Jiang Chen's cold voice cut through the square like a blade, instantly drawing countless gazes toward him.
"Hey… isn't that the young master?"
"What's he doing here?!"
"I heard the Patriarch risked everything to get that Lingyun Wufu quota for him. Could he really be here to demand it back?"
"Hah! And what if he is? The Patriarch isn't even in the Jiang family right now. The Great Elder calls the shots—and everyone knows he favors Jiang Yunhong. That waste doesn't stand a chance."
The whispers were full of ridicule and scorn.
At the center of the square, Jiang Qianhe's face sank, while Jiang Yunhong's eyes narrowed sharply.
"Jiang Chen," Jiang Yunhong sneered, his voice dripping with disdain, "don't spout nonsense here."
"I'll admit it—the Patriarch earned this quota for our Jiang family. But you?" He jabbed a finger toward Jiang Chen. "You're a natural-born waste. You've been stuck at Body Tempering Level Two for two years. What qualifications do you have to enter Lingyun Wufu?!"
Jiang Yunhong's words dripped with venom, his smirk openly mocking.
Three months ago, he had failed the freshman assessment for Lingyun Wufu. At sixteen, that had been his last chance.
This quota was his only way into the Mansion. There was no way he'd let this "trash" ruin his future.
Jiang Chen's lips curved into a faint smirk. "You call me unqualified? Funny… coming from someone who failed Lingyun Wufu's assessment. You don't seem any better than me."
His words were like a slap in Jiang Yunhong's face.
Murmurs spread across the square.
Jiang Yunhong's expression instantly darkened, his chest heaving with anger.
Lingyun Wufu wasn't just any academy—it was the holy land for all cultivators in Lingyun Prefecture, a place that turned ordinary talents into true powerhouses.
The assessment was notoriously brutal—only one in a thousand succeeded.
Jiang Yunhong's failure had been his greatest shame. And now, Jiang Chen had just dragged it into the open in front of everyone.
"You…!" Jiang Yunhong's teeth ground audibly. "Even if I failed the assessment, I'm still far better than you—a piece of trash who couldn't break past Level Two for years!"
He drew in a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, then sneered.
"This quota is too precious to waste. For the future of the Jiang family, it naturally belongs to the most promising disciple. But—" He raised his voice, making sure everyone could hear. "—I'll give you a chance. Defeat me, and I'll hand over this quota with both hands."
The crowd erupted in noise.
"Jiang Yunhong's going to fight him? This will be over in one move."
"Exactly. That trash is seeking his own death."
Jiang Chen ignored the chatter, his eyes never leaving Jiang Yunhong.
"That's a fair offer," he said casually. Then his gaze shifted toward Jiang Qianhe. "Elder, what do you think?"
Jiang Qianhe frowned slightly. Something about Jiang Chen's confidence unsettled him. But in his eyes, Jiang Chen was still the Jiang family's laughingstock—a weakling no one needed to take seriously.
"The opportunity to enter Lingyun Wufu should naturally go to the Jiang family's most promising youth," he said after a moment, his tone cold.
Jiang Chen chuckled. "The Great Elder always acts for the family's good. Admirable."
Then his smirk widened.
He raised a hand and hooked his finger at Jiang Yunhong.
"Jiang Yunhong… get out here and fight me!"