"It's him, that old bastard—always so arrogant, always so insufferably smug." An Jia Ye's gaze carried a depth of meaning as he stared at the figure high above in the sky.
This figure, in the Infinite Prison and on Wanyuan Island alike, had always been An Jia Ye's most detested existence, haunting him like a nightmare that never faded.
"Everyone in the Eternal Sacred Land, listen up!" A booming voice rang out. "My ancestor, Old Man Guangdu, has arrived in person. You jumping clowns—are you not going to come out and pay your respects?"
Jiang Chen heard this and couldn't help but laugh. "How hypocritical. If he's come to hold us accountable, does he really expect us to line up in full formation to welcome him?"
"That's just the tricks of his sycophants. Don't take it seriously. Be on guard against Old Man Guangdu launching a surprise attack. We must maintain our own rhythm and not let them disrupt it."
Divine Lord Jia Ye was, after all, a battle-hardened veteran. His composure remained perfectly calm, utterly unaffected by the commotion outside, as he steadily held their rhythm in place.
Watching Divine Lord Jia Ye like this, Jiang Chen felt he had learned something valuable.
When it came to real combat experience, Jiang Chen had been a blank slate in his previous life, and though this life had given him a wealth of battle experience, he was still far behind Divine Lord Jia Ye, who had forged himself in the depths of the Infinite Prison.
"Send someone out to provoke him. Remember—don't step outside our defensive perimeter. Otherwise, we cannot guarantee anyone's safety." Divine Lord Jia Ye transmitted the instruction via spiritual communication.
The Second Holy Sovereign clearly had no interest in this task, and the Third Holy Sovereign pushed Zi Che Min to go in his stead.
In principle, this sort of thing should have been handled by a Holy Sovereign. Instead, both of them had deferred to Zi Che Min. Yet Zi Che Min did not refuse.
This only deepened Jiang Chen's slight contempt for the two Holy Sovereigns.
While it couldn't be called infighting, the details spoke volumes—these two Holy Sovereigns showed less backbone than the First Holy Sovereign, who was, after all, a woman.
"Elder Zi Che, when you provoke him, you must be careful to protect yourself. Watch for him to suddenly lash out. A Divine Dao cultivator can destroy anyone below the Divine Dao with a single thought. Don't be careless."
"Don't worry, I'll be careful." Zi Che Min nodded, his expression grave.
"Is the one approaching Old Man Guangdu?" Zi Che Min called out in a clear voice.
"Insolent whelp." Old Man Guangdu finally spoke. The moment his voice erupted, it struck like a sledgehammer, slamming directly toward Zi Che Min's chest.
Fortunately, Jiang Chen had warned him in advance. Zi Che Min was on his guard and managed to dodge the completely unprovoked strike.
"Hmph! Birds of a feather, every last one. Even the sneaking attacks are cut from the same cloth. So you're the one they call Old Man Guangdu? You're less impressive in person than your reputation suggests!" Zi Che Min was not, in truth, a sharp-tongued man. Harsh words and goading were not his forte.
Old Man Guangdu's eyes were cold and devoid of emotion, casting a disdainful glance downward. "The Eternal Sacred Land dares to kill my two protectors, yet not a single person with the backbone to step forward? Sending out some shrimp and crab soldiers—is that not a joke?"
"Jiang Chen, be on guard. That old fool Guangdu is definitely cooking up some scheme. Watch for a sudden attack."
Divine Lord Jia Ye was on high alert against Old Man Guangdu, wary on every front.
"An Jia Ye, I know you're cowering in there. How laughable—you, who clawed your way out of the Infinite Prison and suffered under the Ten Great Sacred Lands, now shamelessly throw yourself at the Eternal Sacred Land. Don't you consider yourself a disgrace to all the cultivators of the Infinite Prison?"
Old Man Guangdu's tone was drenched in mockery.
An Jia Ye's face shifted between green and purple. Clearly, these words from Old Man Guangdu had dealt him a considerable blow.
Jiang Chen quickly sent a mental transmission: "Senior, that old man is deliberately trying to provoke you. Don't fall for it."
"Don't worry. A few tricks like that aren't enough to get under my skin." An Jia Ye struggled briefly to calm himself before quickly regaining his composure.