Jiang Chen was lucky. After registering, he was told his rival was a Gathering Yuan State in the primary election.
The 16 or 17-year-old youngster paled when he found out Jiang Chen was a Mental Wander State.
He had been eager for the fight when he entered the ring, but at that moment, he was in low spirits. There was even anger in his eyes.
"Are you from the imperial capital?" the youngster asked.
Jiang Chen was dumbstruck. He shook his head and said, "No."
The angry expression on the youngster's face was even more obvious when he heard Jiang Chen's answer, and it was mixed with disdain. He said, "You countrymen are hopeless. Why did you have to come here and make a fool of yourself instead peacefully of staying at home?"
"Yeah? What kind of person do you think are, then?" Jiang Chen found it funny.
"Listen to this, my second oldest brother is one of the Four Young Masters of the Imperial Capital, Huangfu Hua!" The youngster threw out his chest and raised his head, very proud.
"I don't know him," Jiang Chen answered without thinking.
"You—!" The youngster was embarrassed. He looked over and glared at Jiang Chen.
"If you won't throw in the towel yourself, I don't mind teaching you a lesson about how to survive in this world," Jiang Chen said coldly.
On his way to register for the competition, he had realized the people in the capital had condescending attitudes. Even the owner of a small tea stall would look proud when strangers asked him for directions.
At the same time, the local people called their home the imperial capital.
Capital and imperial capital meant the same thing, but they thought it sounded nobler.
They had such proud hearts because this was where the emperor lived, and the city was also called the first city of the Fire Field.
There was more than one country in the Fire Field, but the Xia Dynasty was the only one that could be called a dynasty.
Jiang Chen didn't find this wrong, as it was common. He had lived in the Sacred Zone in his previous life. The people there also thought themselves better than people from the other Planes Worlds, but it became annoying when they were too prideful.
Like the youngster he was facing, who was unhappy that he wouldn't be able to advance to the next round because of Jiang Chen, as if the place belonged to him.
He thought this only because the competition was being held in the capital.
The youngster glanced at him. He wasn't going to throw an egg against a rock, so he surrendered.
Jiang Chen advanced to the second round smoothly. He received a small wooden token as proof of advancement.
"You better hope you don't run into my brothers and sisters in the next rounds!" Then the youngster left with a flick of his sleeves.
Jiang Chen didn't take his words seriously. He inquired about the next round and went back to the hotel where he was staying.
It was a big tower ship in the air, the most luxurious one. Staying in an average room there for a single night cost dozens of times more than staying the night at an average inn.
The deck was as big as a city square. In the center of the ship was a highrise that looked like a tower, magnificent and majestic.
Going through the door, he saw some square tables set up around a stage where dancing girls were performing.
The building had five floors in all. The stage and hall could be seen from each one of them.
The corridor on each floor was very spacious. There were tables too, so that guests could overlook each corner of the hall.
It was reasonable to charge so much for such a unique design and such thorough details.
Jiang Chen came to the fifth floor, where there were the fewest number of rooms, as each room was bigger and more expensive.
He was considering whether he should change his sword for his fight the next day, since the Redcloud Sword could expose his identity.
"It's you!"
Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice.
He looked over and found it was the youngster who had lost to him. He was sitting by a table in the corridor with some noble-looking men and women.
"Huangfu Ming, who is he?"
They showed some interest in Jiang Chen because of the youngster.
"My rival," Huangfu Ming answered reluctantly.
Those with him tumbled to the realization. They knew that Huangfu Ming was fond of the limelight. They also knew he had wanted to show his strength before thousands of people in the primary election, but he had been so unlucky that he had come up against a Mental Wander State in the first fight.
They looked towards Jiang Chen, then a holy awareness shrouded him, undisguised.
How great these capital people think they are.
Jiang Chen smiled and released his holy awareness.
They turned pale instantly, as if a mountain were weighing on them. They couldn't even breathe.
"Behave yourselves," Jiang Chen said and walked towards his room.
"Wait."
They walked towards him when he was standing at the door.
"You live here?" a youngster in the preliminary stage of the Mental Wander State asked him, still impolite.
"Yeah?"
"Well, we've been sitting here waiting for the person who lives here to come back, but of course, not for Huangfu Ming's sake," the youngster went on.
"So?" Jiang Chen was curious.
"We want you to change to a different room," the youngster said.
Jiang Chen was surprised. He glanced at the others. They didn't seem to have anything to add to the direct and excessive request, simply expecting his answer.
It looked like it had never occurred to them that he could refuse.
"No."
Jiang Chen took out his key to open the door. He didn't bother dealing with these people.
A hand touched his shoulder. It was the youngster. He was very dissatisfied, as was his tone.
"We've been waiting here to discuss the matter with you instead of throwing your things directly out of the room. Don't be ungrateful!"
"Don't you want your hand anymore?"
Jiang Chen tilted his head and showed him half of his face, squinting at him.
Eh?
The youngster was shocked. He felt like he was attacked by a shapeless energy. He not only let go of his hand, but took many steps back as well.
"It's useless to talk with him. The more polite we are to guys like him, the more ungrateful they'll become. Call the manager over!"
Huangfu Ming had never liked Jiang Chen. He felt revolted at the latter when he saw things didn't go smoothly.
"You're really acting polite, so I'll be polite to you, too.
"Read my lips—leave!" Jiang Chen shouted and pushed those at the door back.
Except for Huangfu Ming, all of these people were in the Mental Wander State, only the preliminary stage. They were just showing off, relying on their identities.
He ignored them and went into his room.
Soon, he heard a knock at the door.
He opened the door and saw it was the manager that had received him that morning. Huangfu Ming was standing in the corridor with that youngster and others, looking disdainful.
"Sir, I'm really sorry. We forgot that this room had already been booked by other guests. Why don't we move you downstairs?" the manager said.
Then Huangfu Ming and others showed a more disdainful expression.
"Show me," Jiang Chen said.
"What?" The manager was dumbfounded. He didn't know what Jiang Chen meant.
"Their booking record," Jiang Chen said.
The manager definitely didn't have it. This was just the excuse he had used to make Jiang Chen switch rooms.
He hesitated for a while and said, "My guest, here's the thing. Huangfu Hua's friend is staying next door. She is a disciple of the Isle of Sky, Chu Luo, ranked sixth on the Beauty List. It would be best if you could do me this favor."
He said these two names, hoping Jiang Chen could be swayed by their reputations.
But Jiang Chen didn't buy this at all. He refused all the same. "Chu Luo? What a coincidence. I know her too. She's a good friend of mine."
The manager was shocked, speechless.
Huangfu Ming swore, "Nonsense. Who are you? You know Miss Chu Luo? I advise you to leave as soon as possible. Otherwise, you'll be doomed when my brother comes!"