# Chapter 947: Making Things Difficult
With the identity of an Ice Phoenix Palace disciple and the name of Ice Cloud Palace Master, Mu Xiaolan led Yun Che all the way unimpeded into the Hanxue Main Hall.
Although this was a great hall, it was completely different from Yun Che's concept of a "main hall." When he entered, Yun Che felt as if he had stepped into another vast world. The hall was a thousand zhang high, with no end in sight. Unlike the silence of Hanxue City, this place was filled with countless powerful auras. Looking around, the hall was packed with neatly arranged crowds of people, stretching all the way to the edge of sight.
Everyone's aura was extremely powerful—absolutely beyond the Sovereign Xuan realm, without exception! With so many people, the hall was unusually quiet and solemn. These experts, who could dominate the lower realms with a single hand, all had tense and serious expressions. They formed line after line, each person's gaze and movements cautious, not even daring to whisper to each other.
Each line had about ten thousand people, and there were so many lines that Yun Che couldn't see the end at a glance.
"So many people?" Yun Che said in surprise.
"These few days happen to be the recruitment examination days for the Hanxue Hall," Mu Xiaolan pursed her lips and said. "This kind of examination is held once a year, lasting about seven days each time. Today should be the last day. Look, the examination is conducted in groups of ten thousand, with one hundred and eight groups each day, corresponding exactly to the one hundred and eight Hanxue Halls. Each group is examined by a vice hall master or a disciple from one of the Hanxue Halls, and sometimes the hall master participates in person."
"Except for inheritors of the Ice Phoenix bloodline, external disciples, especially those from the lower realms, must undergo the examination if they want to enter the Hanxue Hall. The minimum requirement to participate is the Divine Origin realm. If you fail the examination, you have to wait five years before you can try again. As for you..." Mu Xiaolan rolled her eyes at him. "You were brought by Master, so you don't need all that. However, you're so weak that if you get bullied in the Hanxue Hall, I won't be able to protect you."
"Oh." Yun Che shrugged. To be honest, the idea of pulling strings... he was somewhat reluctant.
One group of ten thousand people, one hundred and eight groups, and the Divine Origin realm was just the threshold... That meant there were over a million people carefully participating in the examination here, not even guaranteed to pass, and all of them were at the Divine Origin realm!
And this was just one day of the examination.
Yun Che took a slight breath of cold air... The divine path that Xuanyuan Wentian had pursued his entire life, schemed his entire life for, was as common as free cabbage here.
When Mu Xiaolan and Yun Che entered, they immediately attracted the attention of some profound practitioners waiting for the examination nearby. When they sensed the profound aura on Yun Che, they all showed contemptuous expressions. But when they saw the inscribed jade on Mu Xiaolan's shoulder, symbolizing that she was an Ice Phoenix Palace disciple, their pupils quickly contracted, their gazes turning envious and longing. Their heads instinctively lowered a few inches, and they didn't even dare to look again.
"Junior Sister Xiaolan," several hall-guarding disciples quickly approached and said respectfully, "May we ask what instructions you have here?"
"By the orders of the Venerable One, I have come to obtain the Hanxue Inscribed Jade for him." Mu Xiaolan indicated Yun Che with a glance.
The hall-guarding disciple looked at Yun Che, showing surprise, but since it was an order from an Ice Phoenix Palace Master, how dared he ask more? He quickly said, "Please come this way. However, since it's an examination day, the executive steward is not at the Phoenix Jade Palace. He is supervising the examination together with the Head Hall Master. I will take you there immediately."
"Head Hall Master?" Mu Xiaolan's brows moved slightly, as if she had some resistance to this "Head Hall Master." Then she waved her hand and said, "No need. I have already found his aura. You just take care of your own duties. Yun Che, let's go."
Mu Xiaolan said with considerable authority, then led Yun Che straight toward the interior of the main hall.
Clearly, within the Ice Phoenix God Sect, the hierarchy among disciples was extremely distinct. The Hanxue Hall disciples were all respectful in front of the Ice Phoenix Palace disciples, almost like servants.
After walking for a long time in the solemn main hall, they finally stopped near a group of profound practitioners waiting for the examination. Mu Xiaolan walked toward a middle-aged man wearing a deep blue robe. When she approached, the blue-robed middle-aged man immediately sensed her and turned around, saying with a smile, "Oh? Isn't this Xiaolan? What brings you here?"
Mu Xiaolan said respectfully, "Xiaolan pays respects to Senior Sushan. I am here on Master's orders to obtain the Hanxue Inscribed Jade for Yun Che... Yun Che, this is Senior Sushan, the executive steward of the Hanxue Hall. Hurry and pay your respects."
Yun Che stepped forward and followed Mu Xiaolan's example in saluting: "This junior Yun Che pays respects to Senior Sushan."
