A Martial Odyssey Vol 1 CH 43

Chapter 43:  The Emptiness Translucence

The Joyful G.o.ddess was busy preparing her wedding throughout the day. She was virtually everywhere except near Yi Ping because it was considered inauspicious for the bride and the groom to meet before their wedding.

She was jovial regardless if the rest were really sincerely in wishing her the best of wishes.

She had almost driven Lingfeng, Yu’Er, Mei’Er, Lie Qing, Ding Yun, Youxue and even the Celestial Fairy to the point of insanity with her incessant chats.

“Am I beautiful? Is there anything to touch up? I wonder how Yi Ping will feel or think?”

She would ask the same questions to everyone on the same day as though she was intimate with everyone.

Everyone was all thinking if she really knew that they were all envy, upset, scolding or irritated by her?

Obviously the Joyful G.o.ddess did not think the same for her state of divinity was too high.

But for the protégés of the Tranquil Clan and Traverse Clan, it was different. She was a welcoming sight when she had popped up. Her enchanting beautiful presence awed everyone.

She had really sharp ears.

When two protégés of the Tranquil Clan was discussing about the wedding preparation and how lucky Yi Ping was, she had appeared and asked. “Really? Do you think we will be blissful together?”

Even Priest Bai Chongzhen, Priest Ling Kongquan, Priest Liu Qingcheng, Nangong Le, Gongsun Jing, Qiu Wufeng were not spared from her.

She was really treating the Tranquil Clan as her home!

Yixian quietly asked herself and shared with Youxue, “Did we make a mistake?”

Youxue sighed, “I can’t even remember if we approve of her wedding and now…”

Technically, Yixian, Youxue and Lie Qing did not say no as they were too engross with the contents of the golden scroll to think clearly. They actually had more questions for her regarding the different methods of cultivation than disagreeing with her.

So before they could even disagree or disapprove, the Joyful G.o.ddess had subtly made all the decisions!

Even Lie Qing was cursing quietly, “And to think we are sisters in the past?! I can’t even stand her now…”

Somehow, all the maidens felt that they had just sold Yi Ping away to the Joyful G.o.ddess.

Ding Yun had really no disagreements because she already knew that Lele had already decided that Yi Ping was to be her husband. That included her…

Lingfeng was feeling extremely down. She had wished she was the bride instead…

Yu’Er and Mei’Er were both teary. Their husband-to-be was going to be married and they were not the brides…

Youxue was dejected. It was because she was the first one among all the maidens that had noticed Yi Ping but somehow it seemed that she was always destined not to be with him…

Yixian simply could not believe that the Joyful G.o.ddess would actually be married right under her very nose. It was simply too unbelievable!

Finally, all the maidens had reached a startling conclusion on their very own; they had all fallen into a well-planned but ridiculous scheme that had been elaborately created by the Joyful G.o.ddess!

Lingfeng was the first to have realized that, the more she had thought of that. The more that she had thought of that, the more convinced she was that they were all slowly pushed in the direction that the Joyful G.o.ddess had wanted.

She could not explain it because it was too surreal!

“She really knows divination?”

Lingfeng had already decided that she was going to disrupt the wedding at all costs. It was because she simply could not give up on Yi Ping without a single fight. It did not matter if she lost to the Joyful G.o.ddess. If Yi Ping falls into her hands, then Yi Ping would surely be lost to her forever.

Lie Qing was the second to realize that as she explained suddenly, “She actually has the audacity to woven high level suggestions with the Bewitching Soul Seizing Skill. She was astonished at her state of divinity and courage…

She sigh weakly, “She’s not stupid at all. We are the real fools…even though she can’t defeat her with her martial skills; she has defeated us with her state of divinity and unsuspecting courage…”

Yi Ping was the most bewildered.

He was getting married tomorrow and he did not even have a choice.

He wanted to go up and approached Yixian, Youxue, Ding Yun and even Lingfeng but he was so afflicted with guilt that he found himself unable to do so.

In the end, he did not get to say a single word to them.

He really had so much to say to Yixian but she seemed to deliberately avoid him.

“Yixian, you have changed or I have changed? You cannot remember me anymore? I have become more rugged while you have become more heavenly. Are we destined to be apart? I don’t want to…”

His heart was clearly broken. But he was aware that he could not fault Yixian. It was because he was the one that had promise to take Lele and Ding Yun as his wife…

And there was Youxue.

