45 The Heavenly Relic (1/2)

It was late in the night and there were cool breezes in all directions.

The peace was disturbed by minute tremors, caused by underground earthquakes.

The Celestial Fairy Shui Yixian was alone with Yi Ping, as they sat on top of a hill, looking at the starry skies and overlooking the majestic Tranquil Mountains.

Besides the Northern Star, there were seven other bright stars in the same constellation…

Yixian muttered softly, ”When we had first met, your martial skills were just mediocre. But now, your martial skill has advanced so rapidly in such a short time….”

She added, ”The ancients said; one's state of divinity depends on the state of the mind, the will, the heart, the timing of the four seasons and also the divine will of the heavens and the earth. Once all the criteria are met, the state of divinity of one's self is able to overwhelm even the sun and the moon. Everything that you hope to accomplish is within your reach in no time. Even though you are not exposed to any superior heart intricacies but everything about you is just so natural and simple. Do you know that your present state of divinity is not something that others can attain, requiring decades of mediation and cultivation? This is something I do not understand.”

Yi Ping looked at her intently and said, ”Xian'Er, how long have it been? I…miss you. Do you know how sad I have been when I have thought that you are no longer alive?”

Yixian said quietly, ”I will rather you rebuke me…then I will feel much better…Ping'Er, I'm sorry. I am the one that cause you distress. Knowing you is the happiest day of my life.”

Yi Ping sighed deeply, ”That is mine as well. Why can't you go with me?”

Yixian smiled sadly, ”The Divine Calamity is about to descend upon me. Already there are earth and wind changes. In less than one month, when the Celestial Omen appears, the Divine Calamity will strike in seven days.”

Yi Ping said defiantly, ”Just because of what Lele has said?”

Yixian added melancholy, ”That is my destiny. I have only realized it when Lie Qing, Lele and I have fought together against Xiao Da. There is a familiar feeling that I seem to have known them for a long time and it seems that it is not the first time that we have been fighting as a group…”

Yi Ping interrupted, ”You can't really believe everything that she is saying. Most of the time, she isn't even serious…”

Yixian put her fingers on his lips as she looked in his eyes gently, ”Don't ever think of her in this way. She is right…if I cannot overcome my forthcoming Divine Calamity, then we will really never be able to see each other again. If destiny wills it, we may yet see each other again. Whether what she has said is true, I really do not know. But Lele and Lie Qing are the only ones right now that can guide me through the Divine Calamity.”

Yi Ping sighed heavily, ”What if we can't see each other again? Why can't we make the full use of our time together?”

Yixian said gently as she held his elbow, ”You don't believe in me?”

Yi Ping said, ”It is not that…I can help you…”

Yixian smiled as she looked up in the heavens, ”No one is able to help me, not even Lele and Lie Qing. If they tried to help me directly, then it will have dire future consequences for all of us…”

She wanted to say, ”Even Lele and Lie Qing, with their superior state of divinity and profound martial abilities could not overcome the Divine Calamity on their own. There is nothing you can do to help…do you know that my protégé mistress too was killed by the Divine Calamity and I had personally witnessed how deadly it was?”

She looked at him quietly before saying, ”Destiny starts, destiny ends. We have come to the world alone and we will depart alone. Don't put it into your heart. Our destiny may have end but your destiny with many others have not…”

All of a sudden, she began to look at him quietly…

Yi Ping asked, ”Is something amiss? Or is there something on my face?”

Yixian was startled by him as she muttered, ”Nothing…”

It was because she had suddenly realized something. ”Is it too much of a coincidence?”

Lele, Lie Qing and she, all three of them owed their very lives to Yi Ping…

He was like the link that had brought them together…

Yi Ping said quietly, ”My mother used to say to me; rather than be troubled by constant worries, it is better to treasure the precious moments…”

Yixian was startled. It was because her older protégé sister Shui Yichi used to tell her the same too. Yi Ping's mother was none other than her older protégé sister Shui Yichi. She still remembered the last time that she had told her that was when she had decided to hand over the leadership of the Eternal Ice Palace to her and had decided to leave with Yi Tianxing.

Till to this day, she could not understand why Shui Yichi could bear to leave her decades of hard wrought state of divinity behind so that she could lead an ordinary life.

