Chapter 1137: Burning Scar of Shame

"Oh my god!" Huo Rulie was so startled he nearly jumped up. "This time, we're really finished!"

Yan Juehai's pupils also contracted, but unlike Huo Rulie, what trembled in his eyes was not shock, but terror.

Jun Xilei rose from the snow, still somewhat dazed. She never in her wildest dreams imagined that as Jìn's successor, she would be slapped so hard by a Realm King from a mid-level star realm, right in front of Jìn and everyone else.

"You insolent wretch! How dare you utter my name so carelessly!" Mu Xuanyin said coldly.

"You..." Just as she was about to speak, she spat out another mouthful of thick blood. Her standing body instantly collapsed to its knees, her entire form shivering in an irresistible cold as her face gradually turned ashen.

Mu Xuanyin's slap was not easily endured. Had she not been Jun Wuming's disciple, she would have perished even with ten thousand lives.

Jun Wuming stepped forward and helped Jun Xilei up. An invisible profound energy enveloped her entire body, and only then did Jun Xilei's complexion improve significantly. She whispered tremblingly, "Master..."

"It's alright, don't speak," Jun Wuming sighed softly, his voice carrying a sense of powerlessness that Jun Xilei had never heard before.

"Realm King Xuanyin." Jun Wuming showed no anger, nor did any profound energy surge from him; he remained as calm as ever. "Lei'er was indeed at fault first. Things have come to this, and she has already been punished. You have vented your anger. This old man has nothing more to say. Let us part ways here."

As soon as Jun Wuming spoke these words, everyone present was stunned.

Huo Rulie's jaw dropped with a thud. After a long moment of stunned silence, he mumbled, "Jìn's composure and patience are truly too good, aren't they? No, wait, he endured even that?"

Moreover, if one were to truly consider seniority, Jun Xilei was definitely above Mu Xuanyin. While addressing her by name might be improper, she certainly had the right to do so.

"Sect Master Huo, aren't you curious about something?" Yan Juehai's chest heaved as he spoke in a very low voice: "Mu Xuanyin was a hundred steps away from Jìn's disciple, while Jìn was only two steps away. But that slap just now, Jìn failed to stop it!"

Huo Rulie was initially stunned. Then his entire body trembled violently, and he couldn't utter a single word for a long time.

"Of course you have nothing to say! But wanting to leave? It's far too soon."

Her initial respect for Jun Wuming had now completely transformed into cold indifference: "Just now, that was merely punishment for her calling me by name. My not taking her life already gave you enormous leeway; you should be well aware of that."

"But she violated my Ice Phoenix, injured my disciple, and she wants to just walk away without kneeling to apologize?!"

"You..." This time, everyone could clearly see Jun Wuming's eyebrows twitching slightly, as an intense surge of anger and killing intent gathered between his brows.

Just as everyone, trembling with fear, thought Jìn would undoubtedly unleash his full fury this time, they watched with their own eyes as the surge of anger and killing intent that had just risen was forcefully suppressed within a few breaths.

"Alas," Jun Wuming let out a long sigh, "Ultimately, it is your own fault, Lei'er. Though unintentional, you did indeed offend the Ice Phoenix Sect and injured Realm King Xuanyin's disciple. It is no wonder Realm King Xuanyin is so enraged. Therefore, follow Realm King Xuanyin's words and go apologize."

"Master!?" Jun Xilei looked up, her face filled with incomprehension and disbelief.

Her Master was Jìn, a legendary figure in the Great Thousand Worlds. She was Jìn's successor, famous throughout the God Realm at a young age, ranking among the "Four Divine Children of the Eastern Region." Anywhere in the God Realm, she commanded universal respect and admiration. The Snow Song Realm, however, was merely a mid-level star realm. In her eyes, their arrival in the Snow Song Realm was entirely its glory.

The Snow Song Realm and the Flame God Realm treated Jìn with utmost reverence, worshiping him like a god. She had long been accustomed to this and remained unmoved. The Snow Song Realm King traversing half the realm to pay respects was, in her perception, completely normal. Her using sword aura to block the Snow Song disciples and letting her Master and herself go first was even more a matter of course. How could a mere Ice Phoenix Divine Sect deserve to walk ahead of her and her Master?

She never imagined such an outcome.

