A Martial Odyssey

Xiao Youxue was sitting melancholy in the small pavilion while looking at the full moon.

The full moon in the Celestial Realm was several times larger than the lower realm but she was only paying scant attention on it.

It was because she was thinking dreamily of Yi Ping and how they were acquainted, how they had become enemies and finally becoming close confidants.

She was still thinking of the battle that had occurred with the Ascension Goddess, thinking how anxious Yi Ping was for Lie Qing when she received an injury.

She was sighing melancholy to herself, "Among all the maidens, I am the first to be acquainted with him. Yet it is now Lie Qing who has the most important place in his heart…did I not try hard enough or is the Heavenly Temptress really so good in capturing the hearts of men?"

She murmured, "Qing'Er, Qing'Er…maybe at this moment, she is already in Yi Ping's embrace while I am drinking alone. Or maybe it is Lele, Shen Xingyue or even Lingfeng. Sister Xian'Er, now I know how you have been feeling. Among all the maidens, we are the most shy. Even though we are also the closest to Yi Ping but we are also the furthest away. Alas…"

All of a sudden, she was alerted by the light approaching footsteps of another person through her sharp perception.

It was the Stellar Heaven Fairy and she had just walked quietly into the courtyard.

Even though her steps were extremely light like a cat but it was almost impossible to surprise Youxue.

The Stellar Heaven Fairy sighed softly as she entered the courtyard.

She said quietly, "You are still awake?"

Youxue nodded and asked, "The same goes for you too. You can't sleep?"

The Stellar Heaven Fairy sat down beside her as she sighed softly, "I have been thinking of many things. I am thinking mostly of Yi Ping…"

Youxue was startled that the Stellar Heaven Fairy would open her heart to her. It was because among all the maidens, she kept mostly to herself.

The Stellar Heaven Fairy bit her lips, "I have been thinking of him. I really want to know everything about him. Can you tell me about him?"

Youxue was really startled.

She looked at the Stellar Heaven Fairy with her mesmerizing eyes and said coolly, "Why are you asking me? Do you know that Yi Ping is my husband? To me, you are just someone who wants to take away my husband. Do you think I will really be so open about it even though it is common for man to have many wives and concubines?"

The Stellar Heaven Fairy smiled gently, "Yunzi tells me many good things about you. Can I befriend you?"

Youxue answered coldly, "Did you not hear what I have just said?"

The Stellar Heaven Fairy said gently, "I did but I really want to befriend you."

Youxue looked at her, "You may be a Golden Celestial while I am a lowly lower celestial practitioner. Why should you want to befriend me? Just because you want to get close to Yi Ping? You have better find some other maidens like Lie Qing, Lele, Shen Xingyue and Yixian. They are pretty close to him."

The Stellar Heaven Fairy said shyly, "I did already."

Youxue looked at her, "You did already?"

The Stellar Heaven Fairy sighed softly as she looked intently at Youxue, "I have met Shen Xingyue before actually. It is actually I who has enlightened her in the past and guided her. I didn't expect that she would be initiated into the Ascension Sect and is now a Supreme Celestial with a higher attainment than me."

She was melancholy all of a sudden, "As for Lie Qing, Lele and Yixian…do you know that I am their protégé mistress previously? You are Yixian's protégé so that makes you my grand protégé too. So why can't I look for you?"

Youxue smiled bitterly, "So, suddenly now I have a grand protégé mistress. You really think I will buy that? My sacred vows are to the Eternal Ice Palace…"

The Stellar Heaven Fairy interrupted with a wryly smile, "You also have a sacred vow towards your protégé mistress. Your Protégé Mistress' patriarchs and matriarchs are also yours. It doesn't matter if it is the Eternal Ice Palace or the Melody Palace."

Youxue said coldly, "So grand protégé mistress, you are trying to force me to tell you everything about Yi Ping?"

The Stellar Heaven Fairy sighed softly as she stood serenely.

Youxue was startled that there were tears in the Stellar Heaven Fairy's eyes and that she was actually weeping.

The Stellar Heaven Fairy said quietly, "That is not my intention to force you. I just want to talk to you and be comforted. I have no friends here and I hope that you can be a sister to me. You cannot imagine the heartbreaks and the tears that I have been through. Lian Longba and She Weilun are both dead now. I want to take vengeance on Ximen Nanqing but I have no others to turn to. Even though I may have recovered my martial strength but our differences are simply too great now."

