Heaven-Surpassing Divine Emperor

Chapter 20: Overestimating Himself?

"Who?"

"Twenty-one zhang. That’s already an incredible achievement. How dare someone say Jiang Ziyou is nothing special?"

"Who could be so arrogant?"

The words were like a stone dropped into a calm lake, sending ripples spreading through the crowd. Countless gazes shot in unison toward the source of the voice.

Jiang Ziyou’s brow furrowed slightly, a cold glint flashing in her deep eyes.

However, when she saw who had spoken, a flash of astonishment crossed Jiang Ziyou’s icy face. "Jiang Chen, what are you doing here?"

As far as Jiang Ziyou knew, Jiang Chen should have been dead and buried in the Bluestone Mountain Range!

But now, he was standing before her, completely unharmed?

Jiang Ziyou’s cold gaze swept over to Jiang Ming, who stood not far away.

Jiang Ming, who had also been stunned by Jiang Chen’s appearance, felt a shiver run down his spine as he met Jiang Ziyou’s icy gaze. He knew she was furious with him.

’That useless Jiang Hu,’ Jiang Ming cursed inwardly. ’After more than a month, did he still not find Jiang Chen?’

’The only way Jiang Chen could be here, alive, is if Jiang Hu failed to find him.’

Otherwise...

With Jiang Chen’s cultivation, there was no way he could have escaped from Jiang Hu.

’This little bastard’s luck is just too good.’

Feeling a surge of anger, and without waiting for Jiang Ziyou to say a word, Jiang Ming rushed forward. He barked at Jiang Chen, "Jiang Chen, this is a solemn occasion—the Yulan Festival! It is no place for you to be spouting nonsense."

"Jiang Chen? Could he be Jiang Taixu’s son?"

"I heard the rumors. He’s a good-for-nothing who awakened a Yellow Tier First Grade Martial Soul and will never amount to anything on the Martial Dao. Weren’t he and Jiang Ziyou supposed to be childhood sweethearts? Why would he publicly embarrass her like this?"

"You haven’t heard? I heard Jiang Chen was already kicked out of the Jiang Family. In a family as powerful as the Jiangs, who do you think has the clout to do that?"

Murmurs rippled through the crowd.

On the high platform, Sima Tao narrowed his eyes. "Patriarch Jiang, what is the meaning of this?"

"Alas, it is a disgrace to my family!"

Jiang Tai sighed, a helpless look on his face. "As you all know, this Jiang Chen is nothing but a Yellow Tier First Grade failure, a world apart from my daughter. The family passed a resolution to give the Saint Martial Order to my daughter, while offering Jiang Chen generous compensation. But his greed was too great. He demanded the position of Patriarch and even insisted that my daughter marry him."

"What? How could Jiang Chen be so shameless?"

"Who does he think he is, to be worthy of Miss Ziyou?"

"Utterly shameless!"

The crowd erupted in insults. Even Sima Tao frowned, his gaze toward Jiang Chen now tinged with disgust.

Jiang Tai smirked inwardly but shook his head and sighed aloud. "Naturally, I could not agree to such unreasonable demands, so I reprimanded him. He stormed out of the house in a fit of pique and started spreading rumors that my daughter and I had exiled him. Out of respect for his father, I was willing to let the matter go. I never imagined he would show up here and cause a scene at the Yulan Festival. What a disgrace to our family!"

If Jiang Chen could hear this, he would probably cough up blood from rage.

Not only was Jiang Tai twisting the facts, but he was also relentlessly slinging mud at him. How utterly despicable!

Unfortunately...

At this moment, no one would have believed a word he said.

Sima Tao snorted, a vein pulsing on his forehead. He roared, "The Yulan Festival is a solemn celebration! How can we allow such a despicable person to defile it? Guards! Beat him with rods and throw him out!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ming immediately stepped forward and announced loudly, "Rest assured, City Lord, I’ll get rid of this brat right now!"

"Jiang Chen, can’t you see that nobody wants you here? If you know what’s good for you, then scram. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being merciless and ignoring my past friendship with your father!" Jiang Ming roared, a smug, vicious look on his face.

