A Martial Odyssey

Yi Ping was standing in the forest and he was looking idiocy.

Yi Ping's expressions were sorrowful. He stared blankly at the beaming reflection of the Celestial Alice. Whenever he had looked at the Celestial Alice, the haunting image of the forbidding heavenly maiden was always there. He had blamed himself for her demise.

He had just offered a joss of aromatic incense to the memories of the forbidding heavenly maiden that he had met in the Astronomic Stellar Formation.

Behind him were all his consorts; Yunzi, Youxue, Yixian, Lele, Lie Qing, Shen Xingyue, Yu'Er, Mei'Er, Shi Shi and Ye Yin.

Only the Heaveness Lingfeng was not around and so was the Universal Old Man.

It was because days after the collapse of the Astronomic Stellar Formation, Lingfeng and the Universal Old Man had taken leave all of a sudden to retrieve some of their valuable possessions that they had kept in secret locations around the Celestial Realm. It was because the place that they were going to next was to be their toughest battle ever!

Lingfeng made him promise to wait for her and she would definitely be back within three months!

Yi Ping had often blamed himself, "If I have not destroyed the white gemstone…if I did not lose my strength…she would not have died…"

And he did not even know her name…

In the end, it seemed that the forbidding heavenly maiden had lured them to the epicenter of the Astronomic Stellar Formation not so much as to take away their lives. She was in fact, trying to take away her own life instead!

Yi Ping muttered, "Why…"

All the other maidens were also quiet.

The forbidding heavenly maiden had actually given them the Immortal Practice. It was something that they had all known long ago but had forgotten. The black stele reconfirmed and had shown them the true celestial path that they must do in order to gain true enlightenment…

Three months since the event in the Astronomic Stellar Formation had passed. They had all managed to escape from the collapsing Astronomic Stellar Formation but it was not without any fatal accidentals.

They had almost lost their lives when the Astronomic Stellar Formation had begun to collapse. Was that the reason why the forbidding heavenly maiden had given them the Negative Core Divine Pills? Was it because she had predicted this outcome?

Without the Negative Core Divine Pills, they would have really lost their lives!

They had thought that they were safe once they could escape outside. But to their utter surprise, a far more dangerous crisis was waiting for them!

The collapsed of the Astronomic Stellar Formation produced another unexpected outcome. The resulting collapsed field of the Astronomic Stellar Formation generated a force that was as powerful as the Divine Calamity of the Crisis Level; an event that could destroy the celestial practitioners and turned them to dust if they fail to overcome it!

For those that had not reached the Ascend Level, if they could pull through then it would clear the path for them to become a True Celestial!

It was an event that could not be forced and depended entirely on the providence of Heaven to occur. It was also an event that required most practicing celestials hundreds of years to prepare and at which only a third could survive!

In short, it was a dangerous calamity that would befall the celestial practitioners!

But it was also an event and a gambit that was welcomed by the celestial practitioners in order to ascend!

If the practicing celestials pulled through, then their eyes would turn to gray and when they reached the Ascend Level, their eyes would turn golden!

It had taken Shen Xingyue a thousand years of preparation before she would chance upon the Divine Calamity of the Crisis Level and barely overcoming it.

Any Divine Calamities were not easy to overcome, requiring the full mental and physical preparation of the practitioners. Even Golden Celestials that had cleared their earlier Divine Calamities in the past were dreadful of it.

Moreover, none of them had any preparation at all. It was especially so for the grief-stricken Yi Ping. He was reluctant to leave the collapsing epicenter and wanted to save the forbidding heavenly maiden. In the end, the Universal Old Man had to drag him away to safety.

There were no omens and signs. The collapse of the Astronomic Stellar Formation brought upon the Divine Calamities as it was a supernatural formation and against the nature order of the universe. It was as though the entire heavens were now about to purge the Astronomic Stellar Formation from its memories!

Yu'Er, Mei'Er, the Ascension Goddess, the Stellar Heaven Fairy, Shen Xingyue, Lingfeng and the Universal Old Man were stunned that several Divine Calamities with the power of the Crisis Level had actually descended upon everyone!

