Just like the disciples of the Snow Domain Alliance, the inner disciples of the Profound Frost Sect were equally stunned—most of them had joined within the past twenty years and had rarely witnessed such a crushing, one-sided defeat.

  The arena fell into dead silence. Unease spread through the crowd.

  Master Han Jing’s expression was dark as water, and he remained silent for a long while. At a glance, he had discerned that Shen Bingyun was only at the sixth layer of the Qi Condensation Realm, yet he had never expected him to possess such an extraordinary technique as Ice Mirror Reversal. The stronger the attack it faced, the stronger it rebounded—without strength at the eighth layer of Qi Condensation or above, it was nearly impossible to break head-on.

  And this was only the first match…

  Bitterness welled in his heart. Had the Profound Frost Sect truly declined to such a state? He glanced sideways at the elders beside him; every one of them wore a grave expression, none speaking a word.

  Zhang Mingyuan sucked in a sharp breath and cursed under his breath,

  “Damn it… one single disciple is already stronger than me? What kind of monster did the Snow Domain Alliance dig up? Why don’t I ever have such luck?!”

  Yun Che fixed his gaze on Shen Bingyun. He had seen everything clearly—at the moment Shen Bingyun activated the ice mirror, his true cultivation had been fully exposed under Yun Che’s spiritual perception. Even so, the profundity of Ice Mirror Reversal still stirred his heart.

  Ouyang Shuo smiled faintly and spoke aloud,

  “Fellow Daoist Han Jing, for the second match, shouldn’t your sect send someone first?”

  Master Han Jing’s gaze swept across the disciples behind him. Most of the inner disciples hastily lowered their heads, silently praying not to be chosen.

  Seeing this, anger flared within him. Just as he was about to speak, Sun Li suddenly clenched his teeth and stepped forward.

  “Sect Master! This disciple may lack talent, but I am willing to fight the second match!”

  Several elders frowned at once. Elder Ling Shuang knit his brows tightly.

  “Sun Li, you are only at the fourth layer of Qi Condensation. Don’t act recklessly!”

  Sun Li hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth.

  “This disciple… has recently mastered a rather unorthodox technique. Even if I cannot win, I can at least blunt their arrogance.”

  In his heart, he sneered: No one else dares to step up. If I fight now, the Sect Master will surely take notice. Even if I lose, I still have the Filthy Snow Pellets. I can salvage some dignity.

  Li Shan, forgive me—buying them from you and using them on your fellow disciple… karma comes full circle.

  Over the past few days, Sun Li believed he had grasped the trick of throwing the Filthy Snow Pellets. Although the first few attempts had failed to detonate, the last attempts—under Li Shan’s guidance—had succeeded. With time being short, he hadn’t practiced further, but he was convinced that repeated use would make it work.

  Master Han Jing sighed inwardly. After a moment of contemplation, he nodded.

  “Go, then. Let me see this new technique of yours.”

  Sun Li leapt onto the Ice Crystal Battle Platform and shouted,

  “Disciple Sun Li of the Profound Frost Sect seeks guidance from the Snow Domain Alliance!”

  When Li Shan saw Sun Li take the stage, he nearly burst out laughing. Seeing Ouyang Shuo about to select someone else, Li Shan hurried forward.

  “Martial Uncle, this disciple Li Shan is willing to go up and ‘exchange pointers’ with this senior brother.”

  He even winked exaggeratedly.

  Ouyang Shuo found Li Shan’s mischievous nature rather troublesome, yet he also knew the boy never acted without confidence. After a brief pause, he nodded.

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  Li Shan jumped onto the platform, delight blooming in his heart.

  Sun Li, you brought this on yourself! Today I’ll make sure you lose all face!

  Sun Li’s expression turned strange the moment he saw Li Shan.

  “Senior Brother Sun Li, please!” Li Shan clasped his fists and laughed loudly.

  “Use your strongest technique—Li here will receive it all!”

  Sun Li hesitated briefly. He had recently learned to control a flying sword. With a hand seal, a crimson flying sword shot from its sheath behind him, circling his body as cold light flickered along its edge.

  “Go!”

  The sword stabbed straight toward Li Shan. At the same time, Sun Li pulled out four or five gray-blue Filthy Snow Pellets and shouted,

  “Take this!”

  Li Shan laughed heartily, easily sidestepping the flying sword. Inwardly, he muttered, Explode.

  Before Sun Li could even throw the pellets, dull booms rang out in succession. They detonated violently in his hands! Gray-blue icy mist mixed with a nauseating stench instantly engulfed him entirely.

