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

Starting with the number of floors they had cleared after their names, the crystal stele presented fifty steps, with each challenger's name corresponding to their position on that step.

Furthermore, when a challenger attempts to enter the pavilion, their name appears in a dark color. If the challenger gains the upper hand, their name will gradually solidify.

This was also done so that outsiders could have a clearer understanding of the current situation of the intruders.

Seeing that Wei Qing's name had already secured the fifty-first floor and was now attempting the fifty-second floor, the Xiongnu barbarian student turned even paler. Had he lost?

Cao Ying, who had been standing there all night, was still full of energy. He turned to the Hunnic student and said sarcastically, "Even a piece of trash like you can make it to the fifty-second floor. How could Wei Qing be eliminated so quickly? Are you tired after all night? Go back, wash up and go to sleep. You can have anything in your dreams."

The result was already unsatisfactory, and Cao Ying's sarcastic remarks made the student's face even uglier. He said angrily, "Don't be so sure of yourself. Maybe Wei Qing won't even pass this level, and his final score will be worse than mine."

"Oh, oh, oh, this is Wei Qing's first time attempting this challenge. He didn't prepare at all, and he's only sixteen years old. May I ask how many times you've attempted this challenge? And how old are you this year?"

Cao Ying's mood improved as he spoke. After teasing the Xiongnu barbarian student, he looked at the servant Huang who had been kneeling beside him all night and said, "Get up, ask for leave to go home and bring your parents and family to Chang'an. Pingyang Prefecture will arrange housing and livelihood for them."

Upon hearing Cao Ying's agreement, Huang Pu burst into tears: "This servant Huang Pu thanks Master for his mercy."

"Slave" is a self-designation used only by slaves, signifying extreme servility.

If it weren't for the fact that his family wouldn't be implicated by him, he would rather die than live such a humiliating life.

Cao Ying didn't look at Huang Pu again, and waved his hand to tell him to get lost.

Cao Ying also disliked his servants referring to themselves as slaves, finding it too servile and disgusting.

However, Cao Ying was even clearer that if he really wanted to use someone like Huang Pu, he would have to suppress him.

Be a lackey for two months first, and curb your bad habits.

If he proves useful, removing him from citizenship wouldn't be a problem.

Of course, if Huang Pu really had Wei Qing's abilities, let alone suppressing him, Cao Ying would dare to call him "brother" right now.

That's how practical he is; it's a pity Huang Pu doesn't have that ability.

After Huang Pu left, Cao Ying glanced at the Xiongnu barbarian next to him again: "What are you looking at? You also want to be a servant of my Pingyang Marquis's mansion? If you beg me, I can consider it."

"Humph!"

The Xiongnu barbarian snorted and turned his head away. They had all been warned not to argue with Cao Ying, especially not to provoke him.

Cao Ying can turn into a mad dog and bite people, but that doesn't mean others can bite back.

In theory, if we only consider peerage, currently, including the entire Imperial Academy, only Prime Minister Xiao is higher than Cao Ying.

Although Liu Che and Lü Kuang were from the Liu-Lü royal family, their fathers and grandfathers were still alive.

Perhaps one day, when our fathers and grandfathers reach the end of their lives, they will be qualified to be crowned kings, but for now... they have the title but not the name.

As they were talking, the doors of the Hundred Battles Pavilion opened again, and yet another human student was kicked out.

The 53rd floor is a bit stronger than that Hunnic barbarian from before.

The human student was initially in a bad mood after being kicked out, but his mood improved considerably when he saw that he wasn't at the bottom.

Seeing that the one at the bottom was a member of the Xiongnu barbarians, my mood improved considerably, and then rose to an extremely happy state.

All nine of them came here wanting to crush Wei Qing, but that doesn't mean they were of one mind.

At this time, some prominent figures in the Imperial Academy also began to emerge.

The first person to arrive was Princess Quejiafu of the Xiongnu tribe. She was also a freshman in the Department of Command, but she never managed to get past the pavilion.

Quejiafu looked at the crystal tablet with a hint of surprise in her eyes. She had already passed the fifty-two levels?

This is my first time venturing into the pavilion; what terrifying talent!

Shortly after Que Jiafu arrived, Cao Cao, Liu Bei, Liu Che, and others also arrived one after another, all because of Wei Qing.

On the Xiongnu barbarian side, Yizhixie and Yudan also led their people over in person.

These people are usually very busy and rarely appear in the Imperial Academy. In the past, ordinary students probably wouldn't have the chance to see them for several years. Unexpectedly, this year's freshmen have appeared twice in less than half a month.

Fifty-two, fifty, fifty-four...

The doors of the Hundred Battles Pavilion opened one after another, and before noon, five people had already been kicked out.

Currently, there are four other people in the Hundred Battles Pavilion besides Wei Qing.

Without exception, all four of them walked ahead of Wei Qing.

Cao Cao has been getting along very well with Liu Bei lately, and the two talk about everything. He said, "The fifty-fifth floor is a small hurdle... I'm afraid someone will be eliminated on this floor."

Cao Cao only conquered the Hundred Battles Pavilion once when he first entered the school, reaching the 37th floor. This result was neither particularly strong nor bad.

