Chapter 982 – Great Occasion
As Yun Che was still stunned, a frosty wind brushed past and yet another silhouette fell from the sky. This one was male and had the noble engraved jade emblem that marked his status of a divine hall disciple on his shoulder. His white clothes fluttered about in the wind, making him look especially handsome and elegant as he exuded a transcendent noble and graceful aura.
“It’s Senior Brother Hanyi!” Mu Xiaolan involuntarily cried out.
The divine hall’s… Ah, no. It was only the two most outstanding disciples within the entire sect and even the entire Snow Song Realm, that were able to become the Realm King’s direct inheriting disciple, who had coincidentally arrived the earliest. Being able to encounter both individuals when they had even yet to enter the Heavenly Netherfrost Lake was incredibly lucky.
Mu Hanyi floated down and then respectfully bowed toward Mu Bingyun. “Disciple Mu Hanyi gives his regards to Palace Master Bingyun. I’ve heard that Palace Master Bingyun’s celestial body is getting better with each passing day. Hanyi is overjoyed.”
Mu Bingyun slightly nodded. “Today’s results will determine the road you walk for the rest of your life. Do not get careless.”
“Yes,” Mu Hanyi seriously replied. Then, he straightened up and turned to Mu Feixue, who was still as still as water. Joy was within his warm smile as he said, “Junior Sister Feixue, you’ve arrived so early. Did you not come with Great Elder and the others?”
“Didn’t Senior Brother Hanyi come really early too?” Mu Feixue’s voice was as cold as ice. Even though she was answering Mu Hanyi, her gaze didn’t falter at all when faced with his approach.
“My heart was restless the entire night when I thought about today so I came this early hoping that the cold wind here would help me calm down a bit. It seems like my cultivation still isn’t enough. If I am fortunate enough to be able to become the sect master’s direct disciple, then I will have had my life’s wish granted. If I am defeated by Junior Sister Feixue however, I also will not feel the slightest bit unwilling or regretful. I might even be really happy instead.” Mu Hanyi sighed lightly, his words calm and sincere as he looked at Mu Feixue the entire time, his eyes not shifting away at all.
Even though it was cold enough to penetrate the heart, what released this cold intent was actually the excessively beautiful landscape. If he was able to obtain even the slightest smile from her, he would probably be delighted to freeze here for all eternity.
What answered him was actually Mu Feixue’s silence. Her icy eyes were gently closed as she returned to her previous silence, no longer paying him any heed. It was as though she didn’t hear what he had just said earlier… in fact, it didn’t seem like she had even looked at him even once since the beginning.
Mu Hanyi’s smile persisted on his face but an additional melancholy surfaced between his brows… even though he had long since become used to being treated like this by Mu Feixue.
In Divine Ice Phoenix Sect, there were countless girls who adored him. As long as he was interested, they would even be willing to become his concubines or maid servants. However, the only person his heart pined for treated him like nothing.
She treated everyone like that. She was a girl born with the Ice Phoenix bloodline. It was as though her heart and soul had been sealed by the Ice Phoenix power since birth and would never thaw. On the other hand, a man would never become like that. This was perhaps related to the differences in the yin and yangs of both sexes.
At the side, Yun Che was the same as Mu Hanyi. His gaze had been firmly fixed on Mu Feixue. As he looked, he gradually became thoroughly stupefied.
Even though Mu Feixue was extremely beautiful and was not inferior to Mu Bingyun, she still wasn’t as fantastically beautiful as the one who called herself “Mu Xuanyin.” Nor was she so devilishly charming that she would make him lose control of himself. He was unable to move his gaze away to the point where became stupefied because she resembled someone.
Different from Mu Bingyun’s “quiet” and “mild”, Mu Feixue was extremely “icy” and “cold”… like the first time he had met Chu Yuechan when she repelled others smiles away just with her aura alone. She had the same soul freezing gaze and the same otherworldly celestial beauty which seemed to have come from the Heavenly Palace’s cold moon…
Noticing that he was staring at Mu Feixue with a stupid look, Mu Xiaolan quickly reached out and waved her hand before him. “Hey! Hey! Hurry up and recover your senses! You looking at her like that is too impolite!”
“Hahaha.” Mu Hangyi walked over with a chuckle. “Junior Sister Feixue is like a humanized goddess. As long as it’s the first time they’ve seen Junior Sister Feixue, all men would have their hearts taken away. Losing their souls is just too common.”
“Senior Brother Hanyi.” Mu Xiaolan quickly saluted nervously. Then she secretly jabbed at Yun Che’s waist several times with her fingers. Even though Mu Hanyi said that, everyone in the sect knew that he liked Mu Feixue and Yun Che had actually stared like that in front of him. That was just… too embarrassing, ahhh!
