ages.

The accompanying party brought the number close to 100. They galloped from the distance, kicking up clouds of dust.

Fang Zhengzhi estimated…

Without taking into account the soldiers guarding the perimeter, there were at least 50 military personnel, seven officials, and more than 300 talents participating in this competition.

It was a grand sight.

Fang Zhengzhi knew that there were almost 200 candidates participating in this edition of the court examinations. Furthermore, they had to pass the imperial examinations before being allowed to participate in the court examinations.

As such, he was sure that there were at least a hundred talents who had fluffed their way here.

This was not a surprise. After all, this was a gathering of talents. Many youths relished the opportunity to showcase their skills to the Emperor.

…

The Emperor arrived soon after. He had left the dragon robes behind, choosing a golden armor and a golden dragon cape. He rode a bright red battle stallion.

When he saw Fang Zhengzhi…

Emperor Lin Mubai was clearly taken aback. He looked at the Mud Striped Horse Fang Zhengzhi was riding, shook his head, then left.

All of the other princes had also noticed Fang Zhengzhi.

“That is Fang Zhengzhi? Why does he look like a spectator?”

“I think he is here to provide comedic value.”

Two young princes murmured to themselves. Then, they puffed their chests and followed behind the Emperor.

King Duan looked on mockingly when he glanced at Fang Zhengzhi.

The Crown Prince snickered and did not take a second look.

The Ninth Prince glanced at all of the other princes before looking at Fang Zhengzhi apologetically. He rode over.

“Official Fang, would you like a different horse? I have a few other good ones. I can still get them here in time for the competition.”

“Thank you your highness. My horse may not look good, but it can run quite fast.” Fang Zhengzhi shook his head.

“I see.” The Ninth Prince hesitated before leaving.

All of the officials and the princes were confused to see the scene unfold.

“How does the Ninth Prince know Fang Zhengzhi?”

“No idea.”

“I heard something about it. Fang Zhengzhi had managed to get Ninth Prince’s Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion from…”

“From what?!” A shrill voice rang out beside Fang Zhengzhi.

That official felt a chill down his spine. It was almost as if an icy gust had brushed past his neck, causing all of the hairs on his back to stand.

“Humph!” Ping Yang snorted as she glared at the official.

…

The door to the hunting grounds were open. The Emperor and his entourage entered.

It was time for the opening ceremony.

Ladies dressed in long sleeved dresses began to dance. There were also servants walking around offering wine, food, and snacks.

Fang Zhengzhi had a seat to himself as a rank four official. He began to eat without restraint.

“Eat up eat up. I’ll like to see you race on a full stomach!”

“Official Li, I am guessing Official Fang is here to eat?”

All of the officials looked at Fang Zhengzhi in disgust when they saw him ravaging the food.

Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping did not say anything. He raised his glasses to toast all of the officials.

They were eating as well, but they ate sparingly.

After the opening ceremony…

The arena quietened down. One of the officials stepped out, cleared his throat, then announced the rules of the competition.

After the announcement, it was time for the Emperor’s speech.

Once that was done, registration officially opened.

Fang Zhengzhi decided that he would throw his hat in since he was here.

The officials in charge of registration were shocked to see Fang Zhengzhi register. All of the talents and generals could not help but lower their heads and snicker.

“Fang Zhengzhi registered?”

“I guess he is accompanying someone?”

“I guess he can’t do much else.”

“Of course! If he can actually get a decent ranking with that Mud Striped Horse, I will write my name backwards!”

“That’s all? I am willing to run around this place butt naked. Do you dare to do the same?”

“Sure, what’s there to be afraid of?!”

The generals and talents continued to joke by the side.

Fang Zhengzhi looked on by the side. In the end, he decided to give them a chance. He brought a piece of paper to them.

“Why don’t you write it down? Words are meaningless.”

“Brother Li, will you do it?”

“Of course!”

Before long, there were a few signed slips.

Then, they all realized that there was no forfeit for Fang Zhengzhi if he lost.

Just as they were about to add that into the slip, Fang Zhengzhi had slipped off to the starting point.

“Forget it, let’s give him a chance! Hahaha… let’s not even talk about rankings. He’s lucky if he doesn’t end up last!” The group of youths chuckled.

…

Ping Yang and Fang Zhengzhi stood side by side at the starting line. However, the aura surrounding them was vastly different.

All of the spectators were eagerly waiting for the starting gong.

Speed was paramount in a competition like this. In direct conflict, the differences between a superior and inferior stallion may not be that obvious.

However, in a competition of speed, the differences were immeasurable.

The Ninth Prince was also at the starting line with his Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion. He was extremely eager for the competition to start.

He had swore that he would rank amongst the top three.

As for the first and second places…

He had thought of them, but it was incredibly difficult to get that. If the competition was within the capital, he would be extremely confident.

However, the participants here were completely different from before.

They were elites from all corners of the empire. They had stallions of similar quality and skills to match his.

“Dong!” The gong rang out and the competition was underway.

Chapter 286: Are you kidding me?

A few hundred battle stallions charged out, kicking up plumes of dust as they galloped. The first few battle stallions were as fast as an arrow.

They opened up a fifty meter gap within seconds.

Even though Ping Yang was no particularly skillful, the Snow Jade’s speed allowed her to ease herself into third easily.

The Ninth Prince fell to seventh place.

Fang Zhengzhi was a far cry from them.

The Mud Striped Horse stretched its neck and glared at the competition. It galloped at full speed but was unable to do anything much. It was of inferior stock.

Before long, Fang Zhengzhi was just less than 100m from second place.

Of course…

That was the second to last position.

“Hahaha… Fang Zhengzhi is here to accompany the others!”

“Even if he is riding the best Mud Striped Horse, I doubt that he can do anything much?”

Everyone laughed when they saw Fang Zhengzhi. Their attention was no longer on the race, they just wanted to laugh at Fang Zhengzhi.

They were filled with confidence.

Even though they did not have the courage to register, they all felt that they would thrash Fang Zhengzhi if they had.

Fang Zhengzhi ignored the chatter around him as he reined his stallion in.

The Mud Striped Stallion whinnied. Then, it turned and left the racetrack, galloping into the woods.

“Oh? Why is Fang Zhengzhi leaving the track?”

“Is he trying to take a shortcut?”

“Is he crazy? According to the rules of the competition, all competitors must mark their names on the tablets at each of the four corners. He wouldn’t have completed the race unless he did that. So what if he runs to the finish now?”

“Is he trying to hunt first?”

“People have tried it before. However, they realized that it was still slower. After all, the hunting spots are all near the tablets.”

