Chapter 1022: Dark Night Fangs
Situ Xiongying's strange condition startled both Lady Situ and Mu Xiaolan. Mu Xiaolan quickly lowered her voice and asked, "Father, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
"..." Situ Xiongying's lips parted several times, but he couldn't utter a single word. Only after his throat let out a heavy "gulp" did he finally manage to catch his breath a little, though his face remained as pale as snow. "No... nothing... He... he... he really is..."
It was the first time in her life that Mu Xiaolan had seen her father react so dramatically. She let out a light "pfft" laugh and said, "Hehe, so even Father is afraid of his status. But it's actually fine. Although Yun Che is the Sect Master's personal disciple, just like Senior Brother Hanyi said, he never bullies others because of his status. For example... even after becoming the Sect Master's personal disciple, he still calls me 'senior sister' like before, without any airs. I used to find him annoying in many ways, but now I feel he's actually quite good in many aspects."
"Oh, Father, when you two were on the Mystic Ark, what did he say to you in private? It shouldn't... have been anything disrespectful, right?" Mu Xiaolan asked.
If only Mu Xiaolan hadn't brought it up. The moment Situ Xiongying recalled his earlier cold warnings and disdain toward Yun Che, his entire body trembled, and he collapsed backward, smashing the chair beneath him into pieces.
No one doubted Yun Che's identity, because in the Yin Xue Realm, unless one was tired of living, no one would dare to impersonate a Realm King's personal disciple, especially when his identity was revealed by Mu Hanyi.
Under the shock and immense pressure brought by the words "Realm King's personal disciple," the great hall fell so silent that one could hear a pin drop. Everyone held their breath. Feng Huituo and Feng Hange stood at the sides, their bodies slightly bowed, as if they dared not move a single step until Yun Che took his seat.
Yun Che did not step forward immediately. Instead, he took out a snow-white, flawless jade box and opened it in front of everyone, revealing a nine-leafed plant shimmering with a hazy, icy-blue radiance. In an instant, an extremely pure cold aura filled the entire hall, causing everyone's spirits to sharpen as their gazes were firmly drawn to it, unable to look away.
"Lord of the Ice Wind Nation, this herb is called the 'Nine-Leaf Cold Glass,' one of the rare herbs that grows in the Minghan Heavenly Lake region. It can purify the body and clear the mind. A humble gift to congratulate you on your millennial birthday. Please accept it."
Although his true purpose was the Qilin horn, since he had come to offer birthday congratulations, it wouldn't do to arrive empty-handed. This Nine-Leaf Cold Glass was a gift he had thought of on the way, and it was indeed one of the rare herbs growing in the Minghan Heavenly Lake region. He figured that giving it to the nation's lord would be sufficient.
During this period, Mu Xuanyin had confined him to the Minghan Heavenly Lake area, so he could naturally pick as many of the exotic flowers and herbs growing there as he pleased. But he had vastly underestimated the weight of the words "Minghan Heavenly Lake" in the Yin Xue Realm. Upon hearing that this object came from the Minghan Heavenly Lake, everyone in the hall—including Mu Hanyi and Mu Xiaolan—widened their mouths and stared with bulging eyes.
Feng Huituo extended his hands slowly, yet hesitated for a long time before daring to reach forward. His voice trembling, he said, "A sacred object such as this... this humble king... what virtue or ability do I possess to deserve it..."
"Since it is a kind gesture from Senior Brother Yun Che, Father should accept it," Mu Hanyi said with a smile.
Only then did Feng Huituo take the Nine-Leaf Cold Glass, handling it with the utmost care. He cradled it against his chest and said in a quavering voice, "I never imagined that in my lifetime, I would be fortunate enough to receive a sacred object from the Minghan Heavenly Lake. The great Realm King and the honorable nephew have shown me such favor... I truly... I truly do not know how to repay it."
An object from the Minghan Heavenly Lake—even if it were just a grain of sand—would be regarded as a sacred treasure in the eyes of the world.
"Honorable Nephew Yun," Feng Huituo said, his excitement mixed with solemnity, "now that you have graced Ice Wind with your presence, you must stay for some time, so that I may have the opportunity to express my gratitude... Oh! From now on, if Honorable Nephew Yun has any requests or instructions, please feel free to inform me at any time. I will do my utmost, even if it means my death, without any hesitation."
This was flattery and currying favor from an emperor of a nation. But Yun Che's reaction was beyond everyone's expectations—an indifference that did not belong to someone his age. He merely waved his hand casually and said, "Lord of the Ice Wind Nation, you are being too kind. This junior came on the orders of my master to offer birthday congratulations, and I am merely an ordinary guest."
From within the hall, a flattering voice sounded from afar: "Honorable Nephew Yun is not only of noble status and unparalleled talent, but also so humble and polite—truly admirable and awe-inspiring!"
As soon as the first flattery sounded, the people in the hall seemed to wake from a dream, and words of fawning praise surged like waves, one after another.
"A man of such excellence, I have seen in my life only once!"
