32 The Joyful Goddess (1/2)
The streets were dark and void of people as it was already past midnight. Only the moon and the stars were the only visible lights. There was an uneasy feeling in the atmosphere, a feeling of death and despair that caused everyone to avoid this street tonight.
But for Ding Yunzi, these dim lights were more than sufficient for her to move rapidly.
An old man with a white beard was walking quietly in the middle of the streets with a cane. He looked so fragile and harmless but he was the most deadly exponent of the Virtuous Palace, Yuan Shao.
Ding Yunzi walked quietly towards him as she said coolly, ”My respects to Protégé Elder.”
Yuan Shao looked at her finery and her beautiful dress as he said, ”I didn't know that when you do dress up, you will be so beautiful.”
Ding Yunzi shifted uncomfortably as she replied, ”Protégé Elder, you flatter me too much.”
Yuan Shao added, ”This is the truth. You seem to have changed. You used to dress simple.”
Ding Yunzi was secretly alarmed but she maintained her composure.
Yuan Shao said coldly, ”You have been missing for quite a while. Why didn't you report your whereabouts to us? Where are Xiao Yuanjia and Xiao Youxue?”
Ding Yunzi replied coolly, ”Both Xiao Yuanjia and Xiao Youxue had been killed. I didn't report my activities because I do not have the chance to do so.”
Yuan Shao raised his eyebrows as he asked, ”They are dead? Who has the formidable means to kill them? There isn't anyone capable in the fraternity that can kill Xiao Yuanjia as far as I know. What about Xiao Youxue? You have better not lie to me or don't blame for being ruthless.”
Ding Yunzi quietly said, ”I wouldn't dare, Protégé Elder. We have found Xiao Youxue and she was killed by Xiao Yuanjia.”
Yuan Shao nodded, ”Indeed, Xiao Youxue isn't Xiao Yuanjia's match. Where is her body? Dead or alive, we must have her body. You shouldn't know it is very important to us.”
Ding Yunzi said, ”Unfortunately, I am intercepted by a powerful opponent and have to give her the body. It is only feigning to be submissive to her that I am still alive to this day.”
Yuan Shao stared sternly at Ding Yunzi causing her to tremble as he said coldly, ”You are not weak either. There is hardly anyone in the fraternity that can fight Xiao Yuanjia and you at the same time.”
Ding Yunzi shook her head, ”Protégé Elder you are wrong. This time round, we have met our match. The powerful opponent that we have met is a young maiden by the name of Lie Qing.”
Yuan Shao said coldly, ”Xiao Yuanjia and you will lose to a young maiden?”
Ding Yunzi protested softly, ”This Lie Qing is no ordinary maiden. She has red eyes and knows the Divine Invincible Force, the most secretive skill of our clan.”
Even Yuan Shao was startled, ”She really have red eyes and know the Divine Invincible Force?”
Ding Yunzi nodded, ”And she has even eaten Xiao Youxue and Xiao Yuanjia while they are still alive. It is very horrible.”
Yuan Shao asked, ”How did you manage to survive then?”
Ding Yunzi said, ”I have asked her why she is sparing me but she simply says that she have no use of my intricate energy yet.”
All of a sudden, Yuan Shao raised his cane and swung against her!
Ding Yunzi raised her scabbard to block it. She took five steps backward as the martial force of Yuan Shao was simply too strong for her. She quickly asked, ”Protégé Elder, why did you…?”
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Yuan Shao said, ”I have almost believe you but unfortunately, your story have too many loopholes. You have dared to betray the Virtuous Palace.”
Ding Yunzi asked, ”Huh?!”
Yuan Shao said, ”Firstly, you know very well that I am coming yet you did not attempt to lure them to me. Secondly, if that Lie Qing is as formidable as you have claimed, she would have confronted me. Thirdly, you are not a good liar…”
Before he could finish, Ding Yunzi had already drawn out her long sword quietly and threw it into a flying sword towards him!
But Yuan Shao simply caught her sword with his bare hand and threw it back at her again!
Lie Qing had barely dodged her own sword as it flew past her, smashing through the walls!
All of a sudden, she paralyzed in fear. It was as though Yuan Shao had already pointed his cane at her throat!
To the observers, Yuan Shao was still a good distance from Ding Yunzi but to Ding Yunzi, she knew that she was going to die. It was because even before Yuan Shao had moved towards her, he had already extended his invisible sword intentions at her, paralyzing her!
No matter in which direction that she could move to, she could not escape from his invisible sword intentions!
She broke into a cold sweat.
All of a sudden, she could move again as the invisible sword intentions seemingly disappeared! Ding Yunzi quickly leapt backward to a safer distance!
Yuan Shao mused, ”There is another exponent here that can lift my sword intentions here?” He was looking at the other end of the street as a man walked quietly towards him, emitting cold sword energies in all directions.
Ding Yunzi gasped, ”Tianyi, why are you here? Leave now! You are not his match!”
Zuo Tianyi said coolly, ”Yunzi, are you alright?”
Ding Yunzi nodded as she said, ”Quickly leave. I will hold him back. You are not his match.”
Yuan Shao said coldly, ”Tianyi? So you are the new protégé master of the Infinity Sword Clan? Not bad. At your young age, you have actually attained the divine state of the invisible sword energy. You deserve to be killed by me then.”
Zuo Tianyi smirked coldly, ”The fight has not even starts and the outcome is uncertain so don't be too sure yet.”
