Chapter 987: Interrogation
Among the original four Creation Gods of the ancient Divine Race, Mo E's creation power was strength, Xi Ke was order, Li Suo was life, and the Evil God was element—the ultimate elemental power!
The Vermilion Bird, Phoenix, and Golden Crow were the three supreme fire entities among the ancient gods, while the Azure Dragon, Ice Phoenix, and Ice Qilin were the three supreme water entities. But purely in terms of the level of laws, these six supreme entities were all far inferior to the Evil God.
The Phoenix was not afraid of Phoenix Flame, but could still be injured by Golden Crow Flame and Vermilion Bird Flame. The Azure Dragon could command the waters of all heavens, but it absolutely could not be completely unafraid of the ice of the Ice Phoenix and Ice Qilin. Yet Yun Che, though his power was minuscule compared to theirs, was unafraid of any form of fire, ice, and even lightning.
If in the future he could find the Evil God Seeds of wind and earth attributes, then the power of storms and earth and stone would also be completely invulnerable.
This was also why Yun Che's Great Dao Pagoda Art advanced slowly, and Star God Remnant Shadow only reached the fifth level, yet divine-level profound arts of such high caliber as the Phoenix Ode Scripture, Golden Crow World-Incinerating Record, and Ice Phoenix God-Sealing Canon could be comprehended without any barriers, achieving mastery directly in a short time.
Perhaps the level of the Evil God's elemental power had already transcended the boundaries of known laws, completely unfettered by laws, reaching a realm that even the gods could not understand or grasp—a realm that defied heaven itself.
However, even so, it was relatively easy for Yun Che to release a cold aura to attract some Ice Spirits. But to rely purely on profound force to attract all these Ice Spirits at once was completely impossible, because although the law level of his elemental power was high, his profound path level was truly too low.
Yet this timing was coincidental to an extreme.
Yun Che had just completed his breakthrough from the mortal path to the divine path. What he released was the first strand of profound energy that had just undergone transformation and rebirth—the most primitive and purest. This utterly pure and clean profound energy, originating from the Evil God's power, was to these pure Ice Spirits like smelling the scent of the primordial chaos and the source of cold itself. They swarmed over completely by reflex.
As for this situation, with his current profound strength, it was utterly impossible for Yun Che to reproduce it.
Yet, coincidentally, it was such a moment...
Of all this, Yun Che was completely unaware. He was only casually releasing profound energy in his excitement to feel his newfound power, not even knowing what was happening in the Minghan Heavenly Lake.
When he opened his eyes, he found the atmosphere seriously wrong. Everyone's gazes had focused on him. The dancing Ice Spirits surrounded him like stars around the moon, making him, who was clearly the weakest, the sole focus of this world.
"This... this... this..."
Where was the usual dignity and authority of the elders and palace masters? Their expressions twisted as if they had suddenly seen a ghost in broad daylight.
Even adding up everyone's ages and experiences, they still couldn't understand the scene before their eyes.
Mu Hanyi and Mu Feixue also rose from the Minghan Heavenly Lake, staring blankly at Yun Che, surrounded by three thousand Ice Spirits, unable to come to their senses for a long time.
"What happened?" Yun Che stood up and faced Mu Bingyun to ask.
If it had been earlier, being suddenly stared at so intently by these old monsters of the Ice Phoenix God Sect would have made his heart extremely nervous. But having just entered the divine path, he was in a state of exhilaration and high spirits. Though surprised, he showed no sign of panic.
Mu Bingyun also seemed to have been in a dazed state, while Mu Xiaolan behind her was completely dumbfounded, her mouth so wide that one could probably stuff her little fist into it.
Mu Bingyun let out a slight sigh and said fairly calmly, "The Sect Master set a limit of three hours. The one who attracts the most Ice Spirits to their side within three hours becomes the personal disciple. And you..."
There was another point of surprise in her heart... Yun Che had actually taken only a short one hour to complete his breakthrough from the mortal path to the divine path! Such a short time, and in a place as "extremely dangerous" as the Minghan Heavenly Lake—she had never heard of such a thing.
