by Mars Gravity
Fifty drops…
Forty drops…
Thirty drops…
Each drop of water heavily pounded at the heartstrings of everyone person yet the ice spirit that would decide the ultimate outcome still stubbornly stayed motionless in place.
In the entire Heavenly Netherfrost Lake, the only person whose heartstrings weren’t stretched taut was…
Obviously Yun Che, who was inside his own world.
It was also at this time that his breakthrough came to a perfect end after a short two hours.
The profound energy around Yun Che’s body had already stopped rotating and soundlessly returned into his body. The world within his profound veins had completely changed from its formerly dense misty state and was now like a boundless starry sky. The specks of stars twinkling within it contained a mysterious and strong aura.
Aura of the divine way… aura of the first level of the Divine Origin Realm!!
The Divine Origin Realm was a mortal’s first step into the divine way. It was the step in which one’s vital energy becomes divine, causing the profound practitioner’s body to exceed human limits and also substantially strengthen. One’s lifespan would also increase greatly as well.
This kind of change was an extremely distinct transformation on other profound practitioners’ bodies but on Yun Che, it didn’t seem to change that intensely. This was because Yun Che had already passed the category of mortals.
To others, this was a transformation but to him, it was just another increase in strength.
What excited Yun Che however, was his explosive increase in profound strength!
His perception of profound energy had completely changed. Previously, even when he was exchanging blows with a profound practitioner in the divine way, he couldn’t sense it that clearly. However, what he felt from his body right now was like another domain of power! Even though it was just one breakthrough, from the tenth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm to the first level of the Divine Origin Realm, he felt that his strength had not just doubled but might even have increased more than tenfold!!
Beneath the amplification of the Evil God’s power, he himself was unable to estimate how powerful of a strength he could release!
This kind of unprecedented advancement in power caused Yun Che’s heart to surge for a long period of time. His confidence and arrogance had also consequently increased as well, so much that he felt as though he was already powerful to the point of omnipotence. While immersed in his joy, he forgot where he was currently located as he gave a delighted roar. Both his arms spread open wide as he recklessly released his profound energy that had stepped into the divine way. At the same time, his consciousness immediately awakened…
Twenty five drops…
Twenty drops…
Fifteen drops…
The lakewater was gradually approaching its final drops and at this time, the ice spirit which had been still for a long time now bounced within everyone’s gaze. It finally began to move. It shifted a bit after its hesitation… and it astonishingly shifted toward Mu Hanyi. Then, as though it made its final decision, it started flying toward Mu Hanyi.
Ten drops…
“Hanyi won!!” The final outcome had clearly emerged within these last fifteen minutes. Everything was finally settled after the ice spirit’s selection.
“Hahahahaha!” Mu Yunzhi completely relaxed. Even though she had several thousand years of cultivation under her belt, she was unable to suppress the mad joy she felt as she laughed heartily.
“Sigh,” Mu Huanzhi made a long sigh. It was intense to such a degree but the final outcome simply did not have anything to do with one’s strength but moreso one’s resonance with the ice spirits. But a loss was still a loss.
Even though Mu Hanyi’s eyes were still shut, a smile had already appeared at the corner of his lips and his body was also visibly shaking with excitement.
And it was at this time that a profound energy which had just entered the divine way was untimely released from the edge of the lake, alongside an even more uncourteous excited roar.
The instant the roar sounded, the ice spirit flying toward Mu Hanyi suddenly stopped. Then, it released a never before heard, clear ethereal cry as its flight speed suddenly accelerated, faster than any other ice spirit had moved…
However, the path in which it flew changed; it no longer flew toward Mu Hanyi. Instead, it suddenly flew toward the distant lakeside… it flew toward Yun Che!!