Because Yi Ping, Yixian, Lele, Lie Qing, Youxue and Yunzi were all taking their Divine Calamities at the same time, the whirling multiple Divine Calamities that were all descending at the same time were a terrifying sight that defied all imaginations!

It seemed to be even more terrifying than a Heavenly Wrath as dozens of twisters appeared all around them and dark electric storms covered the entire heavens!

The entire ground beneath them was also sundered apart as earthquakes shook violently!

Even the Universal Old Man and the Heaveness had never seen anything like this before!

The Universal Old Man had muttered, "Everyone, I think that my Heavenly Tribulation had also come at the same time…"

It was an announcement that had stunned everyone!

The Heavenly Tribulation of an Ancient Celestial like the Universal Old Man was the most powerful of all the Divine Calamities and was known as the Heavenly Wrath!

The Heavenly Wrath was beyond most of the Golden Celestials!

Lingfeng murmured a soft sigh, "I know we shouldn't bring this old man along. He is nothing but trouble…"

The Universal Old Man protested weakly, "My Heavenly Wrath is earlier by twenty years…just that the disintegration of the Astronomic Stellar Formation brought it forward. This is not entirely my fault."

Even with all the furious disturbances caused by the nature forces of the Heavenly Tribulations, the Universal Old Man and the Heaveness could not hide their humors. It was because it was not the first time that that they had faced the Heavenly Wrath. They knew that they had to be calm in order to have any ray of hope of surviving!

The Ascension Goddess smiled weakly, "I have never seen such a phenomenon before…"

The Stellar Heaven Fairy nodded slowly, "We cannot intervene. If we intervene, we will only cause more harm than good…"

The Stellar Heaven Fairy Shi Shi was right. If they intervene, they would only cause the furies of the Divine Calamities to intensify. Not only that, they had to face the Divine Calamities as well!

That was also the reason why a spiritual and reclusive place was often chosen when it was time for the celestial practitioners to face their Divine Calamities. If other celestial practitioners were presented, it was because they were there as protectors so that outsiders or dark celestial practitioners would not intervene and distract the celestial practitioner from facing the Divine Calamity.

If the location of their testing were to be learnt by the dark celestial practitioners, there was no doubt that the dark celestials would spare no qualms and sacrifices to intervene in the Divine Calamity so as to take away the lives of the celestial practitioners that were facing the Divine Calamities!

Shen Xingyue muttered as she did a quick calculation with her fingers, "There are so many Divine Calamities descending at the same time, Yi Ping and the rest won't survive it…"

Lingfeng smiled bitterly, "Then it doesn't matter if we choose to intervene or not. I am going in…"

Yi Ping was startled, "Lingfeng, our Divine Calamities are about to start soon. Find a safe place to seek refuge…"

Yu'Er interrupted softly with a soft laugh, "I am also going to intervene no matter what. If Ping'Er and my other sisters aren't around, I really don't know what to do anymore."

Mei'Er agreed, "Sister Lingfeng is right. Since the Divine Calamities are already so out of control, then it really doesn't matter if we choose to intervene or not."

Yixian was startled as she reprimanded them gently, "Yu'Er, Mei'Er, if you face the Divine Calamities with us then you will surely perish. I don't want anything untold to happen to you. Pay heed to me, alright?"

Yu'Er smiled, "My protégé mistress! I refuse!"

Mei'Er nodded slowly and she had already drawn out her divine sword!

Lie Qing clapped, "Good! Then let's us face the Divine Calamities together!"

The Stellar Heaven Fairy shifted her mesmerizing eyes, "Don't forget me too!"

The Ascension Goddess laughed, "As well as me! Even though I don't really know what has happened earlier."

The Universal Old Man laughed, "With so many beautiful maidens that are willing to accompany me, even if I die I will be a happy spirit!"

Lingfeng hummed coldly, "Not for you. Fat hopes and stops dreaming!"

The Universal Old Man laughed, "But that is an undeniable fact now!"

Yi Ping sighed deeply, "All of you…"

Lele said solemnly, "No matter. We must try to survive this. I think we may have the time to set up the Celestial Star Formation first."

