A Martial Odyssey Book 3: The Stellar Sanctuary Chapter 64

The Heaveness’ Secret

A lone feminine figure with white robe was seen standing in the passage, “So I have been discovered huh?”

Yi Ping and his group were startled!

He grasped aloud for he had recognized her, “Lingfeng! This is you! How did you find us?”

Lingfeng smiled wryly, “Not only me…”

And immediately Ye Yin, Xingyue, Yunzi, Youxue, Lie Qing and Lele had appeared at the entrance of the passage!

Lele yawned softly, “You seem surprise?”

Yi Ping was about to say something when Yu’Er, Mei’Er, the Universal Old Man, the Lord Supreme, the Immortal Saint of Swords, Skylord Jun, Han Lin and the Goddess Aiel had all appeared with a loud ruckus!

Ye Yin sighed softly, “We are already very quiet and yet he has found us. This is really amazing!”

Yi Ping smiled weakly, “I can sense a familiar feeling. How did you find us? We are already very careful…”

The Heaveness Lingfeng laughed softly as she smiled shyly…

The Great Desolate Goddess Nuwa was puzzled, “Really. How did you find us through these winding passages? And we didn’t notice the whole lot of you…”

Yi Ping rubbed his nose as he looked at Lingfeng, Ye Yin, Yunzi and Youxue as he slapped his head to laugh, “I know why…”

He looked at Lingfeng, “The Great Emptiness Translucence…”

Lingfeng was startled, “You know?”

Yi Ping nodded, “I didn’t know. But earlier when I was in danger, I can sense a soothing feeling…it was only then that I know that it is you. It is only then that I know that you have been listening to my heart all along and helping me…”

Lingfeng looked away shyly, “So you know now. Previously, my attainment of my Great Emptiness Translucence is higher than you. That is why I can shut myself from you. But now, your level of attainment is the same as me…”

At this moment Yi Ping, Lingfeng, Nuwa and Yixian were able to sense the emotions of each other’s heart.

Yixian whispered secretly to Lingfeng and this was shared between Yi Ping and Nuwa, “Sister Lingfeng, all along you are spirit-linked with Ping’Er and you have been hiding from the rest of us!”

Lingfeng whispered back, “Alas! I didn’t mean to hide it…”

Yi Ping gasped in his heart, “I remember now. So it is not a dream that Lingfeng was talking to me at that time. But why is that ever since that time, I can’t hear you anymore?”

Lingfeng smiled as she whispered, “I tell you the next time, alright? Pay attention to the group first!”

She quickly raised her voice to say aloud, “We are able to find you because Youxue and Yunzi are good trackers too. As long as we stay a good distance from you, you won’t be able to know that we have been following you.”

Yi Ping looked as he looked at the smiling Lele and Lie Qing as he sighed, “It must be Lele’s idea. No wonder she is quick to make a move…”

Lie Qing laughed softly, “That is right!”

Lele laughed jovially, “Isn’t that a little too late for regrets now? We are already here!”

The Universal Old Man laughed, “I didn’t want to come but since they have already decided, I just come along as well. But seriously, we are all here together…”

He took a look at the fallen Heavenly King and the vicinity, “We know that we may not be able to help you much here but we have come so far together so let’s us go through this together. We know that we may not be able to live through this but it is the experience that counts rather than the regrets.”

The Lord Supreme nodded, “Old Man without beard, this time round you are talking sense.”

The Universal Old Man rubbed his chin, “Alas, is that my new title?”

Skylord Jun and the Immortal Saint of Swords roared with laughter. It was immediately followed by the rest of the group as well!

Yi Ping smiled, “Well, since everyone is already here now…”

Han Lin smiled, “So let’s us go now!”

Aiel growled, “Han Lin, you are really funny. You didn’t want to come with us in the first place. You keep saying Master Yi Ping won’t be pleased to see us…”

Han Lin gave her an innocent look, “Did I?…”

Lie Qing smiled at Yi Ping, “So there. You can’t shake me off, am I right?”

Yi Ping smiled weakly, “Right…”

Lele tugged Yi Ping as she asked, “Who is this man? We have heard some commotions so we have hurried our steps. Or else you would not have been able to notice us.”

The Goddess Aiel gasped with shock as she stared at Yi Ping, “He…he is…the Old Dragon Heavenly Sage! Why is he here? Yi Ping, you are the one that killed him?”

She looked at Yi Ping, the Goddess Celestial Alice and the Goddess Isa who were all nodding at almost the same time.

She was utterly shocked by the revelation as she gasped again!

