Group after group of experts entered the Earth Martial Hall.

Lin Feifei selected the challengers starting with those who had performed the worst in the previous two assessments. It wasn’t until the sixtieth group that the number of experts passing the fifth floor and above gradually began to increase.

However, not a single person was able to pass the 9th Floor.

They were all just ordinary disciples!

One expert after another looked crestfallen. After witnessing Jiang Ziyou’s overwhelming performance, many felt they were inferior even to a woman and grew utterly dejected.

Of course, there were also many experts whose fighting spirit had been ignited!

Nalan Qiantian clenched his fists, a blazing battle intent in his eyes. ’That damn woman... For the humiliation today, I’ll make you pay it back double in the future...’

At the same time, it was finally the ninety-third group’s turn. Lin Feifei announced calmly, "This group: Nalan Qiantian, Wu Haorui, Wang Jianfeng, Zhang Yizhi..."

Nalan Qiantian jolted and stepped forward.

Wu Haorui was a genius who possessed a Profound Tier Ninth Grade Martial Soul. His Martial Arts Talent had reached two and a half stars, and more importantly, his cultivation was at the True Martial Realm Ninth Stage.

He glanced at Nalan Qiantian, a cold smile on his face. "Nalan Qiantian, I thought that woman scared you witless. I didn’t think you’d dare to challenge the Earth Martial Hall again!"

"What did you say? Say that again if you have the guts!" Nalan Qiantian roared, absolutely furious.

"Heh, don’t tell me you have the nerve to kneel and kowtow to a woman, but you can’t bear to have me mention it?" Wu Haorui said mockingly.

Nalan Qiantian’s expression turned incredibly ugly, and True Essence fluctuated around his body.

It looked as if a fight was about to break out!

Lin Feifei snorted coldly. "If you don’t go in now, I’ll count it as a forfeit!"

Nalan Qiantian let out an indignant snort. He looked at Wu Haorui and said in a low voice, "Wu Haorui, I dare you to make a bet with me. If I lose this Earth Martial Hall challenge, I’ll follow your lead from now on. But if you lose, all you have to do is kneel before me and apologize. Do you dare?"

Wu Haorui’s gaze sharpened. He scanned Nalan Qiantian from head to toe and sneered, "Why wouldn’t I dare?"

"Then it’s a deal. I’ll be waiting for you to kneel before me!" Nalan Qiantian snorted and was the first to enter the Earth Martial Hall.

With a grave expression, Wu Haorui followed close behind.

Lin Feifei secretly shook her head.

Chen Huan watched the Earth Martial Hall with a worried expression and asked Jiang Chen, "Brother Jiang Chen, do you think Young Master Nalan can win?"

Jiang Chen smiled. "Don’t worry. Nalan Qiantian isn’t an idiot. If he dared to bet against Wu Haorui, he must have something up his sleeve."

"What? You think Nalan Qiantian will win?" Li Ke, having overheard Jiang Chen, suddenly spoke up.

Jiang Chen paused, frowning at Li Ke. He was speechless at this guy who kept provoking him for no reason. "Whether I think so or not, what’s it to you?"

"You..."

Li Ke’s face darkened. Growing up, no one had ever dared to speak to him like that. A cunning glint appeared in his eyes as he said, "Jiang Chen, do you dare to make a bet with me?"

"Bet on what?" Jiang Chen asked.

An insidious smile spread across Li Ke’s face. "Let’s bet on who wins the wager between Wu Haorui and Nalan Qiantian. I’ll bet on Wu Haorui. How about it?"

Wu Haorui was also from one of the great families of the Imperial Capital.

Normally, Li Ke and Wu Haorui moved in the same circles, and Li Ke was well aware of how powerful Wu Haorui was.

Even though Nalan Qiantian’s talent was a notch higher than Wu Haorui’s, Wu Haorui’s cultivation was one stage higher. In Li Ke’s opinion, that gave Wu Haorui a greater chance of winning!

Jiang Chen glanced at Li Ke, feeling rather displeased.

He had never provoked this person, yet the guy was relentlessly picking a fight. Jiang Chen was losing his patience. He sneered, "I don’t mind betting with you. But I’m not one to do things for free. I won’t waste my time if there’s nothing in it for me."

"Uh..."

Li Ke frowned. "What do you want out of it?"

"Forget it," Jiang Chen said. "I tend to play for high stakes. I’m afraid you can’t afford to lose."

’Fuck!’

Li Ke was enraged!

His face flushed and paled as he seethed. "The Li Family is a great and noble house, and you dare say I can’t afford to lose? How about this... we’ll bet one million Gold. How about it?"