Jun Wuming doted on her immensely. No matter where they cultivated, everyone they met feared offending or disrespecting her in the slightest. Yet today, she was slapped an incredibly heavy blow in public. She had never suffered such humiliation in her entire life.

What made it even harder for her to believe was that her Master not only did not furiously intervene on her behalf, but instead ordered her to kneel and apologize to the other party.

How could she accept this?

"Go." Facing her trembling gaze, Jun Wuming slowly closed his eyes. "This is a Master's command, and also an important lesson in your life."

Jun Xilei's state of mind and perception were already on the verge of collapse. Jun Wuming's words undoubtedly became the last straw. She stood rooted to the spot, completely dazed, her pupils losing their luster. She could no longer even feel the intense pain on her face.

"Did you not hear your Master's words!" Jun Wuming's voice suddenly turned stern.

Her dull eyes finally regained a bit of focus, but their light was gone, replaced only by a dim emptiness. Jun Xilei had never been so confused, perplexed, and lost. It was also the first time in her life that she truly understood what humiliation meant.

A Master's command could not be defied. Jun Wuming's sighing words echoed in her mind: "This is a Master's command, and also an important lesson in your life."

"An important lesson in life... Is Master trying to temper my character?"

Finally, a shred of resolve appeared in her heart. She took a deep breath and slowly walked towards Mu Xuanyin. Then, she slowly knelt before her. However, her gaze was cold and resolute. Even with one knee touching the ground, the dignity of the Tearless Sword Princess and the pride of Jìn's successor still radiated strongly.

"Hmph, you've knelt to the wrong person." Before Jun Xilei could speak, Mu Xuanyin coldly spoke, pushing Yun Che directly in front of her. "You disrespected my Ice Phoenix Divine Sect. The slap just now, combined with my consideration for your Master's reputation, means I won't pursue that further. But you injured my disciple, so you'd better meekly apologize to him."

Jun Xilei froze in place once again. The composure she had just painstakingly regained shattered once more.

Mu Xuanyin was, at the very least, the Snow Song Realm King and a supreme Divine Master like her own Master. Kneeling publicly to apologize to her, though humiliating, would not completely destroy her dignity.

But the man Mu Xuanyin pushed in front of her was similar in age, yet his profound strength was only at the first level of the Divine Tribulation Realm. She had seen countless people like him when traveling through various realms with Jun Wuming. In many star realms, a person of his age and cultivation level would be considered a genius, but in her eyes, such a person usually wasn't even worthy of a glance.

Now, she was being told to kneel and apologize to *such* a person!?

If she actually did that, it would be more than just humiliation. All the dignity and pride she had ever possessed would undoubtedly be ruthlessly trampled underfoot, ground to dust, becoming a mark of shame and pain that she could never erase or escape in her entire life.

But behind her, Jun Wuming's voice remained silent for a long time.

Time seemed to slow down, every moment stretched infinitely. Her mind went from chaotic to blank, so blank that she had almost lost all ability to think. Like a puppet, she knelt:

"Xilei was rude and offensive. Please accept my apologies..."

After uttering those few words, her tightly bitten lips were completely devoid of color.

Yun Che stood there motionless, unable to respond.

"Now this is how it should be," Mu Xuanyin said coldly, not even glancing at her. "Don't think you've suffered some great injustice; this is all your own doing! Don't naively believe that being called one of the 'Four Divine Children of the Eastern Region' gives you the right to be arrogant and look down on others. In my eyes, you don't even qualify to be a bed-warming maid for my disciple!"

Jun Xilei: "..."

Yun Che: (Speechless)

"Lei'er, Jìn's successors also make mistakes, and when they do, they must acknowledge them and apologize. Your Master has long wanted to teach you this lesson. This is good. Remember this day well. The moment you completely accept this, you will be one step closer to 'Sword Heart'. Let's go."

Jun Xilei stood up, expressionless and silent. Like a body that had suddenly lost its soul, she silently followed behind Jun Wuming. They quietly disappeared into the wind and snow, vanishing from everyone's sight.

"Th-They left?" Huo Rulie said dazedly. "Was that really Jìn's 'Sword Heart' cultivation for his disciple?"

"He's just making excuses for himself," Yan Juehai whispered.

"Did Mu Xuanyin truly..."

Yan Juehai remained silent.

For a long time, the entire snowy region was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

Everyone's hearts were filled with overwhelming shock, and it took a long time for them to calm down.

