Chapter 429: Helplessness

The Nine Heavens Ice Phoenix was elegant and captivating, yet it exuded a chill that seemed capable of freezing everything. Wherever it passed, its surroundings were frozen solid and covered in a thick layer of frost.

Shen Daoxing froze for a moment. He glanced back at the menacing Nine Heavens Ice Phoenix swooping down on him, then shot to his feet and desperately sprinted forward.

But the next moment, a brilliant light erupted before his eyes.

Following that, a colossal figure that seemed to touch the heavens and stand upon the earth suddenly materialized in front of him.

The figure had a cold aura and a stunningly beautiful, yet frosty, face. Its gossamer robes drifted slowly in the sky, exuding a sacred, icy presence that warned others to keep their distance.

It was Gu Muyun, who had used Heaven and Earth to block Shen Daoxing's path.

'She's really serious about this!'

Shen Daoxing froze, glancing behind and then ahead of him. He stopped in his tracks, then suddenly pushed off his feet and leaped into the air.

BANG!

BANG!

With two loud bangs, a silvery beam of extreme cold and a sharp ray of sword light landed simultaneously on the spot where Shen Daoxing had just been.

A frigid glint flared and a biting sword wind swept out, coating the surroundings in a sheet of ice.

And so, Shen Daoxing and Gu Muyun began a frantic chase across the Martial Arts Arena, one fleeing and one pursuing, throwing the entire venue into chaos.

The surrounding Four Vein Disciples could only watch, dumbfounded.

"Why did Junior Sister Muyun suddenly fly into a rage?"

"What kind of feud does Junior Sister Muyun have with that guy?"

"Who is that? Does anyone know him?"

Only the woman in yellow covered her mouth, unable to suppress a delicate giggle.

Suddenly, Shen Daoxing threw his arms up to shield his chest.

BANG!

With a deafening bang, he took the full force of a colossal sword beam from Gu Muyun that stretched across the sky, feeling a violent tremor run through his body.

Shen Daoxing was horrified. 'Gu Muyun is ruthless! If my Venerable Body Refining hadn't already reached Minor Achievement, anyone else would have been pulverized by that strike.'

Abruptly, Shen Daoxing pushed off the ground again, leaping into the air. An instant later, a beam of absolute cold from the Nine Heavens Ice Phoenix struck, freezing the spot where he'd been standing into a cluster of ice crystals.

SCREECH!

The Nine Heavens Ice Phoenix let out a piercing cry, carving a graceful arc through the sky to flank Shen Daoxing from behind.

Gu Muyun's colossal Golden Body Dharma Aspect also raised its sword high, blocking Shen Daoxing from the front.

About to be caught in a pincer attack, Shen Daoxing grew angry. CRACKLE... Black arcs of lightning flickered to life within his body. 'If Gu Muyun keeps this up and refuses to listen to reason, I'll have to get serious.'

But just at this moment.

"Nonsense! Muyun, the Sword Sect is a place of importance. How can we allow you to run amok as you please?"

A deep, majestic voice rang out.

Following the voice, a chubby figure—Grand Elder Wang Guyuan—leaped down and landed beside Shen Daoxing.

He simply reached out one hand and made a grabbing motion toward the Nine Heavens Ice Phoenix in the void.

Instantly, the menacing Nine Heavens Ice Phoenix twisted and spun before shattering into countless specks of light that dissipated into the sky.

At the same time, Grand Elder Wang Guyuan flew into the air, his hands clasped behind his back. He arrived before Gu Muyun's colossal Golden Body Dharma Aspect and, like an elder disciplining an unruly junior, flicked his finger and rapped her on the head.

Gu Muyun cried out in pain as her whole body flashed with light. Her colossal Golden Body Dharma Aspect instantly dissipated, and she returned to her normal form.

Seeing this, Shen Daoxing quickly tried to explain, "Senior Sister Muyun, you've really misunderstood. What happened that day wasn't what it looked like."

As he spoke, Shen Daoxing's gaze swept across the Martial Arts Arena and suddenly landed on the woman in yellow.

Shen Daoxing's expression flickered, and he was just about to speak.

Suddenly, a delicate, laughing voice echoed in Shen Daoxing's mind: 'Oh, my! My dear little junior brother, you can't just say whatever you want. You wouldn't want the sect to find out your true identity, would you? A remnant of Penglai Immortal Island?'

As she spoke, the woman in yellow gave Shen Daoxing a sly smile and discreetly flashed a Jade Token at him. It was the exact one she had tricked him out of when he first arrived at the Cyan Nether Sword Sect.

Instantly, Shen Daoxing's face fell, his gaze turning sharp as he stared at the woman in yellow.

The woman in yellow merely offered another sly smile and casually tucked the Jade Token back into her robes.

"Don't you dare!"

Gu Muyun shouted, her voice like ice, as if she were too ashamed to let him speak of what happened that day.

With no other choice, Shen Daoxing could only shake his head in silence.

Seeing Gu Muyun's agitated state, the disciples from the Four Veins began to murmur amongst themselves again.

"What on earth happened between that guy and Junior Sister Muyun to make her so furious?"

"I've never seen Junior Sister Muyun act like this before."

At this moment.

The Grand Elder slowly turned to Gu Muyun and said sternly, "That's enough, Muyun. Now is not the time to act on your whims. We can discuss this later."

However, Gu Muyun's eyes remained locked on Shen Daoxing, colder than ever. Her dark pupils were like arctic abysses, terrifyingly frigid. Suddenly, a dazzling light burst from her body, and she began to expand once more.

Heaven and Earth!

She was clearly not going to let this go.

'She's coming again!'

Shen Daoxing was shocked, his face a mask of utter helplessness.

Just then, Grand Elder Wang Guyuan's figure flashed, and he appeared behind Gu Muyun. He simply raised his palm and—THWACK—struck her on the back of the head.

Gu Muyun froze, the light around her instantly vanished, and she stiffly crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

Helpless, Grand Elder Wang Guyuan could only shake his head. "Oh, this child..."

He then waved his hand, and a few female attendants came to carry Gu Muyun away.

With another flicker, he vanished, reappearing a moment later in the main seat of honor above the Martial Arts Arena.

Grand Elder Wang Guyuan paused, his eyes sweeping over everyone in the Martial Arts Arena, and then he began to speak.

"Congratulations on passing the trial of Pengze Immortal Island. As of today, you are official disciples of the Pengze Lineage. Henceforth, you may come to Penglai Immortal Island to cultivate as you please. Naturally, this also means you are qualified to participate in the upcoming battle for the Celestial Mirror Order."

As he spoke, Grand Elder Wang Guyuan raised his hand slightly, and a dark green Jade Token appeared in his palm. It was the Celestial Mirror Order.

Then, he reached out and gestured toward the sky before him.

The roiling Cloud Sea below the Martial Arts Arena suddenly began to churn, slowly parting to reveal the lush, vibrant landscape of Pengze Immortal Island.

Then, Grand Elder Wang Guyuan slowly spoke again. "The battle for the Celestial Mirror Order is simple. Tomorrow, I will throw the Celestial Mirror Order somewhere on Pengze Immortal Island. You need only find it. Whoever brings it back to me will be the victor and will become the new Island Master of Pengze Immortal Island."

Grand Elder Wang Guyuan paused, then added, "Alright. You've all just passed the trial of Pengze Immortal Mountain and must be quite drained. You may stay here tonight. Rest well and prepare for tomorrow's competition."