Chapter 1058: Qiu Dragon Appears

Huo Rujin and Huo Rankong stood motionless, as if rooted to the spot. Huo Rujin’s lips parted slightly, appearing to strain to say something, but for a long time, no sound escaped him.

Sweat instantly beaded across their foreheads, each drop chilling them to the bone.

In truth, what Yun Che said was entirely correct. Huo Rujin and Huo Rankong harbored deep resentment towards the Ice Phoenix Sect, but they only dared to vent it in front of Yun Che. Had they been in Mu Xuanyin’s presence, even with ten times their courage, they would never have uttered such words, and likely wouldn’t have shown the slightest disrespect.

After all, a thousand years ago, because of Mu Bingyun, Mu Xuanyin had massacred the Golden Crow Sect and destroyed all the lower star realms under the Flame God Realm. Apart from his deranged plot against Mu Bingyun, Huo Rulie himself had to endure humiliation for a full millennium. If the sect master had to do so, how much more so the other members of the sect?

Among those slain by Mu Xuanyin’s wrath back then, there were naturally disciples or collateral relatives of Huo Rujin and Huo Rankong. But with Mu Xuanyin’s power evident, they could only suppress their feelings. After bottling up their resentment for over a thousand years, they finally encountered Mu Xuanyin’s personal disciple today, and on the Flame God Realm’s territory no less. Naturally, they felt compelled to vent.

After all, anyone can speak rashly and utter harsh words. However, when it came to actually attacking Yun Che, they certainly lacked the courage. These two were Golden Crow Sect elders, after all; they weren’t so foolish or reckless as to risk that, especially with the vital matter concerning the Flame God Realm’s future right before them.

Thus, Yun Che also dared to hurl insults back without reservation.

But... being caught by Mu Xuanyin completely changed the nature of the situation.

Huo Rujin and Huo Rankong, who had just been so arrogant and full of righteous indignation in front of Yun Che, instantly felt their souls flee and their gallbladders split the moment they saw Mu Xuanyin.

As elders of the Golden Crow Sect, they were certainly not cowards, but... this was Mu Xuanyin.

At their level, they were keenly aware of how terrifying Mu Xuanyin’s power was, and her temperament was utterly ruthless and merciless to the extreme. She was the most terrifying and unprovokable person they had ever encountered in their lives.

Yun Che’s mouth twitched repeatedly. He wanted to speak but dared not, only sighing inwardly, “You wanted to show off? Now even the gods can’t save you.”

However... they were still in the Flame God Realm, and a major event, the hunt for the ancient Horned Dragon, was imminent. If his master were to truly severely injure or even kill these two, and the situation were to escalate and worsen, it would be detrimental to both realms with no benefit.

“Snow Song... Realm King...” Huo Poyun bravely stepped forward, mustering almost all the courage he had ever possessed to plead for them.

But just as the words left his mouth, a cold gust swept across the scorching ground.

Bang!!!

Blue light flashed abruptly, and ice crystals exploded. The space, scorched for countless years, was instantly stripped of all its heat, spreading endless chill. Amidst terrified screams, the two Golden Crow Sect elders were sent flying horizontally like bound straw in the bursting ice. They flew a great distance before crashing heavily to the ground, but they didn't stand up. Instead, they lay there, limbs curled, trembling uncontrollably as if sifting grain.

The chill that instantly permeated their bodies could not be dispelled, no matter how they circulated their profound energy. They realized for the first time that cold could be this terrifying, as if every cell in their bodies, from outside to inside, had been pierced by icy venomous barbs. This pain surpassed the most cruel tortures they knew. They were like two dying larvae, every part of their bodies convulsing and trembling uncontrollably, unable to live or die.

“Please... please, Snow Song Realm King, have mercy!” Huo Poyun was utterly terrified. Huo Rujin and Huo Rankong were not only official elders of the Golden Crow Sect, but also ranked eighth and seventeenth respectively! In the entire God Realm, they were considered high-level existences, yet before Mu Xuanyin, they were so incredibly vulnerable.

Mu Xuanyin paid no heed to Huo Poyun at all. Her figure flickered, and she instantly reappeared beside Huo Rujin and Huo Rankong, repeating in a voice more terrifying than any nightmare for the two of them: “Say those words again.”

