"Regarding this assessment, I still need to consult with the elders," Chen Yao began to explain. "The assessment changes every time, so it isn’t fixed."
"So, I can’t tell you what the next assessment will be like just yet."
"Is that so?" Long Chen was slightly startled.
Tang Le shook his head. "Indeed, that’s the case. That’s why I came to ask Steward Chen for help with my application. As for the difficulty, that’s also hard to determine."
"However, with Brother Long’s strength, you can rest assured."
"You two should head back first," Chen Yao said to Long Chen and Tang Le. "I’ll inform you once the details of the assessment are confirmed."
"Alright, then we’ll be counting on you, Steward Chen." Tang Le clasped his hands and left.
"Sister Yao, I’ll go with you."
Seeing Chen Yao about to go consult the elders, Tuoba Jiao was startled and immediately moved to follow. But she had barely taken two steps when Long Chen grabbed her by the arm.
"What are you doing?" Tuoba Jiao snapped.
"What, playing dumb now?" Long Chen flashed a playful smile. "I remember our bet from the other day very clearly."
"Now that I’ve killed those three from the Earth Institute, you should honor our wager. Give me a massage and wash my feet."
Seeing Long Chen’s arrogance, Tuoba Jiao was furious. "I am a top-ten expert on the Martial Roll and the daughter of the King of Men!" she snarled. "You dare ask me to massage and wash your feet?"
Long Chen responded calmly, "You lost the bet. Are you planning on going back on your word? If this gets out, you’ll just be a joke."
"A top-ten expert on the Martial Roll refusing to honor a bet about a foot massage... Truly laughable."
"Insolence!" Tuoba Jiao shouted angrily. "You dare? If you breathe a single word of this, I will make you pay a painful price!"
"Threatening me?" Long Chen chuckled coldly. "In that case, I’ll just go and tell everyone right now."
He had long wanted to teach the arrogant Tuoba Jiao a lesson. Now that he finally had the chance, how could he possibly let it slip by?
Seeing that Long Chen was completely unafraid of her, Tuoba Jiao’s face flushed with anger, and she struck out at him with her palm.
Long Chen reacted in a flash, catching her by the wrist.
"Have you already forgotten the lesson from the boat?" Long Chen said coolly. "Three Martial Roll experts, all ranked higher than you, couldn’t defeat me together. What makes you think you can?"
"Feel free to keep trying, if you aren’t afraid of making a scene."
As he finished speaking, a powerful wave of battle qi erupted from his body, enveloping Tuoba Jiao. She suddenly felt a crushing weight press down on her entire body.
"I’ll give you one last chance. If you honor the bet and wash my feet, then only the two of us will ever know."
"Otherwise, if word were to ’accidentally’ slip out, the entire Martial Ancestor would hear about how you welsh on your bets."
"I’m sure you know how to weigh your options. I’ll be waiting for you in my room!"
As he spoke his last words, Long Chen deliberately emphasized his tone, then flung Tuoba Jiao’s hand aside. He turned and headed toward his own room, leaving a dumbfounded Tuoba Jiao in his wake.
"Damn it! This is infuriating!"
Tuoba Jiao was fuming, clenching her fists and wishing she could tear Long Chen to pieces on the spot.
She was the daughter of the King of Men! When had she ever suffered such humiliation? But the problem was, she couldn’t beat Long Chen! Only after the battle on the Life and Death Platform two days ago did she finally understand. Long Chen’s victory over her and Qiu Ming wasn’t a fluke—it was real strength! If word of this got out, how could she ever show her face in the Martial Ancestor again? No! She absolutely could not let anyone find out about this!
Tuoba Jiao’s heart was in turmoil. Finally, her stomach churning with suppressed anger, she followed after Long Chen.