Chapter 998: The Three Flame God Sect Masters
With less than half an hour left before the full sect assembly began, Yun Che finally set out from the Ice Phoenix Palace following Mu Bingyun. Naturally, Mu Xiaolan was also by his side.
Flying straight north over the Ice Phoenix City Domain, as they neared the Sacred Hall area, a figure flew in from behind, heading in the same direction.
Upon seeing Yun Che, that person's figure paused for a moment, then sped up and arrived in front of them.
Dressed in white, with an elegant and noble aura, it was none other than Mu Hanyi.
"Palace Master Bingyun, Junior Sister Xiaolan, and Junior Brother Yun Che... ah no," Mu Hanyi shook his head with a smile. "After today, I should address you as Senior Brother Yun Che."
Mu Bingyun nodded her head, Mu Xiaolan returned the greeting, and Yun Che smiled as he said, "Senior Brother Hanyi flatters me. I am younger than Senior Brother Hanyi and joined the sect much later, so I truly do not dare to accept the title of senior brother. Why is Senior Brother Hanyi alone today?"
"I was previously discussing some trivial matters with my imperial brother through sound transmission, so I was delayed," Mu Hanyi explained casually, then said sincerely, "I haven't yet congratulated Junior Brother Yun Che on becoming the Sect Master's personal disciple. I am ashamed to say that losing to Junior Brother Yun Che that day was a heavy blow. I was in a daze for several days straight and only came to terms with it the day before yesterday. Thinking back now, although Junior Brother Yun Che's cultivation is still shallow, in terms of talent, you can directly plunge a thousand zhang into the Heavenly Lake... I'm afraid even unprecedented and unmatched are not an exaggeration. I am utterly incomparable, and my defeat was only natural. However, that day, I had the audacity to boast about conceding eighty percent of my strength; I must have made a fool of myself in front of Junior Brother Yun Che."
"Senior Brother Hanyi, please don't say that," Yun Che said with a slight smile. "In the future, within the sect, I will still rely on Senior Brother Hanyi's extra care."
Mu Hanyi smiled and shook his head, raised his hand in a salute, and was about to take his leave when he suddenly thought of something and added, "Oh, by the way, in another fifteen days, it will be the thousand-year birthday of my imperial father. Since Junior Brother Yun Che will surely be by the Sect Master's side often from now on, if you have the leisure, please convey this to the Sect Master."
"Alright, I understand," Yun Che nodded. "I will inform the Sect Master of this matter at an opportune time."
Judging by Mu Hanyi's expression, he clearly did not dare to hope that the esteemed Yinxue Realm King would attend his imperial father's thousand-year birthday celebration. He was merely trying to convey the message out of respect and courtesy.
"Hanyi takes his leave. I await Junior Brother Yun Che's splendid performance at the sect assembly."
Mu Hanyi bowed deeply and flew toward the Sacred Hall.
Yun Che and the other two also rose and flew toward the Sacred Hall. At this moment, Mu Bingyun suddenly spoke, "Yun Che, what do you think of Mu Hanyi as a person?"
Yun Che turned his head and thought for a moment, then said, "From what I know, he should have a very strong obsession with the status of personal disciple and was quite confident. Seven days ago, he was only a thread away from success yet lost because of me... In just seven short days, not only has he accepted it calmly, but he also shows no hostility toward me and even took the initiative to greet me..."
"To be honest, if it were me, I couldn't do it."
"Right, Senior Brother Hanyi is really a good person," Mu Xiaolan nodded.
Mu Bingyun glanced at Mu Xiaolan and then said, "Actually, seven days ago at the Minghan Heavenly Lake, that Ice Spirit battle between Mu Hanyi and Mu Feixue should have been won by Mu Feixue."
"Ah?" Mu Xiaolan's mouth opened wide in surprise.
"...So, does that mean the Sect Master secretly manipulated it?" Yun Che asked in surprise. With the Sect Master's strength, if she wanted to manipulate it, it would have cost her no effort at all, and there would have been no trace.
"That is indeed the case," Mu Bingyun nodded. "In terms of talent, Mu Feixue ultimately surpasses Mu Hanyi by a hair. But Mu Hanyi's personality... regardless of whether it's good or bad, is indeed more suitable for being a personal disciple."
"..." Yun Che fell silent but was not surprised.
"However, unexpectedly, due to a twist of fate, you were the one chosen," Mu Bingyun said with a distant look and a soft sigh. "Although the Sect Master knew long ago that your physique was unusual, you are ultimately someone from the Lower Realm. A few years from now, whether your goal is achieved or not, you will return. She never intended to take you as a personal disciple. Unexpectedly... I suppose this was also destined by the heavens."
"Moreover, I feel that the main reason she finally changed her mind and went along with this 'twist of fate' to choose you was not your physique, but rather the courage you showed that day to face all the elders and palace masters, and even talk back to her."
"Probably... not, right?" Yun Che said in a low voice, then laughed self-deprecatingly. "You call it courage... but courage without sufficient strength is, at best, reckless disregard for death. That's why the Sect Master scolded me twice."
Mu Bingyun shook her head but did not explain. Instead, she said, "It seems I don't need to remind you much about Mu Hanyi. As for Feixue, she is the most suitable person for you."
"Huh? The most suitable person for me? What do you mean?" Yun Che was stunned.
"You'll find out in a few days, probably," Mu Bingyun gave a faint smile.
Yun Che: "????"
"Master, after Yun Che becomes the Sect Master's personal disciple, will it be... very hard to see him again?" Mu Xiaolan suddenly asked softly.
"Mn," Mu Bingyun nodded gently. "After today, Yun Che will reside in the Sacred Hall with the Sect Master. It will likely be extremely difficult to see him again."
