Chapter 962 – Ice Phoenix Palace Master
“Master!” Mu Xiaolan shouted in pleasant surprise when she saw the celestial figure fluttering down from up above.
“Palace Master… Bingyun!” A Freezing Snow Hall disciple softly exclaimed.
Upon hearing the name Palace Master Bingyun, all of the surrounding new disciples widened their eyes. To profound practitioners born in the Snow Song Realm, Ice Phoenix Realm’s thirty six Ice Phoenix Palace Masters were figures of legend. Never did they expect themselves to be fortunate enough to see an Ice Phoenix Palace Master on the day they were about to become a member of Freezing Snow Hall
“Mu… Bing… Yun!?” Mu Fengshu raised her head, her brows pinching together as deep shock and incredibility surfaced in her eyes.
A thousand years ago, her cultivation was much weaker than Mu Bingyun’s. Within those thousand years, however, under the flame poison’s erosion not only was it possible for Mu Bingyun to die at any give moment, her profound strength had also weakened to not even one tenth of her original power. During these thousand years, Mu Fengshu worked night and day to progress in her cultivation. Though she still was not on par with the Mu Bingyun of a thousand years ago, she had grown to the point where she could easily defeat the flame poisoned Mu Bingyun.
However, that streak of azure light which lacked any form of an attacking property had actually completely sealed all of her power. In order to do that, Mu Bingyun’s profound strength had to at least be higher than hers by half a great realm.
So when Mu Fengshu saw that the one who came was Mu Bingyun, she couldn’t believe her eyes.
As though she was supported by a gentle breeze, Mu Bingyun landed lightly, standing beside Yun Che and Mu Xiaolan. Her appearance was like the emergence of a shining soft glow of light. The fear everyone felt because of Mu Fengshu’s anger and killing intent had now quietly disappeared without a trace. What replaced it was an indescribable warmth and peace. It even seemed that they no longer felt the icy suppression released by Mu Fengshu.
Those that remained in the main hall were mostly examinees that had recently passed. This was basically the first time they had seen Freezing Snow Hall’s Main Hall Master and it was also the first time they had seen a rumored Ice Phoenix Palace Master. However, though it was just for an instant, they had clearly felt the great disparity between a Freezing Snow Hall Master and an Ice Phoenix Palace Master.
Mu Fengshu made them feel reverence… but what they felt more was fear.
Mu Bingyun, who had descended from the sky, made them feel as though they were looking at a saintly celestial goddess they should not approach or desecrate. They could only worship her. Whether it was her face, aura or figure, all of them had thrown Mu Fengshu deep into a quagmire.
“Phew, that’s great.” Mu Sushan lightly exhaled. When he sensed Mu Bingyun’s aura, his face revealed deep shock. The current Mu Bingyun no longer looked as frail or ill as she formerly was. His gaze became dazed, as though he was once more looking at the gentle and mighty Palace Master Bingyun from a thousand years ago.
Mu Bingyun glanced at Yun Che, then shifted her gaze and softly noted, “Mu Fengshu, as Freezing Snow Hall’s Main Hall Master, you actually took action against a junior. Are you not afraid of losing your dignity?”
“Hmph!” Even though Mu Fengshu was shocked, how could she possibly lessen her imposingness in front of Mu Bingyun? “Mu Bingyun, you’re actually trying to question me? The person you brought back heavily injured my nephew first, then severely injured an outstanding disciple of my Freezing Snow Hall into a crippled state, right in front of me! Such audacity is unforgivable! In all these years, I have yet to see anyone dare behave so atrociously in my Freezing Snow Hall. He simply did not put my Freezing Snow Hall in his eyes and that is no different from courting death!
“Not only does he have to die today, he has to give me an explanation!”
“No, that’s not what happened at all!” Mu Xiaolan quickly voiced. “It was obviously…”
“Xiaolan, you don’t have to explain.” Mu Bingyun’s soft voice interrupted Mu Xiaolan’s explanation. “I had already arrived here before the Ice Profound Realm examination ended. I saw everything that happened afterwards with my own eyes.”
“Ah??” Mu Xiaolan was instantly dumbstruck while Yun Che, who was leaning against her, was chuckling inwardly.
