A Martial Odyssey - Chapter 241

After a few hours of rest, Yi Ping was awakened by several maids who hastily entered the bed chamber. They were polite and entered quietly with their heads lowered.

The leading maiden alone held a sword by her side. Yi Ping thought that it was a little weird but he thought no further of that because at this moment, the Goddess Lessica was looking at him intently.

The Goddess Lessica said shyly as she held the blanket tightly to her naked self, “My lord, they are here to take you to the Verdant Palace.”

The leading maiden said quietly without looking at Yi Ping or the Goddess Lessica, “Our condolences to the Great Lord Yi Ping, we are here to take you to the Verdant Palace. We trust that you have a good rest. At the same time we are here to take the Goddess Lessica to her quarter.”

Yi Ping looked at the Goddess Lessica. This was exactly what she had told him; in a few hour time they would come to escort you to the Verdant Palace and as for her, they would first question her about you.

The Goddess Lessica had said to him, “I will never betray your faith in me. You can trust me in this matter.”

Yi Ping said aloud as he grabbed his swords, “Wait for me outside first. I will come out shortly.”

All the maidens hailed softly as they quickly left the room.

When they had left the room, the Goddess Lessica quickly kissed him on his cheek as she slipped on her robe, whispering gently. “Take care…”

Before Yi Ping could say anything to her, she had already tiptoed out the room in a hurry!

Yi Ping sighed softly…

He had said to her a few hours ago, “You know. We can put on an act but to use you for my own nourishment, I rather not. Also, I am not as weaken as supposed. Moreover, I don’t belong in here and…”

The Goddess Lessica lowered her glances, “I perfectly understand. I can sniff the scent of the Great Goddess Fantian on you…some things will never change…”

Yi Ping asked, “Eh?”

But she was silent on this.

Casting what had happened earlier aside, he began to arrange his robe. As he walked out, he saw that a dozen maidens were already quietly waiting in an orderly manner for him.

The same leading maiden said quietly, “My lord, please follow us to the Verdant Palace. The Great Lord Xuan Yuan seeks your audience now.”

Yi Ping asked her, “What is your name?”

The leading maiden was startled but she quickly composed herself to say, “I am just a lowly servant. There is no need for my lord to know a nobody like me…”

Yi Ping sighed softly as he asked firmly, “What is your name?”

The leading maiden turned ashen immediately as she said quickly, “Please forgive my improper impoliteness! The Goddess Dion Les Fey of the Villa Clan pays my deference to my lord!”

As Yi Ping looked at her, he could sense a subtle hint of defiance in this attractive maiden. He thought, “Like the Goddess Lessica, they are all not willing to serve in this manner?”

He felt a little pitiful for her…

The Goddess Dion said with trembling voice, “Shall I escort my lord to the Verdant Palace now?”

Yi Ping said in a soothing voice to her, “Do not be afraid. I am just curious what your name is. As simple as that. I have no wish to punish you. Moreover I do not have the right to do so.”

The Goddess Dion replied with frightful expression, “My lord has every right. I am wrong…”

But Yi Ping interrupted her as he said gently, “I am just a traveler and a guest. I do not have the right. I am not used to being greet as a lord. You can disperse with the formalities. Just call me Yi Ping if you wish to, alright?”

The Goddess Dion nodded slowly, not knowing what to say…

Yi Ping smiled, “Let’s go now.”

The Goddess Dion waved her hand and immediately, the remaining twelve maidens began to walk in an orderly manner behind them!

Yi Ping could sense that the atmosphere now had become less tense and several of the maidens were even secretly smiling at him!

The Goddess Dion said shyly, “My lord, may you please follow my lead!”

Yi Ping immediately said, “Aye!”

As they continued walking for a distance, Yi Ping asked earnestly all of a sudden. “Say, why alone of the rest, you are allowed to carry a sword?”

The Goddess Dion looked at Yi Ping, not knowing what to reply as she stopped dead in her tracks.

Yi Ping quickly smiled gently, just in case she got the wrong idea that he was interrogating her. “Don’t get me wrong. I mean, are you a special rank or something? I am just being curious.”

The Goddess Dion heavy a soft sigh of relief as she smiled, “My lord, it is because the Villa Clan practices a special form of divine practice which we call the Divine Sword Practice. This special form of divine practice makes us inseparable from our divine swords. That is why only the Villa Clan is allowed to carry our own swords with us.”

Yi Ping nodded slowly as he began to think, “Why is that, this sounds so familiar?”

All of a sudden he was shook by a thought as he looked at the Goddess Dion again as he thought, “The Ascension Sect! The Supreme Celestials of the Ascension Sect have the exact divine practice too! Can it be that the special divine sword is actually imparted by a Desolate Immortal of the Villa Clan?”