All of the spectators could not understand what Fang Zhengzhi was thinking. However, they were sure that he stood no chance in this competition.

Emperor Lin Mubai spotted Fang Zhengzhi leaving the racetrack. His eyes briefly glittered with suspicion. However, in the end, he simply shook his head.

These competitions were regularly held in the Great Xia Dynasty. The rules were standard and everyone was familiar with them.

It was natural for Fang Zhengzhi to try some creative tactics on his first outing.

However, the chances of them paying off were virtually none.

According to the rules, one had to kill four predetermined types of beasts and use the blood of the beast to inscribe one’s name on the tablet in each of the corners.

These beasts were all situated around the tablets.

As such…

The easiest way was to run a circle around the four tablets.

There were people who had tried to run in the opposite direction.

However, they never did well.

Although running in the opposite direction meant that one did not have to squeeze with the others, however, one then had to face the beast alone. On the other hand, the others could face the beast as a group.

It was clear which one was easier.

Furthermore, there was no difference in the total distance. After covering each of the North, South, East, and West checkpoints, one had to return to the finishing line.

Fang Zhengzhi did not know what everyone else was thinking. He had already disappeared into the forest, galloping leisurely, picking up small rocks every now and then.

…

Time flew and the rankings began to stabilize.

20 competitors had already hunted down the beast at the first checkpoint. They had also written their names down on the tablet.

As for Fang Zhengzhi, he disappeared without a trace.

The Eastern Hunting Grounds were the royal hunting grounds. There were many levels inside it.

The one that was opened today was on its perimeter. Even though there were many beasts, they were all of mediocre power. Most of them were herbivorous or omnivorous.

They were not ferocious or dangerous unless threatened.

As such, even though Fang Zhengzhi sped across the land, he would not face any trouble if he was smart.

The competition continued to heat up. Very slowly, everyone’s attention began to turn towards the competitors in the lead. No one thought about what Fang Zhengzhi was doing.

“I never expected Ping Yang to be so powerful. She is still in the top three.”

“But of course. She is riding the Snow Jade, the best stallion around. Furthermore, everyone keeps their distance from her.”

“The Ninth Prince is doing well too. It is no wonder he is known as the Little Black Dragon in the city. He has already moved up to fifth place. Based on the explosiveness of his Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion, he still has a chance to make the top three.”

“Everyone who has participated here is quite powerful. The top 10 of the Rising Dragon Roll do live up to their name. It is a pity that only Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming are here. I heard that Wu Feng also registered for the court examinations. He is also in the city. I wonder why he did not come today.”

“Wu Feng is ranked fourth on the Rising Dragon Roll. If he was here today, I am afraid Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming would not be first and second today.

All of the spectators continued to chatter amongst themselves as the race progressed.

Between the first and second checkpoints…

Clouds of dust were sent skyward.

Ping Yang slung the head of the ferocious beast on the back of her stallion. She held the Blazing Qilin Spear in her hand as she continued to stab at the competitor behind her.

“Your highness, please have mercy!” Zhang Feiyu was in fourth position. He was also ranked 12th on the Rising Dragon Roll and had the honor of taking up the worst position in the race.

Princess Ping Yang was just ahead of him.

Behind him was the king of the capital’s races, Ninth Prince Lin Yun.

He was under immense pressure.

Overtake?

He really wanted to overtake Ping Yang. However, it was near impossible to speed past her when she is riding the Snow Jade.

If the pass was not fast enough, her Blazing Qilin Spear would do some serious damage.

If not for the fact that he was more powerful than her, he may have already been dismounted by now.

“Just stay in your fourth position. If you dare overtake me, I will make sure you regret it!” Ping Yang raised her head as she stabbed at Zhang Feiyu once again, columns of flame shooting skyward as she did so.

Zhang Feiyu’s body glowed blue. Within the columns of blue were petals of jade green that looked like lilies.

When the flames crashed towards him, those lilies formed a protective shell around Zhang Feiyu and the water countered the flames.

Even so…

His speed faltered slightly.

A 10 meter distance opened up between him and Ping Yang.

It is no wonder that the Blazing Qilin Spear is one of the ten greatest treasures of the Great Xia Dynasty.

Furthermore, it was the best offensive weapon. Even though he was at the pinnacle Heavenly Reflection State, he was not immune to its effects.

“Your highness, that is against the rules!” Zhang Feiyu looked at Ping Yang. Even though he was flushed, he did not dare show his fury.

“Against the rules? In this city, I am the rules. You can try complaining to the Emperor later if you’d like!” Ping Yang replied rudely.

Ninth Prince Lin Yun saw what happened and shook his head in exasperation.

The main reason why he remained in fifth was because Ping Yang was third.

As a result, fourth position was a bad place to be now.

However, Zhang Feiyu’s status was different. He was the heir to one of the thirteen constabularies. His sister was also a concubine, making him Ping Yang’s uncle.

Else, would he even dare think of overtaking Ping Yang?

When two tigers fought, injuries were inevitable.

The Ninth Prince decided to let them fight it out.

Zhang Feiyu sped up and chased after Ping Yang.

“Your highness, why don’t we work together to bring down Tang Zhongming. Then, you can take second and I will be third!” Even though Zhang Feiyu was her uncle, he could not do much.

After all, Ping Yang was not just a princess. She was the one the Emperor loved the most.

“Don’t you think I want to?” Ping Yang sighed as she looked at Tang Zhongming almost 200m ahead of her.

“Why don’t you let me pass and I’ll drag him back. You can come over and overtake him after!” Zhang Feiyu tried to convince Ping Yang.

“Do you think I’m dumb? Stay where you are!” Ping Yang looked at Zhang Feiyu scornfully.

“…” Zhang Feiyu was speechless. He turned to look at the Ninth Prince, shaking his head as he did so.

He wanted to work with the Ninth Prince. However, he would count himself lucky if the Ninth Prince and Ping Yang did not plot to defeat him.

…

The competition intensified.

Xian Tianying managed to inscribe his name on the second tablet. Tang Zhongming was not far behind.

Then, Ping Yang’s, Zhang Feiyu’s, and Lin Yun’s names all appeared.

By this time, the competition was past the halfway mark. However, Fang Zhengzhi’s name had not appeared on any of the tablets.

“Is Fang Zhengzhi planning to forfeit?” One of the armored youths looked on in disbelief.

This was Wen Dabao, the youth who had been dragged away by Ping Yang in The Vast World.

As a youth in the Mountain Breaking Army, he had aspirations but no ability.

He would never register for such an intense competition. However, with his status, he was still able to come spectate and enjoy the atmosphere.

There were many like him in the crowd.

These people loved to watch the concerts and wine and dine. They lived for a life like this.