“…” Yun Che’s expression gradually regained its focus. As he lowered his gaze, he muttered absentmindedly, “It’s not as if she’s Little Fairy.”
“Ah? What did you say? Little Fairy? What Little Fairy?” Mu Xiaolan subconsciously asked.
“Little Fairy is Little Fairy, the only Little Fairy in the world, you understand now?” Yun Che said grudgingly.
Mu Xiaolan looked at the suddenly crazy Yun Che with a slightly blank look… It’d be way weirder if she actually had understood that.
“Senior Brother Hanyi,” Yun Che actively spoke to Mu Hanyi. “I was influenced by my mood a few days ago and even left rather quickly, never getting to properly thank you. Today, I’d like to officially thank Senior Brother Hanyi for your assistance that day.”
Mu Hanyi lightly waved hand. “We’re all in the same sect and it didn’t take much effort. You don’t need to be this polite.”
“Hehe, speaking of which, we’re able to meet once again in merely seven days within such a huge sect like ours. It seems like we really have some fate with each other.” Mu Hanyi smiled and then lightly patted Yun Che’s shoulder. “Junior Brother Yun Che, even though you are from the lower realms and your profound strength is low, you’re bound to be extraordinary and shine within the sect if you put in some effort with your unusual innate talent. I believe my eyes. Those words I said last time will still be effective whether or not I become the sect master’s direct disciple today. If you have any difficulties that are hard to solve in the future, I will be sure to assist you to the best of my abilities. You must do your best to work hard and not waste your highly unusual innate talent.”
“I will remember Senior Brother Hanyi’s advice.” Yun Che nodded.
“Mn.” Mu Hanyi nodded and then instructed, “To you, being able to enter the Heavenly Netherfrost Lake is a rare opportunity. You must properly grasp onto it.”
Since they were extremely close to the Heavenly Netherfrost Lake, this area was frighteningly cold. Mu Xiaolan had nearly circulated more than half her profound strength to defend against it. Not long after, a cold wind came from the south as a group of people on an ice boat came over.
“Hahahaha!”
A burst of extremely candid laughter came from the skies above, greatly dispersing the strong coldness in this area. Amidst the great laughter, a bulky man fell from the sky.
The man looked to be already past his prime. His beard was going gray yet the hair on his head was still pitch-black. His face was filled with wrinkles and his eyes were as bright as a fierce tiger’s. His bold laughter and forceful aura seemed to somewhat go against the ice profound art Divine Ice Phoenix Sect cultivated.
When he landed, the other thirty people who accompanied him also landed behind him at the same time and the engraved jade which signified that they were divine hall disciples were shockingly on their shoulders!
“Great Elder.” This time, it was Mu Bingyun who executed a salute.
“Great… Elder!” Mu Xiaolan also hurriedly dragged Yun he forward as Mu Hanyi also deeply bowed… Only Mu Feixue was still as silent as snow and did not glance anywhere.
Great Elder? Yun Che’s gaze quickly sized up this unusually imposing man… He was Divine Ice Phoenix Sect’s head elder and it was actually a man!
In Divine Ice Phoenix Sect, the divine hall’s seventy two elders had the same status as the ice palace’s thirty six palace masters. But in terms of strength, the elders somewhat surpassed the palace masters. However, this difference in strength wasn’t because of innate talent but age. This was because only those above ten thousand years of age could be considered an elder and the average age of the palace masters only numbered in the few thousands.
The main duty of the divine hall’s seventy two elders was to train the divine hall’s two thousand disciples. Each Ice Phoenix Palace Master had three thousand disciples below them but in the divine hall, each elder had no more than thirty disciples. Divine Ice Phoenix Sect’s treatment toward its top disciples could be clearly seen by this fact… and this could be said for any other sect.
After all, the present age was shaped by power and that was hard to change. It had always been the young generation that decided a sect’s future. If the young generation was no good, the sect could only decline.
Great Elder Mu Huanzhi took large steps forward and said with a booming voice, “Bingyun, you’ve come pretty early, huh.”
“We’ve just arrived not too long ago,” Mu Bingyun replied.
“Oh?” Mu Huanzhi’s gaze then landed on Yun Che. “This junior should be that person you brought over from the lower realms. I remember his name was Yun Che. Hahahaha, I’ve heard that this kid was able to beat a Freezing Snow Hall disciple with profound strength at the Sovereign Profound Realm. Quite impressive.”