That was because he had heard from Alice that not all the Desolate Immortals were eradicated from the Immortal Realm and that the consequent conflicts between the Celestial Immortals and the Desolate Immortals had at least taken a further several thousands of years before the remaining Desolate Immortals had gone into hiding!

The Goddess Dion asked curiously, “My lord, is something the matter?”

Yi Ping gave a smile quickly, “Nothing. I am just thinking that the Villa Clan must be a special clan on its own.”

The Goddess Dion was startled as she looked at Yi Ping with melancholy eyes before she answered softly, “It is…”

But she quickly regained her composure to say, “Let’s us be on our way.”

They did not talk further after this.

When they had entered through the gates of the Verdant Palace, Yi Ping first impression was that it was only too imposing and that no words could describe its grandness.

The Goddess Dion said quietly, “We have almost reached. After this is the Antiquity Hall of the Universe.”

There were hundreds of Desolate Immortals in the grand hall when Yi Ping had entered it. All the Desolate Immortals were all talking among themselves.

Upon Yi Ping’s approach, almost all of them stopped their conversations and were looking into his direction!

Yi Ping immediately felt uneasy at the many eyes that were upon him and he wondered why they were all looking at him with such weird expression?

All of a sudden the Great Lord Shenmu had hastily walked from the crowd as he laughed jovially, “So our most important guest of honor is here. Quick summon the Great Lord Xuan Yuan now!”

He turned around to laugh loudly, “Open your eyes! He is the one that have fought against the two bitches earlier! What do we call him? He is the hero of the Verdant Palace!”

At the loud announcement of the Great Lord Shenmu, all the Desolate Immortals quickly greeted Yi Ping at the same time, causing the grand hall to explode with their outbursts!

The Great Lord Shenmu laughed jovially as he patted Yi Ping on his shoulder, “Look! You are so popular already!”

Yi Ping smiled weakly, “Not at all…”

“Not at all? So someone gains his popularity because of someone here decides to call us bitches?” A familiar feminine said unhappily.

Immediately the Great Lord Shenmu and the rest of the crowd fell into dead silent as the Dark Goddess Xia Hsien and the Heaven Goddess Zero walked into the grand hall!

The Dark Goddess Xia Hsien stared coldly at the Great Lord Shenmu as she continued, “Eh, do you dare to say it again in front of my face again?”

The Great Lord Shenmu began to fluster as he said quickly, “I don’t mean it…”

The Dark Goddess Xia Hsien interrupted coldly, “You don’t mean it or you don’t dare to say it?”

Many of the Desolate Immortals were caught in a dilemma. They had never seen the Great Lord Shenmu looked this flustered before.

One of the Desolate Immortals quickly said aloud, “This is the domain of the Great Lord Xuan Yuan and the Great Lord Shenmu. Do you think that with your current immortal positioning, you are even fit to address the Great Lord Shenmu in this manner?”

Perhaps he thought he could score some points with the Great Lord Shenmu by speaking on his behalf but instead of gaining appreciation, the Great Lord Shenmu turned to look at him angrily before he said rudely. “Do you think you are even fit to address the two Great Goddesses?”

That Desolate Immortal immediately turned ashen as he quickly lowered his head awkwardly!

The Dark Goddess Xia Hsien raised her eyebrows in surprise as she looked at the Great Lord Shenmu before she said coldly, “I am glad you still have some saving grace after all.”

The Heaven Goddess Zero looked at Yi Ping with a smile, “So you are a hero of the Verdant Palace now? What a pity that you have chosen to be their lackeys!”

Yi Ping knew that she was trying to provoke him but he was calm. He was usually not bothered with petty meddles. But if it was a fight then maybe he would really be interested but he was not the type to pick a fight because he liked to fight.

The Great Lord Shenmu asked weakly, “May I know what brings our two Great Goddesses here?”

The Heaven Goddess Zero looked a little annoyed that Yi Ping had remained expressionless but she answered nonetheless to the Great Lord Shenmu, “We are here to attend the grand unison of the Great Lord Xuan Yuan naturally. Why else should we be here for?”

The Great Lord Shenmu groaned, “The Firmament Citadel has never ever sent any representatives to the Verdant Palace. I am just so surprised.”

The Heaven Goddess Zero hummed coldly, “Things may change. After all, if we did not come today then we may never know what you are calling us behind our back!”

The Great Lord Shenmu smiled weakly as he said, “Please be seated then!”

When he had pointed to a corner, a lingering fragrance had entered the great hall and said sweetly, “Hey. Look who here? It is the two bitches from the Firmament Citadel!”

