A Martial Odyssey

Chapter 32: The Joyful Goddess



The streets were dark and void of people as it was already past midnight. Only the moon and the stars were the only visible lights. There was an uneasy feeling in the atmosphere, a feeling of death and despair that caused everyone to avoid this street tonight.

But for Ding Yunzi, these dim lights were more than sufficient for her to move rapidly.

An old man with a white beard was walking quietly in the middle of the streets with a cane. He looked so fragile and harmless but he was the most deadly exponent of the Virtuous Palace, Yuan Shao.

Ding Yunzi walked quietly towards him as she said coolly, “My respects to Protégé Elder.”

Yuan Shao looked at her finery and her beautiful dress as he said, “I didn’t know that when you do dress up, you will be so beautiful.”

Ding Yunzi shifted uncomfortably as she replied, “Protégé Elder, you flatter me too much.”

Yuan Shao added, “This is the truth. You seem to have changed. You used to dress simple.”

Ding Yunzi was secretly alarmed but she maintained her composure.

Yuan Shao said coldly, “You have been missing for quite a while. Why didn’t you report your whereabouts to us? Where are Xiao Yuanjia and Xiao Youxue?”

Ding Yunzi replied coolly, “Both Xiao Yuanjia and Xiao Youxue had been killed. I didn’t report my activities because I do not have the chance to do so.”

Yuan Shao raised his eyebrows as he asked, “They are dead? Who has the formidable means to kill them? There isn’t anyone capable in the fraternity that can kill Xiao Yuanjia as far as I know. What about Xiao Youxue? You have better not lie to me or don’t blame for being ruthless.”

Ding Yunzi quietly said, “I wouldn’t dare, Protégé Elder. We have found Xiao Youxue and she was killed by Xiao Yuanjia.”

Yuan Shao nodded, “Indeed, Xiao Youxue isn’t Xiao Yuanjia’s match. Where is her body? Dead or alive, we must have her body. You shouldn’t know it is very important to us.”

Ding Yunzi said, “Unfortunately, I am intercepted by a powerful opponent and have to give her the body. It is only feigning to be submissive to her that I am still alive to this day.”

Yuan Shao stared sternly at Ding Yunzi causing her to tremble as he said coldly, “You are not weak either. There is hardly anyone in the fraternity that can fight Xiao Yuanjia and you at the same time.”

Ding Yunzi shook her head, “Protégé Elder you are wrong. This time round, we have met our match. The powerful opponent that we have met is a young maiden by the name of Lie Qing.”

Yuan Shao said coldly, “Xiao Yuanjia and you will lose to a young maiden?”

Ding Yunzi protested softly, “This Lie Qing is no ordinary maiden. She has red eyes and knows the Divine Invincible Force, the most secretive skill of our clan.”

Even Yuan Shao was startled, “She really have red eyes and know the Divine Invincible Force?”

Ding Yunzi nodded, “And she has even eaten Xiao Youxue and Xiao Yuanjia while they are still alive. It is very horrible.”

Yuan Shao asked, “How did you manage to survive then?”

Ding Yunzi said, “I have asked her why she is sparing me but she simply says that she have no use of my intricate energy yet.”

All of a sudden, Yuan Shao raised his cane and swung against her!

Ding Yunzi raised her scabbard to block it. She took five steps backward as the martial force of Yuan Shao was simply too strong for her. She quickly asked, “Protégé Elder, why did you…?”

Yuan Shao said, “I have almost believe you but unfortunately, your story have too many loopholes. You have dared to betray the Virtuous Palace.”

Ding Yunzi asked, “Huh?!”

Yuan Shao said, “Firstly, you know very well that I am coming yet you did not attempt to lure them to me. Secondly, if that Lie Qing is as formidable as you have claimed, she would have confronted me. Thirdly, you are not a good liar...”

Before he could finish, Ding Yunzi had already drawn out her long sword quietly and threw it into a flying sword towards him!

But Yuan Shao simply caught her sword with his bare hand and threw it back at her again!

Lie Qing had barely dodged her own sword as it flew past her, smashing through the walls!

All of a sudden, she paralyzed in fear. It was as though Yuan Shao had already pointed his cane at her throat!

To the observers, Yuan Shao was still a good distance from Ding Yunzi but to Ding Yunzi, she knew that she was going to die. It was because even before Yuan Shao had moved towards her, he had already extended his invisible sword intentions at her, paralyzing her!

No matter in which direction that she could move to, she could not escape from his invisible sword intentions!

She broke into a cold sweat.

All of a sudden, she could move again as the invisible sword intentions seemingly disappeared! Ding Yunzi quickly leapt backward to a safer distance!

Yuan Shao mused, “There is another exponent here that can lift my sword intentions here?” He was looking at the other end of the street as a man walked quietly towards him, emitting cold sword energies in all directions.

Ding Yunzi gasped, “Tianyi, why are you here? Leave now! You are not his match!”

Zuo Tianyi said coolly, “Yunzi, are you alright?”

Ding Yunzi nodded as she said, “Quickly leave. I will hold him back. You are not his match.”

Yuan Shao said coldly, “Tianyi? So you are the new protégé master of the Infinity Sword Clan? Not bad. At your young age, you have actually attained the divine state of the invisible sword energy. You deserve to be killed by me then.”

Zuo Tianyi smirked coldly, “The fight has not even starts and the outcome is uncertain so don’t be too sure yet.”

Even though he was saying that but the malevolent presence of Yuan Shao was too overpowering and he was extremely nervous. Even walking towards Yuan Shao and speaking in his presence took considerable effort.

Yuan Shao asked, “So you want to challenge me alone or together with Yunzi?”

Zuo Tianyi said, “This is a duel between two swordsmen. Of course it will be just me.”

Ding Yunzi said quickly, “No! We will fight you together.”

She quickly turned to Zuo Tianyi to say, “Tianyi, don’t be foolish. We are not in his league. He has already reached the stage of ‘Unison with the Sword’ and can use anything as a weapon!”

Zuo Tianyi did not seem to hear as he had already charged towards Yuan Shao with his long sword that was beaming with the blue glow of sword energy!

Ding Yunzi immediately ran after him and threw her scabbard at Yuan Shao while she drew her foldable sword from around her waist!

Yuan Shao simply moved aside slightly as the flying scabbard flew past him! As he evaded the flying scabbard, Zuo Tianyi and Ding Yunzi had already unleashed dozens of sword strokes against him!

As Zuo Tianyi and Ding Yunzi unleashed their barrages of attacks, Yuan Shao simply whirled his cane as a shield in front of him. As he whirled his cane, piercing cold sword energies began to burst through the whirling cane and thrusting at both of them!

Zuo Tianyi was startled as he got stabbed in his shoulder and chest while Ding Yunzi was stabbed in her shoulder too!

Zuo Tianyi was astonished that this old man could defend and attacked at the same time. The weird thing was that he could not see the attack coming and could not guard against it!

Ding Yunzi said quietly, “Tianyi, some of the attacks are Illusions and is formed by his invisible sword intentions. Don’t be fooled by it…”

Even as she had said it, Yuan Shao had stabbed the both of them with his left fingers and grievous injured both of them at the same time. Barely a few seconds after they had both attacked, they were now wriggling on the ground in agony!

Yuan Shao said coldly, “This isn’t even a duel at all. Beg me for mercy and I will consider sparing you.”

Zuo Tianyi broke into cold sweat as he shouted angrily, “Over my dead body!”

Barely had he said that, Yuan Shao had stabbed him with his cane on his right leg and left arm! Zuo Tianyi gritted his teeth but refused to beg for mercy.

Zuo Tianyi was in utter disbelief as he thought, “My Infinity-Two swordplay…unless he has seen my swordplay before, it is impossible for him to break it so fast. How did I get hit by his fingers? That’s impossible…”

Ding Yunzi was fatally struck by Yuan Shao’s sword finger and she was in a daze. She could only mutter weakly, “Protégé Elder, don’t hurt him…He’s the protégé master of the Infinity Sword Clan and…”

Yuan Shao interrupted coldly, “Do you think that the Virtuous Palace fears the Infinity Sword Clan or any other martial clans in the fraternity?”

All of a sudden, a young man in white appeared in front of him quietly and lifted both Zuo Tianyi and Ding Yunzi to their feet!

Both Zuo Tianyi and Ding Yunzi gasped at the same time, “Yi Ping!”

Yi Ping said, “Tianyi and Yunzi, your injuries are not light. Meet me at the designated place. I will hold off this Yuan Shao for the time being.”

Yuan Shao began to appraise this young man who had appeared so quietly and seemingly displayed no fear whatever so in his presence! In all his years, he had never seen a young man with his righteous air and magnetism.

Ding Yunzi smiled weakly, “Yi Ping, you are also here? Leave us alone. You…are not his match.”

Yi Ping said, “Yunzi, don’t worry about me. Go now please.”

Even though Yi Ping appeared to be composed but he was filled with rage. After losing his temper so many times, he had finally understood the need to control his emotions or he would surely lose even before the fight starts. After learning the Absolute Spirits, he had finally learnt when to suppress his raging emotions even though deep within him, he could not forgive this Yuan Shao for hurting Ding Yunzi and Zuo Tianyi so grievously!

Yuan Shao said coldly, “Do you think that I am invisible?”

Yi Ping hummed coldly, “I’m sure a highly regarded senior with your state of divinity would not attack me first or else you will ruin your practice.”

Yuan Shao said, “You are so sure?”

Yi Ping nodded, “I am sure.”

Yuan Shao laughed coldly, “Where is your weapon?”

Yi Ping said, “I am afraid that I am not good with weapons and preferring to fight with my bare hands.”

Yuan Shao said coldly, “Very good. I will first dispatch you first then I will skin them alive.”

Yi Ping raised his hands in a defensive posture as he turned to Zuo Tianyi and Ding Yunzi to say, “Run now or my sacrifice will be in vain.”

Ding Yunzi looked at Yi Ping tearfully for a while before she ran off. She did not even say a single good bye to Yi Ping or Zuo Tianyi!

She was in fact crying in her heart as she thought sorrowfully, “Yi Ping, the only way to save you is to revive Lie Qing. The only way to revive her quickly is to let her drain my intricate energy…if you can sacrifice for us, I can also sacrifice for you and will not let you die in vain.”

Zuo Tianyi was stunned but he quickly said to Yi Ping, “I will avenge for you in the future. I will never forget you…”

Yi Ping nodded as he watched Zuo Tianyi staggered across the streets until he disappeared from view.

Yuan Shao said to Yi Ping coldly, “Your friends have a head start now. Surely you are not thinking of remaining in that posture until dawn?”

Yi Ping smiled weakly, “You are so smart. How do you know?”

Yuan Shao laughed coldly, “I can tell you that this ruse has been repeated too many times in my presence. I would advise you to make your move now or don’t blame me for not giving you a chance to display your techniques.”

Yi Ping said, “Junior name is Yi Ping, I make my move then.”

As Yi Ping raised his martial power, Yuan Shao did not idle either.

The malevolent aura around Yuan Shao intensified as he sent his invisible sword intentions seemingly like daggers around Yi Ping!

But to the surprise of Yuan Shao, he did not seem to sense any fear in Yi Ping. Instead, he could sense only absolute calmness. Even Zuo Tianyi who had suppressed his malevolent sword intentions with his sword energy was not wholly unaffected.

As Yuan Shao waited, he sent another invisible sword intention with his willpower through Yi Ping. But to his surprise, he sensed another invisible force blocking his invisible sword intention!

He thought, “That’s impossible. This young man looks harmless. Unlike Zuo Tianyi, he has either sword energy or my invisible sword intentions, how the heck can he stand there unaffected?”

Yuan Shao did not know that Yi Ping had fortified his fighting spirit with the Absolute Spirits Intricate Recite and even though he had suffered many setbacks but he was a naturally fearless young man. Moreover, protected by the Icy Heavenly Tears, what little remains of the malicious malevolent intentions of Yuan Shao were completed neutralized.

Yuan Shao said slowly, “Why are you waiting for? I am still waiting.”

Yi Ping said, “I have already made my move. Now we are even. Senior, you can attack now.”

Yuan Shao said, “You have made your move?”

Yi Ping said, “I have raised my martial power. If Senior did not want to attack me, then I will take my leave.”

Yuan Shao was secretly startled, “Did he know who I am? Raising his martial power is considered making a move? If he thinks that I am just an old man, then he must be greatly mistaken. Very well then, I will teach him a lesson that he will never forget by cutting off all his limbs.”

All of a sudden, Yuan Shao had attacked Yi Ping!

Even though he looked frail and was walking with a cane, when he attacked, he was like barrage of arrows raining blows after blows at Yi Ping.

Yi Ping was astonished. This old man strokes were so fast that he could barely keep up; Yuan Shao strokes were intriguing and formless. It was as though he was fighting against an empty space. He lifted himself with the ‘Cloud Evading Skill’ and forced to rotate in mid-air as the old man was using a combination of hard and soft stances to neutralize his Divine Horizon Hands!

Yuan Shao was startled as he thought, “Is this the Divine Horizon Hands? I remembered a long time ago I have lost to this skill. Interesting…”

Yi Ping had to use the ‘Absolute Spirits Intricate Formula’ to follow Yuan Shao strokes; he was defending more and less on attack.

Yuan Shao moves were weird and for every ten strokes that he had unleashed, he could strike Yi Ping with a soft stance that forced Yi Ping to waste even more of his vital breath and energy to neutralize the incoming force.

Yi Ping thought, “This old man, he is forcing me to create an opening for his strokes but I have yet to even land a blow on him or see any opening. This is not going to be good.”

Yuan Shao was actually groaning. It was because he was expecting Yi Ping to be onto the ground in no more than twenty strokes! But more than two hundred strokes had passed in a blink of an eye! He was actually thinking, “This young man actually possesses such a deep foundation in martial power, internal strength and mental fortitude…he is such a rare talent…”

Yi Ping lifted another bout of vital breath with the ‘Divine Revelation’ and lifted his internal strength with the ‘Absolute Spirits Intricate Formula’ in concert with the Divine Horizon Strokes and the Cloud Evading Skill.

Yuan Shao said, “Weird. It is as though you have seen my kind of attack before?!”

It was because months ago, Xiao Youxue had secretly instructed him against such a martial art.

Xiao Youxue had said to him, “Besides hard and soft aspects of martial arts, there are also formless and energy aspects of the arts. You ought to spar with me to discover a way to break it or to understand it. Then you will not be disadvantage in a real fight with a top exponent.”

That was why when Yi Ping sparred with Yuan Shao, he did not give way to panic. Instead he maintained his composure as he moved his hands in a circular movement to guard against his attacks by using the twenty-one stance of the ‘Divine Horizon Hand’, the ‘Circular Defense Stance’; neutralizing the furious thrust of the old man lashing cane or else even if he had ten lives, he could not even deflect the cane without harm.

Yuan Shao said, “So you can still see my movements, am I right? Then how about this?” All of a sudden, he took his cane and poked it towards Yi Ping. The cane attack was so fast that it disappeared!

Yi Ping was startled. He was already concentrating all his focus to follow the old man’s movements. He had thought that the old man was almost at his limit and yet he could still increase his attacking speed!

Yi Ping could no longer follow the movements of the cane or the strokes of the old man as he blocked and evade through sheer pure instinct.

In that quick instant, Yi Ping was poked more than ten times and he was suffering from excessive bleeding but he refused to give up as he kept on fighting!

Yuan Shao was secretly startled as he thought, “Is this young man a monster and can feel no pain? Even a good fighter will have fallen by now. However time is on my side.”

Indeed, Yi Ping was sweating profusely and was panting heavily. He was now drowsy and exhausted from keeping pace with the movements of the old man attacks and from neutralizing his attacks.

Yuan Shao said, “I want to say to you that conviction alone is not enough to win. Martial skills and techniques that only come with experiences are the only things that are important in a real fight.” As he said, he had struck Yi Ping across the face with the cane and thrust it twice into his shoulder at the same time!

Yi Ping was forced to step back but before he could regain his balance, Yuan Shao had struck him with a forceful palm on the chest!

Yi Ping was sent flying across the street in a horrifying crash as he smashed against the street walls!

Yuan Shao asked coldly, “Are you painful? Can you still fight?”

Yi Ping wiped away the blood from his mouth as he mustered all his strength to say, “I…am not…dead yet…”

Yuan Shao laughed, “Very good. I am not yet done yet!”

Yi Ping could barely stand up as he clenched his fists. He knew very well that this old man was toying with him. The differences in their skills were too vast. He tried to muster his martial power but his entire body was trembling hard and he could not muster his strength anymore!

Even though Yuan Shao was jeering at Yi Ping but he was also astonished at his endurance as he thought, “A lesser mortal will have fallen by now and he can still stand? It is a pity to kill such a young man. But if I don’t kill him today, he may be a thorn to us in the future…”

“Isn’t that enough already? Isn’t that too gory already? Why don’t you stay your hand and let him go?” A gentle voice said.

Yuan Shao was startled. Someone else was in the vicinity and he did not know?

Yi Ping and Yuan Shao looked up and saw a stunning maiden with long silver hair and dressed in a long red dress walking quietly towards him.

When Yuan Shao saw her eyes, he was startled for her eyes were glowing red!

In her long white slender right hand, she was wielding a long heavy black scythe as though its weight meant nothing to her.

Yuan Shao asked, “Who are you? And where did you come from?”

The mysterious silver hair maiden said coolly, “I am trying to sleep but it is getting really noisy. That is why I am here to take a look.”

Yuan Shao smiled bitterly. Even if there were ordinary folks around, his malevolent aura would have caused them to lose their consciousness or develop fearful delusions. The only persons that would dare to come here were those that had extraordinary willpower or superior state of divinity.

Yuan Shao stabbed his cane onto the ground and immediately the ground beneath his cane exploded thunderous as it collapsed three inches underneath!

Yi Ping was stunned at the martial power display of this old man! He thought, “He isn’t serious earlier?” All of a sudden, he remembered Xiao Youxue’s martial power implosion techniques.

Yuan Shao said, “I have thought that the red-eyes humans are just a mythology. I have never expected to find one today. Just who are you?”

The silver hair maiden smiled at Yi Ping and Yuan Shao as she swung her long scythe in a playful manner, even as she continued to walk towards them.

Yuan Shao was solemn. This silver hair maiden did not seem to fear his martial power. He slowly put his cane in front of him and lifted its lid, revealing a thin razor long sword!

Immediately, the killing malevolent aura in the area intensified and Yi Ping could feel a suffocating presence even as he struggled with his Absolute Spirits! He was forced to step back until his body rested on the wall!

Actually his Absolute Spirits were the most epitome intricate heart formula that could resist the most deadly killing malevolent but in his weakened state, Yi Ping chose to step back to steady himself.

The silver hair maiden smiled, “I should be the one asking who you are first. But anyway, my fraternity name is the Joyful Goddess and from the Celestial Palace. I presume that you are from the Virtuous Palace?”

Yuan Shao said coldly, “Indeed. Yuan Shao is my name.”

The Joyful Goddess smiled happily, “That is great. I have heard that the Honor Manor and the Virtuous Palace is attacking the Celestial Palace?”

Yuan Shao nodded slowly, “That’s right. We are here to wipe you demons out.”

The Joyful Goddess clapped her hands, “Very good. We will be expecting you.”

She turned to look at Yi Ping curiously, “Are you Yi Ping?”

Yi Ping was startled as he thought, “She knows me? I do not know her…” But he replied nevertheless, “Yes, I am Yi Ping.”

The Joyful Goddess smiled, “Good. I am here just in time. Maiden Ji has asked me to fetch you. There should be two others as well. Alas, I can’t be bothered. At least I have found one.”

Yi Ping was startled, “You know Lingfeng?”

The Joyful Goddess said, “I do. She is the Holy Maiden of the Celes…”

Yuan Shao interrupted coldly, “Do you think you can leave this place alive?”

The Joyful Goddess said, “Why can’t I?”

Yuan Shao said, “It is because my sword has already been drawn. Without tasting your blood, I will not sheathe my sword.”

The Joyful Goddess pointed at Yi Ping as she said, “You can stab your sword into him. I don’t mind at all. But I am afraid of pain if you do want to stab me…”

Yi Ping was stunned as he thought, “If Yuan Shao stabs me, I’ll be dead and she is asking him to do so…”

Before she had even finished speaking, Yuan Shao had leapt towards her!

The Joyful Goddess was not slow to react as she swung her long scythe as dozens of brilliant lights sparkle and shrieked across the mid-air in just an instance!

Yi Ping stared in fascination as their stances and strokes flashed in his eyes as he muttered, “So these are the superior swordplay…”

In three successive instances, they had already exchanged more than one hundred strokes!

Yi Ping’s heart began to beat very fast as he immersed in the fascinating sight as he thought, “If I shift my stance in that direction and displayed the Divine Horizon Hands or Swordplay…”

All of a sudden, the Joyful Goddess flew towards him and interrupted his thoughts as she grabbed him, “Come!”

Yuan Shao wanted to chase her but she was simply too swift. He had never seen her type of swiftness movement skill before but it was very similar to the Fairy Breezes swiftness skill of the Holy Hex Sect.

So he could only watch her disappeared from view with Yi Ping even as the Joyful Goddess laughed softly, “Old man, I don’t want to fight you yet because I have need of your blood later. And this young man’s blood may be even more precious than yours. If you need my help with the Divine Calamity, I can help you.”