"Oh? Orders from your master?" Mu Sushan sized up Yun Che, a deep look of surprise flickering in his eyes, then asked, "It seems the Ice Cloud Palace Master has not been in the sect recently. Could it be that this child was brought from another star realm by the Ice Cloud Palace Master?"
"Yes," Mu Xiaolan answered truthfully. "Master brought him from a lower realm called Lan Ji Star."
"Lower realm?" Mu Sushan was even more surprised. As for "Lan Ji Star," he had never even heard of it. But he didn't press further and slowly nodded. "In my memory, the Ice Cloud Palace Master has never brought back a profound practitioner from the lower realms before. This exception means that although this child's profound strength is low, he must have some extraordinary qualities. Haha, come with me. By the way, Xiaolan, how has the Ice Cloud Palace Master's health been lately?"
Just as Mu Xiaolan was about to answer, suddenly, a sharp woman's voice came from behind: "Hmph, isn't this Mu Xiaolan from the Thirty-Sixth Palace? Today is the big day for the Hanxue Hall to recruit new disciples. What are you doing here?"
At the sound of this voice, Yun Che immediately saw Mu Xiaolan's entire body stiffen, and her face turned somewhat ugly. She paused for a moment before finally turning around and lowering her head: "Xiaolan pays respects to Hall Master Fengshu... I am here today on my master's orders."
Yun Che turned around as well. The approaching woman was dressed in a blue robe, her long hair tied up, phoenix eyes slightly slanted, beautiful but with a chill that made people dare not look directly at her... And this chill seemed to be directed at Mu Xiaolan.
And looking at Mu Xiaolan's expression, she was clearly afraid, and seemed to have some disgust toward this person.
"Mu Bingyun?" After saying Mu Bingyun's name, the corner of Mu Fengshu's lips clearly showed a mocking smile of enmity: "What did she send you here for?"
"Hehe, just a small matter." Mu Sushan said with a faint smile. He looked at Yun Che: "This young man is a profound practitioner brought back by the Ice Cloud Palace Master from the lower realm. The Ice Cloud Palace Master wants him to enter the Hanxue Hall. I was about to take him to get the Ice Phoenix Inscribed Jade. As for which hall he will enter, if the Ice Cloud Palace Master has no specific request, it will be arranged by the Head Hall Master."
Head Hall Master?
This title made Yun Che's heart skip a beat.
Mu Fengshu — the Head Hall Master of the one hundred and eight Hanxue Halls, commanding hundreds of hall masters and vice hall masters, and over two million Hanxue Hall disciples!
A figure of considerable status within the entire Ice Phoenix God Sect!
"Lower realm? Him? Enter the Hanxue Hall?" Mu Fengshu had noticed Yun Che from the beginning, but only glanced at him once. His aura, which hadn't even touched the edge of the divine path, wasn't even worthy of a second look.
Mu Fengshu suddenly raised her hand and pointed at Yun Che: "You want a waste from the lower realm who hasn't even stepped into the divine path to enter my Hanxue Hall? Hmph, what a huge joke! Do you take my prestigious Hanxue Hall for some kind of dumping ground!?"
Mu Fengshu's voice was extremely loud, almost spreading through more than half the main hall. The profound practitioners waiting for the examination nearby all turned their heads, and countless contemptuous gazes fell on Yun Che.
"Only Lord Xuan Realm Level 5? Damn, a piece of trash like that wants to enter the Hanxue Hall?"
"When I was at Lord Xuan Realm Level 5, I couldn't even get into the Falling Snow Palace, and he wants to enter the Hanxue Hall? Is he crazy?"
"Shh, don't talk nonsense. He must have connections. Didn't you see he was brought in by an Ice Phoenix Palace disciple? But from what the Head Hall Master said, he's from the lower realm?"
"Tch, trash like this who relies on pulling strings is everywhere." A profound practitioner who was also from the lower realm said with contempt mixed with jealousy.
Yun Che's brows immediately tightened, but he quickly calmed down and didn't speak. Mu Xiaolan's face changed several times, and she bit her lip slightly: "This is... Master's intention."
"So what?" Mu Fengshu's tone suddenly rose again: "My Ice Phoenix God Sect is the foremost sacred place in the Yin Xue Realm. The reason we have reached where we are today is because of our strict hierarchy and clear regulations! Excellent disciples are the future of our sect and should be treated favorably, while wastes should go where wastes belong! No one may cross boundaries for personal gain and waste resources on trash! As a palace master, one should set an example and be strict with oneself!"
"But..."
"But what?" Just as Mu Xiaolan was about to speak, Mu Fengshu harshly cut her off. Her phoenix eyes sank slightly, and her words were sharp: "If a waste at the middle stage of Lord Xuan Realm, who hasn't even touched the threshold of the divine path, is allowed into the Hanxue Hall just like that, where is the dignity of my Hanxue Hall?"