It was because they had been practicing a type of internal strength heart intricacy formula in the form of the Emotionless Rhyme. Falling in love or moved by emotions would ruin their decades of cultivation and even cause their internal strength to deteriorate.

Practiced with the Icy Heavenly Tears, the intricacy energy of the Eternal Ice Palace, they would cease to age.

Before Yichi had left, she had said. ”I know that you may not necessary understand. Perhaps, in time to come, only you may be the only one that can overcome the Divine Calamity.”

She had said, ”I have always admired you…my internal strength can never be as pure as you….I should have advanced more carefully in the past. Now it is already too late…”

Yichi comforted her with a smile, ”Little protégé sister. Rather than be troubled by constant worries, it is better to treasure the precious moments. I have already found my true destiny…”

She had said, ”I don't understand…you have changed. I have never seen you smile as you do now. Overcoming the Divine Calamity is our protégé mistress wish. Have you forgotten her dying wish for us? Have you forgotten how she had died?”

Yichi just smiled faintly…

Yixian was interrupted by Yi Ping who said to her, ”My fate is in my hands and not in the destinies of others.”

All of a sudden, Yixian had a spinning headache. This line was so vaguely familiar. It was as though she had heard it somewhere before…

All of a sudden, she began to look at him in a new light.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Yi Ping who was muttering in anguish, ”Xian'Er…what exactly is the Divine Calamity? Is there anything I can do to stop it? I don't want it to happen. I don't want you to die…”

Yixian smiled melancholically, ”You can't stop it. No one can stop it from happening. As for the Divine Calamity…for us practitioners, we are able to recognize its true form through the many signs and omens…”

She sighed, ”When there is life, there must be death. This is the natural law of the cosmos. Martial practitioners like us are sometimes able to prolong our lives through superior mediation techniques and superior heart intricacies, exceeding the limitations of nature. That is when the Divine Calamity will confront us, to curb us, to stop us! It is because it goes against the way of the heavens!”

Just then, another minor quake shook the hill…

Yi Ping was startled, ”So these quakes are caused by the Divine Calamity? This is too cruel…why must such a horrible thing exist?”

Yixian said gently, ”It is a tribulation and a test. Those who can overcome the Divine Calamity will be able to break free of their current state of divinity and break free of the ills of mortality. This is something to be welcome…”

Yi Ping said bitterly, ”I will help you overcome it, I swear. I'll be back and return to help you. Wait for me…”

Yixian just smiled faintly, ”Ping'Er…till I have known you, I have finally realized what it is meant to care for someone, to worry for someone and to like someone…If there is a next life…if there is a next life, I want to be with you. No matter how long it would takes…”

Yi Ping's voice was trembling, ”Next…life? How long would it be?”

Yixian's eyes were teary and even her voice was shaky, ”No matter how long, I will surely wait…no matter how long, I am not afraid…when that time comes, we will be together…alright Ping'Er?”

Yi Ping shook his head, ”I don't want. Next life is too long. We're already together…”

He cried aloud, ”Xian'Er…let's make an agreement together…you must wait till I am back. Promise me, wait for me! I will come back for you. It won't be too long and we can be together again!”

Yixian looked sadly away as she sighed secretly, ”Ping'Er…why must I be from the Eternal Ice Palace…the nemesis of the Emotionless Rhyme is worldly affections and emotions. To overcome the Divine Calamity means I must forget you. Even if I overcome the Divine Calamity, it means that I must continue the divine state of the Emotionless Rhyme…to stop practicing it means I will die as well…”

Yi Ping said with quiet determination, ”Our destiny is in our hands and not heavens. Xian'Er, do not be afraid. I will not let you die again.”

”We will not let it happen as well.”

Lie Qing had said that and with her were Lele, Youxue and Lingfeng.

It did not take them too long to reach the hill top.

Lingfeng said, ”Someone is thinking of leaving secretly, no doubt about it.”

Yi Ping smiled bitterly but he refused to say a single word. It seemed that he could never hide his thoughts from Lingfeng.

