Liam never had the chance to ambush Jessica, but he could take her by surprise as long as he laid the right traps.
The previous flight among the wind slashes had been a set-up. Liam had opted for a charge because retreat would have put him at a disadvantage against Jessica's vastly superior ranged attacks, but he had added a strategy to the decision.
While the fan had indeed accelerated to navigate the wind slashes, it hadn't used its full speed. Liam had made sure of that to catch Jessica by surprise. That was one of his few possible strategies against a superior opponent.
Nevertheless, the power of the branching stage wasn't just for show, and Jessica's unique properties aided her.
Dominic had been an immovable mountain, unbelievably solid and impenetrable. Instead, Jessica was air, swift and slippery. Such was the nature of her Qi, extending to her entire being.
