# Chapter 956: Star-Plucking Stone
"Senior Sushan, you..." Mu Xiaolan was momentarily dumbfounded.
Mu Sushan stepped forward and said solemnly, "Yun Che, in the entire history of our Bing Huang God Sect, no one has ever passed the Cold Snow Hall assessment with profound strength that hasn't even entered the Divine Path, let alone a score surpassing everyone else's! Though there's normally no possibility of cheating in the Ice Profound Realm assessment, this result—not just for those present, but even if a Great Realm King were to arrive in person—would be met with doubt. I'm sure you understand that in your own heart."
Yun Che: "..."
"So, as the chief steward of Cold Snow Hall, I order you to prove that you did not cheat in the Ice Profound Realm assessment, and you may not refuse!" Mu Sushan's brow slightly darkened. "Because this is no longer simply a matter of the assessment results. If you cannot prove it, then not only will you lose your qualification to enter Cold Snow Hall, you will also face severe punishment!"
"Senior Sushan, you you you... how could you... aah!" Mu Xiaolan stamped her foot in anxiety.
Li Mingcheng began to smirk smugly, looking at Yun Che with eyes full of pity. The other profound practitioners also showed expressions of even greater schadenfreude. This time, the chief steward himself had spoken.
"Senior Sushan is the chief steward of our Cold Snow Hall, with a status almost equal to the hall master himself. Every word from Senior Sushan carries immense weight. Our Bing Huang God Sect is a sacred place—how could we allow a petty scoundrel to defile it! Yun Che, what do you have to say now?" Ji Hanfeng said sternly.
Yun Che gave Mu Sushan a deep look. From him, he didn't sense any hostility or targeting at all—instead, it felt more like deep curiosity and inquiry.
"Fine. How should I prove it?" Yun Che looked at Mu Sushan, his expression helpless.
"Naturally, you prove it with your strength," Mu Sushan said with a faint smile. "Li Mingcheng's suggestion is quite good. If you really stayed in the Ice Profound Realm for so long through your own ability, then there's no reason you shouldn't be a match for Li Mingcheng. You will spar with Li Mingcheng. After five exchanges, the result will be clear. Li Mingcheng, you were the first to question whether Yun Che cheated, so I'll trouble you to handle this verification."
Hearing Mu Sushan's "approval," Li Mingcheng was somewhat flattered and quickly said, "Disciple will give it his all, please rest assured, Senior Sushan."
Then he put on a serious expression, faced Yun Che, and taunted, "Come on, Yun Che, go all out. Let me have a good look at the strength of the number one in the Ice Profound Realm assessment! I won't take back what I said. Just five moves. If you can last five moves against me, you win. If you didn't cheat, then with your assessment score surpassing mine, this should be the easiest thing in the world."
Yun Che, however, paid him no attention. He still looked at Mu Sushan. "Senior Sushan, you are a person of high status. In this place, I naturally have no power to resist your order, and I can't refute what you just said. But there's one thing I must clarify."
"Oh?" Mu Sushan looked at his demeanor with interest.
"Very simple." Yun Che said flatly. "If I spar with Li Mingcheng and lose within five moves, I will not only lose my qualification to enter Cold Snow Hall but also face the 'severe punishment' you mentioned. The consequences are so serious they're chilling. But if I win and prove that I didn't cheat, then all of this that has befallen me is nothing but baseless doubt and extremely unfair treatment! Since Bing Huang God Sect is so just and strict, shouldn't I receive some compensation?"
"..." Mu Xiaolan was stunned.
"Hahahaha," Ji Hanfeng laughed without restraint. "Yun Che, if you had confessed earlier, Senior Sushan might have shown leniency and reduced your punishment. But now that you're at death's door, you're still dreaming. It's laughable. I'm suddenly very curious—what kind of base lower realm could have produced such a colossal joke as you."
"..." Yun Che glanced at Ji Hanfeng for the second time, his look indifferent.