The Stellar Heaven Fairy nodded slowly, "Normally, it will take the Divine Calamities a full three hours to unleash its furies."

Yixian nodded, "Let's not waste the time and start setting up the formation first."

Lingfeng said quietly, "Wait. This is the Negative Core Divine Pills. Everyone have one please. We are all going to need it…"

Shen Xingyue took one from her and said solemnly, "Our fates are now up to our own destinies now."

Yi Ping said softly, "My fate is in my hands…"

Yixian added with a smile, "So are our destinies!"

Yi Ping, the Universal Old Man and the rest of the maidens began to laugh jovially amidst the rumbling earthquakes, twisters and the thunderstorms!

As their laughter reached to the heavens, an astonishing sight burst out from a hole in the heavens; a beautiful rainbow luminous by light yellow and blue celestial lights had suddenly burst forth and filled the darkness with a serene tranquility!

Yi Ping was astonished, "What is that?"

The Ascension Goddess gasped, "This is a good omen. An auspicious sign indeed that is said to be able aid celestial practitioners that is undergoing their heavenly tribulations!"

Shen Xingyue was quiet, "But our Divine Calamities are unusual and there is so much this favorable omen can do for us…"

Yixian said gently, "I feel that this is no ordinary rainbow. I feel much calmer now than earlier."

Yi Ping said, "That's right. I feel the same as well."

The Heaven Stellar Fairy nodded, "As long as we can calm ourselves down and not give way to panic, we may still have a ray of hope."

All of a sudden, there was a thunderous roar that had startled them!

It was a Golden Kirin, one of the two Golden Kirins that they had seen earlier and it was standing on top of a mountain ledge!

All of a sudden, the Golden Kirin had jumped down from the mountain ledge and galloped into their direction!

Everyone had immediately turned white with ashen!

Yi Ping smiled bitterly, "I think before the Divine Calamities can get to us, we will get kill by the Golden Kirin first…"

The Golden Kirin was extremely swift and with just a few gigantic leaps, it had actually leapt in front of them!

Yi Ping was already grasping the Celestial Alice and he had popped in the Negative Core Divine Pill into his mouth as he braced himself for the forthcoming battle!

But to everyone's utter surprise, the Golden Kirin had exhibited no malevolent air.

In fact, it had suddenly walked gently towards Yi Ping, sitting down quietly as it rubbed its head gently against him!

Yi Ping was muttering, "What is going on?"

Everyone was looking at each other and exchanging curious looks!

Yu'Er said, "It seems that it had come to aid us…"

Mei'Er smiled as she patted the Golden Kirin on its neck gently, "Hmmm…she says that she has come to aid us. So don't worry!"

Yu'Er was already stroking the Golden Kirin as she laughed softly, "She asks us not to be afraid!"

Yi Ping was startled, "You can talk with it?"

Yu'Er replied coolly, "We can exchange empathies with it."

The Ascension Goddess and Shen Xingyue exchanged a glance with each other. It was because they knew that the Midheaven Epiphanies of the Eclipse and Axis Heaven Goddess indeed was capable of such empathies with all living creatures!

All of a sudden, Yu'Er and Mei'Er eyes had turned sorrowful…

Mei'Er murmured softly besides the Golden Kirin, "So you have come to sacrifice yourself for us? Why?"

Yu'Er was suddenly weeping quietly…

When the full force of the Divine Calamities had finally struck them, it was extremely brutal and merciless. Without the Negative Core Divine Pills, the aid of the Golden Kirin, the Celestial Star Formation and their divine swords, they would not have survived!

Their ordeals were long and heartbreaking…

It was especially for Yunzi, Youxue, Yi Ping, Lele, Lie Qing and Yixian. It was because their states of divinities were too low to suffer the furies of the most powerful Divine Calamity known as the Heavenly Wrath!

Many times, they had a close shave and were so closed to losing one or other…

The Golden Kirin had used its powerful claw to shelter the maidens from being sucked into the furious vortexes that had appeared in the surroundings and had even used its body to tank the lightning strikes that were raining furiously!