Huo Rujin tremblingly raised his right arm, which was frozen to the point of almost complete numbness, and let out a miserable sound from his mouth: “M-mercy...”

Ice and fire are mutually exclusive, and when power disparities are overwhelming, this opposition intensifies dramatically. For those with Golden Crow bloodlines who cultivate pure fire profound arts, being permeated by extremely potent cold air is far more than just simple pain. If it persists for too long, it will inevitably cause irreparable damage to their profound veins.

This was the greatest fear for any profound practitioner.

“Hahahaha, hahahaha... Eh??”

A burst of unrestrained laughter carried from a great distance. As if suddenly sensing something amiss with the aura, the laughter abruptly ceased. Following this, a powerful aura approached like a storm, traversing space and appearing before them in an instant.

“Master!” Huo Poyun exclaimed in surprise.

The smile hadn't yet faded from Huo Rulie’s face as he appeared; it seemed he had been laughing so hard his mouth was a bit crooked. He glanced at the two figures on the ground, and it took him a while to recognize that these miserably crumpled individuals were actually Huo Rujin and Huo Rankong. His smile immediately froze. He swiftly rushed over, his burning Golden Crow Flames quickly enveloping the two, dispelling the cold from their bodies. At the same time, he frowned and looked back, asking, “What happened here?”

Huo Poyun quickly stepped forward and spoke as fast as he could: “N-nothing serious happened. The two elders just had a slight lapse in their words and were lightly punished by the Snow Song Realm King. They're fine now, truly fine.”

Huo Rulie, having lived for over ten thousand years, instantly understood the situation. He knew Huo Rujin and Huo Rankong’s temperaments perfectly well; even with a hundred times their courage, they wouldn't dare to be “inappropriate with their words” in front of Mu Xuanyin. They must have lost control and vented their frustrations after seeing Yun Che, only to be caught by Mu Xuanyin.

These good-for-nothing fellows... unlucky, too.

Under Huo Rulie’s potent Golden Crow Flame energy, the cold in Huo Rujin and Huo Rankong’s bodies was quickly dispelled. They shakily stood up, but before they could speak, Huo Rulie had already kicked Huo Rujin squarely in the stomach. Huo Rujin, still numb from the cold, was sent flying dozens of meters, landing face-first and not getting up for a long time.

“You scoundrels! The Snow Song Realm King is an honored guest whom our Flame God Realm painstakingly invited! As sect elders, how dare you speak disrespectfully? Are you tired of living!”

Huo Poyun: “...”

Yun Che: “...”

Mu Xuanyin: “??”

Not only Huo Rujin, who was kicked away, but Huo Rankong was also instantly dumbfounded. Throughout the entire sect, the person who hated Mu Xuanyin the most was undoubtedly Huo Rulie, who wished he could curse her three hundred times a day. Could these really be words from Huo Rulie?

“S-Sect Master,” Huo Rankong, clearly sensing something was off, said with trepidation, “We... we would never dare to disrespect the Snow Song Realm King. We were just... just talking to that brat named Yun...”

Bang!!

Before Huo Rankong could finish, Huo Rulie kicked him in the backside, sending him flying sideways like a ball, landing flat on his face just like Huo Rujin. From behind, Huo Rulie’s thundering roar of anger echoed: “What brat named Yun?! Who are you calling a brat named Yun?! Junior Nephew Yun is the Snow Song Realm King’s personal disciple, and also an honored guest of our Flame God Realm! What kind of rubbish title is that?! Did your parents not teach you how to treat guests?!”

Huo Poyun: “...”

Yun Che: “...”

Mu Xuanyin: “???”

“Sect Master, I... we...” Huo Rujin struggled to get up, and just as he opened his mouth, a fierce kick landed on his back, sending him tumbling away again.

“Still trying to argue?! Where did you get such nerve?!”

Bang!!

“Weren’t they supposed to be guarding the Fire Prison?! Who the hell told you to come back on your own?!”

Bang!!

“What are you looking at? Get back there right now!”

Bang!!

“How dare you disrespect an honored guest! You’ve brought shame upon the Snow Song Realm!!”

Bang!!

“This matter is bigger than the heavens, yet you dare to cause trouble for me! If anything goes wrong, I’ll surely butcher you!”

Bang!!

“You’ve ruined my good mood today!”

Bang!!