They always hung out at events like this.

Wen Dabao loved such luxuries.

They had a standard clique to talk about their ambitions, soothe their feelings, and comfort themselves.

As such…

When Wen Dabao sighed, all of those around him looked at him in disbelief.

“Do you really think Fang Zhengzhi can win?”

“Is that a joke? He’s riding that horrible Mud Striped Horse!”

“Young Master Wen, have you been slapped silly by your dad?”

Many voices rang out. There were some who placed their hands on Wen Dabao’s forehead, trying to check for a ‘fever’.

“What the hell do you know?! I saw Fang Zhengzhi…” Wen Dabao stopped himself before he said too much.

After leaving Cang Ling Mountain, Xing Yuanguo had ordered all the soldiers not to breathe a word about what happened. Anyone who disobeyed would be executed without trial.

“What?” A voice rang out in doubt.

“I saw him defeat Nangong Mu!” Wen Dabao recovered.

“Nonsense, who didn’t see that? If Nangong Mu did not decide to give up, would Fang Zhengzhi had won so easily?”

“Exactly. Furthermore, in his battle with Yan Xiu, Yan Xiu clearly had the upper hand. Fang Zhengzhi is at best a pinnacle Heavenly Reflection State cultivator.”

Many people began to mock him

“Why? Were you in the pinnacle Heavenly Reflection State at 16?” Wen Dabao said in frustration.

“Oh? What’s up with you today? Fang Zhengzhi is just a commoner. So what if his talented? He will never be able to make it in the courts. After he was made Sword Envoy, he has yet to make any progress.” Another voice rang out.

“Enough rubbish. Let’s have a wager. I bet that Fang Zhengzhi will win!” Wen Dabao said in anger.

“Oh, are you trying to give us silver? How much do you want to bet? If you win, we will pay you double!”

“Come come, we will all join in!”

“If we lose, we will all pay you double!”

Many of the surrounding spectators crowded around Wen Dabao. They had spotted their prey.

“Okay deal. I bet… five silvers!” Wen Dabao grit his teeth and stomped his foot.

“Five silvers?! Are you kidding me?”

Chapter 287: First name on the tablet

A few of the scions heard it and chuckled.

To these rich youths, what was five silvers? Even if they dropped it on the ground, they would not bother picking it up.

“Ten silvers then!” Wen Dabao’s face flushed.

“Come on. How about this, four of us will wager you 500 silvers for a total of 2000. I am sure you have enough silvers?”

“2… 2000?!” Wen Dabao felt sick.

…

The competition continued to heat up but without incident. Names appeared on the tablet at the finish line.

More than half of the people had already passed the second tablet.

Fang Zhengzhi’s name continued not to appear, almost as if he had disappeared.

Wen Dabao stared at the tablet, murmuring to himself and praying for a miracle to happen.

The four others involved in the wager just smiled leisurely by the side.

Even if Fang Zhengzhi had the Snow Jade now, it was unlikely that he would be able to catch up to the competition.

The officials seated below Emperor Lin Mubai all smiled when they saw the tablet.

No one bothered with Fang Zhengzhi.

He did not deserve their attention.

Before long…

A name appeared on the third tablet.

Xiang Tianying.

It was no surprise that Tang Zhongming’s name appeared shortly after.

Before long, Ping Yang’s name appeared. Then, it was followed by Zhang Feiyu and the Ninth Prince.

The standings had not changed.

“I think that the race for top three will be between these five.”

“Xian Tianying has a natural advantage here. He is seventh on the Rising Dragon Roll and he was trained in horse riding from a young age.”

“Indeed, the Xiang Family guards the ‘Star Plains’. That is an actual plain. He was trained in horse riding since a young age. I doubt anyone is his match.”

“Princess Ping Yang is doing well.” An official complimented as he looked towards Emperor Lin Mubai.

Emperor Lin Mubai was happy to see Ping Yang holding her own. “Ping Yang is prone to causing trouble. I am sure she is doing something to keep Zhang Feiyu down.”

“Your highness, I doubt it. Ping Yang is one of the best at horse riding in the city. Furthermore, her Snow Jade is one of the best stallions in the empire. Also, such competitions are bound to cause some friction.” Yu Yiping stepped out and tried to speak up for Ping Yang.

“Prime Minister Yu, you don’t have to speak up for Ping Yang.” Emperor Lin Mubai replied. However, his happiness still slipped through.

“In my opinion, Ping Yang does take after you, your highness!” Another official stepped out.

“That is a given. A powerful man like the emperor is bound to have talented children.” Many other officials chimed in.

Emperor Lin Mubai did not speak again. However, everyone could tell that he was feeling good.

Politics was a dirty business.

As the leader of the empire, he had much to worry about everyday.

Coming out to enjoy this competition was a rare break for him. To be able to see his daughter compete and do well was a moment to be treasured.

To hear his subordinates sing praises about his daughter made him even happier.

…

There was a youth in a blue long sleeved shirt standing by the fourth tablet.

He held the head of a green beast in his hand.

If not for the fact that he had a disappointing yellow colored horse, he would have been quite awe inspiring.

Fang Zhengzhi sized the tablet up.

The tablet was made from a black colored stone. It stood over five meters high and was over two meters wide.

“What a huge tablet!” Fang Zhengzhi exclaimed.

Then, he dismounted and walked to the tablet. It was cold to the touch.

After feeling it for a moment…

Fang Zhengzhi squatted down and tried to carry it.

He quickly realized that this tablet was much heavier than he had imagined. Furthermore, it was rooted to the ground. No matter how hard he tried, it did not move from the ground.

“That’s it!” Fang Zhengzhi’s mouth twitched. He had only thought of the process but he never anticipated such problems.

His plan was simple.

His first plan was to kill all of the beasts in the area. However, he rejected this proposal.

It was too cruel.

That was the excuse he gave himself. The real reason was that there were simply too many beasts.

They were spread over too large an area as well.

In the first place, he had no energy to kill nearly a thousand beasts at a go. Even if he did, chasing them down was no easy feat.

Killing one was not a problem.

Killing 1000…

It would be impossible unless he had a months worth of time.

Did he?

Definitely not.

As such, he had to use the second plan.

He would have to do something with the tablet. However, it was not as simple as he had thought.

Smash it?

That was against the rules. Furthermore, what if they wanted him to pay for it after the competition? Destroying public property was definitely not the way to go.

Since he couldn’t smash it, his best option was to carry it away.

However, its weight was quite ridiculous.

“I’ll try it anyways!” Fang Zhengzhi took out a small shovel exasperatingly. This was what he used to dig wells.

