by Mars Gravity
“…” Yan Wancang was speechless. From what he knew, there were several talented disciples younger than thirty in Divine Ice Phoenix Sect whose profound strength had reached the Divine Tribulation Realm, yet Mu Xuanyin had chosen someone who had been born in a lower realm. Moreover, the profound strength of the person she had chosen as her direct disciple had just entered the divine way. As such, it was clear that this “Yun Che” definitely had something extraordinary about him.
Perhaps Yun Che was extremely wise or perhaps he had an abnormal physique. Perhaps he was especially gifted in manipulating ice.
Regardless, considering he only had a cultivation of the Divine Origin Realm, there was absolutely no way for him to match with the middle stage Divine Tribulation Realm Huo Poyun… No matter how much Yan Wancang thought about it, he wasn’t the slightest bit of doubt in regards to Yun Che losing.
Moreover, the two were competing in sect profound arts. The difference between them could only be described as a “world of difference.” Regardless of whether it was the Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World or the Ice Phoenix God Investiture Canon, the power and control that could be exerted was greatly related to the strength of one’s bloodline.
Huo Poyun was the direct inheritor of the Golden Crow’s bloodline.
As for the inheritance of the bloodline of the Snow Song Realm’s Ice Phoenix… it could just be ignored. After all, the greatest reason why the total strength of the Snow Song Realm was only a tenth of the Flame God Realm was the great restrictions over the inheritance of the Ice Phoenix bloodline.
“Let me remind you again, this is the Snow Song Realm!” Although Yan Wancang believed it was impossible for Huo Poyun to lose, he also couldn’t put down the fear in his heart when he thought about Mu Xuanyin’s character, “So what if Poyun wins? Do you truly believe that Mu Xuanyin will admit in front of everyone that she is inferior to you!?”
“I can’t wait for her to eat her own words!” Huo Rulie quietly said, “If she dares to not admit it, unless she dares to keep all of us here for the rest of our lives, I will definitely let the entire God Realm know what happened here today! I will let the entire God Realm know that Mu Xuanyin is someone who spouts outrageous nonsense and lies! It can be considered… me helping my son vent his frustrations!”
“…” Yan Wancang shook his head but remained silent. However, his heart still felt like something was wrong.
…As for Yun Che, he had suddenly calmed down at this time. Amidst his worrying, his mind had become flooded with coldness.
The machinations of the mind were so terrifying!
Huo Rulie had been played like a monkey the whole time yet he still didn’t know it.
However, for Mu Xuanyin to incite Huo Rulie and then cause his emotions to go out of control bit by bit… just what exactly did she want to achieve?
The faces of the elders and palace masters on both sides were pale.
On one side stood Yun Che and on the other stood Huo Poyun…
The thoughts running through their minds were the same ones which had been going through Yun Che’s when he had first walked out… how the f*ck was Yun Che supposed to fight!?
Moreover, Yun Che had just completed his discipleship ceremony today and had yet to obtain the blood of the Ice Phoenix God. It was impossible for him to display the Ice Phoenix God Investiture Canon.
Just what was the sect master doing!?
Could it be that once the words had been said, she couldn’t help but accept under Huo Rulie’s continued attacks?!
It seemed like this could be the only explanation.
“Huo Rulie, remember what you said just now,” Mu Xuanyin solemnly said. “Let it begin!”
“Please enlighten me.” Huo Poyun once again took a fighting stance… and it was clearly a defensive posture.
“Wait, wait!”
At this time, another voice suddenly interrupted them as Mu Hanyi’s figure flickered, leaving behind an extremely beautiful blue light as he gently floated to beside Yun Che.
Mu Hanyi deeply saluted Mu Xuanyin and then turned to Huo Rulie, saying, “Sect Master Huo, this junior is Divine Ice Phoenix Sect’s Mu Hanyi. It might be presumptuous but I would like for Sect Master Huo to let me say something.”
Mu Xuanyin’s brows slightly furrowed but she remained silent.
“Ah!” Huo Rulie sneered. It was clear that he thought Mu Hanyi was someone who Mu Xuanyin had silently arranged for to come out to disrupt the clash between the two, “Okay, then I shall listen to what you have to say.”
