A Martial Odyssey Vol 3 Chapter 3

Yi Ping asked the Goddess Isa and the Goddess of Mercy, “Someone is near us?”

The Goddess Isa smiled wryly, “I am about to ask you if you are able to sense anyone.”

Yi Ping shook his head.

Yixian and Youxue were also looking warily at their surroundings. They were secretly afraid; it was because if their opponents’ martial level were in the league as the Goddess Isa, the Goddess Asura or even the Goddess of Mercy then it was nearly impossible for them to sense such opponents!

The Goddess Isa pointed at the golden Kirin cub as she said quietly, “This little thing here is able to sniff a stranger from miles away. It seems to be telling us that someone or something is approaching us!”

Lele asked curiously, “What are we afraid of? We have four immortal practitioners here now. Surely it is not necessary to be afraid? Or maybe they are people that we know.”

Indeed their group had four immortal practitioners now; the Goddess Isa, the Goddess Aiel, the Goddess of Mercy and the Joyful Goddess Lele!

The Universal Old Man sighed softly when he had heard Lele. He was envious and longed to be an immortal practitioner!

He was now short of one final tribulation to become an immortal practitioner and he had finally learnt earlier that the name of the final heavenly tribulation was the Heaven Sundering Divine Calamity!

But the problem was that he had no idea how difficult the Heaven Sundering Divine Calamity was. He had also no idea if that was going to be his next tribulation or how to trigger it! Moreover what was worrying was that he had not opened his Heaven Eyes yet!

In fact he was quietly pondering to himself, “Should I open my Heaven Eyes forcibly so that I can be better prepared for this last heavenly tribulation? But I may lose my life in the process…alas…even that old freak the Immortal Saint of Swords has already awakened his Heaven Eyes….even the Heaveness…”

The Goddess of Mercy replied warily, “This little thing here is a golden Kirin and it is alone. If it is its mother that is looking for her cub then we may be in for a really nasty fight. I will suggest tying this little thing here and then we flee as fast as we can!”

The Goddess Aiel agreed as she muttered softly, “You have no idea how tough a Golden Kirin is…”

Yi Ping was sighing melancholy, “I know…it is because a Golden Kirin once shelters us from the worst of the Divine Calamities…”

The Goddess Aiel was startled as she asked, “Really?!”

Shi Shi nodded as she said, “That Golden Kirin sheltered us from at least twenty powerful lightning calamities and a meteor calamity. It had not only saved our lives but had also aided us in our celestial progression…”

Yang Min asked, “So that is why sister you are an Ancient Celestial now?”

Shi Shi nodded melancholy as she looked at Yi Ping.

Yi Ping was trembling as he recalled the event, “That Golden Kirin gave up its life so that we can all overcome our divine tribulation. That is why I am a Golden Celestial now…”

The Goddess of Mercy was startled, “Really? Why should that Golden Kirin helps you at the cost of its life? I find it hard to believe…”

The Goddess Isa answered quietly, “It is because that Golden Kirin had recognized Yi Ping.”

The Goddess of Mercy asked, “Explain please?”

The Goddess Isa sighed softly, “Or rather, that Golden Kirin had recognized Yi Ping as the Dark Chaos Lord.”

This time the Goddess of Mercy was stunned as she looked at Yi Ping from top to bottom, “You are really the Dark Chaos Lord?!”

She turned to look at the Goddess Isa, “For real?”

The Goddess Isa looked at her, “Why should I lie to you? Funny. You have recognized the divine sword of the Dark Cosmos Lord but you can’t recognize his real person?”

The Goddess of Mercy took a step back as she stared blankly at Yi Ping, “It can’t be. It is impossible …are you really the Dark Chaos Lord?”

Yi Ping sighed softly but he kept quiet!

The Goddess Isa giggled softly.

But it only made the Goddess of Mercy even more suspicious as she asked Yi Ping, “You really do not know or you are not willing to tell me?”

Yi Ping looked at her gently, “Is that really important to you?”

The Goddess of Mercy eyed the Goddess Isa, “Are you kidding me?”

