Chapter 1003: The Wager!
"I am Huo Poyun of the Golden Crow Sect in the Yan Shen Realm." Huo Poyun faced Yun Che, speaking with gentle courtesy. "May I ask your esteemed name?"
"Yun Che, a disciple of the Bing Huang God Sect, originally from the lower realms." Yun Che returned the greeting, inwardly pondering Mu Xuanyin's intentions over and over.
"Yun Che?" Huo Rulie suddenly burst out laughing. "So this brat's surname is Yun, and my disciple's name is Poyun (Breaking Clouds). What a coincidence, hahahaha!"
"Huo Rulie, laughing so loudly, aren't you afraid of biting your tongue?" Mu Xuanyin's gaze turned icy. "Che'er, begin!"
"~!@#$%^..." Yun Che had no choice but to steel himself, shifting his stance and assuming a fighting posture... His opponent was in the Divine Tribulation Realm! Even if he were ten times stronger, he couldn't possibly be a match. What was Mu Xuanyin thinking... Could it be that she deliberately wanted to make a fool of him?
Huo Poyun gave a slight bow, flames already flickering around him. "Please enlighten me!"
The stance he assumed clearly indicated that Yun Che should make the first move. As a powerful cultivator at the mid-stage of the Divine Tribulation Realm, how could he possibly take the initiative against someone who had just entered the Divine Origin Realm?
The arrow was already nocked; Yun Che had no way to retreat. Forcing a confrontation was out of the question. As for outsmarting him... The vast disparity in strength, the presence of so many onlookers, and the fact that this involved Mu Xuanyin's reputation... Even if Yun Che had ten more heads, he couldn't think of a way to win.
"Sect Master," just as Yun Che was burning with anxiety, a voice tinged with coldness yet softness rang out. Mu Bingyun stepped forward and said calmly, "After all, this is the Holy Temple, not a suitable place for battle. Both sides have meticulously selected personal disciples, and ice and fire oppose each other. A careless move could easily result in severe injury. If that happens, it would be an irreparable loss for both sects."
"What? Trying to go back on your word?" Huo Rulie sneered.
"How could the Sect Master of my sect renege on a promise?" Mu Bingyun's brows furrowed slightly. "But this is our sect's Holy Temple, not a battleground. You want the disciples to compete, not fight to the death. In that case, why not use a simpler method?"
"Please speak, Ice Cloud Fairy." Yan Wancang quickly responded.
Mu Bingyun looked at Huo Rulie and the other two, and said calmly, "My sect's core technique is the Ice Phoenix God-Sealing Canon, while the Golden Crow Sect's Golden Crow World-Incinerating Record is known throughout the world. How about letting the two disciples compete using their respective sect's core techniques? The two will stand a hundred zhang apart and attack each other three times with their sect's core techniques. The one being attacked may only defend. After three exchanges, victory and defeat will be decided. This way, there's no need for a fierce battle, and we can still determine a winner through the sect's techniques."
As Mu Bingyun finished speaking, Yan Wancang nodded heavily. "An excellent idea from Ice Cloud Fairy. It allows for restraint, avoids accidental injuries, maintains harmony, and genuinely tests superiority. Sect Master Huo... if we must compete, let it be this way."
As he spoke, he kept signaling Huo Rulie with his eyes... He couldn't agree more with this rule proposed by Mu Bingyun. This was the territory of the Yin Xue Realm, after all. Given Mu Xuanyin's temperament, if the two disciples actually fought, the consequences would be severe regardless of who won or lost. This much "gentler" approach was obviously far better.
"Alright! Very well!" Huo Rulie slowly nodded without hesitation. "This will also prevent anyone from losing too badly and flying into a rage... However!"
Huo Rulie's tone suddenly shifted. "Since it's a contest between disciples, there must be some stakes! Mu Xuanyin, if my unworthy disciple, who isn't even fit to hold your disciple's shoes, were to win by sheer luck, what would you do?"
"What do you want?" Mu Xuanyin's expression remained blank.
"Hahahaha, very simple!" Huo Rulie laughed loudly. "If my unworthy disciple, who isn't even fit to hold your disciple's shoes, were to win by sheer luck, I want you to publicly admit that Mu Xuanyin is inferior to me, Huo Rulie!"
He repeatedly emphasized the words "not even fit to hold your disciple's shoes" to remind everyone that this was Mu Xuanyin's own statement—her own words!