She pointed at the profound practitioners waiting for the examination: "And what about these profound practitioners who have endured countless hardships to stand here? If even basic fairness cannot be maintained, and private favoritism is openly practiced, what face and authority do we have to treat them!"
Mu Fengshu's words were forceful, righteous, and struck right at the hearts of those profound practitioners. Immediately, a great wave of agreement arose. With someone starting it, the chorus of agreement grew louder and louder, more and more impassioned... even indignant. In an instant, it became a tidal wave of sound that drowned Yun Che and Mu Xiaolan.
"Exactly! A waste who doesn't even qualify for the Falling Snow Palace, what right does he have to enter the Hanxue Hall!"
"The Head Hall Master is fair and wise!"
"We cultivated for so many years before finally entering the Falling Snow Palace, then trained bitterly for decades in the Falling Snow Palace before getting the qualification to take the examination. What right does he have!"
"Trash, get out! Don't embarrass yourself here! No matter how big your backing, you're still trash... As expected of the Head Hall Master, though strict, truly fair and just."
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However, among these crowds, a few who knew some inside information were whispering.
"Something's not right here? I think I just heard 'Mu Bingyun'... That's the name of the Ice Cloud Palace Master of the Thirty-Sixth Palace of the Ice Phoenix Palace! The status of an Ice Phoenix Palace Master is one level above a hall master... And Mu Bingyun is also the biological younger sister of the Great Realm King... This... this... is the Head Hall Master directly confronting Palace Master Mu Bingyun?"
"I heard some time ago that the Ice Cloud Palace Master was poisoned by the Flame God Realm a long time ago, and was destined to die. And if she died, the most qualified person to succeed as the Palace Master of the Thirty-Sixth Palace would be the Head Hall Master. But after all, the Ice Cloud Palace Master is the Great Realm King's biological younger sister, so although she was doomed, the Great Realm King still didn't hesitate to expend countless top-grade profound crystals and spirit herbs to barely keep the Ice Cloud Palace Master alive... She hasn't died for over a thousand years, so the Head Hall Master has never been able to take that position..."
"And a few hundred years ago, some kind of spirit herb that the Head Hall Master used to assist in breaking through was forcibly taken by the Great Realm King to treat the Ice Cloud Palace Master, causing the Head Hall Master to be unable to break through to this day... So..."
"Oh! So that's how it is..."
"Sigh, women's minds are truly terrifying."
The raging indignation from all around startled Mu Xiaolan greatly. She was a person who got nervous trembling even when threatening someone, so how could she handle such a "public outrage" situation? Her face turned pale with fright. But Mu Fengshu wasn't finished yet. She called out in a deep voice: "Mingcheng, come here!"
At her call, a person quickly walked out from among the profound practitioners waiting for the examination, came before Mu Fengshu, and said respectfully, "What are the Head Hall Master's orders?"
"His name is Li Mingcheng," Mu Fengshu said with raised phoenix brows. "He is my own nephew!"
As soon as she said this, exclamations rang out all around. Those profound practitioners who had been standing with him earlier stared with wide eyes in shock. Li Mingcheng smiled slightly, perfectly concealing his complacency, while not forgetting to sweep Yun Che with a contemptuous glance.
"And he has exceptional talent. His profound strength is now at Divine Origin Realm Level 3, only a hair's breadth away from breaking through to Divine Origin Realm Level 4. In this group, one could say no one surpasses him. Yet he still obediently and completely undergoes the examination, and only by passing can he enter the Hanxue Hall! I, as the Head Hall Master of the Hanxue Hall, have neither shown favoritism because he is my nephew, nor exempted him from the examination because of his talent... So what right does a complete waste like him have?"
"Go back and ask your master: is she openly trampling on the dignity of my Ice Phoenix God Sect, or intentionally humiliating my Hanxue Hall!"
Mu Fengshu's harsh shout and the quickly imposed accusation made Mu Xiaolan retreat two steps in panic. The strange gazes around her threw her mind into chaos, and she stammered, "I... I... Master... she... she... didn't..."
"Alas." Seeing the atmosphere grow increasingly tense, Mu Sushan, who had been standing by, sighed inwardly. In truth, hall masters and palace masters directly arranging for people to enter the Falling Snow Palace, Hanxue Hall, or even the Ice Phoenix Palace was a common occurrence. It was hardly a big deal. But he knew well the "grudge" between Mu Fengshu and Mu Bingyun. Mu Fengshu wasn't targeting today's matter at all — she was targeting Mu Bingyun.
She had a thousand-year-old resentment toward Mu Bingyun.
He stepped in to smooth things over, saying, "Xiaolan, leave for now and go ask your master about her intent again. Head Hall Master, this is after all the intention of the Ice Cloud Palace Master. It wouldn't be good to make this too difficult to settle. Don't you think..."
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