Everyone in the grand hall, including Yi Ping and the Great Lord Shenmu were startled by the sweet voice.

The Dark Goddess Xia Hsien and the Heaven Goddess Zero were equally startled as they turned around just in time to witness the Alluring Goddess Theresa walking into the grand hall!

The crowd was even more startled to see the Alluring Goddess Theresa than the Dark Goddess Xia Hsien and the Heaven Goddess Zero!

The Dark Goddess Xia Hsien hummed coldly, “I have thought who is here. So it is the Queen of the Bitches that is here!”

The Alluring Goddess Theresa laughed alluringly, “Ye, ye! Your queen is here now. Hurry and bow before me!”

The Dark Goddess Xia Hsien laughed jovially, “Are you so shameless? If I really bow to you then I will have to address you as that title.”

The Heaven Goddess Zero smiled, “Then it will be such a great loss of face for you!”

The Alluring Goddess Theresa smiled faintly, “If you dare, I don’t mind. After all, I have two little bitches here for company.”

The Great Lord Shenmu interrupted politely, “I don’t know that the Alluring Goddess Theresa will be here today or else I will surely give you a grand welcome.”

The Alluring Goddess Theresa smiled sweetly, “Alas, I have never liked to attend this type of occasion. But…”

She shot a glance at the Dark Goddess Xia Hsien and the Heaven Goddess Zero as she said coldly, “If they can be here for the first time then why can’t I come as well?”

The Great Lord Shenmu was render almost speechless as he muttered, “Yes, yes. Come, come…”

The Dark Goddess Xia Hsien said all of a sudden, “Since the Alluring Goddess Theresa is here to attend the unison ceremony then we shall not impose ourselves anymore…”

The Great Lord Shenmu panicky said, “It is alright. You…can stay…not imposing at all…”

Yi Ping smiled weakly. It was because it was only too obvious to him that the Great Lord Shenmu wanted the Dark Goddess Xia Hsien to stay as long as possible.

The Dark Goddess Xia Hsien pointed at Yi Ping all of a sudden, “Why are you smiling like this? How dare you take liberties with us yesterday and now this!”

She turned to look at the Great Lord Shenmu, “Everyone knows what had happened in the street yesterday and now you have witnessed his outrageous smile. Great Lord Shenmu, if you still value the close ties between the Verdant Palace and the Firmament Citadel then surrender him to us!”

Yi Ping smiled bitterly to himself. Even he could see plainly that they were here for him and that attending the unison ceremony was just their lame excuse…

The Heaven Goddess Zero smiled as she looked intently at Yi Ping, “Do you dare to come with us? We promise that we won’t eat you up.”

She added quickly as she looked at the Great Lord Shenmu and the Alluring Goddess Theresa as she whispered, “It will be more dangerous if you are in their company.”

The Alluring Goddess Theresa said coldly, “We are not deaf, you know. Fancy you slandering us right in front of us.”

The Dark Goddess Xia Hsien said firmly, “I am not asking you. I am asking him!”

The Great Lord Shenmu said with equal firmness, “He is a guest of the Verdant Palace. You can’t take him away just like this!”

The Heaven Goddess Zero interrupted, “But he don’t look like a guest. More like a captive of the Verdant Palace, am I right?”

The Alluring Goddess Theresa smiled faintly as she looked at the Great Lord Shenmu, “What a tricky question. Only idiots will answer that…”

But the Great Lord Shenmu had already answered, “Of course not!…”

The Heaven Goddess Zero laughed softly, “Good! Since he is a guest and not a captive of the Verdant Palace then he is free to leave as he wishes. You have heard the Great Lord Shenmu!”

The Great Lord Shenmu was startled as he quickly protested, “No, that is not what I mean…”

The Heaven Goddess Zero immediately reached out for Yi Ping as she smirked coldly, “Then good! I am taking him away now!”

But before Yi Ping could move away from her, the Alluring Goddess Theresa had intercepted the Heaven Goddess Zero with a quick hand attack as she laughed along. “Wait a minute! I am taking him away as well!”

The Heaven Goddess Zero retaliated with several quick fists as she said coldly, “I beg your pardon again! We have claimed him first!”

The Dark Goddess Xia Hsien had also joined in the fight as she raised her fists against the Alluring Goddess Theresa, “You claim to be the number one fighter so two of us versus you isn’t so shameful, isn’t it?”

In the next instant, dozens of shadow fists were flurried in all directions as the three maidens began to fight in earnest!

Yi Ping quickly exclaimed aloud, “Wait! Stop it! Great Lord Shenmu, you are not stopping them?”