It was their willingness to ensure the safety of each other and even using up their last reserve of strength at their own personal cost to save the other that contributed to their miraculous survival…

Naturally, they did not know that.

They did not know that their actions and heartbreaking anxiety for each other had moved the heavens and the earth that part of the Divine Calamities were preventing the worst from descending upon them…

Time passed and the Divine Calamities began to subside…

One by one, they had lost conscious of their self.

When they had regained their consciousness, they had discovered that they were lying around the protective body of the gigantic Golden Kirin.

For those that had not reached the Ascend Level previously, they were now able to skip several levels of divinities and had now become a True Celestials!

Even though they had survived but the Golden Kirin had not.

The death of the Golden Kirin had saddened Yi Ping and he had blamed himself.

Yu'Er and Mei'Er were particular upset as well.

Lingfeng said melancholy, "The Golden Kirin has died because it is a divine beast. It is not supposed to aid us. For this transgress against the order of things, death is the only penance…"

Yu'Er nodded, "She knows she will die and yet she is willing to do so. I don't understand…are our lives more worthwhile than her life?"

Mei'Er was tearful, "In order to be a Golden Kirin, it must have taken her through countless heavenly tribulation and thousands of years in order to become an immortal divine beast that she is now yet she has given up her life for us…"

Yi Ping could only lament his outcry to the heavens for he was greatly saddened by the demise of the Golden Kirin and the forbidding heavenly maiden…

Back to the present…

"So what are you thinking about? It is her again?" An alluring heartfelt soft sigh could be heard in his ears.

Yi Ping was startled at the familiar alluring voice; he quickly looked up and to his surprise, he saw Lingfeng!

She was dressed in a stunning white garb with golden phoenix sigil and behind her was the Universal Old Man!

He immediately stammered, "You are back?"

There was something different with Lingfeng this time. On her forehead was a small light blue dot.

Lingfeng laughed softly, "Yes I am back."

Yi Ping was startled and so were the rest of the maidens!

Yi Ping stammered, "Lingfeng, your forehead…you have opened your heaven eyes?"

Lingfeng smiled alluringly, "You are not so dumb after all. Yes, I have opened my heaven eyes now."

Lele laughed softly, "It seems that Sister Lingfeng has reached a new level of divinity now."

The Ascension Goddess laughed softly, "I have heard that the Heaveness is renowned for her Heaven Eyes Divine Skill. Now I can finally get to see it! You are wearing the Celestium Silk?"

Lingfeng laughed shyly, "That's right."

All the other maidens were startled. It was because Lingfeng had never told anyone of them that she had in possession of the Celestium Silk.

Yi Ping was startled, "So that is the reason why you are away?"

Lingfeng nodded gently.

The Universal Old Man had a broad smile as he looked at Yi Ping and the rest of his consorts, "Have you forgotten that you have a protégé master?"

Yi Ping immediately said, "My respects to my protégé master!"

The Universal Old Man laughed, "I have thought that you have forgotten about me."

Yi Ping said respectfully, "Your protégé dare not!"

All of a sudden Lingfeng interrupted with a soft sigh, "Yi Ping, don't feel sad. She may still be alive after all."

Yi Ping was suddenly roused as he asked elatedly, "She may be alive? Really? Lingfeng, surely you are not trying to make me feel better…"

Lingfeng kicked him on his foot as she laughed softly, "I don't like to make you feel better. I like to make you feel miserable. Are you happy now?"

But her expressions were suddenly solemn as she added, "Even though I cannot tell for sure if she is alive or not but why don't you think of it another way? If she is not alive, who sends the Golden Kirin to aid us?"

Yi Ping was stunned as he muttered, "That's right…if she is not alive, who sends the Golden Kirin to aid us…"

All the maidens began to look at each other with unsure expressions. It was because they had already thought of this question before…

Could it be that Lingfeng was just trying to make Yi Ping feel better?

Lingfeng smiled casually, "So if we want to know if she is alive then we must go to the Unmoving Mountains. That is where the next appearance of the Stellar Sanctuary will be and if she is alive, she will definitely be there!"

Yi Ping muttered, "That's right. She will definitely go there if she is alive…"