Chapter 986: Big Spectacle

As Yun Che stood in a daze, a cold wind swept through the air, and another figure descended from the sky. It was a man, dressed in flowing white robes, with a prestigious jade emblem on his shoulder, signifying his status as a Divine Hall disciple. He was exceptionally handsome and graceful, radiating an extraordinary nobility and elegance.

"It's Senior Brother Hanyi!" Mu Xiaolan exclaimed.

Among the most outstanding disciples in the entire sect and even the Snow Song Realm—the only two with the potential to become direct disciples of the Realm King—they had coincidentally arrived first. To encounter both of them before even entering the Frozen Cloud Heavenly Pool was an unparalleled stroke of luck.

Mu Hanyi gracefully descended and bowed respectfully to Mu Bingyun. "Disciple Mu Hanyi greets Palace Master Bingyun. I am infinitely joyful to hear that Palace Master Bingyun's immortal body is steadily recovering."

Mu Bingyun nodded slightly. "Today's outcome will determine the direction of your life. Do not take it lightly."

"Yes," Mu Hanyi replied solemnly. He then straightened up and turned to Mu Feixue, who was as serene as a still pond. With a gentle, joyful smile, he said, "Junior Sister Feixue, you arrived so early. Weren't you with the Grand Elder and the others?"

"Senior Brother Hanyi, aren't you also early?" Mu Feixue's voice was like frigid ice, chilling to the core. Although she answered Mu Hanyi, her gaze did not waver for a single moment despite his proximity.

"Thinking of today's events, my heart and soul couldn't rest all night, so I arrived early, hoping the cold wind here might calm me a little. It seems my cultivation is still far from sufficient. Today, if I am fortunate enough to become a direct disciple of the Sect Master, it will fulfill my lifelong wish. And if I were to lose to Junior Sister Feixue, I would not feel the slightest unwillingness or regret; perhaps I would even be as happy as if I had won." Mu Hanyi sighed softly, his words frank and sincere, his gaze fixed on Mu Feixue without wavering.

Although her demeanor was chilling to the core, the source of this coldness was a breathtakingly beautiful sight. One might even willingly be frozen here forever, just to receive a glance or a smile from her.

Mu Feixue's only answer was silence. Her icy eyes gently closed, and she remained profoundly still and quiet, seemingly no longer paying him any attention, as if she hadn't even been listening to his words. Indeed, she had not spared him a single glance from beginning to end.

Mu Hanyi's smile remained, but a touch of melancholy appeared between his brows, even though he was long accustomed to being treated this way by Mu Feixue.

Within the Ice Phoenix Divine Sect, countless women admired him; they would willingly be his concubines or even maids if he so desired. Yet, the one person his heart truly yearned for consistently regarded him as nothing.

She treated everyone the same way. It seemed that women born with the Ice Phoenix bloodline had their hearts and souls sealed by the power of the Ice Phoenix from birth, never to thaw. In contrast, men were not affected this way, perhaps due to the yin-yang distinction between the genders.

On the other side, Yun Che, just like Mu Hanyi, kept his gaze fixed firmly on Mu Feixue, and gradually, he fell into a complete daze.

Although Mu Feixue was exceptionally beautiful, certainly no less than Mu Bingyun, she wasn't so captivating as to make him lose his composure entirely, unlike the woman who had earlier introduced herself as "Mu Xuanyin," who was both divinely beautiful and demonically alluring. He couldn't tear his eyes away, becoming entranced, because she strongly resembled someone from his past.

Unlike Mu Bingyun's "purity" and "subtlety," Mu Feixue embodied the ultimate "ice" and "cold." She was just like Chu Yuechan when he first met her: possessing an aura that pushed people away from a thousand miles, a gaze that froze one's soul, and an ethereal, immortal grace like a cold moon in a celestial palace.

Noticing his dazed stare at Mu Feixue, Mu Xiaolan frantically waved her hand in front of him. "Hey! Snap out of it! It's so rude to stare like that!"

"Hahaha," Mu Hanyi approached, chuckling easily. "Junior Sister Feixue is a celestial being incarnate. It's perfectly normal for any man who sees her for the first time to have his heart stolen and his soul lost."

"Senior Brother Hanyi." Mu Xiaolan immediately greeted him nervously, then secretly jabbed Yun Che's waist hard several times with her little finger. Although Mu Hanyi had spoken casually, it was well-known throughout the sect that he admired Mu Feixue. For Yun Che to openly stare in a daze in front of him was simply... utterly humiliating!

Yun Che's eyes gradually regained focus, and he lowered his gaze, muttering in a lost voice, "She's not the Little Fairy after all."