Youxue was a maiden that was extremely cold on the surface but she was actually an extremely warm maiden in her heart. She had actually disguised her emotions like Yixian because she was a practitioner of the Icy Heavenly Tears and the Emotionless Rhyme too."

She placed her hands on the Stellar Heaven Fairy and said softly, "I will surely help you to take your vengeance no matter how arduous it is. You can count on me as your little sister if you are willing…"

The Stellar Heaven Fairy was startled at her sudden change of tone as she said tearfully, "I am willing…of course I am willing! My dear little sister!"

Youxue smiled and said tenderly, "My elder sister!"

All of a sudden, Youxue froze. It was because she had detected a slight malevolent aura no matter how invisible it had been in the shadows; someone malicious had silently walked into this courtyard!

Youxue immediately scanned her surroundings anxiously.

The Stellar Heaven Fairy asked, "What is wrong, little sister?"

The intruder was a martial super exponent and he had tried his best not to be detected.

However, Youxue had the same hyper alert sense as Yixian the Celestial Fairy. Few exponents could come within three hundred paces of her without her knowing! In order to fool her father Xiao Shuai who was a super exponent himself, she had even trained her lightness swiftness movement skill and breathing to a supernatural level; she could sneak undetected to even the most experienced super exponents!

Xiao Youxue said coldly, "Come out! I know you are there!"

A man walked out of the shadows.

When the Stellar Heaven Fairy saw him, she was startled. "Ximen Nanqing! You are here!"

Ximen Nanqing looked at her coldly, "Why shouldn't I be here? This place is mine in the first place. I won't give it up so easily. You have killed my protégés and subordinates. Overnight, I have lost everything. Tonight, I will kill all of you and get back all that I have lost. Or better yet, I will torture you till you wish you are more willing to be dead than alive."

The Stellar Heaven Fairy said quietly, "Little sister, run and notify the others…"

Xiao Youxue looked quietly at her, "If I go, you may not be able to handle him…"

Ximen Nanqing shouted aloud, "Not so easy!"

He had dash forward with extraordinary speed and the entire air had exploded as he had displayed the Dominating Force!

It was even more powerful than Lian Longba's Dominating Force!

Yi Ping had warned them not to take the Dominating Force headlong as it was even more powerful than his Asper Divinity Horizon Hand.

The Stellar Heaven Fairy knew that she could not evade this blow of his. If she did, she would be struck down because her movements would be slowed down by the martial force of the Dominating Force.

So she pursed her lips and raised her entire martial force as she raised her slender hand forward to receive his attack, pushing Youxue backward at the same time.

Youxue was startled, "No wait, elder sister!"

But it was already too late, she had already received Ximen Nanqing's blow headlong.

There was a thunderous explosive impact and the Stellar Heaven Fairy had immediately coughed out blood! But she refused to yield and just took a step back!

Even before the first blow had finished, Ximen Nanqing had casually attack with his Dominating Force again!

This time round, the Stellar Heaven Fairy could not withstand his attack again. She was immediately flung backward across the courtyard!

Youxue caught hold of her in midair as she stared coldly at Ximen Nanqing with her mesmerizing eyes, "You…"

The Stellar Heaven Fairy said weakly, "Sister, why are you still here? Have…you forgotten the fight with Lian Longba? The level of his Dominating Force and Dominating Aura is in a totally different league from him…you are not his match…escape please…"

Youxue said gently, "Rest please, sister. I won't run without a fight."

She looked at Ximen Nanqing coldly as she stepped forward.

Ximen Nanqing laughed, "Interesting maiden. You are not afraid?"

Youxue replied coldly, "The one that should be afraid, is you!"

Ximen Nanqing hummed coldly, "It seems that you are eager to be dominated by me, hence you are still here. Let me tell you. If the Holy Ascension Sect isn't there on that day, I may not leave quietly for the time being."

Youxue said coldly, "Oh? You seem to have forgotten that there are two Ancient Celestials in the group."

Ximen Nanqing laughed as his golden eyes beamed, "You are just a lowly celestial. What do you know of the divinity level of the Golden Celestials? The Ancient Celestials may be powerful but they are not invincible. Do you have any idea how many Ancient Celestials that I have defeated in the past? Once I have a divine sword in my hand, I may truly be invincible. These Ancient Celestials are foolish. If I were them, I would have already assassinated all of you and took your divine swords."