“Who told you to stand up?! Get out! Get out! Get out!”

Bang!!

Bang!!

Bang...

Huo Rulie already had an exceptionally loud voice, and his enraged curses were thunderous. The sounds of his kicks were like claps of thunder. The two venerable Golden Crow Sect elders, like two soccer balls, were kicked repeatedly by Huo Rulie over a dozen times, sent flying dozens of miles away. Finally, Huo Rulie turned back and roared, “Snow Song Realm King, I’m sorry, truly sorry. After this matter is over, I’ll make them apologize to you in person... Sorry, so sorry.”

Mu Xuanyin: “?????”

Huo Poyun’s mouth hung wide open, slowly closing after a long moment, followed by a heavy “gulp” from his throat.

Yun Che, however, secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Huo Rulie had just saved those two. Otherwise, given his master’s temperament, Huo Rujin and Huo Rankong would have lost at least half their lives, if not died.

Mu Xuanyin suddenly turned her head, looking at Yun Che: “What was that about?”

Huo Rulie’s behavior just now was more than just unusual; he seemed like a completely different person.

“Well...” Yun Che could only honestly explain: “Just now, this disciple... used medical skills learned in the lower realms to save Huo Ye. With just two more treatments, Huo Ye could fully recover in a few years, perhaps even less.”

Mu Xuanyin’s gaze lingered on Yun Che’s face. She knew full well how severe Huo Ye’s injuries were. They had been incurable a thousand years ago, and after lingering for a millennium, even divine beings would find him beyond saving... how could mere medical skills cure him?

“Meddling!” she said coldly. The moment she turned, her figure vanished instantly, like a dissipating ice spirit.

“Ah... Master!!” Yun Che quickly called out, but it was too late. He could only helplessly lower his hand. He had wanted to tell Mu Xuanyin about the possibility of acquiring a Wood Spirit Pearl in the “Blackya Realm.”

With Mu Xuanyin gone, Huo Poyun’s tense nerves and body finally relaxed. After more than a dozen heavy gasps, he said with lingering fear, “Brother Yun, your master’s aura... it’s truly terrifying.”

“Uh... yeah,” Yun Che nodded. The first time he faced Mu Xuanyin’s anger, he was just like Huo Poyun, but then he...

For the next two days, Yun Che treated Huo Ye once daily at the scheduled time. After the second day, Huo Ye’s consciousness and speech were remarkably clear, and he could even sit up for extended periods.

By the end of the third day, Huo Ye’s complexion had visibly improved, showing a healthy rosiness, and his eyes were much clearer. At the very least, there was no trace of his previous deathly pallor.

“As expected of Sect Master Huo’s son, a person with the purest Golden Crow bloodline. Brother Ye’s recovery is much better than I anticipated. At this rate, he might fully recover in less than three years, possibly even within two,” Yun Che said with a slight smile.

Huo Ye looked at Yun Che, a glimmer of tears in his eyes: “Brother Yun, words cannot express my gratitude for such immense kindness. It seems I must have been a virtuous person for ten lifetimes in my previous life to encounter such a benefactor as you in this one.”

“Hahahaha!” Huo Rulie burst into hearty laughter: “Ye’er, if you want to thank him, it’s simple. First, get your body completely well, then you can repay him however you wish.”

After speaking, he turned his head and stared directly at Yun Che: “You didn’t just save Ye’er’s life; you saved our entire lineage! This kindness... sigh, it’s so immense it’s giving me a headache. I’ve been racking my brain these past few days, trying to figure out how to repay you. Tell me, then, what do you want? Or what do you want me, Huo Rulie, to do? Just say it! If I, Huo Rulie, so much as frown, then I’m not a Huo!”

Yun Che slowly shook his head, stating sincerely: “This junior stands by what he said before. I ask for no repayment from Sect Master Huo, only that you no longer harbor resentment towards my master.”

“...” High above them, in the distant sky, Mu Xuanyin, who had been silently watching, showed a subtle flicker of complex emotion in her eyes.

But the next instant, her brow suddenly furrowed, and her gaze abruptly shifted south.

“Finally, it’s out.”

She murmured softly, then clenched her hand, instantly crushing the sound transmission jade on her person. A long rift was torn open in the space before her.

Her body passed through the rift, heading directly south, towards the sky ablaze with fire waves.