In the span of their verbal exchanges, the two had already clashed several times.
Ouyang Jian appeared calm and composed on the surface, but inside he was utterly shaken. He had been carefully crafting an atmosphere moments ago, trying to drag his opponent into his own rhythm.
Yet judging from the other's nonchalant demeanor, it was clear the tactic hadn't worked at all.
"This country bumpkin actually has some tricks up his sleeve! No wonder Guo Ren was scared into forming a heart demon by him." Ouyang Jian's assessment of Jiang Chen rose a notch in his mind. "But on this Blazing Fire Arena, running into me—bad luck is all he can blame!"
Suddenly, Ouyang Jian's eyes flared wide. His arms shook, and the arena erupted into a sea of fire. Countless waves of flame surged outward like ravenous ancient beasts, engulfing the entire perimeter of the stage in a blazing inferno.
"Kid, on this Fire Arena, you're my prey! Hahaha..." Ouyang Jian's right hand clenched, and a broad longsword materialized along his arm, flickering in and out of visibility like a python coiled around his limb.
"That's the Fire Python Sword!" Shouts of astonishment rose from the Purple Sun Sect disciples below.
"My word, Ouyang Jian has finally refined the Fire Python Sword. He's going to be like a fish in water now—he'll dominate the Earth Spirit Region!"
"Come to think of it, this secular kid is just unlucky, running into Ouyang Jian's hands. Not only is it on the Blazing Fire Arena, but Ouyang Jian has also brought out the Fire Python Sword."
"Exactly. With the Fire Python Sword refined, Ouyang Jian's strength has at least doubled. Add in the advantage of the Blazing Fire Arena—probably even the top-ranked fighters in the Earth Spirit Region would struggle to beat him in this state."
This was no exaggeration. Every martial artist had different talents and affinities.
The Blazing Fire Arena was an advantage for Ouyang Jian, but for other warriors with average Fire Spirit Meridian talent, it was pure torment.
"Haha, that kid is done for. This is the Furious Flame Tide that Ouyang Jian conjures using the Blazing Fire Arena. Once he's surrounded by the tide, forget about Ouyang Jian lifting a finger—the heat alone will roast him to death!"
"This is what happens when you oppose my Purple Sun Sect! Serves him right!"
"That's right! Anyone who offends the dignity of the Purple Sun Sect—death!"
"Honestly, I used to think Ouyang Jian was an insufferable brat no matter how I looked at him. But now I'm thinking... he's not such a jerk after all!"
The Purple Sun Sect disciples below were fired up. Seeing their own sect member dominate on the arena filled them with pride.
Jiang Chen stood rooted in place, as if meditating in deep stillness. The roaring flames surrounding him seemed like illusions in his eyes. Not a trace of panic showed on his body or his face.
Ouyang Jian narrowed his eyes, shooting out crimson light, and bellowed, "Kid, under my Furious Flame Tide, surviving a quarter-hour would be the bare minimum to qualify as my opponent!"
Ouyang Jian formed hand seals, and the Fire Python Sword danced in his grasp, stirring up the surrounding currents of furious flame. From every direction, the inferno converged, pressing inward toward Jiang Chen's position, closing in on him.
The Purple Sun Sect disciples below erupted in excitement. They knew—the spectacular show was about to begin!
Once this circle of furious flame sealed the opponent inside, what remained was nothing but torment like a furnace of hell—an absolute, crushing slaughter!
A savage grin spread across Ouyang Jian's face. Everything was under his control.
Powerful flames crept closer to Jiang Chen from every direction. Tongues of flame surged as if imbued with life, closing in on their prey like packs of predatory beasts.
And yet, Jiang Chen remained motionless as a mountain. His expression hadn't shifted in the slightest—not even his eyelashes trembled.
"This kid is putting on an act, pretending to be calm. Maybe he's waiting for the exact moment the spirit fire surrounds him before leaping out of the circle? Hmph—once you're engulfed by my Furious Flame Tide, there's no escape! The tide links ring upon ring; no matter where he jumps, he can't dodge my embrace of fury!"
A triumphant grin was nearly plastered across Ouyang Jian's face.
"Die, kid!" The Fire Python Sword accelerated, and the surrounding flames surged forward in a thunderous rush toward Jiang Chen's position.
"Spirit fire of this level—and you're flaunting it like it's something to be proud of?"
The motionless Jiang Chen suddenly raised his eyelids. A piercing gleam erupted from his pupils. His hands lifted slightly, palms flipping outward in a dismissive gesture—as if shooing away an unwanted visitor.
And then, something strange happened.
The roaring flames, hurtling forward moments ago, ground to a sudden halt—as if they had slammed into an invisible wall, or as if they had voluntarily stopped in their tracks.
Within roughly a zhang around Jiang Chen, the encircling tide of flame froze completely. Tongues of fire formed a ring one zhang out but refused to advance a single inch further.
Looking at the flames' momentum, it was as though the ground within that one zhang held a power that made them tremble, made them fear. The tongues of fire were visibly weakening.
"What?"
"What's going on?"
"What is Ouyang Jian doing? Is he toying with his prey?"
"End it quickly! Stop playing around!"
"Heh heh, I bet he wants to torture the prey first, drag out the kill. Don't you think finishing an opponent in one shot is boring?"
The Purple Sun Sect disciples below found it a bit odd, but they still assumed Ouyang Jian was putting on a show—tormenting his prey before the kill.
However, on the arena itself, Ouyang Jian's eyes narrowed in shock as he stared at the scene within the ring of battle.