Youxue hummed coldly, "That is only what you have thought. Now you don't have a divine sword in your hand so you are not invincible. I don't have a divine sword in my hand either so this will be a fair fight."

The Stellar Heaven Fairy leaned against the pillar of the pavilion as she gasped weakly, "Sister, don't provoke him…The angrier he is, the more powerful his Dominating Force is!"

She coughed out blood once more. She had really exerted herself and had suffered severe internal injuries.

Ximen Nanqing looked coldly at the Stellar Heaven Fairy, "It is good that you know. Looking at you now makes my blood boils. You have a hand in my protégé, Lian Longba's death. I have grown tired of you. Tonight I will send you to be a couple to my beloved protégé."

He looked at Youxue, "As for you, you will pay for your insolence. You should have surrender at the first opportunity. Did you not see the strength of my martial power?"

Youxue said coldly and her cold demeanor was even colder than ever, "Your protégé had taken advantage of us when we are at our weakest. I have meant to vent my frustrations for a long time and since you are his protégé master, I will use you as my venting target!"

Ximen Nanqing said coldly, "What an insolent maiden. Soon, you will be begging me…"

But before he could finish, Youxue was at his side as she raised her weak attacks at him!

He was startled. She could actually move like the silent wind with such a startling speed. Even a wind would cause a disturbance and gave a martial exponent with keen hearings an opportunity to defend himself but her movements were completely silent!

He said coldly, "Such weak attacks…"

As he raised his hands to receive her attacks, all of a sudden, her weak attacks exploded and became a furious burst of explosive and powerful attacks!

He was startled as he met her blow by blow, "What kind of attacks are those?"

Youxue did not reply him.

She had displayed her Penetrating Hands Skill swiftly but she still could not get past his defenses!

She thought, "It seems that this will soon turn into a martial power contest. Whoever has the more enduring martial power and internal strength would gain the upper hand…"

After gauging her target martial power and strength, she knew that even if her Penetrating Hands had struck him, she could not penetrate his Dominating Aura and injure him.

Ximen Nanqing did not want to be dragged into a long fight either. His strength was his startling martial power skills.

So he quickly switched to his Dominating Force at her!

Xiao Youxue did not panic or tried to evade.

She calmly received his blow and there was a thunderous explosive as the entire ground started to vibrate earthshakingly!

Ximen Nanqing was startled that he was pushed back three steps backward by her!

Xiao Youxue stood on the same spot regally and there were no signs that she had received any injuries. In fact, she was either flustered or breathing heavily after the execution of a martial power skill!

The Stellar Heaven Fairy was stunned that Youxue had received a blow from Ximen Nanqing in such a calm manner. She immediately thought, "Is it because Ximen Nanqing didn't use his entire strength?"

Martial Power skills required plenty of vital energies and it was extremely tiring to use. But judging from the thunderous impact, she was sure that Youxue had used a martial power skill and not an internal strength skill.

Ximen Nanqing was startled for the same reason. He was even more startled because she seemed able to muster her martial power at the last moment!

How was it possible?

Youxue said coldly, "Is that the best you can do?"

Ximen Nanqing smirked coldly, "I have only used half of my martial power. Don't be too conceit yet. You are just an inferior celestial."

So this time he gave a martial shout and his martial power seemed to have increased tenfold!

He had vastly increased the martial power of his Dominating Aura!

As he stepped forward, the entire ground was trembling and he was leaving behind his footprints on the stony stabs!

The Stellar Heaven Fairy was truly worried for Youxue now…

Youxue said coldly, "Good, you are serious now. I can be serious now as well."

Her hands began to turn a mesmerizing golden color and there was even a golden halo around her!

Ximen Nanqing was startled, "The Golden Invincible Skill. So you know the Golden Invincible Skill. No wonder you are so conceit. But that would not protect you from my Dominating Force!"

As he walked towards her, the entire air turned burning hot. Everything within twenty paces began to disintegrate or turn burning hot!

But as Xiao Youxue walked forward, everything within twenty paces of her began to either revert to normal or collapsed into ice!

Ximen Nanqing was stunned. He asked, "What type of skill is that?"

Youxue said coldly, "My Divine Emerald Skill."

She had used her Divine Emerald Skill as a shield through the sheer display of her internal strength and exudes her Icy Heavenly Tears!

Even as Ximen Nanqing walked within ten paces of her, he could sense a powerful martial force that was trying to suppress his Dominating Aura and pushing him backward.