"Oh," Mu Xiaolan responded, lowering her head slightly.
"Eh? Junior Sister Xiao Lan, could it be that you... will miss me?" Yun Che leaned in close and said with a grin.
"Who... who would miss you!" Mu Xiaolan hurriedly stepped back half a step and said hastily, "With you gone, I can accompany Master alone. I'm happy about it, hmph!"
"Oh..." Yun Che sighed with a melancholy expression. "Alright, alright. I was originally planning to visit the Ice Phoenix Palace often, but since you dislike me so much, I'd better not impose and come back."
"You... you should come back to visit Master. It's only right. I... I can't stop you." Mu Xiaolan's voice suddenly weakened.
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At the Ice Phoenix Sacred Hall, ten o'clock in the morning, with the proud, long cry of an ice dragon echoing through the sky, the Yinxue Realm King descended from the heavens and took her seat upon the holy throne. The sect assembly officially began.
All high-level members were present, nearly half of the mid-level members were there, and there were millions of disciples. The entire Sacred Hall Plaza was surging with an icy aura as vast as the ocean. Yet, the figure that drew the most attention at this sect assembly was not the Yinxue Realm King, but Yun Che.
After Mu Huanzhi personally read out the selection results from seven days ago and the decree concerning the personal disciple, Yun Che slowly stepped forward under the varied gazes of everyone. He walked to the front of the Yinxue Realm King's throne and knelt down solemnly.
Today, the Yinxue Realm King had no mist around her. As Yun Che walked toward her, his heartbeat and thoughts were in utter chaos.
Her face was carved from ice and jade, ethereally beautiful, but under her gaze, every pore on Yun Che's body was pierced by a bone-chilling cold.
In the Yin Xue Realm, she could decide the life or death of anyone. Now, she was his master... But before this, he had been right next to her, acting improperly and disrespectfully. Not only that, but he had also called her "Big Chest Senior Sister" several times. The last time, it was even blatant flirtation.
Even now, Yun Che still couldn't fully accept that she was the Yinxue Realm King. The most "convincing" evidence was that after he had verbally flirted with the Yinxue Realm King—who was now his master—he was still alive and well!
"Yun Che, although your time in the sect has been short and your cultivation shallow, you possess an extraordinary physique and ice talent, and you have limitless potential."
The Yinxue Realm King spoke calmly, and everyone in the Sacred Hall Plaza listened intently. "Today, I will take you as my personal disciple and bestow upon you the Ice Phoenix bloodline. You must strictly adhere to the decrees and diligently cultivate my Ice Phoenix Profound Art. Do not slack off in the slightest. Otherwise, I will personally punish you."
"Yes!" Yun Che recited the words Mu Bingyun had taught him with a serious expression. "Disciple Yun Che will not fail to live up to this heavenly bestowed honor and will not dare to disappoint Master and the sect."
"Worship ceremony!" Mu Huanzhi announced in a loud voice as he looked at Yun Che with rather complex eyes.
Countless gazes fixed upon Yun Che as he performed the ceremony to formally accept Mu Xuanyin as his master. Envy, jealousy, surprise, and disbelief... Everyone had believed that the only possible candidates to become the Sect Master's personal disciple were Mu Hanyi or Mu Feixue. Who could have imagined it would be a disciple who had just joined the sect and whose profound force had only just entered the Divine Origin Realm?
Not only was he from the Lower Realm, but he had also arrived at the Bing Huang God Sect a mere three months ago. Yet, in those short three months, he had trampled over Mu Hanyi and Mu Feixue, surpassed all other disciples in the sect, and reached the highest level of the sect.
Yun Che completed the ceremony, his heart still churning with unease. He never dared to look directly at Mu Xuanyin. Even when offering tea, he wished he could bow his head all the way down to his waist. He was filled with deep apprehension and worry about his future.
Just then, a sudden gust of cold wind howled, and a hall attendant sped in, knelt down, and reported rapidly, "Reporting to the Sect Master, guests from the Yan Shen Realm request an audience... They have already arrived outside the Sacred Hall."
"What? Outside the Sacred Hall?" Mu Huanzhi's expression changed, and the elders on both sides rose to their feet one after another.
"Hmph!" Mu Xuanyin let out a cold snort. "To be able to sneak all the way here without a sound, it seems those three old things have come in person."
"It is the Sect Master. The three leaders are precisely the three great sect masters of the Yan Shen Realm," the hall attendant said solemnly.
All three great sect masters of the Yan Shen Realm had come in person!?
The atmosphere of shock and the unusual nature of the situation instantly spread through the cold wind.
"How many people did they bring?" Mu Huanzhi asked in a deep voice.
"The three sect masters brought only three people with them... and they are three young individuals with very youthful auras."
"Six people? It seems these three old bastards have grown some balls."
Mu Xuanyin did not rise. Her icy voice shook the heavens: "Let them in!"
"Che'er, come to your master's side."
The cold voice carried an irresistible authority, but her address to Yun Che had already changed. Yun Che was startled, then stood up and carefully walked to Mu Xuanyin's side, standing to her right.
Watching Yun Che actually stand beside the Yinxue Realm King... the disciples present were envious to the point of death. Even the highest-ranking elders and palace masters had a distinct glimmer of envy deep in their eyes.
The cold wind stagnated for a moment, then suddenly mixed with several unusually scorching waves of air. Beneath those waves, six people descended from the air. Three were in front, three behind. They slowed their pace and walked toward Mu Xuanyin along the central ice path.
Wherever they passed, the airflow was instantly thrown into chaos, and searing heat surged into the sky.