Jiang Ziyou sighed softly. "Jiang Chen, why humiliate yourself like this?"

In an instant, Jiang Chen became the target of everyone’s scorn...

Lin Yu grinned, his face thick with derision. "Jiang Taixu was so magnificent back in the day. A pity a tiger father can sire a dog of a son!"

"If I were you, I would’ve killed myself long ago instead of continuing to be an embarrassment to the world!" Chen Fan sneered.

Xu Qilin looked contemptuous. "Still not getting lost? Is there some honor in staying here to be humiliated?"

Jian Shisan let out a cold sneer.

Jiang Chen rubbed his nose, a faint, playful smile on his lips. He scanned the crowd and chuckled. "As far as I know, every citizen of Yulan Mansion is eligible to participate in the Yulan Festival. How is it that, according to you all, I’m someone who needs to be thrown out? Is it because I’m too handsome and you’re all jealous?"

"Jiang Chen, stop making a fool of yourself."

Jiang Ming’s face was cold as he roared, "Miss Ziyou and Young Master Lin are the finest young talents of Yandu City, true elites among their peers. Of course they can stay for the Yulan Festival! But you? What are you? A good-for-nothing with a piddling Golden Needle Martial Soul who only managed to reach the Martial Arts First Stage at the age of fifteen. What right do you have to participate in the Yulan Festival? Your presence is a stain on this event. Scram now, or I’ll make you!"

Lin Yu, Chen Fan, Jian Shisan, and the others all stared at Jiang Chen with mocking expressions.

There wasn’t a trace of kindness in any of their gazes.

Clearly, they all shared Jiang Ming’s opinion: Jiang Chen was just a failure who had no right to be here.

"Hahaha, I’m a failure who’s staining the Yulan Festival? Jiang Ming, you old dog, if my father were still here, would you dare speak to me this way?" Jiang Chen roared, his head thrown back. His gaze suddenly sharpened, locking onto Jiang Ming.

Jiang Ming’s face stiffened, and he subconsciously took a step back.

But then he remembered that Jiang Taixu had been missing for six whole years and was likely long dead. He immediately snorted. "You are a failure," he said coolly. "A failure who only reached the Martial Arts First Stage at fifteen. Even if your father were here, he couldn’t stop me from speaking the truth."

"Good. Very good!"

Jiang Chen laughed, his anger peaking. His icy gaze swept over the crowd before finally landing on Jiang Ziyou. He spoke each word with deliberate force. "You all believe that because Jiang Ziyou could leave her mark twenty-one zhang up the Zhenjiang Stele, because she’s a beloved prodigy who reached the Martial Arts Seventh Stage at fourteen, she deserves to be adored by all. And because I’m just a failure, I don’t even have the right to attend the Yulan Festival. I’m just someone for you all to hunt down and beat, is that it?"

"Fine. Very fine. All of you who are mocking me, listen up. Open your eyes and watch closely. I will prove to you whether I, Jiang Chen, am qualified to participate in the Yulan Festival. And we’ll see who the real failure is."

Jiang Chen’s final words were heavy, his voice booming like thunder, deafening all who heard it.

Just as everyone was processing the meaning behind his words,

Jiang Chen began to stride with confident, powerful steps toward the Zhenjiang Stele...

"Wh-what is he doing?"

"Is he going to challenge the Zhenjiang Stele, too?"

"Are you kidding? He only broke through to the Martial Arts First Stage two months ago. At best, he’s at the Second Stage now. And he wants to challenge the Zhenjiang Stele?"

"He’s overestimating himself..."

"What a joke!"

While everyone was scoffing at Jiang Chen’s actions,

staring at Jiang Chen’s ramrod-straight back and the confident aura emanating from him, Jiang Ming, Jiang Ziyou, and Jiang Tai were momentarily stunned. An image involuntarily surfaced in their minds: that of a high-spirited youth, sword in hand, bravely facing the trials within the Sword Tower.

The three of them exchanged a glance, a faint sense of unease stirring within them.

「At that moment...」

Jiang Chen made his move!