Yuan Shao was solemn as he thought, “Weird. It seems that she didn’t have the Invincible Divine Force and seem reluctant to spar directly with me with her internal strength. If she did, I will be able to use my Intricate Reversal Divine Skill to drain her intricate energy instead. Have Xiao Shuai and I miscalculated or missing something...?”



Ch32 End
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Chapter 34: True Friends



As Zuo Tianyi was kissing and holding Ding Yunzi, Ding Yunzi eyes had fluttered as she cried out in tears weakly, “Tianyi, don’t! The Infinity Sword Clan is a reputable clan. You will only be degrading you and me as well…”

As Zuo Tianyi was kissing Yunzi violently, an alluring voice shouted at him. “You’re a beast! You did such a disgraceful thing and say that to her!?”

It was Ji Lingfeng and she had attacked him with multiple flying projectiles!

Zuo Tianyi drawn out his long sword deflected all the flying projectiles to one side. But even before he could recover from his initial surprise, two beautiful maidens in black long velvet dresses were attacking him, causing him to take several steps backward!

He recognized them as the twin sisters, Shui Yujian and Meijian!

He was startled as he thought, “Shouldn’t they be at the seven miles pavilion?”

At the same time, Lie Qing was besides Ding Yunzi in a flash and had covered her with a cloak as she smiled weakly at her, “Don’t shed a tear for this wolf in sheep clothing. I will help you…”

Even as Zuo Tianyi raised his earthshaking swordplay against Shui Yujian, Shui Meijian and Ji Lingfeng, they were joined by Gongsun Jing, Qiu Wufeng and Nangong Le!

Gongsun Jing had a blazing flame in his eyes as he shouted angrily, “After what you did to her, you still have the cheek to beat her. You are worse than a beast!”

Even Nangong Le was clenching his fists as he said, “I may be a playboy but I have never forced myself on anyone.”

Zuo Tianyi said coldly, “Is there a difference between the two of us? Just because you are rich, you think of yourself as nobler as me?”

Qiu Wufeng said angrily, “I thought that you have more honor that that. The protégé master of the Infinity Sword Clan is nothing but a beast. When this spreads out in the fraternity, I will like to see how you are going to defend yourself!”

Zuo Tianyi hummed coldly, “No one in the fraternity will believe anyone of you. It is because in their eyes, you are all villains and untrustworthy people.”

Ji Lingfeng said coldly, “Humph! I have thought that you are a good guy when we first met. How are you able to face the Old Sword Saint and all your clan ancestors in the netherworld?”

Zuo Tianyi said coldly, “My swordplay is not weak. If you are all thinking that you have a chance against me, think again. The Celestial Fairy isn’t here while Yunzi and Lie Qing are injured. Even though I am injured but whom among you other than Yi Ping have a chance against my Infinity-Two Swordplay?”

It was true. Zuo Tianyi’s swordplay was indeed frightening!

Shui Yujian said melancholy, “Where is our Master Yi Ping?”

Zuo Tianyi laughed coldly, “I am afraid that he is now a dead man now.”

Shui Meijian immediately staggered a step backward and fainted as her precious sword dropped to the ground!

Shui Yujian gasped as she caught hold of her before she fainted on the ground, “Mei’Er, Mei’Er…”

Lie Qing got up and she was trembling as she stared at Zuo Tianyi.

Zuo Tianyi said, “But today I am not in a good mood of killing and because earlier, we are all still drinking together, I decide to spare all your lives instead. But if anyone of you dares to follow me, don’t blame me for being merciless.”

Without a word more, Zuo Tianyi walked away.

Ding Yunzi bitterly said, “Let him go. I don’t ever want to see him again.”

The group could only stare in utter silence as they watched Zuo Tianyi walked off.

It was because they still had something very important in mind and that was to look for Yi Ping immediately!

Lie Qing held onto Ding Yunzi tightly as she comforted her with her eyes.

Ding Yunzi cried tearfully in her embrace, “Why are you all here?”

Ji Lingfeng looked at Lie Qing…

Halfway towards the Seven Mile Pavilion, Lie Qing had regained her consciousness.

The first thing she had asked was, “Where is Yi Ping?”

When everyone explained the situation to her, Lie Qing began to walk towards the city, stunning everyone!

Shui Yujian said, “Where are you going? Master has asked us to wait there for us. You only distract him and hinder him if you are going there.”

Ji Lingfeng said, “I have already asked the Celestial Envoy to take a look. Let’s go to somewhere safer first.”

Lie Qing said coolly, “If Yi Ping dies I don’t want to live either. I owe my life to him. Even if I cannot help him, I will want to die besides him.”

As she begun to walk off, Shui Meijian was besides her in an instant, “You are Maiden Lie Qing?”

Lie Qing nodded, “We have already been introduced.”

Shui Meijian smiled, “Good. I will go with you. If Yi Ping dies, I don’t want to live either too. It is good to know a good friend before I die. Can I call you Sister Lie Qing?”

Lie Qing smiled, “Sure, let’s us go now…”

But before she had finished, Ji Lingfeng and Shui Yujian were also besides her as they said at the same time, “Sister Lie Qing! We will go with you!”

Even Nangong Le sighed, “I don’t mind dying as long as there are beauties accompanying me. I will go too.”

Qiu Wufeng laughed aloud, “I may be a coward but tonight I dare to say that I am not!”

Gongsun Jing said poetically, “Living is for a worthy cause. When dying for a worthy case, it is to build an everlasting name for ourselves. Let’s us go. Even if he is a top exponent, he would not be unscathed in a fight with us. At most, we will all die with him too!”

In the meantime elsewhere….

Yi Ping carried the Joyful Goddess on his back as he made his way in the dark. He was astonished at the heavy weight of her long black scythe.

Lele was astonished at Yi Ping’s endurance and stamina. He had been carrying her for an hour. At first she was reluctant to let him carry her because he was seriously injured too. But Yi Ping was worried that Yuan Shao would catch up with them, so he gritted his teeth and endured his agonizing pain as he carried her on his back.

Lele asked him, “Are you sure you are alright? Your wounds…”

Yi Ping was touched at her gesture as he said, “My wounds have stopped bleeding already.”

Lele was startled as she reached out to touch his wounds, “You can heal so fast?”

Yi Ping smiled weakly, “I don’t know. I seem to have taken some miracle pills previously.”

Lele asked, “Such as?”

Yi Ping said, “The Golden Rejuvenation Pill…”

Lele gasped, “You mean, you have actually consumed it?!”

Yi Ping was puzzled as he said, “That’s right.”

Lele looked at him in envy as she said, “That is an extremely rare precious divine pill and will be beneficial to me…no wonder your blood tastes so good…”

She could still remember the furious fraternity storm and how countless number of pugilists had perished fighting over the whereabouts of these Golden Rejuvenation Pills…

Yi Ping shivered as he smiled bitterly, “Surely you are not thinking what I am thinking?”

Lele smiled weakly, “If you don’t tell me, how I am supposed to know?”

Yi Ping gulped, “Are you thinking of eating me alive?” It was because he had suddenly remembered why Xiao Shuai wanted Xiao Youxue for.

Lele smiled mysteriously, “You are so smart. Do you think I will let you off so easily? Your still beating heart when consumed can boast my internal strength. Perhaps it may alleviate me from my sufferings. So I will definitely not spare you…”

All of a sudden, Lele cried out. “Look out!”

It was because Yi Ping was distracted by her creeping words that he was not looking in front of him and it was also dark. He had missed his footing and to his horror, he had plunged down a bottomless ravine with her!

Lele was horrified as she cried out fearfully, “That old man didn’t kill me…you did! I cannot believe that I will die in such an unnatural manner…”

They had both taken down a great plunge down the ravine.

Yi Ping was surprising calm as he thought, “Yixian, I have come to join you now. Youxue, please forgive me. Lingfeng, I hope you can live well. Yunzi, I hope you escape from Yuan Shao…”

Before he could finish, he had plunged into a cold icy lake with Lele!

Yi Ping was startled as he took the cold plunge and he was struggling wildly in the icy waters, grabbing anything he could catch hold of and that included Lele!

Lele cried out, “Stop it. Stop struggling. I will save you…stop struggling! You land tortoise, you don’t know how to swim!”

Yi Ping was drowning and he could not really hear what Lele was trying to say to him as he had already given in to panic! He had thought that the more he could struggle; he could keep himself alive…

As Lele swam towards him and caught hold of him, Yi Ping accidentally punched her on her face! She was so stunned and annoyed that she thought she thought of giving him a tight slap when Yi Ping had pulled and torn her dress!

She immediately flustered and at the same time was so infuriated that she actually forgot her agonizing pain as she slapped Yi Ping across his face several times! She did not really count how many times she had slapped him for she was so furious. It was the first time that a man had seen her in the nude.

What little good impression that was left for Yi Ping had totally vanished as her eyes turned murderous.

But when she saw Yi Ping had lost consciousness, her eyes softened and she thought that he was actually cute. She quietly sighed, gathered her clothing and pulled him close to her as she flushed shyly, “I am the Joyous Goddess. I shouldn’t lose my temper so quickly. That is so unbecoming of me. When he has awakened, I will put on a happy expression while I slice him alive.”

The more she mused on it, the happier she was and the more determined she had decided that was to be that outcome.

Lele took another look at Yi Ping before she sighed again, “I have beaten him up so badly that his face is now almost unrecognizable. Maybe I should wait for him to recover first? He should recover fast enough. Then I shall surprise him by slicing his flesh piece by piece for offending me while luring him into a false sense of security?”

She wrestled with her thoughts for a while before she happily exclaimed, “Haiz, I am the Joyous Goddess and have a reputation to maintain. So count yourself lucky today.”

She smiled weakly, “But first I got to pump the water out of his chest first.” She clapped his chest with a loud impact as Yi Ping threw out the water before she fainted from exhaustion on the bank of the lake.

Yi Ping had regained his consciousness and was in a daze. He could not remember very much what had happened. He remembered that he was drowning and when he was near his end, Lele appeared in front of him and had pulled him.

Immediately, his heart was filled with gratuity as he thought, “She has saved my life once again. She is a good maiden…”

As he turned around, he was stunned and his eyes almost popped out. Lele was lying just besides him and she was half naked. Yi Ping smiled bitterly as he thought, “Even though I don’t know where she comes from but she is a little too liberal.”

He quickly looked around and saw her clothing. He quickly got up on his feet as he grabbed her clothing. Just when he had grabbed her clothing and was trying to cover her clumsily as he averted his eyes, he had suddenly sensed a malevolent air.

He hastily turned his eyes around and saw Lele looking at him as she said, “You…lecher! What are you trying to do?!”

Yi Ping immediately dropped her clothing as he stammered, “I…I…I am just trying to cover you…”

Lele’s silent tears began to roll down her face as she trembled uncontrollably, “Do you know that a maiden’s chastity is her most precious thing? Yet, you did such a despicable thing. If I can muster my strength, I will surely kill you right away.”

The thought of being violated by a stranger was too much for her to bear. She began to sob uncontrollably as she could not imagine what Yi Ping had done to her while she had fainted.

She grabbed her clothing with trembling hands and quickly covered herself while staring at Yi Ping with her vacant eyes.

Yi Ping was immediately filled with an utter inconsolable sentiment for her as he quickly said, “I really did not do anything. I just wake up and it is already like this…”

Her tears did not cease at all even as she said melancholy, “What do you mean by it is already like this? You…after taking advantage of me, can still say such lame things? I…will never forgive you, never!”

Yi Ping really did not know what to say. He did not even know what was happening and his mind was still in a complete blank and shock! This time, he was pretty sure that he was not drunk as he thought bitterly, “If she wants to take my life, I am resigned to my fate. I have already seen too much of what I shouldn’t have seen. Alas…why am I so unlucky?”

As soon as Lele covered herself, she took a broad stride towards Yi Ping and gave him a tight slap!

Her slap was not light as Yi Ping was sent flying off backward!

She immediately looked around for her long black scythe as she lifted it up expertly with her slender fingers as she looked murderous at Yi Ping.

Just as she took another step, Yi Ping was startled as he said. “Lele, you…”

Lele said coldly, “Do you think you deserve to call me by my name? Call me the Joyous Goddess. So you want to beg for mercy now? Then you shouldn’t have begun with what you did.”

Yi Ping broke into a cold sweat as he said nervously, “I know I deserve to die but I really do not know what has happened…I really don’t know. But you…”

Lele said coldly, “Call me the Joyous Goddess. I do have a name.”

Yi Ping smiled bitterly as he said, “Joyous Goddess, you can move now? Your injuries are healed?”

Lele was startled as she immediately touched her abdomen as she thought, “Weird. My wounds have healed.”

She turned and looked at Yi Ping and noticed that his injuries on his face had also faded as she thought, “This icy lake is able to treat injuries?”

Once she had composed herself and was glad that her injuries had healed, she begun to look at Yi Ping intently as she thought, “He has violated me. No matter, I have to slice him to pieces or else it is hard to stomach my rage.”

But when she looked at Yi Ping benevolent expression and the righteous air around him, her heart beat escalated and her fingers were actually trembling. She thought, “Did I make a mistake?”

She tried hard to remember what had happened. All of a sudden, she gasped as she took a step back as she recalled silently, “I have fainted before I cloth myself…”

Lele was confused as she said silently to herself, “This Yi Ping may be your nemesis. You have never been injured so grievously before. The first time you have met him, you have sustained a terrible wound. Next, you almost die with him when you fall into the deep ravine. Why is your luck so down when you are with him? You hate him but why your heart hesitates to kill him immediately?”

She softened her gaze shyly as she lowered her scythe, “Did you or did you not violate me?”

Yi Ping said, “I really did not. I can swear to the heavens…”

Lele interrupted, “You lie…and you have just sworn to the heavens…”

Yi Ping was startled, “I did? I did not…”

Lele said coldly, “You still dare to deny. You have violated me with your eyes and you have looked at me lustfully…”

Yi Ping smiled bitterly as he thought, “If I violated you with my thoughts, then it is counted too?”

Lele said, “You must be thinking that if you violated me with my thoughts, is it counted too? Of course it does, no matter what forms it takes.”

Yi Ping was startled, “You can read my thoughts?!”

Lele said coldly, “So you admit that you have violated me with your thoughts?”

Yi Ping was stunned. The more explanations that he had given, the murkier was the pool!

Lele sighed softly as she said, “From now on, I will follow you and you will follow me. We are a couple now. You have destroyed my honor, surely you are not thinking of shrinking from what you did?”

Yi Ping was startled as he muttered in utter confusion, “I have destroyed her honor…I’m a rascal. But I don’t know what is really happening. Why is she not wearing anything earlier?”

He quickly said, “Joyful Goddess, I am not a good man and there are too many entangle romances that are giving me the headache already…”

Lele interrupted, “Lele! You forget that Lele is my name.”

Yi Ping smiled bitterly, “Lele then…listen to me…”

Lele smiled at him, “Very well, let settle this then. From now on, you will be my consort. Where I go, you will follow me. As for your troublesome entangle whatever romances, I will help you to severe it. Anyone that tries to get close to you will have to first endure my wrath.”

Yi Ping quickly said, “I didn’t agree. They are my friends…”

Lele looked at him melancholy as her tears flowed down silently, “You…you…are such a heartless man. I have pledged myself to you and yet you keep rejecting my advances. Am I wrong? You are the one that have violated me and you didn’t want to be my consort…”

Yi Ping was startled, “I mean, I don’t want you to hurt them and why must I be your consort? I have never heard of a man becoming a consort to a woman…”

Lele looked at him with hurtful eyes, “You don’t want to be my consort, very well then I will be your consort!”

Yi Ping was feeling dazed. Somehow she did not seem to understand what he was trying to say or she did not even bother to try to know.

As he tried to protest once again, she had flown into his embrace as she smiled blissfully, “Yi Ping…”

When he looked into her eyes, his vision became a blur as she kissed him gently…

Lele said slowly in an enticing manner, “From now on, your heart belongs to me only. You shall think of no other maidens. You only have me in your heart and you will love me whole-heartedly…”

All of a sudden, Yi Ping sensed that something was amiss as his entire body became weak; his strength had departed from him and he could not focus anymore. He tried to shake his head furiously but his mind was completely blank!

Lele was kissing him nervously and her fingers in his body. The very next thing he could remember was that he was not wearing anything and Lele was shyly removing her own clothes. Before he knew what was happening, he had passed out.

When Yi Ping regained his consciousness with a throbbing headache, he could sniff the sweet fragrance scent of Lele who was lying beside him. She was naked and was saying shyly to him, “You have awakened? From now on, we are a couple. You must love me wholeheartedly or I will be surely heartbroken. We can flee from the Celestial Palace…”

Yi Ping was horrified as he quickly pushed her to a side, stunning Lele.

Yi Ping shockingly asked, “We….you…you and I….I…no…we…did we…!?”

He had realized that they were totally naked and he was embracing Lele in an intimately manner.

Lele was equally stunned at Yi Ping’s expressions as she said with utter disbelief, “You…you…no, that is not supposed to happen…aren’t you under my…why are you still able to…”

Yi Ping quickly composed himself with the Absolute Spirits as he said nervously, “Lele, why are you not wearing anything?”

Lele was blushing so much that all she could say was, “You…are even worst. You are also not wearing anything!”

Yi Ping was dazzled and his face had turned totally red as he tried to cover himself as much as possible.

Lele had never expected her Bewitching Soul Seizing Skill to fail. It was because she had been extremely confident in her internal strength and her charms. Moreover this type of Bewitching Soul Seizing Skill was the highest order in mesmerizing that requires her to sacrifice her very own chastity. Unless she reversed it, Yi Ping would be totally enthralled by her and be obedient to her. The bad part of this skill was that the enthralled person would lose their free will and would not be their normal self again. The objective of this skill was to cause utter obedient in the target.

So imagine Lele’s surprise as she said with shock, “You not supposed to be surprised…”

Lele did not know that there was another person that knew the Bewitching Soul Seizing Skill and that was Lie Qing. Lie Qing’s mastery of this long lost skill was even more astonishing than her. She had been using her Bewitching Soul Seizing Skill on Yi Ping and Xiao Youxue subtly for months but it would always fail on them.

It was because the both of them had already attained past the stage of ‘Indestructible Will’ of the Absolute Spirits. Therefore no matter how much efforts Lie Qing tried to bend their wills to her, it would always fail. In the end, she gave up and had really fallen in love with Yi Ping.

Lele was overtly confident and had used the Bewitching Soul Seizing Skill on Yi Ping to capture his heart. It was because she did not really want to kill Yi Ping but was afraid of getting hurt. Therefore she would rather turn Yi Ping into her puppet than being rejected by him.

It was also her overtly confident that caused her to be fatally wounded by Yuan Shao.

In so short a time, her self-confident had suffered a huge plunge. She had never felt so low and vulnerable before, not since the time of the Divine Calamity. She had lost her chastity for nothing…

Yi Ping was even more startled as he had a sudden nose bled, “Lele…you better cover yourself because I am really surprise…”

Lele gasped as she quickly grabbed her clothes as her ears turned really red as she sobbed inconsolably, “I really need to dig a hole to hide myself. Look at what you have done…”

Her sorrows and distresses were so heartbreaking that Yi Ping was feeling extremely awkward and miserable.

Before Yi Ping had realized it, he was already pulling Lele’s hands and holding her in his embrace as he comforted her, “Don’t cry, Lele…”

Lele looked forlornly for a long time at Yi Ping with brimming eyes as she tightened her grip around him.



Ch34 End
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Chapter 36: The Secrets of the Celestial Palace



Ding Yun was already waiting for Yi Ping with two swords in her hands. One was a fine long sword while the other was a soft and thin sword.

Yi Ping was looking flustered as he made his way to her but looking at her right now, made him his heart raced even faster. He tried hard to control his heartbeat through the Divine Revelation Heart Intricacy Skill.

It was because Ding Yun had her hair braided into bun and a long left pony. Even though Ding Yun was not the most beautiful maiden that he had known but her quiet demeanor and her refined mannerism always sent his heart racing very hard.

In the past when he had suspected that she was Yixian’s killer, he was obsessed in searching for her to avenge for Yixian. However, he knew now that he was actually attracted to her for his heart never ceases to stop beating fast whenever he was with her. He had actually remembered all her little small gestures and expressions by heart.

He was really afraid to look into her dull expressionless eyes for it seemed to have a magical power that seemed to drawn him to her. He could not believe that he had actually had the tenacity to ask her to be his wife in a moment of anxiety to calm down her suicide tendency.

He sighed in his heart, “Lingfeng, Youxue, I am so sorry…There is still Meijian and Yujian. Alas, Yi Ping, what is wrong with you? You are just a heartless and unfaithful person, unfit to be a hero like your father. How am I going to explain to your father?”

But when he looked at Ding Yun again, his mind became flutter again and he thought, “Yi Ping, you are so lucky to be acquainted with her. As long as she doesn’t end her life prematurely and have calmed down in the future, you mustn’t hurt her and seriously take her as your wife or you will really be hurting her. Yixian now I know you are alive, I will surely look for you.”

Among all the maidens that he had known, only Shui Yixian was the only person that he had really feel strongly for and she was also his sanctioned wife since they had gone through the sacred marriage vows. And he had intended to keep his vows for her and looked for her as soon as possible for he had missed her sorely.

He had not expected that after he had left the Heavenly Mountains, he would have bumped into so many things. He had met Ji Lingfeng, his father and so many others. But his biggest headache was actually Lele. He did not really know how to explain to Yixian. Should he leave Yixian for her own good instead?

Yi Ping sighed again. He did not blame Yixian for hiding her own death from him. After all, she probably had her own difficulties and the Yixian that he had known, was a tender maiden and that she was probably doing it for his own good as well.

