Chapter 932: Defeated

"So I can get the top rank without doing anything? How is that possible?" Pei Zen asked Long Chen, curious as to what his plan was.

"The plan is simple. Instead of finding the Golden Potatoes, you can carry some with you inside. That would give you a higher starting point. You can return those in the end to the one who would be collecting. If that happens, you'll win," Long Chen explained as a smile formed on his face.

"Let me be even clearer. Our Palace has some golden potatoes that were collected throughout the time. All those golden potatoes are kept in storage. The storage is in plain sight and not guarded at all. We can take a few golden potatoes from there. You can hide that in your storage ring when you go in. And how to handle the rest, you must already know," he let out.

While Long Chen was trying to use this method to get Pei Zen to follow him to someplace more secluded, Pei Zen was thinking something else entirely.

"Wait a minute. If your Palace already has the things we're supposed to find to get ranked, what's to stop them from giving the golden potatoes to your candidates and cheat? Fuck, they'll all get a higher rank. I must tell others about this. We can't let this unfair trial go on," he expressed his concern.

He knew that this trick could let him get a high rank, but his rank couldn't compare to the ones from the candidates of this world who could cheat even more if they had a stock of these potatoes.

"Sure. You can go ahead and tell others about this, but you'll lose a great opportunity if you do that," Long Chen answered smugly.

It was as if he had already thought of this question. He had already prepared a response for this as well.

"What do you mean?" Pei Zen asked suspiciously.

"Our Emperor will not give our candidates the potatoes in the stock. Do you think the other worlds would have allowed for this trial to happen if that was possible? From what I heard, our Emperor is under oath that his Empire can't cheat. That's why he was telling our candidates to do their best in the Trials and to get a good rank.

"This... That seems to be possible. I should thank the others if that's possible. The hosts can't cheat, and other than them, only I know of these secrets," Pei Zen let out, looking pleased.

He soon started laughing, "Good, very good. Give me these potatoes. I'll give you the most precious treasure in the world, that Wine and our strongest Martial Skill, the Buddha's fist."

"Come. I'll take you to the storage. You can take the golden potatoes from there," Long Chen said as he gestured for the man to follow him.

"Why should I follow you? If someone saw me, this whole plan would flop. You go ahead and bring me the golden potatoes. I'll wait here for you." Pei Zen refused to follow after Long Chen, seemingly afraid to get seen.

This was an excellent opportunity to cheat. If he was seen, he was going to lose this god-sent opportunity. He definitely couldn't go. It was better to wait behind.

Long Chen didn't seem extremely surprised at the man's refusal. It was as if he had already expected this as well.

"That's not possible. You must come with me if you want to take those things," Long Chen replied.

"Why?" the man asked. "Are you scared to go alone? Or you're too lazy?"

"None. You never heard about the golden potatoes, did you?" Long Chen inquired as he rolled his eyes.

Pei Zen shook his head. "No, I haven't. Why?"

'Of course, you wouldn't. This is something I made up recently. How would you have heard,' Long Chen thought, but his words didn't match her thoughts.

"That's why you tell me to bring them to you. The thing is that the golden potatoes can only be kept in a storage ring twice in their lifetime. If you sent them in the storage ring a third time, they are destroyed," Long Chen explained, forming another web of lies.

"The first time they were kept in the storage ring by the ones who brought them outside the special realm. If I want to bring them in undetected, I would need to have them in my storage ring. And if I do that, it would be the limit," he continued.

"After that, how will you take them inside? If you keep them in your storage ring, they'll be destroyed."

"Cheh, so many limitations," Pei Zen cursed as he rolled his eyes.

He was getting frustrated. No matter how many things he said, Long Chen told the opposite.

He had a few more ideas, but he knew that if he was rejected again, he might die in anger. It was easier to follow Long Chen.

He soon agreed, "Fine. I'll come with you. Lead the way."

"Good. Follow me from a distance, so the guards on the way don't know that you're with me. That won't be any guards near the storage. So there you can come closer," Long Chen said as he turned back. He started walking away.

Pei Zen followed after him from a distance, certainly making it seem like he was just casually walking.

Now that the first part of Long Chen's plan was completed, all that remained was to get the man in an empty room and...

****

"You're back. Why does it seem like you have a battle? Your clothes are dirty as well. Were you lying on the ground?"

Qian Yu entered her room where the third man of their team was resting on the bed lazily.

"Yeah. I just found an interesting guy," Qian Yu answered.

"A guy who managed to get you on the ground? Interesting. Don't tell me you killed him in anger," the man laughed as he asked.

"No. I couldn't even defeat him," Qian Yu answered as a sigh escaped her lips.

"What? You were defeated? Who was it? Someone from the Dark World?" the man asked, seemingly surprised.

"No. I was not defeated," Qian Yu answered.

She walked over to get to bed and sat down. "As for the identity of that man, even I'm curious about you. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to find out anything more about that person."

"It's fine. Soon, the trials will begin. We would most probably see him there. You can get your introduction there. Don't forget to tell me who he is. I'm quite interested in the guy," the man said.