Mu Hanyi said, “This junior once wished to become the direct disciple of the sect master but was too mediocre and lost to brother Yun Che in the competition. As Yun Che is the Sect Master’s direct disciple, this junior is completely convinced that this junior is not able to compare to Yun Che. Sect Master Huo’s disciple is certainly extraordinarily talented and that has caused this junior’s hands to become itchy. There should be no harm in letting this junior exchange a couple blows with Brother Poyun to learn from each other, right?”
“If this junior were to, by chance, luckily defeat your precious disciple…” Mu Hanyi casually smiled as he arrogantly said, “Then, I’m afraid your disciple just isn’t qualified enough to exchange blows with my sect master’s beloved direct disciple.”
Once Mu Hanyi finished speaking, Huo Poyun’s brows greatly furrowed as hints of anger arose on his face.
As for all of the Divine Ice Phoenix Sect elders with strange lights in their eyes, those seniors whose hearts had been tightly clenched, their expressions seemed to become more comfortable as they silently nodded in relief. It seemed like they had all suddenly relaxed a lot.
Mu Hanyi was indeed Mu Hanyi… his confident emergence and clever words had caused this situation, which seemed so lost for the Divine Ice Phoenix Sect, to suddenly turn.
Especially his “if this junior were to, by chance, luckily defeat your precious disciple… I’m afraid your disciple just isn’t qualified enough to exchange blows with my sect master’s beloved direct disciple.” This made it so Huo Rulie couldn’t refuse even if he wanted to.
Moreover, if Mu Hanyi were to defeat Huo Poyun, then the dangerous matter of face between the two sect masters would also be resolved.
“Hanyi, you’ve done well!” Mu Huanzhi generously praised, greatly relieved.
Huo Rulie had not yet spoken when Huo Poyun stepped forward and sternly said, “Alright! Then I, Huo Poyun, will ask Brother Hanyi to enlighten him first!”
“I couldn’t be more willing!” Mu Hanyi’s expression turned serious as he turned to Yun Che and then gently said, “Senior Brother Yun Che, as of right now, he still doesn’t deserve to exchange blows with you. Let me fight with him for a while first.”
“…Then please be careful.” Yun Che silently withdrew.
Yun Che had just withdrawn several steps when profound lights simultaneously exploded from Mu Hanyi and Huo Poyun’s figures as two equally shocking profound energies of opposing attributes began emanating from their bodies… the energies released were so tyrannical and overbearing that no one could believe that they came from two youths who were still not yet thirty years old.
In terms of their cultivations, the two were both at the fifth stage of the Divine Tribulation Realm. The only difference between them was—Mu Hanyi being three years older than Huo Poyun.
But in terms of bloodlines, Mu Hanyi’s was naturally inferior to Huo Poyun’s.
However, Mu Hanyi’s cold gaze still contained hints of confidence because this was the Snow Song Realm and moreover in the Sacred Hall, the place closest to the Heavenly Netherfrost Lake. This could be said to be the coldest place in the Snow Song Realm outside of the Heavenly Netherfrost Lake itself.
The frost aura here was greatly beneficial for Mu Hanyi’s Ice Phoenix God Investiture Canon while also being greatly detrimental for Huo Poyun’s Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World.
Thus, he believed he had enough control.
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Chapter 1004: Frozen End Heaven Sealing, Yellow Springs Ashes
Yun Che retreated to Mu Xuanyin’s side, silently looking forward. His line of sight, however, didn’t fall upon Mu Hanyi; rather, it was fixed upon the opposing Huo Poyun.
Between the trio of Yan Zhuo, Yan Mingxuan, and Huo Poyun, Huo Poyun’s profound strength was the weakest and thus, relatively the most unremarkable. Most people concentrated their shocked gazes upon Yan Zhuo, the one with the greatest profound strength, yet Yun Che, from the very start, only paid attention to Huo Poyun.
Yun Che was extremely sensitive to the strength of flames. Although Huo Poyun’s profound strength was the weakest, Yun Che clearly felt that the flame aura on his body was purer than that of Yan Zhuo or Yan Mingxuan… Furthermore, it wasn’t just by a little bit.
“Why don’t you attack first?” Huo Poyun asked.
