Fang Zhengzhi, Ping Yang, and Yan Xiu quickly reached an agreement, stunning all the other candidates.

What's going on?

They were such bullies.

They were treating them like lambs. If they couldn't make it across they would simply push them off. Could they be any more shameless?

Each of the candidates looked at each other.

They hoped that someone would protest this and chide them for being so shameless, kicking the three of them out in the process.

But who would step up?

Nangong Mu had no interest in interfering, and Xing Qingsui did not want any trouble right now.

Su Donglin's example was clear for all to see.

1v1?

Right now, that was impossible. Any fight would be a 3v1. The only thing they could do was wait.

Nangong Mu and Xing Qingsui were both waiting.

The other Heavenly Reflection State candidates would not push their luck either. Ping Yang would not lock onto them. The reason was simple. She was looking for lambs, the weaker the better.

As such, they couldn't be less bothered.

This was the combat examinations, and not the time to let emotion rule their actions. Furthermore, everyone wanted to see how Fang Zhengzhi would be after crossing the bridge.

All of the Star Conglomerate candidates looked at each other in exasperation and helplessness.

Ping Yang looked at them and smiled radiantly, almost like a Blue Fire Wolf looking at its prey.

Other than those who were in the Heavenly Reflection Realm, all of the others began to look for places to hide themselves. However, the area was small and unblocked. Where could they possibly hide?

This scene looked quite strange. A bunch of people manically trying to hide. This was a stark difference from the confidence they had when they entered the World of the Sage.

Ping Yang's abilities could be seen from how she caught people.

"You, exactly, you! Come over! You dare to not come? When we get out of here, I will go raid your home!"

"Ah?! Your highness, mercy please..."

After a string of threats, three poor souls had been captured by Ping Yang. The three of them looked extremely bitter.

All of the candidates who had been let off heaved a sigh of relief. They would live to see another day.

"Let us go. We just want to partic.i.p.ate in the examination!"

"Exactly your highness. You all can continue crossing the bridge, but we are innocent..."

"Your highness, I have an eighty year old mother. My wife left me very long ago. I am the only one left to feed my mother. The examination is my only hope. Your highness, please leave my family with this sliver of hope."

The three poor souls pleaded with Ping Yang. One of them was even on the verge of tears.

"Shut up. You still have mouths to feed? I have heard that so many times. Based on your abilities, you all have no chance of pa.s.sing the examinations. Stop struggling. If you're obedient, I will give you 500 taels of silver each right now!" Ping Yang produced three cheques with a wave of her hand.

She did not even blink.

"Thank you your highness!" The three poor souls immediately said their thanks.

Just as Ping Yang said, they did not have much of a chance to pa.s.s the combat examinations. Not getting knocked out in the first round would be a good result for them.

Now that they were each given 500 taels of silver, they considered themselves lucky.

After they said their thanks, the three poor souls wanted to take their cheques.

However, when they raised their heads, the cheques were gone from Ping Yang's hand. They had changed hands and were now held by Fang Zhengzhi.

"Don't show off your wealth. Don't you know that? d.a.m.n it, let me help you safekeep it." Fang Zhengzhi said sincerely and kept the cheques.

Ping Yang was stunned, but Yan Xiu was calm.

As for the three poor souls, they looked at their silver disappear. This guy was such a bully. Not only was he taking them as disposable, he even took away their silver.

"Actually, you all should thank me." Fang Zhengzhi began to console the three of them.

"Thank you?!" The three of them looked at each other, unsure of what Fang Zhengzhi was saying.

The other candidates began to chide Fang Zhengzhi in their hearts. How shameless? You take them as your stepping stone, and you still want to take their money?

"If my guess is right, you three are on the Second-Cla.s.s Roll right?" Fang Zhengzhi continued, ignoring the chatter around him.

"Yes... that's correct." The three of them nodded.