It was something he need on his travels.

He would work for his victory!

Fang Zhengzhi kept encouraging himself as he dug.

Soil and mud was sent skywards and the buried portion of the tablet began to show. However, the more it showed, the worse Fang Zhengzhi felt.

“How long do I have to dig for…”

…

On the road to the fourth tablet.

A youth riding a ink black stallion wave his whip in the air. He was closely followed by a youth on a green stallion.

“Xian Tianying! The first place is mine!” The green armored youth on the green stallion finally moved. With a wave of his hand, an icy ray of light shot towards Xiang Tianying.

“Hiss!”

The horse reared and whinnied. Then, the black stallion twisted and crumpled to the ground.

Xian Tianying’s expression changed.

He knew that Tang Zhongming would not dare attack him. However, attacking his stallion was something very normal.

“Tang Zhongming, go to hell!” Xiang Tianying saw a crystal clear needle on his stallion’s leg.

“Hahaha… this ice needle will melt upon contact with flesh. However, I placed a little anesthesia on it. I’m really sorry, but I am sure it won’t do any lasting damage to your beloved stallion!” Tang Zhongming’s eyes glimmered.

Xiang Tianying was just one rank above him on the Rising Dragon Roll. It was quite impossible for Xiang Tianying to kill him.

Furthermore, he doubted that Xiang Tianying would dare to.

“Despicable!” Xiang Tianying bellowed. He quickly retrieved a jade bottle and poured out a red pill.

He flicked it into his stallion’s mouth.

“Hiss!” His stallion stood right back up. Its eyes glimmered red as cracking sounds could be heard from its body.

“You have a booster pill! You… you prepared for this all along?!” Tang Zhongming knew that things were going to take a turn for the worse. These pills were the secret pills of the Xiang Family. They could boost a battle stallion’s bloodthirst and ferocity in the blink of an eye.

It would last for an hour.

The only consequence was that the stallion would be put out of commission for at least a month.

A whole hour?

This competition would have been over.

The price to pay would be miniscule compared to the rewards it promised.

“Of course I prepared for it. However, I only wanted to use it after crossing the fourth tablet. I guess… I don’t have any other choice but to use it now!” Xiang Tianying chuckled.

He had prepared well in an attempt to get the top spot.

During this confrontation, the sounds of a horse galloping intensified behind them.

Before long, a figure clad in red appeared. That was Ping Yang. Behind her were Zhang Feiyu and the Ninth Prince.

“Young Master Tang, I’ll be off first!” Xiang Tianying did not bother with Tang Zhongming any more. He shot off into the distance.

He was much faster than before.

“Damn it!” Tang Zhongming cursed. He quickly retrieved a green pill and flicked it into his stallions mouth.

“Aroo!” The green stallion shuddered and its legs were instantly covered in green scales. It radiated thirst and ferocity.

Tang Zhongming had also come prepared.

However, his pill was still inferior to Xiang Tianying’s. Even though it provided the same explosiveness…

But…

It came at the cost of the stallion’s lifespan.

In other words, after this competition, the horse would be retired.

Even though his green stallion was not as good as Ping Yang’s Snow Jade and the Ninth Prince’s Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion, it was still an incredible stallion.

As such, he did not want to use it unless he absolutely had to.

However, with the Emperor himself hosting the competition, there was too much at stake. Even the best battle stallion was worth sacrificing.

This horse had accompanied him for a whole three years. It had won him many competition previously.

All of this did not matter. He was only focused on this one.

…

Names began appearing on the ranking tablet. This meant that people were beginning to cross the third tablet.

Wen Dabao wanted to faint when he thought of the 2000 silver wager.

“Brother, brother please! Please show us something!” Wen Dabao was on the verge of crying.

He wanted to fall to his knees and pray, but he knew it was of no use.

2000 silvers would empty most of his savings. He would not be able to enjoy his favorite luxuries for at least a month after that.

He could not take that!

“Oh?” Just at that moment, a spectator next to him gasped and his eyes widened.

“What… what’s going on?” Another spectator gasped in disbelief.

Just as Wen Dabao was about to ask, he scanned the ranking tablets. His eyes widened when he saw the name at the top.

Blood rushed to his eyes.

“Hahaha… he’s appeared, he’s finally appeared!” Wen Dabao exclaimed in excitement.

On the top tablet…

Fang Zhengzhi!

“It really is Fang Zhengzhi’s name!”

“Look, Fang Zhengzhi is on the board!”

“He is… right at the top?!”

When all of them heard Wen Dabao exclaiming, they stared at the name right at the top tablet.

The results tablet was also split into four. The one at the bottom represented the first checkpoint whilst the one at the top was the fourth checkpoint.

“Fang Zhengzhi passed the fourth checkpoint?!”

Everyone looked at each other in awe and disbelief. Even though they had all expected Fang Zhengzhi to do this, it felt completely different when they saw it for themselves.

Chapter 288: Finishing line

“He really did that?”

“He… he is showing a complete disregard for tradition!”

All of the officials were furious after recovering from the initial shock.

He was making trouble!

All of them wanted to curse. However, the rules of the competition only necessitated that the competitor had to have their names on all four tablets.

There was no obligation to run in a particular order.

As such…

They could only simmer.

…

Xiang Tianying could not increase the distance between himself and Tang Zhongming.

As a result, Xiang Tianying could not slow down. Even though one hour was enough for him to finish the race, he did not want his stallion to crumple to the ground on the finish line.

Tang Zhongming wanted to take home the top spot very badly.

In fact, no one wanted to be second. Only the first place would be remembered and respected.

As such, he continued to whip his horse and urge it forward. His expression was filled with ferocity as he chased behind.

Plumes of dust flew skyward.

However, Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming did not care. After all, the people eating the dust were those behind them. People like Ping Yang, Zhang Feiyu and the Ninth Prince…

Unless…

They had people in front of them.

Just as they were thinking about that, both Xiang Tianying’s and Tang Zhongming’s expressions changed.

There was someone in front of them.

A yellow Mud Striped Horse came into vision. It was not moving quickly, not even at the top speed of the Mud Striped Horse.

It was almost as if that man was taking his horse out on a walk.

The youth on the back of the Mud Striped Horse wore a blue long sleeve. He was whistling and basking in the sunlight.

“Fang Zhengzhi?!”

Both Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming were shocked to see him.

THey could recognize this man as Fang Zhengzhi. Fang Zhengzhi had been under the spotlight ever since he showed up.

He had been the center of attention.

“Why is he out in front? And he’s coming towards us, did he…” A thought flashed past Xiang Tianying’s mind. Then, he had an answer.

“He took the other direction!”