“Mu Fengshu.” Mu Bingyun’s voice was as soft as a gentle willow yet it carried a dignity that made one hold their breath. “You are well aware of who is in the right and who is in the wrong regarding today’s matter. Even though Yun Che has done wrong, he has yet to reach the point where your Freezing Snow Hall has to punish him.”
“Yun Che, there is no need for you to enter Freezing Snow Hall. From now on, I will accept you as an official disciple of Ice Phoenix Palace. You will join my thirty sixth palace.”
After she said that, she extended a pure white hand and gently stroked Yun Che’s shoulder. Following the flash of a blue light, a sky blue jade was embedded onto the front of Yun Che’s shoulder.
The sky blue color was the Ice Phoenix Engraved Jade which proved that he was an Ice Phoenix Palace disciple! Distinctly engraved on top of it was the name “Yun Che.”
The main hall went so quiet that even the drop of a needle could be heard. The only sound that could be heard was the gulping sound made by many throats. Extremely envious gazes rigidly locked onto the Ice Phoenix Engraved Jade on Yun Che’s shoulder… Being able to enter Freezing Snow Hall was already so difficult that it would bring honor to their ancestors. As for Ice Phoenix Palace, that was a divine palace almost none of them dared to dream of entering!
Being able to enter Ice Phoenix Palace required one to enter the Divine Soul Realm before the age of forty to qualify to participate in the examination… and that was only being able to qualify for the examination.
Concessions like Mu Xiaolan, who had entered the Divine Origin Realm below the age of twenty were very few in number. As for someone in the Sovereign Profound Realm entering Ice Phoenix Palace, that had never happened before in all of its history!
If this was randomly heard by anyone, they would all think that it was a huge joke! However, though they were shocked, almost nobody on the scene felt that this was unacceptable.
Because they had all seen that Yun Che was able to inflict serious injuries on third level of the Divine Origin Realm’s Li Mingcheng and sixth level of the Divine Origin Realm’s Ji Hanfeng with power at the Sovereign Profound Realm!!
Even though his profound strength was far from Ice Phoenix Palace’s standards, with his incredibly innate talent, he was definitely qualified to join it!
It was also after witnessing Yun Che’s performance today that Mu Bingyun was no longer stressed about letting him join Ice Phoenix Palace.
“Yes,” Yun Che answered after glancing at his own Ice Phoenix Engraved Jade.
“Mu Bingyun, you… you actually…” Facing Mu Bingyun, who had suddenly become strong after being weak for a thousand years, Mu Fengshu was somewhat at a loss.
“It has been a thousand years,” Mu Bingyun lamented pensively. None would know what kinds of changes had happened unless they felt it for themselves. “Mu Fengshu, I was well aware of what you thought and did all those years. I always thought that I owed you so I never exposed or investigated anything. Even though the Great Realm King wished to punish you, I would obstruct her for you.”
Mu Fengshu suddenly lifted her head, her gaze full of shock.
“Many years have passed and the ‘debt’ I owed you has already been repaid. I will no longer owe you from now on. The Great Realm King has long found a purification method for the flame poison in my body and I have completely recovered. More than half my profound strength has been restored and I will soon revive the Thirty Sixth Ice Phoenix Palace. If you want an ‘explanation,’ you can come over to the Thirty Sixth Ice Phoenix Palace to find me.”
“Also, if sinister deeds surface once more after today, I will no longer feign ignorance… I won’t forgive them!”
When Mu Bingyun’s voice fell, her icy eyes that had been watching Mu Fengshu the entire time flashed with a deep blue light.
This flash of blue light appeared for a split second but Mu Fengshu felt as though she had been struck by lightning. She retreated in panic as her complexion instantly went pale. Her pupils enlarged and her lips gaped but she was rendered speechless for a long time.
A thousand years of silence and illness caused the members of Divine Ice Phoenix Sect to slowly forget that she was the strongest, most prestigious and highest ranked Ice Phoenix Palace Master and had received the most admiration and respect of all the disciples of the sect.
At that time, Mu Fengshu had always been respectful before her and would never do anything rash. Furthermore, she had respected her from the bottom of her soul.
Within her violently shivering eyes, she clearly saw that the Palace Master Bingyun that had been silent for a millennium… had returned.
