A Martial Odyssey

It was noon, the winds were strong and dark clouds were forming rapidly.

The view from the top of the cold misty mountains was breathtaking but no one had any mood for appreciation.

The Jade Emperor, the Celestial Liege and Ye Ling were here to witness the most significant event that were to take place, the transmigration to the realm above that was called the Celestial Realm.

Ye Ling gasped, "I have never expected to see such an event taking place. Is it really possible? They are really going to the Celestial Realm?"

In the meantime, the Celestial Liege stood awkwardly in front of Lie Qing and Xiao Youxue. Finally he said, "We don't know what will actually happens but I wish the best for both of you."

Lie Qing sighed softly and she finally spoke, "What is past is past. Don't linger anymore and be decisive."

She stole a quick look at Youxue and Ye Ling.

Ye Ling quickly looked the other way.

Youxue said coldly, "I am not that close to you and I already have someone close to my heart. You should treasure that maiden over there. Surely you must be terribly blind!"

The Celestial Liege was startled and he followed the look in Youxue's eyes and saw Ye Ling.

The Celestial Liege was dumbfounded momentarily and for the first time, he seemed confused.

At the same time, Yi Ping saw the look in the Celestial Liege as he sighed, "They are all devoted to me but can I give them all a fair and just treatment?"

Officially, Yixian the Celestial Fairy was his official wife.

Unofficially, Lele and Yunzi were his second and third wives as they had not gone through any marriage rites.

In the past one year alone, he had been buzy recuperating from various Divine Calamities afflictions. Moreover, now that he knew that his father, Yi Tianxing was still living, he felt that he had to seek his father's blessings and nod in approval. However, he did not know where his father had gone to. He tried to find him at the valley where he had first encountered him but he was not there. He even went to the vicinity where his mother had been buried but he could not find him either.

Lele immediately knew that Yi Ping was troubled. She stroked her long flowing hair gently as she winked at Yi Ping to distract him, "Today, we are going to the upper realm. I have always wanted to know what is up there."

She looked at Yixian and Lie Qing who looked at her quietly.

Even Yi Ping was smiling bitterly as he muttered, "We don't know if the Ultimate Celestial Star Formation is able to work. This is a gambit. I still think if anyone wants to give it up, there is still time…"

Shen Xingyue said quietly, "I am going. Nothing will change my mind!"

Yujian and Meijian said at the same time melancholy, "Even if we turn to ashes together, we are not afraid!"

Lie Qing said with an enchanting smile, "What makes you think I am going to leave you with Lingfeng?"

Yixian said gently and her expressions were full of conviction, "Ping'Er, we will never part again."

Yunzi nodded, "If we are unwilling, we will have already told you so. Whether we will succeed or not, let fate be our guiding hand!"

Youxue said, "I have never regretted knowing you and Sister Lingfeng. Even though it is a big risk to take and no one has ever tried it before, I am not afraid."

Lingfeng sighed softly and her eyes were beaming, "Everyone…"

Yi Ping nodded and he finally let go of a heavy burden in his heart, "Then so be it. Whether we can all live or die, it doesn't matter anymore as long as we can all be together!"

He took bold stride towards the Jade Emperor and he was suddenly on his kneels!

The Jade Emperor was startled, "What is going on? Please get up first…"

Yi Ping bowed three times, "This is for taking care of my infant on my behalf. Whether we can succeed or not, I will never see her for a long time."

The Jade Emperor stroked his long heard, "She is also my kin. What a thing to say. Naturally I will take care of her. Please get up."

Yi Ping was trembling as he picked himself up, "Thank you!"

Lele said quietly to the Jade Emperor, "Grandpa, thank you…"

The Jade Emperor sighed, "Not at all. Lele, you must also take care too and get along well with everyone. Be strong. Let me ask you, how your proficiency with the Crescent Moon Sword Techniques and have you met any opponent that can best you while you are using it?"

Lele replied quietly, "Yuan Shao, an elder from the Virtuous Palace is able to best me."

The Jade Emperor said, "This is not shameful. The Virtuous Palace is renowned for their swordplay. In the upper realm, there are many powerful opponents. So be careful. Don't forget to refine your sword techniques or else even if you have a divine sword in your hand, it is just a useless toy."

Lele nodded tearfully, "I will. Grandpa, you must take care of yourself too…"

The Jade Emperor patted her on her shoulder, "Don't cry Lele. You have already grown up and a mother now. It is getting late or else if we continue to chat like this, you will miss the auspicious timing."

The Jade Emperor looked at Yi Ping and said solemnly, "Yi Ping, take care of Lele and don't let her come to harm's way. Or else I won't let you off!"

Yi Ping bowed with his hands, "I will definitely do so, Jade Emperor…"

The Jade Emperor interrupted with a laugh, "You should call me Grandpa too."

Yi Ping corrected himself as he smiled broadly, "Yes, Grandpa!"