He muttered, “Youxue…Lingfeng…Yun…”

Just as he had hung up the Divine Echo and the White Emerald Phoenix Sword on the wall in his room, there was a knock outside.

Startled, he opened the door and was surprised to see Priest Liu Qingcheng standing nervously outside.

Yi Ping quickly said, “Priest Liu! What is the matter? It is getting late.”

Priest Liu Qingcheng quickly went into the door and closed the door even before Yi Ping could stop him.

Yi Ping asked, “Priest Liu? Yes?”

Priest Liu Qingcheng stammered, “Hero Yi Ping…”

Yi Ping said, “You look troubled. Is there anything I can help? Is it because Lele is causing too much inconveniences and troubles? This wedding thing is too ridiculous, even I am not too happy with it…”

Priest Liu Qingcheng grabbed his hands and said, “Can you decipher this silver scroll?”

He took out a silver scroll and unraveled it in front of Yi Ping.

Yi Ping was really puzzled, asking. “What it is?”

He smiled bitterly in his heart because his level of literacy was really low. He was quite ashamed of that and had been teased a couple of times by Lele and Lingfeng.

The silver scroll was written in a language that was totally out of the world. Yi Ping could recognize that it seemed to be written in the same form as the golden scroll.

Yi Ping said, “Priest Liu, if you want to find someone that can read this scroll why don’t you ask the Joyful G.o.ddess? She may be able to help you. I definitely can’t.”

Priest Liu Qingcheng said, “Don’t! Do you know how valuable this silver scroll is?”

Yi Ping shook his head.

Priest Liu Qingcheng said, “This is an intricacy formula that is even more profound than the Dual Inertia Intricacy Formula. It is called the Emptiness Translucence.”

Yi Ping was in a sudden daze as his fingers left the silver scroll, “The Emptiness Translucence…” Why was the name of this scroll resounded with such familiarity in his mind?

Priest Liu Qingcheng continued, “Even though we can read its contents but no one understands anything of it.”

He sighed softly and began to sit down, “Do you know when the Grand Hall of Longevity was constructed?”

Yi Ping was alarmed as he thought, “Lele, Lie Qing, Youxue and Yixian have destroyed the Grand Hall of Longevity earlier. Is he asking me to pay for the damages? I am too poor to pay…”

He smiled bitterly and shook his head, “I really do not know. But it must be centuries.”

Priest Liu Qingcheng nodded and added, “Nearly two thousands year old!”

Yi Ping almost fainted on the spot. He could only say, “I am willing to take responsibility for the damages even if takes me a lifetime to do so.”

Priest Liu Qingcheng said, “No need. In fact, I am here to give you this scroll.”

Yi Ping was stunned, “You are giving me your clan most precious intricacy formula to me?”

Even though Yi Ping was low in literacy and inexperienced with most rules of the martial fraternity but everyone knew that each clan guarded their martial secrets closely. It was so forbidden that anyone suspected of leaking it or stealing it would be hunted down.

Priest Liu Qingcheng nodded solemnly, “Do you think I am joking with you?”

Yi Ping asked, “But why?”

Priest Liu Qingcheng said, “It is a.s.sociated with the founding of the Grand Hall of Longevity and the founding of the Tranquil Clan. When the Grand Hall of Longevity was built, our past protégé leader got the Emptiness Translucence Intricacy Formula from an eminent person. We have no records of his name but we refer to him as the White Sage of Emptiness.”

He paused for a while before adding, “The White Sage of Emptiness left a copy of his Emptiness Translucence with us. He informed us that in the future, the Tranquil Clan will have an avoidable crisis and a stranger that is not from the Tranquil Clan will appear to aid us. A fight will then break out in the Grand Hall of the Longevity and the stranger that comes to aid us will lose all his internal strength in an act of heroism. Then he is the one that we must pa.s.s the Emptiness Translucence to him.”

All of a sudden, he looked a little regretful. “Our past protégé leader and elders asked for a further sign so that the precious Emptiness Translucence will not fall into the wrong hands. The White Sage of Emptiness replied that the day the stranger stepped into the Grand Hall of Longevity it will also be the day the Grand Hall of Longevity will be destroyed.”

Yi Ping smiled bitterly, “It is based on just a legend. Unfortunately, I can’t even read a single word in this silver scroll. No one is able to predict the future.”

