Chapter 1417: Xuan Yin's Fury

Yun Che and Mu Feixue were both stunned. Mu Feixue glanced at Yun Che and replied, "Yes, Master."

"Senior Brother Yun, please," Mu Feixue said, standing up and stepping back a few paces.

Yun Che stood motionless for a few breaths, his gaze complicated, before finally stepping forward and entering the Divine Hall.

Mu Feixue turned and left silently.

The Divine Hall exuded an extremely cold aura, familiar yet somehow distant. As he stepped inside, Yun Che immediately spotted Mu Xuanyin's figure. Though only her back was visible, it appeared forged from the world's most magnificent and coldest ice, stunningly beautiful yet awe-inspiring. Even Yun Che, the man closest to her in the world, still dared not look directly.

Mu Xuanyin showed no reaction to his entry or approach.

Yun Che stopped, knelt down, and bowed. "Disciple Yun Che pays his respects to Master."

The moment he entered the Divine Hall's vicinity, Yun Che dropped all pretense and deliberately released his aura. He was certain that Mu Xuanyin would have known of his return the instant he stepped foot there.

"Master?"

Mu Xuanyin slowly turned around. A face sculpted from ice jade, as beautiful as a fairy, appeared in Yun Che's sight. "Who is your Master!?"

Yun Che froze, a chill seizing his heart.

He carried a soul crystal personally planted by Mu Xuanyin. Therefore, Mu Xuanyin would have been the first to know of his death. While others would only have heard rumors, she would have clearly seen the entire process and the moments before his demise.

Thus, Yun Che had imagined she would be the most certain of his death, and the most surprised by his sudden return to life.

He had considered many possible reactions from Mu Xuanyin upon seeing him, but... the woman before him showed no surprise, no excitement, no disbelief. Her gaze and icy face were cloaked only in cold, heartless majesty, and her words were like daggers piercing his very soul.

"Master, I..."

"Silence!"

The moment Yun Che spoke, a cold rebuke instantly sealed all the words he had yet to utter. Her cold, merciless eyes were now filled with a rage capable of making all living beings tremble. "My current personal disciple is Feixue. As for you... the most foolish decision of my life was ever having such a foolish disciple like you!"

Yun Che stared wide-eyed, speechless.

"Three years ago, in the Star God Realm, you single-handedly slaughtered a group of Star Guards and even killed a Star God Elder. What a magnificent display," Mu Xuanyin's voice grew colder, each word cutting deeper. "For the Heaven Smiting Star God, you knew you would die, knew it was impossible to save her, yet you still went alone to the Star God Realm, exchanging your life for power to accompany them in death. How grand and moving it was."

"Heh! You died a swift and tragic death, a death of profound devotion, worthy of your Heaven Smiting Star God! But... do you know how many people poured their hearts into keeping you alive, took enormous risks, even nearly jeopardizing the future of an entire star realm, just to give you a chance to survive in the Dragon God Realm? Yet you knew you would die and still chose to go to your death... Are you worthy of them?! Are you worthy of yourself?! Are you worthy of your wives, concubines, and family waiting for your return in the lower realm?!"

"Besides the Heaven Smiting Star God, who else are you worthy of?!"

The more Mu Xuanyin spoke, the angrier she became. By the last sentence, her chest was heaving violently.

Under her icy wrath, even the snow outside the Divine Hall ceased its descent.

Yun Che's lips trembled, and it was a long time before he managed to speak with difficulty, "Master, I..."

"Do not call me Master!" Mu Xuanyin once again froze his words. "I took you as my disciple, allowed you to use the Heaven Lake of Netherfrost, gave you the best resources in the entire realm. To help you quickly reach the Divine Tribulation Realm, I set aside everything in the sect and personally guided your cultivation, day and night, never leaving your side... Is this your repayment to me, to the Snow Song Realm!?"

"I, Mu Xuanyin, have no such foolish disciple as you!"

She turned away, her ample chest heaving violently, tracing desolate yet beautiful curves.

This was the first time Yun Che had seen Mu Xuanyin so enraged... not even when he made a grave mistake, escaped, and was later caught by her had she been this furious.

"Ma... Master..." Yun Che lowered his head and softly said, "Your kindness to this disciple is as vast as a mountain. You are the best person to this disciple in this world, yet I have repeatedly caused you heartache and disappointment. This disciple is unworthy..."

"Enough!" Mu Xuanyin said coldly, still facing away from him. "Why are you back? Who allowed you to return!?"

Those words stunned Yun Che for several breaths.

She didn't ask why he was still alive, but rather... why he had returned?

It was as if... she already knew he was alive?

"Master, could it be you already..."

"I asked why you returned! Answer me directly!" Mu Xuanyin gave him no opportunity to question her.

The surprise of seeing his Master again had turned into apprehension due to her coldness and anger. He hesitated briefly, then answered truthfully, "For the Crimson Disaster."

"The Crimson Disaster? Explain yourself!" Yun Che's answer made Mu Xuanyin's icy brows twitch.

Yun Che had no reason to hide anything from Mu Xuanyin, so he honestly said, "At the bottom of the Heaven Lake of Netherfrost, there lies a Divine Ice Phoenix. Master must have known this for a long time."

Mu Xuanyin: "..."

"This disciple met her twice. She knows my past and the power I possess. She also detected the crimson tear mark on the Wall of Primal Chaos a long time ago, and seems to know the reason for its existence and the hidden calamity it represents. She specifically told me that the power within me is the only hope to quell this disaster."

"Furthermore, as this disciple inherited the Heretic God's divine power, I also took on the mission to quell this disaster."

Mu Xuanyin: "..."

