My name is Wei Qing, and I want to fight the Xiongnu.

Thinking of this, Wei Qing became even more determined to overcome all the difficulties and challenges.

If those people on the list can do it, why can't I, Wei Qing?!

Chapter Twenty-Three: From Fake to Real?

When Wei Qing stormed into the pavilion, the students outside were also bewildered.

Wei Qing... his speed in breaking through the pavilion is too slow!

The others, even the slowest ones, have already passed the tenth level, while Wei Qing has only just broken through to the fifth level. Is this intentional?

Otherwise, there's no reason why it would be so slow, right?

The freshmen who had previously ventured into the Hundred Battles Pavilion were also completely baffled, having no idea what had happened.

The first ten levels are not difficult; they are basically free points.

Even ordinary students can easily pass the test if they study diligently for a year or two.

The real challenge begins from the tenth floor.

Even so, it would be difficult for ordinary people, but for someone like Wei Qing who could overpower lecturers and supervisors, it should be as easy as taking candy from a baby, right?

Even many senior students from the command departments deduced that Wei Qing would not encounter any trouble within the first thirty floors.

The real suspense is whether he can get past the fortieth floor.

"Why haven't we reached the tenth floor yet? This is too slow!"

"Yes, I can break through the pavilion faster than him, there's no reason for him to be so slow. Could there be some kind of conspiracy?"

"I don't think so. Wei Qing can't possibly only make it through seven or eight levels, can he? Wouldn't that make him a laughingstock?"

Many students began to discuss this situation, finding it utterly unbelievable.

Even Cao Ying, who was outside the Hundred Battles Pavilion, was starting to panic.

What's really going on? Is it really just an act?

But my brother, aren't we being a bit too over-the-top?

Even if you really want to pretend to be struggling, you should at least start from the thirtieth floor and above, right?

This is nothing!

Cao Ying hesitated, wondering whether she should open the market now.

I have a feeling that if I were to open a trading platform now, people would definitely think that Wei Qing is cooperating with me in a rehearsal.

However, Cao Yingzhen hoped that Wei Qing was just acting, otherwise it could only mean that Wei Qing had encountered trouble in the Hundred Battles Pavilion.

If they leave the game prematurely, it won't just be a matter of losing points.

Wei Qing cannot afford to lose now, especially not such a crushing defeat.

If they lose, the prestige they've built up at the entrance of the Imperial Academy will vanish instantly.

At that time, they will inevitably face pressure from all sides, and the feeling of being the target of public criticism is not pleasant.

Another full hour passed before Wei Qing finally slowly climbed to the tenth floor.

Looking at the freshmen, the fastest had already reached the 25th floor, and the slowest had already passed the 19th floor and was trying to pass the 20th floor.

Those who dared to venture out with Wei Qing to challenge the pavilion clearly had some confidence in their abilities, so it wasn't surprising that they could pass the twentieth floor.

"It stopped again on the tenth floor. How long do you think it will stay this time? Fifteen minutes? I doubt it will be enough!"

"I bet 25 minutes that if the first nine floors are this slow, the tenth floor will definitely be even slower."

"I know about the tenth level. It requires a team of a hundred people of the same age to cross mountains and valleys to reach the designated location. It sounds easy, but it can be quite troublesome. Those hundred people are all ordinary people, including men, women, the elderly and children. The mountain roads are rugged and difficult to walk, especially at night, where accidents are very likely to happen."

"Will Wei Qing be unable to get through?"

"It shouldn't be that bad, right? As long as eighty people arrive at the destination alive and on time, it's considered a pass. Even if time is tight, for someone like Wei Qing, who can command at least ten thousand elite troops on the battlefield, commanding a thousand people in reality is no problem. There's no reason why he can't even handle a hundred people, right?"

As everyone speculated, some senior students also came over to join in the fun.

I originally thought this was Wei Qing's performance, but I didn't expect that Wei Qing seemed to have run into some trouble.

Is it really an act?

Judging from the Marquis of Pingyang's expression, it doesn't seem quite right.

Many people turned their attention to Cao Ying. If he was really faking it, then this Marquis must know, right?

Or is this Marquis of Pingyang also putting on an act?

The old man next to Cao Ying also frowned. He was closest to Cao Ying and could clearly sense that Cao Ying's anxiety was not feigned; she was genuinely a little anxious.

Even though he had just heard Wei Qing tell Cao Ying to open a gambling game, if they were to actually open a gambling game, shouldn't they start strong in the early stages, then falter in the middle stages, and then catch up after everyone has placed their bets?

As everyone looked at the Hundred Battles Pavilion with confusion, someone was finally kicked out of the Hundred Battles Pavilion.

Shan Chen was the youngest among them, and his family background was second only to Wei Qing's. His father was only a centurion and he had no opportunity to receive a good education.

Even so, he still made it to the twenty-third floor and was qualified to serve as a centurion.

The results were quite satisfactory; Shan Chen's self-assessment was that he could only get past the 20th floor.