The Goddess Isa laughed slyly, “Why don’t you ask him? Can’t you tell that he is at the Seventh Cosmos Positioning?”

The Goddess of Mercy looked at Yi Ping in disbelief as she asked, “Really? That is not a bluff?”

It was because she had overheard Yi Ping telling Lord Tian Zhong that he was at the Seventh Cosmos Positioning but she had thought that Yi Ping was doing a bluff to frighten off Lord Tian Zhong.

She asked again, “If your Heaven Eyes is at the Seventh Cosmos Positioning, why is that you cannot even handle Lord Tian Zhong?”

Yi Ping rubbed his nose as he smiled weakly!

All of a sudden the Goddess of Mercy was looking at the Goddess Isa with an equally mystified expression, “Why is that you can’t defeat Lord Tian Zhong? He may be powerful but it is impossible for him to gain an advantage over you. After all, you are on the same level of divinity as me!”

This time round it was the Goddess Isa that was smiling weakly!

It was indeed quite an embarrassing fight for her and it was something that she had wanted to forget as soon as possible!

The Goddess of Mercy did not know that prior to fighting with Lord Tian Zhong, Yi Ping and the Goddess Isa had been through several trials that had sapped most all their martial strength. It was already startling that they could put up such a determined fight against Lord Tian Zhong!

All of a sudden the Goddess of Mercy raised her right hand into a sword finger stance as she aimed at Yi Ping!

As she aimed at Yi Ping, there were two brilliant rainbow lights that were on the tip of her second and middle fingers and another brilliant rainbow hue on her palm!

The Goddess Isa gasped in alarm, “The Three Pinnacle Flower Stance!”

Even Yixian, Lie Qing, Shi Shi, Yang Min, the Celeste Wind Maiden, the Goddess Aiel and Han Lin were startled!

It was because this Three Pinnacle Flower Stance was a mystical level in internal strength art; internal strength practitioners that could not reach her level of internal strength pureness simply could not execute this Three Pinnacle Flower Stance!

How pure was pure and how refine was the pureness of her internal strength?

Needless to say, the practitioner had to be Lesser Cosmos Positioning and above!

The Goddess Aiel was startled as she called out panicky to Yi Ping, “Yi Ping, be careful! Don’t engage her!”

Even the Goddess of Mercy was warning him, “Don’t you have any wishful thinking that I will be lenient toward you. Back off if you are afraid!”

But Yi Ping did not back off.

Instead he raised his right palm forward!

Immediately there were three brilliant burst of light that impacted thunderously when Yi Ping’s palm and the Goddess of Mercy’s fingers had exchanged three quick blows!

When the first exchange had occurred, an outburst of burning martial force had flared around them and all the grasses around them had suddenly burnt into flames!

Everyone could feel the burning intensity of their internal energies!

Indeed it was an exchange of internal strength!

When the second exchange had occurred, all the grasses around them had turned into wisps of smoke and the ground beneath them had changed charcoal black!

When the third exchange had occurred, the air around them was distorted with wavering heat!

Everyone was gasping and was anxious!

It was because internal strength exchange was very different from martial power exchange. Not only was it dangerous, the outcome was also unpredictable and it was not possible to restraint once it had been initiated!

When the three strikes had ended, both Yi Ping and the Goddess of Mercy were breathing hard and they were perspiring!

It was a mere three quick exchanges but the exchanged had sapped all their martial strength!

Slowly the Goddess of Mercy staggered backward as she asked astonishingly, “You…have really reached the Seventh Cosmos Positioning?”

It was because Yi Ping had calmly deflected all three of her attacks with his palm!

Yi Ping was breathing less hard than her but it took him a little effort to say, “Yes!”

The Goddess of Mercy was stunned at this revelation!

It was because none of the immortals had ever attained to this level before except for the Dark Chaos Lord and the Jade Emperor!

The Goddess Isa had also broken into cold sweat as she said unhappily to the Goddess of Mercy, “You shouldn’t have done that. Anyone who isn’t at least in the Heaven Positioning may have perished immediately!”

The Goddess of Mercy replied weakly but her glance was fixed on Yi Ping, “I did warn him. If he had stepped back then I will definitely restraint myself so you don’t have to worry too much.”

