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Thread: A Martial Odyssey

  1. #101
    Senior Member szfong's Avatar
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    I hope you get double pay for your OT...

  2. #102
    Senior Member Avidfan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by szfong View Post
    I hope you get double pay for your OT...
    Don't have....yday reach home only at midnight. It been like this for almost 2 weeks now .__.

  3. #103
    Senior Member szfong's Avatar
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    At where I am, 40 hr week is the norm, 8 hr over is 1.5x and thereafter it's 2x pay. Unless your the owner, hehe

  4. #104
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    Quote Originally Posted by szfong View Post
    At where I am, 40 hr week is the norm, 8 hr over is 1.5x and thereafter it's 2x pay. Unless your the owner, hehe
    Australia?

    So awesome!

    Actually i work overtime most the time and 0 OT, in the game industry. I am somewhat related with the Gu Long Online (NDA NDA NDA) in the past, with the same company that makes Jinyong Online too xD

    Anyway thanks for waiting, i try post an update soon =)

  5. #105
    Senior Member szfong's Avatar
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    I'm in the States, very easy going climate, nothing hectic or stressful. Weather is nice, everything is nice and plentiful. A lot of Asian stores in my area

    Can't wait for the next chap.!!

  6. #106
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    Quote Originally Posted by Avidfan View Post
    Australia?

    So awesome!

    Actually i work overtime most the time and 0 OT, in the game industry. I am somewhat related with the Gu Long Online (NDA NDA NDA) in the past, with the same company that makes Jinyong Online too xD

    Anyway thanks for waiting, i try post an update soon =)
    What do you do there out of curiosity? Does anyone make single player RPGs or any other type of single player game anymore in China or the vicinity?
    HK47: Now do you understand the travails of my existence master? Surely it does not compare to your existence but still...
    You: I survive somehow
    HK47: As do I. It is our lot in life I suppose master. Shall we find something to kill to cheer ourselves up?

    -KotOR

  7. #107
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    Quote Originally Posted by szfong View Post
    I'm in the States, very easy going climate, nothing hectic or stressful. Weather is nice, everything is nice and plentiful. A lot of Asian stores in my area

    Can't wait for the next chap.!!
    Are you on the West Coast? I'm in the Northeast, and it's been pretty hectic here over the years or maybe it's just the industry I'm in. It's better now since I no longer run a group, and am just an "individual contributor".
    HK47: Now do you understand the travails of my existence master? Surely it does not compare to your existence but still...
    You: I survive somehow
    HK47: As do I. It is our lot in life I suppose master. Shall we find something to kill to cheer ourselves up?

    -KotOR

  8. #108
    Senior Member szfong's Avatar
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    So far in this story, I have the impression that Yi Ping is VERY generous w/ other people's possessions (the Emerald Sword) and gifts (pills), since he has virtually no possessions anyways, I guess. Having a husband like him will make ANY rich woman become very poor, very fast....

  9. #109
    Senior Member szfong's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by darkcser View Post
    Are you on the West Coast? I'm in the Northeast, and it's been pretty hectic here over the years or maybe it's just the industry I'm in. It's better now since I no longer run a group, and am just an "individual contributor".
    Yup, residing in the west coast, in the Sacramento valley area. Near the state capitol. It is much less stressful than say, SF or LA. No traffic jams or nightlife though. When sun goes down, barely any traffic or people around.

  10. #110
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    Quote Originally Posted by szfong View Post
    So far in this story, I have the impression that Yi Ping is VERY generous w/ other people's possessions (the Emerald Sword) and gifts (pills), since he has virtually no possessions anyways, I guess. Having a husband like him will make ANY rich woman become very poor, very fast....
    He is xD

    Here is Chapter 20 and enjoy all =)

  11. #111
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    Chapter 20: The Thousand Year Ice Cavern



    Just when Yi Ping was lamenting silently to himself as he clutched his excruciating chest as Ji Lingfeng vanished from his sight, he turned pale immediately!

    It was because he had suddenly discovered that the goat skin that contained the Asper Invocations Intricate Recite Manual and the Divine Revelation Skill was missing!

    The secret skill had been given to him by his father and was secretly embalmed in a goat skin.

    Did he drop it?

    Or did Ji Lingfeng steal it from him? She was the only one that knew that the secrets in the goat skin.

    Or was it Xiao Youxue?

    He turned and looked intently at Xiao Youxue who was standing in a regal manner.

    He could tell that Xiao Youxue was a haughty lady and there was a forbidden aura around here but yet there was something else about her that he could not pinpoint yet.

    The more he looked at her, he was sure she was not an old lady.

    But she could not possibly be the one that stolen his family secret skills because she had just saved his life…

    Could it be Ji Lingfeng then? Maybe it was her after all. Maybe she wanted him to go after her…

    But he shook his head and said, “No matter if it is Maiden Ji or Xiao Youxue, they are both my saviors. If they really want my family secret skills, so be it. A hero should repay his benefactors with something that is dear to him.”

