Protect Our Clan Leader

Master Changchun certainly wasn’t boasting when he said he held grudges — he did remember things from over a hundred years ago perfectly clear.

The common saying was that Master Changchun, of the Academic Palace, was the most mild-tempered and disliked conflicts, being naturally quiet and peaceful.

It seemed the rumors were just that: rumors. This so-called peaceful temperament, desireless and uncompetitive, must be the result of not being able to defeat others, right?

He vehemently criticized Master Binglan for being vindictive, but his own attitude was not much better.

Wang Shouzhe found himself sighing, rumors were indeed not always trustworthy!

“Changchun, stop showing off your power in my Mysterious Ice Palace.”

A cold and dignified female voice suddenly echoed in the sky above the Mysterious Ice Palace. Then, an overwhelming blizzard swept in. Master Binglan stood in its midst, intimidating as the embodiment of ice and snow.

The moment she appeared, her sharp gaze fastened onto Master Changchun, “Changchun, did you swallow a gallbladder of a lion? Dare to make trouble in my Mysterious Ice Palace! Whatever tricks you have, bring it on. I, Binglan, will accept it all.”

“Binglan, younger sister, your temper is still as hasty as before.” Master Changchun chuckled, “I am a rare guest at your Mysterious Ice Palace, don’t rush. Come, let’s taste this Spiritual Tea – Changchun Spiritual Tea that I personally cultivated. Regular consumption of this tea can help delay aging and calm one’s mind.”

As he spoke, he waved his hand and furniture appeared in mid-air. Then, he started making tea methodically.

He learned this move from Master Xuanyao actually, which he found quite chic, so he decided to use it himself.

“Very well.” Master Binglan suppressed her anger and sneered, “Today, I want to see what tricks you can pull off.”

Changchun Spiritual Tea was indeed a good thing. It was treasured by Master Changchun and rarely shared. Even Master Binglan did not want to miss such an opportunity.

Thereafter, both masters sat down in mid-air and began drinking the Spiritual Tea.

Disciples from all over the Mysterious Ice Palace gathered in the square.

Longyan, the Old Ancestor, and Ji Mingyu also came down from the Mysterious Ice Tower.

Their faces bore complex and solemn expressions.

They all realized that the visitor meant trouble and wasn’t here for a friendly visit. Master Changchun must have had something up his sleeve to dare to cause trouble today.

After taking two sips of the Spiritual Tea, Master Binglan could no longer hold back, “Changchun, the tea has been drunk, can you now show what tricks you have?”

“There are no tricks, just the usual practice of bringing new disciples to the Mysterious Ice Palace for an experience.” Master Changchun stroked his beard, looking cut from fairy-tale cloth, “Since Binglan, my younger sister, is a bit impatient, I’ll let my disciples come out to meet everyone.”

As he waved his sleeve, the jade light floating in the sky slowly descended to the ground.

First, a group of new disciples stepped out. They were all greenhorn rookies, curious and looking in all directions.

Then a group of older disciples stepped out.

And then another group of older disciples.

And then…

And then…

In the expanse of jade light, more than two hundred disciples emerged one after another.

“So this is the Mysterious Ice Palace. Why is there only one color?”

“This place is so cold. How do disciples of the Mysterious Ice Palace survive?”

“There are blizzards everywhere, the atmosphere is so oppressive.”

“Senior brother, I’m scared.” “Don’t be scared, don’t be scared. This Mysterious Ice Palace is also part of our Academic Palace, it’s not a den of tigers and dragons.”

The more than two hundred disciples had never been to the Mysterious Ice Palace before. They were immediately engulfed by the sight.

The thick clouds in the sky, the pervasive wind and snow, made it seem like a scene from the far North.

For they who had been living in the sunny and vibrant Changchun Valley and had no opportunity to visit other places, such an icy and snowy place in the Academic Palace was unimaginable.

They invariably sighed, marveled and muttered various strange comments.

This grand scene left the disciples of the Mysterious Ice Palace in awe.

Master Binglan’s gaze grew colder and colder.

Her voice squeezed out through clenched teeth, “Changchun, with so many people, have you come to visit or attack my Mysterious Ice Palace?”

