Chapter 190: Taking a risk (2/2)
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-Class 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-Class Roll people need to pass only two rounds to pass the exam. But for those on the Second-Class Roll, you all need to pass three, or even four rounds, am I right?”
”That’s correct...”
”Then, based on your powers, how many rounds can you pass?”
”Well... if we are lucky, we can pass the first. If we get even luckier, we may pass 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 pass 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 passed 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 shivering 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 pass 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 passed, 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 pushing 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.