Chapter 1411: It's All Fate

Half of the attacking beast tide possessed divine power, while the other half were below that level. Among the divine profound beasts, most were at the Divine Origin and Divine Soul realms. As for those at the Divine Tribulation realm, Yun Che's quick scan suggested there were fewer than a hundred.

With Mu Feixue's personal arrival, accompanied by a thousand Ice Phoenix disciples, and the city's original profound defenders, the crisis in this ice city was already resolved.

Feeling relieved, Yun Che neither revealed himself nor departed. He planned to simply follow Mu Feixue and her group back to the sect once they had dealt with the profound beasts.

His return this time was for an important purpose, and he was extremely cautious, determined not to meddle in any external matters.

Unless absolutely necessary, he also wished to keep his survival a secret. Before heading to the Netherfrost Heavenly Lake, the only person he was sure to meet was Mu Xuanyin.

Because she would never harm him.

Mu Feixue and the Ice Phoenix disciples' arrival immediately unleashed countless icy-blue lights across the ravaged snowy expanse. The dense profound beast tide was steadily pushed back, and in less than fifteen minutes, the defensive line had advanced several miles.

Cheers already filled Phantom Smoke City, as everyone was convinced the crisis had been completely averted.

At that very moment, the quietly observing Yun Che suddenly raised his gaze and muttered, "This is bad!"

The berserk profound beasts were being decimated, and the beast tide was retreating at an increasing speed. Mu Feixue's Ice Phoenix aura remained as potent as ever; she was now a streaking blue light, penetrating deep into the beast tide's ranks. With every sword swing, countless profound beasts were frozen and shattered. Their bodies and internal organs were completely frozen, preventing even a single drop of blood from spilling when they splintered.

*Bang!!*

Over a dozen thousand-foot-tall ice trees simultaneously burst forth from the snowy landscape, their blossoming icy branches and cold leaves trapping tens of thousands of profound beasts. The moment they erupted, shattered ice flew in all directions, leaving a terrifyingly vast vacuum in the heart of the enormous beast tide.

At that very moment, Mu Feixue's movements suddenly faltered, and her gaze sharply fixed on something ahead.

At the rear of the profound beast tide, two colossal white figures had appeared, emanating a terrifying aura so immense it sent a sudden chill through Mu Feixue's entire body.

Divine Spirit Beasts!

And there were two!

Furthermore, the oppressive weight of their auras indicated that both Divine Spirit Beasts were clearly at a realm higher than Mu Feixue's!

"Roar!!!"

A roar, like a collapsing mountain and a raging tsunami, instantly set the entire snowy region ablaze with chaos, simultaneously silencing the prolonged cheers from Phantom Smoke City.

The terrifying roar and the subsequent icy oppressive might caused the faces of all the city's profound defenders to contort in shock and utter disbelief.

"Could it... could it be..."

"No! Impossible!"

At that moment, a hundred-zhang colossal figure soared up from behind the beast tide, lunging directly at the front, specifically towards Mu Feixue, who had eliminated the most profound beasts. As it sprang forth, the very direction of the snowy winds drastically shifted.

Gazing at the colossal white figure in the sky, everyone's last shred of hope was mercilessly crushed.

"An Ice... Ice River Behemoth!"

The Ice River Behemoth, a lord profound beast of vast snowy regions, possessed the formidable power of the Divine Spirit Realm. It typically remained hidden deep within its territory, almost never venturing out, and was, on average, only discovered once every few centuries.

For profound practitioners of Phantom Smoke City's caliber, it was nothing short of a legendary profound beast.

Over the past year, profound beast unrest had swept across the Snow Song Realm, yet never had a high-level lord profound beast like the Ice River Behemoth appeared anywhere!

Evidently, the Crimson's influence was deepening across the God Realm, affecting increasingly higher-tier profound beasts.

While negative emotions were amplified, it didn't imply a complete loss of reason. The Ice River Behemoth lunged directly at Mu Feixue, whose aura was the strongest, and the furious energy it unleashed sent the Ice Phoenix disciples and the city's profound defenders scattering far behind.