"Senior Brother Hanfeng, it's obvious he's at his wit's end and trying to tough it out," Li Mingcheng sneered.
"Hehehe," Mu Sushan chuckled lightly but nodded slightly. "I, Mu Sushan, have been in Cold Snow Hall for several thousand years and have never encountered a disciple who dares to ask for 'compensation,' let alone a new disciple who hasn't even formally entered the hall. Still, what you say does have some merit. Very well..."
Mu Sushan stretched out his hand, and a flash of blue light appeared before him. In an instant, a three-foot-square, smooth piece of jade emitting a dreamlike, starry radiance floated above him.
"Star... Star-Plucking Stone!!" The moment this strange stone appeared, Mu Xiaolan practically screamed.
"St-St-St-St-Star-Plucking Stone!!" Ji Hanfeng's reaction was even more exaggerated than Mu Xiaolan's. He looked up at the dreamlike starlight, his jaw nearly hitting the floor.
And upon hearing the name "Star-Plucking Stone," Li Mingcheng shuddered all over, his mouth wide open and eyes bulging as if they might pop out. Half of the other profound practitioners looked bewildered, while those who knew the name "Star-Plucking Stone" were all stunned, unable to breathe.
Star-Plucking Stone? What is that thing again?
Yun Che had never heard the name before, nor had he ever seen such a piece of jade. But the strange light it emitted proved it was no ordinary object. Judging from the reactions of Mu Xiaolan and those around him, this stone was clearly far more precious than the "Yuluo Ice Soul Pill."
"That's right, this is the Star-Plucking Stone," Mu Sushan said with a smile. "A single Star-Plucking Stone must be nurtured at an altitude of over ten thousand zhang, bathing in starlight for at least three thousand years before it can mature. It can only be encountered by chance, never sought. Its power and rarity far surpass the Yuluo Ice Soul Pill. Not to mention Cold Snow Hall—even disciples of the Ice Phoenix Palace rarely receive such a reward. Now, if you can last five moves against Li Mingcheng without being defeated, proving you didn't cheat, then not only will the Yuluo Ice Soul Pill reward remain yours, but this Star-Plucking Stone will also be given to you. So, are you satisfied?"
"Ah? Senior Sushan, this... this..." Ji Hanfeng's mind was briefly chaotic with shock. But then, he suddenly realized that Yun Che's chance of winning was nonexistent. A mere Level 5 Sovereign Xuan Realm cultivator couldn't even last a single exchange with Li Mingcheng. That meant this incredible reward, enough to make Ice Phoenix Palace disciples drool, was merely a feint—purely to shut Yun Che up.
With that thought, Ji Hanfeng quickly changed his tune: "Senior Sushan is truly clear in rewards and punishments. Yun Che, a divine stone like the Star-Plucking Stone—even I, after all these years in Cold Snow Hall, have never been able to touch it. Senior Sushan is giving you immense face. Now, what else do you have to say?"
Li Mingcheng's breathing quickened. It took him a long time to tear his gaze away from the Star-Plucking Stone, thinking to himself: This chief steward of Cold Snow Hall not only seems easy to get along with but is also so generous. It seems that after entering Cold Snow Hall, I must ingratiate myself with him as much as possible...
"Fine." Yun Che nodded, then turned to face Li Mingcheng. "Let's begin."
At this point, holding back any longer would be meaningless.
"Yun Che, you..."
"Xiaolan, come over here." Mu Xiaolan wanted to say something more to Yun Che, but was interrupted by Mu Sushan's voice. She had no choice but to step back and stand beside him.
In her heart, she already regretted a thousand times bringing Yun Che back from the Tian Xuan Continent.
Sigh, and yet he is her master's lifesaver.
What should she do...
The Cold Snow Hall assessment was nearing its end, with most other groups finishing as well. More and more people were drawn by the commotion and gathered around. Among them were newly passed profound practitioners and Cold Snow Hall disciples overseeing the assessment and maintaining order.