  When the fog finally dispersed, Sun Li stood there in a daze, his body covered in filthy frozen residue, unable to utter a word.

  He simply could not understand it—why had the pellets exploded before being thrown? Had he gripped them too tightly?

  Li Shan put on a look of exaggerated admiration and sighed loudly,

  “Senior Brother Sun Li’s move is truly… ingenious! Is this the legendary ‘Self-Soiling Technique’? Alas, I did say before that Filthy Snow Pellets must be handled gently. Gripping them so hard will naturally cause premature detonation!”

  The Snow Domain Alliance disciples burst into laughter, mockery echoing without restraint.

  Even the inner disciples of the Profound Frost Sect struggled to suppress their laughter, fearing to offend their elders.

  Master Han Jing flicked his sleeve in fury. A violent gust of wind surged forth, dispersing the foul stench and sweeping the stunned Sun Li straight off Ice Soul Peak, sending him flying back toward the main peak.

  Ouyang Shuo chuckled.

  “Fellow Daoist Han Jing, young friend Sun Li merely misused his technique and failed to display his true level. Shall we call this match a draw?”

  As he spoke, he cast an approving glance at Li Shan.

  Master Han Jing’s face darkened.

  “A loss is a loss. There is no such thing as a draw. Continue!”

  Ouyang Shuo laughed heartily.

  “As expected of an eight-hundred-year-old sect—such magnanimity! Xu Han, you go.”

  A disciple stepped out from the Snow Domain Alliance, around twenty-four or twenty-five years old, with jade-white skin and refined features. After leaping onto the platform and giving a polite salute, he stood silently.

  This time, Master Han Jing did not send another inner disciple. Instead, he took out an ice-blue jade slip and crushed it gently.

  At the instant it shattered, an intricate azure formation flared to life at the center of the platform! Brilliant light erupted, and three figures stepped forth from within the formation!

  All three wore purple robes with gold-trimmed sleeves—core true disciples of the Profound Frost Sect! The moment they appeared, a vast pressure swept across the arena, instantly invigorating all the inner disciples!

  Even Ouyang Shuo’s expression shifted slightly as he examined them closely.

  At the very back of the Snow Domain Alliance, the green-robed man’s eyes flashed with sharp light, his fighting intent surging.

  The three purple-robed disciples coldly scanned the surroundings. The middle one, a stern-looking man in his thirties, spoke in a low voice,

  “The Snow Domain Alliance? Hmph… I, Chu, narrowly lost twenty years ago. Today, I will not repeat that mistake!”

  Yun Che’s gaze sharpened—of the three, he recognized only one: Qin Shuang, the “Cold Jade Sword,” whom he had seen at the Frost Shadow Gathering!

  “Chu Yunzhou, you will take this match,” Master Han Jing said calmly.

  Chu Yunzhou nodded slightly. The other two figures drifted off the platform, taking positions beside Master Han Jing.

  “It’s Senior Brother Chu Yunzhou! I heard he reached the seventh layer of Qi Condensation twenty years ago! With him, our sect will surely win!”

  Whispers of excitement spread among the inner disciples.

  Chu Yunzhou walked toward the center of the platform. With every step, frost patterns condensed beneath his feet. His gaze settled on Xu Han.

  “Please.”

  Xu Han’s expression turned grave. He formed hand seals as frigid energy surged around him—

  But Chu Yunzhou did not even spare him a glance. He merely raised a finger and pointed.

  “Ice Seal.”

  Two words.

  The surging cold energy around Xu Han froze instantly. Along with it, his entire body was encased in a transparent block of profound ice over ten feet tall—his expression forever frozen at the moment of shock.

  One move. Victory decided.

  The arena fell deathly silent.

  Chu Yunzhou stood with hands behind his back, looking toward the Snow Domain Alliance.

  “Next.”

  Ouyang Shuo’s expression finally changed.

  The green-robed man slowly raised his head, a smile curling at the corner of his lips.

  Wind and snow howled.

  Standing at the back of the crowd, Yun Che gazed at the purple-robed figure on the platform, deep in thought.

  Within his robes, the crane feather quietly grew warm.

  Sun Li’s Filthy Snow Pellet fiasco is both satire and foreshadowing, while the appearance of the purple-robed true disciples signals that the real battle has only just begun.

  Did Chu Yunzhou’s single-finger Ice Seal match your expectations of a veteran core disciple?

  Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments—every message you leave is a powerful motivation for me to keep writing!