Against the Gods

“Oh?” Mu Huanzhi’s brows shifted upon hearing Yun Che’s icy refusal but he didn’t reveal the slightest bit of shock because he had long anticipated his reaction. “Why? Mu Hanyi has already given you eighty percent. Could it be that you don’t think it’s enough?”

“It has nothing to do with that,” Yun Che said with sunken brows. “I want to ask why, during the battle of ice spirits, when there was barely any disparity between Mu Hanyi and Mu Feixue, when the final outcome depended more on luck, why did none of you propose an additional test? When my ice spirit count completely surpassed Mu Hanyi, all of you forcibly declared Mu Hanyi to be the victor and now, you all have yet again proposed an additional test… on what basis!?”

“This…” Mu Huanzhi was speechless for a period of time after being interrogated.

Many different kinds of gazes concentrated on Yun Che’s body. Most of them were ones of mockery… and pity.

“Hehehe, I just knew that he doesn’t dare to do it,” an Ice Phoenix Palace disciple laughed lowly.

“Do you even have to ask? He doesn’t even dare to go into the heavenly lake earlier and you think he deserves to compare to Senior Brother Hanyi? He obviously won’t agree to it and will just firmly latch on the previous result… Sigh, he just entered the divine way and actually dreams of being the sect master’s direct disciple like a toad wishing to eat swan meat. Too laughable.”

“Can’t do anything about it. After all, being able to become the sect master’s direct disciple is too great of an enticement. Anyone else would’ve refused it too if they were in his place.”

Many disciples sneered and even Mu Hanyi shook his head and sighed inwardly.

“Give me eighty percent? Hah, what great courage, what a huge face!” Yun Che completely disregarded the surrounding voices as he released the bellyful of barely suppressed rage he was previously holding back. “So it can be fair to me? But this additional test is already unfair to me. This so-called fairness in giving me eighty percent… is simply a joke! Why should I accept it!?”

“You all keep saying that it has to be fair and impartial, repeatedly saying that it’s the sect’s great matter, yet forcibly ignore the fact that I had already won against Mu Hanyi in the battle of ice spirits and you want an additional test. Is this Divine Ice Phoenix Sect’s so-called fairness!?”

Yun Che was clearly bellowing the last bit of his sentence… it was even aimed at all the elders and palace masters. The faces of all the various elders and palace masters changed at the same time. Mu Bingyun also revealed shock as she hurriedly said, “Yun Che, stop!”

“Insolence!!”

The sound of anger instantly silenced the Heavenly Netherfrost Lake. It was as though all the ice spirits on the surface of the lake were frozen as they all stopped in place. This one word caused the secretly sneering disciples to pale in fright. The elders and palace masters who were about to speak out hung their heads lightning quick and were quiet out of fear.

It was because this angry rebuke had shockingly come from the Snow Song Realm King.

“Yun Che, this king has already consented to the additional test so how can you refuse it?! You are only a little disciple. Not only are you disobeying orders, you even have the audacity to say delirious ravings that disgrace the sect! Who gave you such guts!?”

The temperature rapidly plummeted and the still atmosphere became bone-piercingly cold. Since long ago, there has been a saying within Snow Song Realm—the Realm King's fury leaves none alive.

The Snow Song Realm King was rarely angry but every time she got angry, the consequences were extremely terrifying—terrifying to the point where no one would dare think back to what had happened. Even those that had long resided in the upper echelons of the Ice Phoenix Realm seldomly saw the Snow Song Realm King get angry, perhaps a few times in several thousand years.

But today, because of a small Ice Phoenix Palace disciple who was even from the lower realms she had actually… gotten angry!

Their hearts were all caught in their throats as all the hairs on their bodies stood on end… They were somewhat angry because of Yun Che’s wild proclamations but now, they only had sympathy for him within their terror.

Doomed, this kid is already doomed… just please do not harm the fish in the lake.

The angry rebuke that came from the Snow Song Realm King made Yun Che felt like he had been smashed in the head by a heavy mountain as all the bones in his body were on the brink of collapse. However, he forcibly lifted his head and slowly said in a determined voice, “You are the Snow Song Realm King, so you must do as you say! If I win, then I win… on what basis do I need to take this additional test!?”

“...” Everyone present became dumbstruck.

In front of the already angered Snow Song Realm King, he had actually answered back… he had actually answered back!

He was definitely doomed this time, completely doomed for sure.

Mu Bingyun’s icy face had completely lost all color. She hurriedly came to Yun Che’s side and said, “Sect Master, Yun Che’s personality is just like that. He definitely doesn’t mean to offend you, I beg Sect Master…”

“Personality?” The Snow Song Realm King’s voice carried an extremely disdainful sneer. “An ignorant junior who has just entered the divine way, someone who is as weak as an ant, actually dares to act up against me and actually dares to argue with me!? Bingyu, the one person you have ever brought back from the lower realms is actually an audaciously reckless fool!”

“You want this king to do as she says? Hmph, with what ability? This king can say that she’ll protect your family before slaughtering them in the next breath but what can you possibly do to me? In my eyes, you are not even comparable to a little ant. Not to mention killing you, if this king wishes to destroy the planet you came from, it would only take a mere thought. Instead of treasuring your chance here, you actually dare act up in front of me. This kind of fool becoming an Ice Phoenix Palace disciple has already sullied the Thirty-sixth Ice Phoenix Palace yet he actually dares fantasize about becoming this king’s disciple!

“Bang!”