"Honorable Nephew Yun is a disciple personally chosen by the great Realm King—how could he not be above others?"
"That the great Realm King has chosen such a successor is not only a blessing for the great Realm King, but also a blessing for our entire Yin Xue Realm."
............
The Zisheng Crown Prince's face remained stiff for a long time before finally softening a little. He stepped forward a few paces, bowed, and said, "This humble prince's arrival in Ice Wind today, being able to witness Brother Yun's demeanor in person, has already made this journey worthwhile—oh no! It has made this life worthwhile... And I also congratulate the Lord of the Ice Wind Nation for receiving such profound favor from the great Realm King and Brother Yun."
Now, facing Feng Huituo again, the Zisheng Crown Prince's attitude was completely different from before. There was no trace left of his earlier arrogance and pride. Every word was filled with deep anxiety and fear.
"Hahahaha!" Feng Huituo burst into loud laughter. After the initial shock, what quickly rose within him was an intense, extreme elation. The personal disciple of the Realm King personally attending his birthday—and at the direct order of the Realm King—was something that had absolutely never happened among the nations of the Yin Xue Realm, let alone the presentation of such a heavy gift from the Minghan Heavenly Lake.
The glory of this moment was a hundred times greater than when he first ascended the throne.
"Honorable Nephew Yun, please take the seat of honor! Esteemed guests, today is the most surprising day of my life. Even if my life were to end here, I would have no regrets. Everyone, join me in drinking to our hearts' content under the glory bestowed by the great Realm King and Honorable Nephew Yun! Hahahahaha..."
In his excitement, Feng Huituo did not forget the "important matters." He practically roared through telepathic transmission: Hurry! Go and redecorate the Ice Ceremony Palace immediately! Prepare the Ice Crystal Lamps, the Cold Spirit Carpet... and all those hidden ten-thousand-year-aged spiritual wines and exotic fruits in the Ice Ceremony Palace! Have the Wind Snow Palace quickly select ten... no, twenty maidens of the finest appearance from the city... Go now!! If it's not ready within three hours, I'll personally cut off your heads! — Also! Have Han Jin dress up properly and wait early in the Ice Ceremony Palace!
Feng Huituo's roar, which clearly lacked imperial dignity, drew responses from the entire hall. And so, the birthday banquet of the Ice Wind emperor began in an atmosphere no one had anticipated...
It lasted until the sky darkened before finally coming to an end.
And without a doubt, the protagonist of this imperial birthday banquet had shifted from Feng Huituo to Yun Che. After seeing that Yun Che truly had no airs, these figures of extremely high status in the Yin Xue Realm scrambled to get close to him, with flattery, sycophancy, and exclamations of admiration sounding without end.
The stark contrast in the treatment Yun Che received before and after his identity was revealed exposed naked human nature—whether it was on the Tian Xuan Continent or in the God Realm... it had nothing to do with which plane one was on.
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Night fell.
Mu Hanyi stood alone under an ice tree, his expression calm. He silently toyed with an ice flower in his hand, his eyes fixed straight ahead, his gaze unwavering, as if he were deeply contemplating something.
"Thirteenth Brother, why are you here?"
A figure dressed in finery quickly came to his side—it was the Ice Wind Crown Prince, Feng Hange. Slightly reproachfully, he said, "Father told you to accompany Yun Che. Earlier, when I noticed you were gone, I thought you had gone with Father to see off the guests. Why are you here alone, lost in thought? If you neglect Yun Che, it will be disastrous."
Ding!
The ice flower snapped in Mu Hanyi's hand. As he closed his fingers, it crumbled into scattered ice powder. He smiled and said, "Crown Prince, rest assured. He doesn't need my company. As for me, there is something I find extremely puzzling. Since Crown Prince has happened to come, perhaps you can enlighten me."
"What is it?" Feng Hange frowned.
Mu Hanyi turned around. Under the deepening night, his eyes held a chilling darkness: "Tell me, why would the Sect Master send Yun Che to attend Father's birthday banquet?"
Feng Hange was momentarily stunned, then said, "This... this favor is indeed a bit too great. Father was completely caught off guard as well. But in my guess, for the past few years, Thirteenth Brother has been widely rumored to be the most likely candidate to become the great Realm King's personal disciple. Yet under such momentum, the great Realm King chose someone else. Perhaps she felt that this would inevitably affect the prestige of Ice Wind, that she owed you, and us, the Ice Wind Empire, some compensation. So she ordered Yun Che to come, also to bolster Ice Wind's national might."
"Hahahaha!" Mu Hanyi laughed loudly. "Crown Prince, do you believe the words you just said yourself?"
Feng Hange: "..."
"If it were another sect or another empire, such a method might indeed be used to soothe people's hearts. But the Sect Master—what kind of person is she? In her eyes, our vast Ice Wind Empire is nothing more than a nest of ants. Even if she casually wiped out our entire territory, she would not feel the slightest sense of indebtedness."
"And even more so, no one is qualified to make her offer any compensation!"