But he had instead betrayed her trust in him and had violated Shui Yujian and Meijian in his drunken stupor.

All of a sudden he thought, “What if Yixian knows what I did to Yu’Er and Mei’Er? Maybe that is why she doesn’t even want to see me…I am so sinful. Alas! Yixian, what have I done. You will never forgive me now. You have tried to wish me happiness and even appointed me as the protégé leader of the Eternal Ice Palace so that my daily needs can be taken care of. But I have betrayed your trust…”

Ding Yun looked keenly at him before she interrupted quietly, “You are late for practice. Where is Lele?”

Yi Ping stammered, “I…Lele, she is still washing by the pool.”

This ravine had many pools and streams.

He added quickly, “She says that the water here is miraculous and she did not want to leave any scar behind so she wants to dip in the pool a little longer.”

Ding Yun beamed gently, “The two of you seem to be enjoying frolicking in the pools every morning.”

Yi Ping turned completed red as he stammered with embarrassment, “She…she…”

Every morning, Lele would secretly grabbed Yi Ping and took him to an isolated spot.

In the wee morning while Yi Ping was still sleeping in the cave, Lele had woke him up by whispering to him, “Ping, I think I have found a way out. Can you come with me quietly?”

Yi Ping asked, “I go wake Yun’Er, wait for me…”

Lele smiled mysteriously, “No need. We just take a quick look first. There a huge rock blocking the path. I need your help to push the boulder aside. Come.”

Yi Ping yawned sleepily as he followed her.

Lele took him to an isolated place far from the cave as she eyed him nervously.

Yi Ping looked around the place as he asked, “Where is the boulder?”

Lele said softly, “There is only a pig here.”

Yi Ping was startled as he drew his long sword, “Where is the pig? That will make a fine meal.”

Lele was so agitated that she scolded him, “You are the pig, silly!”

Yi Ping was startled, “I am a pig?”

Lele said, “If you are not a pig, then who is?”

Yi Ping was surprised as he asked, “Lele, surely you are not asking me to come here just to call me a pig?”

Lele sighed, “You silly piggy. You don’t even know what I want?”

Yi Ping blinked his eyes as he exclaimed, “I’m sorry but the way out isn’t obvious to me. Yes, I am a pig but can you show me the boulder?”

Lele smiled bitterly as she sighed, “Why you….you are not romantic at all. Have you forgotten what we did last night?”

Yi Ping was flushing red as he stammered, “I…remember…”

Lele suddenly kissed him as she said, “So do you know what I want now?”

Normally Lele would not be so bold. It was because she had used the Bewitching Soul Seizing Skill on Yi Ping. While this skill had a powerful influence on others, this skill was actually a life and death contest between willpowers of the victim and the practitioner. So it was not to be used lightly. Even Lie Qing dared not used it beyond the initial probing.

But Lele had took the skill a step further as she was afraid of losing Yi Ping and letting herself be hurt. She was confident that a young man like Yi Ping would never have the state of divinity to resist the Bewitching Soul Seizing Skill. She was wrong and the skill backfired on her; instead of causing Yi Ping to be hopelessly smitten by her, she was smitten instead.

Of course, the very reason that she had dared to use the Bewitching Soul Seizing Skill to charm Yi Ping was that she genuinely liked Yi Ping in the first place.

Luckily, her state of divinity was strong enough to resist her own skill and the only negative effect was that it weakened her natural resistance, emboldening her fondness for Yi Ping.

Yi Ping was naturally a shy young man. He was electrified when Lele had suddenly kissed him lightly and his heartbeat raced nervously when he touched her soft body. He thought of pushing her away but it seemed that all his strength had departed from him and he was feeling awkwardly hot.

The fact that Lele was an extraordinary beauty weakened his resolute. She was not only glamorous but her dedicated softness caused him to be in a daze. And her fragrance was so delightful that it seemed to have a spell on him.

Yi Ping had never had this sensation and feeling before. He tried very hard to remember if he had this feeling with Yu’Er and Mei’Er before but the memory always eluded him. He had been dead drunk and could not remember a thing!

Before he had even realized it, he had seized Lele as they were kissing, rolling on the ground and undressing one another. He looked at Lele who was now blushing with shyness as he caressed her soft silken body. Her shyness was very obvious for she was very fair, as fair as Yixian, Yu’Er and Mei’Er.

Even though Yi Ping had met many beautiful maidens but this was the first time he had been consumed by lust and for the time being, there was nothing in his mind except for Lele.

Yi Ping was a sentimental person who felt strongly for kinship and friendship with a strong sense of righteousness. He would never take the first initiative to court Lele. But a series of extraordinary encounters and coincidences brought them together.

What they did not know was that they had lost their first time to one another too.

That was why they were now clumsily entangled in each other’s embrace as they learnt and experienced new sensations together.

Lele said softly, “You clumsy pig…”

Yi Ping said, “I never done this sort of thing before…”

Lele bit him on his shoulder hard as she said, “You’re obviously a liar. You have so many maidens around you. Alas, why must I fall into your hands…”

Yi Ping smiled bitterly, “I should be the one that should say that…”

He was interrupted by another painful bite by Lele as she said softly, “Liar, liar! We should try to do it every day…”

And it was what they had been secretly doing every morning…

However, their actions did not go unnoticed by Maiden Ding Yun as she said in a low whisper, “Both of you are getting too out of hand and getting noisier. Didn’t you realize that I can hear your echoes in this valley…”

Yi Ping had suddenly frozen in embarrassment.

Just when Yi Ping did not know what to say, Lele had suddenly appeared as she whispered shyly, “Good sister, let me spar with Yi Ping first!”

Yi Ping was relieved that Lele had arrived in a nick of time to save him from the awkward questioning.

Lele averted her eyes from Ding Yun. She thought shyly, “What a terrible embarrassment! Sister Ding Yun has overheard us. Now I need a hole to hide in…”

Lele raised her dark scythe as she leapt towards Yi Ping, making three rapid thrust in mid-air! This swung technique was her ‘Rapid Mirage Bursts’.

Yi Ping mustered his martial power to steady himself even as he raised his white emerald sword as the silence windforce of Lele’s attacks threatened to sweep him off his feet!

The most terrifying thing about Lele’s attacks was its unbelievable speed. Even though her dark scythe looked unwieldy, many careless opponents were actually fooled to charge headlong into her and hence lost their lives as they lost their footings when the silent windforce caught them by surprise.

Even standing on their ground to exchange strokes with her was not an option for her dark scythe was extremely heavy and it was physical draining to parry it.

Yi Ping’s internal strength was not weak. In fact, due to many fortunate coincidences, his internal strength and martial power had increased so tremendously in the past year that most pugilists in their entire lifetime could not even dreamt of.

Even though Yi Ping had parried Lele’s ‘Rapid Mirage Bursts’ umpteen of times with his ‘Improved Horizon Swordplay' that was improvised with the aid of Ding Yun, it was still a terrifying and physically draining experience for him. It required his full concentration and he dared not be careless.

The Improved Horizon Swordplay was an improvised new swordplay that was inspired by Maiden Ding Yun to absorb the impact of the opponents’ attacks and weakened the opponent strength by using the sword as a shield.

Even as three burst of bright lights and shrieking impact could be seen and heard, Lele had already followed up with another three quick attacks!

Yi Ping immediately followed up with another three strokes to counter her.

In less than a few seconds, they had exchanged more than twenty strokes!

Lele smiled, “Very good. You are improving. You used to unable to even handle even my first ten strokes in the past.”

Yi Ping shouted, “Lele, you are not focusing and is careless…”

He had dashed headlong into Lele with his sword when she had just missed him and was talking to him. But to his utter disbelief, Lele had suddenly retracted her dark scythe, turning it aside and crashed it like a heavy pole onto his shoulder!

Yi Ping’s reaction was not slow as he had parried with his long sword but the sheer weight and force of her dark scythe was too much for him to bear as he collapsed on the ground!

Yi Ping was stunned as he said, “Lele, what manner of attack is this? You are using your weapon as a pole!?”

Lele laughed softly, “You are dead. I have won again.”

She pretended to yawn as she said gently, “No one says my weapon is just a pole-arm. If you exploit the deliberate front opening, then my weapon will be a pole. Do you understand me? In a fight, you ought to be caution and avoid unnecessary gambit. Sometimes the opening that you have seen is just a feint. “

Yi Ping nodded as he sighed, “I have mustered all my martial power with the Aspire Invocations. I just do not understand why I can’t block your attack. It is as though your weapon has suddenly become extremely heavy and I can sense a great suffocating weight that crashes on me. Why is that so?”

Lele extended her dark scythe with one hand as she said coolly, “See if you can snatch my weapon from me.”

Yi Ping rubbed his palms before he tried to pull the dark scythe from her. But no matter how hard he pulled with both hands, he could not wrestle it from her! It was as though she had cast a spell on it. He simply could not believe that even with two hands, he could not pull the dark scythe one inch from her even though Lele was just gripping it with one hand!

Yi Ping was astonished, “This…this is impossible! This is not just internal strength alone…it is a supernatural feat…”

Ding Yun who was watching the scene, laughed softly. “Yi Ping, this is not a supernatural feat. This is the ‘Thousand Weight Feat’. She is able to increase the weight of the weapon and even herself tens of times heavier with her martial power. That is why you do not see her exuding any martial power.”

Yi Ping was startled, “There is such a wondrous feat in this fraternity? Lele, can you teach me this skill?”

Lele smiled shyly, “You are my husband. Of course I am willing to teach you. But first you have to start with the basics first. You can try to start by carrying my scythe and climb that tree over there a hundred times daily.”

As Yi Ping turned and saw the towering tree, he was stunned for he knew how heavy Lele’s scythe was. He secretly thought, “So that is why she always carrying this wicked looking scythe around so that she can practice her internal strength all the time?”

Ding Yun said gently, “Lele is only teasing you. With your present cultivation in internal strength, it will be easy for you. Don’t you know?”

Yi Ping smiled bitterly, “I really did not know!”

Lele laughed merrily, “Sister Yun, you should have let him suffer for a while.”

Ding Yun smiled shyly, “He…he is my…our…husband. We shouldn’t lie to him even if it is a jest.”

Yi Ping clapped his hands as he said, “No wonder every time I fight with the both of you and Yuan Hao, I can feel an irresistible overwhelming force…”

Lele said, “That is because you are too focused on martial power and not your internal strength. What if you miss with your martial power, you will only be wasting your physical strength. Even though our weapon techniques looked ordinary, weak and tedious to train, we may not lose to you in a long run.”

Yi Ping said, “Lele, you carry such an unwieldy scythe around? Don’t you feel it is too inconvenient and tiring?”

Lele smiled mysteriously.

All of a sudden, she unhooked the double wicked blades of the scythe from the dark pole and folded it into a circular shape and inserted it into her straw hat! So expert was her dismantling movements that it took her only a blink of an eye to do so.

Yi Ping was stunned as he muttered, “It becomes a real pole now…”

Lele laughed gently, “That’s right.”

Yi Ping said, “No wonder, you seem so expert with the pole too.”

Ding Yun said, “Not just with the pole, she is an expert swordsman too.”

Yi Ping was startled, “Lele, you know how to use the sword? Why don’t you use the sword when you are fighting Yuan Hao? You may not lose…”

Lele sighed, “Don’t remind me. It is just that I didn’t have the opportunity to draw my swords yet.”

Yi Ping looked intently at her before he asked, “Where are your swords?”

Lele smiled shyly, “Stop looking at me like this.”

She took out the circular double blade from her straw hat and separated it into two sickles as she whirled the sickles ambidextrously in front of her!

Yi Ping could feel the wicked slices of the double sickles as he trembled fearfully even though he was not entirely within reach of Lele’s sickles.

He was astonished as he quickly said, “Lele, this is the feeling that I have with Yuan Shao. Quickly, let’s us fight again.”

Lele laughed shyly, “No way! I have never seen anyone that courts death like the way you do.”

Yi Ping said awkwardly, “Of course I fear death but if I let fear overcomes me, how do I hope to defeat the Honor Manor and the Virtuous Palace in the future?”

Ding Yun said coolly, “That is what you say but the truth is, you didn’t even bother to think of the consequences.”

After spending time with Yi Ping, Ding Yun had realized Yi Ping was a fearless fighter who would not hesitate even if his opponent was many times more powerful than him.

Yi Ping blushed as he stammered, “That’s not the point. Lele, let’s fight with your swords again.”

Lele said firmly, “Unless you can hold at least sixty strokes against my scythe’s techniques, it is far too dangerous for us to even try. Even with my state of divinity, it will be hard for me to gauge when to stop.”

Yi Ping protested, “But Lele, if I…”

Ding Yun interrupted, “You seem to forget that we have not practiced yet.”

Ding Yun had drawn out her precious sword and her foldable sword at the same time.

Against Ding Yun’s Virtuous Swordplay, after several days of practice and improving the Horizon Swordplay, he had come up with the Improved Horizon Swordplay that he had picked up from Lele’s weapon techniques.

Yi Ping was not discouraged as he said, “I think I have a way to defeat Yuan Shao and you now.”

Ding Yun had virtually taught him the entire stances and strokes of the Virtuous Swordplay in the past few days. She said gently, “Even though you know my strokes by now but breaking it is another matter entirely.”

Against Ding Yun’s Virtuous Swordplay, Yi Ping attacked rapidly and disengaged quickly at the same time!

In an instant, Yi Ping had exchanged dozens of strokes against Maiden Ding Yun’s double swords techniques.

No matter how hard he had tried, he just could not breech through her double swords defenses. The feeling that Ding Yun had given him was that of an impregnable defense. She had parried with her long sword and attacked him with her soft long sword at the same time!

Every time, Lele watched their duel, she was still filled with awe. Yi Ping had certainly improved by leap and bounds as he could now hold on his own against Maiden Ding Yun. But Yi Ping had not found a way to break the profound changes of the Virtuous Swordplay yet!

She knew that Maiden Ding Yun was also showing her a way to break Yuan Shao’s swordplay too.

All of a sudden, Yi Ping changed his attacking direction from left to right as he kept attacking Ding Yun’s left side! The foldable sword that was on her left side was unsuitable to block against his powerful Horizon Swordplay!

Yi Ping shouted, “Yun’Er, I know your weak point now!”

Ding Yun smiled sweetly, “What takes you so long to realize it?”

All of a sudden, she whirled her foldable sword and hurled it into a flying sword at Yi Ping as she shouted, “Watch out!”

Yi Ping immediately raised his sword to block it but he was forced to take several steps backward even as the flying sword spins back into Maiden Ding Yun’s hand.

Even before Yi Ping could react, she had dropped her foldable sword to the ground and charged with her long sword against him as she said coolly, “I can do a double flying sword if the soft sword gets back into my hand and charge at you. So what will you do?”

Of course, she did not and was deliberately only extending her long sword at Yi Ping.

Yi Ping recovered in time and he had suddenly discovered that Ding Yun was now on the offensive! Her sword techniques were now similar to Yuan Shao but did not have the fearsome aura that Yuan Hao had possessed!

They were now exchanging sword strokes so fast and rapidly that the entire valley began to echo with their attacks!

Lele held her breath excitedly as she thought, “The two of them are the new generation of the super exponents of the fraternity? How is it possible for them to have such remarkable swordplay at their age?”

It was because swordplay had too many changes. The only way to improve one’s swordplay was to keep on using it in a real fight, training the practitioner ability to react and their natural instinct for exploiting openings.

The Horizon Swordplay was a swordplay that utilizes speed and martial power. Combined with Lele’s Mirage Speed Technique, Yi Ping had nearly doubled his attacking speed!

The Virtuous Swordplay utilizes speed, internal strength to steady it and was also a counter-attacking swordplay.

No matter how many dozens of Illusional strokes Yi Ping made against her, Ding Yun always lightly parried with a wide arc stroke and counter-attack with a series of fast strokes too.

Lele shouted excitedly, “It is a draw!”

All of a sudden, Ding Yun raised her left hand and stabbed towards Yi Ping!

Yi Ping raised his powerful left palm and blocked it effortlessly.

However, even as Ding Yun stabbed him with her left hand, she had withdrawn instantly and continuous to thrust her left hand at his left palm, causing him to hastily withdraw his palm!

He grasped, “The Penetrating hands?! You know this skill too?”

But before he could ask further, Ding Yun had thrown her long sword and it had landed with thunderous impact between his legs!

She said quietly, “You are dead.”

Yi Ping had turned pale immediately as he muttered, “I keep forgetting that the most powerful techniques of the Virtuous Palace are not its swordplay but its extraordinary unarmed techniques…”

Ding Yun said, “Indeed. While swordplay can kill fast without expending much effort but the best martial skills of the Virtuous Palace are actually their Eighteen Unbreakable Hands, Penetrating Hands and the Soul Stealer Finger.”

Lele interrupted as she turned pale, “The Soul Stealer Finger and the Eighteen Unbreakable Hands?! The Virtuous Palace actually possesses these two martial skills?”

Ding Yun said, “These are legacy skills inherited when the Xiao Clan takes over the Virtuous Palace from the Red Eye Clan. Xiao Shuai is the only one that knows the Eighteen Unbreakable Hands. As for the Soul Stealer Finger, Xiao Shuai and Yuan Shao are the only ones that know this skill.”

Lele asked, “The Red Eye Clan? There are others like me?”

Ding Yun said, “They are dead a long time ago.”

Lele sighed, “What a pity. Or else…”

She did not continue.

Yi Ping asked, “Or else what?”

Lele said, “Nothing at all.”

Yi Ping asked curiously, “Really nothing at all?”

Lele ignored Yi Ping as she asked Ding Yun, “Good sister, how is that your wounds are able to heal so fast and without a single scar?”

Ding Yun replied, “I have been practicing the Divine Virtuous Force and this skill has a healing effect.”

Lele exclaimed in surprise, “What an amazing skill. To think that this divine epitome skill exists. Good sister, will you teach me?”

Ding Yun smiled, “I can teach you but is it risky for you? What if the intricate force of the skill is not compatible with yours?”

Lele laughed softly, “Teach me first and I see about it…”

Yi Ping said solemnly, “Better don’t teach her that. It may be far too dangerous. The Divine Virtuous Force, like my Aspire Invocation emphasis on martial power. Lele, your intricate force is similar to the Icy Heavenly Tears that emphasis more on internal energies. It is way too dangerous for you.”

Ding Yun said, “I agree. Youxue’s mother died because she thought that she can merge the Icy Heavenly Tears and the Divine Virtuous Force together. It ended up in tragedy.”

Lele smiled, “I don’t believe that my Celestial Force is not able to merge the skills together.”

Yi Ping scolded her, “You may end up losing your life and worse still end up with a permanent disability. So what even if you have succeeded? All your martial skills will end up deteriorating and you will end up spending decades to regain it. It is not worth the risk.”

Lele was irritated, “I have plenty of time.”

Yi Ping was trembling.

Both Ding Yun and Lele were startled to see that his face was tearful.

Lele softened her stance as she said panicky, “Alright then. I promise you I won’t try to learn this skill. Don’t cry. Real man only shed blood and not tears.”

Ding Yun asked Yi Ping, “Ping, what is wrong?”

Yi Ping wiped away his silent tears as he muttered, “Nothing. It is just that…it is just that I am thinking of my mother and Yixian…”

Lele was startled, “What have this have to do with your mother?”

Yi Ping said, “My mother and Yixian are protégé sisters. In order to avert the Divine Calamity, they practiced and meditated endlessly. In the end, they are not able to enjoy life as it should be. I don’t think it is worth it…”

Lele rebuked him gently, “It is because you have not reached the proper divinity yet and has not yet received the visions. At the very top, it is a realm that you cannot possibly imagine. Without the Divine Calamity, I…I would never possibly have met you. Do you think that is not destiny?”

Yi Ping asked, “Lele, you have really experienced the Divine Calamity? What is it? Can you help Yixian to overcome the Divine Calamity?”

Lele looked at Ding Yun and Yi Ping slowly before she said slowly, “I really do not want to reveal anything to others for it is the most sacred secret of the Celestial Palace.”

Yi Ping was disappointed and it shown on his face.

Lele said, “But you are my husband and Ding Yun is my good sister now. Promise me you won’t reveal it to anyone?”

Yi Ping said hastily, “I swear to the Heavens and Earth that I won’t reveal to anyone without your permission or else lightning…”

Lele interrupted, “That’s enough.”

Ding Yun was curious about the Divine Calamity too. She knew from Xiao Shuai that Yuan Hao had been preparing for the Divine Calamity and the Virtuous Palace had been quietly working towards this objective for many decades. That was why the Virtuous Palace had always been reluctant to get involved in the affairs of the martial fraternity and even feared injuries.

So she did not hesitate at all as she said, “Heavens and the Earth is my witness, I swear that I will not reveal what Sister Lele has revealed to me today.”

Lele seemed to have lost the glow on her face as her eyes seemed to stare blankly.

She said dispiritedly, “The truth is I don’t even know what the Divine Calamity is. It can come in many forms and is a natural phenomenon that is so terrifying that it can kill.”

Yi Ping breathed in deeply as he listened attentively.

Lele said, “It occurs when a practitioner reached the highest state of divinity or is nearly immortal when they are nearing a hundred and twenty. After that, the Divine Calamity will give prior warning for seven days before it occur.”

Yi Ping asked, “Can’t it be avoided or averted?”

Lele shook her head, “It can’t but it can be made to prematurely occur.”

