Chapter 1045: Setting Fire Feels Good for a Moment

It was through Mu Yizhou that Yun Che and Mu Hanyi first crossed paths.

Yun Che frowned deeply. Mu Yizhou was the illustrious chief disciple of the First Ice Phoenix Palace; why was he here? And why was the way he was looking at him so strange?

"What? Yun Che!?"

The other person accompanying Mu Yizhou was clearly startled to hear the name "Yun Che." Forgetting about retrieving the giant eagle's profound core, he quickly approached Mu Yizhou's side. Upon seeing Yun Che's face, he was filled with disbelief.

Yun Che straightened his posture, but the Heaven Smiting Sword remained dragged on the ground, not put away. He smiled slightly, "So it's Junior Brother Yizhou... I didn't expect to meet you here. It seems we truly are fated."

"Yun... Che!" Mu Yizhou's lips and voice visibly trembled, his eyes flashing with terrifying hatred. "You despicable... shameless scoundrel... I've dreamt of tearing you limb from limb... I never thought... Heh... Hehehe, hahahaha... you'd have your day too! You were actually banished here as well, and you've fallen into my hands... This is retribution... Ha... hahahaha..."

"???" Yun Che said with a faint smile, "I don't understand what Junior Brother Yizhou is talking about. We did have a minor disagreement, but that was long gone. Your current resentment seems a bit unreasonable."

Yun Che was indeed puzzled. Back then, he and Mu Yizhou had a conflict because of Feng Mo, but Mu Hanyi cleverly resolved it. Although Mu Yizhou harbored resentment, he had promised in front of Mu Hanyi that he would never pursue the matter again. Afterward, during the Battle of the Heavenly Pool, Mu Xuanyin announced her intention to choose Yun Che as her personal disciple, which terrified Mu Yizhou. He waited anxiously outside the Heavenly Pool, and after Yun Che emerged, he frantically apologized to him, kneeling and offering gifts.

It had been a minor grudge, long since settled, and Yun Che had almost forgotten about it.

Yet, seeing Mu Yizhou's extreme hatred mixed with extreme satisfaction, it was as if Yun Che had slept with his wife and slaughtered his entire family.

"You despicable scoundrel are still feigning ignorance!" Mu Yizhou roared, "If it weren't for you, how could I have fallen to this state!"

"Because... me?" Yun Che narrowed his eyes.

"Three months ago, after you became the Sect Master's personal disciple, the Palace Master immediately learned about our conflict. Then, in just a few days, she exposed everything I had ever done and gave me the cruelest punishment, throwing me into this hellish place!!"

Yun Che: "..."

Mu Yizhou gasped, his voice filled with bone-deep resentment, "It's all you... it's all because of you! Only a few people knew about our initial conflict. Luo Qiu couldn't have harmed me, Mu Xiaolan had no reason to, and Liu Cheng and Feng Mo didn't have the guts or the opportunity... It could only have been you!"

Finally understanding, Yun Che scoffed, "Couldn't it have been Mu Hanyi?"

"He had no reason, and he wouldn't do something so despicable and shameless!" Mu Yizhou roared.

"Hehehe," Yun Che sneered, "You've committed too many ugly deeds; this retribution was long overdue. Yet, you have the nerve to blame others."

Yun Che's face held a cold sneer, but inwardly, he cursed, *'Damn that bastard Mu Hanyi! He actually played such a trick. Mu Hanyi dealt with Mu Yizhou clearly intending for Mu Yizhou to think it was Yun Che's doing, thus making an enemy for him... He probably didn't expect Mu Yizhou to have so many ugly deeds exposed that he'd be directly banished to Mist Glimmer Valley.'*

Still, Mu Yizhou was, after all, the chief disciple of the First Ice Phoenix Palace, with profound energy at the peak of the Divine Soul Realm, just a step away from the Divine Tribulation Realm. It was surprising that he hadn't died here after three months.

"Heh, Yun Che, I can't believe you can still smile. Three months ago, you were the Sect Master's personal disciple, so incredibly influential. Now... you've fallen to this state too, and into my hands." Mu Yizhou's face twisted with hatred, "Guess how I'll greet you!!"