Han Lin asked curiously, “Who is he? How powerful is he? More powerful than the Great Ascetic Heavenly King Yun Dingzhong?”

Aiel nodded slowly. 

Han Lin clapped her hands as she danced next to Yi Ping, “Brother Yi Ping, you are so strong now!”

Yi Ping smiled weakly, “Not at all. I have some help…”

Han Lin looked expressively at Yi Ping with a soft sigh and after a while her thoughts seemed to drift away as she looked blankly. 

Yi Ping saw her expression and asked, “Han Lin, is something wrong?”

Everyone else was also looking at Han Lin curiously and they could that she was looking melancholy and that her fingers were trembling!

Aiel tapped her gently on her shoulder, “Han Lin, what is wrong?”

Han Lin lowered her head to look at her trembling right palm, “I…I can feel the Green Dragon Sacred Sword here…but it is getting more and more distant to me…it is like it is rejecting me now…”

Yi Ping understood the bond between the divine sword and the practitioner. For Han Lin to lose the Green Dragon Sacred Sword all of a sudden like this was a huge blow to her. 

He thought, “Han Lin must be feeling really very low now. How can I make cheer her up?”

So he immediately said, “Han Lin, I will surely get your divine sword for you. Don’t worry about it, alright?”

Aiel immediately held Han Lin by her arm, “Han Lin, I will help you to get your divine sword back alright?”

Yi Ping immediately added, “That is right!”

Lele hummed coldly, “So? It is just a matter of retrieving it. Whoever is the one that takes your sword, we will simply kick his ass for you and make sure that he will never lay his hands on your sword ever again.”

Han Lin smiled weakly, “It is impossible. The Green Dragon Sacred Sword belongs to the Jade Emperor. He is the rightful master. Who am I to take the divine sword of the Jade Emperor?”

Lie Qing hit her forehead gently with her knuckles as she muttered almost inaudibly, “Gosh Lele! That is your grandfather that you are kicking. Have you forgotten about that…”

Yu’Er and Mei’Er exchanged a quick look with each other as they smiled weakly as well. 

Xingyue grabbed Han Lin by her shoulder all of a sudden and Han Lin was startled as she gasped with surprise, “Um?”

Xingyue said to her while looking at the Goddess Celestial Alice, the Goddess Asura, the Sacred Embodied Heavenly Goddess, the Goddess Isa, the Goddess of Mercy Xiang as she smiled while furrowing her phoenix eye lashes, “Hmph! So what if it is the Jade Emperor that we are dealing with? Never give up your claim to your divine sword. If the Immortal Goddesses won’t help you then I will.”

Ye Yin made a chuckle as she picked Han Lin by her other arm, “How about counting me in?”

Han Lin gasped, “The two of you are insane!”

Ye Yin winked at her, “Yes we are. Do you want to join us in your claim for your divine sword?”

Han Lin nodded, “I do now!”

The Lord Supreme, Skylord Jun and the Universal Old Man were all smiling weakly. 

The Lord Supreme said solemnly, “Ye Yin, you don’t know who you are up against. Don’t make such bold statements. It is bad for your future attainment. We shouldn’t promise lightly.”

Yi Ping nodded silently as he looked at Han Lin, Xingyue and Ye Yin…

The Goddess Isa nodded and said, “Your future attainment is paved by your every single decision. Don’t make sweeping statements or we will soon be at the opposing side.”

She stole a glance at the Goddess Celestial Alice who nodded in return.

Alice said quietly as she lifted her eyes to look at Yi Ping, “In the past, my actions have serious consequences. I have paid for it dearly. Don’t make the same mistake as I did.”

Yi Ping heaved a deep sigh as he saw the beaming eyes that came from Xingyue and Ye Yin; he knew that given their stubborn spirits, they were not going to bow down to the powers above them. 

Xingyue the Dark Enchantress alias the Fiery Phoenix was a prodigy celestial practitioner of the Ascension Sect. She had spent her days seeking self-enlightenment after getting snubbed by the White Sage. As one of the Supreme Celestial of the Ascension Sect and wielder of the Perpetual Darkness, she was one of the most capable fighters of the Celestial Fraternity. Though she had lost her Perpetual Darkness now, her fighting spirits were never extinguished. 

As for Ye Yin the Ascension Goddess, she too was a Supreme Celestial of the Ascension Sect and was the older protégé sister of Xingyue. Her divine sword was the Despairing Heavenly, now the Blessed Heaven. She was a battle goddess on par with the Goddess Isa!

Isa who had dueled with Ye Yin several times was clearly impressed by her. 