Yi Ping said, “My father told me that the last stance of the Divine Horizon Hands can trigger the Divine Calamity and warned me never to use the last stance even when I can in the future.”

Lele was startled, “The Divine Horizon Hands can trigger the Divine Calamity? It…must be a powerful stance that is beyond human limitations.”

Yi Ping smiled bitterly, “And it is also an impossible stance. I have only just started the Divine Revelation and have no time for mediation. I’ll be better off practicing the Aspire Invocations instead. At least, I get into a fight daily.”

Lele said, “You are just lazy and impatient. Sooner or later, either you will be killed in the martial fraternity or the Divine Calamity will kill you off.”

Yi Ping smiled bitterly as he said, “Is the Divine Calamity this simple? What is the secret behind it?”

Lele seemed to hesitate for a while before she finally said, “There is only two persons that I know that had ever succeed in surviving the Divine Calamity. One is the Sage King and the other is the founder of the Celestial Palace, the Jade Emperor.”

Yi Ping was startled for he had heard of the Sage King before as he asked, “The Sage King, is he the one that makes the ‘Great Rejuvenate Golden Pills?”

Lele nodded, “You know of his pills? We have been searching for it for a long time too…”

Yi Ping smiled bitterly as he said, “Youxue, she gave it to me when I was once grievously injured.”

Lele was stunned as she muttered, “Maybe it is fate…we have been searching for it for centuries…”

Yi Ping was startled, “What do you mean you have been searching for it for centuries? How old are you Lele?”

Lele looked at Yi Ping and looked at Ding Yun as she sighed, “Make a guess…”

Yi Ping said, “Twenty?”

Lele said something but Yi Ping could not hear.

Yi Ping asked again, “Lele, your voice is too soft. I cannot hear.”

Lele stared miserably at Yi Ping before she sighed softly, “I…I am four centuries old.”

Ding Yun and Yi Ping were both stunned.

Ding Yun asked, “How is it possible? No one can live that long without turning old or dying.”

Yi Ping stared at Lele…

Lele averted her eyes as she said softly, “So now you know. You must be despising me now because of my age…”

Yi Ping caught hold of her hands as he said, “No, Lele I am not. I am just surprised that you don’t look at all past twenty-five.”

Lele said, “That is because I have survived the Divine Calamity at that age and can’t age anymore.”

Yi Ping asked, “But you just said there are only two persons that have survived the Divine Calamity. You are the Jade Emperor?!”

Lele shook her head as she said, “That is because we have cheated death using an unorthodox means. Because of that, we may have survived the Divine Calamity but we didn’t really achieve the new state of divinity and in fact, cannot advance further. My hair turned silver and my eyes turned red overnight…”

All of a sudden, she broke into tears as she begun to tremble. “Once every hundred years, the Divine Calamity revisited us and our numbers began to reduce further. Many of the original survivors are dead now…”

Ding Yun asked, “Why do you need the ‘Great Rejuvenated Golden Pills’ for?”

Lele nodded slowly, “The Jade Emperor has exhausted his strength fighting the Divine Calamity for us. Without him, we will surely perish. That is why we have been searching for the ‘Great Rejuvenated Golden Pills’.”

Yi Ping asked, “Since you have all the time in the world, can’t you train to fight against the Divine Calamity? Can’t the Jade Emperor show you the way to survive it?”

Lele smiled bitterly, “That is what you think? We are supposed to gain the revelation of the Celestial Skill by overcoming the Divine Calamity. Because we have cheated, we are cursed forever and our level of cultivation has to remains as it is before the Divine Calamity. Without advancing to the Jade Emperor level of cultivation, we have no hope whatever so of surviving it.”

Yi Ping was bewildered as he asked, “What do you mean? If the level of cultivation is basic, surely it is just so easy to grasp it given the time that you have?”

Lele seemed terrified as she said nervously, “That is the secret of the Divine Calamity! We are supposed to attain a new understanding in our state of divinity first before we can advance. Anyone that forcefully tries to attain a new state of divinity after the Divine Calamity will trigger the deadly Celestial Wrath. No one will be able to survive that.”

Yi Ping was startled, “There exists a Celestial Wrath?!”

Lele nodded, “That is our last chance now. If we can survive the Celestial Wrath, we can break away from the curse of the Divine Calamity.”

Yi Ping asked, “What curse?”

Lele said, “Each time the Divine Calamity occurs or if we expend our internal energy, we cannot recover it unless we drink the blood of top exponents and eat their hearts…”

Yi Ping was stunned as he asked, “Lele, did you really do that?”

Lele said slowly, “I don’t want to lie to you. I have done so on numerous times.”

Yi Ping clenched his fists as he begun to walk away.

Lele’s eyes were now watery as she thought, “I have lost him forever now. No one will forgive me what I have done…”

Even Ding Yun was grasping, stunned at Lele’s revelations as she thought, “She…really is a blood drinker…”

It was because she had suddenly remembered the scary tales of the Red Eye Clan and she had thought that they were stories meant to frighten children.

Yi Ping had walked three steps before he turned back, “According to my father, my great grandfather is killed by the blood drinkers. Are you one of them?”

Lele asked, “Where is your great grandfather at that time?”

Yi Ping said, “I don’t know the exact location but it is in the Central Fraternity.”

Lele said, “Then it is not me. I have never stepped outside the Western Fraternity.”

Yi Ping sighed with relief. He looked stoned. If Lele had the blood of his clan in her hands, would he still have the heart to kill her? Just like if Youxue had the blood of Yixian in her hands, would he still have the heart to kill her? He dare not think of the implications!

Lele said, “Actually you don’t have to worry too much. The people that we have killed are all almost at the end of their lives…”

Yi Ping interrupted, “A life is still a life!”

Lele smiled alluring, ignoring his remarks. “Also, most of the time we need to sleep because mere blood alone cannot replenish our strength. Sometimes I need to sleep for decades. In fact, I have just waked up after a span of forty years.”

Yi Ping was startled, “You need to sleep for this long?!”

Lele smiled bitterly, “That is why it is our curse. If we do not sleep for extended period of time, our strength will falter and drained away. But even then, when we are awakened, we will still need at least a few years of time to completely regain our martial skills. It is a vicious cycle with no ending.”

Yi Ping asked gently, “Is there a way to cure your condition?”

Lele said, “Only a miracle pill like the Great Rejuvenate Golden Pill or something miraculous can alleviate this disorder. That is why we have been searching for it all this while.”

Yi Ping said wryly, “It doesn’t seem you are making a great deal of effort to look for it, from someone that never left the western fraternity.”

Lele chuckled, “We are not that foolish to look for a needle in the ocean. It is just not practicable to look for something that is almost a myth. But should it really exist in the fraternity, there bound to be people fighting over it. When that occurs, we will naturally know.”

Yi Ping asked, “How do you know?”

Lele said, “We have secret emissaries that are scattered throughout the fraternity. That is important especially since we are sleeping most of the time.”

Ding Yun asked, “How do you ensure their loyalty?”

Lele smiled mysterious, “I am the Joyful Goddess. Naturally, I will promise them eternal joyous life and a chance to gain entry to the Celestial Palace if they serve us well.”

Yi Ping growled, “Lele, that is deceiving the ignorant masses. Now I remember. There is a Joyful Cult in the fraternity. Don’t tell me you are their leader?”

Lele blinked at him, “It is not that hard to figure it out. So there, you have guessed it. I am the Goddess that they have worshipped.”

Yi Ping mocked gently, “It is more like a pathetic Goddess that spends a lot of time sleeping like a pig.”

Lele said unhappily, “Yi Ping, are you too weary of living already? In the past, if any one insults me like that, they will be dead in the next instant.”

Yi Ping smiled, “So the Joyful Goddess will actually be upset?”

Lele smiled, “You think that I am really upset? I won’t fall into your trick. You just want to spar with me. You are such a bully!”

Yi Ping and Ding Yun laughed.

All of a sudden, Yi Ping said excitedly, “Since the Sage King has also survived the Divine Calamity, why don’t you look for him to make another ‘Great Rejuvenate Golden Pill’?”

Lele smiled bitterly, “That is because he has died centuries ago.”

Yi Ping was startled, “I can imagine he is a formidable exponent as well. Who on earth can actually has the means to kill him?”

Lele said, “From what I know, he barely survived his first Divine Calamity and knows that he won’t survive his second Divine Calamity. Therefore, he expended all his efforts to create eight wondrous golden rejuvenation pills and hid it in a secret location.”

Lele added coldly after a pause, “That is his wickedness and also his stratagem. Because he knew that he was going to die, he wants the majority of the top exponents to die along with him and deliberating spread the news of his creations. Anyone that wants to obtain it had to find his underground palace to locate it first.”

Ding Yun asked, “What if the Sage King had lied about the Great Rejuvenation Golden Pills?”

Lele shook her head, “The Sage King won’t lie or else he won’t reach his level of divinity. He has another purpose of course. At that time he was aware of us too and that our clan requires the hearts of the top exponents. By causing a division and causing them to die prematurely, he had actually caused many of us to succumb to the Divine Calamity.”

Lele looked forlornly into the sky and she seemed to be thinking of something.

Yi Ping knew what she had been through. The loss of her kin and friends were a loss that was hard to bear.

Ding Yun said, “It seemed that the Virtuous Palace had eventually located it. Xiao Shuai found it but it was stolen by Xiao Youxue and one of the pills was given to Yi Ping.”

Yi Ping asked, “Why didn’t he pass it to his descendants?”

Lele smiled, “He is an old priest and did not have any kin. It does seem like that we are the only survivors of the Divine Calamity now.”

Ding Yun said quietly, “There is one survivor from the Red Eye Clan, good sister.”

Lele was startled, “There is someone else? Thought you have just said earlier there are none?”

Ding Yun said, “She is supposed to be dead too...”

Yi Ping nodded as he said, “Her name is Lie Qing. When I found her, she is as good as dead. But I had tried to revive her with the Divine Dragon Pill and I had managed to save her life.”

Lele looked at Yi Ping in utter disbelief as she took a few unsteady steps backward. After a while, she said with trembling voice, “You actually have the Divine Dragon Pill? Do you know how many times more precious that pill is over the Great Rejuvenation Golden Pill and you give it away just like that?”

Yi Ping scratched his head in puzzlement, “I know that that is one of the seven treasures of the Martial Fraternity…”

Lele interrupted unhappily, “You know nothing at all! That Divine Dragon Pill…alas…that Lie Qing is really so lucky. I…I can’t believe that you actually give it away. You should at least keep for yourself.”

She wanted to say, “I want to drink her blood and eat her heart.” But halfway through, she decided to keep mum.

Lele asked Yi Ping melancholy, “Who is this Lie Qing to you that you can give her something this precious?”

She was alarmed with this Lie Qing. This was the second time that she had heard of her name. The first time her name was mentioned was when Ding Yun had mentioned that she had attempted to save a maiden’s life with her Invincible Divine Force.

Somehow, Lie Qing’s name sounded all too familiar to her but she could not remember who she was. As for the Invincible Divine Force, she only knew it too well…

She silently thought, “No matter who you are, it will be interesting to fight with you. The Celestial Force and the Invincible Divine Force are the two most epitome martial force in the entire fraternity. If you have really survived the Divine Calamity, then all I have to do is to defeat you and exchange your intricate energy with my Celestial Force, then my state of divinity can be raised…”

Yi Ping smiled bitterly, “I swear I have nothing to do with her…”

Lele said unhappily, “Do you think that I will believe you…”

Ding Yun suddenly said, “I know why the Virtuous Palace is attacking the Holy Hex Sect now.”

Yi Ping was startled, “Why?”

Ding Yun said, “That is because Xiao Shuai had once given one Great Rejuvenation Golden Pill to Ji Wuzheng to save his sister life.”

Yi Ping immediately turned pale as he said, “Then Lingfeng is in grave danger. Xiao Shuai will really eat her alive just like he wants to eat Youxue alive…”

He hastily said, “We must find a way out immediately! Let’s us go now.” And Yi Ping had already stormed off in a hurry!

Lele was left grasping her hands to her heart as she muttered melancholy, “Lingfeng…the Holy Maiden...”



Ch36 End
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Chapter 38: The Honor Manor and the Virtuous Palace



The forest was at the foot of the grandeur Tranquil Mountains.

But Nangong Le was in no mood to enjoy the scenery.

The normally serene forest was filled with the cries of the wounded and an overwhelming malevolent air was everywhere. Dozens of dead and wounded fighters were everywhere!

At this moment, his friends were all in mortal danger and he could only grit his teeth with his Exuberant Divine Skill as he watched them battled and fell!

He had just been wounded by Zuo Tianyi.

As for Gongsun Jing, he was mortally wounded by Zuo Tianyi and he was battling for his life besides him!

Nangong Le had thought that by bringing his friends to the Tranquil Clan, they would be safe. But a remnant of the Honor Manor, consisting of some of the most powerful fighters in the fraternity was actually lying in wait and stormed the Tranquil Mountains!

Even his friend, Priest Ling Kongquan had just been injured by the Heartless Scholar and was closing his eyes in mediation as he tried to recuperate from his internal injuries!

And now Qiu Wufeng was fighting for his very life against the Lu Baiyun the Heartless Scholar!

Nangong Le said hastily to Priest Ling Kongquan, “Brother Kongquan, I have dragged you and your protégés into this. I’m sorry…”

Priest Ling Kongquan laughed with his eyes closed, “The protégés of the Tranquil Clan are all from an orthodox clan and are all not afraid of death…”

Priest Bai Chongzhen, the protégé leader of the Traverse Clan coughed out blood as he added, “The protégés of the Traverse Clan are not afraid of death too!”

At this, all the protégés of the Traverse Clan were shouting, “The protégés of the Traverse Clan are not afraid of death!”

The Traverse Clan was one of the seven major orthodox clans in the martial fraternity and was situated in the Western Fraternity. When they had received word that the Honor Manor was mounting an invasion to the Western Fraternity, they refused to rally the orthodox fighters.

This action upset the Honor Manor and the Traverse Clan was one of the first clans to be attacked by the powerful Honor Manor and was accused of betraying the righteous martial code of the alliance!

Priest Bai Chongzhen then fled with dozens of his surviving protégés to the Tranquil Clan where they had regrouped.

For a time, the Tranquil and the Traverse Clan had held the Honor Manor back until the fighters from the Virtuous Clan began to join in the assault.

Priest Bai Chongzhen looked sadly at the dozens of protégés from the two clans that had been slain by the Honor Manor as well as the numerous volunteer heroes from the Western Fraternity that had volunteered to fight for their cause.

He muttered sadly, “I have no wine to toast to the fallen heroes.”

They were now being surrounded and outnumbered by hundreds of fighters from the Honor Manor. Most of their fighters on their side were wounded or too weak to fight.

The injured and the weak were now forced to watch the ongoing battle as it turned into a several groups of personalize duels!

It was as though an invisible line had been drawn between the combatants and the injured!

Zuo Tianyi who had just fatally stabbed Nangong Le with his long sword was smirking, “Nangong Le, you are not dead yet! Do you dare to fight me again, or do any of you dare to fight with me?”

Nangong Le laughed weakly, “If you want to get me, come over here first! Or else wait for me to take a short breath first and then I will challenge you!”

To Nangong Le and Zuo Tianyi surprise, Gongsun Jing had opened his eyes as he shouted hatefully to Zuo Tianyi, “You vile beast. I will kill you…”

Zuo Tianyi hummed coldly as he cast his eyes at the fights.

Qiu Wufeng was fighting like a berserker against the Heartless Scholar who seemed to be toying with him. The Heartless Scholar was Qiu Wufeng’s former mentor, turned enemy who had slain most of his clan and had framed him!

Ji Lingfeng was fighting with Jue Yuan the Merciless Monk.

She was having a hard time against Jue Yuan! It was only her extraordinary swiftness that had prevented Jue Yuan from hitting her but the constant movements had taken a toll on her already faltering strength even as she exchanged blows with Jue Yuan!

Jue Yuan laughed, “Do you still have the strength to use the Aspire Divine Hands? I was caution the last time. But now I know that you are the Holy Maiden of the Holy Hex Sect and could only practice the Holy Amalgamate Skill, I am not afraid of your Aspire Divine Hands anymore. Compared to that foolish young man Yi Ping, your martial power isn’t strong enough! Why don’t you give up and marry me?”

Ji Lingfeng hummed coldly, “A monk can get married? Shameless!”

Jue Yuan had restrained from using his strength and his deadly stances. It was because part of the condition for the Virtuous Palace to join forces with the Honor Manor was that they had wanted the Holy Maiden Ji Lingfeng alive.

Priest Liu Qingcheng, the protégé master of the Tranquil Clan was fighting with Xiao Fei.

He too, was having a hard time and was fighting for his life. No matter how fast he had switched his stances and strokes, it could not stop Xiao Fei at all.

Xiao Fei had expected to defeat Priest Liu Qingcheng with little efforts but it was proving to take a longer time that he had anticipated. But he was in no hurry. He could tell that Priest Liu Qingcheng was sweating heavily with his physical and mental fortitude being drained away with every stroke that he had made. So he was in no hurry.

The reason why Priest Liu Qingcheng had fared better than what Xiao Fei had expected was that he had advanced in his Dual Inertness Intricacy and being bolstered by the Tranquil Spirits. Moreover his two protégé disciples Yu’Er and Mei’Er were still fighting and no matter what happened, he refused to be defeated first due to face saving measures.

Because of that simple reason, he had fought nonstop for two hours that caused even Xiao Fei’s martial strength to falter!

Xiao Fei was now sweating heavily as he said coldly, “You are a worthy opponent and better than a lot of fighters that I have encountered. I am careless.”

However, the reason why Xiao Fei and Xiao Da were staying their hands and refused to display their secret techniques were because there were too many people here and Lie Qing was observing them!

Even if they had to use their secret techniques, it would be against the maiden with the crimson eyes who was watching intently at their every fighting strokes and stances!

They were aware of it and part of their attention was also on her.

If their opponent would kill even Xiao Yuanjia, then he or she had to be a super exponent and they were not taking any risks.

The twin sisters of the Eternal Ice Palace, Yu’Er the Jade Sword and Mei’Er the Beautiful Sword were fighting against Xiao Da.

Xiao Da was an extremely formidable foe.

That had caught Yu’Er and Mei’Er by surprise as he could break their Divine Emerald Skill!

Xiao Da was looking at them lustfully and he could barely contain his inner lust as he thought, “There are four great beauties here. Father wants the Holy Maiden, alas while the maiden with the crimson eyes who is also the most desirable is our mortal foe. I guess I have to make do with these two maidens then.”

It actually would not take much time for Xiao Da to defeat the twin sisters but he had taken much longer than he had expected because they seemed to be able to predict his moves and the cold energies of their swordplay were able to negate his malevolent despair.

Moreover, most of his techniques and strokes were meant for killing. Staying his hand was a much more difficult thing than he had expected.

There were a few times that he had the opportunity to deal them a heavy blow but he had stayed his hand. It was because he was afraid of Xiao Shuai, his father. Xiao Shuai had warned everyone that was in the Virtuous Palace not to harm any of the female protégés from the Eternal Ice Palace or else they would be faced with the harshest of the clan punishments.

And Xiao Shuai was someone who had shown no mercy even to his own kin, including his brothers.

Xiao Da laughed as he flashed his sword from left to right, “Why don’t the two of you be my concubines?”

Yu’Er and Mei’Er exclaimed indignantly at the same time, “Dream on!”

There were dozens of pugilists from both sides that were also watching the duels keenly and were awestruck by their extraordinary martial display as they held their breath.

In time to come, Qiu Wufeng would be renowned for his courage and had the fraternity name of the Courageous Windless Swordsman.

Yuan Shao was looking patiently at the fights. It was because victory was inevitable and he was looking intently at a young beautiful maiden on the other side who was stroking her long hair slowly as though she was just a speculator. This enchanting maiden gave him a disturbed feeling, primary because of her red crimson eyes.

Because she did not make her move yet, he had bid his time as well. It was because the other maiden with silvery white hair that he had fought against with many days ago had crimson eyes too and she was an extremely dangerous exponent. Therefore he waited for her to make her first move so that he could gauge her strength.

She was also extremely enchanting and beholden to look at, causing many of the hearts of the fighters to be consumed by lust for her, weakening their resolute.

Yuan Shao thought, “Is she also waiting for me to make my first move and attack me with a surprise attack?”

When he had recalled the terrifying swiftness movement of the young maiden with silver hair, he knew that this amount of distance would not defer his opponent from making an attack in any direction.

Zuo Tianyi had finished his duel and had quietly walked towards him. There were no more fighters from the other side that dared to challenge him anymore.

Zuo Tianyi said, “Master Yuan Shao, it seems like Xiao Da needs some help. Maybe I should help him…”

Yuan Shao stared at him, saying coldly. “With me around, you don’t have to be so concerned. If you are to hurt any of the protégés from the Eternal Ice Palace, don’t blame me for being merciless even if you have the protection of the Honor Manor.”

Zuo Tianyi smiled bitterly, “I dare not!”

Yuan Shao asked, “Who is that maiden with red eyes and a black sword on the other side?”

Zuo Tianyi said, “She is Lie Qing.”

Yuan Shao said, “Which protégé clan is she from?”

Zuo Tianyi said, “She claims to be from the New Virtuous Palace. Where she is from previously, I really do not know.”

Yuan Shao was startled, “She is from the New Virtuous Palace?”

He quickly regained his composure and asked, “How is her martial level?”

Zuo Tianyi replied coolly, “She is good with the sword but she can’t fight now.”

Yuan Shao asked, “Why is that so?”

