In terms of actual cultivation, Ouyang Jian was also at the fourth level of the Spirit Realm.
But in terms of martial dao comprehension, in terms of the breadth of his vision, he was not on the same level as Jiang Chen—a fourth level Spirit Realm cultivator—at all.
The Sixteen Strikes of the Ragefire Wild Serpent were indeed astonishing in speed, and the sword momentum was indeed extravagant.
But for Jiang Chen, what he feared least were physical attacks that tried to compete with him in speed or momentum.
Fast?
That was only for ordinary fourth level Spirit Realm martial artists. The sword technique was, admittedly, quite fast.
But in Jiang Chen's eyes, this sword momentum was merely mediocre speed.
Ferocious?
The momentum of a raging serpent was, for ordinary martial artists, indeed quite ferocious.
But in Jiang Chen's view, such ferocity was little different from recklessness.
At the end of the day, martial techniques of this level, under Jiang Chen's discerning eye, simply couldn't make much of a splash.
Jiang Chen didn't even bother drawing his nameless blade. He simply reached out and plucked a tail feather from the Fire Crow King.
Suddenly, a sharp gleam blazed in Jiang Chen's eyes.
The Fire Crow King's tail feather shot straight out, as if the two had planned it together—clink!
A crisp sound of impact.
Amidst the storm of a thousand sword shadows, Jiang Chen used that single Fire Crow King tail feather to strike dead-on against the opponent's Fire Serpent Sword.
And this seemingly casual thrust, simple as it appeared, shattered all of the opponent's elaborate sword momentum in a single stroke, piercing straight to the core.
This move even drew a slight frown from Master Shuiyue, who had maintained her indifferent expression throughout.
An expert's hand reveals its true caliber.
In the earlier battles, whether it was Ouyang Jian or this mortal-world prodigy, in Master Shuiyue's eyes, they had all been putting on a show—too flashy, lacking the essential killing intent of true martial dao.
But Jiang Chen's simple, unadorned thrust genuinely shook Master Shuiyue.
This technique of reducing complexity to simplicity was absolutely a strike that captured the essence of the martial dao. No flashiness, no elaborate poses.
Just one thrust forward, yet it completely shattered every illusion of the Sixteen Strikes of the Ragefire Wild Serpent, pointing straight at the core of Ouyang Jian's attack.
This thrust was the absolute essence!
Ouyang Jian's Wild Serpent Sword was struck by the force of that thrust, sending sparks flying in all directions. Ouyang Jian felt a crushing pressure slam into his chest.
His entire body was forced backward several steps, barely managing to steady himself with a scuff, scuff, scuff of his feet.
When he looked at the Fire Serpent Sword again, he saw that the point of impact now bore a gruesome notch. His prized spiritual weapon—a weapon he was immensely proud of, one that had been tempered six times by a master artificer—had been slashed open with such a devastating wound by a single casual thrust!
"Sounds like that's your trump-card sword technique? Nothing special." Jiang Chen scoffed. "Your so-called Wild Serpent Sword has been dealt with. Now, take one of my moves!"
As he spoke, Jiang Chen raised his arm, and a wondrous melody, an extraordinary rhythm, instantly plunged the arena into a strange cadence.
Then—
Jiang Chen's body surged forward, a streak of light flashing like lightning.
Ouyang Jian realized the opponent's bizarre weapon had already been thrust right in front of him.
"Ah!" Ouyang Jian hastily raised the Fire Serpent Sword to block.
Clang, clang, clang...
Crisp sounds of collision rang out more than a dozen times in succession.
Ouyang Jian's Fire Serpent Sword shattered inch by inch, fragments falling away piece by piece.
"That should be about enough." Jiang Chen let out a clear shout, extended his arm, and the Fire Crow King's tail feather thrust straight toward the center of Ouyang Jian's brow. Killing intent erupted in a sudden torrent.
Ouyang Jian had nowhere to retreat. Every path of escape had been sealed. The only thing he could do was close his eyes and await death.
But at that moment, a streak of snow-white silk shot through the air, flashing with brilliant light as it collided with the Fire Crow King's tail feather in Jiang Chen's hand.
Clang!
Jiang Chen's arm went numb, and his qi and blood churned violently. The Fire Crow King's tail feather in his hand deflected to the side, missing Ouyang Jian entirely.
"That's enough." A cold, detached voice rang out, brimming with authority.
Ouyang Jian, having narrowly escaped death, broke out in cold sweat all over. Only upon hearing that voice did he realize it was the chief examiner, Master Shuiyue, who had intervened to save him.
Jiang Chen's strike had failed, and he immediately knew a powerful figure had interfered. He let out a soft snort, shifted his body aside, and met Master Shuiyue's gaze with a cold question: "Master, what is the meaning of this?"
Master Shuiyue replied indifferently, "Since you've already won, why must you press for the kill?"
"I'll ask just one thing—is an examiner permitted to intervene during an arena match?" Jiang Chen asked coolly.
Though Jiang Chen appeared calm on the surface, rage was blazing in his heart. "Since you've already won, why must you press for the kill?" How utterly hypocritical. If it had been Ouyang Jian who won, would this old woman have said the same thing?
Of course, Jiang Chen knew that the Purple Sun Sect had always been tyrannical. Reasoning with them was utterly pointless.