Even though Ice Phoenix Palace didn’t have that many disciples, each palace still had three thousand. Being able to remember a name wasn’t easy… It was just that aside from Mu Xiaolan, the Thirty-sixth Ice Phoenix Palace only had Yun Che.
Yun Che quickly replied, “I am humbled that the Great Elder actually knows this disciple’s name.”
Mu Huanzhi waved a big hand. “Child, your reputation exceeds you of late. After all, Bingyun has only brought you back, after all these years. Being able to defeat one at the Divine Origin Realm at the Sovereign Profound Realm is also truly impressive. You are worth training and Bingyun’s eyes, well, how could they be bad?”
When he said the name “Yun Che” the divine hall disciples behind him also shifted their gazes toward him… It could be clearly seen that he had become rather famous during this period of time.
“…I thank Great Elder for the praise.” Since members of Divine Phoenix Sect cultivate ice profound arts, the majority of them were quiet and cold. This Mu Huanzhi however, was a rare oddity.
“But Bingyun, even though the aptitudes of these two children aren’t bad, their cultivation is a bit low. I’m afraid they won’t be able to endure the heavenly lake’s water.” Mu Huanzhi’s brows furrowed.
“I agree.” Mu Bingyun lightly nodded. “But I don’t plan on letting them soak in the heavenly lake’s water. Not only is that not beneficial for them, it will be extremely easy for them to receive injuries. Just the icy cold aura is beneficial enough for them.”
“Hahahaha,” Mu Huanzhi suddenly laughed loudly. “Just look at my brain. I’ve gone so old I can’t even think properly. With you here, aren’t I just worrying foolishly?”
“Hanyi, today could be said to be an extremely important day for you.” Mu Huanzhi then turned to Mu Hanyi, his face becoming a bit more solemn. “Even though Feixue is my granddaughter, if it’s you… I am able to recognize you without feeling bad. In short, try your best. Our sect’s future will most likely be shouldered by the two of you.”
Mu Hanyi deeply bowed, “This disciple will do his best.”
“Cough cough, Feixue. Grandfather obviously wants you to become the sect master’s direct disciple more, so you have to… ah, ah, Feixue…”
Mu Feixue continued to walk in the snow, giving Mu Huanzhi a back figure that was becoming more distant.
Mu Huanzhi withdrew his half extended hand and embarrassedly rubbed his nose. He said depressingly, “That child’s temperament really is becoming more and more severe. If she really becomes like that girl Bingyun who never marries her entire life… sigh, that seriously makes me worry.”
Mu Bingyun, “…”
Mu Huanzhi was older than Mu Bingyun by six thousand years. Back then, he was also half her master so he was qualified to call her “girl”.
The time of the Heavenly Netherfrost Lake’s opening was getting close. Various divine hall elders, disciples and various Ice Phoenix Palaces had all started arriving in succession.
Two thousand divine hall disciples were lead by seventy two elders. Behind them were the thirty six palaces lead by each of their palace masters. Even though they had meditated in advance for seven days, all of the various Ice Phoenix Palace disciples were still unable to contain the excitement on their faces. Today’s occasion caused all of the elders, palace masters and divine hall disciples to be present. Even the most experienced disciple there had never seen such a spectacle.
This included the various divine hall disciples as well.
Although they were similarly disciples and there was only one rank of difference between the Divine Hall and Ice Phoenix Palace, it was a difference between the clouds and mud. Of the Ice Phoenix Palace disciples behind the divine hall disciples, none were not nervous to the point where they didn’t dare breathe forcefully. They lined up in thirty five neat groups and each step was like a nail being hammered to the floor. They didn’t even dare to move.
At a certain corner, there were only two people in the thirty sixth “group”, making it appear especially conspicuous. Yun Che’ eyes shone as he took in his surroundings and felt the auras that were as boundless as a dream, sighing and exclaiming every other second. Mu Xiaolan however, was especially uncomfortable, her small hand firmly clutching at Yun Che’s sleeve all this while.
All thirty six Ice Phoenix Palaces had arrived and Freezing Snow Hall’s Mu Fengshu and Mu Sushan had also arrived together.
The last divine hall elder came through the skies fifteen minutes before the Heavenly Netherfrost Lake opened and landed before the various disciples… or to be more precise, landed right in front of Mu Hanyi.
This was a rather tall woman with a face that had seen many changes in life and possessed some majesty. Her chilling eyes exuded an imposing air without any change in expression. Her arrival caused the surrounding aura to congeal in one spot.
The divine hall’s thirty ninth elder—Mu Yunzhi
Aside from being the thirty ninth elder, she had a status that the entire sect was aware of.
Mu Hanyi’s direct Master!