Zuo Tianyi said, “She doesn’t have internal strength now, having lost it in a recent fight.”

Yuan Shao asked, “Really?!”

Zuo Tianyi smiled, “There is no reason for me to lie to you. We are on the same side now. Even the weakest of the Honor Manor can take her down anytime.”

Yuan Shao was alarmed as he cursed venomously!

It was because they had all fallen for her bluff stratagem. The reason why they had hesitated was because of they were caution of the Red Eye Clan!

Yuan Shao immediately raised his cane and had dashed towards Lie Qing!

Lie Qing immediately turned ashen as she cursed Zuo Tianyi silently.

She had used up half of her Invincible Divine Force in an attempt to save Xiao Youxue. It was because Xiao Youxue and Yi Ping were her benefactors. She had unwittingly caused Xiao Youxue to be grievously injured and it was the least that she could do. Of course, most would not even consider giving up their intricate energy for anyone but Lie Qing would do it for Xiao Youxue!

By half of her Invincible Divine Force, it had actually meant all of her internal strength. It was because the other half of her Invincible Divine Force was her inherent life force and could not be given away.

She quietly said to herself, “Lie Qing, you are only living on borrow time. You should be glad instead that to be alive again for these past several months. Yi Ping, Youxue…I am so glad to know you…both of you may not be alive anymore so what there for me to live for now?”

As Yuan Shao dashed across with startling speed, Yu’Er and Mei’Er saw him and tried to intercept him as they raised their long precious swords against him.

Yuan Shao simply raised his fingers as he avoided the furies of their cold beaming swords, striking both Yu’Er and Mei’Er as their Divine Emerald Skills were penetrated by his Soul Stealer Fingers!

Both Yu’Er and Mei’Er crumbled onto the ground in an instant with shrieked cries!

Even as Yuan Shao had struck down the twin sisters, Ji Lingfeng had flew towards him and raised her entire martial power, unleashing the explosive shrieking might of the Aspire Horizon Hand at him!

Yuan Shao immediately switched his Soul Stealer Finger towards the almighty force of the Aspire Horizon Hand as his fingers struck her palm with a thunderous impact!

Ji Lingfeng was sent flying backward as she coughed out blood!

The martial power of Yuan Shao’s Divine Virtuous Force and his Soul Stealer Finger was startling!

All of a sudden, a young man in white dashed past and caught hold of Ji Lingfeng in mid-air!

It was Yi Ping!

Ji Lingfeng smiled tearfully as she muttered weakly, “Yi Ping, is that really you? You are still alive?”

Yi Ping nodded, “Lingfeng, it is really me. I am here!”

Just as Yuan Shao had almost flown to Lie Qing, he had suddenly backed off!

It was because an extraordinary beautiful maiden in red dress had suddenly intercepted him in mid-air with her long black scythe!

It was Lele!

Nangong Le and Qiu Wufeng shouted excitedly, “Yi Ping!”

They had also saw a beautiful maiden with extraordinary splendor that they could not recognized but the fact that she could cause Yuan Shao to back off gave them some hope!

Ding Yun had come to the aid of Priest Liu Qingcheng as she caused Xiao Fei to back off at the same time too!

Xiao Fei said coolly, “Yunzi, why are you on their side? Have you forgotten what awaits traitors?”

Ding Yun replied coldly, “Ding Yunzi is dead. From now on, I am Ding Yun.”

Lie Qing covered her mouth in utter disbelief as she burst into tears when she saw Yi Ping!

Yi Ping had quietly helped Yu’Er and Mei’Er up. It was as though Xiao Da was not there.

Xiao Da had hesitated because this young man had a frightening aura and he did not want to take any unnecessary risks.

Yi Ping was trembling even as he checked Yu’Er and Mei’Er for internal injuries.

Yu’Er said weakly, “Master, I’m alright. Don’t worry about me. You…are still alive…I am so glad…”

Mei’Er was more emotional as she cried in Yi Ping embrace.

Yi Ping shouted angrily, “Yuan Shao!”

This shout startled everyone by its sheer explosive power and caused everyone except those with strong internal strength to take a few steps backward, causing many of the fighters to cup their ears with their hands!

Yi Ping clenched his fists tightly as he stared angrily at Yuan Shao!

He tried to suppress his bursting rage but when he saw the sorry state that his companions had been and how close they were to death, he had totally lost his cool.

It was because Yi Ping had now returned to a distant past when his mother, Shui Yichi was dying in front of his eyes. At that time, he was just only five but he blamed himself for being so weak. All of a sudden, he could see the dainty sight of his beloved mother moving into his vision, as she displayed one extraordinary stance after the other!

Xiao Da, Xiao Fei, Jue Yuan and Zuo Tianyi had immediately regrouped behind Yuan Shao.

Nangong Le, Lie Qing, Ding Yun, Lele, Yu’Er, Mei’Er, Qiu Wufeng, Ji Lingfeng and Priest Liu Qingcheng had also gathered behind Yi Ping as they supported one another as they all shouting excitedly, “Yi Ping…Yi Ping!”

Lie Qing had quietly walked besides Yi Ping and held his arm as she said gently, “You are here at last…”

Lie Qing touch was electrifying and Yi Ping returned to his senses. He looked at Lie Qing, Ding Yun, Lele, Yu’Er, Mei’Er and Ji Lingfeng as he muttered gently, “Everyone…”

It was the first time that Lele had seen Lie Qing but she had recognized her. Her looks and her crimson eyes were obvious. She wanted to say something to her but Lie Qing seemed to be totally oblivion to anyone except for Yi Ping.

The rest of the fighters that were on the side of the Tranquil Clan were aroused by Yi Ping. It was as though his presence alone could move their fighting spirits by unseen hands and many who had fallen or too weak to move had also got up on their feet, including Priest Bai Chongzhen and even Gongsun Jing!

Even though most of them were now too weak to fight except for Ding Yun and Lele, Yi Ping was like a giant spiritual pillar that was supporting them as they stood defiantly against their foes!

The powerful martial shout displayed by Yi Ping and his righteous air had even caused the fighters on the side of the Honor Manor to be hesitant, affecting their resolute.

Moreover, Yi Ping was being recognized as the young fighter that had dared to challenge Zuo Tianyi, Jue Yuan and Gu Tianle back at the Honor Manor!

There were muttering among the fighters that were on the side of the Honor Manor as they asked, “Is he the one that fight against Master Gu Tianle in the Honor Manor?”

Yuan Shao had never seen someone who could ignite the fighting spirits of the fallen in such a manner. But he was not worried as he had recognized the three newly arrivals. Just not too long ago, he had just defeated them. He was only curious how did their external injuries healed this fast?

Ding Yun he could understand because the Divine Virtuous Force had a healing effect. But as for the young man Yi Ping and the young maiden in red dress? All in all, he had remembered stabbing Yi Ping more than thirty times!

Did Ding Yun secretly taught them the Divine Virtuous Force?

Yuan Shao could only say coldly, “Good! You are all here. It will save us much trouble from eliminating you elsewhere.”

Xiao Da laughed aloud, “I have thought who it is. It is just a young man, a young maiden and Yunzi. Yunzi, have you forgotten all about me already?”

Ding Yun’s expressions were cold and did not reply. But her fingers were subtly trembling and she was filled with dread and hatred for Xiao Da!

Yuan Shao pointed at Yi Ping as he asked aloud, “He is Yi Ping? And who is this maiden here?”

He was pointing at the young and beautiful maiden in red dress.

It was only then, everyone except Yi Ping and Ding Yun had realized no one knew know who this enchanting maiden was, even though she was too attractive to go unnoticed!

Only Ji Lingfeng had recognized her even though she had never seen the Celestial Envoy without her terrifying mask!

Her red dress, her long black scythe and distinctly mannerism had told her it was the Celestial Envoy but she had thought that the Celestial Envoy was an old woman because of her silvery white hair…

But the fact that she could beat off Yuan Shao, had already raised several eyebrows.

Even Lie Qing was now looking at her and was startled to see that she had the same crimson red eyes as her!

Even Xiao Da and Xiao Fei were intrigued by her. Because she was able to cause Yuan Shao to back off with a single stroke, her martial prowess was not to be underestimated!

Xiao Da was looking lustfully at her and was smiling.

Moreover, they were reminded of the legends of the Red Eye Clan that their elders had always told them to remember. And today, there were two of them!

Lele swung her heavy long black scythe with one hand and thrust it into the ground quietly as she sighed softly, “Who I am?”

It was only then almost everyone who was watching her was caught off-guard by her martial display!

It was because for her to wield the seemingly long black metal scythe weightlessness was a display of her martial prowess upon itself. For her to thrust the blade of the scythe totally into the ground was a seemingly impossible feat!

It was a feat that even Yi Ping and Yuan Shao could not accomplish despite their martial strength!

Yuan Shao was slightly taken aback as was everyone. Her scythe just seemed to go through the ground seemingly like it was tofu. One must know that that the ground was covered only with a thin layer of soil, beneath it was just hardened earth and was filled with rocky debris. Moreover the blade of her scythe was curved, making it even harder.

Yuan Shao, Xiao Da, Xiao Fei, Zuo Tianyi, Jue Yuan and Lu Baiyun immediately knew that her internal strength was at the peak and extremely potent.

They just could not figure out how she was able to do it despite her young age for internal strength unlike martial power, could only be cultivate slowly.

Take Yi Ping for example, his internal strength could be cultivated through the Divine Revelation, an intricate formula to circulate intricate energy but his powerful martial power had come from the Aspire Invocation which enhanced his martial strength.

Internal strength and martial strength was therefore related, it was not the same. How strong one’s martial strength may be dependable on the practitioner’s internal strength foundation but it was also somewhat related to the strength of the martial skill too.

Yi Ping’s Divine Horizon Hands, the Aspire Horizon Hand required decades of internal strength foundation before he could use this powerful stance. The martial power of the Aspire Horizon Hand had come from the Aspire Invocation which drew its strength from the intricate energies of the practitioner.

Practitioners like Lele and Shui Yixian may seemingly lacked martial strength in their attacks and appeared weaker but that was an illusion. It was because they were the practitioners of the internal martial arts while Yi Ping focused on his martial strength.

Practitioner like Yuan Shao was versatile fighter, switching between martial strength to use sword techniques and internal strength to use the Soul Stealer Fingers while Zuo Tianyi’s infinity swordplay at the higher levels actually required a combination of both, especially at the sword energy staging.

While everyone was still taken aback, Yuan Shao, Xiao Da and Xiao Fei had immediately eyed her fingernails, her hair decorations, her long sleeves, her dress, her sword scabbard and her footwear. There was not a single area that they had spared!

It was not because they were lustful but because they were looking for concealed weapons and secret projectiles!

They had observed that she had short fingernails and that would mean that she could be expert in unarmed combat as well!

While Lu Baiyun, Zuo Tianyi, Jue Yuan and many of her opponents were also looking at her, they were quickly mesmerized by her eyes and had forgotten that she was actually their foe!

In no time, Zuo Tianyi, Lu Baiyun and Jue Yuan were filled with lust, just as they were filled with lust for Lie Qing.

Lele exhaled softly, “Who I am? I am the Celestial Envoy.”

She purposely waited for her words to be sunk in as she added, “The Celestial Envoy is naturally from the Celestial Palace. I am the Joyful Goddess. Since you are all in my presence, hurry and bow before me with your full condolences!”

At the mention of the Celestial Palace, dozens of fighters from both sides were suddenly paralyzed with fear!

Even though few people in the fraternity could ascertain that the Celestial Palace was even real but there were many dreadful rumors about the Celestial Palace!

No one had ever lived to return from the Celestial Mountains!

Even though the Honor Manor and the Virtuous Palace knew that they were going to attack the Celestial Palace, most had thought that it was just an excuse for a punitive attack to against the unorthodox clans of the Western Fraternity.

It was the fearful invisible hand of the Celestial Palace in the Western Fraternity that had prevented the different orthodox and unorthodox clans in that fraternity to fight openly with one another. That was also the reason why most of the unorthodox clans had also originated from the Western Fraternity!

Even Yuan Shao’s face had a twitch at the mere mention of the Celestial Palace!

Just as Lele was secretly feeling gleefully at the startled shock and the uneasiness of her opponents, Yi Ping had stepped forward and said. “She is Lele and she is no Goddess.”

This startled Lele and she was secretly scolding him in her heart despite her high state of divinity!

It was because in the fraternity, the pugilists rarely revealed their real names and only use their fraternity names. But Yi Ping obviously did not know that. Maidens like Lele, Ji Lingfeng, Lie Qing, Shui Yixian and Xiao Youxue were willing to tell him their real name only because they had liked him!

Lele had painfully orchestrated an awe striking scene to win the psychology battle so that they could gain an upper hand or at least break even over their deadly foes. It was because there were only three of them who could fight while their enemies numbered in the dozens!

Ji Lingfeng sighed softly. She had almost gave Yi Ping a kick as she sighed silently, “You stupid pig!”

The only person on Yi Ping’s side that did not care was Lie Qing as she had already surrendered to her fate and was grateful for the borrowed time. There was only a devoted affection in her eyes for Yi Ping…

Even before Lele could recover from her initial shock, Yi Ping said. “You can all come at me at the same time!”

She nearly fainted from shock, as almost everyone else was also shocked by his bold declaration, including their opponents!



Ch38 End
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Chapter 40: The Perfect Storm



It was only the first day after the battle with the Honor Manor had just been concluded but everyone was looking at one another nervously while waiting for the Celestial Envoy to be presented.

Priest Bai Chongzhen, Priest Ling Kongquan, Priest Liu Qingcheng, Nangong Le, Yi Ping, Mei’Er, Yu’Er and those that were not bedridden were all presented in the Great Longevity Hall.

Priest Ling Kongquan looked at Nangong Le and Yi Ping as he asked politely, “The Celestial Envoy has instructed us to pay her homage at dawn but more than two hours had passed. Hero Yi Ping, you seem to know the Celestial Envoy quite well, where is she?”

Priest Liu Qingcheng interrupted, “Protégé Brother, don’t be rude. No matter how late the Celestial Envoy is, she must have her reasons. It is the honor of the Tranquil Clan for the Celestial Envoy to grace our place.”

Priest Bai Chongzhen said, “Indeed! We are all fortunate to witness the divine grace of the Celestial Envoy. The Celestial Envoy must have been pondering throughout the night to draw out a battle plan for our next course of action.”

As Yi Ping listened, he began to smile bitterly and thought. “Why is everyone so deferent towards Lele and the Celestial Palace? I have never heard of the Celestial Palace…”

Not only Yi Ping but Nangong Le, Gongsun Jing and Qiu Wufeng had also never heard of the existence of the Celestial Palace. In fact, even most of the pugilists in the Western Fraternity did not even know that it had exactly existed!

The Celestial Palace had existed as an imaginary legendary place and was only hinted by a few. Even those few who had heard of the Celestial Palace quickly dismissed it as a myth.

That was why when the Celestial Envoy had shown up at the Holy Hex Sect, she was immediately attacked as an intruder! It was only through her startling martial display that convinced Ji Wuzheng and Ji Lingfeng that she could be from the Celestial Palace after all.

Nangong Le laughed, “Pardon my ignorant but I have never heard of the Celestial Palace before.”

Priest Ling Kongquan whispered, “It is because no one who has ever gone to that place has ever returned alive!”

Nangong Le smiled, “Really? If there are more beauties like the Celestial Envoy there, I will very much like to visit the Celestial Palace!”

Priest Ling Kongquan, Priest Bai Chongzhen and Priest Liu Qingcheng immediately turn white with ashen.

Liu Qingcheng quickly pulled Nangong Le to a side and whispered, “Brother Nangong, listen to me. The walls have ears. Trust me on this. You will not want to go there…did you not see her long black wicked scythe? This type of weapon is meant for torturing and killing. Did you not see her in her red dress? Red symbolizes blood…”

Lie Qing who had overheard it, smiled as she said. “It does seem like she is a horrifying person. I wonder how her martial level is.”

Yi Ping said quickly to Lie Qing, “She is not your enemy.”

Lie Qing looked at Yi Ping and smiled. She had finally got his attention.

She asked, “Why are you defending her? From the looks of it, she has fallen for you. Why are you so flirty? Maybe you can take my title…my grand protégé mistress’ title I mean. You can be the Heavenly Tempter instead.”

She purposely took a glance at Ji Lingfeng, who pretended not to hear and then looked at Ding Yun, Yu’Er and Mei’Er.

She added, “You seem to have forgotten us so fast, especially Sister Youxue and the Celestial Fairy.”

Yi Ping began to flush and did not know what to say.

He could only sigh in his heart. He had owed Maiden Lingfeng and Maiden Youxue so much. They had risked their lives on many occasions just to save his life. How could he not know their affections by now, especially Maiden Lingfeng?

Lie Qing stroked her braided long hair as she pondered aloud, “Anyway, your affairs have nothing to do with me. You have better find me a rich husband so that I can enjoy life to the fullest.” She deliberately took a glance at Nangong Le, who was grinning at her hint.

As she said that, there was a hint of melancholy emotion in her eyes and voice. Even though it was barely noticeable but it was noticed by Lingfeng, Ding Yun, Yu’Er and Mei’Er.

It was because Yu’Er and Mei’Er had already advanced past the ‘Linking Spirits’ progression of the Dual Inertness Intricacy. If they wanted to and were attentive enough, they would be able to sense the emotions of others. So far, only their Protégé Mistress, Xiao Shuai, Yuan Shao and the Celestial Envoy were unfathomable to their Linking Spirits Skill.

As for Lingfeng, she was exceptional intelligent and quick in wits. Almost nothing escaped her notice. It was only through her brilliant guide that her group was able to reach the Tranquil Mountains while being pursued hotly by the Virtuous Palace and the Honor Manor.

Ding Yun was good in observing and was extremely sharp. It was obvious to her from her earlier actions that Lie Qing had plenty of affections for Yi Ping. However, what she was saying now was obviously a contradiction to her actions. The only person that Lie Qing could fool was Yi Ping.

Lie Qing had mixed feeling about the Celestial Envoy.

It was because the Celestial Envoy seemed to be looking at her more than others and she had even called her Luminous Star. She seemed to know her but Lie Qing had no idea where she had met her before even though she too got a familiar feeling about her.

When Lie Qing first saw the Celestial Envoy, she was startled to see her crimson eyes. It was because it could only mean one thing; she must have survived the Divine Calamity. How could it be even possible?

Even though her martial skills were truly astonishing, it was difficult to imagine what methods and techniques she had used to overcome the Divine Calamity when she herself had failed. She could still remember clearly the horrors of the Divine Calamity as though it had just happened yesterday.

She asked herself, “Is this only a trick to get close to me? Or she has managed to overcome the Divine Calamity by sheer coincidences?”

Even though she would like to ask the Celestial Envoy but she knew that her question would not be answered for the different martial clans guarded their martial secrets only to themselves, just like she had lied to Yi Ping and Xiao Youxue.

The Celestial Envoy would likely to spread misinformation to her so as to teach her a harsh lesson for prying into her affairs. Likewise if the Celestial Envoy asked her about the Divine Calamity, she would not hesitate to lie to her as well.

Lie Qing was worried for Yi Ping. It was because he was really such a gullible young man. The Celestial Envoy must have known about Yi Ping weaknesses and had something in store for him.

At this moment, Lie Qing and Ji Lingfeng were both thinking of the same thing.

All of a sudden, Lie Qing had a frightening thought and was coming close to the answer. “Maiden Lingfeng has promised to exchange her blood with the Celestial Envoy to help Yi Ping. Don’t tell me that her true intention is to drain Yi Ping of his blood? That’s right! Yi Ping possesses a much stronger internal strength than Maiden Lingfeng…”

In the meantime, Ji Lingfeng was also thinking. “They are all bloodsuckers. Yi Ping, we are surrounded by enemies. How can we get out of here alive? Is it so difficult for us to live a blissful life together? This Lie Qing and that Lele, they all have red eyes and seem to know one another. Alas…what shall we do? I am really at my wits end this time…now I have really regretted helping her. Ding Yun, why did you let her drain you of your internal strength? If I know she knows this type of evil skill, I would never even consider helping her.”

Ji Lingfeng had a sudden thought, “Yi Ping had a strong dislike for this type of absorbing skill. If I let him know, maybe he would be upset with both Lie Qing and the Celestial Envoy…The Tranquil Clan and the Traverse Clan are both orthodox clans. Such an absorbing skill is considered to be evil in their eyes…”

Her thoughts were interrupted by Yi Ping who had asked Ding Yun gently, “Yun, you have fainted yesterday. It is better for you to rest more. You have given Lie Qing all your internal strength…I am really worried for you…”

Ding Yun smiled weakly, “I’m alright. Thanks for your concern…”

She stole a glance at Lie Qing, who smiled at her.

Ding Yun did not regret giving up her Divine Virtuous Force intricate energy to Lie Qing. Even though she had lost all her internal strength but she had moved Lie Qing deeply. It was only late last night that Lie Qing had secretly looked for her and revealed a martial secret to her; in order to learn the true form of the Invincible Divine Force, the practitioner must first practiced the Divine Virtuous Force and then let it be drained by the Invincible Divine Force!

Also, Lie Qing had deliberately hid some of the intricate formulas of the Invincible Divine Force from Xiao Youxue and her previously. Lie Qing had apologized with full sincerity and revealed the missing intricate formulas but she had also told her that it was pointless to have the missing intricate without first losing the Divine Virtuous Force. The missing intricate formulas were for the advance Invincible Divine Force and not for their Divine Virtuous Force.