However, although Cao Ying was in charge of the department, he did not focus his main energy on it.

"Does Mengde think Wei Qing can get through?"

"I don't know, you'd have to ask Wei Qing himself."

Liu Che, standing beside her, looked at the number of layers on the crystal tablet, his eyes filled with surprise and delight. Wei Qing's appearance had brought him so many joys.

Of the 50,000 points she won yesterday, the majority came from her and Chen Ajiao. At the time, she never thought she could win the bet; she simply considered it as supporting Cao Ying and Wei Qing.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he spent 50,000 points, Wei Qing immediately activated speedrun mode, rushing through all forty floors, instantly doubling Liu Che and Chen Ajiao's wealth.

Now they have surged directly from the fortieth floor to the fifty-fourth floor, gradually joining forces with the vanguard to attack the fifty-fifth floor together.

At this moment, Liu Che had a premonition that Wei Qing would not only help him overcome this obstacle without any major incident, but would even be able to push through all fifty-nine floors!

Just then, the gates of the Hundred Battles Pavilion opened again, and a figure walked out of the shadows, looking utterly dejected.

All eyes turned to the entrance of the Hundred Battles Pavilion.

Who was eliminated?

Is it Wei Qing?

Chapter 54: The Despair of Mortals

"Zhan Lian? How could it be him!"

Many students from the command department were taken aback when they saw the person who came out.

The people behind Yi Zhi also widened their eyes. Zhan Lian was one of their people, and among the nine, he was the one with the best grades and the most talent.

Many people believe that Zhan Lian was the person with the best chance of passing the sixty floors during his time at the Imperial Academy, after Zhou Yafu.

However, no one expected that he would be the first of the five to be eliminated.

Judging from the situation on the crystal tablet, he should have had the advantage, so how could he suddenly lose?

Zhan Lian never expected that, despite having a huge advantage and with the Xiongnu's flying eagles already upon him, he couldn't even imagine how he could possibly lose.

As a result, he was inexplicably swept aside by the phantoms arranged by the Hundred Battles Pavilion, and was eventually killed.

The whole process happened very quickly, so quickly that he didn't have time to react at all.

A distraught Zhan Lian looked at the crystal tablet, where his name slowly disappeared from the 55th floor and reappeared on the 54th floor.

This is his best result so far; last time he only reached 49.

But he was not willing to give up!

To prepare for this day, he studied the methods to break through each level of the Hundred Battles Pavilion almost day and night. While others were hunting with eagles and hounds, he was learning; while others were enjoying fine wine and beautiful women, he was learning; while others were vying for power and profit, he was still learning!

In the end, I still failed.

The key point is that he is already twenty-seven years old. This is his twelfth year at the Imperial Academy, and his last year there.

He couldn't even get past the 55th floor. Could he really crack the remaining five floors within a year?

Is it possible?

Even Zhan Lian himself didn't have that confidence.

As Zhan Lian questioned his life and himself, Wei Qing's name on the crystal tablet solidified completely, emitting a barely perceptible light as it firmly settled on the fifty-fifth floor!

Wei Qing was the first to overcome this hurdle!

Seeing Wei Qing break through to the 55th level, Zhan Lian's expression became even more desperate. Wei Qing... he actually...

"They actually made it!"

"He's made it through all fifty-five floors, is Wei Qing some kind of monster?"

"Which floor can he reach? Fifty-six? Fifty-seven? Or fifty-nine!? Don't tell me he plans to clear all sixty floors in one go!"

The freshmen's reaction wasn't too intense, but some students from the command department, like Zhan Lian, seemed somewhat disoriented when they saw Wei Qing overcome the hurdle of the 55th floor.

If you spend a long time at the Imperial Academy, you will find that those students who are questioning their existence are, without exception, all top students from the command department.

The old man in front of the Hundred Battles Pavilion sighed as he looked at the students who seemed a bit off.

The harsh reality that all my efforts over the years have been far less effective than the opponent's mere trial of the waters is truly disheartening.

Xiahou Ci was just like that back then. He came to the Imperial Academy with a dream in his heart, vowing to lead the human race against the Xiongnu barbarians through his own efforts and hard work.

He believed he could do it and devoted countless hours of effort and sweat to it.

However, the harsh reality drove him to the brink of madness. No matter how hard he tried, how desperately he risked his life, or how much he used rare and precious materials and military strategies, he still couldn't bridge the gap between himself and a genius.

Even without the Xiongnu barbarians taking action, the harsh reality had already crushed Xiahou Ci.

Later, starting with Lü Kuang becoming the dean of the command department, he tried every means to narrow the gap between geniuses and ordinary people.

It makes ordinary students believe that as long as they work hard, they can catch up with those geniuses.

This illusion, on the one hand, prevents ordinary students from losing motivation due to despair, but on the other hand, it also prevents them from seeing the gap between themselves and those geniuses.

Is James Lang a genius?

For ordinary people, he is indeed a genius.

He's the kind of genius you can catch up to.

Therefore, many talented people take Zhan Lian as their role model and try their best to catch up with him.

Until now... Wei Qing has arrived...

Wei Qing's appearance made the original genius a joke, and made all his past efforts seem like a mirage.

Can I catch up with such extraordinary talent? And what can I use to catch up?