Chapter 194: Just Passing By
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
"What?!" King Duan’s teacup fell to the ground when he heard the news, "You said that they crossed the Broken Bridge? How is that possible?!"
"He really crossed the Broken Bridge..." The messenger was also in disbelief, but that was a fact.
"He really crossed the Broken Bridge?!" King Duan’s eyes looked like they were about to pop out of their sockets. He kept staring at Han Zhangfeng. Han Zhangfeng was equally shocked by the news.
Both King Duan and Han Zhangfeng knew that Fang Zhengzhi had a high chance of passing the first round, but neither of them expected him to do so by crossing the Broken Bridge.
In so many years, no one had been able to find out the truth behind the Broken Bridge.
But now...
Fang Zhengzhi figured it out?
"How did he cross the Broken Bridge?!" Han Zhangfeng was in awe. In his many years as the Chief Examiner, he had seen his fair share of talents, but he had never been floored like this.
This was the World of the Sage.
A world created by the Sagely Battle God Meng Tian. How could it be solved so easily?
"He jumped. He jumped over..." The messenger’s voice became softer towards the end. Even he could not believe that one could jump over.
"He jumped over?!" Han Zhangfeng had expected a different answer. When he heard what the messenger had to say, he was completely stunned.
Was there an even more direct and simple answer?
This method must have been tried by others before him.
"How did he manage to jump over the Broken Bridge?" King Duan had expected Fang Zhengzhi to have a different method. He refused to believe that Fang Zhengzhi had used such a "stupid" method.
"He did not jump from the Broken Bridge. He jumped from the cliff side." The messenger explained.
"From the cliff? This, this..."
King Duan and Han Zhangfeng looked at each other once again. As a king and a Chief Examiner, they could not be too liberal with their expressions in front of their subordinates.
That being said, they could not understand where they had went wrong.
"Okay, I got it. You... may take your leave." King Duan did not say anything else.
As a king, he did not want his intentions to be too obvious. As such, he had to try to calm himself down, but his fists were clenched. He did not understand how Fang Zhengzhi could create miracle after miracle.
He was someone who had never ever been formally taught.
First, he had topped all the prior examinations. Then, he broke through to the Heavenly Reflection State at the Divine Constabulary, becoming only the second person under 18 to achieve that feat.
After entering Yan Capital, he completed the entire theory examination in four hours. Furthermore, his scripts were completely flawless, making him the top scorer in the Theory Examinations.
Now...
He managed to solve the unsolvable Broken Bridge?
And he jumped from the cliff!
Could he be any more crazy? Were these all coincidences? Or heaven’s will?
King Duan did not know, but for the first time ever, he felt threatened, almost as if there was a sword dangling over his head.
Han Zhangfeng looked at the leaving messenger. He too was unsettled. Ever since Ping Yang joined Fang Zhengzhi, nothing had gone their way.
Fang Zhengzhi had showed stunning abilities, knocking Su Donglin our in the first round.
And now, he actually managed to cross the broken bridge?!
This made him lose his cool.
He had to calm himself down. He no longer watched Xing Qingsui and Nangong Mu. He closed his eyes, deep in thought as he pondered the his next moves.
He needed to deliver a lethal blow.
"Fang Zhengzhi... the Broken Bridge. He managed to cross it... the Broken Bridge!" Han Zhangfeng kept repeating it to himself. He wanted to calm himself down and convince himself that it was all a coincidence. But when someone experienced too many coincidences, it was no longer a coincidence.
What now?
He cannot be flustered. The more flustered he was, the worse it will get.
This is a confidence, this must be a coincidence. He definitely cannot pass the second barrier, definitely not! Han Zhangfeng convinced himself as his breathing slowed.
The Ninth Prince did not even look at the leaving messenger. He did not say or ask anything from start to finish.
It was almost as if he did not even hear the messenger.
...
Fang Zhengzhi did not know what was going on inside the Imperial Academy. He was strolling along the Broken Bridge, enjoying the view as he went.
That’s right, he was still walking on the Broken Bridge.
However...