"Every word this disciple has spoken is true." Yun Che knew that his words were incredibly fantastical, and the so-called "hope" and "mission" were ethereal concepts that almost no one would believe, perhaps even finding them ridiculous.

"This disciple has been in the lower realm for the past few years. Since my home, the Blue Pole Star, is near the eastern part of the Primal Chaos and close to the crimson rift, disasters have been frequent in recent years, growing increasingly severe and gradually becoming uncontrollable."

"Similar calamities must have also occurred in the Eastern Divine Region, and if this continues, they will worsen day by day. Therefore, this disciple returned to the God Realm, preparing to re-enter the Heaven Lake of Netherfrost to see the Divine Ice Phoenix. She might be able to tell me how to deal with this disaster."

After a brief silence, Mu Xuanyin finally turned around, her gaze coldly fixed on him. "Is that why you returned?"

"...Also, because this disciple has always missed Master," Yun Che lowered his head, not daring to meet her excessively cold gaze.

Mu Xuanyin's icy eyes narrowed slightly, and her tone softened a bit. "So, you still truly consider me your Master?"

"Yes!" Yun Che immediately nodded forcefully. "Always."

"Good, very good." She nodded slightly, then her voice suddenly turned cold again. "If you still consider me your Master, then right now... immediately... get back to your lower realm, and never set foot in the God Realm again!"

Yun Che looked up. "Master, I..."

"Quelling the Crimson Disaster? Your mission?" Mu Xuanyin said coldly, "Don't you find that ridiculous yourself?"

"The rift on the Wall of Primal Chaos indeed conceals an unknown calamity. Once it erupts, the Eastern Divine Region will likely face complete annihilation. Quelling it is the mission of everyone in the Eastern Divine Region, even the entire God Realm, and all living beings in the Primal Chaos. When did it become your mission alone!?"

"And with your experience, status, and abilities, are you worthy of such a mission?"

Yun Che's lips parted slightly, speechless.

"Let me tell you something." Mu Xuanyin looked at him. "To deal with the Crimson Disaster, the Eternal Heaven Realm has combined the power of all King Realms and Upper Star Realms in the Eastern Divine Region to forge a colossal spatial formation that spans nearly half of the Primal Chaos, allowing direct travel from the Eternal Heaven Divine Realm to the Eastern Extreme of the Primal Chaos. It was completed just ten days ago."

Yun Che was stunned... A spatial formation spanning nearly half of the Primal Chaos?

Could such a thing truly exist!?

"Furthermore, in less than a month, the Eternal Heaven Conference will be held. This conference is specifically to address the Crimson Disaster, and those qualified to participate are..." Mu Xuanyin paused slightly. "Only Divine Masters!"

Yun Che: "..."

"Even Divine Sovereigns are not qualified to handle such a calamity. What can you do? Your words just now are simply a huge joke!"

"The Crimson Disaster will be handled by others. Not only the Divine Masters of the Eastern Divine Region, but also powerful experts from other Divine Regions will participate. It is absolutely not your concern! So, before anyone else knows you're alive, quickly get back to the lower realm!" Mu Xuanyin's voice was cold and resolute, leaving no room for argument.

"But the Divine Ice Phoenix personally told me this, and..."

Mu Xuanyin's icy brows furrowed. "Then are you going to listen to her, or listen to me!?"

Yun Che froze, unable to answer.

Mu Xuanyin suddenly extended her hand, and an ice-blue barrier instantly formed, sealing Yun Che within it. This barrier could block all light, sound, and aura. And a barrier personally constructed by her could not be escaped by even ten thousand Yun Ches.

"Since you dared to return, it means you have made up your mind. I will not force you to make a decision immediately."

Mu Xuanyin's voice echoed within the barrier, "I'll give you twelve hours. Think carefully about what I just said, consider the consequences if you are discovered in the God Realm, and think about your wives, concubines, family, and daughter in the lower realm!"

"After twelve hours, either you obediently go back to the lower realm on your own and never return. Or, I will break your legs and personally throw you back!"

The voice faded, and no other sounds followed, leaving only Yun Che staring blankly in the ice-blue world.

How did Master know I have a daughter...?

Could it be...

Outside the barrier, the coldness vanished from Mu Xuanyin's face, but her chest heaved even more violently, unable to calm down for a long time.

Behind her, Mu Bingyun slowly walked out. Seeing Mu Xuanyin's state, she sighed softly, "Sister, you'll scare him like this."

"Hmph, I still think I didn't scold him enough!" Mu Xuanyin scoffed, her anger still lingering.

"I know, Sister has been angry that he went to the Star God Realm to save the Heaven Smiting Star God, knowing it was a near-certain death, and furious that he didn't cherish his own life. But..." Mu Bingyun said softly, "Didn't he do the same thing for you back then, Sister?"

Mu Xuanyin: "..."

"In the Fire God Realm, within the Blazing Heaven Pagoda, you faced the ancient Horned Dragon, Sister. You were gravely injured, your power almost depleted, and poisoned by the dragon, truly on the verge of death. The three sect masters of the Fire God Realm and all the elders were present, yet not a single person dared to rescue you. Only he... with merely the power of the Divine Origin Realm, a truly humble existence, rushed towards the ancient Horned Dragon that no one in the entire Fire God Realm dared to approach, all for your sake... For him, it was also a near-certain death."

"I originally thought you were merely forced to give yourself to him back then, and I even harbored anger towards him for it. Only later did I realize that not only did you lose your body, but you also lost your heart." Mu Bingyun looked at her sister, her gentle words stirring her soul. "The very 'foolishness' that made you lose your heart, and made the Heaven Smiting Star God willing to transform into an Evil Infant for him, isn't that precisely it?"

"Stop talking," Mu Xuanyin closed her eyes. "You wouldn't understand."