Chapter 1125 - “Imprisoned”
Ice Phoenix Sacred Region, snow flew around in the arcs of a rainbow.
The news of Yun Che coming back didn’t cause any disturbance in Divine Ice Phoenix Sect. After all, it was known to everyone that the ancient horned dragon had been successfully killed while Mu Xuanyin was injured in the process, and had been undergoing secluded cultivation since her return to the sect. Yun Che, however, was left in the outside world to gain experience.
The members of Divine Ice Phoenix Sect were actually surprised to see him returning so soon. The reason being that it was very common for direct disciples to travel outside and accumulate experience for eight to ten years.
As for the incident that happened at the God Burying Inferno Prison, no one knew about it, except for the three sects of the Flame God Realm, Mu Xuanyin, Mu Bingyun, and Mu Huanzhi. Others were only aware of the result; the ancient horned dragon was killed and Mu Xuanyin was injured.
However, everyone from the Flame God Realm who had witnessed Yun Che unbalancing the ancient horned dragon with a single swing of his sword, causing it to reveal a fatal opening, and then saving Mu Xuanyin, would definitely remember it for the rest of their lives.
Returning to the Ice Phoenix Sacred Hall, Yun Che felt as if he had been away from the place for a lifetime, even though it had only been half a year since he left. It was because he hadn’t had any real hope of returning to this place alive when he fled from the Flame God Realm.
Being the supreme holy land in the entire Snow Song Realm, only he and Mu Xuanyin could come and go whenever they wanted. Even Mu Bingyun’s visits were extremely rare. Having committed a sin as great as that, he shouldn’t have the qualification to step into this place any longer…
“Does Master… truly not intend to kill me?” Yun Che mumbled absentmindedly. He was very clear that he had committed a great and unforgivable sin. Even an ordinary woman wouldn’t forgive him, let alone her, not to mention that she was his master, the commander of a realm, the Snow Song Realm King…
“You’re this afraid of death!?”
As Yun Che was feeling depressed, a thoroughly ice cold voice sounded by his ear.
Yun Che’s whole body turned stiff for a few breaths before he turned around. He didn’t dare raise his head to look at the source of the voice, and knelt down with his head bowed, “Disciple Yun Che pays respect to Master.”
Mu Xuanyin was dressed in a long skirt, and there were snow white feathers hanging down from her shoulders. Her extremely beautiful eyes were emitting ice cold, bone-piercing light, “Why have you not attempted to flee this time!?”
“…” Yun Che moved his lips to speak, but failed to utter a word in response even after a very long time.
The world seemed to have quieted down, with only the sound of the snow drifting on the wind. Mu Xuanyin quietly looked at Yun Che. He had never once lowered his head so much in front of her when he had greeted her in the past. No matter the time, even in her presence, he was never able to keep his almost inherent unruliness in check.
But…
Others lowered their heads and shivered when facing her due to being afraid of her.
However, Yun Che… did not feel fear but a deep sense of guilt towards Mu Xuanyin.
Her pupils unconsciously shifted to the side. She was no longer able to maintain the ice cold attitude from before. The feeling of fear has mainly to do with concern for oneself, but a person felt guilty when they were concerned for the other person involved.
“Forget it.”
A voice slowly drifted by his ears before he heard a very light sigh, “Although you have committed a grave sin, it was to save the life of your master. Hence, I deem your meritorious work enough to offset the sin you committed. Get up.”
“…” Yun Che looked on blankly downward, unable to believe his ears for a short while. He got up to his feet dumbfounded, with his head still lowered. He had no idea how to face Mu Xuanyin after that incident, even if she forgave him.
A long time passed but he didn’t hear anything else from her. Eventually, he slowly raised his head to see the absolutely beautiful back of her bathing in the flying snow.
Compared to Yun Che, perhaps it was even more difficult for Mu Xuanyin to face him.
The world seemed to have quieted down once again. This time even the sound of the drifting snow was barely audible. Mu Xuanyin remained silent for quite some time and Yun Che naturally didn’t dare to utter a word. He had never come across such a stiff, helpless situation in his two lives.
Finally, Mu Xuanyin slowly turned around. Her pupils had regained the serene chilliness of a cold pool. “Take out the Qilin horn, the heart of a horned dragon, and the Immortal Emperor Grass you have just obtained.”
“Yes,” Yun Che promptly responded. He didn’t ask the reason and one by one took out the things she had mentioned.
The Qilin horn was huge and heavy, emitting a faint primitive aura.
The heart of a horned dragon was still beating intensely. Every time it beat, it would unleash incomparably blazing flames. Just after taking it out for a few breaths, the snowy area around it had melted to a great extent.