“Idiot!” Tang Zhongming said in scorn. Only the villagers who had never participated in a competition like this would do that.

Anyone who had participated in a competition like this would never do something like that to make it more difficult for themselves.

“He must be trying to be different.”

“He’s nothing but a joke!”

Even though Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming agreed on this fact, this did not mean that they were allies.

The two of them went around Fang Zhengzhi without stopping.

Fang Zhengzhi did not stop either. He didn’t even take a second look at them. He passed through the middle easily.

After passing Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming, a red figure came into view.

“Oh, this girl is third?” Fang Zhengzhi’s mouth twitched. When Ping Yang closed, he courteously mocked, “Hi!”

Ping Yang stopped in her tracks. She waved her Blazing Qilin Spear in her hand as she stood on the back of Snow Jade. She stabbed towards Zhang Feiyu.

Zhang Feiyu got the shock of his life.

What the hell?

He was already shocked to see Fang Zhengzhi up ahead. And now, Ping Yang stopped to attack him?

What did he do to antagonize her?

“Your highness, why are you doing this?!” Zhang Feiyu flew off his horse to avoid being hit.

“Oh?” The Ninth Prince reined his stallion in when he saw what was ahead. The Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion whinnied and stopped.

He would not overtake them whilst they were fighting.

It was just not his character to do so.

“Fang Zhengzhi, you came from the fourth tablet? Have you etched your name on it?” Ping Yang attacked Zhang Feiyu as she barraged Fang Zhengzhi with questions.

“Yes.” Fang Zhengzhi nodded.

“And you’re going to the third tablet now?” Ping Yang continued.

“Yes.” Fang Zhengzhi nodded.

“Okay then, I’ll be on my way!” Ping Yang dropped back onto her horse and galloped away.

Zhang Feiyu was stunned by what just happened.

Then he looked at Ping Yang speeding off into the distance.

“What the hell? She stopped just to talk to this guy?!” Zhang Feiyu wanted to ask Ping Yang what she was thinking. However, he realized that Ping Yang had always been this willful.

He was rendered speechless.

“Charge!” Zhang Feiyu leapt onto his horse and whipped it. His stallion galloped past Fang Zhengzhi.

“Official Fang, we have killed quite a few of the beasts around the other three tablets. However, it is still not completely safe. Do take care.” The Ninth Prince advised

“I’ll be fine.” Fang Zhengzhi waved the Ninth Prince off.

The Ninth Prince did not say anymore. He closed his knees and a purple light glowed on the forehead of the Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion as it shot forward.

“Quality stallion!” Fang Zhengzhi’s eyes glimmered.

The Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion was indeed a top grade horse. It’s explosiveness was much more than the Snow Treading Dragon Stallion.

After the Ninth Prince sped off, the other talents began to pass Fang Zhengzhi.

Some of them looked surprised to see Fang Zhengzhi. Others looked at him with expressions of mockery and scorn.

Fang Zhengzhi ignored all of them.

He continued to urge the Mud Striped Horse forward. Every now and then, he would stop to feed it some grass…

…

Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming were significantly more anxious. They kept watching their surroundings.

Normally…

The tablet would appear right in the middle of the road. The competitors would usually see the tablet before hunting the beasts nearby.

However, they had yet to see the fourth tablet. The distance was significantly more than what they had travelled before.

However, Xiang Tianying could not stop.

Tang Zhongming was too close for comfort.

As such…

All he could do was continue galloping forward.

After another five minutes, his eyes lit up. He saw a black figure up ahead. It looked like a tablet.

“I am finally here at the fourth tablet!” Xiang Tianying heaved a sigh of relief. This competition was his to win.

…

At the finishing line…

Wen Dabao continued to kowtow. However, Fang Zhengzhi’s name did not reappear on any of the other boards.

“Kaboom!”

Before long, the sound of horse hooves rang out.

Wen Dabao looked up in confusion.

Very quickly, he saw two battle horses charging towards the finishing line.

Wen Dabao and the other four in the wager looked up. All of the other spectators and officials waited for the results anxiously.

Everyone stared at the two figures.

“Oh? It’s… them?!” All of spectators recognized the two approaching figures. They were Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming.

“Why are they here?”

“This is the finish line!”

All of the talents were confused. Tang Zhongming and Xiang Tianying’s names had not appeared on the fourth tablet.

Why were they at the finish line?

Just as they were thinking about it, a fiery red figure appeared behind them. It was Ping Yang in the Red Flame Flower Armor.

Then, Zhang Feiyu and the Ninth Prince followed…

All of the competitors charged wildly towards the finish line.

“What’s going on?” All of the officials looked at each other in confusion. Why did they all skip the fourth tablet and rush for the finish line?

The competitors charged forward.

Within moments, they were by the side of the tablet.

Then…

The two of them were stunned.

“Oh? Why are we here?” Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming looked at each other in confusion.

“Yes, why are you two here?” One of the spectators questioned.

“Don’t you know that you have to pass the fourth tablet first?” Another spectator added.

“This…” Xiang Tianying scanned the crowd and spotted Emperor Lin Mubai as well as the officials.

“What’s going on? Why are we at the finishing line?!” Tang Zhongming exclaimed in disbelief.

“Shouldn’t I be asking you all that question?” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping’s expression darkened.

It would not be nice for the Emperor to question these competitors. As such, he had to do the job.

Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming glanced at each other in confusion.

“Prime Minister, we did not see the fourth recording tablet on our way here. May we know if there were only three?” Xiang Tianying queried.

“Rubbish! The rules clearly state four recording tablets, how can one of them go missing?” Yu Yiping was furious.

“Yes, someone had already reached the fourth recording tablet!”

“How can there not be a fourth recording tablet?”

“Did you all take a wrong turn?”

All of the officials chided when they heard this.

“Take a wrong turn? That’s impossible. We had followed the track all the time without deviating at all. How could we have made a wrong turn?” Tang Zhongming was confused.

“Someone passed the fourth recording tablet?” Xiang Tianying was in disbelief. He had not left the path at all.

However, even though he did not want to believe it…

He glanced at the results tablet to his side.

“Fang Zhengzhi?!” Xiang Tianying exclaimed. Fang Zhengzhi’s name was right at the top.

That meant that Fang Zhengzhi had inscribed his name on the fourth recording tablet.

“It really is him!” Tang Zhongming remembered that they had seen Fang Zhengzhi riding from the tablet. However, since they did not see it along the way, he did not believe that Fang Zhengzhi did either.

Just as Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming were recovering from their shock, Ping Yang, Zhang Feiyu and the Ninth Prince arrived next to them.

“Oh? We are at the finish line already?” Ping Yang asked.