Different from the ordinary manner whilst facing Yun Che, the voice of the Huo Poyun facing Mu Hanyi was icy and a little overbearing, and his expression clearly reflected a scarlet light that caused one’s heart to palpitate. Evidently, he had been somewhat incensed by Mu Hanyi’s previous words… this surely was a man with extreme dignity.
“No, you are a guest from afar. You should certainly be the one to attack first.”
It had previously been stated that no fighting could occur in front of the Sacred Hall. Although Mu Hanyi was planted like a flagpole, he still had to abide by the previously stated rule.
Two people each exchanging blows three times… the one being attacked could only block and couldn’t counterattack or dodge!
Under this kind of rule, the person to attack first naturally held a considerable advantage. But these two were both exceedingly talented and just as proud, so neither wanted to take the advantage.
“Hanyi, strike him directly. There’s no point in mincing words with him,” Mu Xuanyin uttered coldly.
Mu Hanyi’s body shivered slightly, then respectfully answered, “Yes!”
Ding!
With a tinkle like the fracturing of an ice crystal, Mu Hanyi thrust forward. Frost energy radiated all around and the layer of ice beneath Huo Poyun’s feet exploded. Three ice crystal trees rose steeply from the ground, forming a triangle and trapping Huo Poyun in the center. Following the rapid growth of the ice crystal trees, a terrifying frost energy and life-threatening frigid ice mercilessly fell down.
“Tree of Frozen End,” Yun Che muttered. Looking at Mu Hanyi’s appearance, it was just a casual action, yet the Frozen End Tree he had released and the strength of the frost energy surpassed his tens of times over.
After all, Mu Hanyi had the rare blood of the Ice Phoenix and his profound strength at the Divine Tribulation Realm was something the current Yun Che simply couldn’t hope to reach.
Yet Huo Poyun didn’t move at all, he didn’t even raise a hand, choosing only to furrow his brow.
Boom!!
A streak of flame violently exploded from his body, then scattered and extinguished in an instant. At the same time, the three Frozen End Trees also directly exploded, filling the sky with ice crystals that completely burned into nothingness before they could even land on the ground.
“Greetings won’t be necessary.” Huo Poyun’s brow was heavy, “Why don’t you honestly and properly use your full strength and let me experience your presumptuous self.”
“Hahaha, I don’t deserve to be called presumptuous.” Mu Hanyi let out a long laugh. Just as his laughter fell, his expression also suddenly turned cold, “Since this is so, then I won’t be polite… my second strike!”
The rich frost energy turned into a substance with blue light, expanding rapidly from Mu Hanyi’s body. Air completely stopped circulating and the sky filled with floating snow, also completely slowed to an immobile state. An astonishing frost energy, with a similarly shocking speed, extended outwards and in merely the blink of an eye, covered the entire Sacred Hall region.
“Hanyi is finally starting to get serious,” an Ice Phoenix Palace Master said in a low voice.
“Let’s see how that Huo Poyun will receive it,” another Ice Phoenix Palace Master said confidently. In this Sacred Hall region, Mu Hanyi’s frost profound energy had a considerable increase in power.
At this time, Mu Hanyi’s hands suddenly intertwined and the earth-shattering frost energy concentrated frantically following his movements, pouncing straight at Huo Poyun.
This attack was colorless and formless.
This was an ultimate frost energy, capable of freezing heaven and earth.
Huo Poyun’s expression became a bit more cautious. Reacting to the compression and approach of the frost energy, he lowered his figure then began to spin into the air. Following the rotation of his body, the raging flames of the Golden Crow began to ignite violently amidst the frost energy, turning into streaks of dragon-shaped flames that wantonly fluttered around him.
Frost energy pounced forward, seemingly freezing emptiness. An incomparably strong mist arose from the dragon-shaped flames, yet they still didn’t have the slightest indication of being extinguished. Even the speed at which they danced and the astonishing Golden Crow aura didn’t lessen at all.
“Haah!”
After several breaths’ time of stalemate, the frost energy was forced away layer by layer, actually unable to persist. Huo Poyun let out a low roar at this time and the fluttering flames suddenly exploded. The flames soared and a scarlet-red appeared in the white sky for an instant. The frost energy that came from Mu Hanyi was instantly swept away by a thick fog, like a storm.
The air, along with the peak frost energy, rapidly became scorching hot.