However, others were clearly not concerned with this point. The showdown that was about to be announced—or whose result had already appeared—had undergone such an earth-shattering change in the last few breaths, directly stunning all the elders, palace masters, and disciples into confusion.
Mu Huanzhi, who had already been ready to announce the result, moved his lips up and down more than ten times before finally speaking: "What... what is the meaning of this? What happened to this kid?"
A single sentence flashed through everyone's mind... Hell if anyone knows what happened!
The Ice Spirits of the Minghan Heavenly Lake had all been attracted within ten short breaths. Not to mention the temple disciples, even the elders and palace masters could absolutely not have done it.
But this kind of thing had actually appeared vividly before their eyes... happening to a newly joined disciple who had just stepped into the divine path and whose cultivation was so low that they could barely be bothered to glance at him.
If they were told that Yun Che had attracted these Ice Spirits with his own cold aura, they would absolutely, positively not believe it. Because even with the Sect Master's authority, it was nearly impossible. Moreover, the profound energy Yun Che had suddenly released just now was only initial state profound energy, not cold profound energy at all.
Above, atop the cold ice dragon in the sky, the Yinxue Realm King remained silent... Even she could not understand what had happened with Yun Che.
Among these people, the ones with the greatest inner turmoil were undoubtedly Mu Hanyi and Mu Yunzhi.
Mu Yunzhi had already seen Mu Hanyi's victory and was filled with boundless joy, but then suddenly this happened. After her shock, her face darkened sharply before returning to normal. She said loudly, "Grand Elder, it's time to announce the result. My disciple Hanyi has won; everyone here has witnessed it."
"What 'but'?" Mu Yunzhi glanced at Yun Che. "Didn't you all see? This kid had just completed his breakthrough. Having just entered the divine path, what he releases is naturally the newborn, most initial divine path profound energy. And these Ice Spirits naturally prefer the most primitive and pure things, so they all gathered towards him. There's nothing strange about that! Fortunately, the final result has already been determined, so he didn't ruin the big event."
Mu Yunzhi's words left the crowd stunned. After a while, many people began nodding: "So that's it, no wonder..."
The reason the Ice Spirits were attracted to Yun Che was indeed due to the supremely pure and clean initial profound energy after his breakthrough, but it was absolutely not something that just anyone's initial cold aura could achieve... It should be said that except for Yun Che, no one could reach such a degree.
However, what happened to Yun Che was beyond their comprehension. So Mu Yunzhi's words, which only barely seemed reasonable, immediately gave the completely shocked and bewildered crowd—including the elders and palace masters—a seemingly plausible explanation. One by one, they began nodding in agreement... because aside from that, they couldn't think of any other reason.
It couldn't possibly be that Yun Che had attracted these Ice Spirits with his own cold aura mastery!
"That does make sense." Mu Huanzhi also slowly nodded. When no other possibility could be thought of, even the most far-fetched single possibility would be magnified several times. After all, it was true that the first strand of primordial profound energy after entering the divine path was the most pure and refined. Perhaps it really was the scent that Ice Spirits loved most...
Yun Che was the first person in history to enter the divine path in the Minghan Heavenly Lake. There had been no precedent before... after all, those below the divine path were not allowed into the Minghan Heavenly Lake.
"It shouldn't be that simple," Mu Sushan mused. As soon as he finished, he slowly shook his head: "But this is indeed the only explanation we can think of."
After finding a possible explanation, the crowd's astonishment naturally began to dissipate. In the Minghan Heavenly Lake, a smile reappeared on Mu Hanyi's face. He turned his gaze to Mu Feixue, but Mu Feixue remained as calm as ever, like eternal, unmeltable ice and snow, silent and without a ripple.
As Yun Che's profound energy receded, the Ice Spirits dancing around him also began to quickly disperse. By now, through Mu Bingyun's sound transmission, he had learned everything that had happened in the Minghan Heavenly Lake. His heart shook violently, and an unusual light flashed deep in his pupils... exceptionally intense.
