Chapter 1057: To Cause Death

The two walked side by side. Huo Poyun's heart was in turmoil. He looked deeply at Yun Che and sighed, "Brother Yun, I don't know how to thank you enough... Miracles truly do exist in this world."

Although he was extremely surprised and curious, he did not ask Yun Che how he had saved Huo Ye.

Yun Che shook his head and said, "My Master's kindness to me is as immense as a mountain, yet I've never been able to repay even a fraction of it. Consider this the first thing I've done for Master."

"This is the first time I've seen Master like this; no one would believe me if I told them," Huo Poyun chuckled. "Master has always been one to repay kindness and avenge wrongs. However, Brother Yun's favor this time is simply too great. I expect Master will have a massive headache once he calms down, hahahaha."

Yun Che also laughed, "If that's the case, I certainly won't refuse."

"I'm sure I'll see a completely different Master after today," Huo Poyun said, his eyes filled with joy. "Though I've only been with Master for a little over a decade, he... he has lived a truly difficult and exhausting life these past years. He knew that every moment Huo Ye was alive was agonizing for him, yet he couldn't accept Huo Ye's death, repeatedly forcing him to extend his life. This kind of mental torment is likely beyond anyone's comprehension."

Yun Che remained silent.

"Over the years, Master often traveled to various star realms, personally searching for life-extending items for Senior Brother Huo Ye, sparing no expense. He even... even went against his principles, secretly purchasing Wood Spirit Orbs from the Black Ya Realm hundreds of times over a millennium..."

"Wood Spirit Orbs!?" Yun Che's steps halted abruptly.

Huo Poyun, naturally unaware of Yun Che's reaction, forced a wry smile and said, "Master's heart is pure. If it weren't for Senior Brother Huo Ye, he would never have done anything so unethical; he would have detested it."

Yun Che nodded, "Sect Master Huo's love for his son is truly moving."

"By the way, what kind of place is the 'Black Ya Realm'?" Yun Che asked casually.

"It's a lower star realm," Huo Poyun replied naturally. "Master told me there are many secret underground black markets there. Master bought the Wood Spirit Orbs from one of these black markets. These underground black markets are extremely discreet and never admit anyone they don't trust. Master just happened to have the sound transmission imprint of one of the black market owners, which is how he was able to purchase the Wood Spirit Orbs."

"To make it easier to travel to the Black Ya Realm, Master also spent a great deal to open a spatial profound array connecting to it; he truly went to great lengths," Huo Poyun sighed softly, then whispered, "Brother Yun, please don't mention any of this to anyone... it would harm Master's reputation."

"Of course," Yun Che nodded, firmly committing the name "Black Ya Realm" to memory.

As they talked, two streaks of fiery light suddenly appeared in the sky ahead. In an instant, they were close by. Seeing Yun Che and Huo Poyun, they stopped and called out from a distance, "Poyun!"

Seeing the two middle-aged men, Huo Poyun quickly stepped forward and greeted them respectfully, "Eighth Elder, Seventeenth Elder."

Elders? Yun Che's heart stirred slightly.

Judging by their attire, they were from the Golden Crow Sect... and were actually at the elder level.

The Eighth Elder, Huo Rujin, and the Seventeenth Elder, Huo Rankong.

"Elders, aren't you stationed at the Fire Prison? Has something important happened?" Huo Poyun asked cautiously.

"Ah!" The Eighth Elder, Huo Rujin, sighed heavily. "We just learned that the Young Master suddenly became critically ill a few hours ago, so we rushed over, not knowing... Hmm?" He suddenly noticed Yun Che's attire, his brows furrowed, and he sharply asked, "Are you from the Snow Song Realm?"

His voice was grim, clearly tinged with a sudden surge of anger. Not only Huo Rujin but also the Seventeenth Elder, Huo Rankong, instantly changed their expressions. Huo Poyun's heart jumped. He quickly said, "Elders, this is Yun Che of the Ice Phoenix Divine Sect, the personal disciple of the Snow Song Realm King."

"Hmph! So it is this brat!" Huo Rujin's eyebrows completely sank, his expression unfriendly.

"To be brought by Mu Xuanyin, and with such weak profound energy, it could only be him," Huo Rankong also snorted coldly.

The atmosphere immediately became tense. Huo Poyun was well aware of why they were so hostile towards Yun Che. He quickly said, "Elders, rest assured, Senior Brother Huo Ye is temporarily safe. Master is personally attending to him. If there are no further instructions, Poyun will take his leave."

"Wait!" Huo Rujin called out, stopping him. "Poyun, why are you with this brat? And it seems you're protecting him. Hmph, a disciple of the Ice Phoenix Divine Sect, and Mu Xuanyin's disciple at that, he can be thrown anywhere; he doesn't deserve your personal hospitality."

Huo Poyun's heart skipped a beat. He quickly reached out and subtly pulled Yun Che, signaling him not to get angry, and urgently said, "This is Master's order. And Brother Yun and I also..."

"Enough!" Huo Rankong frowned deeply. "The Sect Master could never have given such an order! Poyun, you are young and simple-minded; it's natural for you to get along with people. But this brat... do you know who caused the Young Master to be in this state today? And how many disciples of our Golden Crow Sect did his Master kill a thousand years ago!"

"Senior Brother Huo Ye is already..." The words had barely left his mouth when Huo Poyun quickly stopped himself. He had just promised Yun Che to keep this a secret, so he forced himself to rephrase, "The grudges from back then have nothing to do with Brother Yun."