Just when he was about to reject the silver scroll, Priest Liu Qingcheng recited. “The Boundless Translucence, the Divine Ascendant of the Five Conducts, Spirit, Void…”

Yi Ping muttered, “The Five Conducts of the Divine Ascendants…the Spirit, the Void, the Enigma, the Absolute and the Great Ultimate. The Emptiness of the Spirit, the Emptiness of the Void, the Emptiness of the Enigma, the Emptiness of the Absolute and the Emptiness of the Great Ultimate…”

Priest Liu Qingcheng was stunned. It was because Yi Ping had phrased it in a more concise manner than he had. He quickly asked, “You have seen this before?”

Yi Ping was now looking at the silver scroll quietly. There was a weird sparkle in his eyes as he muttered, “No…but when you start reciting it and when I see this silver scroll, I can visualize the contents…”

He was not bluffing of course. In that single instant, he had fully understood the Emptiness Translucence!

Priest Liu Qingcheng asked excitedly, “You really understand the intricacy formula of the Emptiness Translucence? Is it a supreme martial skill or a supreme heart intricate formula? We been studying it for a long time but none of us really understands it…”

Yi Ping said quietly, “The Emptiness Translucence is not just a martial intricacy formula. It is also a divine state of translucent…”

He could not explain how he knew.

Unknown to even Yi Ping himself, he was already at the Emptiness Translucence of the Enigma and had long attained the Emptiness Translucence of the Void. The Emptiness Translucence of the Enigma which meant worldly attachments was a stumbling block for him.

The purpose of this silver scroll was just to remind him to complete the Emptiness Translucence.

Yi Ping said, “Priest Liu, thank you. You can take back the silver scroll now.”

Priest Liu Qingcheng was startled, “You do not need it?”

Yi Ping said quietly, “All this while, the Emptiness Translucence is in my heart. I can’t explain it…”

Priest Liu Qingcheng was somehow glad that he could keep the silver scroll so he said, “You don’t have to thanks me. You didn’t take anything from me.”

Yi Ping said solemnly, “Somehow I feel light hearted all of a sudden. I have a heavy heart for a long time. It is like I have reached enlightenment after you have revealed to me the Emptiness Translucence. Priest Liu, can you do me a favor?”

Priest Liu Qingcheng asked, “What it is? If I can help, I will surely do it for you.”

Yi Ping sighed softly, “Help me to cancel the wedding.”

Priest Liu Qingcheng was startled and he sighed heavily, “I afraid I can’t. The wedding plans have already been in preparation. How am I going to account to the Joyful G.o.ddess? This is really putting me into a tight spot…alas…”

Yi Ping comforted him, “I will speak to the Joyful G.o.ddess myself. As for the Grand Hall of Longevity, the damages…”

Priest Liu Qingcheng laughed, “Don’t you worry about it, young hero. I just recruit a rich protégé by the name of Nangong Le. I’m sure he will be willing to donate and build a new and grander hall of Longevity.”

Yi Ping nodded gratefully.

Priest Liu Qingcheng asked, “I hope young hero that you do not mind me for asking this. Can you enlighten me on the Emptiness Translucence?”

Yi Ping sighed, “The Emptiness Translucence seems to be an intricate heart formula. I can’t really explain this but the silver scroll does not contain any intricate formula. That is why no one is able to decipher its mysteries. It seems to be a wordless scroll. Somehow I feel intimate to it. I really wish I can know more.”

Priest Liu Qingcheng was startled, “This is the first time that you have heard of the Emptiness Translucent and yet you can recite it…and how does young hero guess that the Emptiness Translucence is an intricate heart formula?”

Yi Ping smiled bitterly, “I really do not…know. But after hearing you reciting it, my heart becomes light and I can feel a bursting renewal in my strength. If it is not a heart intricacy formula, what else can it be?”

Priest Liu Qingcheng was staring blankly and examining him with the Dual Inertia Heart Intricacy. Indeed, Yi Ping mood was heavy when he first entered the room but now his mood was light, unreadable and the air of righteousness around him seemed to have intensified further!

There was a warning about the Seven Heavenly Fairies and that the destined one must avoid them at all costs towards the end of the silver scroll. If the destined one was able to avoid them, then nothing could hinder his enlightenment. Priest Liu Qingcheng was about to mention it when there was a knock on the door.

Yi Ping and Liu Qingcheng were startled that someone else would be knocking late into the night.

Yi Ping quickly opened the door and was startled to see Mei’Er who was carrying a flask in her hands.