Before the crowd had yet to realize what had happened, the tranquil Heavenly Netherfrost Lake suddenly rippled in in all directions. The ice spirits in the distance that were frolicking around all released an extremely beautiful and melodious spirit sound. Then, they all began to fly about and chased after that last ice spirit, the speed in which they flew making them look like snow white shooting stars…
It was also at this instant that the ice spirits which danced around Mu Hanyi and Mu Feixue, the ice spirits they used an entire six hours and all their power to attract, left them without the slightest of hesitation. They too joined the other ice spirits and flew directly at Yun Che.
They were extremely fast and all of them flew to Yun Che’s side. The ice spirits that flew toward the divine hall disciples were all careful and hesitant in their slowness. However, they all danced around Yun Che with incomparable excitement, their voices in high spirits. They all tried to outdo one another as they neared him, as though there was some kind of fatal attractive force on his body.
In a few breaths of time, all three thousand ice spirits in the Heavenly Nether Forest Lake had all gathered around Yun Che and not a single one wasn’t there!
Ding!
The last drop of lakewater within the profound formation had fallen and Yun Che also opened his eyes at this time. He was then instantly stunned, shocked to see the ice spirits around him flying with excitement… and stunned frozen faces all around him.
Chapter 987: Questioning
Of the four great creation gods within the primordial god race, Mo E’s creation god power was power, Xi Ke was order, Li Suo was life and the Evil God’s were the elements! The absolute power of the elements!
Ancient gods like the Vermillion Bird, Phoenix and the Golden Crow were called the Three Supreme Fire Attribute Beasts while the Azure Dragon, Ice Phoenix and the Ice Qilin were called the Three Supreme Water Attribute Beasts. However, purely in regards to the elemental laws, these six great beasts fell far short of the Evil God.
The Phoenix wouldn’t fear phoenix flames but it could still be harmed by the flames of the Golden Crow and Vermillion Bird. The Azure Dragon could control the world’s water but it was impossible for it to not fear the ice from the Ice Phoenix and Ice Qilin. As for Yun Che, even though his power was far beneath them, he did not fear fire or water in any shape or form; this included lightning as well.
If he was able to find the wind and earth attribute Evil God Seeds in the future, he would not need to fear the power of the wind or earth either.
This was also why, even though Yun Che’s Great Way of the Buddha advanced so slowly and his Star God’s Broken Shadow only reached the fifth stage, he found no barriers when successfully comprehending high level profound arts of the divine way like the World Ode of the Phoenix, Golden Crow Burning World and Ice Phoenix God Investiture Canon, in a short period of time.
The Evil God’s power over the elements was high and it could possibly even have transcended one’s recognition of the law’s boundaries. It wasn’t restricted by the laws at all, reaching a “heaven defying” realm which even gods found to be incomprehensible and unfathomable.
But even if that was the case, Yun Che wanting to release frost aura to attract a few ice spirits was comparatively easy. However, attracting all these ice spirits over with just profound energy was simply impossible. Though his elemental power was as high in terms of the laws, his profound cultivation level was just too low.
However, this opportunity just happened to come coincidentally.
Yun Che had just completed his breakthrough from the mortal way, into the divine way. What he released was his primal, newly transformed, purest burst of profound energy. This burst was extremely pure and clean and it was also the profound energy which came from the Evil God’s power. To these pure ice spirits, it was like they had scented the smell of the first primordial source of cold energy. This caused them to reflexively flock over.
This kind of situation would never have happened, even if he wanted it to, if Yun Che had his previous profound strength. But it just had to be at this time…
Yun Che was completely unaware of all this. He had only released his profound energy in his excitement to get a feel for his reborn power. He didn’t even know what was happening in the Heavenly Netherfrost Lake.
When he opened his eyes, he felt that the serious atmosphere around him didn’t feel quite right. Everyone’s gaze was actually concentrated on him and dancing ice spirits circled around him like stars revolving around the moon, which made him, who was obviously the weakest in this place, directly become this world’s focal point.
“T-t-this…”
No traces of the usual solemnity and dignity remained with the various elders and hall masters. Their expressions twisted like they had seen ghosts in broad daylight.