*Boom!!*

Mu Feixue's figure streaked away like an icy shadow, retreating into the distance. The Ice River Behemoth's attack missed, but it shattered the snowy landscape, burying numerous profound beasts in a chasm of death.

"Senior Sister Feixue... run!" roared an Ice Phoenix male disciple.

"Fairy Feixue, leave quickly!" the Lord of Phantom Smoke City yelled desperately, spitting blood. "That's an Ice River Behemoth!"

However, Mu Feixue paid no heed. Her retreating figure swiftly shot down with even greater speed, her sword condensing a blue light. A piercing sound, mixed with the cry of an Ice Phoenix, accompanied her as she thrust directly at the Ice River Behemoth.

As the Snow Song Realm King's personal disciple, she had come here under her master's orders to resolve the profound beast calamity. For her, there was only fighting to the death, never fleeing!

*Splat!!*

Blood splattered as her ice sword pierced the Ice River Behemoth's back. However, the Ice Phoenix divine power condensed within the blade was instantly sealed by an overwhelmingly potent force, preventing its release. The Ice River Behemoth's body twisted, and a heaven-shaking, colossal force slammed directly into Mu Feixue.

Before the Ice River Behemoth's hundred-zhang body, Mu Feixue's slender figure was minuscule. The behemoth's power was terrifying; a single swing almost sealed off the entire space, leaving Mu Feixue with no means of escape.

With no panic on her face, she retracted her ice sword, instantly shifting from offense to defense. Layers of ice materialized, and her figure momentarily recoiled in mid-air, dissolving the colossal force. But before she could regain her breath, another furious roar erupted as a second Ice River Behemoth, stirring up shattered ice, lunged directly at her.

This sight nearly made the eyes of the already terrified onlookers burst.

"Another... another one?!"

"Ah... how... how is this possible..."

A single Ice River Behemoth was a rarity, seen perhaps once in a century, yet two had appeared simultaneously in their small Phantom Smoke City!

"Run... run!"

"Senior Sister Feixue, hurry and leave... Waaah!!"

The second Ice River Behemoth had not even closed in, yet the terrifying oppressive force emanating from afar had already caused numerous Ice Phoenix disciples to plummet violently from the sky.

Mu Feixue had just withstood the first Ice River Behemoth's might and was in a state of exhaustion. With the sudden lunge of the second behemoth, she could no longer resist; a faint, deep blue light barely flickered on her raised sword.

*Poom!*

The snowy landscape erupted again. Mu Feixue's ethereal figure slid back several miles in the air, yet she didn't fall, managing to halt herself. Her body swayed slightly, and a trace of pallor flashed across her snow-white face, but the next instant, the shadow of the Ice Phoenix reappeared around her. Amidst everyone's astonished gasps, she charged directly at the two Ice River Behemoths.

"Sigh, another stubborn woman," Yun Che muttered, shaking his head.

Given Mu Feixue's abilities, she couldn't defeat even one Ice River Behemoth, let alone two. However, while these two behemoths possessed immense size and power, their speed was clearly a weakness. If Mu Feixue wanted to escape alone, it would be extremely easy.

But clearly, she wouldn't make such a choice.

"Senior Sister Feixue!"

"Fairy Feixue!!"

The desperate shouts were heart-wrenching. Mu Feixue's identity was far from just an Ice Phoenix disciple; she was the Great Realm King's personal disciple, a status so noble that even a national emperor would bow before her. Even if all the Ice Phoenix disciples and citizens of Phantom Smoke City who had arrived perished here, she absolutely could not fall.

Yet, she showed no such awareness, disregarding life and death as she single-handedly tried to block the two massive Ice River Behemoths.

The profound beast tide pushed forward fiercely, and the Ice Phoenix disciples and Phantom Smoke profound practitioners could barely defend themselves, let alone offer any aid to Mu Feixue.

*Boom!*

*Boom!!*

Under the combined might of the two Ice River Behemoths, Mu Feixue's figure was like a fallen leaf tossed by colossal ocean waves. Her movements became increasingly chaotic and erratic, yet she stubbornly continued to sweep out profound icy light with her ice sword, gradually drawing the two behemoths away from Phantom Smoke City.