Mei’Er was equally startled when she saw her protégé master, Priest Liu Qingcheng. “Why are you here, protégé master?”

Liu Qingcheng smiled bitterly, “I should be the one asking you that. Never mind. I got to go now.”

He quickly rolled up the silver scroll and left the room.

Yi Ping asked, “Mei’Er, is something the matter?”

Mei’Er laughed softly, “Master…Nothing really. I know that you can’t sleep tonight. That is why I am here.”

Yi Ping smiled, “Why do you say that, Mei’Er?”

Mei’Er sighed softly, “Maybe you are too excited to sleep because tomorrow is your wedding day. But I do know that the reason you can’t sleep is because…”

She purposely paused for a while before continuing, “You are troubled by matters of the heart. Our protégé mistress is here yet you can’t talk to her. You didn’t even bother trying to talk to us. Do you know how sad Sister Yu and I are? We have always regarded you as our husband-to-be.”

Yi Ping sighed, “I know…I let you all down. It is my entire fault. I…I will do the right thing by canceling the wedding tomorrow.”

Mei’Er sighed melancholy, “So you thinks that by doing so, you can settle and forget everything?”

She began to whisper a sorrowful tune…

Yi Ping was greatly troubled by her sorrowful tune as he reluctantly interrupted, “I don’t think so at all in fact…”

Mei’Er said sadly, “That is why I am here to bring you this flask of wine. If you can’t think of the right way to resolve it, why think about it? Why don’t you drown yourself in sorrows?”

Yi Ping was grateful to Mei’Er, “It is something that I need tonight…will you drinks with me tonight?”

Mei’Er smiled quietly, “The last time I drink with you…I…”

She was flushing shyly now.

Even Yi Ping was too embarra.s.sed to look at her.

Mei’Er was dressed in a translucent black silk and he could see through her porcelain white figure clearly. When he looked at her small rosy lips and expressive eyes, he recalled the night that he had awakened from his drunkenness only to find Mei’Er and Yu’Er naked besides him…

All of a sudden Mei’Er kissed him lightly on his lips sending an electrifying sensational into him that caused the lingering Emptiness Translucent to vanish from his heart.

Before he really knew what he was doing, he was holding her and kissing her pa.s.sionately in return.

But Mei’Er quickly pushed him away and said, “Not tonight…erm…I have something else important to do tonight. Remember… to drink the wine. I got to go now. Bye!”

She seemed to be in a hurry and she was gone in the next instant!

Mei’Er had shyly exited the room. She was thinking, “He does like me after all. I can sense it. I got to run because this concerns our future.”

But as soon as she stepped out of the room, she began to deeply regret her decision as she regained her composure. “We…alas! Yi Ping, he…he…did he just kiss me too? He was holding me. Why did I push him away? I just given up an excellent opportunity…I got so caught up with my mission…”

She began to lament regretfully but it was too late and she was too shy to return to the room. “Maybe staying in the room with Yi Ping is the better future…”

Yi Ping was still charmed by her as he shook his head, “Mei’Er…”

He smiled bitterly, “In the end, you are nothing but a lecher. You must have frightened her away so terribly. How can I be thinking of Mei’Er when I should be thinking of Yixian, Youxue, Yun and Lingfeng…”

At the thought of Mei’Er, he was also thinking of Yu’Er and Lie Qing.

At the thought of Lie Qing, he began to think of Lele…

These eight maidens, who had all gone through many adventures and critical situations with him in such a short time, he had affections for all of them.

The truth was that, he had only wanted to be with Yixian. But when Yixian had ‘pa.s.sed away’, he was deeply grieved and he was determined to avenge her death against the yellow dressed maiden.

“Yixian…”

But in a moment of folly, he got drunk and had violated the twin sister, Beautiful Sword Mei’Er and Jade Sword Yu’Er. He knew that he did something unforgivable and decided to flee the Eternal Ice Palace to look for his wife’s killer first before he surrendered himself to the twin sisters.

“Yu’Er, Mei’Er…”

But along the way, he met Ji Lingfeng, the Holy Maiden of the Holy Hex Sect which was one of the three most powerful unorthodox sects in the martial fraternity…

“Lingfeng…”

Just as Yi Ping was about to drink from the flask directly, he had frozen with a startling thought!

It was because all of a sudden he had recall that on the very night that he was drunk and had slept with the twin sister, Mei’Er had told him the exact words. “Remember…to drink the wine!”