"In the ten thousand years the Sect Master has been in power, how many old nations have fallen, dynasties have changed, and new emperors have ascended? She has never paid them any heed, nor are they worthy of her attention. But this time, it's just Father's millennial birthday, yet she personally orders her newly accepted personal disciple to attend. No matter how you think about it, it's highly abnormal. At the very least, it can't possibly be just for the sake of offering birthday congratulations."
"..." Mu Hanyi's words left Feng Hange stunned for a while. Then he shook his head and said, "What you say makes some sense, but it's just your own wild speculation. The great Realm King—what kind of person is she? How could we possibly fathom her thoughts? Moreover, you just said that our Ice Wind Empire is nothing more than an ant's nest in the eyes of the great Realm King. If it's just an ant's nest, could there possibly be something worthy of the great Realm King's deliberate scheming? Don't overthink things. Just attend to the honored guest properly. Whether or not there is some other purpose, Yun Che's arrival brings only endless benefits to our Ice Wind Empire. Do not dare to show the slightest neglect."
"Scheming for something?" The words in Feng Hange's sentence made Mu Hanyi's brow sink. Then, his eyes slowly narrowed, his pupils becoming extremely deep.
"What did you say?" Feng Hange hadn't caught his muttered words clearly.
"Nothing." Mu Hanyi lifted his head. "It's really wonderful to be the Sect Master's personal disciple. Whether it's nobles or local lords, they all have to bow obediently. Even Father would be willing to grovel."
"Of course," Feng Hange said. "As the personal disciple of the great Realm King, who would dare to provoke him? Who would dare to show disrespect? Thirteenth Brother, why are you suddenly sighing like this?"
"I'm just a little unwilling," Mu Hanyi said with a light sigh. "Crown Prince may not know this, but during the competition for the Sect Master's personal disciple, I already had victory within my grasp. But at the very last moment... just a few short breaths... otherwise, all this glory would have been upon me!"
The very same Mu Hanyi who had told Yun Che he had "accepted it calmly" was now gritting his teeth, his clenched fingers turning white at the joints.
Feng Hange stepped forward and patted Mu Hanyi on the shoulder. "Father and I were also deeply disappointed when we learned that you did not become the personal disciple. We are the most aware of the efforts and desires you have put in over the years. We know it must be hard for you, but the will of heaven is as it is, and you can only accept it. The great Realm King has always been extremely strict in selecting her personal disciples. Since she chose Yun Che, it means he surely has surpassing qualities... Don't dwell on it anymore."
"He does have surpassing qualities—I cannot deny that. At the Sect Master's assembly half a month ago, he stole the show, while I could only serve as a stepping stone and a joke." Mu Hanyi took a deep breath, then looked up at the sky, his tone suddenly slowing down: "Crown Prince, tell me—if Yun Che were to suddenly disappear from the world, would the things that should have been mine perhaps return to me?"
These slow, deliberate words startled Feng Hange, turning his face pale as death: "You... what did you say?"
He quickly looked around, and only after confirming no one was nearby did he hurriedly step forward, grabbing Mu Hanyi's arm tightly and saying in terror, "Have you lost your mind?! Could it be... you want..."
"Heheheh," Mu Hanyi gave a faint laugh. "Crown Prince, don't be alarmed. I was just speaking casually."
"Speaking casually?!" Feng Hange's eyes were wide, cold sweat pouring down his entire body. He gritted his teeth and said, "Is that the kind of thing you can just say casually?! The great Realm King possesses the power to penetrate heaven and earth! You... you..."
"Of course I know," Mu Hanyi said unhurriedly, pushing Feng Hange's hand off his arm. With an extremely calm smile, he said, "So even if I had the audacity of heaven, I would absolutely never dare to do the treasonous thing that Crown Prince is thinking of. Besides, Yun Che is now in our Ice Wind. If someone were to harm him, even if I truly had that thought, I would have to risk my life to protect him. Otherwise, if something happened to him here, in the Sect Master's fury, it wouldn't just be you, me, and Father—our entire Ice Wind would be finished."
Feng Hange stared fixedly at Mu Hanyi. After a long while, his heartbeat and breathing finally calmed down. He said heavily, "I know you don't have the courage for that, but you must have had such thoughts at some point... From now on, you cannot even have such thoughts! Toward Yun Che, you must be as respectful and obedient as you are to Father—no matter how unwilling you are! Do you hear me?"
"I understand. In this world, Crown Prince knows me best. You must be well aware that I am not the kind of person who could do such a thing. Rest assured." Mu Hanyi's expression was calm.
"..." Feng Hange nodded, finally truly relieved.
"Forget that what just happened was never said. I'll go attend to Yun Che. You clear your head here, and come later."
Feng Hange used his profound energy to dispel the cold sweat all over his body, let out a heavy sigh, and quickly walked away.
The footsteps rapidly faded into the distance. Only then did Mu Hanyi turn around, watching Feng Hange's back disappear from his sight. His eyes slowly narrowed, his gaze becoming as sinister as the dark night, and a cold sneer escaped his mouth:
"This is exactly why you will forever remain a useless waste who can never achieve anything great."
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