"Huo Rulie, you..." Mu Huanzhi was furious.
"What about me?" Huo Rulie shot back angrily. "Your sect master personally said that my disciple isn't even fit to hold her disciple's shoes. How could she possibly be afraid of losing! How could she dare not accept!"
"You!" Mu Huanzhi's body trembled slightly, veins bulging on his forehead.
In contrast to Mu Huanzhi's agitation, Mu Xuanyin showed no emotional fluctuation at all. She said coldly, "Then what if my disciple wins?"
"Win?" Huo Rulie's mouth twisted, his eyes narrowing. "Then whatever you want me, Huo Rulie, to do, I won't even furrow my brow."
"Huo Rulie!" Yan Wancang was shocked. The moment he cried out, his voice was interrupted by Mu Xuanyin.
"Fine! You said it!" A cold light flashed in Mu Xuanyin's icy eyes.
"What I, Huo Rulie, say is as good as gold. I will never go back on my word!" Huo Rulie ignored Yan Wancang and said in a deep, heavy voice, "I'm just afraid you won't dare to accept!"
"You and your disciple are not even worthy of that!" Mu Xuanyin waved her hand lightly, and the blizzard that filled the sky instantly came to a halt. Her voice spread across the heavens. "If my disciple loses to your disciple, Huo Rulie, I will personally admit here and now that I am inferior to you, Huo Rulie! Are you satisfied!"
"Good—" Huo Rulie slowly nodded, his fiery eyes wide open.
"Alas." Despite repeated attempts to stop it, things had developed to this point. Yan Wancang let out a heavy sigh and helplessly transmitted to Huo Rulie, "Mu Xuanyin is definitely not the type to act rashly or speak recklessly for the sake of temporary face, let alone dig a hole for herself. You... sigh."
The harsh words had all been said. There was no use saying more now.
"Hmph! Do you think that the waste of a disciple she took in can compare to Poyun?" Huo Rulie said in a deep voice.
"..." Yan Wancang was momentarily speechless. As far as he knew, the Bing Huang God Sect had several genius disciples below the age of thirty with profound strength reaching the Divine Tribulation Realm. Yet Mu Xuanyin had chosen someone from the lower realms with profound strength only at the initial Divine Dao level as her personal disciple. It was reasonable to assume that this "Yun Che" must have some extraordinary qualities.
Perhaps he possessed immense potential, a unique constitution, or exceptional innate talent in ice techniques.
But no matter what, with his current Divine Origin Realm cultivation, he absolutely could not compare to Huo Poyun, who was at the mid-stage of the Divine Tribulation Realm... No matter how hard he tried, Yan Wancang couldn't think of even a single possibility where Yun Che could win.
And they were competing in sect techniques at that! That made the gap even more like "heaven and earth." Regardless of whether it was the Golden Crow World-Incinerating Record or the Ice Phoenix God-Sealing Canon, their power and control were heavily dependent on the strength of the practitioner's bloodline.
Huo Poyun was a direct inheritor of the Golden Crow bloodline.
As for the inheritance of the Ice Phoenix bloodline in the Yin Xue Realm... let's not even mention it. The comprehensive strength of the Yin Xue Realm was less than a tenth of the Yan Shen Realm, and the severely limited bloodline inheritance was one of the important reasons.
"Let me remind you once more, this is the Yin Xue Realm!" Although he felt that Huo Poyun had absolutely no chance of losing, thinking of Mu Xuanyin's temperament, Yan Wancang still felt uneasy. "Even if Poyun wins, so what? Do you really believe Mu Xuanyin will publicly admit to being inferior to you?"
"I wish she would break her word!" Huo Rulie said in a low voice. "If she dares to break her word, unless she has the guts to keep all of us here forever, I will make sure the entire God Realm knows what happened today! Let the whole God Realm know that Mu Xuanyin is a person who talks big and breaks her promises! At least... that will give my son some satisfaction!"
"..." Yan Wancang shook his head and let out another silent sigh, feeling that something was off somewhere.
...Meanwhile, Yun Che had suddenly calmed down, but a deeper chill crept into his heart.
Such terrifying scheming!
Huo Rulie had been completely played for a fool the entire time and didn't even know it.
But deliberately provoking Huo Rulie and step by step leading the emotionally out-of-control Huo Rulie into a trap... What exactly was she trying to obtain from him?
