This little fatty had on a merry expression as he made faces at Jiang Chen, keeping his voice very low, âBrother, letâs speak candidly. Iâm the one being challenged, so it doesnât affect my score if I lose. Therefore, I donât want to win this fight at all. How about we put on an act? Donât be too serious, and I wonât be too fake. Letâs play fight for a while, then Iâll voluntarily head off the stage. I seriously hate this ring of ice. I donât want to waste my inner energy here and really go head to head with you.â
The little fattyâs tiny eyes kept rolling around as he spoke with a tone of a businessman wanting to engage in a deal.
Jiang Chen had met all sorts of opponents, but it was a rare sight to meet someone who openly wanted to cheat.
âCâmon brother, let me know your true thoughts.â The fatty asked hastily when he saw that Jiang Chen wasnât responding.
Jiang Chen nodded faintly, âThen it depends on whether you really want to put on an act, or youâre acting about not wanting to fight for real.â
The little fatty grinned from ear to ear. âYouâll know soon.â
He then roared loudly and started charging towards Jiang Chen with his ball-like body. The entire ring began to shake with loud sounds when this enormous meat ball started rolling.
He did appear to be creating a huge uproar, but the little fatty seemed quite sincere in not wanting to use his internal energy in this match. He was purposefully leaving some flaws open as he rolled.
It wasnât that the little fatty had a low level of cultivation, but rather was doing this on purpose to indicate that he truly didnât intend on winning.
Since the fatty was playing the game so conscientiously, Jiang Chen could only act accordingly.
When the fatty saw that Jiang Chen was diligently acting with him, he also privately complimented Jiang Chen; he was a good brother alright! The two of them panted and huffed on the ring, radiating dominating auras and going ahead at full speed.
Someone who wasnât involved in the match really wouldnât be able to tell that they werenât fighting for real. Their yells were ferocious, but hadnât the barest hint of internal energy expenditure.
The fattyâs shoulder suddenly dropped after fifteen minutes as he let out an agonized cry. His rotund body dropped straight off the elevated ring as if heâd been struck by lightning.
Jiang Chen really wanted to laugh when he saw this exaggerated act.
The comical fatty didnât forget to throw Jiang Chen a look of âheh, my sly plan worked!â as he fell off the stage.
Thus, Jiang Chen secured his first win in such a comical manner.
âThe candidates of the earth quadrant are different to the mystic quadrant alright. If this fatty candidate had truly fought me, he likely wouldâve been able to exchange a few moves with me. Even though his cultivation level is only at the fourth level spirit realm, in terms of actual battle strength or aura, heâs different from the mystic realm candidates.â
Jiang Chen had actually paid quite a bit of attention and noticed that the sect disciples of the mystic quadrant were mostly of the third and fourth level spirit realm. The earth quadrant were mostly fourth level spirit realm, with a few fifth levelâbut those were much fewer.
However, despite also being of the fourth level spirit realm, no matter what the measure, the fourth level candidates of the earth quadrant was far superior to those of the mystic quadrant.
âIâm also of the fourth level spirit realm, but my actual fighting ability is absolutely something that no ordinary fourth level cultivator can measure up to. The candidates in the earth quadrant are basically all second tier geniuses, some even preliminary first tier geniuses. All of them must have areas in which they excel in and are quite different from the mediocrity in the mystic quadrant. I was able to sweep the mystic quadrant, but thanks to various restraining factors here, I probably wonât be able to do what I did in the mystic quadrant.â
Jiang Chen had formed the bones of a plan in his heart after thinking of Master Fangâs reminders.
âThe keeper of this quadrant is that Shuiyue woman. She will set her sights on me if too much light is shone on my talents, and may even suppress me. In addition, the rings here arenât the ordinary ones. Iâll have to use some of my trump cards if I try to win furiously like that. That would be most inappropriate.â
The five rings were of the five great elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. If Jiang Chen swept all his matches again, then some of his hidden aces would definitely be revealed.
After all, most cultivators werenât able to cultivate in all five elements. Being able to do so was the unique advantage of one with an innate constitution.
Those who werenât born with a constitution and could still cultivate in all five elements were those with astounding fortuitous occurrences and had rewritten their destinies.
Take Jiang Chen for instance, he was able to do so because of the changes wrought by the Five Dragons Opening Heavens Pill, and the reflections of his numerous fortuitous occurrences.
If he could sweep all the rings, what would that mean then? That would mean that he could adapt to all of the rings and had extraordinary potential in all five elements.
âForget it, although itâs nice to sweep all my matches, thereâs no need to continue playing like this. Since these five rings arenât like ordinary matches, it wouldnât be realistic to have results like I had in the mystic quadrant. The matches of the earth quadrant arenât just of those between candidates, but also a battle with the ring itself as well. The ring will drain the candidate just as equally as oneâs opponents. Therefore, itâs rather unrealistic to go at it the way I did in the mystic quadrant.â
Jiang Chen decided to use a more conservative rhythm to proceed after running through various considerations.
In any case, he had plenty of time to complete a hundred challenges over the next three months Heâd won so crazily in the mystic quadrant because heâd been provoked by others and had been dismissed by the entire quadrant, provoking his anger as a result.