He called out to Lele as soon as she was near, ”Lele…I am about to look for you. Help me to take care of Yixian while I am not around. You and Qing'Er…”

He looked at Lie Qing with pleading eyes…

Lie Qing nodded silently. She stroked her silken long hair with her fingers as she smiled, ”Yi Ping, don't worry. With Lele and me around, we will soon find a suitable intricacy formula in the golden scroll that may be useful for Sister Yixian to overcome the Divine Calamity. After all, Lele has already spent centuries looking into the mysteries of the golden scroll.”

Yi Ping was startled, ”What did you just say, Qing'Er?”

Lie Qing repeated, ”I say, don't worry. We can surely help sister to overcome the Divine Calamity.”

Yi Ping muttered, ”Not that. You said that Lele has already spent centuries looking into the mysteries of the golden scroll?”

Lie Qing said, ”That's right. Or else, she won't be able to attain divinity.”

Yi Ping was solemn, ”That golden scroll…she just found it not long ago. I don't recall her opening that golden scroll even once after we have found it. Lele…”

Lele quickly said, ”Erm…that is what they have assumed. I have never said that.”

Everyone was looking at Lele in stunned astonishment.

Yixian muttered, ”And you just give us the precious golden scroll without first copying it or trying to understand its contents first?”

Lele nodded, ”That's right. What is wrong with that?”

Yixian, Youxue, Lie Qing, Yi Ping and Lingfeng were looking at one another and were speechless. It was because intricacy formulas were extremely precious and closely guarded. Even if a person had no use for it, it did not mean that its secrets had to be revealed to others.

Any practitioners would have eagerly pondered over the secret intricate formulas day and night…

But Lele had simply surrendered the golden scroll to them without any second thoughts…

Her true state of divinity was astonishing. It was no wonder that she could advance so quickly in her celestial divinity.

That was only half the truth. The golden scroll originally belongs to Revelation Star and therefore Lele had felt that the golden scroll actually belonged to Yixian. That was why there was no hesitation from her as she handed over the golden scroll to her. If it were others, she would never willingly surrender it. And moreover, after overcoming the Celestial Star Formation that was within the scroll, she knew that many of the intricate formulas in the golden scroll would require Lele and Yixian's help to divine it; in her surreal memories, she was the youngest of the three Sisters of Fate and her state of divinity was also the lowest. It was only through Revelation Star and Luminous Star help that she was able to overcome crisis after crisis.

Lele had another embarrassing reason; she was actually too lazy to think and practiced any intricate formulas at the moment. If anyone was trapped like her in the Star Celestial Formation for a hundred years, exhausting all her spiritual and mental strength to escape from it then they would surely understand.

Yixian muttered, ”Nothing. There is still time for me…”

Lele comforted her, ”That's right. There is still hope. Let's don't give it up. We surely can think of a way. With our state of divinities, we may be able to find a way to overcome the Divine Calamity.”

Yixian said gently to Youxue, ”Youxue, you have practiced the Icy Heavenly Tears and also know the Emotionless Rhyme. I have already imparted to you all the heart intricacy formulas of these skills. Whether you can advance it depends on your destiny. You…you will take over the leadership of the Eternal Ice Palace from now on…”

Youxue was startled, ”I…I take over?! Isn't Yi Ping already the protégé leader of the Eternal Ice Palace? And there is Yu'Er and Mei'Er; surely they are more than capable than me to helm the Eternal Ice Palace.”

Yixian said gently, ”I have made Yi Ping the protégé leader so that I can retain him in the Eternal Ice Palace. However, that does not go as planned. As for Yu'Er and Mei'Er, they have too much worldly affections and it would be difficult for them to advance the martial skills of the Eternal Ice Palace. I really hope that you can do me this favor. I cannot allow the centuries of foundation of the Eternal Ice Palace to be ruined in my hands…”

Youxue looked silently at Yi Ping and then at Yixian.

Yi Ping said to Youxue, ”Youxue…don't hesitate, just accept it. It is a good thing.”

Lingfeng scolded Yi Ping silently, ”You pig head! You have not realized what it means yet!”

Youxue asked softly, ”So is there a wedding today or is it cancelled?”

Yi Ping did not know why Youxue was asking him that. He replied seriously, ”I…I have overheard your conversation last night…”

Immediately, all the maidens began to flush lightly. Even though they knew that Yi Ping had overheard them last night but it was still a very embarrassing thing to even mention it, especially for Lingfeng. It was because she was almost violated by Xiao Da…

Yi Ping sighed, ”I do…understand…”

Lingfeng scolded silently again, ”What do you understand…you are making things worse and worse….”