Even if they put together everyone’s age and experience together, they still would not understand the scene before them.
Mu Hanyi and Mu Feixue also got up from the Heavenly Netherfrost Lake. They stared blankly at the three thousand ice spirits circling around Yun Che and couldn’t recover their senses for a long time.
“What happened?” Yun Che stood up and then turned to ask Mu Bingyun.
If he was suddenly being stared so closely by the old monsters of Divine Ice Phoenix Sect before this, he would’ve been extremely nervous. However, he was still in high spirits after having entered the divine way so even though he was surprised, he didn’t feel panicked at all.
Mu Bingyun was evidently also in a stunned state while the Mu Xiaolan behind her, had gone completely stupid. Her mouth gaped so wide that her own fist might have been able to fit in it. Mu Bingyun let out a sigh and said with considerable calm, “The sect master set a time limit of six hours. In six hours, the person who is able to attract the most ice spirits will become her direct disciple and you…”
Something else had also shocked her… Yun Che had actually used only two hours to completely break through to the divine way! That was such a short period of time and it was even in the extremely dangerous Heavenly Netherfrost Lake. She had never heard of such a thing like that happening before.
But the others didn’t have a mind to pay attention to that. The result that was about to be announced…. Or rather, the result of the showdown that was already revealed, had actually undergone such a heaven shaking change within the last several breaths of time. This completely stupefied all the elders, palace masters and disciples present.
The lips of Mu Huanzhi, who was already prepared to make the announcement, flapped several times before he finally spoke, “W-what’s this? What exactly happened on this child’s body?”
A single phrase flashed in everyone’s mind… who the hell knows what happened!? In merely ten breaths of time, all of the Heavenly Netherfrost Lake’s ice spirits had been attracted. Such a feat was impossible for the various elders and palace masters, let alone divine hall disciples.
Yet such a thing had happened right before their eyes… on the body of a new disciple who had just stepped into the divine way, who possessed a cultivation level so low they wouldn’t even spare a second glance at.
It was impossible for them to believe that Yun Che had relied on his own frost aura to attract these ice spirits. This was because even the sect master was unable to do this with her might. Furthermore, the profound energy Yun Che had so suddenly released earlier was only the profound energy released from his initial state; it wasn’t even ice profound energy.
The Snow Song Realm King atop the airborne enormous Frost Dragon had been silent since the very beginning… even she was unable to comprehend what had happened on Yun Che’s body.
Among everyone present, the ones whose hearts were undulating the most were unquestionably Mu Hanyi and Mu Yunzhi. When Mu Yunzhi had seen Mu Hanyi’s clear victory, she was filled with boundless joy. But now, such a thing had happened, her face suddenly went dark after her initial shock. Then, she recovered to her normal state as she said in a loud voice, “Great Elder, it’s time to announce the results. My disciple Hanyi came out victorious and everyone has seen it with their eyes.”
“But, this…”
“What but?” Mu Yunzhi glanced at Yun Che. “Did you all not see that this kid just happened to complete his breakthrough a moment ago? He entered the divine way, so what he had released earlier was naturally the newborn profound energy of the first stage of the divine way. These ice spirits naturally would prefer things that are the most primal and pure. This was why they would all gather around him. That’s not strange at all! It’s fortunate that he has not ruined our great event since the final results had already come out.
Mu Yunzhi’s words stunned everyone present. It was only after a long period of time that many of them began to nod, “So that’s how it is, no wonder…”
The extremely pure burst of initial profound energy he had released after he had broken through truly was the reason why the ice spirits had been attracted to Yun Che but this was definitely not able to happen with anyone else’s initial cold energy… Or perhaps it should be said that aside from Yun Che, no one else was able to do it to such a degree.