Lie Qing also told her not to worry. In just three days, if there was a practitioner with the Invincible Divine Force to aid her, she would surely regain her internal strength. Not only would her internal strength be purer and stronger than ever, she would have also attain the last staging of the Divine Virtuous Force, which was actually only the initial staging of the Invincible Divine Force. This would give her the martial power to start learning the Golden Impervious Body which was what Xiao Shuai and Yuan Shao had been secretly coveting!

The Invincible Divine Force had five staging altogether, the Virtuous Level, Pious Level, Righteous Level, Holiness Level and the Divine Level.

Lie Qing had told her that she was only on the lower tier of the Righteous Level and the Holiness Level was near impossible to attain but in the past, there were a few that had actually attained it. As for the Divine Level, it was a mythical level and she doubted that it was even possible to attain it.

Ding Yun had asked her, “What happens if we can reach the Divine Level?”

Lie Qing smiled, “Then we are truly invincible and even the Divine Calamity is nothing to be feared. However, no one can reach that staging. Some bored practitioners have speculated of its existence but no one has ever been able to prove that it can actually be attainable.”

In the martial fraternity, there were many martial theories and heart intricate formulas. Some martial staging may seem impossible to attain but when the practitioner’s state of the divinity was able to advance, so did their martial understanding and the previous impossible martial staging would become possible.

But there were also many intricate formulas that were pure theories and were impossible to attain in actual practice.

Ji Lingfeng glanced at Lie Qing as she walked lightly to Yi Ping, asking. “Yi Ping, don’t you feel that it is weird that Maiden Lie Qing is able to recover her internal strength so swiftly? Is there such a miraculous thing in the world? And Maiden Ding Yun has coincidentally lost her internal strength.”

Yi Ping clapped his fists as he said aloud, “That’s right! Why didn’t I think of that?”

Yi Ping happily walked over to Lie Qing as he said excitedly, “Qing’Er, you have really recovered?”

Lie Qing and Ding Yun were startled when Ji Lingfeng had suddenly reminded Yi Ping that Lie Qing was practicing a type of absorbing skill and she had drained Ding Yun of her internal strength!

Lie Qing was scolded harshly by Yi Ping in the past for hinting that she may consider absorbing the internal strength of others.

She tried to retain her composure as she looked at Yi Ping, saying nervously. “Yes…I’m…”

Yi Ping held her hand as he said, “Maiden Yun has sacrificed so much. I hope that you can repay her by teaching her the Invincible Divine Force. I know that martial skills, especially the upper tier martial skills are all forbidden arts and no one will impart to others. Ding Yun, she is really very pitiful. What she did is noble. Qing’Er, I beg you to impart the Invincible Divine Force to her…”

Yi Ping immediately fell upon his knees in front of Lie Qing, much to the astonishment of everyone presented as he continued to say. “I won’t get up unless you have agreed. I know that I have no right to ask you to do so…”

Ji Lingfeng and Lie Qing were totally stunned!

Ji Lingfeng was expecting Yi Ping to start rebuking Lie Qing while Lie Qing was expecting an awkward situation, something like asking her to cough out Ding Yun’s internal strength which she was unable to and a severe scolding!

Lie Qing took a longing glance at Ding Yun, not knowing what to say. It was because she had already imparted the Invincible Divine Force to Ding Yun. Moreover, Lie Qing, Ding Yun and Xiao Youxue had an agreement that the protégé leader of the New Virtuous Palace would be Yi Ping. But now their protégé leader was actually on his knees and begging her!

If you were Lie Qing, what would you do?

For the first time ever, Lie Qing was completely at her wits’ end as she blinked her eyes!

Ding Yun winked at her and walked next to her as she smiled shyly, “Sister Qing’Er…”

She took Lie Qing’s hand and wrote with her fingers on her palm.

All of a sudden, Lie Qing laughed softly.

Priest Liu Qingcheng said to Yi Ping, “Hero Yi Ping, this is an impossible request. You have better get up and forget it. If Maiden Ding Yun does not mind, I will be willing to teach her the Dual Inertia Intricacy Force.”

Yu’Er interrupted melancholy, “Protégé Master…you are so prejudice! You have only taught Mei’Er and I the Dual Inertial Intricacy Formula. You have never mentioned to us that there is such a thing as the Inertia Intricacy Force!”

Mei’Er said unhappily as well, “We may as well say goodbye to you!”

Priest Liu Qingcheng was startled as he quickly said, “My good disciples! Wait, hear me out first. The Dual Inertial Intricacy Force can only be learnt at the advance stage of the Dual Inertial Intricacy Formula. Moreover, I only be harming you if I taught you that for it run contradict to your clan’s Icy Heavenly Tears intricate energy which is towards cold and negative force.”

Mei’Er stomped her foot as she said, “Protégé Master, you are so biased!”

Nangong Le could not help adding, “Brother Liu, you are so biased. You teach Yu’Er and Mei’Er the Dual Inertness Intricacy Formula but not me. You know that I am willing to join your protégé clan anytime. That is why I am here today.”

Priest Liu Qingcheng stared at Nangong Le and was amused, “Bullshit! Bullshit! Bullshit! With your jovial character, you will never join the Tranquil Clan quietly. And the last time you want me to teach you the Dual Inertness Intricacy Formula; you are trying to bribe me to be the clan patron saint instead!”

Nangong Le smiled jovially, “Alright then. Let’s put Yu’Er and Mei’Er aside first since they are your protégé disciples now. What about Maiden Ding? I doubt she will really join your clan.”

Priest Liu Qingcheng rebuked him impatiently, “What do you know? Even if I taught her the Dual Inertness Intricacy Force, I doubt she can really master it. She will need many years of her time to seek an understanding to the advance staging of the Dual Inertness Intricacy Formula first…”

All of a sudden, Priest Liu Qingcheng noticed that everyone was staring at him.

Priest Bai Chongzhen, Gongsun Jing and Qiu Wufeng all said at the same time, “Protégé Master Priest Liu, you have just mouthed vulgarities!”

Priest Ling Kongquan pointed at the white wall in front and said, “Protégé Brother and Protégé Master, the protégé clan rules that are described over there mention no profanities within the Great Longevity Hall. The clan punishments for breaking it, is…”

Priest Liu Qingcheng protested, “It must be this Nangong rascal who has influenced me…”

Priest Ling Kongquan said, “And again…”

Priest Liu Qingcheng ahem aloud, “I am the Protégé Master. I make the rule!”

Priest Ling Kongquan and Nangong Le said at the same time, “Such disrespect for the grandmasters of old…”

Priest Liu Qingcheng said hurriedly, “What is the clan punishment for being disrespectful to the protégé leader?”

Priest Ling Kongquan immediately kept quiet.

Nangong Le laughed aloud, “Luckily I am not your protégé yet.”

Priest Liu Qingcheng said, “Not for long. I have decided to take you in now!”

Nangong Le laughed, “Then don’t you regret it. You must teach me the Dual Inertia Intricacy Formula then?”

Priest Liu Qingcheng laughed aloud, “You rascal. You want this all along, am I right?”

Nangong Le and Ling Kongquan roared with laughter and their laughter was infectious. Soon everyone was laughing along except for Yi Ping who was still looking at Lie Qing solemnly.

Nangong Le, Priest Liu Qingcheng and Priest Ling Kongquan had always been close friends. That was why they were able to tease one another so openly.

Ding Yun interrupted with a smile, “Priest Liu, you just said that you are willing to teach me the Dual Inertness Intricacy Force. Do you really mean it? As a grandmaster of a repute orthodox clan, do you mean what you have just said?”

Priest Liu Qingcheng sighed, “Today is just not my day. I have gained a useless protégé and now I am going to give away my clan secret martial skill just like that.”

Ding Yun smiled, “I take that as a yes then. In return, I will leave the Flying Sword Technique and the Divine Virtuous Force Skill in writing to you.”

Priest Liu Qingcheng’s eyes began to beam brightly. He had long wanted to look at the intricate formula of the Divine Virtuous Force, even if he could not practice it! It may improve his understanding of the Dual Inertial Intricacy Formula and advanced his state of divinity!

Priest Bai Chongzhen was envy, interrupting. “Maiden Ding, maybe you will be interested in the Traverse Skills. After all, we are one of the seven major orthodox clans in the martial fraternity…”

He was interrupted by Yi Ping, who was now bowing to Lie Qing, “Qing’Er, say something please…”

Lie Qing deliberately sighed, “Get up first.”

Yi Ping said, “You have agreed?”

Lie Qing nodded slowly, “But on one condition. Get up first. I don’t feel comfortable with you on your knees.”

Yi Ping quickly got up as he said excitedly, “Just one condition? Even ten conditions, I will agree!”

Lie Qing smiled mysteriously, “Don’t be so hasty first. You may regret it.”

Yi Ping said, “As long as it not any wicked things, I won’t regret it!”

Lie Qing began to flush as she said softly, “Is that so?”

Yi Ping said, “What is the condition?”

Lie Qing began to stroke her hair as she looked away shyly, “Not yet. I will let you know soon.”

Yi Ping said aloud to Lie Qing, “Qing’Er, you are so kind!”

Yi Ping quickly walked to Ding Yun and said, “Yun, you should thank Qing’Er. She has agreed to impart to you the Invincible Divine Force!”

Ding Yun looked tenderly at him, “Yi Ping, you shouldn’t have done this for me, especially in front of so many others. Thank you…”

Ding Yun said to Lie Qing, “Thank you!”

Lie Qing and Ding Yun secretly exchange glances, trying extremely hard not to laugh aloud.

Yu’Er, Mei’Er and Ji Lingfeng almost fainted on the spot. How could Yi Ping not know what Lie Qing and Ding Yun were up to?

Ji Lingfeng said to Yi Ping, “Yi Ping, you really shouldn’t have done that for her. You are a dense pigheaded hero!”

Yi Ping was startled, “Lingfeng, why are you scolding me? I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Ji Lingfeng smiled coldly, “You really didn’t do anything wrong or just happy to upset my mood?”

Yi Ping protested panicky, “Lingfeng, what actually did I do wrong? If you don’t tell me, how do I know what it is that I have done wrong?”

Ji Lingfeng kicked him lightly, “Only you are a hero. You are trying to make me look bad by saying it aloud…”

Yi Ping said weakly, “It hurts you know. My wounds have not recovered yet…”

Ji Lingfeng interrupted, “That’s none of my business.”

Yi Ping and Ji Lingfeng were protesting and moving in circles. Anyone that had seen it knew immediately that it was not a real quarrel but an enviable sight that only two very close friends could enjoy. They seemed to have forgotten that there were dozens of onlookers in the hall.

Lie Qing, Ding Yun, Yu’Er and Mei’Er sighed secretly and wondered when they would be in a similar position as Maiden Lingfeng.

“Lingfeng, where are my secret manuals?”

“Humph! Come get it if you are capable. This is to teach you for not listening to me!”

“Lingfeng, when did I ever not listen to you? You…ask me to secretly leave the valley, I did. You ask me to go to the Holy Hex Sect to look for you, I did.”

“Dense, dense, dense! I didn’t ask you to befriend so many…humph young maidens along the way, right? Well, you don’t have to go there anymore.”

“Why? You are angry with me, Lingfeng?”

“Faint! Because I am here now…you…did that on purpose, am I right?”

“Really, I didn’t. You know sometimes I am dense…”

All of a sudden, Ji Lingfeng and Yi Ping had stopped in their tracks. It was because they could sniff the light fragrance of lavender that had suddenly appeared. It came from Lele and she was now standing at the entrance of the hall.

Priest Liu Qingcheng quickly announced, “The Celestial Envoy is here!”

The protégés of the Tranquil and Traverse Clan quickly arranged themselves in neat columns.

Lele was looking at Yi Ping and Ji Lingfeng quietly. Even though she was looking serene but her cold demeanor was unmistaken!

Yi Ping said, “Lele, you are late…”

Lele's tone was icy, “You are to address me as the Joyful Goddess, so must everyone here.”

Ji Lingfeng looked at her with silent determination. Even though she had said nothing, it was as though her alluring eyes could speak. It was as though she was telling the Joyful Goddess that she would not give in to any threats and give Yi Ping up.

Yi Ping was startled as he thought, “Why is she so cold towards me today? This is so unlike her.”

Priest Liu Qingcheng quickly added, “The Joyful Goddess must have stayed quite late to ponder on a stratagem to defeat the Honor Manor. That is why she is late. This is perfectly understandable.”

Lele could not resist a soft chuckle. She was trying very hard to be cold towards Yi Ping. It was because she was not entirely pleased to see Yi Ping and Lingfeng on such an amicable term. And moreover, Lingfeng was an extremely alluring maiden and already in the hall, there were many who had already been infatuated by her.

Lele was not called the Joyful Goddess for nothing. She rarely approach things with a heavy heart and acted purely on whims.

When the Jade Emperor wanted to appoint a Celestial Envoy to the Holy Hex Sect to control and understand the situation, Lele had volunteered.

The Jade Emperor had said to her, “You are one of the four Prime Celestials and you have not even fully recovered from your last cycle of sleep. Stay where you are. I will appoint someone else to go.”

But Lele was not even listening or paying scant attention and had left the Celestial Palace immediately, much to the amusement of the Jade Emperor. The Jade Emperor had given up on reproaching her over the centuries as he sighed, “Does she even know that I am still talking to her or is her mind already fluttering with the things that she wants to do in the fraternity?”

The Jade Emperor was bemused for a while until he got a sudden jolt, “She doesn’t even know the mission at all!”

If anyone thought that Lele was like that, just as the Jade Emperor thought she was; then they must be greatly mistake! That was how astute Lele really was. She had joined the Celestial Palace when she was very young and that was what she wanted others to think of her in this manner. That was her way to shrink away from responsibilities and she was never tasked with bringing super exponents back to the Celestial Palace for no one really trusted her to do any task in a proper manner!

That was how and why Lele had become the Celestial Envoy…

Not only did the Jade Emperor and others thought the same of her, even Yi Ping had felt that she was living in her own world. What Yi Ping did not realize was that Lele was actually very lonely and she cherished every chance to express herself.

Lele stroked her long hair as she laughed softly, “Yi Ping, how do I look today?”

Yi Ping was startled by her question. Yi Ping scratched his nose as he said, “Looking great…”

But he added, “Lele…”

Lele looked annoyed, “Joyful Goddess!”

Yi Ping sighed, “Joyful Goddess then…”

Lele said jovially, “Good. Very good. You can call me Lele now.”

This time it was Yi Ping who looked annoyed, “Lele! You!”

Lele laughed softly, “Good boy! Remember only you can call me by my name.”

She deliberated swept her eyes at everyone. Her intention was clear. Only Yi Ping could have the privilege of addressing her by her real name.

Lie Qing obviously thought that it was not funny as she gave a soft yawn and fingered her black sword. She had almost raised her sword to point at Lele.

Yi Ping was clearly annoyed as he said, “You are obviously embarrassing me in front of so many others!”

Lele looked at him with her watery eyes, “I am giving you such an esteem honor yet you do not appreciate it. Do you know that you shouldn’t have revealed my true name in any circumstances? This is the rule of the fraternity. Most of the exponents in the fraternity use a fraternity name to represent themselves. Unless I have given the permission, you shouldn’t have introduced my name to others. I haven’t settled this score with you yet. Now everyone knows my name…”

Yi Ping was startled as he looked panicky around him. When he saw Qiu Wufeng and Gongsun Jing nodded at him, he immediately knew that he had committed a terrible blunder.

Yi Ping immediately said, “I’m sorry. I really did not know…please forgive me…”

Lele broke into a smile, “Since you are quick to apologize, I forgive you then! Remember, you are not to call me by my name in the presence of others. Is that understood? You ignorant third tier pugilist who didn’t know anything at all.”

Yi Ping smiled bitterly, “I got it now.”

Even though Lele seemed to be rebuking Yi Ping, she was actually instructing him lightly like a mentor.

It was such an enviable sight that many in the hall wished miserably that they were the ones that were lectured by her instead.

Yi Ping sighed and asked, “Lele…Joyful Goddess. You are late today. Are you working on a plan for us to fight the Honor Manor?”

Lele had a mysterious look in her eyes as she asked softly, “Yi Ping, how do I look today?”

Yi Ping sighed. He really had no idea what was on her mind. This was the second time that she had asked the same question.

But he was patient with her and said, “You are looking great…what about the battle plans? Surely you have asked us to gather so early in the morning for a reason?”

Lele sighed softly, “These are two separate reasons entirely.”

Yi Ping was bewildered as he asked, “Huh?”

Lele said, “You have asked me why I am late, am I right?”

Yi Ping nodded and said, “That’s right.”

Lele said, “The reason why I am late is because I am taking a bath at the Tranquil Pool. I have heard that it is a renowned pool even before I have transcendent as a Celestial. Today, I have finally visited it.”

Priest Liu Qingcheng almost fainted on the spot while Priest Ling Kongquan had stumbled weakly backward when they had heard it!

It was because the Tranquil Pool was their most sacred pool and no one had ever bath in its pristine water before. It was considered to be sacrilegious to do so!

Lele continued, “That is the reason why I am asking if you notice anything different about me?”

Yi Ping clapped his hands as he said, “No wonder you are looking so great and had a wonderful fragrant around you. No wonder!”

Yi Ping was looking at Lele intently and he was not aware that Lingfeng had covered her face with her hands in embarrassment, while Yu’Er and Mei’Er were trying very hard not to giggle at him. He was not aware that the protégés of the Tranquil Clan all had a stunned expression on their faces.

Even Lie Qing and Ding Yun sighed silently and wished that they did not know who Yi Ping was for he was embarrassing himself with his ignorance.

The Tranquil Pool was renowned throughout the martial fraternity for its pristine and rumored miraculous water that could clear the mind for mediation.

Gongsun Jing, Nangong Le and Qiu Wufeng were all stunned as well and secretly thought, “Is he really our sworn brother?”

Luckily, Yi Ping was a hero while Lele was the esteem Celestial Envoy so no one dared to say a word.

Priest Bai Chongzhen was thinking, “Someone actually dare to take a bath in the Tranquil Pool and someone who is already a super exponent in the martial fraternity did not know the Tranquil Pool…this is going to the lore of martial fraternity as one of the most unusual events to happen and I have actually witnessed it today. What an honor, what an honor…”

Lele lowered her glance and even her voice softened to almost inaudible, “I have asked all of you here to gather in the morning because I do not want anyone to outrage my modesty when I am taking a relaxing dip.”

Yi Ping nodded approvingly, “That’s right! All these make sense now. It will be bad if others see you.”

All of a sudden, Yi Ping had a sudden jolt. “What about our battle plans?”

Lele said coolly as she looked at everyone, “You have all gathered here since morning, surely you have already discussed the best course of action?”

Yi Ping looked at Lele as he said, “But we are waiting for you!”

Lele asked, “What have all of you been doing since morning?”

Everyone was too embarrassed to say anything and was looking at one another with an awkward expression.

Priest Bai Chongzhen looked at Priest Liu Qingcheng, who was still in a daze before he said to Lele and everyone. “It is still not too late for us to discuss our next course of action.”

Qiu Wufeng said, “That’s right. Let’s fight our way out.”

Gongsun Jing smiled bitterly, “Brother Qiu, I think that is the last option. We don’t even know if there is an ambush ahead of us.”

Lie Qing lifted her long skirt while clutching her black sword as she stepped forward, asking Lele, “So the Joyful Goddess has asked us here just because she wants to enjoy her bath?”

Even though it was obvious to everyone but no one dared to mention it except for Lie Qing.

Lele smiled, “My good sister…we need to talk…”

Lie Qing interrupted coldly, “Who is your good sister? So the Celestial Envoy who has come to aid us has actually asked us to gather since the wee morning so that she can take a bath?...”

Lele sighed softly, “Of course not! I do have another very important reason to ask everyone to be here.”

Lie Qing asked, “Which is?”

Lele said, “Tomorrow is Yi Ping and my wedding. It is very important to me and I hope that everyone will be able to attend it.”

Everyone, including Yi Ping and Ding Yun were stunned.

Yi Ping asked panicky, “Who is getting married tomorrow? Again?

Lele pointed at Yi Ping, “You are.”

Yi Ping asked, “I am? How come I do not know?”

Lele smiled, “Now you do. Due to unforeseeable circumstances, we are getting married tomorrow and these are our guests.”

Yi Ping was so stunned by Lele’s announcement that he was just staring blankly in thin air!

Nangong Le could not resist adding a sarcastic laughter, “Congratulation for marrying such a beautiful maiden.”

Ji Lingfeng smiled bitterly. Her voice was soft but everyone could hear her, “As though we have a choice of not attending. We are all trapped here…”

Lie Qing said coldly, “I protest.”

Lele smiled coolly, “Good sister, your protest is invalid.”

Lie Qing was stunned at her egocentric behavior that she had raised her fists and had unleashed three quick blows to slap her, saying. “We are all in mortal danger and you still have the mood to celebrate your wedding? That is really too much, even if you are from the Celestial Palace!”

Lie Qing was quick, in a blink of an eye she attacked three times but Lele was composed as she deflected her blows with her sleeve.

Lie Qing was so enraged that she had actually used her martial power when she had missed, as the powerful force of the Invincible Divine Force could be felt!

Lele said coolly, “Luminous Star, you are really serious?!” As she said, there was a thunderous impact when Lele received a blow from Lie Qing with her Celestial Force!

Even Yi Ping was forced to take three steps backward while the weaker pugilists fell onto the ground as they were all in close proximity!