Jun Wuming's initial concessions led them to believe that Jìn was broad-minded as the ocean, or simply disdained to act. But Mu Xuanyin pressed on relentlessly, and Jun Wuming continued to concede step by step, even after his disciple was brutally slapped in public.

None of them were fools. Even if they were naive, they should have sensed something amiss. It was just that the possibility was too outlandish, leaving them unable to believe, or even dare to consider it, despite repeated shocks.

Looking at the stunned Ice Phoenix disciples, Mu Xuanyin frowned, her icy brows furrowed, and she coldly rebuked, "Why are you all just standing there stunned! Waiting for the profound formation to close!?"

The rebuke was like a resounding bell. Mu Huanzhi finally awoke as if from a dream. He hastily scrambled up from the ground and loudly exclaimed, "All Ice Phoenix disciples, quickly follow me into the formation! In less than twenty breaths, the profound formation will close!"

The Ice Phoenix disciples obeyed, orderly and swiftly rushing into the profound formation.

Mu Bingyun came to Mu Xuanyin's side, her gaze complex, and she whispered, "I will keep a constant watch over Yun Che, Big Sister, please rest assured."

Mu Xuanyin's gaze turned to Yun Che. It no longer held its previous cold indifference, but rather a profoundness that Yun Che could not comprehend: "It is a matter of nature; saying more is actually useless."

Mu Bingyun: "..."

"Master?" Yun Che was slightly stunned.

"Don't cause trouble. Before making any risky decisions, remember to repeatedly consider your Master's warnings. Furthermore, your Master has taught you not to act recklessly without considering your own strength, but I have never taught you to allow others to bully you!"

"Yes, Master," Yun Che seriously obeyed.

"Go."

After all, there weren't many Ice Phoenix disciples going to the Brahma Monarch God Realm. Soon, all the disciples had entered the formation. Yun Che was also lifted by Mu Bingyun, stepped into the profound formation, and disappeared into the white light.

The dimensional profound formation's rotation slowed down, and its profound light gradually weakened. This was a sign of its imminent closure.

With thousands of disciples from the three Flame God Sects, it was simply impossible for all of them to enter. Yan Juehai quickly said, "Sect Master Huo, take Huo Poyun and go first."

"Very well!" Without time to think, Huo Rulie grabbed Huo Poyun and directly entered the profound formation. Their figures flashed and disappeared almost simultaneously with the last of the profound light.

The dimensional profound formation closed, meaning Huo Rulie and the remaining Flame God elders and disciples would have to wait another hour.

The profound formation became silent. Only the Flame God disciples remained in the snowy region, but it was still dead silent, because Mu Xuanyin was still nearby.

This Snow Song Realm King, who made the dignified Jìn retreat from the Snow Song Realm, simply by being there, exerted an indescribably heavy pressure on them. No one spoke; even their breathing was cautious.

Including Yan Juehai.

At this moment, Mu Xuanyin finally turned around, looking north. She said indifferently, "I have yet to congratulate Sect Master Yan. It seems, barring any mishaps, in three years' time, the Eastern Divine Region will gain another high-level star realm."

Yan Juehai offered a somewhat stiff smile, raising his arm as he spoke, "First, I thank Realm King Xuanyin for her auspicious words. Even if everything comes true, it will be by Realm King Xuanyin's grace. Yan Juehai would never dare forget this point, and the Flame God Realm will absolutely never forget it."

In the past, due to the suppression of her cultivation, Yan Juehai would always be polite yet cautious in front of Mu Xuanyin, not daring to offend her.

But at this moment, both his words and body language faintly carried a measure of respectful humility, perhaps subconscious, that he himself did not even realize.

"There's no need for that!"

Mu Xuanyin flicked her snow-white sleeve. Everyone felt their eyes blur for a moment, and Mu Xuanyin's figure had already vanished, seemingly merged into the endless snow.

Yan Juehai was silent for a long time, still unable to calm his tumultuous emotions. He took a deep breath, turned around, and looked at everyone. He slowly said, "What happened just now, not a single word, not a single character is to be leaked out. Do you understand!?"

There was no need for Yan Juehai to remind them. Even if they were given three times the courage, the people present certainly wouldn't dare to speak carelessly. After all, this concerned Jìn's dignity. The Snow Song Realm could afford to provoke Jìn, but the Flame God Realm definitely could not!