Zhang Feiyu and the Ninth Prince glanced at each other in shock.

What the hell is going on?

Yu Yiping’s expression turned ugly. He looked at a huge crowd galloping towards the finish line.

And…

Only Fang Zhengzhi’s name was on the fourth tablet.

“Wait, why am I at the finish line?”

“We’ve only passed three recording tablets!”

“Didn’t the rules specify four? What’s going on?”

As more people arrived at the finish line, the discussions became more intense. All of the competitors were equally confused.

They did not understand how they could arrive at the finish line without seeing the fourth recording tablet.

It was too strange.

Just at that moment, the results tablet lit up again. A name began to glow on the bottom of the third tablet.

Fang Zhengzhi!

“Fang Zhengzhi is at the third recording tablet!”

“If he came from the fourth recording tablet, how could it possibly vanish?”

“Could it be…”

All of the competitors and spectators looked to the officials.

Chapter 289: First place

“That’s impossible! If the fourth recording tablet was destroyed, Fang Zhengzhi’s name would disappear along with it!” One of the officials refuted what the competitors were thinking.

“Then what’s going on? Where is the fourth recording tablet?”

“Could it be that Fang Zhengzhi removed the entire stone?!” One of the talents voiced his guess.

“Impossible! The recording tablet is stuck 10m into the ground. Even a Rewind State cultivator would not be able to remove the tablet.

“Does he have some treasure?”

“I don’t think someone like him would have any treasure?”

“No matter how he did it… we can’t just sit here and wait right?”

“Yes, as long as we find Fang Zhengzhi, everything will be solved!”

“We must stop him!”

“He’s already at the third recording tablet. If we chase him, we may not be able to catch up to him. He may even take home the championship.”

“We can go the opposite way and intercept him!”

“Yes, we will just run one more round!”

All of the other competitors quickly formulated a plan. Then, they leapt on their stallions and ran towards the first recording tablet.

Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming’s expressions darkened.

One more round?

Did they have the time to do that?

“Fang Zhengzhi!” Xiang Tianying clenched his fist. He was furious but helpless. If he waited here, his chances of winning were virtually none.

If he chased, he still stood a chance.

Stopping was a death sentence!

“Charge!” Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming hollered almost simultaneously. Their battle stallions shot out like arrows from a bow.

“That fella hid everything from me when he saw me. He didn’t even leave a note! How evil!” Ping Yang pouted and tightened her grip on the reins. The Snow Jade shot forward.

…

Fang Zhengzhi knew that the result would cause an uproar. When he had seen Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming, he knew exactly what would happen.

Dig up the tablet?

He had thought of it but it was impossible.

The Heart Protection Mirror had limited space. Furthermore, in order to put it inside, he needed to hold it in his hand.

Could he hold the recording tablet in his hand?

Clearly not.

He decided to employ an easier and more efficient method.

The roads in this hunting grounds were quite complicated. There were multiple paths within it.

As the royal hunting grounds, this place was not usually open to the public. It was only opened during events like this one.

In order for the competitors to recognize the path, there were aids and stones placed to point in the correct directions. This was to prevent the competitors from taking the wrong path.

However, this played right into Fang Zhengzhi’s hands.

…

After he scouted the territory around the fourth recording stone, he made a tiny adjustment at one of the junctions.

In order to prevent an accident, he walked on the path he wanted the others to take, patiently waiting for the other competitors to come.

Then, he saw Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming.

Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming were not locals and did not know these grounds well. Seeing the directional stone and Fang Zhengzhi on the path was enough for them to fall into the trap.

They ran around Fang Zhengzhi and shot away.

Ping Yang, the Ninth Prince, as well as the other competitors all saw Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming take that path. Consumed by their desperation for a good ranking, they would not suspect the small adjustment Fang Zhengzhi made.

Fang Zhengzhi also greeted Ping Yang to distract her from checking out the surroundings.

As such…

Everything fell into place naturally.

Ping Yang and the Ninth Prince would lead everyone down the wrong way. Seeing Fang Zhengzhi come from the opposite direction would cause enough of a distraction. No one would suspect the small change he made at the fork.

When everyone took the wrong path…

No one would think that the wrong path was wrong.

Fang Zhengzhi was quite proud of what he did. Firstly, he did not destroy the recording tablet. Destroying it would have caused many problems for him.

Secondly, he had not shifted the recording tablet. As such, he was not actually breaking any of the rules.

Thirdly, when everyone reached the finish line, he would have reached the third recording tablet. By that time, no one would chase him from the direction of the fourth recording tablet.

Who would realize the error of their ways?

With things all falling into place, what is preventing him from getting the first place?

Fang Zhengzhi was in no rush. He knew that he still had to solve one more thing. Only by doing that would the first place be his.

He continued to admire the lush greenery around him as he urged his horse along the path. He enjoyed the sounds of nature around him. Every so often, he would grill a rabbit.

After inscribing his name on the second recording tablet, he did not continue walking further. He made a fire by the side and began grilling a rabbit…

…

At the finishing line, all of the spectators saw Fang Zhengzhi’s name light up on the second tablet. All of them felt uneasy.

“He had crossed the second recording tablet?”

“He will win as long as he records his name on the first tablet!”

“He cannot pass the first tablet!”

Ever since the start of the competition…

No one would have guessed this result.

Fang Zhengzhi was riding an inferior Mud Striped Horse. His competitors were all riding superior stallions.

In the end…

Fang Zhengzhi was about to accomplish the impossible.

This man with an inferior Mud Striped Horse had inscribed his name on three of the four tablets. He was on par with everyone else.

More importantly, he had the initiative.

What if he decided to hide?

What if he took a detour?

All of the spectators were anxious to find out what happened. They hoped that the others would not fan out to find Fang Zhengzhi and fall into his trap.

If Fang Zhengzhi snuck past them, everything would be for naught.

“As long as they guard the first recording tablet, Fang Zhengzhi cannot finish the race either!”

“Exactly, stall Fang Zhengzhi and everything can still progress.”

“But… who would sacrifice themselves to stall Fang Zhengzhi?”

All of the officials looked at each other anxiously.

Wen Dabao was the only one who was excited. He managed to find three joss sticks.

He lit them up at the front of the tablet. He prayed constantly, “Fang Zhengzhi, you must win. If you win, you will be my brother, you will be my brother, you will be my brother…”

…

Fang Zhengzhi let the Mud Striped Horse roam by the side and graze on grass. He lay by the side of the road grilling a Green Furred Rabbit.

He could imagine the crowd waiting to ambush him around the first recording tablet.

It wouldn’t matter if he went there earlier or later.

