Jiang Chen chuckled silently, then turned to Consort Dan beside him. "Brother Xiaofei, what do you think? If someone tried to recruit you with that tone, what would you do?"
Consort Dan gave a sly smile. She knew all about Jiang Chen's background and origins—of course she knew about his grudge with
"With all due respect, this kind of recruitment is far too full of itself. The world is vast, and our sixteen-nation alliance is nothing but a patch of sky the size of a palm. If some people want to put on airs here, they're probably just frogs in a well who don't know how high the sky goes or how deep the earth runs."
Consort Dan's words were gasoline on the fire, slamming shut any remaining room for negotiation in one stroke.
Jiang Chen glanced at her and thought to himself that this guy was quite sharp, knowing exactly what to say to play along with his thoughts.
Liu Wencai was mildly surprised as well. He had been focused on Jiang Chen, the mundane-world champion, but he hadn't expected the second-ranked mundane-world fighter to be equally sharp-edged and full of character.
Now this was getting interesting.
These words were a slap across
Now, having been cornered by two mundane-world fighters with nowhere to turn, Liu Wencai was thoroughly delighted. He felt today was turning out to be an extraordinarily satisfying day.
Jiang Chen said coolly, "Brother Guo, Brother Xiaofei's attitude is basically my attitude. When people don't see eye to eye, even half a word is too many. If you'll excuse us."
As for disciples of the Purple Sun Sect, Jiang Chen couldn't muster a shred of goodwill. The fact that he hadn't opened his mouth to curse was already him showing remarkable restraint.
Guo Ren knew this mundane-world fighter was capable and arrogant, but he never imagined that he, the distinguished first-seed candidate, would receive such a cold reception—or even a mocking slap to the face!
"So this is how you regard my Purple Sun Sect?" Guo Ren's voice turned cold.
"First, you don't represent the Purple Sun Sect. Second, Brother Xiaofei is right—you really are a frog in a well. All you know is that the Purple Sun Sect exists in this world, but you have no idea there's a sky beyond the sky. Third, the Purple Sun Sect—I'm not interested."
Jiang Chen gave a faint smile and drifted away. Behind him, Guo Ren's face shifted between green and white, his entire body trembling with rage.
What Liu Wencai enjoyed most was exactly this kind of situation—watching Guo Ren humiliate himself. He was more excited than if he'd achieved a hundred consecutive victories himself.
With a low chuckle, he turned and walked off.
Guo Ren's eyes blazed with fury, locked onto Jiang Chen's retreating figure. If looks could kill, he would have murdered Jiang Chen a thousand times over.
"Senior Brother Guo, that kid doesn't know what's good for him. He may have talent, but he's digging his own grave."
"That's right, Senior Brother Guo. He's nothing but a mundane-world loudmouth—no need to take him to heart. Twenty-five consecutive victories, so what? He just got lucky and never drew a top-ten seed candidate. If he'd landed in your hands, Senior Brother Guo, that kid would've been absolutely destroyed."
Being flattered by his subordinates eased Guo Ren's mood slightly. But he hadn't lost his rationality—he knew perfectly well in his heart.
If he actually faced this mundane-world braggart, he wasn't sure he'd have much of a chance at all.
This fellow's strength had reached a genuinely troublesome level. Otherwise, given Guo Ren's personality, he never would have bothered trying to recruit the man personally.
It was precisely because he lacked confidence in beating Jiang Chen that he'd attempted the soft approach, hoping to leverage his status as the first-seed candidate—along with the Purple Sun Sect's prestige—to bring the man under his control.
A fine plan, but Guo Ren had no idea that the person he wanted to recruit despised nothing more than the Purple Sun Sect. They could never have peed in the same bucket.
"Hmph, a mundane-world braggart. Like a nouveau riche—all flash and no staying power. Even if he makes it to the Earth Spirit Zone, there are countless geniuses there. Someone will stomp him into the ground. A mere mundane-world ant dares to look down on my Purple Sun Sect? He's courting death!"
Guo Ren spat through gritted teeth, then waved his hand and departed with his entourage. In his mind, he had already begun scheming a plan to deal with this arrogant bastard.
Guo Ren absolutely refused to allow anyone in the Profound Spirit Zone to challenge his unshakable position as the first-seed candidate.
On the walk back to the courtyard, Consort Dan laughed. "Brother Panshi, was my response just now a bit too much?"
"Too much? I think you didn't even insult him hard enough," Jiang Chen said with a smile.
"Hehe, not hard enough? Next time that guy fails to read the room, I'll really let him have it."
Jiang Chen asked, "Aren't you afraid of offending the Purple Sun Sect?"
Consort Dan grinned. "You're more talented than I am, with a brighter future ahead. If you're not afraid, why should I be? Besides, the Purple Sun Sect isn't my first choice either."
Jiang Chen asked curiously, "What is your first choice?"
The question caught Consort Dan off guard. She stared blankly, murmuring, "What is my choice?"
In her heart, she had long had the answer to this question. She hadn't come here for the four great sects. She, Consort Dan, would forever and always be a disciple of Old Master
She had come here with only one choice—to follow Jiang Chen and witness his rise to prominence.
But how could she bring herself to say that out loud?