The Immortal Emperor Grass was wrapped up in the purification light of the Sky Poison Pearl, with not the slightest bit of its aura leaking out.
Mu Xuanyin swept her gaze over the three things before saying in an indifferent tone, “It seems only Divine Nine Star Buddha Jade and Wood Spirit Orb are left.”
Yun Che didn’t hesitate as he replied immediately, “Master, this disciple has, in fact, already obtained them too.”
“?” Mu Xuanyin slightly raised her icy brows.
Yun Che took out the Divine Nine Star Buddha Jade and the Wood Spirit Orb right after finishing his words.
The moment the two things appeared before her eyes, the look in Mu Xuanyin’s eyes underwent an obvious change as she noticed their unusual radiance and auras. She even blurted out in surprise when her spirit sense swept over the Wood Spirit Orb, “A perfect Wood Spirit Orb? Just where did you obtain it?”
“Reporting to Master. About the Wood Spirit Orb…” Thinking back to the wood spirits that had died due to him, the tone of Yun Che’s voice lowered on its own. “This disciple bought a young wood spirit at an underground merchant guild in the Darkya Realm. However, unable to forcibly take away its Wood Spirit Orb, this disciple sent it back to a hidden place. This Wood Spirit Orb was presented by a senior wood spirit at that place.”
“…” Mu Xuanyin was evidently taken aback.
“As for the Divine Nine Star Buddha Jade, this disciple just happened to pick it up from the corpse of the Darkya Realm King.”
“Picked it up… from the corpse of the Darkya Realm King?” Mu Xuanyin wrinkled her brows, clearly finding what she heard incomprehensible.
“It does sound unimaginable, but this disciple wouldn’t dare speak any lies. Oh, that’s right. This disciple also found the Void Illusion Stone, that I almost pinched to pieces earlier in the secret realm, together with the Divine Nine Star Buddha Jade on the corpse of the Darkya Realm King.” Yun Che told her everything honestly.
“…I see.”
Mu Xuanyin had already understood that it was because of Princes Caizhi secretly doing her things that Yun Che was able to “pick up” the Divine Nine Star Buddha Jade and the Void Illusion Stone.
The death of the Darkya Realm King was definitely related to her, even if she wasn’t the one who killed him.
With a flick of her snow white sleeve, the Qilin horn, heart of horned dragon, Immortal Emperor Grass, as well as the Divine Nine Star Buddha Jade and Wood Spirit Orb in Yun Che’s hand disappeared in an instant. Mu Xuanyin put all of them away inside her portable space, not giving Yun Che any time to react.
“The matter of obtaining a Universe Penta Jade Pellet is one of incomparably tremendous difficulty, and so it must not have been easy for you to be able to gather the ‘five treasures’ in such a short period of time.” Mu Xuanyin slightly changed the tone of her voice. “Your grave sin could be overlooked due to the meritorious deed, but turning your back to your master and sect, and fleeing away after committing the mistake, can’t be easily forgiven! You can forget about the Universe Penta Jade Pellet now!”
“…” Yun Che opened his mouth to say something, but then lowered his head, “Understood.”
“There’s less than two years time until the Profound God Convention.” Mu Xuanyin continued, “With your initial cultivation speed, it would’ve certainly been impossible for you to step into the Divine Tribulation Realm before the arrival of the Profound God Convention by solely spending your time cultivating.”
“But after obtaining my Ice Phoenix vital yin, you’re already at the Divine Soul Realm. As such, even without the Universe Penta Jade Pellet, you may be able to reach the Divine Tribulation Realm with my assistance!”
Yun Che immediately quivered and suddenly raised his head when the four words “Ice Phoenix vital yin” came from Mu Xuanyin’s mouth. But he discovered that that there was a cold and aloof look on her face, completely devoid of any emotions. It was as if she was talking about an extremely dull topic.
“Originally, you had just entered the divine way, and had yet to thoroughly understand the Divine Origin Realm when you stepped straight into the Divine Soul Realm. How can the profoundness of the divine way possibly be comparable to the mortal way that you had walked on before!? Although your profound strength experienced a dramatic increase, such abrupt amplification left behind endless aftereffects. Furthermore, as a result of your comprehension of the profound way falling behind the cultivation level you have, it has become a hundred times more difficult for you to progress any further. If you were to once again forcibly increase your cultivation with the help of the Universe Penta Jade Pellet, although it’ll help you to reach the heights you wish to reach in one step, the severity of its consequences will be far beyond your imagination… even if you have the Evil God’s Profound Veins!”
Mu Xuanyin’s gaze brushed past Yun Che, “You must have sensed it too.”