She lifted her eyes at Ye Yin with a soft laugh as she tapped her fingers at her Divine Constellation Sword, “It seems that our duels have not ended yet…”

She proceeded to flash a dangerous streak look at Alice, Xian’Er, Asura, Xiang and Ye Yin who had all fought with her previously. 

Asura raised her eye lashes, “Don’t give me that look. Don’t forget that we are the Goddess Theocracy…”

Isa gave a cold smile as she gave a challenging look at everyone, “And we aren’t supposed to fight?”

All of a sudden Yi Ping said, “Han Lin, give me your hand.”

Han Lin was startled as she asked, “Huh?”

Lingfeng gave him a soft kick, “This is not the time to flirt…”

But all of a sudden she froze as she looked at Yi Ping. This was followed by Xian’Er and Nuwa who seemed to be stirred by Yi Ping as well!

Lie Qing asked, “Ping’Er, what is wrong?”

Yi Ping said, “Han Lin, can I touch your palm?”

Han Lin took a quick look at Aiel who had an envy look on her face before saying quickly, “Yes…”

She extended her hand towards Yi Ping…

Yi Ping got hold of her warm palm as he took a deep breath.

Han Lin asked shyly, “Yi Ping, what are you doing?”

Her heart was throbbing. It was because she was being held in her hand by YI Ping now! 

Yi Ping did not reply for he was lost in thoughts but after a while, he smiled. “Han Lin, I know where the Great Dragon Sacred Sword is now.”

Han Lin and the others were startled. 

Han Lin asked, “You know?”

Yi Ping nodded, “It is indeed in this place…”

Han Lin could not resist ask excitingly, “Erm…how do you know about this?”

Yi Ping looked at her affectionate eyes that were upon him. He could immediately sense her sentimental heart but he maintained his composure to say solemnly, “I can sense the same energy signature of your divine sword in this place.”

He took a deep breath as he eyed the three passages that were in front of them before he pointed to a passage, “There! It should be there!”

He quickly took a step forward before he heard Han Lin grasped aloud.

He turned around and realized that he was still holding her hand and all of a sudden Han Lin gave a startled cry as she bumped into him!

Both of them bumped into each other with a startled expression, leaving them staring at each other and not knowing what to do!

Lingfeng, Aiel and Nuwa gave a cold hum while Youxue said, “Ahem! What are the two of you doing? Since we have already got a clear direction to go then why are the two of you still staring blankly at each other?”

Youxue emphasized the ‘Each other.”

Yi Ping smiled

Lele and Lie Qing were immediately beside Yi Ping as they dragged him away.

Lele was muttering, “I have thought that you have some bright ideas but you are just fooling around! This is so infuriating!”

As Lie Qing dragged Yi Ping away as she smiled at him, “Since you have already know where to go next, why are you still standing here for? Let’s go!”

Han Lin shouted after them, “Wait for me!”

Alice, Isa, Xiang and Asura looked at one another and were the last remaining group to move into the passage.

Isa sighed softly as she echoed their thoughts, “Are we really going to fight against the Jade Emperor? Or are we helping Han Lin?”

Alice hummed softly, “She is your friend, not mine. You are getting too sentimental and that is bad.”

Isa heaved another soft sigh, “Maybe I am now. For the first time, I have no desire to fight against a…friend.”

Asura looked at her and muttered, “Same here…”

Xiang looked at them, “I am weary as well…”

Alice flurried past them as she gave a soft hum, “We will see about this. I am not going to let the Jade Emperor or the Heavenly Kings lord over us anymore.”

Asura lifted her divine staff as her golden eyes shone as she followed Alice, “I am the apostle of the Great Goddess Celestial Alice and I will follow her will to the end. I don’t want to fight the Jade Emperor because…”

She sighed softly but immediately the fire in her golden eyes were ignited again as she raised her voice, “But I will make the Great Ascetic Heavenly King Yun Dingzhong and the Dark Primordial Heavenly King pay for the humiliation that they had afflicted me. I shall use their blood to cleanse my honor.”

The Goddess of Mercy Xiang lifted the end of long skirt to her waist as she fluttered the dust off before looking at the Goddess Isa, “I don’t care much for the Jade Emperor, the Heavenly Kings or the Desolate Immortals. I am with the Great God Pangu. I am his apostle.”

With that she walked past Isa and was gone in the next instant.

Isa was left alone staring blankly for a time. 

She began to look at the crumble body of the Old Dragon Heavenly Sage and all of a sudden her heart began to beat rapidly…

Finally she pursed her lips as she took a step toward the Old Dragon Heavenly Sage…