He took a sniff at the flask and immediately he felt sleepy.

Quickly he exercised the Absolute Spirits Heart Intricacy. Immediately after he had expelled the aromatic fumes from his body, he was instantly refreshed.

Yi Ping had turned ashen as he muttered, “This wine has been tampered with. Mei’Er, why are you doing this?”

He was hurt and felt betrayed because he had trusted Mei’Er.

He immediately recalled that night in the Eternal Ice Palace, “The wine that I had drink back then was also tampered with?”

Yi Ping quietly got up and exited the room…

He arrived in a nick of time to see Yu’Er and Mei’Er whispering secretly to each other as they left their room together.

Yi Ping was startled as he asked himself, “What are they up to in the middle of the night?”

Yu’Er and Mei’Er were walking swiftly and quietly. With their level of swiftness movement accomplishments, an ordinary exponent may not be able to catch up with them!

If Yi Ping had lost his internal strength, then he too, would not be able to catch up with them because he could not maintain his pace due to lack of intricate energy circulation.

But after awakened the Emptiness Translucence that was in his heart, his internal strength was revived and his intricate energy could flow once again.

What was astonishing even to him was that his body seemed to be lighter and he could leap twice as far. He was amazed by his new sense of balance and how long he could hold his vital breath through the Divine Revelation!

Yi Ping had no time to ponder over it as he was trying very hard to tail Yu’Er and Mei’Er without being discovered.

Yu’Er paused and looked around her, whispering to Mei’Er. “I got a weird feeling that we are being followed. Are you sure Master Yi Ping is not following you?”

Mei’Er giggled softly, “Sister, you are just being overtly nervous. In this entire fraternity, there are few exponents that can tail us without being discovered by us. Moreover, the Eternal Ice Palace is renowned for the Emotionless Rhyme. If there is anyone in our range of detection, we will surely know. Even if there is someone who can hold their breath, they still have to breathe out when they are moving as rapidly as us. Our Master Yi Ping is still far from that!”

Yi Ping had overheard their talks as his hearing was exceptional sharp. He could only smile bitterly as he thought, “Mei’Er, do you know that I am just behind you?”

Yu’Er laughed softly, “That’s true. Our Master is as clumsy as a fat pig. He can’t even move properly. I keep forgetting that he was not trained in any swiftness skill and that he has lost all his internal strength. Silly me! If Master Yi Ping is really following you, then I am a real pig!”

Yi Ping rubbed his nose as he sighed silently, “So I am a clumsy pig in everyone’s eyes…”

Mei’Er laughed softly, “He is a cute pig. How I wish I can hug him to bed every night.”

Yu’Er teased her softly, “Shame on you! You are thinking of a man every night!”

Mei’Er pretended to be upset, “As if I am the only one…I heard you calling Master Yi Ping in your dreams!”

Yu’Er protested softly, “That…that’s not true. You’re lying!”

Mei’Er teased her back, “Shame! Shame on you!”

Their musical voices were so enchanting, so soul stealing that Yi Ping could now hear his heart beating rapidly!

Yi Ping who was eavesdropping, began to fl.u.s.ter as he thought. “I shouldn’t have followed them and listen to their private conversations…”

All of a sudden, Yu’Er and Mei’Er stopped their conversations as they increased their pace and disappeared behind a canopy of thick undergrowth.

There seemed to be voices behind the thick undergrowth and Yi Ping had in fact recognized quite a number of them!

Yi Ping jumped up a tree and was startled to see Yixian, Lele, Lie Qing, Ding Yun, Mei’Er, Yu’Er, Lingfeng and Youxue!

What were they up to in the middle of the night?

Lele said pitifully, “Seven against one? Even you, Sister Yun?”

Ding Yun said awkwardly, “I really didn’t know what it is all about…Sister Lie Qing takes me here…”

Lie Qing said coldly, “We don’t want your golden scroll and you are not to marry Yi Ping tomorrow.”

Lele stroked her long hair as she hummed coldly, “You have read my scroll for the entire day and now you are retracting from your promise. Isn’t that despicable? You are not afraid of being mocked by the heroes of the fraternity? Is there such a thing in this world?”

Lingfeng interrupted, “They have but I did not. You are not going to marry Yi Ping tomorrow!”

Lele asked, “Why? You like him?”

Lingfeng kept quiet immediately.