“Yes,” Yun Che answered obediently. Ever since the time he had succeeded in reaching the Divine Soul Realm in a night’s time because of Mu Xuanyin’s Ice Phoenix vital yin, his profound strength had stayed stagnant at the second level of the Divine Soul Realm. There was almost no progress during the next half year.
“From today onwards, you’re not allowed to take even a step out of this sacred region! You will be spending your time comprehending the way and its essence for four hours each day. Then, four more hours on tempering your body, and twelve hours on cultivation.”
“Master will once again help you with the comprehension of the divine way, as well as teach you the Ice Phoenix God Investiture Canon. You’re not allowed to see anyone, and should only spend your time on cultivation. You’re also not allowed to go anywhere else. You must not let yourself get distracted by other thoughts. Each and every action should be in accordance with my will. You’re not permitted to show even the slightest bit of disobedience.”
There were no emotions in her icy pupils. Only a chilly might and harshness that didn’t allow for any disobedience or doubt could be seen in them. “This is your well-deserved punishment, and also your sole opportunity to enter the Eternal Heaven Divine Realm. You need to follow my orders, whether you agree with me or not!”
Even though Mu Xuanyin had been quite strict with him in the past, she had never once restricted his freedom. But her strict order this time was completely equivalent to her intending to imprison him within the Ice Phoenix Sacred Region.
Yun Che was dumbstruck for a moment, but he replied in a heavy tone, “Understood, this disciple will abide Master’s orders.”
“That’d be for the best!” She seemed to be surprised at Yun Che agreeing without any objections, Mu Xuanyin silently gave him a glance. “Go to the Heavenly Netherfrost Lake and temper your body for six hours. Afterwards, come to the Sacred Hall to look for me!”
With that, Mu Xuanyin flew up into the sky. Following her figure turning around to leave, the direction of the snow drifting in the entire sacred region changed all at once too.
“Master,” Yun Che called out suddenly. His voice contained the sense of doubt and deep concern. “Have your injuries… completely healed?”
Back then, Mu Xuanyin had suffered severe injuries and damage. Moreover, she had also lost her vital yin. Even if her injuries had fully healed, her profound energy was bound to experience a great fall. Therefore, her aura should have been far weaker than the past.
But, the feeling Mu Xuanyin was giving off at this time was even more indiscernible and hazy than before.
Mu Xuanyin’s figure stopped in its tracks. She plainly replied without turning her head around, “Master’s body contains the divine soul of the Ice Phoenix that was bestowed by the ancestor. It took the hard cultivation of ten thousand years to somehow awaken thirty percent of its divine power… but in this short period of half a year, seventy percent of the power awakened all of a sudden! Not only have the injuries completely healed, my profound strength has also undergone a great increase. Therefore, you don’t need to be worried about such things. You’d better be concerned about yourself.”
As he was facing her back, Yun Che didn’t catch sight of the incomparably complicated look in the eyes of Mu Xuanyin when she spoke those words.
Yun Che revealed surprise, before saying in a glad voice, “Most likely, it’s because back then Master had her all means of retreat cut off, which actually resulted in stimulating the soul to awakening. Master has certainly received the blessing of the heaven and earth to be able to gain such a positive outcome from that disaster.”
“…” Not only the movement of her eyes, Mu Xuanyin’s breathing also halted for a few breaths. Soon after, she let out light “humph,” and walked on the snow as she flew away into the sky. Her figure quickly disappeared in the midst of the snow flying all over the place.
A Void Illusion Stone came falling down from the sky, as it lightly dropped on the ground beside Yun Che.
Having found out that Mu Xuanyin was safe and sound, and even her profound strength had increased significantly, Yun Che felt sincere happiness in his heart. He let out a heavy sigh of relief and sat down on the snowy ground. Picking up the Void Illusion Stone beside his hand, his whole being was feeling incomparable relaxed.
Since the time he “fled,” he had always felt two boulders weighing down his heart, which had now fallen and disappeared without a trace.
Not only there was no damage left on the body or cultivation of his master, he was forgiven so easily too…
He didn’t feel any killing intent from her, and almost no anger was directed at him, either.
Compared to the incomparably heavy weight of his worries, guilty conscience, and the indecisiveness that he had been burdened with this whole time… the conclusion of the ordeal was simply like a dream; so good and satisfying that he found it hard to believe.
“Master really did forgive me, heh…” Yun Che unconsciously chuckled. He lifted his head and narrowed his eyes in happiness, as he talked to himself, “If it was someone else, given Master’s temperament, he would’ve already died ten thousand times for sure. Looks like I greatly underestimated myself. Considering how outstanding a disciple I am, even if I again commit a big mistake, Master will definitely not be willing to truly kill me off.”