“Xiaolan, Yun Che, let’s go.” Mu Bingyun turned around.
“Yes, Master.” Mu Xiaolan happily replied while shedding tears of emotion.
“Ah… wait wait wait.” Yun Che grabbed at Mu Xiaolan’s little hand and didn’t forget to feel its soft, smooth snowy skin. He said rather seriously, “Even though I don’t have to enter Freezing Snow Hall, I should take the rewards that belong to me! I had obtained them with great difficulty after all.”
“That… Jadefallen Ice Soul Pellet and that Starpicker Stone…”
Mu Bingyun’s celestial figure paused and she remained silent.
Mu Xiaolan slapped away his obviously dishonest hand.
“Hahahaha,” Mu Sushan erupted in loud laughter, seeming to be in an extremely good mood. “You’re right, the rewards that belong to you naturally cannot be left behind.”
Mu Sushan made a grabbing motion and the Jadefallen Ice Soul Pellet fluttered over from Ji Hanfeng’s body before landing in his grasp. Together with the Starpicker Stone, he pushed both toward Yun Che.
The Jadefallen Ice Soul Pellet and Starpicker Stone arrived before Yun Che and stopped, as though they were gently being supported by an invisible object. Upon sensing their existence at close range, Yun Che’s mind churned and exclaimed in surprise… whether it was their radiance or aura, they were far above what the Profound Sky Continent and Illusory Demon Realm possessed. Yun Che carefully received them, storing them into the Sky Poison Pearl and respectfully said, “Thank you, Senior Sushan.”
“No need to thank me, this is what you deserve,” Mu Sushan said with a chuckle. Then, he shot Mu Bingyun a profound look. “Palace Master Bingyun, congratulations. It seems like the flourishing of the Thirty Sixth Ice Phoenix Palace is imminent.”
Mu Bingyun nodded and then took to the air, bringing Mu Xiaolan and Yun Che along as she left.
“Feng Mo, this is my sound transmission imprint. If you encounter any kind of problem you can’t solve in Freezing Snow Hall, you can try sending me a transmission.”
Yun Che’s sound transmission suddenly rang by the ear of Feng Mo, who sent Yun Che off with a complex expression. His entire body jolted as his expression stormed for a long while.
Yun Che had already exhausted all his energy so he was incapable of taking flight by himself. However, a gentle breeze that came from Mu Bingyun carried him along, causing him to feel very comfortable.
After exiting the Freezing Snow Main Hall, Mu Xiaolan still had not regained her senses. She continued to stare at Yun Che. “So you… you were actually this powerful.”
“Of course,” Yun Che said rather smugly. “Do you now realize how dangerous it was when you kidnapped Senior Master Murong back then? Good thing you were rather obedient and quickly released her. Otherwise, I would’ve stripped you of your clothes and thrown you into the snow.”
“Y-y-y-you…” Mu Xiaolan’s little face immediately flushed, the little bit of admiration she felt for Yun Che instantly obliterated. “Master, look at him! As expected, he’s just a lowly bad person… he hasn’t changed at all.”
Mu Bingyun helplessly shook her head and reproached softly, “Yun Che, Xiaolan is still young and pure, don’t say such explicit things to her.”
“Oh.”
“Hateful!” Mu Xiaolan gave him a furious glare and then did her best to put some distance between her and Yun Che. She then said with seething anger, “Even though you are more powerful than what I originally imagined, you’re too stupid and impulsive! It’s not as though you didn’t know Li Mingcheng’s identity. It’s fine if you defeated him but why did you have to injure him so heavily? Ji Hanfeng too! If not for Master quickly coming in time, you definitely would’ve lost your life!”
“He wasn’t exactly being impulsive.” Before Yun Che had a chance to reply, Mu Bingyun had already softly answered. “Even though Yun Che was angry, he never lost his rationality. From the very start, he never revealed the flames he specialized in. As for the reason why he dared to inflict such heavy injuries on Li Mingcheng and Ji Hanfeng, that is because he had long sensed that I was there.”
“Ah?” Mu Xiaolan couldn’t understand. “This… how? How is it possible for Yun Che to have sensed Master’s aura? Even Hall Master Fengshu and Senior Sushan didn’t notice a thing!”