He was surprised to find such an opponent in this place that could resist his highest epitome of his Dominating Aura.

With a martial shout, he displayed his Dominating Force on her!

Youxue was not slow. She quickly displayed her true martial power skill, the Divine Virtuous Force.

Once again, there was a thunderous impact as everything within one hundred paces of their fight shattered thunderously!

Once again, Ximen Nanqing was pushed back three steps backward!

He simply could not believe it as he panted heavily.

But before he could recover from the first blow, Youxue had raised her hand quietly at him once more!

He quickly raised his Dominating Force once more. This time round, he already knew better. Even though this maiden attacked casually, all her attacks were imbued with her internal strength and martial power! He had never seen anyone that could muster their martial power in such a short notice and she could always retaliate with her full martial power until the last moment!

Again, there was a thunderous impact and everything within one hundred paces was completely destroyed once more!

This time, Ximen Nanqing was knocked back ten steps as he coughed out a mouthful of blood! He was in complete disbelief!

Youxue said coldly as she gently raised her foot forward, "You supposed to be more powerful when you are angry. Are you not angry now?"

As she raised her foot and tapped gently, the ground beneath her exploded with her martial force!

As she began to step forward, everything in front of her was destroyed or knocked aside causally by her martial force!

She was wasting her martial power and yet she had done so causally as though she was just taking a stroll.

This time, Ximen Nanqing raised both of his hands and attacked her once again with his Dominating Force!

This time round, Ximen Nanqing was surprised that he had struck her as he penetrated through her Divine Emerald Skill!

Immediately Youxue coughed a mouthful of blood but at the same time when he had struck her, she had also struck him and there was a cracking sound as seven bright lights flashed through!

When he had struck her, she remained motionless on the same spot but he was flung off twenty steps!

When the dust and cold bursting windforce had settled, Ximen Nanqing was crawling on the ground.

He could not believe that this maiden could penetrate through his Dominating Aura so effortless and even broke his ribs!

For the first time, he had known fear.

When he looked at her once again, he was truly terrified.

Everything around her had turned to ice, a golden halo had surrounded her and there were seven wisps of bluish lights around her.

Even the Stellar Heaven Fairy could not believe her eyes.

Youxue had quickly recovered from the attack that she had received from Ximen Nanqing. Her Golden Invincible Body was not only a defense skill; it was also a skill that could speed up recovery and healing. At the same time, her Divine Virtuous Skill was an offensive and a healing recovery skill while the Divine Emerald Skill was a protective skill that could lessen the impact of her opponent's martial force and speed.

As Youxue stepped forward, Ximen Nanqing was crawling backward in fear!

Youxue raised her foot and tapped gently on Ximen Nanqing's leg. Immediately there was a cracking sound as her martial power caused a martial force impact on him.

Ximen Nanqing yelled out painfully as he tried to crawl away frantically.

But Youxue raised her foot again. Immediately there was a loud explosion as the ground beneath her exploded thunderous.

She had missed of course.

The Stellar Heaven Fairy knew that she had missed deliberately and was playing with her prey!

She looked at Youxue and was really astonished as she thought, "Her martial skills and martial strength…surely it is unequaled in the Celestial Realm? How did she have so much martial strength that equaled to the most powerful celestials? Doesn't these required thousands of years of martial cultivation?"

She did not know that Xiao Youxue had a sad past and almost lost her life several times.

When Youxue was still a child, her mother had forced her to learn the Icy Heavenly Tears with the Divine Virtuous Skill. Her own mother had lost her life attempting to combine both divine arts together so that she could at least have a start.

That was not all. She had even managed to learn the Golden Invincible Skill, something that even her father had failed to master.

Of course, in order to learn the Golden Invincible Skill and to increase her martial strength, she had to steal the Golden Rejuvenation Pills from her father. She had succeeded and had consumed three such Divine Pills. But that was not all; she had taken her a Divine Dragon Pill when she was at the Holy Amalgamate Mountains. That caused her already startling martial strength to increase tremendously.

Because of the effects of the two Divine Pills, she was able to muster her martial power in so short notice. In fact, other than the Penetrating Hands, she had no other attacking skills. So she began to practice both her internal strength and martial power skills to a level not seen by the other martial exponents.

After she had mustered those two arts, she finally found the confidence to take on the Celestial Fairy.

When she had become a celestial practitioner, her Divine State of Genesis had furthered awakened her, increasing her martial power even further!