But now that heâd gotten here and was facing a main examiner, Master Shuiyue, who was eying him up like a tiger looking at prey, Jiang Chen felt that this woman could make trouble for him at any time, so it was better to keep a lower profile...
Of course, a low profile was one thing, but there was no reason to immediately give up his turn after obtaining one victory.
Jiang Chen decisively chose to continue when the examiner queried him.
He seemed rather unlucky this time as he selected a first level candidate, and one that was ranked quite ahead at that, number 23 out of 500 candidates in the earth quadrant.
âThe Purple Sun Sect again.â Jiang Chen also felt odd when he looked at the name in his hand. Was he fated to be rivals with the Purple Sun Sect?
However, he didnât really mind. Whether it was the Purple Sun Sect or the other sects, he had but a single thought when he set foot into the ring, and that was to defeat his opponent.
The ring he selected this time was a ring of fire.
âPurple Sun Sect, the ring of fire...â A thought flashed through Jiang Chenâs mind as he looked at the examiner overseeing the selection. What a coincidence, I donât suppose any cheating is happening?
âHumph. Whether heâs cheating or that itâs a coincidence, the Purple Sun Sect disciples are unlucky to bump into me.â Jiang Chen laughed coldly in his heart and walked towards the ring with large steps.
He could play ball with the other three sects like the little fatty from the Myriad Spirit Sect. If everyone was quite polite and friendly, then all could be discussed. However, there was no room for discussion with the Purple Sun Sect.
When Jiang Chen set foot into the ring, his opponent was already standing there with crossed arms.
He was dressed in a fiery robe and seemed to embody the aura of a fiercely burning ball of flame as he stood on his side. His entire demeanor seemed to have seamlessly melded into this ring of fire.
This personâs thin face appeared quite sinister, as the violent light in his eyes made one feel that he wasnât a kind sort.
âSecular kid, Iâve heard of you.â
The person spoke coldly as frightening flames shot out from his eyes, seeming to want to shoot into Jiang Chenâs eyes. The two balls of flames churned continuously in his eyes, as creepy as ghostly fire.
âParlor tricks!â
Jiang Chen snorted lightly and shot out a soft hum like lightning, forming an invisible air current and piercing towards this personâs hotly burning eyes.
âHmm?â The personâs expression changed as his eyes hastily shut, evading this strong air current blow.
âDonât embarrass yourself in bringing out this level of glamour.â Jiang Chen smiled faintly. This kind of glamour was a way of attacking an opponentâs consciousness. To put it bluntly, the art of glamour was a way of attacking the heart.
Although Jiang Chen wasnât afraid, he had to admit that if this had been used on a mentally weak practitioner, the twin balls of fire wouldâve likely obliterated their consciousness, turning them into a puppet before the battle had even begun!
However, for Jiang Chenâs level of mental strength, this was just a small trick.
As strong as the Golden Eye of Evil had been on the magnetic golden mountain, Jiang Chen had still evaded it. In contrast, this glamour hadnât even a tenth of the Eyeâs strength. Jiang Chenâs slight snort had been enough to shatter it to pieces.
That person had also been startled that his art had been defused. Heâd also lost some face thanks to Jiang Chenâs mockery.
However, he was quite shrewd as he opened his eyes again and stared at Jiang Chen, saying coldly, âKid, that was just a warm up. Donât get cocky too early.â
âIâve heard that you were quite arrogant in the mystic spirit quadrant, particularly against my Purple Sun Sect. You said that you would destroy each Purple Sun Sect disciple that you met. Is this the case?â
The rumors had exaggerated things a bit, but Jiang Chen had indeed done so. All the Purple Sun Sect disciples whoâd met him in the ring had ended up with horrific downfalls.
Jiang Chen was patently disinterested in idle prattle, arching an eyebrow, âAre all Purple Sun Sect disciples as long winded as you?â
The person laughed coldly, âDonât try to provoke me. Thereâs no use in that! Iâm not Guo Ren or the trash in the mystic quadrant. Remember this, I am Ouyang Jian. Cheng Zhen and Cheng Lan are my younger cousins, and my juniors in the same faction. Today, Iâll return to you tenfold what youâd done to them!â
Jiang Chen couldnât help but jeer, âShould I take a nap first? Wake me up when youâre done running your mouth!â
Ouyang Jian wasnât actually one who liked to talk, he was actually crafting an atmosphere.
He was similar to many Purple Sun Sect disciples, born with extraordinary affinity for the fire attribute. He enjoyed a tremendous advantage in the ring of fire.
Add to that the glamour that he practiced, he was adept at creating an atmosphere than melded his influence into the surroundings with every word and gesture, forming a controlling force that made his opponent unwittingly follow his rhythm.
However, Jiang Chen paid him no heed at all.
If Jiang Chen had bickered with him and had his emotions aroused, then he wouldâve unwittingly fallen into Ouyang Jianâs rhythm.
But, such tricks were quite pointless in Jiang Chenâs eyes.
Ouyang Jianâs painstakingly crafted atmosphere may be useful on others, but it was a completely futile exercise to Jiang Chen.
On the other hand, Ouyang Jian was naturally inclined to the fire element, and so this ring wasnât a restraint for him at all, but fertile ground that would double the effectiveness of his strength and arts.
However, how would he know that this ring of fire was a similar walk in the park for Jiang Chen.
His so-called advantage was meaningless in front of Jiang Chen!