However, what had happened to Yun Che was something they were simply unable to comprehend. As a result, this argument from Mu Yunzhi that only seemed a bit forced, caused everyone, the elders and palace masters included, who were completely shocked and dazed to grab at this justification that seemed to be able to explain what had happened. They nodded their heads one after another in approval… because aside from this, they weren’t able to think of any other reasons.
It was just impossible for Yun Che to rely on his own cold energy to summon the ice spirits!
“That does seem quite reasonable.” Mu Huanzhi also slowly nodded. Once one was unable to think of any other possibilities, any possibility, no matter how forced it was, would seem many times more reasonable. After all, the first burst of primal profound energy after entering the divine way being the purest was true, so it might be true that it was an aura that the ice spirits loved the most…
Yun Che was the first person in all of history to have entered the divine way in the Heavenly Netherfrost Lake. There was no precedent before him… after all, those below the divine way weren’t permitted to enter the Heavenly Netherfrost Lake.
“It shouldn’t be that simple,” Mu Sushan muttered. But he then shook his head after saying that. “But this really is the only explanation.”
After finding something that was able to explain what had happened, everyone’s shock was naturally being dispelled. In the Heavenly Netherfrost Lake, a smile surfaced on Mu Hanyi’s face once more. He shifted his gaze to the side to look toward Mu Feixue but she was still as quiet as before. Like ice that would never thaw, she was silent without a single ripple.
Following the disappearance of Yun Che’s profound energy, the ice spirits that were flying around him also began to quickly scatter. At this point, he was also made aware of everything that had happened within the Heavenly Netherfrost Lake from Mu Bingyun’s sound transmission. His heart fiercely shook as the depths of his eyes flashed with an odd light… that was also especially intense.
“Cough,” Mu Huanzhi turned around. He glanced at Mu Feixue and after sighing inwardly, he announced, “Sect Master’s time limit of six hours has already passed. Even though a small incident happened at the end, that last ice spirit was indeed attracted by Hanyi and everyone here has seen it with their own eyes. As such, the final victor of this contest for the sect master’s direct disciple is—Mu H
anyi!”
When Mu Huanzhi’s voice fell, many disciples of the divine hall and ice phoenix palace all let out thunderous shouts. These excited shouts also showed how high of a prestige Mu Hanyi had within these disciples.
“Hahahaha,” Mu Yunzhi laughed heartily as her facial features blossomed. She held out a hand toward the distant Mu Hanyi and said, “Hanyi, well done. You sure did not disappoint me. I am proud of you. Come up and pay respects to the sect master once more. Once the discipleship rites complete, you will be the sect master’s direct disciple!”
“I heard that Hanyi’s royal father’s thousand year birthday is coming up in not even a month. This must be the best present he’ll receive,” another divine hall elder commented with a smile.
“More than the best present, I’m afraid that this birthday celebration will be unlike any other,” said the first palace’s palace master.
Mu Yunzhi was not the only one who was unable to contain her joy if Mu Hanyi became the Realm King’s direct disciple. It was a popular opinion within the entire sect.
“Yes!” Mu Hanyi replied. Then, he flew up, his white clothes fluttering and landed beside Mu Yunzhi with not a single drop of the heavenly lake’s water on him.
It was at this moment that an extremely ill-timed voice heavily came over. Within the atmosphere that had become enthusiastic, it was especially cold and piercing to the ears.
Everyone’s gaze immediately turned and the atmosphere also congealed.
Mu Bingyun moved, wanting to say something but then didn’t.
She didn’t stop Yun Che at all when he walked out, “This disciple has a few questions that he wishes to ask Great Elder for guidance on.”
As an Ice Phoenix disciple, forcing himself into the conversation in front of all the various elders was already offensive to the extreme. Mu Yunzhi was originally overjoyed but once Yun Che’s words came piercing over, he had completely spoiled the moment for her, causing her to become enraged. That added to the unpleasant fact that he had nearly ruined everything just a moment ago made her immediately voice out her fury, “What are you? Since when did you get to talk? Scram!”