However, the elders and palace masters on both sides had all turned pale.
On one side was Yun Che, on the other was Huo Poyun...
Their inner thoughts were exactly the same as Yun Che's had been when he stepped forward earlier... How the hell was this supposed to be a fight!
What's more, Yun Che had only just completed the apprenticeship ceremony today and had yet to receive the Ice Phoenix Divine Blood. He couldn't even use the Ice Phoenix God-Sealing Canon.
What was the sect master doing!
Could it be that the words had already been spoken, and under Huo Rulie's relentless pressure, she had no choice but to accept?
That should be the only reason.
"Huo Rulie, remember every word you just said." Mu Xuanyin's voice was deep and heavy. "Begin!"
"Please enlighten me." Huo Poyun assumed his stance again—and it was clearly a defensive posture.
"Wait!"
Just then, another untimely voice rang out. Mu Hanyi flashed forward, trailing a beautiful blue light, and landed lightly and gracefully beside Yun Che.
Mu Hanyi bowed deeply to Mu Xuanyin, then addressed Huo Rulie, "Sect Master Huo, I am Mu Hanyi, a disciple of the Bing Huang God Sect. I have a presumptuous request, and I hope Sect Master Huo will grant it."
Mu Xuanyin furrowed her brow slightly but said nothing.
"Heh!" Huo Rulie sneered, clearly taking Mu Hanyi as someone Mu Xuanyin had secretly arranged to disrupt the match between the two disciples. "Alright, let me hear what you have to say."
Mu Hanyi said, "I had once desperately wished to become the sect master's personal disciple, but unfortunately, my talent was mediocre, and I lost to Senior Brother Yun Che in the competition. I was thoroughly convinced. Since Senior Brother Yun Che is the sect master's personal disciple, he is naturally someone I could never compare to. Sect Master Huo's disciple must be extraordinarily talented, which makes me quite eager and itching for a fight. How about letting me have a sparring session with this Brother Poyun first?"
"If even I, an inferior disciple, could manage to leave your disciple undefeated..." Mu Hanyi smiled faintly, a look of pride on his face. "Then perhaps Sect Master Huo's disciple is not yet qualified to cross hands with my sect master's personal disciple."
Upon hearing this, Huo Poyun's brows furrowed deeply, and a hint of anger appeared on his face.
Meanwhile, the members of the Bing Huang God Sect, whose hearts had been clenched, all brightened. The elders relaxed their expressions, nodding with approval, and their moods eased considerably.
Mu Hanyi, after all, was Mu Hanyi... His stepping forward and his clever words directly turned this situation, which had been a dead end for the Bing Huang God Sect, around.
The phrase "If even I could manage to leave your disciple undefeated... then perhaps Sect Master Huo's disciple is not yet qualified to cross hands with the sect master's personal disciple" left Huo Rulie with no choice but to accept or refuse.
Then, if Mu Hanyi could defeat Huo Poyun, the crisis concerning the sect master's reputation would be resolved.
"Hanyi, well done!" Mu Huanzhi exhaled deeply, praising without reservation.
Before Huo Rulie could speak, Huo Poyun stepped forward and said harshly, "Fine! Then I, Huo Poyun, will first experience Brother Hanyi's skills!"
"Excellent!" Mu Hanyi's expression turned serious. He gave a slight nod to Yun Che. "Senior Brother Yun Che, he is not yet worthy of your effort. Let me test him first."
"...Be careful." Yun Che silently withdrew.
Just after Yun Che stepped back a few paces, profound light burst forth from both Mu Hanyi and Huo Poyun simultaneously. Two opposing yet equally astonishing auras of profound energy were fully released... so powerful that it was hard to believe they came from two young men under thirty.
In terms of profound strength, both were at the fifth level of the Divine Tribulation Realm—evenly matched, though Mu Hanyi was three years older.
In terms of bloodline, Mu Hanyi was certainly inferior to Huo Poyun.
But Mu Hanyi's cold gaze carried certainty and confidence. This was the Yin Xue Realm, and the Holy Temple area was very close to the Minghan Heavenly Lake. This place could be said to be the coldest part of the Yin Xue Realm, aside from the Minghan Heavenly Lake region.
The icy chill here would greatly benefit his Ice Phoenix God-Sealing Canon while severely hindering Huo Poyun's Golden Crow World-Incinerating Record.
Therefore, he was confident enough.