"No, no, no, you seem to have misunderstood something." Yun Che said with a beaming smile, utterly fearless, "You were banished, but I'm different. I merely entered for training under my master's orders and will leave in a few days. As for you, I estimate even your bones will be buried here forever."

As he spoke, the Ice Phoenix Jade pendant on Yun Che's left shoulder, symbolizing his status as the Sect Master's personal disciple, suddenly glowed with a unique icy blue brilliance.

"Brother Yizhou, that... that's..." The Ice Phoenix disciple beside Mu Yizhou's face changed drastically, showing panic. Before they were banished here, they would first be expelled from the sect, and naturally, their Ice Phoenix Jade pendants would be stripped away. But Yun Che still had an Ice Phoenix Jade pendant on his shoulder... and it was exclusive to a Sect Master's disciple!

This meant that Yun Che's words were very likely true.

Mu Yizhou's pupils contracted, then his expression grew even darker. "Even if it's true, what then? We are already fated to die; what else is there to fear!! And besides..."

Zing!!

Mu Yizhou grasped with his hand, and the sword impaling the giant eagle was instantly pulled into his grip. Emanating a sinister aura, he slowly advanced toward Yun Che. "You almost died under that fierce eagle's claws just now. That means you're actually all alone, with no one secretly protecting you!"

Yun Che: "..."

"I'll tear you to shreds... and even if I die, I'll die happy!!"

Mu Yizhou thrust his sword forward, profound energy mixed with sword aura surging everywhere. The Ice Phoenix disciple behind him immediately paled in alarm. "That will attract profound beasts!"

"Shut up!" Mu Yizhou cursed furiously. His profound energy and sword momentum showed no restraint. Icy blades filled the air, slashing madly towards Yun Che with hatred and murderous intent. At this point, he didn't care about profound beasts. He had always believed that his downfall was entirely due to Yun Che, yet he never dared to hope for a chance at revenge, merely struggling here, waiting for death with bitter resentment. But now, an opportunity he never even dreamt of suddenly appeared before him... If he could brutally kill Yun Che, even if he were immediately buried under the claws of profound beasts, he would laugh maniacally all the way to the Yellow Springs.

Yun Che, however, did not retreat. Instead, he suddenly lunged forward, his figure flashing rapidly through the icy blades. In an instant, he had charged directly in front of Mu Yizhou, bringing the Heaven Smiting Sword down with a roar.

"Courting death!!"

As the former chief disciple of the First Ice Phoenix Palace, Mu Yizhou's profound energy, at the peak of the tenth level of the Divine Soul Realm, was something Yun Che absolutely could not contend with head-on. Yet, instead of fleeing, Yun Che actively engaged, which to anyone else would seem like a suicidal act.

With a thunderous crash, like a bolt of lightning striking the earth, Yun Che was immediately sent flying backward like a cannonball. Mu Yizhou's sword bent sharply, his entire body trembled violently, and a look of profound disbelief appeared on his face.

He clearly perceived that Yun Che's profound energy was only at the first level of the Divine Origin Realm, yet his own profound energy, at the peak of the Divine Soul Realm, had actually been forced back half a step by Yun Che's single sword strike!

Before he could recover from his shock, he suddenly realized that Yun Che, who had been blasted away, had already disappeared far into the thick mist, his aura rapidly receding at an astonishing speed.

"Bastard!" Mu Yizhou gnashed his teeth. Only then did he realize that Yun Che hadn't been foolishly courting death; he had been using Mu Yizhou's strength to make his escape!

"Let's see where you can run!!"

Firmly locking onto Yun Che's aura, Mu Yizhou's profound energy erupted throughout his body, and he chased after him like a madman, completely disregarding their location.