“You still have one last move.” Huo Poyun landed slowly. His landing point and his previous position didn’t have the slightest difference.
“Worthy of being the Sect Master Huo’s high disciple, you truly are extraordinary,” Mu Hanyi praised sincerely.
“Hanyi, there’s no need to hold back. Let him experience what the Ice Phoenix God Investiture Canon really is!” Mu Yunzhi said in a low voice.
Mu Hanyi nodded slowly. The expression on his face vanished as he clenched his hands unhurriedly.
If one said he had held back thirty percent just now, he certainly would let out his very best in this final strike.
In contrast, Huo Poyun actually remained there, standing straight. Only a layer of weak flames dotted with holes surrounded his entire body and he didn’t appear to be in any position to defend with Golden Crow profound energy at all.
Mu Hanyi furrowed his brow as his hand gestures slowed. Looking at his actions, Huo Poyun said in an incomparably dull tone, “I’ve already finished my preparations, don’t hesitate to make your move!”
His attitude, as well as his words, caused Mu Hanyi’s brow to wrinkle greatly. Half of Divine Ice Phoenix Sect was shocked, while the other half had expressions filled with anger.
“What does this brat mean, is he looking down on Senior Brother Hanyi!?”
“Tch! He thinks he’s deserving? I think he doesn’t want to live anymore! Senior Brother Hanyi, your previous two attacks were too courteous; don’t hold back anymore, strike him down directly.”
Compared to Divine Ice Phoenix Sect’s anger and taunts, before Huo Poyun’s clear arrogance and contemptuous actions, not only did Huo Rulie not chide Huo Poyun, he actually revealed a slight smile.
Mu Hanyi inhaled lightly and didn’t say anything more. His gaze, however, concealed a sense of anger. Soundlessly, the frigid light surrounding his body rapidly became much deeper.
This slight change in atmosphere caused all the sounds of discontent from the Ice Phoenix disciples to disappear like they’d been frozen. Once the frost energy had become heavy to a critical point, Mu Hanyi’s pupils suddenly turned ice-blue. His hair, billowing against the frigid wind, rapidly turned into a sparkling white-blue color amidst the blue light.
This action caused all the disciples, and even the palace master and elders, to hold their breaths.<
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This was a state in which frost profound energy had been channeled to the extreme limit! Mu Hanyi wouldn’t hold back even the slightest in this strike!
An enormous halo of blue light, centered on Huo Poyun’s body, silently appeared in the air. This halo was initially an azure blue color, then it slowly turned lighter and lighter. Finally, it were any lighter, it would seemingly be colorless and formless.
But at the center of the blue halo, frost energy actually accumulated violently at a speed frightening beyond compare.
“This is… Ice Phoenix God Investiture Canon… the seventh stage’s Frozen End Heaven Sealing Formation… within the divine hall, it seems only Senior Brother Hanyi and Senior Sister Feixue have been able to cultivate it…”
“Ss! Senior Brother Hanyi is angry… that Huo Poyun… won’t die, right?”
“Serves him right if he dies! I’ve only seen palace master use it once. I didn’t think that Senior Brother Hanyi, who doesn’t have the bloodline inheritance, could actually cultivate the seventh stage relying on only elder blood essence… it’s too terrifying.”
Not one of the Ice Phoenix disciples didn’t have their eyes open wide and breaths held, scared to miss the scene that instant amidst their extreme excitement and raised spirits.
Yet Huo Poyun still remained standing there perfectly straight, his body not moving even an inch. Only his line of sight showed a little deviation.
“Frozen—End—Heaving—Sealing—Formation!!”
As Mu Hanyi recited in a low voice, the shadow of an illusory Ice Phoenix flashed on his body.
In that instant, heaven and earth fell silent as the blue halo in the air suddenly gathered together and the region inside of the halo became a frigid hell. Countless layers and cones of ice appeared out of nowhere in a flash and a frightening storm arose as if doomsday had arrived, mercilessly sweeping towards the Huo Poyun standing in the center of the Frigid Hell.
“Ahhh—” The Ice Phoenix disciples let out an unbroken series of fearful sounds.
Huo Poyun raised his head slightly, his gaze concentrated on the approaching frigid disaster. Then, seemingly without any notice… he let out a heaven-shaking roar.