Even though he was saying that but the malevolent presence of Yuan Shao was too overpowering and he was extremely nervous. Even walking towards Yuan Shao and speaking in his presence took considerable effort.
Yuan Shao asked, ”So you want to challenge me alone or together with Yunzi?”
Zuo Tianyi said, ”This is a duel between two swordsmen. Of course it will be just me.”
Ding Yunzi said quickly, ”No! We will fight you together.”
She quickly turned to Zuo Tianyi to say, ”Tianyi, don't be foolish. We are not in his league. He has already reached the stage of 'Unison with the Sword' and can use anything as a weapon!”
Zuo Tianyi did not seem to hear as he had already charged towards Yuan Shao with his long sword that was beaming with the blue glow of sword energy!
Ding Yunzi immediately ran after him and threw her scabbard at Yuan Shao while she drew her foldable sword from around her waist!
Yuan Shao simply moved aside slightly as the flying scabbard flew past him! As he evaded the flying scabbard, Zuo Tianyi and Ding Yunzi had already unleashed dozens of sword strokes against him!
As Zuo Tianyi and Ding Yunzi unleashed their barrages of attacks, Yuan Shao simply whirled his cane as a shield in front of him. As he whirled his cane, piercing cold sword energies began to burst through the whirling cane and thrusting at both of them!
Zuo Tianyi was startled as he got stabbed in his shoulder and chest while Ding Yunzi was stabbed in her shoulder too!
Zuo Tianyi was astonished that this old man could defend and attacked at the same time. The weird thing was that he could not see the attack coming and could not guard against it!
Ding Yunzi said quietly, ”Tianyi, some of the attacks are Illusions and is formed by his invisible sword intentions. Don't be fooled by it…”
Even as she had said it, Yuan Shao had stabbed the both of them with his left fingers and grievous injured both of them at the same time. Barely a few seconds after they had both attacked, they were now wriggling on the ground in agony!
Yuan Shao said coldly, ”This isn't even a duel at all. Beg me for mercy and I will consider sparing you.”
Zuo Tianyi broke into cold sweat as he shouted angrily, ”Over my dead body!”
Barely had he said that, Yuan Shao had stabbed him with his cane on his right leg and left arm! Zuo Tianyi gritted his teeth but refused to beg for mercy.
Zuo Tianyi was in utter disbelief as he thought, ”My Infinity-Two swordplay…unless he has seen my swordplay before, it is impossible for him to break it so fast. How did I get hit by his fingers? That's impossible…”
Ding Yunzi was fatally struck by Yuan Shao's sword finger and she was in a daze. She could only mutter weakly, ”Protégé Elder, don't hurt him…He's the protégé master of the Infinity Sword Clan and…”
Yuan Shao interrupted coldly, ”Do you think that the Virtuous Palace fears the Infinity Sword Clan or any other martial clans in the fraternity?”
All of a sudden, a young man in white appeared in front of him quietly and lifted both Zuo Tianyi and Ding Yunzi to their feet!
Both Zuo Tianyi and Ding Yunzi gasped at the same time, ”Yi Ping!”
Yi Ping said, ”Tianyi and Yunzi, your injuries are not light. Meet me at the designated place. I will hold off this Yuan Shao for the time being.”
Yuan Shao began to appraise this young man who had appeared so quietly and seemingly displayed no fear whatever so in his presence! In all his years, he had never seen a young man with his righteous air and magnetism.
Ding Yunzi smiled weakly, ”Yi Ping, you are also here? Leave us alone. You…are not his match.”
Yi Ping said, ”Yunzi, don't worry about me. Go now please.”
Even though Yi Ping appeared to be composed but he was filled with rage. After losing his temper so many times, he had finally understood the need to control his emotions or he would surely lose even before the fight starts. After learning the Absolute Spirits, he had finally learnt when to suppress his raging emotions even though deep within him, he could not forgive this Yuan Shao for hurting Ding Yunzi and Zuo Tianyi so grievously!
Yuan Shao said coldly, ”Do you think that I am invisible?”
Yi Ping hummed coldly, ”I'm sure a highly regarded senior with your state of divinity would not attack me first or else you will ruin your practice.”
Yuan Shao said, ”You are so sure?”
Yi Ping nodded, ”I am sure.”
Yuan Shao laughed coldly, ”Where is your weapon?”
Yi Ping said, ”I am afraid that I am not good with weapons and preferring to fight with my bare hands.”
Yuan Shao said coldly, ”Very good. I will first dispatch you first then I will skin them alive.”
Yi Ping raised his hands in a defensive posture as he turned to Zuo Tianyi and Ding Yunzi to say, ”Run now or my sacrifice will be in vain.”
Ding Yunzi looked at Yi Ping tearfully for a while before she ran off. She did not even say a single good bye to Yi Ping or Zuo Tianyi!
She was in fact crying in her heart as she thought sorrowfully, ”Yi Ping, the only way to save you is to revive Lie Qing. The only way to revive her quickly is to let her drain my intricate energy…if you can sacrifice for us, I can also sacrifice for you and will not let you die in vain.”
Zuo Tianyi was stunned but he quickly said to Yi Ping, ”I will avenge for you in the future. I will never forget you…”
Yi Ping nodded as he watched Zuo Tianyi staggered across the streets until he disappeared from view.
Yuan Shao said to Yi Ping coldly, ”Your friends have a head start now. Surely you are not thinking of remaining in that posture until dawn?”