Yixian and Lie Qing were exchanging secret looks!

It was because they had just witnessed the Three Pinnacle Flower Stance, a theoretical internal art skill that was not thought possible!

But because they had the opportunity to witness it, they had reaped the benefit of this insight and this would eventually pave the way for their future martial elevation!

And Yixian and Lie Qing were not the only ones who were startled by this simple exchange. All the rest of their group had also learnt a thing or two; the benefits were significant greater because Yi Ping was game enough to exchange blows with the Goddess of Mercy!

Lingfeng said bluntly, “So this is the Three Pinnacle Flower Stance. To think that I have such an opportunity to witness it!”

Shi Shi, Jing’Er and Yang Min were already muttering among themselves excitedly!

How could everyone not be excited?

They had just been given a rare glimpse of a martial feat!

When top exponents dueled, the duel was often a secret duel. It was because no one would like the others to know their secret skills, techniques or fighting mannerisms!

All of a sudden the Goddess Isa, the Goddess of Mercy, Yi Ping, the Goddess Aiel, Yixian, Youxue and Lingfeng had frozen in their tracks!

It was because they had sniffed a strong stench of death!

It was soon followed by a light fragrance!

And the golden Kirin cub was now howling and jumping even wilder!

Yi Ping’s heart was pounding hard!

It was because he could remember this faint fragrance as belonging to Maiden Ziyan!

A heavenly maiden had quietly appeared. In her right hand were a beheaded head and the Green Dragon Divine Sword!

Immediately, the golden Kirin cub began to run toward her and sat quietly beside her!

But when Yi Ping saw her again, he was still stunned by her appearance!

It was because she was completely different now!

She was surrounded by air of elegance; even her golden phoenix and green peacock silken long robe that she was wearing had the effect of amplifying her elegant poise!

But at the same time she had a forbidden aura. This was further amplified by the many golden phoenix eyes and peacock eyes that reflected and surrounded her with multiple golden and green hues!

Yi Ping could scarcely believe that she was Maiden Ziyan as he stammered out, “Maiden…Ziyan?”

But at the same time Han Lin had turned ashen and so did many of the maidens!

The Universal Old Man was staring at the blood soak beheaded head; it was the Reverend Sacred Sage who was also Han Lin’s protégé brother Chu Mingfan!

The Universal Old Man stammered, “You have killed the Reverend Sacred Sage?”

Even the Goddess Aiel had turned pale. It was because like her, Chu Mingfan was also one of the two Ascendant Custodians of the Holy Ascension Sect. His martial skills were not weaker than the Lord Supreme!

Han Lin was trembling as she looked at the Goddess Celestial Alice with bloodshot eyes, “Are you the one that killed and beheaded my protégé brother?”

The Goddess Celestial Alice replied coldly, “Isn’t that obvious? Yes I did.”

Han Lin replied coldly, “Then don’t blame me for taking vengeance for my protégé brother!”

The Goddess Aiel was also trembling as she asked coldly, “What did you do with Old Reverend Vanquisher Sage?”

Yixian asked coldly, “What did you do with Yu’Er and Mei’Er?”

Yi Ping was also trembling as he asked, “Xingyue, Ye Yin…where are they? Where is Yu’Er? Where is Mei’Er?”

It was because the Shen Xingyue, Ye Yin, Yu’Er, Mei’Er and Old Reverend Vanquisher Sage were in the same group as Reverend Sacred Sage!

The Goddess Isa said coldly to the Goddess Celestial Alice, “So we have met again. It seems that this fight is inevitable.”

The Goddess of Mercy whispered to the Goddess Isa, “We are on the same side now. She is a dangerous foe.”

The Goddess Celestial Alice lifted her golden eyes to look at the Goddess of Mercy, “Why are you here? Do you not know that I have passed an edict forbidding all the other immortal practitioners from entering the Stellar Sanctuary?”

She proceeded to look at the Goddess Isa before saying, “And that applies to you as well, Isa.”

And in the same instant she had swept her glance at Lele before adding coldly, “I can’t believe it. You have actually attained as an immortal practitioner now? I have never seen anyone progress as fast as you.”