GASP!

Everyone around turned to look.

’One million Gold!’

That was by no means a small sum.

"As expected of a disciple from a great family. So extravagant!"

"That Jiang Chen probably won’t dare to bet him..."

"He can’t possibly come up with that much money!"

The gazes of the crowd toward Li Ke were now tinged with envy.

A smug look appeared on Li Ke’s face. He relished being the center of attention and looked at Jiang Chen complacently. "Well? Do you dare to bet?"

To Li Ke’s surprise, Jiang Chen shook his head and gave a mild smile. "I think I’ll pass on the bet."

"What? Can’t you afford it? Hahaha! If you can’t afford it, just say so. I have plenty of money. As long as you kowtow and admit defeat, I can forget about your stake!" Li Ke shouted, making sure everyone could hear him.

However, in the face of Li Ke’s mockery, Jiang Chen simply wore a strange expression.

But the Black Emperor, perched on his shoulder, spoke with disdain. "And here I thought people from the Imperial Capital’s great families were rich, but it turns out you’re just a pauper. One million Gold? Are you trying to give alms to a beggar? Forget Jiang Chen, even this Emperor looks down on that amount..."

"..."

Li Ke’s face stiffened, and the corner of his eye twitched uncontrollably.

’What the hell!’

’So they actually think it’s too little?’

How could he, a great young master from a noble family, afford to lose face like this? Li Ke said in a heavy voice, "Then how much do you want?"

Jiang Chen held up one finger.

Li Ke paused, then frowned. "One hundred million Gold? I thought it would be more. I’ll take that bet!"

Jiang Chen shook his head. "No, no, no. Not one hundred million Gold. I’m talking about Spirit Crystals. One hundred Spirit Crystals!"

"Are you crazy? One hundred Spirit Crystals?" Li Ke exclaimed.

Even Lin Feifei and the others looked over, a hint of surprise in their eyes.

One hundred Spirit Crystals were equivalent to one hundred million Gold, or ten billion silver!

Even for a young master from a great family like Li Ke, his entire fortune was only about two hundred Lower-Grade Spirit Crystals. This bet would take half of it!

Li Ke couldn’t help but hesitate.

Jiang Chen shrugged. "If you don’t dare, then forget it." 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

The Black Emperor gave him a look of disgust.

Li Ke’s expression was conflicted. He stared at Jiang Chen and said in a heavy voice, "Who said I don’t dare? I’m just worried you don’t have that kind of money and won’t be able to pay up when you lose..."

Before he could even finish his sentence, a flash of light emanated from Jiang Chen’s palm, revealing one hundred dazzling Spirit Crystals. Jiang Chen said calmly, "Now are you reassured?"

"Don’t tell me you’re the one who doesn’t dare to bet?" the Black Emperor taunted. "Or is it that the great genius of the noble Li Family can’t even cough up one hundred Spirit Crystals?"

Li Ke hesitated, feeling as if he were caught between a rock and a hard place.

’Bet! If I lose, it’ll be a catastrophic loss. But if I don’t... I’ll never be able to hold my head high again.’

His gaze shifted to the Earth Martial Hall, where he saw that Wu Haorui had already reached the 9th Floor while Nalan Qiantian was still struggling on the eighth. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes as he declared, "Fine! I’ll take that bet!"

"Excellent!"

Jiang Chen grinned.

Li Ke laughed heartily. "Jiang Chen, do you think you’ve already won? Just look! Wu Haorui is already challenging the tenth floor. This victory is mine!"

"Heh. The one who laughs last is the true winner," Jiang Chen said.

Li Ke snorted coldly.

Everyone waited for the two inside the Earth Martial Hall to finally determine a winner.

One, two, three...

More and more people were eliminated, until only Nalan Qiantian and Wu Haorui remained in the Earth Martial Hall.

Wu Haorui had reached the eighteenth floor and had been stuck there for a long time.

Nalan Qiantian progressed at a steady pace, but he, too, had reached the eighteenth floor.

Almost half a double-hour later, the light of the Earth Martial Hall dimmed, and Wu Haorui’s figure appeared at the entrance. His face was pale, and he was gasping for breath, his body covered in wounds. He glanced at Nalan Qiantian, who was still inside, and his expression turned ugly.

"Kid, you lost!" the Black Emperor grinned.

Li Ke snorted. "If they both stop at the eighteenth floor, it’s a draw. It’s too early to concede defeat!"

However, the words had barely left his mouth when the light of the Earth Martial Hall flashed, and Nalan Qiantian stepped onto the nineteenth floor!

Li Ke’s face instantly turned ashen...