However, if he went on an empty stomach, it would be disadvantageous towards him. By eating, he would have an advantage over his starving opponents.

Fang Zhengzhi knew this, so he patiently grilled his Green Furred Rabbit.

Then, a red figure appeared in front of him.

“Fang Zhengzhi, you’re grilling a rabbit here?!” Ping Yang had thought that Fang Zhengzhi would have taken a detour or rushed towards the first recording tablet.

However, she never expected that Fang Zhengzhi would stop in the middle of the competition to grill a rabbit.

Is he not afraid of others spotting him?

“You have an opinion?” Fang Zhengzhi continued grilling the rabbit.

“Of course.” Ping Yang pouted.

“Then do you want to have some?”

“Yes!”

“What about the Ninth Prince?” Fang Zhengzhi ignored Ping Yang as he changed his posture.

“Official Fang, thank you for the offer. I’ll… have some as well.” The Ninth Prince’s voice rang out from afar.

“How did you know that Ninth Brother was here?” Ping Yang was curious. Fang Zhengzhi did not even look in that direction.

“I guessed.” Fang Zhengzhi replied casually. Then, he retrieved a small box filled with spices to flavor the rabbit.

Before long, the aroma filled the air.

The Ninth Prince arrived beside Fang Zhengzhi. He was slightly stunned. He had no idea what Fang Zhengzhi had inside that box.

“Ninth Brother, you’re in luck. This fella can’t do anything right, but the meat he grills is delicious.” Ping Yang salivated when she thought about the meat she was about to eat.

“It smells great.” The Ninth Prince commended.

…

Time flew.

Fang Zhengzhi, the Ninth Prince and Ping Yang did not bring up the issue about the competition.

After Fang Zhengzhi finished grilling the meat, he chewed on a blade of grass as he looked into the sky.

“Fang Zhegzhi, aren’t you going to the first recording tablet?” Ping Yang asked suspiciously.

“What good would that do?”

“Nothing. They had already decided to ambush you there. Once you are there, they will capture you and restart the race from the first recording tablet.”

“Exactly.”

“So why aren’t you surprised that I am here?”

“Why should I be surprised? You’re Ping Yang.”

“Oh please!” Ping Yang’s mouth twitched as she vented her frustrations. Then, she glanced at the Ninth Prince, “So how did you guess that he would be here?”

“Because he promised to wait for them at the second recording tablet.” Fang Zhengzhi waved her off as he changed his position once again.

“Humph!” Ping Yang snorted. Even though she didn’t want to admit it, it seemed that Fang Zhengzhi knew everything.

The breeze blew gently and the sun crept to its peak. The ground began to heat up.

Fang Zhengzhi decided that it was about time.

He suspected that all of the other competitors would be hungry and dehydrated after a whole morning without food or water.

“Let’s go.” Fang Zhengzhi swept the dust off his clothes and smiled.

“Where to?” Ping Yang stared at Fang Zhengzhi.

“To the finish line, don’t you want to take first place?” Fang Zhengzhi replied.

“Finish line, that…”

“You want to ask if the fourth recording tablet is on me?” Fang Zhengzhi waved Ping Yang off when he saw her expression.

“Yes, hand over the fourth recording tablet and I can spare your life!” Ping Yang glared at Fang Zhengzhi.

However, her clear eyes, tiny lips and immature face failed to make any impact.

Instead, she looked rather adorable.

“Hahaha… I think you will not be convinced unless you search me. You can do so now.” Fang Zhengzhi spread his arms.

“Shameless!” Ping Yang’s face flushed.

The Ninth Prince did not speak when he saw this. He knew that there was no point in rushing Fang Zhengzhi.

“You really want to know?” Fang Zhengzhi looked at Ping Yang.

“Of course, I want to come in first!” Ping Yang replied haughtily.

Chapter 290: The Arrow that decides his fate

“First place? Okay then, the fourth recording tablet is actually by the roadside, but…” Fang Zhengzhi smiled.

“But what?”

“You guys went the wrong way.” Fang Zhengzhi pointed at one of the directional rocks.

“Wrong way?” Ping Yang murmured to herself. Then, her eyes glimmered, “Did you do something to the road? Oh yes, where I met you! I thought something was amiss, you… you’re so shameless!”

“Thank you for your compliment. Now that you know, why aren’t you rushing there?”

“Before I go, I want to ask you a question.” Ping Yang looked at Fang Zhengzhi quizzically.

“Do you want to ask me why I told you?”

“Yes, why did you tell me? If you hadn’t told us, neither me nor Ninth Brother would have thought of this. Won’t that give you a higher chance of finishing first?” Ping Yang looked at Fang Zhengzhi in confusion.

“I will still get first even if I tell you now.”

“How is that possible? You still haven’t etched your name on the first recording stone. Furthermore, there are so many people waiting for you. How do you plan to pass them?” Ping Yang said in disbelief.

“Pass? Why do I need to pass them? As long as I tell them the truth, they will be in too much of a hurry to run off. Who will want to stop me?” Fang Zhengzhi said confidently.

“Official Fang is right. They want to win the competition, not find trouble with Official Fang. As long as he tells them the location of the fourth recording tablet, they will leave him alone.” The Ninth Prince nodded.

“I see. Is that why you waited for us here?” Ping Yang queried.

“Wait for you? Oh please, stop thinking so highly of yourself. I was just hungry, so I stopped for a bite. Bye bye!” Fang Zhengzhi leapt onto his horse and galloped away.

He left Ping Yang stomping her feet.

“Shameless fella, even though you have a shorter distance to go, I will still beat you to the finish!”

…

Fang Zhengzhi thought that he had everything calculated perfectly.

He had changed the road at the fourth recording tablet. He would force all of them to run another round.

They would all be famished and exhausted. That way, their only aim would be to finish the competition.

Naturally, no one would stay behind to find trouble with him.

Everything was falling nicely into place.

However, he never expected to meet Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming.

When Fang Zhengzhi’s stallion arrived at the first recording tablet, Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongying were clearly out of the running.

A black stallion and green stallion lay crumpled on the ground.

The black battle stallion looked like it had broken all of its bones. The green battle stallion had no life in its eyes.

Fang Zhengzhi did not recognize Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming. However, he recalled that these two were the frontrunners.

“Oh? Why did you kill your horses?” Fang Zhengzhi asked innocently when he saw Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming.

“You…”

It was clear that Fang Zhengzhi was mocking the two of them.

“Hand over the fourth recording tablet!”

“Yes, hand it over before we turn nasty.”

“It is against the rules to take the recording tablet away. When we have verified it, you will be disqualified!”