This side was surrounded by thick white mist. It was almost like a palace in the clouds. The view was outstanding, but he could not see what was ahead.
What he could be sure of was that this bridge was way longer than the one before.
If the two parts were like a sword, the first one would be like the sword hilt, and the one now was the sword blade.
A blade many times longer than the hilt.
"That is indeed the case! There is another bridge on the other side, but it is a much longer one!" Fang Zhengzhi finally understood why it was impossible to jump from the bridge on the other side.
When he turned to look behind, he could not see anything but white mist.
However, another figure quickly came through the white mist.
It was Yan Xiu, dressed in white.
"You’re here?"
"I’m here."
Their conversations were rather simple. They did not need lengthy sentences to convey what they wanted to say to each other.
"Let’s go." Fang Zhengzhi looked at Yan Xiu.
"Okay." Yan Xiu nodded.
As such, the two of them began to walk slowly along the bridge. It was almost as if they were walking on clouds.
"Hahaha... so there is another Broken Bridge on this side. I actually managed to cross it. Father must have been shocked that I jump? Sister Yan would also not have thought of this, hahaha... I am to good, too smart."
Just as Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu were waking, Ping Yang’s voice rang out behind them. Then, a red light shone through the white mist as she walked out, waving her Blazing Qilin Spear.
"Hey, Fang Zhengzhi! Why didn’t you wait for me?" Ping Yang chased from behind, looking rather discontented.
"Why did you wait so long before coming over?" Fang Zhengzhi replied without turning his head.
Ping Yang was stunned as she blinked. She knew what Fang Zhengzhi was driving at, but it was difficult for her to admit her mistake.
As such, Ping Yang laughed after her eyes darted around for a little bit.
"Hahaha... it’s like that. There was one person who insisted on jumping from the bridge. I tried very hard to stop him but to no avail. In the end, not only did he fall to his death, he also delayed me."
After Ping Yang finished, the two hostages looked on in disbelief. What utter rubbish? Since when did you stop him? You agreed to let him jump!
But after some thought, they decided against calling Ping Yang out.
Fang Zhengzhi did not believe it either, but he chose not to call her lie. He continued walking ahead, but slowed down slightly for Ping Yang to catch up.
After all, he was not in a rush. He would just enjoy this scenery for a little longer.
...
There were two candidates left in the second round. The two of them were bruised and battered. Their breaths were labored and raspy, their eyes bloodshot. They held their weapons shakily.
The winner advanced and the loser was out.
This was the combat examinations, why wouldn’t they give it their all?
"Kill!" One of the candidates drew his sword. Just as he was about to go all out, he heard footsteps, accompanied by the laughter of a girl.
"Why are there other people?" The two candidates looked to their back suspiciously.
They saw five figures walking out of the white mist. The entire scene was rather weird.
Before long, the figures became clearer.
Fang Zhengzhi, Yan Xiu, Ping Yang, and the five others appeared.
The two candidates were stunned by what they saw.
"Fang... Fang Zhengzhi?"
"Princess Ping Yang?!"
"And Yan Xiu, young master Tang... what is going on?"
Fang Zhengzhi appeared from the mist. He heard his own name being called. When he turned his head, he saw two candidates staring at him.
"It’s been tough on you both. Please carry on, we are just passing by." Fang Zhengzhi greeted the two candidates and walked on, ignoring them thereafter.
Yan Xiu and Ping Yang ignored the two candidates as well. They followed behind Fang Zhengzhi and walked towards the second round barrier.
The two candidates looked at the group in shock. They gently rubbed their eyes, unable to believe what they were seeing.
"Just passing by? What is the meaning of that?"
"Was that really Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu? Are... are my eyes playing tricks on me?"
"We can’t both be blind right?"
"Then... can you tell me why there are five of them?"
"..."
"Could it be... that they crossed the Broken Bridge?!"
"My gosh, that’s... that’s impossible?!"
The two candidates were stunned. They simply could not believe that anyone could cross the Broken Bridge. However, it was a fact that they were traveling as a group of five.
Then...
There was only one possibility. They crossed the Broken Bridge, all five of them.
But why were they a group of five and not a group of six?