Lele said coolly, “If you like him, why don’t you tell him straight? If you don’t want to tell him you like him, then he is mine.”

Lingfeng hummed coldly, “Hmph, you are forcing yourself on him. Do you know that his father has already betrothed us?”

Even the Celestial Fairy was startled as everyone asked at the same time, “He has a father?”

Lingfeng said coldly, “All of you don’t even know he has a father. Let me tell you. His father is none other than Yi Tianxing, one of the greatest heroes in the martial fraternity twenty years ago. So stop pretending to be close to him when you all are not.”

Yixian said gently, “Yi Ping and I are already married. I am his first wife. Whether he is going to marry or not, is no longer for anyone to decide. Tomorrow he will marry Yu’Er, Mei’Er and Youxue.”

Lele said coldly, “Really? You have read the contents of my golden scroll and now you are trying to take my man?”

Yixian replied gently, “He is not your man. Moreover, you give your scroll willingly to us and we did not promise you anything.”

Lele was alarmed as she said, “When did I give my golden scroll to you? I only lend you for three days!”

Yixian said, “It is in my hands now, isn’t it? If you did not give it to me, why is it in my hands?”

Lele was stunned. The Celestial Fairy was even shrewder than she had thought!

She quickly said, “The protégé mistress of the Eternal Ice Palace will actually steal someone else’s martial scroll. This is something new.”

Yixian replied unhurriedly, “The Prime Celestial of the Celestial Palace will actually steal someone else’s husband. This is something new too.”

Lele smiled softly as she looked at Lie Qing and Ding Yun, “It does seem that a fight is inevitable. Sister Qing, why don’t we join hands together against the Celestial Fairy?”

Lie Qing said coldly, “Why should I join you? I am just too happy to see you getting your just desserts.”

Lele said, “Because we are sisters! You know you cannot fight her on your own. If we join hands together, then there is nothing the Celestial Fairy can do to us. And…”

She paused for a while as she blinked at Ding Yun, “Tomorrow, Sister Yun and you can also get marry by my side for we are sisters.”

Ding Yun smiled awkwardly as she stole a glance at Youxue who was also looking melancholy at her. They had not expected the both of them to fall in love with the same man.

Lie Qing was almost moved but she was not as shameless as Lele as to force Yi Ping to marry her. It was because love must be mutually or else it would only bring unhappiness. So she replied coldly, “Forget it. This is between the Celestial Fairy and you.”

Lie Qing took a look at Youxue and smiled, “I am closer to Sister Youxue than you.”

Youxue nodded and said softly, “Thank you!” It was because her life was saved by Lie Qing who gave up her precious internal strength for her!

Lele said quickly to Lingfeng, “You are the Holy Maiden. I have helped you before. You…you must help me!”

Lingfeng smiled coldly, “Help me? I ask you to help Yi Ping and you end up stealing him from me. Even if I want to help you, do you think I’ll be able to fight the Celestial Fairy? Forget it.”

Lele said, “Yun, you will fight besides me?”

Ding Yun nodded quietly but she quickly added, “Sister, I think there are many things that you have to consider first.”

Lele was puzzled, “What is there to consider about?”

Ding Yun said, “You have to consider Yi Ping’s feelings first.”

Lele smiled alluring, “Of course I did.”

Ding Yun said, “As must everyone. The Celestial Fairy is Yi Ping’s wife. When he had heard that she was killed by Youxue, he was deeply grieved for he had never forgotten her.”

Immediately, Youxue and Yixian lowered their glances.

Ding Yun said, “Isn’t it obvious that Yi Ping has a place for them in his heart?”

Lele was upset as she asked, “What about me then?”

Ding Yun broke into a smile, “Of course, he has you in his heart too. If anyone of you is hurt, do you think Yi Ping will be happy? How do you expect Yi Ping to cope?”

Lele said, “Sister Yun, what do you suggest then?”

Ding Yun said calmly, “There are eight of us here. The reason they are confronting you is because each of them has a place for Yi Ping in their hearts too.”

None of the maidens protested or said anything. They were all listening attentively.

When Yi Ping had heard it, he sighed. “I don’t deserve their affections. It is nothing but trouble. I should sneak away quietly…”

Ding Yun said, “Didn’t you say that Sister Lie Qing and the Celestial Fairy is your predestined sisters? Why are you fighting with them in the first place?”

Lele was startled, “That’s right. Why am I fighting them? No…they are the ones that try to fight me…”

Ding Yun interrupted, “Now is not the time to find fault but a time to find a possible solution.”