"Huh? What did you say? Little Fairy? What Little Fairy?" Mu Xiaolan asked subconsciously.

"The Little Fairy is the Little Fairy, unique in this world. Don't you understand?" Yun Che grumbled with a helpless expression.

Mu Xiaolan looked at Yun Che, who had suddenly started acting strangely, feeling quite bewildered. There was no way she could understand.

"Senior Brother Hanyi," Yun Che said, addressing Mu Hanyi directly. "A few days ago, I was overcome by emotion and left in too much of a hurry to properly thank you. Today, I officially express my gratitude for your assistance on that day."

Mu Hanyi gently waved his hand. "We are all fellow disciples; it was merely a small effort. There's no need for such formality."

"Heh, speaking of which, in such a large sect, we meet again after only seven days. It seems we truly share a significant destiny," Mu Hanyi said with a smile. He then gently patted Yun Che's shoulder. "Junior Brother Yun Che, although you hail from a lower realm and your profound strength is still low, you possess extraordinary talent. If you work hard, your future achievements will undoubtedly be remarkable, and you will shine brightly within the sect. I trust my judgment. Today, regardless of whether I am fortunate enough to become a direct disciple of the Sect Master, my words from that day will remain valid. In the future, should you encounter any difficult issues, I will certainly assist you within my capabilities. You, too, must diligently cultivate and not squander your extraordinary talent."

"I will remember Senior Brother Hanyi's teachings," Yun Che nodded.

"Mm," Mu Hanyi nodded and advised, "For you, entering the Frozen Cloud Heavenly Pool today is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You must seize it firmly."

Due to the proximity to the Frozen Cloud Heavenly Pool, the cold was unbearable here. Mu Xiaolan was using almost half of her profound strength to resist it. Not long after, a cold wind stirred in the southern sky, and a group of people, standing on ice boats, arrived in an instant.

"Hahahaha!"

A burst of hearty laughter resonated from above, largely dispelling the biting cold in the area. Amidst the laughter, a robust man descended from the sky.

The man appeared to be of advanced age, with a white beard but jet-black hair. His face was deeply wrinkled, yet his eyes gleamed like those of a fierce tiger. His boisterous laughter and imposing presence seemed somewhat at odds with the ice-element profound arts cultivated by the Ice Phoenix Divine Sect.

As he descended, the thirty people accompanying him also landed neatly behind him. All of them prominently wore the jade emblems on their shoulders, signifying their status as Divine Hall disciples!

"Grand Elder." This time, it was Mu Bingyun who took the initiative to bow.

"Grand... Elder!" Mu Xiaolan quickly pulled Yun Che forward, and Mu Hanyi also bowed deeply. Only Mu Feixue remained as serene as snow, gazing straight ahead without deviation.

Grand Elder? Yun Che quickly scrutinized this extraordinarily imposing man. He was the Chief Elder of the Ice Phoenix Divine Sect, and he was actually a man!

Within the Ice Phoenix Divine Sect, the seventy-two Divine Hall Elders and the thirty-six Ice Phoenix Palace Masters were largely equal in status. However, in terms of strength, the Elders were slightly superior to the Palace Masters. This difference wasn't due to talent but age, as one had to be over ten thousand years old to become an Elder, while most Palace Masters were only a few thousand years old.

The primary responsibility of the seventy-two Divine Hall Elders was to cultivate the two thousand disciples of the Divine Hall. While each Ice Phoenix Palace Master oversaw three thousand disciples, a Divine Hall Elder typically led fewer than thirty. This highlights the Ice Phoenix Divine Sect's emphasis on its top-tier disciples, a common practice in most sects.

After all, the current power structure was already established and difficult to alter. The future of any sect was always determined by its younger generation; if they were lacking, the sect would inevitably decline.

Grand Elder Mu Huanzhi strode forward, speaking in a loud voice, "Bingyun, you certainly arrived early."

"Just arrived," Mu Bingyun replied.

"Oh?" Mu Huanzhi's gaze fell upon Yun Che. "This junior must be the one you brought back from the lower realm. I recall his name is Yun Che, hahahaha. I heard this young man can defeat a Frozen Snow Palace disciple with only Sovereign Profound strength. That's quite remarkable!"

While the Ice Phoenix Palaces didn't have a vast number of disciples, each still housed three thousand, making it truly difficult to remember every name. The only exception was the Thirty-Sixth Ice Phoenix Palace, where, besides Mu Xiaolan, Yun Che was the only other disciple.

Yun Che immediately said, "I am truly flattered that the Grand Elder knows this disciple's name."