Neveretheless, apprehension budded within her. The older Master Changchun got, the deeper his unfathomable cultivation base moved on, and his divine skill “Spring Radiance” became more formidable. It could even carry over two hundred people in flight.

Speaking of “Spring Radiance”, it was Master Changchun’s meticulously crafted divine skill. It was not only capable of defense and flight but could also continuously heal anyone within it, accelerating their recovery of vital energy and strength.

Truly, an unbeatable skill for group combat.

Unfortunately, as a group combat technique, its power falls short in one-on-one combat.

“Calm yourself, Junior Sister Binglan,” Master Changchun advised, sipped his Spiritual Tea leisurely, his smile growing warmer. “To be honest, it is our fault for not being strong enough. These disciples haven’t been to the Mysterious Ice Palace before. On such an occasion, let the children learn something new. Do forgive us, Junior Sister.”

His words made it sound as if Mysterious Ice Palace had done something wrong.

Should his weakness be others’ burden?

Master Binglan felt a rush of anger at his words. Her eyes flashed fiercely as she retorted, “So, you are suggesting you have gained enough strength now?”

“Who’s to say what is enough?” Master Changchun replied humbly. “We do have a disciple who has managed to grasp a smattering of skills. I thought he could pay his respects to Junior Sister Binglan, and perhaps learn something from the senior brothers of the Mysterious Ice Palace on the way.”

“Good, very good.”

His smug demeanor forced Master Binglan to reign in her almost overwhelming violent impulses. She replied with a cold, sarcastic laugh, “I’m quite looking forward to meeting this brilliant, glamorous disciple who inspires such confidence in you.”

With her declaration, all attention was now drawn to this matter.

Even Fang Youan, Longyan, Old Ancestor Ji Mingyu, and others looked over with curious and serious looks in their eyes. A disciple valued so highly by Master Changchun was surely not to be underestimated.

“My precious disciple, come out and introduce yourself to everyone,” commanded Master Changchun.

Amidst the focused gazes of the crowd,

From within the green radiance, a man stepped forth. His hands were behind his back as he proudly strode out into view.

He appeared to be around forty or fifty, with a slightly wretched countenance.

Is this him?

The people of the Mysterious Ice Palace were all momentarily stunned. Was this serious? Not only was his appearance unimpressive, but he also emanated a barely-concealable, disreputable aura, hardly matching the air of a proud elite.

Even Master Binglan showed a flicker of doubt in her beautiful eyes. This was Changchun’s chosen one?

“Isn’t this Senior Brother Jinshan of Changchun Valley?”

Finally, someone recognized him.

Senior Brother Jinshan did not respond to the crowd but paid his respects to the sunrise, saying reverently, “Please come forth, Senior Brother Shouzhe.”

Then, over two hundred disciples from Changchun Valley shouted in unison, “Please come forth, Senior Brother Shouzhe.” The earth-shattering thunderous echo seemed to scatter many clouds in the sky overhead.

The people of the Mysterious Ice Palace were taken by surprise.

Then Wang Shouzhe slowly stepped forth, his face slightly flushed. This embarrassing introduction was not his idea, of course.

It was Senior Brother Jinshan who had suggested this grand entrance to Master Changchun. After considerable deliberation and adjustments by Master Changchun, it was finally approved.

In their words,

This being Changchun Valley’s first visit to the Mysterious Ice Palace, they must get the etiquette right, maintaining their elegant style.

Then Wang Shouzhe, following Master Changchun’s plan, paid his respects toward the sky, loudly announcing, “I, Wang Shouzhe, a disciple of the Changchun lineage, pay respects to Master Binglan.”

By now, Old Ancestor Longyan’s eyes had glazed over. This… hadn’t Shouzhe said he would keep a low profile for this trip to the Academic Palace?

While Master Binglan was caught in a moment of pause, considering the young man was not bad-looking, but wondered…

Before she could finish her thought,

A robust young boy from the new disciples of Mysterious Ice Palace jumped up excitedly, shouting, “Fourth Uncle, it’s you! It’s me, Zongsheng.”

Suddenly, the gazes of countless Mysterious Ice Palace disciples bore into him, as though they wanted to kill him right there.

Once Wang Zongsheng had time to react, he felt as if he had fallen into an ice pit.

Uh…

Would it be too late for me to switch clans now?

…