Lingfeng smiled bitterly, “There are so many of us. Surely we cannot split Yi Ping into eight pieces, am I right?”

Lie Qing said coldly, “That happens to be a good idea. Let’s split Yi Ping into eight pieces then we don’t have to fight anymore. It is not like he is the only man in the world.”

Yi Ping shivered at the thought.

Yixian, Youxue, Lingfeng, Yu’Er, Mei’Er and Lele all said panicky at the same time, “Don’t! If you do that, don’t blame me for…”

All of the sudden, all the maidens fell silence again.

Lie Qing smiled coldly as she stroked her long hair, “What better solution is there?”

Ding Yun said, “If we cannot split him, why don’t we share him? Since ancient times, it is common for a worthy man to have multiply wives. Yi Ping will surely treat us equally and with fairness.”

Yi Ping nearly fell down from the tree when he had heard that.

Lele laughed softly, “Sister Yun…you are so brilliant. Why didn’t I think of that?”

Everyone was silently scolding the Joyful G.o.ddess, “Because you are too self-center to think of that…”

Ding Yun looked at everyone, “Anyone has an objection?”

All the maidens were looking shyly at one another. No one raised an objection or protested.

Ding Yun laughed softly, “I a.s.sume that everyone is in agreement then. Then the wedding tomorrow will be for all of us.”

Yu’Er and Mei’Er were too happy to say anything. They could only nod eagerly.

Lingfeng was gasping her face with her hands as she muttered, “I am getting married tomorrow? I have not prepared yet…”

Youxue walked quietly towards Ding Yun and Lie Qing, holding their hands…

All of a sudden, Lele asked. “Wait a minute! There must be an order. I want to be the first wife…”

Yixian interrupted coldly, “No!”

Lele protested, “I am the…”

She did not get to finish it because she had suddenly noticed the cold burning gaze of the seven other maidens. She muttered, “Whatever…”

She smiled again and said, “But…”

“No!”

Before she could finish, there was resounding objections again!

She was startled and thought, “They can all read my thoughts?”

All of a sudden, Yixian and Lie Qing were looking at Yi Ping’s direction!

Yi Ping was startled as he thought awkwardly, “I have been detected?”

But before he could react, there was a laughter coming from the undergrowth!

It was Xiao Da!

Xiao Da laughed aloud, “I didn’t expect to be detected as soon as I got near. So many beautiful maidens in the same place. It must be my lucky day. Ding Yun, you are also here. Youxue? Is that you Youxue?”

But as soon as he had caught sight of Youxue, he began to l.u.s.t after his half-sister.

Ding Yun began to tremble when she had seen him.

Youxue quickly said, “Be very careful. In the martial fraternity, he is a super exponent!”

Xiao Da did not wait for the three days to be up before he decided to sneak into the Tranquil Clan in search of pleasure and prey. It was because after he had caught sight of Lingfeng, Lie Qing, Mei’Er, Yu’Er, the Joyful G.o.ddess and Ding Yun, he could not stop thinking about them.

Xiao Da was looking intently at Yixian as he thought, “Who is she? I have never seen such a graceful heavenly maiden in my life before.” He had thought that Lie Qing, the Joyful G.o.ddess and Lingfeng were already the most beautiful maidens in the entire fraternity…

He began to laugh, “Why don’t all of you just be my women instead? I promise that I won’t disappoint you.”

All of a sudden, he was in their midst!

His speed was startling!

He had raised his hands and with a single stroke, had broken through Yu’Er and Mei’Er defenses. He tore away their clothes and knocking them unconscious at the same time.

Before Lingfeng could react, Xiao Da had displayed his Unbreakable Hands, knocking her out and brutally tearing her clothing from her!

In just a few mere moments, he had completely disabled three maidens and had stripped them!

Ding Yun and Youxue quickly move in to intercept him but had barely exchanged a few strokes with him before they were forced back by his sheer martial strength, losing their sleeves in the process!

Xiao Da was like a behemoth beast that was unstoppable!

Besides being skillful with profound martial abilities, Xiao Da was also born with a divine strength. In close melee, few exponents could match his raw strength. Coupled with the Divine Virtuous Force, Xiao Da was virtually unstoppable!

Yi Ping was bursting with rage and was about to jump down from the tree to fight Xiao Da when he saw Xiao Da had suddenly fell onto the ground as soon as he had made contact with Lie Qing, Yixian and Lele!