"Hey! Let me be clear—this is just a sparring match between the two of you. You absolutely must not... must not hurt anyone!" Mu Xiaolan shouted loudly. The situation was already unstoppable. All she could do now was try to prevent any accidents during this match. After all, a mid-stage Sovereign Xuan Realm cultivator against the power of the Divine Path... was far too fragile. If Li Mingcheng were even slightly ruthless, it would result in death or injury.
"Since it's a spar, of course they need to go all out. How can injuries be avoided?" Ji Hanfeng said, putting on a serious face. "However, Little Senior Sister Xiaolan's words remind me—Li Mingcheng, Yun Che, this is Cold Snow Hall. When the two of you fight, even if you have the upper hand, you must not lose control and go for a killing blow. Otherwise, there will be consequences! But injuries are inevitable. Regardless of the outcome or the severity of the injuries, neither party may pursue the matter afterward. Otherwise, heh, they would be looked down upon by everyone."
Yun Che was, after all, brought by Mu Bingyun. Although Ji Hanfeng absolutely didn't believe Mu Bingyun cared much about Yun Che, he didn't have the nerve to let him die.
But his implication was clear: as long as it didn't lead to death, any degree of injury was fine.
Li Mingcheng instantly understood and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.
"You... Ji Hanfeng, you did that on purpose!" Mu Xiaolan said angrily.
"Enough," Mu Sushan raised his hand to block Mu Xiaolan. "What Ji Hanfeng said isn't wrong. In a sparring match, injuries are hard to avoid. If even injuries aren't allowed, then the spar is meaningless. Begin."
Mu Sushan's words all indicated that he looked down on Yun Che. Li Mingcheng's smile grew even more smug as he casually stood before Yun Che. "Yun Che, don't be nervous. Rest assured, I'll 'sufficiently' go easy on you. Show me your weapon. Oh, and you'd better bring out all the profound treasures on you. Something that can be used to cheat in the Ice Profound Realm must be quite powerful. Let me, this defeated opponent, broaden my horizons!"
The surrounding crowd burst into laughter.
"No need." Yun Che stood still, his entire body calm without a ripple.
"Not even a weapon? Right, it doesn't matter anyway." Li Mingcheng laughed. He put his right hand behind his back and extended his left hand toward Yun Che. "Come on, you strike first. I'll give you enough time to gather your strength. Don't disappoint me too much."
"Heh," Yun Che smiled, then placed both hands behind his back. "You're the challenger, so you strike first."
"Pfft..." The laughter around them exploded instantly.
"..." Mu Xiaolan covered her face.
But Mu Sushan beside her fixed his gaze firmly on Yun Che, not daring to look away for even a moment, his eyes deep and profound.
Yun Che's profound aura was only at Level 5 Sovereign Xuan Realm—he had confirmed this repeatedly and couldn't be wrong. There was no way Yun Che could conceal his profound strength under his nose, even with the help of a profound artifact.
But both his eyes and his aura radiated a kind of certainty and calmness that seemed to have weathered a hundred lifetimes of vicissitudes and countless cycles of life and death—something that absolutely could not be faked.
This young man...
"Heh... heheh..." Li Mingcheng laughed out loud. "A specimen like you is probably rarer than one in ten thousand years. Truly an eye-opener. Fine, fine, I'll oblige you then."
With a sinister chuckle, Li Mingcheng leaped up and brushed his left hand lightly toward Yun Che's chest. The moment he struck, an icy chill instantly gathered in the space around Yun Che, freezing everything within the area.
He had proposed "five moves" to toy with him, but Yun Che's "pretentious" attitude was unbearable. Plus, with more onlookers gathering, this was the perfect chance to display his strength and establish his authority among the new disciples.
He intended to defeat him as embarrassingly and thoroughly as possible in an instant!
(End of Chapter)