"Nothing to do with it? He's Mu Xuanyin's personal disciple, the one who will inherit her legacy! Anyone connected to that woman is a mortal enemy of our Golden Crow Sect!" Huo Rujin said sharply, his fiery eyes coldly fixed on Yun Che. "Hmph! It's bad enough that Mu Xuanyin came, but she even dared to bring her personal disciple. Is she that confident we wouldn't cripple the successor she painstakingly accepted... or does she simply not value your life at all?"

"Eighth Elder!!" Huo Poyun was greatly alarmed and quickly stood in front of Yun Che.

Until now, Yun Che had been unperturbed. He wasn't surprised by the Golden Crow Sect's resentment towards the Ice Phoenix Divine Sect; in fact, he found it somewhat understandable. However, he felt they were going too far, especially since he was a guest. Under Huo Rujin's mocking words and gaze, he instantly grew furious, his brows sinking as he coldly said, "Have you two misunderstood something? It wasn't my Master and I who wanted to come today; it was your Blazing Heaven Realm who invited us."

"And it was your two Sect Masters who personally piloted the Phoenix-Wing Profound Ark to the Snow Song Realm to invite us!"

"Yun... Brother Yun!" As soon as Yun Che uttered these words, Huo Poyun's face paled even further in alarm.

"Oh?" Yun Che's words caused both their expressions to subtly shift. Huo Rujin's eyes narrowed slightly as he sneered, "Good, very good. As expected of Mu Xuanyin's disciple, truly promising, to even dare to talk back. The Vermillion Bird Sect and the Phoenix Sect were indeed the ones who invited you, but our Golden Crow Sect did not invite anyone from your Snow Song Realm! We merely didn't object because there's a major event at hand, and your Master, Mu Xuanyin, could be useful to us! Otherwise, with our Golden Crow Sect here, forget about a little brat from the Snow Song Realm, even Mu Xuanyin herself wouldn't be able to step half a pace into our Blazing Heaven Realm again."

"Useful?" Yun Che retorted with an unyielding sneer. "The three most powerful Sect Masters of your Blazing Heaven Realm wouldn't dare to speak presumptuously in front of my Master. What makes you two think you're any different? I doubt my Master would even spare you a second glance if you stood before her... and you dare to speak of using her?"

"Brother Yun!!" Huo Poyun's heart nearly leaped out of his chest in alarm. He swiftly reached out and pulled Yun Che back, urgently saying, "We won't disturb the Elders from seeing Senior Brother Huo Ye any longer. Poyun takes his leave."

Before Huo Poyun could forcefully leave, a heavy voice descended. Huo Rankong slowly said, "If this brat from the Ice Phoenix Divine Sect had been honest and behaved, it would have been fine. But he dares to be so arrogant and unruly in our Blazing Heaven Realm. Poyun, according to the rules of our Blazing Heaven Realm, how should we deal with someone who shows such great disrespect to an elder?"

Just as Huo Poyun was about to speak, he heard Yun Che burst into maniacal laughter, full of mockery. "Brother Poyun, although the Blazing Sect Master has a grievance with my Master, that grievance has never extended to me. But these two, full of righteous indignation, are using their status as elders to bully a junior who has no connection to the matter. It's truly despicable! These sorts of people, who rely on bullying juniors to feel powerful, probably wouldn't even dare to utter a sound in front of my Master."

"And for such individuals to be elders of your Golden Crow Sect is simply a disgrace to the sect!!"

"Insolence!!"

To be cursed so brazenly by a junior from the Snow Song Realm—Huo Rujin and Huo Rankong, as elders of the Golden Crow Sect, had never received such "treatment," nor had they imagined a junior could be so audacious. They both erupted in fury. Flames burst from Huo Rujin's palm as he roared, "You little brat, you've got guts! Heh... Are we afraid of Mu Xuanyin? What a joke! I only regret never getting the chance to meet her; otherwise, I would personally make her cry for her parents under the Golden Crow Flames!"

"Elders... huh!?" Huo Poyun desperately tried to prevent the situation from escalating, even preparing to send a sound transmission to Huo Rulie. Just as he spoke, his mouth suddenly gaped open, his pupils constricted, and he froze there, utterly stunned as if scared senseless.

Huo Poyun's sudden drastic change in expression was noticed by both Huo Rujin and Huo Rankong. They simultaneously raised their eyebrows, then instinctively and quickly turned around... The moment their gaze shifted, they met a pair of eyes that seemed to emerge from the depths of an ice prison.

Mu Xuanyin, dressed in snow-white robes, stood on the dry earth like a goddess of ice and snow descended from the heavens, exuding world-shattering grace and chilling cold. She was less than ten steps behind Huo Rujin and Huo Rankong.

Her eyes were exquisitely beautiful and serene, yet held an extreme, biting cold. Her gaze was like a piercing thrust from an icy abyss, impaling their eyes and then deeply embedding itself into their souls.

Huo Rujin's mouth hung open, involuntary groans escaping him. His pupils were dilated dozens of times their normal size, almost bursting, and his face had lost all trace of its former arrogance and dominance. Every muscle and every line on his face trembled violently with fear.

Yun Che's eyelids twitched, and his heart pounded... Oh no! Someone was going to die!

"Say those words again," Mu Xuanyin spoke slowly, her calm, emotionless words sounding in their ears like the judgment of death itself.