Mu Huanzhi waved his large hand. "You've gained quite a reputation recently, child. After all, Bingyun has only brought back one person in all these years, and for someone in the Sovereign Profound Realm to defeat a Divine Origin Realm cultivator is truly extraordinary, deserving of proper cultivation. How could Bingyun's judgment be anything but excellent?"

When Yun Che's name was mentioned, the Divine Hall disciples behind them all turned their gaze towards him. It was clear he had indeed become quite well-known recently.

"...Thank you for the praise, Grand Elder." Most members of the Ice Phoenix Divine Sect, due to cultivating ice-element profound arts, tended to have cold and aloof personalities. Mu Huanzhi, however, was a rare exception.

"However, Bingyun," Mu Huanzhi furrowed his brows, "while these two young ones possess good aptitude, their cultivation is truly too low. I fear they won't be able to withstand the pool water of the Heavenly Pool."

"Indeed," Mu Bingyun nodded slightly. "I did not intend for them to come into direct contact with the Heavenly Pool water; otherwise, it would not only be unhelpful but also extremely easy for them to be harmed. The icy mist and cold essence alone will be enough to greatly benefit them."

"Hahahaha," Mu Huanzhi laughed, suddenly understanding. "Look at my mind; it's not as sharp as it used to be in my old age. With you here, I was worrying for nothing, wasn't I?"

"Hanyi, today is an extremely important day for you," Mu Huanzhi said, turning to Mu Hanyi with a slightly more solemn expression. "Although Feixue is my granddaughter, if it were you... I could accept it without much difficulty. In short, work hard. The future of our sect may very well rest on the two of you."

Mu Hanyi bowed deeply. "This disciple will certainly give my all."

"Ahem, Feixue, Grandpa certainly hopes even more that you become a direct disciple of the Sect Master, so you must... oh, oh dear, Feixue..."

Mu Feixue, with her lotus-like steps, walked away into the snow, presenting Mu Huanzhi with a rapidly receding back.

Mu Huanzhi awkwardly retracted his half-extended hand, rubbing his nose in embarrassment, and grumbled dejectedly, "This child's temperament is truly becoming more severe. If she really turns out like that girl Bingyun and never marries... oh, it will be the death of me with worry."

Mu Bingyun said nothing.

Mu Huanzhi was over six thousand years older than Mu Bingyun and had even been her semi-master in the past, so he was absolutely qualified to call her "girl."

As the time for the Frozen Cloud Heavenly Pool to open drew nearer, the Divine Hall Elders, their disciples, and members from various Ice Phoenix Palaces all began to arrive.

The two thousand Divine Hall disciples, led by the seventy-two Elders, stood at the forefront, while the thirty-six Palaces, led by their respective Palace Masters, positioned themselves behind them. Although everyone had prepared by meditating for seven days, the disciples from the Ice Phoenix Palaces were still visibly thrilled, unable to fully suppress their excitement. Even the most senior disciples had never witnessed such a grand assembly, with all Elders, Palace Masters, and Divine Hall disciples present.

This was true for the Divine Hall disciples as well.

Although both were disciples, the Divine Hall and the Ice Phoenix Palaces, despite being only one rank apart, had a world of difference between them. Standing behind all the Divine Hall disciples, the Ice Phoenix Palace disciples were filled with nervous apprehension, not daring to even breathe deeply. They stood in thirty-five perfectly neat lines, their feet seemingly nailed to the ground, not daring to move a muscle.

And in the corner, the thirty-sixth "team," consisting of only two people, stood out conspicuously. Yun Che's eyes gleamed as he constantly observed his surroundings, feeling the grand and dreamlike aura, marveling repeatedly in his heart. Mu Xiaolan, however, was exceptionally flustered and uneasy, her small hand tightly gripping Yun Che's sleeve.

All thirty-six Ice Phoenix Palaces had arrived. From the Frozen Snow Palace, Mu Fengshu and Mu Sushan also arrived together.

Moments before the Frozen Cloud Heavenly Pool was set to open, the last Divine Hall Elder tore through the air and landed in front of the disciples—more precisely, in front of Mu Hanyi.

This was a rather tall woman, her face bearing the heavy marks of age, and a somewhat imposing build. Her icy eyes exuded authority without anger. Her arrival caused the surrounding atmosphere to solidify.

The Thirty-Ninth Elder of the Divine Hall—Mu Yunzhi!

Beyond her title as the Thirty-Ninth Elder, she held another identity even more widely known throughout the sect.

Mu Hanyi's direct master!

(End of Chapter)