"Ahem." Mu Huanzhi turned around and gave Mu Feixue a deep look, sighing inwardly. He said in a long voice, "The three hours set by the Sect Master have arrived. Although there was a small disturbance at the end, the last Ice Spirit was indeed attracted by Hanyi. Everyone present has witnessed it. Therefore, in this contest for the Sect Master's personal disciple, the final victor is—Mu Hanyi!"
As soon as Mu Huanzhi's voice fell, deafening cheers erupted from the disciples of the temple and the Ice Phoenix Palace. These excited shouts also showed just how high Mu Hanyi's prestige was among these disciples.
"Hahahaha!" Mu Yunzhi laughed loudly, her features fully spreading. She reached out towards Mu Hanyi from afar: "Hanyi, well done. You truly did not disappoint your master. I am proud of you. Quickly come up and bow again to the Sect Master. Once the apprenticeship ceremony is complete, you will be the Sect Master's personal disciple!"
"I hear that in less than a month, it will be the thousand-year birthday of Hanyi's imperial father. This must be the best gift," another temple elder said with a smile.
"Not only the best gift, I'm afraid the scale of this birthday celebration will be extraordinary," said the palace master of the First Palace.
Mu Hanyi becoming the Realm King's personal disciple was not only a joy for Mu Yunzhi, but for the entire sect, it was as expected by all.
"Yes!" Mu Hanyi responded, then leaped into the air, his white robes fluttering, and landed beside Mu Yunzhi without disturbing a single drop of Heavenly Lake water.
"Wait!"
Just then, an extremely untimely voice rang out heavily, obviously cold and jarring in the increasingly heated atmosphere. Everyone's gazes immediately shifted, and the atmosphere condensed.
Mu Bingyun stirred as if to speak, but held back and did not stop him.
Yun Che stepped forward: "Disciple has a few questions and wishes to seek guidance from the Grand Elder."
As a disciple of the Ice Phoenix Palace, speaking out forcefully against the elders was already extremely rude and offensive. Mu Yunzhi had been greatly pleased, but Yun Che's words cut through like a sharp blade, ruining the mood and secretly angering her. Added to her displeasure from earlier when he nearly ruined things, she immediately barked angrily: "What do you think you are? This is no place for you to speak! Get out of here!"
Mu Bingyun turned her gaze and locked onto Mu Yunzhi, saying with extreme calm: "He is a disciple of my palace."
This gaze from Mu Bingyun actually caused Mu Yunzhi's pupils to sharply contract, and her momentum instantly weakened severalfold.
Mu Sushan stepped forward and said with a chuckle: "It's perfectly normal for a disciple to have questions and seek guidance. Yun Che, what matter do you wish to consult the Grand Elder about?"
"Go ahead," Mu Huanzhi nodded slightly. He had clearly seen Mu Bingyun's glare at Mu Yunzhi just now... obviously, Mu Bingyun was extremely protective of this new disciple.
"The first question I wish to ask," Yun Che said without changing his expression, neither servile nor overbearing: "The Sect Master set the Ice Spirit competition to select a personal disciple. Within three hours, whoever has the most Ice Spirits around them wins. Did the Sect Master limit participation to only temple disciples, and that Ice Phoenix Palace disciples are not qualified?"
"This... the Sect Master did not set such a limit," Mu Huanzhi shook his head.
"The second question," Yun Che continued: "Before I attracted all the Ice Spirits to my side, had the Sect Master's Heavenly Lake water completely receded?"
"...No, it had not."
Mu Huanzhi's expression changed drastically. He finally realized what Yun Che wanted to "consult" about. And everyone else also realized this. Mu Yunzhi's face darkened and she sneered: "Boy, what are you trying to say? Are you perhaps thinking..."
"Yes! That's exactly what I want to ask!" Yun Che's voice suddenly rose: "At the end of the three hours set by the Sect Master, I had three thousand Ice Spirits around me, while Mu Hanyi had not a single one! Anyone with eyes should have seen it clearly! But the result you announced was that Mu Hanyi won... I would like to ask what kind of reasoning is this!?"