I didn't feel disappointed, but I also felt no joy. Among the group, I was the first to be eliminated.

Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly saw Wei Qing still struggling on the tenth floor, not even realizing what had happened.

"What's going on? Why is Wei Qing only on the tenth floor?"

Cao Ying was already impatient, and hearing Shan Chen's question only made her angrier: "Stop talking nonsense, just stand aside and watch."

As they were talking, Wei Qing finally passed the tenth level and was advancing towards the eleventh level.

Ten floors, and it took an hour and a half!?

Cao Ying saw that it was almost noon and cursed inwardly, "My brother, almost the whole morning has passed, how long are you going to keep up this act?"

Fifty-nine floors?

According to the design of the Hundred Battles Pavilion, the difficulty increases as you progress. After the fortieth floor, the difficulty of each subsequent floor increases significantly. You probably wouldn't be able to reach the fifty-ninth floor in three days and three nights.

Brother, I can stay with you for three days and three nights, but I'm afraid you won't be able to hold on.

After Shan Chen was kicked out, several others were also sent out one after another.

The difference in strength among these new students is not too great; they are basically all between the twentieth and thirtieth floors.

After studying and training at the Imperial Academy for a few years, one might be able to pass the fortieth floor, which would be considered a promising future.

After being kicked out, these people stared blankly at Wei Qing's score: thirteenth floor!

After a whole morning, they've only just made it past the thirteenth floor?

too slow!

These freshmen have just experienced the Hundred Battle Pavilion and know very well the difficulty of what comes before. There's no reason why it should take them so long!

what happened?

As more and more people gathered, Cao Ying forced himself to appear calm. He addressed the grumbling crowd below, saying, "Gentlemen, it's noon, time for lunch. There's no need to stand here waiting. Why don't we go eat first? I can't take it anymore, I'm going to eat now."

After saying that, Cao Ying ignored what others said, left the command department, and went straight to find Han Fei.

As a diviner, I can only hope that she can divine something.

At least give yourself some peace of mind, otherwise you wouldn't dare to start this bet!

..........

I owe you one chapter, I'll finish it this afternoon, I can't hold on any longer.

Yesterday was the anniversary of Onmyoji, so I got up early to draw cards and grind for events.

I'm so annoyed! Higanbana and Miketsu really love me, I get them every time I draw a card! Thank you so much.

Chapter Twenty-Four: If You're a Man, Take a Gamble

Cao Ying returned, but her expression was even more gloomy.

Han Fei cannot be found!

It is said that he has not been at the Imperial Academy for the past two days, but went back to Hanoi County to find Minister Xu to get the treasure to suppress the death energy.

Why did Cao Ying have to leave at this particular time? She must be under a lot of pressure.

I barely ate any lunch, just grabbed a quick bite, and when I got back to the Hundred Battles Pavilion, I found that Wei Qing had only just passed the fifteenth floor.

This is no longer breaking through, it's crawling.

At this time, the number of students outside the Hundred Battles Pavilion did not decrease, but rather increased.

In particular, the number of newborn Xiongnu barbarians increased seven or eight times.

They all came specifically to witness Wei Qing's trouble at the pavilion, hoping to arrive at the scene of his mockery as soon as possible.

The sixteenth floor was even slower, taking a full half hour to pass.

Time had passed by unnoticed and it was already three or four o'clock in the afternoon.

If some people thought Wei Qing was faking it this morning, now quite a few are making sarcastic remarks.

"Is Wei Qing any good or not? I didn't believe the rumors that you guys directed the lecturers and supervisors of the departments to go easy on people at the gate of the Imperial Academy, but now I'm starting to believe it."

"You're right. I think it's probably because your command department's lecturers wanted to flatter Wei Qing to death, so they staged that scene. Once Wei Qing enters the Imperial Academy and breaks into the Hundred Battles Pavilion, he'll completely expose his true abilities. The higher they're praised, the harder he'll fall."

"The more you guys talk, the more reasonable it seems to me. The command department can't really be that despicable, can they?"

"I don't think so. It's understandable that the lecturers in the command department want to praise Wei Qing to the point of ruin, but Wei Qing's ability to summon the spirit of the army is real. Secondly, he has also defeated the Ninth Elite Legion of Chu and the legions of Kong Gan and Dong Kanwu in a head-on battle. Obviously, he has the ability. With this strength, it shouldn't be that he has such a hard time even passing the first twenty levels, right?"

"I think I know the reason. The tests at the Hundred Battles Pavilion are more about the basics of military command. Everyone saw how powerful Wei Qing's large-scale military exercises were, but he has not received systematic education and his foundation is weak, so it is understandable that he is having difficulty."

"That's not right. Didn't Wei Qing also discuss military strategy with the command department? I've seen those questions before; they're very difficult and I can't solve them at all."

"At a time like this, you still believe that Wei Qing solved those problems? Have you lost your mind?!"