He paused for a while before he said, "Grandpa, there is something that I should tell…"

All of a sudden, Lingfeng walked up to him and laughed softly, "Yi Ping, don't worry too much, alright?"

Yi Ping said, "But Lingfeng…"

Lingfeng gave him a hostile stare for a second before she broke into a smile, "You worry too much, my hero."

Yi Ping sighed. He knew that Lingfeng did not want him to reveal the truth to the Jade Emperor and had interrupted him.

Silently, Shen Xingyue and Lele exchanged knowing glances with each other without anyone noticing.

Shen Xingyue had walked quietly beside Yi Ping and said, "Yi Ping, we still haven't decided who is going to take the inner formation."

All of a sudden, Yi Ping was jolted!

It was because Shen Xingyue and Lele had a quarrel last night on that and it took them almost all night to persuade the both of them to calm down.

Shen Xingyue had wanted to take the inner formation because that was where she could be the nearest to Yi Ping so that she could act as his guardian. She was the highest level celestial and Yi Ping would be safe in her hands if she was in the inner formation.

The nine maidens had grouped themselves into three teams. Lele, Yixian and Lie Qing were in the same team. Youxue, Yunzi and Lingfeng were in the second team while Yujian, Meijian and Shen Xingyue were in the third team.

The Ultimate Celestial Star Formation consisted of an inner formation and two outer formations. These three teams were supposed to take a place in the formation.

Shen Xingyue said coolly, "Since Yi Ping can't decide things, then let's our martial skills decide it!"

She had drawn out her Blue Heavens Divine Sword but Lele was not slow; she had drawn out her Divine Echo Divine Sword.

Immediately, a brilliant flash of light imploded and the furious clash of the two divine swords caused a shockwave that rippled throughout!

This was followed by a series of small globe of lights as Lele and Shen Xingyue displayed their attacks furiously and in a blink of an eye, dozens of strokes were exchanged with astonishing speed!

Yi Ping was panicky. Even though he knew that their strokes were not killing strokes and were mostly feints but a weapon had no eyes. So he shouted panicky, "Stop it, both of you!"

The rest of the maidens could only watch helplessness. It was because Lele the Joyful Goddess and Shen Xingyue the Fiery Phoenix were two of the highest level celestials. Moreover, they had a divine sword in their hands and when they fought, the deadly sword energies of their divine swords rippled around them like deadly death rays!

Not only was Yi Ping panicky, the Jade Emperor and the Celestial Liege were too!

All of a sudden, Yixian the Celestial Fairy was in their midst, drawing her Heavenly Earth Celestial Sword and displaying the Divine Emerald Skill with it.

The Divine Emerald Skill was a defensive skill that could form a formless shield with the sheer martial force of the practitioner's martial power.

Startled by Yixian's abrupt suddenly entrance, both Lele and Shen Xingyue were forced to take several steps backward!

Lele immediately said, "Sister! She tries to bully me! Come help me. Just because she thinks she has the higher state of celestial divinity, she thinks she can bully us into submitting to her! She seems to have forgotten that other than us, there are no others that can understand the Celestial Star Formation better!"

Shen Xingyue sighed softly, "I am just afraid she may be distracted and that could spell disastrous for us. Separating her and Yi Ping may be a better idea."

Lele said exasperatedly, "Who says I will be distracted? Don't forget that I am the one that taught everyone the Celestial Star Formation. There is no cause for concern…"

Yixian smiled gently at Lele, "My Joyful Goddess! This is the Ultimate Celestial Star Formation. Even if you are familiar with the formation but this formation requires the co-ordination of everyone. Since Sister Xingyue will like to take the place of the Inner Formation, why don't we do as she suggests? In the Ultimate Celestial Star Formation, the most vulnerable person is actually Yi Ping. With Yu'Er and Mei'Er expertise in their Dual Inertness Intricacy, they will be able to aid Ping'Er. In fact, they will be able to aid him more than anyone of us with their Wordless Heart Intricacy Skill."

After Yujian and Meijian had become a celestial practitioner, they had advanced their Dual Inertness Intricacy and had progressed to the Wordless Heart Intricacy Skill level, a skill that allowed them to relate their emotions to the others.

And it was a skill that they had enjoyed relating to Yi Ping to tell him constantly of their silent sentiments for him!

Yunzi and Lingfeng looked at Yi Ping and pleaded to him with their eyes…

Yi Ping nodded at them and he quickly said aloud, "The inner formation is crucial to the entire Ultimate Star Formation. With Yu'Er and Mei'Er current skills, they are now able to perfectly execute the Celestial Star Formation flawlessly. Moreover with Xingyue in the inner formation, she may be able to aid me if something really goes wrong."

He sighed melancholy, "The inner formation is not the most dangerous when the Ultimate Celestial Star Formation is executed. I am more worry about the two outer formations. If Lele, Yixian and Lie Qing can be at the outer formation to aid Yunzi, Youxue and Lingfeng, I will feel more secure."