Lie Qing groaned in disbelief that Lele could actually receive the almighty force of the Invincible Divine Force in such short notice. Her achievements in the Invincible Divine Force was so advance that she could muster her martial power anytime that she wanted to and that was really a hard thing to achieve for most exponents. It was because to exponents of the martial fraternity, timing and ability to react were crucial, holding the key to their very own survival!

Lie Qing was so determined to hit Lele that she had used the “Pandora Darkness Fingers’, charging five of her Invincible Divine Force intricate energy channels to her fingers as she struck at Lele repeatedly! “I am not any Luminous Star. I am the Darkness.”

Lele had raised her internal strength through the Celestial Force as she exchanged blows after blows with Lie Qing, absorbing the powerful impact of Lie Qing’s blows with the absorbing martial power of her Celestial Force!

She was secretly startled with Lele’s martial power and was panicky, wondering how long she could last in this duel. Every blow that she had absorbed from her, her Celestial Force began to weaken.

Even though they had exchanged just a few words but more than fifty blows had already been exchanged, knocking people down, overturning decorations and destroying furniture from the bursting windforce of their thunderous blows!

Priest Bai Chongzhen said panicky, “Everyone, back!”

Priest Liu Qingcheng was pleading aloud, “Stop fighting. Alas, no fighting in the Longevity Hall…”

Ding Yun, Ji Lingfeng, Yu’Er and Mei’Er quickly went to Yi Ping and shook him hard, “Yi Ping, ask them to stop please before it is too late…they are for real…”

But Yi Ping was completely fascinated by their fights and did not notice…

Yi Ping had thought, “How come I didn’t know Qing’Er is so highly skilled? What strokes are they using? I didn’t know their strokes can be so intriguing.”

Yi Ping had dueled with Lele on numerous occasions so he knew very well how refine her skills were. He had only witness Lie Qing displayed her martial skills only once and that was against the injured Ye Lu and Qiao Feng. So naturally, he was stunned to see her actual martial display!

Just when Yi Ping was about to step forward to plead with them to stop, he was seized by a headache that caused his vision to blur!

As he looked at Lie Qing and Lele again, all of a sudden he had found their movements to be eerily familiar as though he had seen it before!

For no hymn and reason, he was suddenly in a dream. He saw a young man with a noble bearing and three heavenly maidens. The strong rays of the sunset seemed to have turned their eyes red. The weird thing was, he could not see their faces yet that was the impression he had of them.

The young man was suddenly fighting with the three heavenly maidens. The dream seemed to have moved forward and two of the heavenly maidens had succumbed onto the ground. The third heavenly maiden seemed to have lost her fighting spirit and had dropped to her knees on the ground. She was weeping silently and waiting for the young man to end her life.

Somehow, the young man did not seem glad with the victory. There was a hint of sorrow in his eyes. He walked away quietly and found an isolated place to meditate. Many years seemed to have passed as the young man continued to meditate but he did not seem to have aged.

Finally, the young man opened his eyes and looked in the heavens as he saw a bright star in the heavens above that was faltering. His eyes were grayish and seemed void of any light. All of a sudden, the bright star grew extremely dim and seemed to have fallen from the heavens!

The young man said gravely, “Even after three hundred and thirty-three years, you still cannot put this down? You are not going to succeed and this will cost you your Ascend. What right do I have to criticize you? Even after three hundred and thirty-three years, I too am unable to put this down as well.”

He began to get up and now was in another place.

The place was like a dangerous underground maze but this young man carefully dismantled all the booty traps before he reached the center of the maze.

The center of the maze was eerily like the stone chamber that Yi Ping had visited before.

Again, the young man saw the heavenly maiden who had survived many years ago.

She said gently, “You have come to stop me? It is already too late. The Celestial Formations are already on the move and without my divine power to unseal it, you cannot stop me now.”

She still looked the same but was very weak. As she looked keenly in his eyes, she smiled gently, “You have achieved the Ascend? Why are you still here? After so many years, you still refuse to spare me?”

The young man said calmly, “Why are you so foolish as to give up your precious life? Do you know how many painful years of cultivation and lucky happenstances arranged by the Divine Fate that bring you this far?”

The heavenly maiden said gently, “I am not as heartless as you. That is why you are able to ‘Ascend’ while I am unable to. Even if I have to do it again, I will do it.”

The young man said, “You have not reached enlightenment yet. Your sisters are predestined to die. Only you are able to Ascend. It is not too late now. Stop it before your life force is completely drained.”

The heavenly maiden said coldly, “My sisters are killed by you!”

The young man said, “We are on opposite sides and didn’t have a choice…”

The heavenly maiden interrupted weakly, “Why don’t you leave me to my destiny and complete your Ascend, instead of lingering with lesser mortals like me?”

The young man said, “You won’t succeed. There are too many variables involved. And moreover this involves the destinies of three of you. One destiny is already too unpredictable and moreover, you are trying to move three destinies to your wishes.”

The heavenly maiden smiled weakly, “Do you think I do not know? I have spent years of my time divining. Only Melody Star will have the best chance to succeed…I’m happy enough to be in her time…We will surely settle our scores with you when the time comes…”

She had now collapsed onto the ground and had turned into sparkling dust!

When she had pulverized into nothingness, the young man had a great sense of loss. He raised his hands and said, “I have reached the highest level of the Emptiness Translucence a long time ago but why I am feeling a sense of great loss?”

He reached out his fingers to touch the still sparkling lights and suddenly remembered that he and the three sisters had been mortal enemies for more than a thousand years, way before they had even embarked on the the path to divinity.

Suddenly he had turned ashen and there were tears in his eyes for the first time in a thousand year. The sparkling light contained the last vestige of Yun Xiao’s memories. On their last battle, the three sisters had deliberated lost to him so that he could achieve the Ascend, a rare opportunity that they had all been waiting for many years to come.

“Why…”

He was the very reason why the three sisters had been pushing themselves so hard…

“Yun Xiao’s celestial star formation, I can feel it now?”

The young man laughed madly, “I didn’t Ascend because I am guilty. Where are the others that had Ascend? Instead of a new state of divinity, they have all turned into ashes and nothingness. Do you know that you have indirectly saved my life? Today, I have finally understood that I am the most foolish one. My enlightenment comes too late…”

The young man too burst into glowing balls of light and into nothingness even as his silent words could be felt saying, “I will help you to Ascend…this is the least that I can do for all of you even if the odds are one in a million.”

Yi Ping gave a loud painful yell as Lingfeng pinched him hard and stomped on his foot.

Lingfeng, Ding Yun, Mei’Er and Yu’Er were saying panicky at the same time, “Why are you daydreaming at a time like that! Hurry and stop them before it is too late!”

Yi Ping shouted panicky, “Stop!!!”

Yu’Er shook her head, “It no use. They cannot hear us now. The force inside nullified all other disturbances from the outside…”

Lele and Lie Qing had fought from fast to fighting in slow motion. Even though they looked unhurried as they exchanged blows like a normal exponent but they were leaving deep footprints onto the floor with every step and exuding deadly waves of internal energies!

Exponents like Priest Bai Chongzhen, Priest Liu Qingcheng, Priest Ling Kongquan, Ding Yun and Lingfeng immediately knew that to be struck by anyone of them, would mean instant death!

At this moment, they were surrounded by their martial force as their martial power reached its peak. No one could approach them or they be crushed instantly by the surrounding inertia force. Even metals would bend and wood would crack in their mere presence now!

As Lie Qing clashed repeatedly with Lele, blood tickled from the tip of her pink lips. She had used her entire martial power and yet she could not gain an advantage over Lele. Their fight had degenerate from exchanging blows to a self-punishing contest of pure internal strength. If she had not used her Invincible Divine Force to its fullness, exchanging mere blows with Lele would have killed her!

Lele was not faring too well either. She had just coughed out another bout of blood as she took another blow from Lie Qing! She had exercised her internal strength to its fullness that the very air around her was electrifying. Her Celestial Force may be able to absorb the martial force of the Invincible Divine Force but it was now taking a severe toil on her now!

Lele smiled weakly to Lie Qing, “Why don’t you give up now? I let go of your rude offense this time.”

Lie Qing said weakly, “I will only stop if you give up first and you must first apologize to everyone for being late…”

Lele interrupted, “You are the one that raise your fist at me first. You are more unreasonable than me…!”

Just as Yi Ping was about to dash into their middle, Ding Yun and Lingfeng held him back panicky!

Yi Ping asked panicky, “Quick! We must stop them. At this rate, they will both die!”

Ding Yun was solemn as she threw her flying sword into their midst!

Yi Ping was stunned as he raised his voice, “Yun, what are you doing!”

But even before the flying sword could reach them, it was deflected by an invisible force around them and flew to the roof of the hall!

Ding Yun said quietly, “You will die if you go in just like that…”

But before Ding Yun had finished, Yi Ping had raised his entire martial power with the Aspire Invocation and had broken free of Ding Yun and Lingfeng’s hold, charging into Lele and Lie Qing midst!

Even before Yi Ping reached their midst, his eyes had turned bloodshot and he used the last bout of his martial power to take one blow from Lele and another blow from Lie Qing at the same time!

There was a large explosive force when Yi Ping took their blows as he coughed out blood!

When Lie Qing and Lele saw Yi Ping dashing into their midst, they had already withdrew half of their martial power in panicky but it was still not quick enough!

“Yi Ping!” Both maidens cried out aloud.

Yi Ping coughed out more blood as he collapsed with one knee onto the ground. He smiled weakly, “Good. Now you can hear me…”

Lele rebuked Yi Ping, “Why are you so foolish? Do you know you will die if you barge in just like that?”

Yi Ping said weakly, “There is no other way to get your attention…if your fight goes on, both of you will surely die of internal injuries.”

Lie Qing was uneasy as she said, “Yi Ping…”

Yi Ping was right. If it persisted for another minute, both Lie Qing and Lele would surely die of their internal injuries.

Lingfeng was the first to dash to Yi Ping, followed by Ding Yun, Yu’Er and Mei’Er!

Lingfeng immediately felt his pulse and was solemn, “Your intricate energies are erratic now. Even if you can restore it to normal, you won’t be in time to use your internal strength. Close your eyes and recuperate first. I will use my internal strength to guide your erratic energy to its proper course. There is no time to lose if you don’t want to lose your internal strength permanently.”

With that, they sat down.

Lingfeng had wanted to chide Yi Ping but in the end, when she had seen the extent of his internal injuries, her heart was too heartbroken to rebuke him.

Ding Yun held Lie Qing and Lele’s hands as she said quietly, “Both of you have sustained terrible internal injuries. Until you have fully recovered, it is best that the two of you sustain from using any internal strength.”

Ding Yun added quietly, “Is it worth it? Both of you fighting with your internal strength in this manner just to prove a point?”

Lie Qing and Lele looked at one another sheepishly.

Lie Qing said softly, “I just…I just want to slap her for being so egoistic. She is obviously making a fool out of us.”

Lele looked hurt as she quickly said, “I didn’t want to fight you, Luminous Star…”

Lie Qing interrupted coldly, “You can address me as Maiden Lie. I am not like someone who dare not use her real name.”

She was the opposite of Lele; she had dared to use her own name but not her fraternity name.

Lele said, “I don’t want to fight you, Lie Qing but you have left me with no choice.”

Lie Qing said coldly, “I am not so close to you that you can address me by my name.”

Lele said sadly, “Lie Qing, don’t be upset alright? I apologize to you…”

Everyone was stunned that Lele had taken the initiative to apologize to Lie Qing!

Lele looked at Yi Ping sorrowfully before taking a look at Lie Qing again. She turned to everyone and said softly, “I apologize for being late to everyone…”

Lie Qing was startled that she had actually apologized to everyone. It was totally unexpected and out of character for the Joyful Goddess who seemed to look at everyone with disdain to apologize.

Lele repeated softly, “I apologize to everyone again. I hope that everyone will forgive me for being late.”

Lie Qing sighed softly as she thought, “Maybe the Joyful Goddess isn’t that bad. I should have control my impulse better…”

Priest Liu Qingcheng said solemnly, “Being late is only a small matter. We should plan our next recourse on how to fight the Honor Manor.”

He asked, “Joyful Goddess, where are the rest of the people from the Celestial Palace? Will they be arriving soon?”

The Joyful Goddess looked sheepish as she sighed softly, “How far do you think we are from the Holy Hex Sect? The rest of the Celestial Envoys will be going there. I am the only one here…”

Of course Lele did not dare to tell them that she was a fake Celestial Envoy with no mission. She did not even know if there were other Celestial Envoys that were on their way to the Holy Hex Sect.

Mei’Er said melancholy, “It is hopeless. We have better surrender.”

Priest Bai Chongzhen asked, “What do you mean? Surrender? Never. We will rather die in battle than surrender dishonorably!”

Mei’Er looked at everyone while Lele and Lie Qing were looking sheepishly, “What are our odds of winning now? The Joyful Goddess, Maiden Lie Qing and Master Yi Ping have all sustained internal injuries and cannot fight in the short term. The rest of us have no hope of winning at all.”

All of a sudden, the truth dropped heavily like a thunderous lightning bolt on everyone in the hall!

Lie Qing was feeling so bad now that her eyes turned watery. Mei’Er was right. They had just lost their only hope of survival now…

Lele smiled gently to Lie Qing, “Lie Qing, you don’t have to look so depress. Even if we have our internal strength, we stand no hope against the Virtuous Palace.”

Everyone was startled.

Lie Qing asked, “What do you mean?”

Lele said, “Why do you think I am holding my wedding tomorrow?”

Just when Lie Qing had started to have a good impression of the Joyful Goddess, she seemed to be back to her own world again. But Lie Qing was too tired to guess or remind her to come to the point directly so she simply said, “Why?”

Lele said softly, “It is because my divination shows that we will all end up in defeat in three days. We are simply not their match at all. That is why I am holding my wedding tomorrow to spend my last days with Yi Ping…”

She swept her glances at Yu’Er, Mei’Er, Ding Yun, Lingfeng and Lie Qing as she looked at them pitifully. It was as though she wanted to tell them of the cruel fate that awaits them in three day time.

When everyone had heard that, they could only smile most bitterly.

Even Lie Qing and Ding Yun were stunned at her answer.

Yu’Er smiled bitterly to Lele. “My Joyful Goddess. Your divination is so right. We do not have any chance now!” She was indirectly being sarcastic.

She wanted to say on behalf of everyone, “How can you base our fighting chance on irrational thing like divination. Now it has really come true because of you.”

Lie Qing was trembling, “We may not lose if we give our best…but now…”

Mei’Er wanted to cry aloud but she withheld her tears as she said, “If only our protégé mistress is here. Then we have nothing to fear from the Virtuous Palace.”

Lele sighed softly, “I am afraid that even if your protégé mistress is here, the result will still be the same!”

Mei’Er said coolly, “Says who? That Xiao Shuai seems to be afraid of our protégé mistress!”

Ding Yun said, “He is not afraid of your protégé mistress. Or rather he gives an order not to hurt the protégés of the Eternal Ice Palace. Or else do you think that even if you have ten lives, you can even survive yesterday battle with Xiao Da?”

Mei’Er asked curiously, “Why did he give such an order?”

Ding Yun shook her head, “I do not know the actual reason but he seems to know the Celestial Fairy.”

Yu’Er asked, “Is the Virtuous Palace so formidable? Surely, Master Yi Ping, Maiden Lie Qing and the Joyful Goddess can match their martial skill?”

Lele said softly, “I have already lost to Yuan Shao that night…”

That night, Yi Ping, Ding Yun and Zuo Tianyi had also been defeated by him!

She did not want to reveal to anyone that she was planning to sacrifice herself to bring Yuan Shao down. That was why she had decided to call for a wedding even though she would be inviting ridicule and contempt. But now, she could not even muster the Celestial Force…

Ding Yun said, “If I am not wrong, Yuan Shao must be planning to use the Dark Mono Sword Formation against us.”

Lie Qing asked, “What’s that?”

Ding Yun said, “If this sword formation is made up of three super exponents, then it is capable of withstanding the strength of nine super exponents. That is how powerful it is.”

Lele coughed softly as she asked weakly, “Is there a way to break this sword formation?”

Ding Yun sighed softly, “It is difficult. The changes are profound. And if the formation consists of the three of them, then they are really invincible.”

All of a sudden, Yi Ping had coughed out black blood and had opened his eyes!

Everyone that knew Yi Ping was calling his name!

“Yi Ping!”

“Are you much better now?”

“How are you feeling now?”

Lingfeng was startled that he could clear his blocked channels and spat out the bad blood out so fast. Normally, the bad blood would remain in the body until it could dissipate slowly. This process could take anything from weeks, months to years!

She was astonished with his constitution!

Yi Ping was overwhelmed by the concern shown to him as he said, “Brother Nangong, Brother Qiu, Brother Gongsun! Yun, Lele, Qing’Er, Lingfeng, Yu’Er, Mei’Er…”

He got up and said weakly, “Lingfeng, I am alright now. Thanks for helping me…”

Lingfeng was so happy that she began to cling tightly to him as she helped to support him up.

Yi Ping looked at everyone as he said weakly, “I have overheard what Yun has said. No matter, I will surely fight them with my last breath.”

Yi Ping asked Ding Yun, “Just how strong Xiao Da and Xiao Fei is when compared to Zuo Tianyi?”

Ding Yun asked him instead, “Just how strong do you think Youxue and the Celestial Fairy really is? Then you will know that Zuo Tianyi is just a small fry.”

Yi Ping could not help sighing when he had thought of Xiao Youxue…

But he quickly said, “Why compare Yixian and Youxue with them? Their martial skills are nowhere near Lele…”

Lele interrupted with a smile, “Joyful Goddess.”

Yi Ping said weakly, “Does it mean that Xiao Da and Xiao Fei martial skills are weaker than the Joyful Goddess as well?”

Yi Ping answers stunned Ding Yun, Lie Qing and Qiu Wufeng.

Qiu Wufeng said, “You are there at the Heavenly Mountains as well. Surely you have witnessed the Celestial Fairy fighting alone against so many top exponents?”

Yi Ping had suddenly remembered the scene that day…

Qiu Wufeng added, “Do you have any idea how powerful Tian Kui really is? He is considered to be one of the top super exponents in the martial fraternity. Even Gongsun Bai dare not trifle with him!”

The Celestial Fairy and Tian Kui had fought that day in the lofty tops of the Heavenly Mountains! Yixian had known Tian Kui for a long time and had restrained herself. Tian Kui was probably the only person to have dueled with her previously and had survived.

Yi Ping was only seeing Yixian as a vulnerable maiden that needed to be protected and not so much of her martial abilities…

Ding Yun added, “You should have known about this. Youxue almost kill the Celestial Fairy that day…”

Youxue had defeated both Tian Kui and the Celestial Fairy singlehandedly!

Lie Qing continued weakly, “If it isn’t for the fear of Youxue, I may have left you a long time ago. Do you know that she has already mastered the ‘Golden Impervious Body’ at her young age and has reached the peak of her Divine Virtuous Force?”

Ding Yun said, “Why do you think she can steal the Golden Rejuvenation Pills from right under the nose of Xiao Shuai and can evade the Virtuous Palace for so many years? Pure luck? Do you know that Xiao Da is most afraid of whom? He is none other than Xiao Yuanjia and Youxue has already defeated him!”

Lie Qing added, “I have secretly observed their fight from a distance. Xiao Yuanjia is ten times more deadly than even Xiao Da…”

Yi Ping had a sudden jolt as he recalled the first time he had seen Youxue; she was already displaying her extraordinary martial force in an inexhaustible manner.

He muttered, “I didn’t know that Youxue is this strong…”

He quickly asked, “If Youxue is this strong, how is it possible for Yixian to fatally injure her?”

Lie Qing kept quiet. She dare not tell Yi Ping that she had a hand in injuring Youxue as well.

No one else except for Lie Qing, Ding Yun, Nangong Le and Zuo Tianyi could possible imagined Youxue martial level unless they had witnessed her fight with the Celestial Fairy!

Ding Yun looked at Lie Qing before she said, “The Celestial Fairy is the real monster. The three of us combined cannot even take her down. If you really want to know the martial depth of the Celestial Fairy, I say she is even more formidable than Yuan Shao and the Joyful Goddess. However, the Celestial Fairy may not be able to break the Dark Mono Sword Formation on her own.”

Lele interjected, “They have the Dark Mono Sword Formation but we have the Celestial Star Formation. It is a far more formidable formation than any known formations.”

Yi Ping looked at Lele, asking enthusiastically. “Will the Joyful Goddess teaches us the Celestial Star Formation then?”

Lele nodded, “The Celestial Star Formation requires a minimum of five and a maximum of nine to complete it.”

Lele looked at Lingfeng, Yu’Er, Mei’Er, Ding Yun and Qiu Wufeng.

Qiu Wufeng was astonished and was looking at Yi Ping, “I am to be the hero this time?”

Yi Ping said hurriedly to Lele, “Joyful Goddess. I am alright now. Let me be in this Celestial Star Formation…”

Before Yi Ping could even finish speaking, he was swept off his feet and flung off by Lele who coughed weakly as she muttered. “You can’t even take one weak blow from me now. Forget about it.”

Qiu Wufeng was gravely solemn as he said, “Leave everything to me.”