Mu Bingyun heavily knelt on one knee and pleaded, “Sect Master, Yun Che was brought here by me from the lower realms. He has a naturally unyielding temperament and I never thought it was a bad thing so I have never restricted him much. Everything is because I was incapable of disciplining him. I ask that Sect Master punish me instead and lighten his punishment… at the very least, leave him alive.”

When Yun Che had “caused trouble” all the previous times, Mu Bingyun truly had never obstructed him. Instead, she had always been secretly protecting him because she somewhat admired Yun Che’s temperament. However, before they had entered the Heavenly Netherfrost Lake, she had already severely warned Yun Che that he mustn’t go against the rules… She never expected that Yun Che would still cause trouble and even a huge disaster as well.

He had actually angered the Realm King!

Yun Che had just arrived in the Snow Song Realm so he didn’t understand the concept of angering the Realm King… and he had even talked back after she had gotten angry!

As though many bucketfuls of cold water poured all over him, Yun Che’s body went ice cold, all the way to his soul. All the pride, arrogance, unyieldingness and grievances completely dissipated… what replaced it was only a sudden, ice-cold awakening as well as genuine terror.

The scene of when he had made Jasmine his master back then flashed in his mind. At that time, he was conceited and prideful, determined not to kneel, yet was then stepped on the head by Jasmine, thus completing the discipleship rites. That time’s taunting words also distinctly rang in his ear:

“Did you think that you have great integrity, that you are extraordinary? Without strength, you don’t even have the ability to refuse to kowtow to me. What right do you have to act haughty in front of me? Without strength, your pride and dignity are nothing but a joke in front of the strong!”

Yun Che sucked in a deep breath. When it entered his chest, the cold passed through his entire body… On the Blue Pole Star, he stood at its summit so he was able to do as he pleased. He was able to do anything without limits and was able to act according to his temperament without restraint—because he had absolute strength.

But here, before the Snow Song Realm King who was strong enough to rule this world, what was he?

Forget about a firmament-like existence like the Snow Song Realm King, even if it were these elders, palace masters or the disciples here, how many of them truly respected him?

Why would they disregard his ice spirit count and declare Mu Hanyi the victor? Because he was weak! Because in the eyes of everyone here, he wasn’t even worthy of being compared to Mu Hanyi.

Why did they want an additional test? Because he was too weak, because nobody believe that he deserved to become the sect master’s direct disciple! If he had sufficiently high strength, how could he possibly have to take a so-called additional test?

In their eyes, the unyieldingness, arrogance and dignity he thought he had really was just a joke to them. His resistance, even if it was completely logical, only attracted their mockery and disdain instead of their approval.

Where in the world was he qualified to argue with the Realm King with confidence… The only consequence would just be him courting death. In the end, he had even burdened Mu Bingyun, making her plead for mercy while kneeling for his sake.

The Snow Song Realm King saying that he was an extreme fool… was right...

“Yun Che, quick… quick, admit your mistake and beg for forgiveness… quick…” Mu Xiaolan had long been frightened pale. Before the Snow Song Realm King’s anger, she still loyally roused a never before seen courage in order to send Yun Che a sound transmission.

The reactions of the surrounding crowd also made Yun Che aware of how huge of a disaster he had caused this time. Even though he had saved Mu Bingyun… what kind of an existence was the Snow Song Realm King? If she wanted to kill him, even if she killed him ten thousand times over, it wouldn’t take any effort.

I can’t die… I haven’t even seen Jasmine, so how can I possibly die here?

With a bang, Yun Che also heavily knelt beside Mu Bingyun. He lowered his head deeply, “This disciple has made a presumption remark. I ask Sect Master to forgive me.”

A disciple kneeling to the Great Realm King ought to be a matter of course but no one knew that aside from his parents, Jasmine was the only person Yun Che had ever kneeled to in his entire life.

The silence in the Heavenly Netherfrost Lake was frightening, not even the sound of breathing or anyone’s heart pulsing could be heard. The crowd all contained one thought: Forgive my ass! If you’re able to keep your corpse intact after angering the sect master, I’ll take on your surname!

“You ought to have died ten thousand times over but since Bingyun is this king’s young sister, on behalf of her seeking forgiveness for you, this king will grant you a chance to live.” Each of the Snow Song Realm King’s words held heavenly might, “In the match between you and Mu Hanyi, if you win, not only will I spare your life, I will also let everything be bygones and accept you as my direct disciple!”

“But if you lose… you will no longer exist in the Snow Song Realm!”

The Snow Song Realm King’s first few words shocked the crowd but then the following words made them all understand that… as expected, it was impossible for the sect master to forgive anyone who had angered her. Everyone in the entire sect knew that she was extremely protective of Mu Bingyun but this so-called chance to live was only her showing consideration for her feelings. In the end, she still wanted Yun Che to die.

After all, how could Yun Che possibly beat Mu Hanyi?

All of the various elders and palace masters secretly relaxed as they all lifted their heads to wipe away the cold sweat on their foreheads… Even though Yun Che was bound for certain death, it had at least not implicated them along with him. Beneath the sect master’s anger, this was already extraordinary luck.

Mu Bingyun quickly said, “Sect Master, this…”

“Say no more!” The Snow Song Realm King’s stern voice interrupted Mu Bingyun. “Yun Che, this is the only chance you have to live. You can accept this or this king can also annihilate you right now!”

Having learned from experience, Yun Che said without hesitation, “Yes, I will obey the sect master’s orders.”

“Hmph, Huanzhi, go arrange their match,” commanded the Snow Song Realm King.

“Yes, Sect Master.” Mu Huanzhi’s voice was even more cautious than it was before. He carefully straightened his back and raised a hand, not daring to make any delays. “Hanyi, Yun Che, follow me to the heavenly lake.”