Yi Ping sighed heavily, ”It is better that we cancelled the wedding first or it will be unfair to all of you. I don't even know if I will make it back alive from the Holy Amalgamate Mountains. Also, now that I know that my father is alive, I should at least inform my father. Then it will be proper…”

He had completely misunderstood Youxue.

Xiao Youxue hummed coldly, ”Sister Yixian, I accept!”

Yixian nodded gently, ”Very good. From now on, you are the thirty-six Emerald Mistress of the Eternal Ice Palace! You are to take care of all clan affairs and to nurture the talents. I…leave everything to your care from now on…”

Xiao Youxue said tearfully, ”I…I will…”

Yixian said gently, ”This is the Eternal Sealed Ring of the Eternal Ice Palace, the heraldry of the Protégé Leader.”

Yi Ping said, ”Youxue, congratulations! It is a good thing.”

Xiao Youxue looked at him with hurtful eyes…

Yi Ping asked, ”Youxue, what's wrong? You must be too happy, am I right?”

Lingfeng sighed, ”Yi Ping…you are hopeless…”

Lele interrupted, ”Yi Ping, you don't have to worry about the wedding anymore. I'm cancelling it.”

Yixian, Lie Qing, Youxue and Lingfeng were startled.

Yi Ping was relieved, ”Is that so? I know that it is too hasty. We can postpone it to a better time…”

Lele said coldly, ”We are not getting married anymore. Not now, not in the future. Not ever.”

Yi Ping was startled, ”Lele, is that a joke? You can't…”

Lele said, ”Why can't I? I am a Prime Celestial. I have no affections and sentiments whatever so. I…I'm just pulling your leg. Look at you; you are so easy to be baited. You really need more worldly experiences. Have you ever seen a Goddess displaying mortal affections?”

Yi Ping stammered, ”But Lele, we…may not have gone through the marriage ritual but we have already through the ritual of man and wife, surely you can't….”

Lele was suddenly flushing, ”Wait! You…you….you….don't say it aloud! You…”

Yixian, Lingfeng, Lie Qing and Youxue were suddenly bleary eyes as they thought, ”So…they have already advanced so far ahead…”

Even though Yixian was Yi Ping's wife, they had never been intimate before.

Lingfeng and Youxue were trembling…

Lele said coldly, ”Our destiny has ended nevertheless. Who you want to get marry to, is your business and not mine anymore. Why don't you go ask your father permission first…you pig head!”

Yi Ping stammered, ”I will surely ask my father to approve of it. A marriage blessed by our parents would mean many blissful years ahead. Of course I will ask. Isn't that what I am going to do?”

Lele said icily, ”I repeat. I am not to going to be married to you, not ever!”

Yi Ping was bewildered, ”Lele, then what about our baby? You can' just…do that…”

All the maidens were startled and staggered backward.

Youxue gasped her hands lightly, ”They…are so intimate already…I…”

Lie Qing tried very hard to control her emotions, ”Lele has already lost her chastity to Yi Ping. No wonder she tries so hard to hold the wedding. I…I have wronged her and shouldn't have fought so bitterly with her… I have ruined her wedding…”

Lingfeng had almost slapped Yi Ping as she tried hard to restraint herself.

Yixian just muttered gently, ”Is that so…”

Lele was startled, ”Who say we got a baby?”

Yi Ping was bewildered, ”But everyone says so…”

Lele was feeling dizzy, ”Who says so?”

Yi Ping said, ”Everyone…Everyone says that if two people go to bed together, then they will have baby in no time…”

Lele almost fainted as she smiled weakly, ”Yi Ping, you are…a country pumpkin…let me tell you. I am erm…attain divinity a long time ago. It is really impossible for us to have any children, alright? So don't you worry or think too much about it.”

This time, it was Yi Ping who was staggering backward. ”We…won't have any children? That's impossible…”

But Yi Ping quickly recovered and he said with conviction, ”Lele. No matter. I will take you as my wife…”

Lele looked at Yi Ping tenderly, her voice had softened and her rage dissipated. In that single moment, it seemed that they were the only ones on top of the hill.

Lele muttered shyly, ”You…up to you.”