The Great Lord Shenmu smiled weakly, “I only know how to fight and I don’t know how to stop them…”

Yi Ping was exasperated as he quickly dashed into their midst as he displayed the Asper Continuum, immediately displaying dozens of shadowy palms around him!

The three maidens quickly increased the pace of their attacks and they were all fighting Yi Ping at the same time now!

The Alluring Goddess Theresa smiled, “Hero, don’t think that because I want you, I will be inclined to show mercy. That won’t be the case. That is because…”

All of a sudden there were five brilliant white lights as she switched her palm to a claw attack, imploding thunderously and dispersing Yi Ping’s Asper Continuum!

Yi Ping was secretly startled, “She can break my strokes in such a short time?”

No sooner was Yi Ping caught off guarded, the Dark Goddess Xia Hsien and the Heaven Goddess Zero had struck him on his chest at the same time with a thunderous impact, sending him to fly backward!

The Heaven Goddess Zero giggled softly at the same time she had struck Yi Ping, “Oh sorry! I can’t resist taking some advantage! Is it painful?”

As Yi Ping got up, he could feel his chest trembling with pain!

It seemed that the blows that he had received were tremendous indeed. It was a lucky thing that he had attained the Ninth Positioning Rank or else the blows that he had just received would surely have damaged his golden body!

The Dark Goddess Xia Hsien gave him an eye candy as she smiled, “Sister, he is not so tough after all. I have thought that he is really good!”

The Heaven Goddess Zero smiled as she looked coldly at everyone in the grand hall, “That is because I have underestimated him earlier but it seems that he is really nothing special at all!”

The Alluring Goddess Theresa laughed, “Oh well! Since he is nothing special at all, why don’t you give him to me instead?”

She winked at Yi Ping, “You didn’t think that you alone can handle the three of us?”

Yi Ping smiled weakly as he quickly said, “Not at all. I wouldn’t dare!”

He thought to himself, “At least I have stopped them from fighting temporary. But the three of them together are really formidable. I can’t find a loophole in their moves at all…”

The Alluring Goddess Theresa turned to look maliciously at the Dark Goddess Xia Hsien and the Heaven Goddess Zero as she smiled, “Alas! It seems that we can’t play a little longer. It seems that the host is finally here!”

Indeed barely had she said that, the Great Lord Xuan Yuan had walked into the grand hall. He was garbed in red and scarlet finery. He appeared none the pleased as he stared coldly at the Alluring Goddess Theresa, the Dark Goddess Xia Hsien and the Heaven Goddess Zero!

The entire grand hall fell into deep disquiet as hundreds of Desolate Immortals quickly greeted the Great Lord Xuan Yuan!

The Great Lord Shenmu smiled uneasily as he said, “My lord, it is my fault that I can’t stop them from creating an unrest.”

The Great Lord Xuan Yuan touched the hilt of his sword as he said slowly and coldly, “This is my domain. If anyone thinks that they can create a din in my domain then I shall not be polite. If you want to beat the dog then you have to see who the master is…”

The malevolent air that was in the grand hall was suddenly eerie and even Yi Ping could feel a great sense of uneasiness. It was as though the Great Lord Xuan Yuan would explode in anger at any time. He was beginning to fear for the Alluring Goddess Theresa, the Dark Goddess Xia Hsien and the Heaven Goddess Zero!

The Great Lord Xuan Yuan continued to say coldly, “No matter whom you think you are…”

“So who is the dog and who is the master?” The Dark Goddess Xia Hsien asked all of a sudden. Her eyes and smiles were full of innocent and she was altogether earnest!

Yi Ping and everyone in the grand hall were shocked by her direct defiant!

Yi Ping secretly began to admire this Dark Goddess Xia Hsien even as he feared for her as he thought, “She really have guts. No wonder the Great Lord Shenmu admires her so much. Even I am impressed by her…”

All of a sudden the floor beneath the Great Lord Xuan Yuan began to crackle as the malevolent air of the Great Lord Xuan Yuan began to increase rapidly!

The Alluring Goddess Theresa smiled sweetly as she played with her fingers, “It seems that that the Great Lord Xuan Yuan is really angry, very angry. Soon we have two unfortunate souls here!”

The Dark Goddess Xia Hsien giggled softly, “We shall see indeed!”

The Heaven Goddess Zero laughed softly, “Indeed!”

Yi Ping was perplexed as he thought, “Don’t they know that they are in a dire straits now? With just the two of them, they are not the match of the Great Lord Xuan Yuan! And moreover, they can’t possibly fight so many Desolate Immortals at the same time!”

The Great Lord Xuan Yuan said coldly as the entire hall seemingly grown very dark, “Indeed!”