For some reason, when Jiang Chen had heard Third Young Master Ji evaluate this Zhuang Jie before, he had maintained a certain curiosity about the fellow.
Now, having met Zhuang Jie in person and heard those few lines of dialogue, his impression plummeted.
Standing in Zhuang Jie's shoes, Jiang Chen could understand his displeasure. After all, the man was a genius from the Young Master Ranking — his status far exceeded that of a mere Pill King Zhen. By all rights, he should have received far more support and adulation, far more applause and cheers.
Yet all of that had been claimed by Jiang Chen alone, while this so-called Young Master Ranking genius had been reduced to a mere backdrop.
That was indeed embarrassing for Zhuang Jie — perhaps even infuriating — and Jiang Chen could understand all of it.
But at the end of the day, this was none of his doing.
Jiang Chen felt that even if Zhuang Jie was upset inside, the man should at least maintain a modicum of composure — suppress that irritation and not display such a complete lack of class.
Even if you were burning with rage, you could vent it on the ring. If your opponent could beat you there, Jiang Chen would only feel genuine, heartfelt respect.
But now, before the fight had even begun, the man was spewing venom — and that made Jiang Chen look down on his character.
Though the match hadn't started, one could already see this man's narrowness, his petty outlook.
*Upstart. Embroidered pillow.* Labels were being slapped on one after another, and Jiang Chen found it both annoying and amusing.
If all the geniuses on the Young Master Ranking were like Zhuang Jie, then frankly, the ranking didn't seem very impressive at all.
"Zhuang Jie, I don't know if you were born in the Year of the Dog with all this barking. But if you ask me, I'd much rather see you back it up in the ring than hear you run that venomous tongue."
Jiang Chen smiled faintly, refusing to engage in the same kind of verbal sparring.
Because right now, he had zero interest in trading barbs.
Zhuang Jie's expression shifted. He had expected that this Pill King Zhen would be provoked into anger by a few sharp words, but the other party had simply refused to take the bait.
Still, Zhuang Jie showed no signs of restraint. Instead, he bared his teeth in a vicious grin. "Defeating you won't even be a contest. But today, Zhuang will not only defeat you — he'll humiliate you and crush your myth once and for all, so the whole world knows you're nothing but a fraud riding on borrowed fame!"
Verbal provocation was clearly something Zhuang Jie had practiced to perfection.
But for Jiang Chen — who had already lived two lifetimes — it was like a gust of flatulence. Aside from holding his nose, he had absolutely no reaction to speak of.
Seeing the contempt in Jiang Chen's eyes, Zhuang Jie realized his taunts had failed, and his fury only deepened.
He clapped both palms together, and two beams of radiance shot forth from his hands — dazzling, like ripples shimmering under a bright light.
"Mirror Water Moon!"
With a guiding hand gesture, an immense sheet of water-ripple materialized in the void — vast and limitless, like a colossal smooth mirror spreading outward in all directions.
Zhuang Jie had been born with the Innate Water Spirit Body, so commanding water-element divine abilities came naturally to him — effortless, almost offhand.
Jiang Chen didn't hesitate. He abruptly activated the Golden Cicada Wings, launching himself into the air and riding the waves, leaping directly onto the surface of the water ripples.
He knew that if those ripples ensnared him, he would be in serious trouble.
A flicker of mockery passed through Zhuang Jie's eyes. "Trying to run?"
His fingers traced a new seal, and the water ripples shuddered violently, then curled upward from a flat plane into a reversing current — spiraling into a churning coil like a water chain, sweeping Jiang Chen into its vast embrace.
Though Jiang Chen was experienced and well-read, he recognized that this water chain was no ordinary technique. If he were caught within it, escape would be nearly impossible.
After all, the chain carried the immense power of water-elemental energy, possessing tremendous binding force — enough to shatter the very rules of movement in the void.
Many people said water represented softness.
That was merely one facet of its nature. In truth, the elemental force of water was a profoundly complex and vast domain.
Water could be gentle, but it could also be fierce. It could annihilate everything, yet embrace all things. It could attack anything, and it could defend against anything.
In terms of sheer versatility, no element surpassed water.
And Zhuang Jie, with his Innate Water Spirit Body, had clearly achieved deep comprehension of water's mysteries, so wielding water-element divine abilities came to him with perfect ease.
The water chain coiled and surged upward like a massive water dragon soaring through the heavens, intent on wrapping around Jiang Chen and swallowing him whole.
Jiang Chen's speed was extraordinary. In the instant before the water pillar could coil around him, he vaulted beyond its reach.
Seeing Jiang Chen slip away, Zhuang Jie sneered with disdain. His fingers danced through another seal, both palms striking out again — a fresh attack.
Two enormous white water pillars materialized in the void, like twin dragons playing with a pearl — one left, one right — sealing off every avenue of lateral escape.
The pillars swept left and right, forming a tightening encirclement that left Jiang Chen only the option of dodging up or down, with no way to use horizontal space to evade the churning currents.
The spectators below held their breath at the sight.
Everyone knew the direct disciples of the Emperor were formidable — but no one had expected them to be *this* formidable.