If the Ice River Behemoths were to enter Phantom Smoke City, its destruction would be inevitable. Mu Feixue was undoubtedly using her life to block them, but it was an increasingly futile resistance.

*Bang!!*

A cloud of blood mist scattered, and Mu Feixue's figure, like a white sparrow shot down, crashed heavily into the snowy landscape below.

But immediately, she soared back up. Her snowy robes were stained with blood, her long hair disheveled, and her icy, jade-like face was pale. Yet, her icy eyes still held a cold resolve, and the ice sword in her hand emitted a desolate cry, intertwined with the wail of a phoenix.

"..." As he watched Mu Feixue's figure weave between the two Ice River Behemoths, Yun Che's gaze fell into a momentary trance.

He recalled the scene years ago when Chu Yuechan faced two flood dragons alone. They shared similar appearances, figures, and temperaments, both wielded ice profound energy, and found themselves in similar desperate situations.

*Bang!!*

Mu Feixue was violently knocked down once more. This time, she took half a breath longer to rise, and when she did, the snowy robes on her back were stained crimson. Even her sword was slowly dripping with blood.

"..." Yun Che's brow furrowed, and his palm clenched slightly, yet he still forcefully restrained himself from acting. With her remaining strength, she could still escape now.

But Mu Feixue still didn't.

"Roar!!"

The Ice River Behemoths' pained roars still carried an unquenchable fury. Under the power they unleashed in their rage, Mu Feixue's figure swayed this time, and she retreated far away. Her ice sword rose horizontally, and then... she suddenly spewed a large mouthful of blood mist, spraying it onto the blade.

Yun Che's Ice Phoenix bloodline pulsed slightly. In an instant, he recognized what it was.

Mu Feixue's essence blood and Ice Phoenix origin blood!

The world suddenly fell silent. Mu Feixue's pupils gradually lost their color as an icy chill, far exceeding her power limit, descended from the sky. It instantly brought the massive beast tide to a halt, and even the two Ice River Behemoths trembled violently, freezing in place.

Her discolored pupils became increasingly unfocused as Mu Feixue slowly raised the sword in her hand. Above its tip, a deep blue profound formation slowly rotated and shimmered. Simultaneously, the world's colors also shifted, transforming from pale white to light blue, then gradually deepening into an icy blue.

In the distance, both profound beasts and humans clearly felt an icy chill penetrate to their very souls, accompanied by a growing fear. All eyes uncontrollably turned towards that blue light, watching the world transform into an increasingly deep, ethereal blue.

Yun Che's pupils were also illuminated blue; everything happening to Mu Feixue felt strangely familiar. But the next instant, his pupils suddenly constricted.

He suddenly remembered where he had witnessed a similar scene!

Six years ago... in the Fire God Realm... in the Burial Ground of Gods' Flame Prison... Mu Xuanyin, facing two ancient horned dragons simultaneously...

That Moon Shattering Ruin technique, born of desperation!

Even with Mu Xuanyin's cultivation, activating the Moon Shattering Ruin required a heavy toll on her profound energy and essence blood. For Mu Feixue, who was only at the Divine Spirit Realm... wouldn't that mean sacrificing her life?!

He could no longer remain silent. His figure flickered and shot down like a bolt of lightning.

He recalled his first days in the God Realm, when he had silently vowed countless times to remain low-key and avoid meddling in others' affairs... only to cause a massive commotion in the Ice Phoenix Divine Sect on his very first day.

Now, he had just returned to the Snow Song Realm less than an hour ago... and it was less than an hour ago that he had promised the Little Demon Empress and the others that this time he would be careful, go straight to his goal, and absolutely not interfere in any external matters.

Yun Che slapped his forehead. This was just fate, damn it!

*Crackle!!*

A bolt of lightning descended from the sky, instantly forcing back the two Ice River Behemoths, powerful enough to inspire despair. Yun Che's figure appeared before Mu Feixue, and with a single finger touching her sword, he forcefully suppressed the power she was activating with her life essence.

He glanced back at the stunned Mu Feixue, a smirk playing on Yun Che's lips. In a changed, rather frivolous and impolite voice, he said, "Fairy, is it really worth risking your life for just two profound beasts? If a beautiful young lady like you were gone, that would be a huge loss for us men!"