Yun Che activated his profound energy to its fullest, moving through the thick mist at top speed, his eyes fierce, his teeth clenched—*What terrible luck today! Carelessly offending Master nearly cost me my life, then being thrown into this place. First, I barely escaped with my life, chased by a pack of ferocious profound beasts, and before I could even catch my breath, I run into a Mu Yizhou who's far more terrifying than any profound beast, practically deranged...*

*How could I forget to check the almanac before leaving today!!*

Yun Che's maximum speed far surpassed that of profound practitioners at the same level, but the gap in profound energy between him and Mu Yizhou was simply too vast, nearly two major realms. Even though Yun Che was holding nothing back, Mu Yizhou's aura from behind was getting closer and closer.

Mu Yizhou was a mix of shock and rage. With his profound energy, catching a profound practitioner who was only at the first level of the Divine Origin Realm should have been effortless. Yet, he kept pushing his profound energy, reaching 100%, but still couldn't see Yun Che's shadow, and the distance his aura closed was agonizingly slow.

He roared in extreme fury, forcefully increasing his speed further, "Yun Che, you can't escape! I'll make you... wish you were dead!"

"This guy's completely lost it," Yun Che muttered, glancing back, his teeth clenching tighter and tighter. *'No, at this rate, I'll be caught very soon.'*

*'I'll have to risk it.'*

Yun Che gathered Golden Crow flames in his palm, then violently smashed them backward.

"Blazing Sun Blast!"

Boom!!

Flames exploded, the pale golden firelight exceptionally dazzling in the stark white world. The instant the firelight burst, the aura locked onto Yun Che momentarily deviated. Yun Che's left arm swiftly swept out, profound energy imbued with a strong aura rushing to the right. Simultaneously, he rapidly concealed his entire presence using Starfall Lightning Flash, diving behind a thick tree under the cover of the dense mist, then holding his breath tightly.

The exploding firelight immediately startled distant howls from profound beasts. In this stark white, icy world, fire was undoubtedly the most disruptive presence. But Yun Che couldn't afford to worry about that. Just two breaths after he concealed himself, Mu Yizhou's figure stormed past like a tempest, chasing directly in the direction of the diverted profound energy.

Yun Che secretly exhaled a breath of relief, but the diverted profound energy would soon dissipate once it was far from him. He dared not linger. Just as he was about to silently leave in another direction, two cold auras suddenly shot down from above.

Thwip! Thwip!

Two thread-like snakes, entirely white and as thin as a pinky finger, struck his shoulder, their fangs injecting potent venom—enough to kill a Divine Soul Beast—deep into his flesh. At the same time, a cold wind descended from above, as a giant eagle, attracted by the firelight, plummeted towards Yun Che.

Yun Che cursed inwardly. He unleashed his profound energy, instantly shattering the two thin snakes. At the same time, he raised both arms, the Heaven Smiting Sword appearing in his grip. With an upward burst of firelight, he launched a Phoenix Sky Wolf Slash towards the plummeting giant eagle.

Bang!!

The giant eagle was blasted away, and Yun Che's body was sent far back by the aftershock. His painstakingly concealed aura was naturally exposed. From the thick mist in the distance came Mu Yizhou's furious, exasperated roar: "Yun Che! You dare trick me!!"

Yun Che's aura was instantly re-locked by Mu Yizhou. Above, the blasted eagle was clearly enraged, perhaps about to pounce again in the next moment. And all around, dangerous auras were rapidly closing in.

Before entering Mist Glimmer Valley, Mu Bingyun had instructed him to conceal himself if possible and avoid confrontation if he could, and he had tried his best to do so. But now, he was forced into a terrible situation that couldn't get any worse.

Yun Che didn't immediately flee. Instead, his eyes suddenly turned fierce, and his aura, no longer needing to be hidden, became unrestrained and wild.

Since things had come to this... he might as well go all out!!

Whoosh!!

Wind howled, and heat waves swept the air. Yun Che spread his arms, and dozens of meters of Golden Crow flames instantly erupted from his body. As the flames rapidly intensified, his pupils, hair, and entire body glowed a fiery gold.

"Yellow—Spring—Ashes!!!"

As his power furiously unleashed and spread, within a ten-mile radius, the air, falling snow, ice, dead trees... everything became a medium for the flames. With a roar from Yun Che, the ten-mile area exploded with a thunderous bang.