Xiao Da had dashed towards Yixian for she was his primary target!

Yixian began to shiver in secret. It was because she had never met such a brutal and despicable super exponent before. She immediately raised her Divine Emerald Skill to the ninth level and readied her Jade Icy Finger to her fullness as soon as Xiao Da approached her!

Before Xiao Da could grab her, he was repelled by a startling force that was similar to the Divine Emerald Skill. When he had felt a stabbing pain on his chest, he immediately knew he was wrong about this seemingly vulnerable maiden!

Xiao Da could not believe that Yixian, a gentle maiden by all appearances would penetrate through his Divine Virtuous Force with her mere fingers.

With his Divine Virtuous Force and his divine strength, he rarely had to defend himself against any attacks and was fully focus on attack. He had allowed Yixian to hit him because he had looked down on her.

But before he could react in time, Lie Qing had struck him with a sudden bursting martial force on his chest in his moment of carelessness.

But still, it was not enough to bring Xiao Da down and he was now burning with rage but before he could get serious, Lele had flew to his back and gave him an unforgettable powerful kick between his legs!

That proved to be fatal. Even though he was unbelievable strong and bestowed with divine strength, it was nevertheless so painful that he had pa.s.sed out!

Yixian gasped to Lele, “Did you just…”

Even Lie Qing was stunned, “That is low, isn’t it? That’s a third tier despicable martial move…”

Lele was sheepish, “The two of you are in front of him and I don’t have any s.p.a.ce to attack.”

Lie Qing said, “His back is exposed to you. Of all places…”

Of course, Lele did it on purpose but she would never admit it. She knew that if they had lost tonight, their fates would be tragic. When she saw how easy Xiao Da had intentionally torn away the clothes of Yu’Er, Mei’Er and Lingfeng while overpowering them at the same time, she was secretly afraid. So her first instinct was to kick his most vulnerable part at the first opportunity rather than giving him the opportunity to recover from his initial shock.

Ding Yun and Youxue had quietly walked next to them.

Ding Yun was teary as she muttered, “We…we have actually…defeat Xiao Da?”

Even Youxue was stunned as she looked at the Joyful G.o.ddess silently, “That unlikely move may have saved all of us. She does it on purpose?”

It was because Ding Yun and Youxue who were behind Xiao Da, were able to see the Joyful G.o.ddess maneuver with startling speed to his back and she did not even hesitated at all when she delivered her kick. It was obviously pre-mediated.

All of a sudden, Ding Yun kicked and stomped on Xiao Da’s back!

Yixian said hurriedly, “Don’t. He is after all, the son of an old friend of mine. Let him go…”

Ding Yun was teary, “If I let him go, will he let us off? Do you know what he did to me? Do you know what our fates are tonight if we are unable to stop him? Do you know how many wicked things that he has done?”

Yixian was quiet.

All of a sudden, Ding Yun had grabbed Xiao Da’s wrist!

Xiao Da immediately opened his eyes as he screamed in agony. But this time he was totally powerless as his body began to dry up!

Youxue turned her head quietly away as she muttered, “Xiao Shuai and Yuan Shao will not let us off…”

Yixian was alarmed, “Energy absorbing skill?!”

Ding Yun had used the Invincible Divine Force that she had learnt from Lie Qing to drain Xiao Da of all his Divine Virtuous Force intricate energy!

But Yixian quickly regained her composure and said gently to the surroundings, “Who is that? It seems that you have been here for a long time.”

Lie Qing and Lele were alarmed, “There is someone else in the vicinity?”

Ding Yun and Youxue were also looking keenly at the surroundings.

Yixian said, “For him to conceal his breathing for this long, this person may even be a far stronger exponent than Xiao Da…”

Yi Ping had gasped slightly when he had heard Xiao Da’s agonizing scream but however slight it was, Yixian had detected it.

But to her surprise, the intruder that she had just cautioned everyone to be wary was Yi Ping, as he jumped down from the tree top and landed lightly on the gra.s.s patch.

Youxue, Lele, Lie Qing, Ding Yun and Yixian were all stunned to see Yi Ping displaying such a superior lightness swiftness skill…

It was because lightness swiftness skill required a lot of hard dedicated work from a young age. No one could acquire it all of a sudden.

Moreover, everyone was under the a.s.sumption that Yi Ping had lost his internal strength…

Ch43 End