"According to the rules of the Imperial Exam, the First-Cla.s.s Roll people need to pa.s.s only two rounds to pa.s.s the exam. But for those on the Second-Cla.s.s Roll, you all need to pa.s.s three, or even four rounds, am I right?"

"That's correct..."

"Then, based on your powers, how many rounds can you pa.s.s?"

"Well... if we are lucky, we can pa.s.s the first. If we get even luckier, we may pa.s.s the second. As for the third and fourth..." The three of them looked at each other. They knew that it was too difficult for them to pa.s.s those rounds.

For this edition of the combat examinations, there were more than 30 Heavenly Reflection cultivators. All of the Star Conglomerate cultivators also had secret techniques of their own.

"This is why you all should thank me. If I cross the broken bridge, then you all can follow me. I can bring you along for the rest of the rounds as well. As long as you follow me to round four, you would have pa.s.sed right?" Fang Zhengzhi explained.

"Cross the broken bridge? To round four... this..." The three poor souls wanted to say it wasn't very possible, but they couldn't bring themselves to say it.

"Oh yes, I forgot, this is just the first payment. If you manage to follow me to round four, then each of you must give me... mm, let's say, another 500 taels of silver!"

"Young master Fang, if you can bring us to round four, even a thousand taels will not be expensive."

"Is that so? Then let's make it 2000."

"..." The three of them were speechless. Then, one of them tried to speak up, "Young master Fang, if you... fail to cross the bridge and throw us off, that silver... return..."

"I said that it's payment, so it's not refundable. How can you do business without taking risks? Is there anything certain in this world? Don't you agree?" Fang Zhengzhi looked at the three of them.

"Yes, young master Fang is right... we were too naive." The three of them looked at each other, tears in their eyes. Isn't all the risk with them?

"Okay then, let us cross the bridge." Fang Zhengzhi walked towards the broken bridge.

The other candidates were all speechless. This works? This is no business deal, this is daylight robbery!

No refund if they lost, and they had to make extra payment if they won...

"Shameless!"

Inside the Imperial Academy, King Duan and Han Zhangfeng looked at each other. They looked at Fang Zhengzhi and said the same thing.

However, the Ninth Prince's eyes were glimmering.

I guess being this shameless is quite a plus point? The Ninth Prince thought to himself.

The broken bridge did not change. The only difference was that there was now one person standing on it, the breeze causing his sleeves to flap.

There were five others standing at the starting point.

Ping Yang and Yan Xiu looked at the man on the bridge intently. The other three had their heads lowered, visibly troubled.

The other candidates did not bother waiting any longer.

They began to fight. Every now and then, the sky would echo with the elimination of one person and the advancement of another.

"How long has it been? How boring... I think he should just push them down and forget about it!" Ping Yang was slightly impatient. Fang Zhengzhi had been standing there for over an hour.

Yan Xiu did not speak, whilst the other three were s.h.i.+vering in their spots. They did not like putting their fates in the hands of others.

"I think Fang Zhengzhi is being stubborn. Yan Xiu, you should know that we cannot pa.s.s the barriers in this world with our current abilities. They only used this world to let us train. Do you really think he can cross the broken bridge?" Ping Yang asked again.

"He definitely can." Yan Xiu replied calmly.

"You trust him that much? If we spend so much time in this round, will we still have opponents in the second round? Then are you going to fight with Fang Zhengzhi?" Ping Yang questioned.

"I believe him." Yan Xiu repeated, his tone without doubt.

As time pa.s.sed, the number of people left in the first round became lesser and lesser. The sounds in the air continued to echo. There were already people in the third round.

The rest of the candidates stared at Fang Zhengzhi in disdain.

"So long? Has he fallen asleep?"

"I think he is waiting! He is waiting for us to progress to the next round before pus.h.i.+ng the three of them down. At the very least, he will not be criticised as much?"

"Hahaha... I think so too!"

After they finished, they continued to fight, ignoring Fang Zhengzhi.