He added with a heartfelt sorrow, "What good is it to me if Yunzi, Youxue and Lingfeng perish at the outer formation just to protect me? I rather I will be the one that perish in their stead instead."

Lele sighed melancholy, "Ping'Er, don't be sad. I…I will go to the outer formation then."

Lie Qing comforted Lele with a smile, "That is my good sister!"

Yi Ping nodded and his eyes were full of appreciation.

When Lele saw his appreciative eyes, she was comforted and her disputes with Shen Xingyue seemed to be forgotten quickly.

However, Yi Ping did not know that Lele and Shen Xingyue were merely putting on an act together to fool him…

Yi Ping said, "Let us begin now. It is high noon already."

The Celestial Liege bowed with his hands, "Yi Ping, we will surely meet again. Till then, don't die!"

Yi Ping bowed with his hands too as he said, "I will. Till we meet again! Farewell!"

The Celestial Liege laughed aloud, "Farewell!"

The Jade Emperor, the Celestial Liege and Ye Ling began to walk to a safe distance to observe the Ultimate Celestial Star Formation that was taking place in front of their eyes.

From afar, they would see nine brilliant flashes of lights.

When the Ultimate Celestial Star Formation had taken place, misty columns of ice and dust flurried everywhere, obscuring the view of Yi Ping and the nine maidens.

The entire misty mountain began to shake violently as tremors after tremors were felt!

Even though the Jade Emperor, the Celestial Liege and Ye Ling were all standing far away from the Ultimate Celestial Formation, the winds that were being generated from the formation threatened to knock them to the ground!

It was a lucky thing that they were all internal martial exponents. Immediately they had all displayed the Thousand Weight Skill to stabilize themselves!

By now, they could no longer see Yi Ping or anyone in the formation. They could only see columns of mists and dusts spreading threatening in all directions as though the entire mountain would be devoured in the aftermath of this supernatural force!

The Jade Emperor sighed, "I have heard that the Celestial Star Formation is a killer of the celestials. Now that I have witnessed it, I believe it."

Even though they were standing very far away, they were still being hit by high speed pebbles that were flying in all directions.

Ye Ling said quietly, "Let's hope that this transmigration will be successful. I really hope to see them well."

The Celestial Liege had broken in cold sweat as he looked at the electric dark clouds above which had turned azure color!

Even the Jade Emperor had broken into cold sweat as he saw the purple and red electric clouds that had burst into flashes of binding light every now and then with thunderous trembles!

Forks of purplish lightning bolts, literally hundreds of them were raining on the Ultimate Celestial Star Formation as it thundered violently and frightening throughout the vicinity!

The Jade Emperor was trembling as he muttered, "So this is the final Divine Calamity that will take place before the ascension to the Celestial Realm?"

As he said that, the entire mountains were being blasted thunderously and rocks were exploding violently in all directions!

Ye Ling quickly said, "We must retreat even further! This place is too dangerous and it may collapse at any time!"

The Jade Emperor nodded reluctantly.

As soon as they had evacuated further away, the position that they were standing earlier were suddenly covered by destroyed boulders that weight hundreds of tons and a freak lightning bolt had even struck at the same position that they were at earlier!

The Jade Emperor, the Celestial Liege and Ye Ling turned pale immediately.

They did not know how long they have been struggling in this supernatural storm but it seemed to take an eternity.

All of a sudden, a brilliant light was seen bursting forth from the misty columns below and into the electric storms above, instantly calming the storm!

For a long while, no one dared to make a move as they waited for the dust to settle.

Was Yi Ping successful? Did they manage to transmigrate to the Celestial Realm?

When the dust had finally settled, the Jade Emperor was the first to speak but he was looking more annoyed than relieve, "Lele, you have even dared to trick your own grandpa!"

The Celestial Liege was bewildered and he took a quick look at the destroyed platform that was covered with debris and with the soft glittering glow of lights where the Ultimate Celestial Star Formation had taken place earlier, asking. "What is wrong?"

The Jade Emperor said, "To think that I have treated them so well yet they didn't tell me that they can take the divine weapons with them to the Celestial Realm. Lele, Yi Ping! Your grandpa is really unhappy!"

The Jade Emperor, the Celestial Liege and Ye Ling were also waiting to collect their divine weapons should the transmigration be successful.

The Celestial Liege scanned the surroundings to make sure that what the Jade Emperor had said was the truth before he sighed, "No wonder they say the martial fraternity is treacherous. Lele has completely double crossed us…"

Even Ye Ling was saying, "Their fights and their quarrels in the past few days were just a ruse to distract us. The Celestial Palace will never let this slight be forgotten. But how are we going to get them now?"

The Jade Emperor was already ranting, "These treacherous martial tricksters, these Dark Celestials, these irresponsible parents, liars, heretics with no honors…"