    Just when he was about to ask Xiao Youxue by asking her to run in an opposite direction from him, he heard a shout and there seemed to be a group of people that were moving rapidly in their direction.

    Panicking, he grabbed Xiao Youxue as they began to move rapidly away from where they were.

    Xiao Youxue gasped softly when Yi Ping had suddenly grabbed her hand. She too, had noticed that there were pursuers but was at a loss what to do as she was not supposed to hear anything.

    Xiao Youxue wanted to gasp out immediately, “Let go of my hand…” But in the end, she did not say a word and instead, she was blushing as she thought. “He is holding my hand now…”

    When Yi Ping had touched her hand, he got the electrifying feeling again as he thought in alarm, “Her hand is so silky and smooth?”

    He almost lost his grip on her hand due to her silky hand so he gripped her hand even tighter…

    He had no idea why his heart had been beating so fast.

    At this time, Yi Ping and Xiao Youxue did not know that besides being pursued by the majority of the orthodox fraternity and the Honor Manor, Xiao Shuai and Shui Yixian were also looking for them at the same time.

    It seemed that in this vast fraternity, there were no places for them to hide and seek refuge.

    They traveled through the forest in a seeming random direction. Yi Ping had no idea where he was taking Xiao Youxue. He felt sorry for her that she was being forced to be on the run with him. Many times, he stopped to check if she was good as he was worried if she could follow his pace and fearful that she might be too tired.

    But the truth was, Yi Ping was also seriously injured and he was slow while Xiao Youxue had intentional kept a slower pace than him so that he would not feel hurried.

    Xiao Youxue looked keenly at his back and could not believe that she would one day walk side by side with him…

    All of a sudden, Yi Ping spotted a cave along the side of a cliff. That might be a good resting and hidden place. The cave was still far and was concealed by trees but Yi Ping could see it clearly.

    So he paused and wrote on the ground quickly with a stick, “Senior, there is a well concealed cave in the direction of that cliff. I think that may be a good place to seek shelter and from our pursuers.”

    Xiao Youxue paused in her tracks and looked at the direction that Yi Ping was pointing. Even though her translucent veil covered her eyes but she could see through it keenly. But no matter how focus she was, she could not see the concealed cave.

    She thought, “His eyesight is that good?”

    After Yi Ping had regained conscious, he was suddenly endowed with superior sight, hearing and perception. At first he was startled by it but he was slowly adapting to it.

    Xiao Youxue nodded slowly to indicate that she was willing to follow him in that direction.

    Yi Ping said to her even though she could not hear him, “Good. I am worried that we may need to do some climbing and you may not have the strength.”

    Yi Ping began to sweep the words that he had written on the ground quickly with a tree branches and they took off immediately.

    They soon reached the cave. When they first entered the cave, Yi Ping and Xiao Youxue was startled by it. It was because the inside of the cave was freezing cold and even had ice in it while the cave outside was warm! It was not yet winter and yet this cave was like an entrance to an ice world!

    Yi Ping said, “Alas! Is this the legendary ‘Thousand Year Ice Cavern’ that never melts even in summer?”

    He was now bewildered and unsure if they should enter this cave. It was too cold and that they did not have any winter clothes.

    Just as he was hesitating, Xiao Youxue walked into the cave!

    Yi Ping called out after her, “Lady Xiao, wait! This cave may be dangerous!”

    Then he thought, “She can’t hear me. I am so silly!” But still when he ran after her, he was still calling out and waving his hands, “Lady Xiao, wait!”

    Even though Xiao Youxue was walking, it took some time for him to catch up with her. He was astonished at her pace. They were now in a huge ice cavern and there was even a stream in the cave. And in the waters, there were even snow white fishes!

    Yi Ping was startled at the sight of this huge ice cavern...

    Xiao Youxue was astonished too. Even though she had circulated her vital energy to protect herself from the cold, she could still feel the cold. Had she lost too much of her vital strength when she treated Yi Ping or was this cave supernaturally cold?

    All of a sudden, a monstrous snow white fish that was at least a hundred times bigger than the other fishes jumped out of the waters and attacked Yi Ping!

    Its jaws were so big that it could snap his head.

    Even though the fish was startling fast, Yi Ping and Xiao Youxue was even quicker. They reacted with a supernatural speed as both of them struck the forehead of the fish!

    The monstrous fish was knocked sideway and crashed onto the floor of the cavern.

    Yi Ping was surprised that the Lady Xiao was able to react so fast. If she was not there, the monstrous fish might not be knocked sideway with his strength alone!

    He thought, “She has saved my life again. Why am I so unlucky that even a fish thought of bullying me? I almost become the first man to be killed by a fish in this unlikely manner.”