It was as though Lele knew what she was going to say next so she immediately protested weakly, “It is not my fault that I have suddenly attained as an immortal practitioner in the Stellar Sanctuary! You are not being fair to me. It is not as if I am able to get out of this accursed place. I wish I could though!”

The Goddess Aiel was also muttering, “I just unsealed my Heaven Eyes too…”

Han Lin had suddenly flown next to the Goddess Celestial Alice, raising her hand against her as she shouted angrily. “You demoness!”

But as soon as she had attacked, she was knocked back and was slammed onto the ground when the Goddess Celestial Alice fluttered her sleeves aside!

Yi Ping immediately caught hold of Han Lin as he asked anxiously, “Han Lin, are you alright?”

The Goddess Celestial Alice tossed the beheaded head and the Green Dragon Divine Sword in front of Han Lin!

The Green Dragon Divine Sword was extremely heavy but she had tossed it effortlessly!

She said coldly, “Your rage emotions have attacked your heart. In your current state you are not my match. At least calm yourself first if you want to take your vendetta. Or else even if you have the Green Dragon Divine Sword in your hands, it is still pointless.”

Han Lin was in tears as she stared blankly at the beheaded head of Chu Mingfan, “That is none of your business!”

The Goddess Isa said quietly to her, “Han Lin, stay calm if we want to win.” as she unsheathed her Divine Constellation Sword and at the same time the Goddess of Mercy had raised her Heavens Sundering Mirror threateningly!

The Goddess of Mercy said icily, “Alice, no matter how skillful you are it is not possible for you to overcome us at the same time.”

Yi Ping pleaded exasperating, “Maiden Ziyan, Isa, Maiden Gusu, Han Lin…let’s talk it over first…”

But the Goddess Isa and the Goddess of Mercy were already encircling the Goddess Celestial Alice threateningly!

Han Lin had also picked up the Green Dragon Divine Sword and was poising a strike on the Goddess Celestial Alice!

The Celeste Wind Maiden was looking at the Goddess Celestial Alice cautiously as she thought, “So this is the Goddess Celestial Alice? How strong is she?”

The Goddess Aiel said quietly to her, “Xiao Qian, step back. Don’t ever think of it. This is a fight between the immortals.”

She turned to look at Han Lin, “Han Lin, step back now. I order you!”

But Han Lin said coldly, “After what she had just said to you? Do you think that she will let you off just like that? Have you forgotten how you have lost your immortal status the last time? You should join hands with us against her instead!”

The Goddess Aiel replied indifferently, “It is better to be punished than losing my life.”

Yi Ping said solemnly, “It ought to be a misunderstanding. Let’s talk over first…”

Han Lin cried out exasperatingly, “Yi Ping! Didn’t you hear what she has just said? She has killed my protégé brother! She has admitted herself!”

Yi Ping had stepped forward as he asked with a soft sigh, “Maiden Ziyan, where are the rest? Where are Yu’Er, Mei’Er, Shen Xingyue and Ye Yin? I know that you have a kind heart and wouldn’t hurt them. Surely you must have your own difficulties. Why don’t you tell us…”

The Goddess Celestial Alice interrupted him abruptly, “I don’t have a kind heart or else I would have died many times over. If you want to take a last look at them, follow me!”

Without waiting for Yi Ping to reply, she had turned around and disappeared in the shadows of the dense forest!

The Goddess Isa said immediately as she sped after her, “After her! Don’t let her get away!”

She was followed immediately by the Goddess of Mercy and Han Lin!

Lie Qing said anxiously, “Ping’Er, let’s go after them but it could be a trap. We must be careful!”

Yixian the Celestial Fairy said gently, “We may not know what is happening but no matter, we must stop them from fighting.”

Yi Ping could only sigh softly, “Let’s go!”

He had really never expected to meet Maiden Ziyan under this tense circumstance!

He knew that the Goddess Isa and the Goddess of Mercy had a feud with the Goddess Celestial Alice but he really did not want them to fight. Why was it that Maiden Ziyan seemed completely different now?

Ch3 End

Chapter end