A Martial Odyssey

Chapter 33: Unexpected Reversals

The Joyful Goddess grasped her abdomen painfully as she broke into a cold sweat as her blood dripped to the ground.

Yi Ping was startled, "You are injured?"

The Joyful Goddess nodded, "That old man is craftier than I have expected. During our clash, he actually had another concealed sword around his waist. In my moment of carelessness, I was slashed by him. It seems that I am out of practice for a long time."

Yi Ping said weakly, "Should we take a rest first? Your wounds are still bleeding"

The Joyful Goddess smiled weakly, "No need. I am wounded by his sword energy and for the time being, the wound cannot be healed. You better worry for yourself first. Your bleeding is more excessive than mine."

Even though she was saying so, she had already dropped her long scythe and Yi Ping onto the ground as she collapsed on the ground!

Yi Ping endured his agonizing injuries as he shouted, "Maiden, are you alright!?"

The Joyful Goddess said weakly, "Youare not afraid of me?"

Yi Ping was startled, "Why should I?"

The Joyful Goddess said, "If you are smart enough, you should have run away now lest I decide to kill you."

She added weakly as she looked into Yi Ping's eyes for a reaction, "Most would have run away from my sight. My red eyes and my silvery white hair, don't I look like a monster, a demoness?"

Except for her silvery long hair and her red eyes, even the blind could see that she was a very beautiful maiden. No matter how Yi Ping had looked at her, she did not look like a monster at all. When he had first seen her with her long red dress and long black scythe, she did look terrifying at first sight.

Yi Ping shook his head weakly, "I only know that you have saved my life and you are injured now. No matter the reason, I shouldn't leave you alone."

The Joyful Goddess turned her face away as she said, "How do you know thatI didn't save you only to kill you later?"

Yi Ping said awkwardly, "If it is for later, then I will think of it later."

The Joyful Goddess got up slightly as she breathed gently on him, "I can tell you. I am indeed a demoness and I have to feast on human blood."

She looked intently at Yi Ping as she begun to lick him on his wounds.

Yi Ping was startled as he said, "You really are a blood drinker?"

The Joyful Goddess smiled weakly, "So you areafraid now?"

Yi Ping said weakly, "If my blood can help you, by all means take it"

The Joyful Goddess looked at him, with her eyes beaming. "My name is Huan Le. You can also call me Lele."

Yi Ping said, "My name is Yi Ping"

She put her fingers on his mouth as she said softly, "I know"

Earlier

She had been eavesdropping in the vicinity when she had heard Shui Yujian said melancholy to Ji Lingfeng, "You know that our mission is to protect our Master from harm. We cannot allow him to go there alone even if it meant certain death."

Shui Meijian nodded silently.

Ji Lingfeng immediately rebuked them, "You can sense that person's killing malevolent intent? If you are afraid now, how do you fight him when you are there? You will only be courting your own death."

Nangong Le mused, "I don't think anyone can even have a chance against his state of divinity. Just now, I was so frigging terrified. That Yuan Shao is even older than the Celestial Fairy. He is in the super league in the likes of the Celestial Fairy, Xiao Shuai, Gongsun Bai, Gu Tianle and the Old Sword Saint."

Shui Yujian immediately asked, "Sister Lingfeng, what do we do now?"

Ji Lingfeng said, "Wait for me at the seven mile pavilion. There is only one person that can save Yi Ping and that is the Celestial Envoy."

Gongsun Jing was startled, "She is here?"

Ji Lingfeng nodded, "Indeed. I will look for her now. She may be the only person right now that is able to save Yunzi, Tianyi and Yi Ping. Let's hope that Zuo Tianyi and Yi Ping did not do anything foolish for the time being."

Shui Meijian gasped, "Sister Lingfeng, let us go with you"

Ji Lingfeng shook her head, "Only I can safely approach her. She is a very dangerous person and highly unpredictable. Protect this Lie Qing or else when Yi Ping is back, he won't be pleased. Wait for me there"

"No need." A cold eerie voice was heard from the forest.

Everyone began to look around them but could see no one.

Ji Lingfeng turned white with ashen, "The Celestial Envoy is here"

The Celestial Envoy said coldly while remained hidden from view, "I am only here to protect the Holy Maiden, not the others. And I am not pleased that someone had just criticized me."

Ji Lingfeng thought, "I almost call her a mentallucky I didn't say it loud!"

Qiu Wufeng, Nangong Le, Gongsun Le and the others immediately looked around them but they could not see where she was.

Ji Lingfeng looked all around her as she said, "No matter what you think, there are three persons that you must bring back. Yi Ping, Zuo Tianyi and Ding Yunzi or else I won't give you what you want anymore."

The Celestial Envoy hummed coldly, "Are you threatening me?"

Ji Lingfeng said, "Think what you want. Don't you want to meet the exponents from the Virtuous Palace too?"

The Celestial Envoy paused for a while before she sighed softly, "You have no respect for the Celestial Palace. But there are three of them. If I can only save one of them, which one would they be?"

Ji Lingfeng smiled weakly, "With your extraordinary martial skills, you cannot save them all?"

The Celestial Envoy said, "There's no need to flatter me. Who is the one that you want to save the most? Quick, I am bored already. I hate to run errands that are none of my business."

Ji Lingfeng hastily said, "Yi Ping. His name is Yi Pingremember his name"

Gongsun Jing was solemn for he was more worried about Ding Yunzi

Shui Meijian said, "Let's hope that the Celestial Envoy is able to bring all of them back or she is really such a disappointment." She had deliberately said it loud.

But no one really knew if the Celestial Envoy was still around.

Unknown to all, in the meantime, Ding Yunzi was making her way back to look for them.

Zuo Tianyi was staggering behind her as he said, "Yunzi, wait for me. Your injuries are not light, wait for me please."

Ding Yunzi said coolly, "There is not a moment time to waste."

All of a sudden, Zuo Tianyi had caught up with her as he grabbed her hand. "Yunzi, why are you so cold to me? Have you forgotten that we are old friends?"

Ding Yunzi said coldly, "That is only what you think. I have never said that. Just because you think you are nice to me, you think I should reciprocate to you?"

She lied. It was because she was fearful of her own past and afraid that it would be discovered. She really did not want to hurt Zuo Tianyi as she secretly sighed, "Tianyi, forgive methis is for your own good."

Zuo Tianyi was stunned as he asked, "Have you fallen in love with Yi Ping?"

Ding Yunzi said coldly, "That is also what you think."

Just as she had turned around, Zuo Tianyi had suddenly landed a hit behind her neck!

Ding Yunzi was already in a daze and this surprise attack caused her to lose her consciousness almost immediately as she gasped, "You"

Zuo Tianyi muttered, "I'm so sorry YunziIf I cannot have your heart, I will make you mine by force"

He begun to loosen her silk belt, lifted up her long skirt and pulled down her lower inner garments. He stared at her naked legs greedily before touching her thigh with his heated hands as he muttered, "Finally, I can have you"

He hastily pushed her unfastened robe aside and torn her inner top over her exposed body. He wasted no time to lay his burning hands on her exposed firm peaks and he began to kiss her violently