Gongsun Jing helped Yi Ping up as he said, “At the very least, we have a battle plan now.” But he was secretly groaning, “This is terrible. Three of our best fighters just put themselves out of action from infighting. Even the best formation cannot propel any fighter’s strength to exceed his potential. A formation is only good for maximizing the effectiveness of the fighter…"

Nangong Le could only smiled bitterly and envied Qiu Wufeng as he thought, “If I am not injured…”

While everyone was looking at the Joyful Goddess, Qiu Wufeng and Yi Ping, no one had noticed that Priest Liu Qingcheng had completed turned ashen as he stumbled backward while muttering to himself. “This is really happening…it happens during my lifetime…”



Ch40 End
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Chapter 42: Sisters of the Fate



Yi Ping was trembling as he walked weakly towards the Celestial Fairy and Youxue while muttering, “Yixian, Youxue…it is really you! I…I…” He really did not know what to say or noticed the icy coldness of the hall as the maidens were all staring icily at one another.

Yu’Er and Mei’Er knew that their protégé mistress was upset because they had been with her for a long time. Their protégé mistress rarely lost her cool and that only happened when they were just young girls and was playing havoc in the Eternal Ice Palace regardless of the clan rules! It was because they had intentional taken advantage of their mistress easy going nature and broke every single rule frequently!

Lie Qing was awkward as she thought, “Youxue is here and his wife is also here. Why am I in this embarrassing situation? I should go…”

Lingfeng and Ding Yun were also quiet. It was because in the presence of the Celestial Fairy, they knew that they had totally no right. They could not even invoke the rule of the martial fraternity by dueling for their rights. It was because none of them were her martial match except for maybe Lie Qing and the Joyful Goddess.

Yixian and Youxue had hidden themselves from their view because they were too awkward to see Yi Ping. If Yi Ping and his companions could not defeat Yuan Shao in three day time, then they would secretly lend him a helping hand.

Yixian and Youxue divine state of their stealth skill was so startling that they could remain completely invisible even to top exponents. Not even Lie Qing and the Joyful Goddess could detect their presence if they willed it.

But what happened in the Grand Hall of Longevity was simply too much for them to bear, testing even their patience.

The Joyful Goddess was horribly late and that caused them to remain motionless for hours while listening to the flirting conversation between Yi Ping and Lingfeng.

And it continued to grow more outrageous when the Joyful Goddess had arrived and they had to listen to her ridiculous excuses and requests.

Not only Lie Qing could not stand her and wanted to teach her some manners, the Celestial Fairy and Youxue were also thinking the same!

The Celestial Fairy and Youxue simply could not believe such an impossible maiden with that kind of an attitude existed in the fraternity. They could only watch in utter disbelief that Lie Qing, the Joyful Goddess and Yi Ping had all lost their martial power from an internal fight!

Were they even aware that they were surrounded by foes?

After they had lost their martial power, the Joyful Goddess was still in a jovial mood to call for a wedding. But because she had lost her martial power, they suppressed their indignation.

Youxue, who was acquainted with Lingfeng, had almost lost her cool when Lingfeng got slapped by the Joyful Goddess.

But still, they continued to endure the antics of the Joyful Goddess till to the very end.

When they realized that they were played by her, they could no longer suppress their wrath for her even with their state of divinity!

As for Yi Ping, he was walking with trembling steps towards them now!

Shui Yixian sighed to herself, “If Yi Ping comes close to me I am going to give him a slap. He has abandoned Yu’Er and Mei’Er. He even wants to get marry to a demoness like the Joyful Goddess. Is he blind or he is consumed by lust for her? I really regret putting Yu’Er and Mei’Er into his hands. I have ruined them…”

Youxue was equally hurt and felt that she had been betrayed by Yi Ping. She sighed silently as her eyes turned melancholy, “We…have barely parted and you have been acquainted with another maiden? Are all men like that? You are…just…like my hateful father!”

And she had raised her hands to slap as soon as he got close.

As soon as Yi Ping got close to them, he was tearful and said excitedly. “Yixian, Youxue! It is really the two of you. I…I miss you. Yixian…I have thought we have been separated by the heavens and the earth…it is really good. Don’t leave me anymore…”

Yixian had wanted to slap Yi Ping but when she had seen him again and she was glad that he was now talking to her that her heart calmed down considerably. It was because she knew that Yi Ping had never forgotten her. How would she not know? Xiao Youxue had told her everything…

And then he said to Youxue, “Youxue, I have thought that you are gone for good…please forgive me…I am too impulsive. I shouldn’t have said those unkind words to you…alas, I am so dense…I really thought that I would no longer see you anymore…”

Xiao Youxue had wanted to slap Yi Ping too. But what she had wanted to do, her heart did not have the will. She could only mutter, “You…are not taking vendetta for your wife anymore?”

Yi Ping laughed sorrowfully aloud, “I…if I know it is you, I will never have the heart. You have saved me so many times…do you think that I would be so ungrateful?”

Yixian comforted him gently, “She didn’t kill me. She had almost killed me but so did I. So now, it is fair. Look at you. Why did you run off from the Eternal Ice Palace? With your mediocre skills and straightforward nature, how many lives do you think you can afford to lose?”

Yi Ping smiled bitterly, “I am still alive…”

Youxue smiled, “You…even a boar had almost killed you! You have better retired from the martial fraternity…”

Yi Ping looked at her gently, “Even a fish could kill me, thanks to you…”

Xiao Youxue had saved Yi Ping from the Thousand Year Ice Fish in the Icy Cavern. After that they had spent more than three months of carefree life together with Lie Qing. That was her happiest period of her life and she had wished that it would never end.

Youxue could not resist a soft chuckle…

Everyone could see suddenly that Yi Ping and the two heavenly maidens were now talking and laughing softly. It was an extremely enviable sight. They seemed to have forgotten about the presence of everyone else in the hall!

Yu’Er and Mei’Er were secretly blinking their eyes and nodding at each other. It was because their protégé mistress was no longer upset. They were smiling at the enviable sight. Even though they had wanted to run to their protégé mistress and to greet her but they were afraid to interrupt this beautiful moment.

Lie Qing was stroking her long hair and had turned away. It was because she knew that she was out of this picturesque scene now that the Celestial Fairy and Youxue were here. Even if she likes Yi Ping, there was nothing left for her to do now…

Lingfeng did not feel uneasy. She was smiling and was teary. She was saying to herself, “Yi Ping has finally found his wife again. That’s great…all good things must come to an end. I will never forget you, Yi Ping.”

Like Lie Qing, Ding Yun felt out of place…

Of all the timing and of all the people to interrupt, it was the Joyful Goddess.

The Joyful Goddess laughed softly, “Yi Ping, are they your friends? They can attend our wedding too. The more the merrier…”

But she was also playing with her fingers on her chin as she pondered, “The maiden in light blue, she is such a familiar sight?”

All of a sudden, she gasped delightfully. “She is Revelation Star! The statue in the chamber of the Celestial Stars! But her eyes, she has not attained enlightenment yet? Alas, that is troublesome. Oh well…none of my business. She is on her own then…”

The Celestial Fairy and Xiao Youxue had appeared in front of her all of a sudden. Their swiftness movement was not beneath her and was astonishing!

The exponents in the hall were gasping breathlessly. They had never seen someone displaying swiftness movement right in front of them with such startling speed that they did not even notice that they had actually moved from the entrance of the hall to the front of the Joyful Goddess!

The Joyful Goddess was startled but before she could react, they had attacked her.

It was a lucky that that she was agile and she had quickly moved back, “Revelation Star, why are you attacking me?”

The Joyful Goddess had once again provoked them with her incessant arrogance!

The three of them were moving across the hall, flashing to and fro that all the exponents in the hall were rubbing their eyes for they had only seen flashes of shadow!

Yi Ping was gasping, “Speed fighting techniques. Amazing…”

But before he could finish speaking, Lingfeng had appeared in front of him and gave him a knock on his head.

Lingfeng’s swiftness movement skill was on par with them!

Yi Ping asked, “Why are you hitting me, Lingfeng?”

Lingfeng said panicky, “You idiot! You are the only one that can stop them now. Stop watching and asks them to stop or there would be casualties!”

Yi Ping was panicky as he quickly shouted, “Yixian, Youxue, Lele! Stop! You are not enemies!”

But his shouts were drowned out by their explosive techniques and blows…

He had lost his martial power and his ordinary shouts could not be heard above the explosive blows that were ringing nonstop…

The Joyful Goddess was shouting panicky, “Two against one, that’s despicable!”

Xiao Youxue said coldly, “Aren’t you a Prime Celestial? And you are calling for help?”

The Joyful Goddess flew towards Lie Qing and was heard saying, “Qing Qing, help me!”

Yixian and Youxue just wanted to slap the Joyful Goddess but she was proving to be harder than they had expected and extremely good in evading.

Lie Qing hummed coldly, “It seems that we are getting closer to closer each time. Serves you right…”

All of a sudden, a windforce that was created from their rapid fighting sliced past her cheek and scratched her cheek. Lie Qing touched her porcelain face and she looked at the blood that was on her fingers.

Lie Qing had raised her martial power with her Invincible Divine Force as six beaming burst of force exploded from her aura, “How dare you scratch my face!”

And soon, she too was fighting with the Joyful Goddess, the Celestial Fairy and Xiao Youxue!

Lie Qing and Xiao Youxue were friends so they avoided attacking one another.

Xiao Youxue and the Celestial Fairy were friends so they too avoided attacking one another.

The Joyful Goddess had the most disadvantages as she had to fight three super exponents at the same time while Xiao Youxue only need to focused her attention on the Joyful Goddess!

As they fought, their martial power and force increased so rapidly that the entire hall was now shaking and they had already knocked down several pillars!

The Joyful Goddess was now panicking as she had exhausted all her possible strokes against these super exponents; they had seen through all her feints and intrigue moves. It would not be for long before she could be hit by them! She thought, “It is even harder than fighting Yuan Hao…”

But she was also astute shrewd. When she could not take any blows anymore, she would use Lie Qing as her shield by taking evasive action behind her!

If there were a power ranking among these four super exponents however slight it was, the Celestial Fairy Shui Yixian would surely be ranked first, second would be the Heavenly Temptress Lie Qing, Youxue would be third while the Joyful Goddess Huan Le would be last.

But in terms of internal strength, it was the opposite. The Joyful Goddess would outlast them as long as she had the most profound internal strength due to the Celestial Force and her centuries of mediation, provided that she did not get kill first. That was why she was bending attacks with her superior speed against the three of them.

Priest Liu Qingcheng, Gongsun Jing, Nangong Le, Qiu Wufeng, Priest Ling Kongquan and Priest Bai Chongzhen were all shouting to Yi Ping and the rest, “Everyone quickly run! The entire hall is collapsing!”

Yi Ping was reluctant to leave but he was dragged away by Lingfeng and Gongsun Jing.

Gongsun Jing said, “Brother, this place is too dangerous now. The building may collapse anytime. There is nothing we can do except to pray for their safety...”

Lingfeng said, “That’s right.”

Nangong Le was sighing poetically, “Four heavenly maidens fighting, what a wondrous sight…” But before he could finish, he was knocked onto the ground by a sudden windforce as a shadow dashed past him and he had to be carried away by Qiu Wufeng!

Just as Yi Ping and the last of the group had exited the grand hall, the entire building had suddenly collapsed, leaving the four fighting maidens who were still inside!

The entire structure of the collapsing pillars and walls weighed tons! No one could have possibly survived such a mind blogging heavy crash!

Yi Ping fell upon his knees as he sobbed uncontrollably, “We have just been reunited and now...and now, we have separated again. Why is it that Fate must plays such a cruel trick on me?!”

He began to clench his fists and hit the ground repeatedly until his fists were bloodied…

Lingfeng, Yu’Er and Mei’Er were tearful as they consoled him, “Yi Ping, don’t…”

Priest Ling Kongquan said solemnly, “The dead cannot be brought back. We will surely dig up their bodies and give them a grand burial.”

Priest Liu Qingcheng was staring at the collapsed Grand Hall of Longevity. It was one of the oldest buildings in the Tranquil Clan with over two thousand years of history.

Priest Bai Chongzhen was sighing to himself, “The Prime Celestial Joyful Goddess is dead…we are still surrounded by our enemies. We are now Celestial Messengers in all but name only…”

Priest Ling Kongquan asked, “How is everyone?”

Gongsun Jing said, “Brother Nangong has fainted earlier. Most of us managed to escape with nothing more than just a few bruises. It is a miracle that we are all able to make it out alive…”

Qiu Wufeng was in tears as he stared at the Grand Hall of Longevity.

Gongsun Jing asked him, “Why are you even more upset than Yi Ping?”

Qiu Wufeng wailed, “I have thought that I would be the hero of the Celestial Star Formation. With the Joyful Goddess dead, who will impart to us the Celestial Star Formation now? We are all as good as dead now. We may as well dig our own graves now.”

The hard truth sunk in once again and those who had overheard it were also depressed by the coming outcome!

All of a sudden, Yi Ping got up and he said to everyone. “Priest Liu Qingcheng, I have a request. Let the wedding continues tomorrow. Even if Lele, Lie Qing, Yixian and Youxue are dead, I am going to hold a ceremony for them.”

Priest Liu Qingcheng nodded silently.

Ding Yun, Lingfeng, Yu’Er and Mei’Er were now holding hands and were tearful.

When Yi Ping had finished speaking, he had dashed to the collapsed building, picking and throwing away the debris!

Even as Yi Ping had just started picking the debris, Ding Yun, Lingfeng, Yu’Er and Mei’Er were besides him, picking up and clearing the debris with him!

Priest Bai Chongzhen shouted to his clan protégés, “What are you all waiting for? Help them!”

Priest Liu Qingcheng shouted too, “Help them!”

In no time, dozens of protégés from both the Traverse and the Tranquil Clan were also helping to clear the debris!

“What are you doing Yi Ping? Digging dirt like a kid?”

Yi Ping and everyone were startled at this familiar divine voice. It was unmistakably the voice of the Joyful Goddess and he could sniff her lavender scent!

Yi Ping quickly looked up and saw the Joyful Goddess standing in the distance. She was stroking her long luster hair to and fro. Even though she was still quite a distance away but her divine voice could be heard clearly.

Yi Ping muttered, “Lele…are you…human or ghost?”

The Joyful Goddess said, “I am never human. I am a Celestial. When I heard that you are preparing a wedding for me, I have immediately come back from the dead to visit you.”

Everyone else was too stunned and fearful to react. It was too supernatural and they were all looking at the Joyful Goddess in utter disbelief.

Yi Ping said sorrowfully, “Lele, I am so sorry. It is my entire fault. I have caused your death indirectly. I shouldn’t have asked you to come here in the first place…it is my entire fault…”

The Joyful Goddess sighed melancholy, “Yi Ping, I have only a brief moments left before I vanish. I am so happy that you are going to hold a wedding for my sake. Don’t you forget about me…”

Yi Ping was tearful and he was shouting frantically, “Lele, I won’t forget you! Don’t leave me!”

Ding Yun interrupted, “Yi Ping…Le…the Joyful Goddess isn’t a ghost or dead. She has a shadow…”

Lingfeng was startled. She was so seized up by the Joyful Goddess sudden appearance that she was not thinking clearly. If she was not a ghost, then where were the Celestial Fairy, Lie Qing and Youxue?

The Joyful Goddess said melancholy, “I have just died. That…is why I still have a shadow…very soon, even my shadow will vanish and you will never see me ever again…”

Yi Ping cried out, “Le…Lele….”

He had already run with all his might towards her!

But when he had run halfway to her, dashing across the gardens, small pavilions and the stone bridge that was across a small canal, Yi Ping had suddenly paused in his tracks.

He had suddenly turned back and was red-faced.

He began to walk back quietly and there was a shadow in his expressions!

Everyone was stunned!

Lingfeng thought, “Didn’t he missed the Joyful Goddess so much that he just ran all the way to her? Why did he suddenly turned back and looking so upset?”

The Joyful Goddess was calling out, “You….you don’t miss me anymore?”

Yi Ping turned around and pointed at another direction.

As there were buildings blocking the views, no one except Yi Ping could see what he was actually pointing at.

But Gongsun Jing, Lingfeng, Ding Yun, Yu’Er, Mei’Er, Qiu Wufeng, Priest Bai Chongzhen, Priest Ling Kongquan and Priest Liu Qingcheng hastened to Yi Ping immediately. They were equally stunned at the same time when they saw the Celestial Fairy, Lie Qing and Youxue standing under a pavilion and they were examining a golden scroll together in perfect harmony!

They were all ghosts?

The Joyful Goddess immediately said melancholy, “We have all died…”

Yi Ping said angrily, “Enough! Why did you lie to me, Lele? Do you think it is even in the least funny?”

The Joyful Goddess looked sheepish as she took a glance at the Celestial Fairy, Lie Qing and Youxue before saying, “I just want to know if you are concern for me or not. I…I really had a near miss with death but Revelation Star has grabbed me…”

The Celestial Fairy nodded gently, indicating that it was the truth.

Actually Yi Ping was not really upset with her. He was truly glad that she was alive.

But when he had heard that she really got a near miss with death, his heart immediately softened as he asked gently. “Are you alright?”

The Joyful Goddess nodded slowly.

Yi Ping asked, “What is going on?”

Of course, Lele was not going to tell him now because it was something unorthodox and embarrassing.

When the grand hall was collapsing, they had continued to fight with one another furiously.

At the last crucial moment Yixian had blocked off a falling heavy wooden arc that almost hit Lele with her Divine Emerald Skill as she whispered softly. “We need to get out of here fast or we will all going to die.”

Lie Qing agreed with her, “Let’s settle the fight outside then.”

They were in harmony on that and immediately ceased fighting, using their last ditch efforts to make an escape in the nick of time.

When they were outside and just as they were about to assume their fights, the Joyful Goddess suddenly said. “Sisters look!”

She had took out a golden scroll and rolled it opened in front of their eyes.

Yixian, Youxue and Lie Qing were stunned at the number of intricate formulas that were found in this scroll as they scanned quickly with their eyes. Every single wording of the intricate formulas that were found in this golden scroll was profound!

Because the wordings of the scroll were written in an older text, it took them some time to realize the importance of such a martial treasure!

Youxue asked, “What is this golden scroll?”

Lele said, “These are the various intricate formulas and the paths required to attain divinity. These intricate formulas will aid in your understandings of your martial skills and help you to overcome the Divine Calamity one day depending on your destiny.”

Lie Qing was looking at it with trembling eyes for she knew how deadly the Divine Calamity was and she was unsure if she could survive the next Divine Calamity for she had cheated death using an unorthodox method.

Even the Celestial Fairy Yixian was moved by the sight of the golden scroll for past protégé leaders of the Eternal Ice Palace had all perished in the Divine Calamity.

Youxue asked, “Is the intricate formula real?”

Yixian replied, “Appears to be. This and this, are real and even more polish from what I have known. It takes me five years to figure this intricate formula at that staging. If I know of this intricate formula earlier, it can save me four painful years…”

Youxue was amazed of Yixian’s ability to read and her mastery of the various intricate formulas.

Lele smiled, knowing that they had been moved by the golden scroll that she had found.

She added, “Clearing the Divine Calamity is just the first step. There are seven stages of divinity at the Celestial Level. They are Genesis, Enlighten, Emotion, Transverse, Seventh Sense, Crisis and Ascend. Each stage of divinity is furthered divided into three tiers, lower, middle and upper. Without this scroll, you can never understand how to clear and survive at each staging.”

Lie Qing gasped as she peek at the scroll, “I am only at the Genesis Level. My crisis…”

Lie Qing was the only one that had no difficulty in reading the text but the many of the intricate formula was so profound that she could not grasp the essence of the intricate formula yet.

The contents of the entire golden scroll could probably take centuries to fully grasp and understand!

Yixian was quiet for a moment before she asked softly, “What is it that you want so that you can impart to us the contents of this scroll?”

The Joyful Goddess laughed softly, “Nothing. You are all my sisters. When you have reached the Transverse stage, you will understand. We have a secret destiny waiting for us that even I cannot divine yet. We are once sisters together in a different time. What really happens I really do not know because I do not have those memories too. But if we are to survive until the Divine Wrath, we must be together.”

Lie Qing asked, “Is that why you have been calling me Luminous Star?”

Youxue asked in a low whisper, “You…you will help us?”

The Joyful Goddess nodded, “But there are certain things you must know. You must severe all attachments and sentiments until you can reach the Emotion Staging, or else it will be disastrous for all of you. It is a long way before you can even reach the Emotion Staging, perhaps many centuries.”

Lie Qing looked at Yixian and Youxue for she knew what they must be thinking. She smiled bitterly, “I don’t mind. I am already at the Genesis staging. It not as if I have someone in mind.” She had lied of course.

Yixian’s reply stunned Lie Qing and Youxue, “This is necessary sacrifices. Yi Ping and I belong to different world. I have already wasted so many empty years and time is running out for me. To overcome the Divine Calamity is not only my past protégé leaders’ wishes but is also mine. I…am willing to embark on the path of divinity.”

Youxue kept quiet. She was thinking of Yi Ping at the same time and the contents of the golden scroll.

The Joyful Goddess knew that she had successful bribed them and turned them on her side.

For Yixian and Lie Qing’s state of divinity, it was not an easy matter to bribe them. No one would surrender an intricate formula without any condition. Each of the intricate formula in the golden scroll was a martial secret and extremely profound. The Joyful Goddess had shown them not one but so many intricate formulas at the same time and so willingly.

How could they not be moved?

She added, “From now on, we are sisters. You still have the time to think over it. I will leave the golden scroll with you for three days.

The Joyful Goddess sighed softly, “But now, I got a bigger headache. I still need your approval for my wedding. I don’t want to be slapped or be embarrassed on my wedding date.”



Ch42 End
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