All of them were only concerned about the fourth recording tablet.

“I didn’t take it away! Did you all go the wrong way?” Fang Zhengzhi looked at the competitors innocently.

“Wrong way? How is that possible? We followed the stones… hang on, did you…”

“Fang Zhengzhi, how dare you shift the rocks!”

“You… you…”

All of the competitors recovered from their shock.

“I am not sure about that. I did not go in the same direction as all of you. When I came, the fourth recording tablet was by the roadside.” Fang Zhengzhi was not stupid enough to admit what he did.

“Oh please, you must have moved it on purpose!” One of the competitors asserted.

“So what if I did? Is accidentally kicking a directional stone cause for disqualification?” Fang Zhengzhi waved them off.

All of the competitors looked at each other, clearly infuriated.

But…

Were they really going to attack Fang Zhengzhi.

If the fourth recording tablet was really on him, then they had sufficient reason to attack him.

However, the fourth recording tablet was not with him.

This was a completely different situation.

Firstly, Fang Zhengzhi was a rank four official in the imperial courts. They could not attack him without a valid reason.

Secondly, Fang Zhengzhi was quite powerful.

Amongst all of the competitors, only Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming had the confidence to defeat him.

If they couldn’t swarm him, it was unlikely they would defeat him in a duel.

They could only swallow their anger.

“Fang Zhengzhi, we’ll let you off this time!”

“Let’s go!”

Many of the competitors were famished and tired from the race. Furthermore, they had just ran an extra round.

Many of them were on the brink of exhaustion.

They now knew the estimated location of the fourth recording tablet. As long as they followed the trail, they would find it.

There was no reason for them to stay here.

All of them mounted their horses and prepared to search for the tablet.

At this point, Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming looked at each other. Then, they stepped out.

“Don’t be fooled by him. The fourth recording tablet is on him. He wants us to go looking for it and take first place for himself.” Xiang Tianying’s voice rang out.

All of the competitors stopped in their tracks.

“Young Master Xiang is correct. Fang Zhengzhi is notorious for being shameless. What Young Master Xiang said is plausible.” Tang Zhongming chimed in.

“Yes yes, what they said is reasonable!”

“Yes, we cannot be fooled by him again.”

“Search him!”

“We should tie him up before going to find it!”

All of the competitors agreed with Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming.

As long as they had reason to suspect that Fang Zhengzhi stole the tablet, they had reason to attack.

In fact…

Whether Fang Zhengzhi had actually taken the tablet was secondary. They knew that Fang Zhengzhi could have never taken away such a huge tablet.

They also knew that Fang Zhengzhi was likely to be telling the truth.

However, they were unwilling to let Fang Zhengzhi off so easily.

Before they restarted the competition, they would tie up Fang Zhengzhi first. That was the only way they could prevent him from winning.

It would also allow them to vent their frustrations.

Fang Zhengzhi frowned as he looked at the crowd. Then, he looked at Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming’s stallions. He had a realization.

They knew that they were out of contention, so they wanted to cause as much trouble as possible.

They were trying to bring him down with them.

“I already told you that I did not take the fourth recording tablet. If you all want to search me, you can send one representative. However, if you try to swarm me, I will be nasty!” Fang Zhengzhi decided to be a little more menacing.

Even though he was not a high ranking official amongst those in the courts, he was one of the most powerful amongst the competitors.

All of them were stunned when they heard Fang Zhengzhi’s words.

“Are you going to kill us here?” One of them asked in disbelief.

“Exactly! The Emperor is here today. If you kill us, you will be executed as well!” Another one stepped out.

“I do not dare to kill any innocent people. However, what if I did so out of self defence? I remember that I had to defend myself once in recent history.” Fang Zhengzhi smirked.

When they heard the phrase ‘self defence’, all of them thought of the exact same thing.

The incident at the Northern Mountain Village had already spread throughout the city. Fang Zhengzhi’s had yet to account for his massacre of about 100 soldiers.

“Oh please, self defence? You will have to defeat us first!” Xiang Tianying glanced at all of the other competitors. If he did not speak now, they would all be scared off by Fang Zhengzhi.

“Fang Zhengzhi, I was preparing to meet you in the court examinations. It’s okay, I’ll just bring it forward to today.” Tang Zhongming chimed in.

With the support of these two powerhouses, the confidence of all the others were boosted.

With them holding the front, Fang Zhengzhi was unlikely to be able to kill them.

Fang Zhengzhi was exasperated.

All he wanted to do was scare them off. However, his reputation did not seem to be sufficient to do that.

He was sure that he could convince them all if he tried a little longer.

As long as one person left, the others would follow. After all, time waits for no man.

However, Fang Zhengzhi was running out of time as well.

He should have never told Ping Yang the location of the fourth recording tablet. With Ping Yang’s speed, she would easily take first if he lost any more time.

Not only would he lose the treasure, he would be mocked by Ping Yang. “I am first, you are second, I am first, you are second…”

The thought of that made Fang Zhengzhi want to puke.

He could not let that happen.

He had to solve this crisis quickly.

He flipped over his hand and a jade green bow appeared in it. It glimmered with a strong killing aura.

All of the talents retreated subconsciously when they saw the bow in Fang Zhengzhi’s hand.

“That, that is…”

“That looks like… it’s really familiar. Is it the Sun Shooting Bow?!”

“How is that possible? How can the Sun Shooting Bow be with Fang Zhengzhi?”

All of the competitors were in disbelief when they saw the bow in Fang Zhengzhi’s hand.

Fang Zhengzhi ignored all of them. He gripped the bow in his left hand as he pulled the bowstring taut.

He had grown up in the Northern Mountain Village.

Archery was no stranger to him.

Even though he did not have a 100% accuracy, he would easily kill any game within a 300m radius.

Even though the others could not confirm that Fang Zhengzhi was in possession of the Sun Shooting Bow, they were all shocked by his actions.

“Is he really going to fight all of us?”

“That’s crazy!”

Even Xiang Tianying and Tang Zhongming were shocked to see Fang Zhengzhi draw his weapon.

Fang Zhengzhi’s bow string began to glow green.

It was a lightsword.

An aura of life rose from the bow. It elongate from the bowstring. the bow, and the surroundings.

It looked like an arrow on the bow.

However, this arrow was actually a sharp jade green lightsword…

“What is this?”

“The Divine Constabulary’s Million Sword Illustration. He has used it to make an arrow!”

“What is he trying to do?!”

All of them retreated slowly. They could all feel the power coming from that arrow.

If Fang Zhengzhi was wielding the Sun Shooting Bow…

The Sun Shooting Bow combined with the Million Sword Illustration…

How powerful would that be?