Now that she had recovered from her internal injuries, her state of divinity had actually advanced further, enhancing both her internal strength and martial strength.

That was why her martial strength was actually above Ximen Nanqing!

Where the other maidens emphasized on techniques and divine skills for their offensives, Youxue had emphasized on her martial power and defensive skills. Ximen Nanqing biggest mistake was to engage her in a martial power contest!

Xiao Youxue broke Ximen Nanqing's arms as she said coldly, "You have lost so what do you have to say?"

Ximen Nanqing was whimpering in fear as he shivered frightening, "Monster…spare me…please…I begging you…"

Youxue caught hold of his wrist as he yelled painfully, saying coldly to him, "It is a pity that your internal strength isn't compatible with my Divine Virtuous Force or else I will drain all your internal strength. Consider yourself lucky."

Xiao Youxue said to the Stellar Heaven Fairy, "Sister, you can take your vengeance now. I have destroyed his Dominating Aura."

The Stellar Heaven Fairy looked at her quietly, "You can drain his internal strength?"

Youxue replied quietly, "Not entirely true. I just drain a little. I know that his Dominating Force is an epitome divine skill. I am just borrowing some of it to study it. I have found his secret chamber and saw his secret manuals on the Dominating Force. It seemed that he has not reached the highest level of his divine skill yet."

The Stellar Heaven Fairy was startled, "You have actually found his secret chamber?"

Youxue looked sheepish.

In the past after she had left the Virtuous Palace, she had actually secretly accumulated a vast collection of martial skills and treasures. All her secrets, she had hidden with Lele's baby daughter so that one day, she may be able to find her martial treasures.

Finding a secret chamber was too easy for her. The Virtuous Palace itself was like a huge labyrinth for her to practice her looting skills. While the other protégés of the Virtuous Palace was practicing their martial skills hard, she was forbidden to learn any martial skills by her father. That was when she began her explorations. She had even found some secret chambers that not even her father had known about it!

All of a sudden, Youxue said. "They are here!"

She turned to say to the Stellar Heaven Fairy, "I know that you do not have the heart to kill anyone…"

Before the Stellar Heaven Fairy could stop her, Youxue had stepped on Ximen Nanqing's head and broke his skull!

At this moment, the other maidens including the Universal Old Man had arrived at the courtyard. Only Yi Ping and Yixian were missing.

They were all startled to find the courtyard in a total shambles and to find a dead man in the courtyard!

And that dead man was actually Ximen Nanqing!

Lie Qing, Lele, Shen Xingyue, Lingfeng, Yu'E, Mei'Er and Yunzi looked at each other in bewilderment.

The Universal Old Man asked as he looked intently at Youxue and the Stellar Heaven Fairy, "What is going on here? Who kills him? Do you know that killing a celestial is detrimental to your future celestial progression and you can turn into a Dark Celestial? When that happens, you will have a hard time facing the Divine Wrath."

Youxue replied coldly, "An evil man like him, even if I see them again, I would not hesitate at all to kill again."

"Well said." A beautiful voice said.

They were all startled and turned around.

This time round, they were all stunned!

It was because the person that had said that was the Ascension Goddess!

But at the moment, she was clinging sweetly next to Yi Ping who was looking very pale.

That was not all.

Beside Yi Ping was Yixian, who was also clinging sweetly to him and she was looking idiocy at him!

Yi Ping smiled bitterly as the stares become hostile!

He said weakly, "I can explain…"

Lingfeng said quietly and she was almost to tears, "You better explain, as clearly as possible…"

Lie Qing said quietly, "Ping'Er, did you…and them…?"

Lele said tearfully, "Ping'Er, you are so daring. You have actually brought her into your room!"

Yunzi was smiling…

The Universal Old Man quickly said, "This is your family affairs. I don't want to get involved. Let me excuse myself first…"

Shen Xingyue said coldly, "No, you are staying."

The Universal Old Man asked panicky, "Why?"

Shen Xingyue smiled wryly, "You are his protégé master. You have to take responsible."

The Universal Old Man was startled as he took a step backward.

The Ascension Goddess laughed softly and said shyly, "My protégé sister, Xingyue…how are you?"

Shen Xingyue said, "It seems that we have an unfinished fight, am I right to say so?"

The Ascension Goddess stole a shy look at Yi Ping before she said quietly, "I surrender…state your terms…I give in to anything except him…"