    They took a look at the monstrous fish that was still flipping on the ground. It was still alive. It seemed that they had afflicted little damage to it.

    All of a sudden, Lady Xiao took out the long sword that Yi Ping had given her and slashed the fish on its body!

    There was a binding flash of light as the sword hacked across the body of the monstrous fish! But to the surprise of Yi Ping, the sword failed to cut the armor scales of the fish!

    Once again, the Lady Xiao hacked at the fish again but this time at its tail.

    Yi Ping was already saying, “Wait!” But it was already too late.

    This time, she had succeeded in cutting off the tail of the fish!

    Yi Ping sighed and said, “We should have release the fish back into the waters. Even though it had tried to harm me but it did not succeed.” But he knew that Lady Xiao could not possible hear him. Moreover with her internal strength foundation, she might be much older than him and it was only proper for him to address her as senior and abide by her wishes.

    The Lady Xiao cut the monstrous fish expertly with the White Emerald Phoenix sword and skinned the monstrous fish from the inside. Then she took the giant fish scales and put it into a bundle.

    Yi Ping was surprised that Lady Xiao was also highly accomplished in swordplay. He had never seen her type of swordplay before. It was swift, precise and beautiful to behold.

    He thought, “But why is it when I hold her hand, her hand is so smooth like Yixian and Lingfeng? It is as though she has never been trained with an external weapon…”

    When she was done, she wrote onto the ground with the White Emerald Phoenix Sword, “This fish is a thousand year old ice fish. If we eat it, we can resist the cold here and even receive a boast to our internal strength.”

    When Yi Ping saw that, he immediately knew what he should do. He wrote, “I will go out and collect the firewood.”

    It was not long that he was back and they were roasting the monstrous fish over the fire that they had made. Lady Xiao had made another fire to boil some water from the stream. She took out a bowl that she had taken out from her bundle and put it onto the fire.

    Yi Ping was surprised that this monstrous fish had no fish stink and instead, it gave off a sweet aroma scent. He examined its abdomen and saw that it was virtually empty. This type of fish must have required little food in order to survive.

    It was not too long when the fish was fully roasted. No sooner did Yi Ping have started eating the fish that he started to feel the warmth creeping in. In no time, the cold was fully dispelled and he was comfortable.

    When they had eaten, Lady Xiao began to pound the bones of the fish and threw it into the boiling water that she had made. After some time, she wrote. “The essence of the fish lies in its bone. Take the soup.”

    Yi Ping did as he was instructed and drunk from her bowl. As soon as he drunk from the soup, he could feel a surge of renew strength in his body and a surge of vital energy bursting forth. He quickly took a deep breath with the ‘Divine Revelation’ skill and closed his eyes. Even though he had not said it, he was immensely grateful to her but did not know how to express it.

    Xiao Youxue looked at him keenly and thought, “This thousand year old ice fish is a rare catch that the exponents of the martial fraternity can only dream of but is unobtainable except by sheer luck. Miraculous herbs and pills that boast a person vital strength were so rare that its whereabouts can often move the entire martial fraternity to fight over it. Take the ‘Great Rejuvenate Golden Pills’ and the ‘Divine Dragon Pill’ for example, imagine the bloodshed that change hands over it.”

    She asked herself, “Is it too simply a pure coincident? Consuming one miraculous pill is a rare occurrence already. Finding another is simply unheard of. And now, we are feasting upon another. Is he really so lucky?”

    She continued to pound the rest of the fish bones into the bowl. After she had finished boiling the soup, she took a sniff before she took consume it. Afterwards, she took a vital breath and began to meditate. Indeed, she could feel her strength recovering slowly.

    She could feel her Icy Heavenly Intricate Tears strengthening immediately as her vital energies became more refine than previously! Because the Icy heavenly Intricate Tears was a cold and negative energy skill, this fish was also of the same element and so it was like a powerful tonic! This thousand year old ice fish had saved her probably decades of hard work and wrong turns…

    After some time, when she opened her eyes, she saw that Yi Ping was already standing at the corner of the cavern.

    When Yi Ping saw the Lady Xiao walking towards him, he began to exclaim, “I found a secret passage! It is really unexpected that this cave has a secret passage and it is man-made!”

    Yi Ping sighed. He kept forgetting that the Lady Xiao could not hear him.

    All of a sudden, Xiao Youxue cried out panicky…

    Yi Ping was stunned. Was she not supposed to be a mute person?

    Yi Ping looked at her and she was cowered to a corner at the sight of several rats.

    Yi Ping said, “You can talk?”

    Xiao Youxue nodded slowly as she removed her straw veiled hat.

    All of a sudden, his eyes were wide opened. That was because the old lady that he had imagined had taken off her veiled straw hat and she was in fact, a ravishing young beauty. Her eyes were very beautiful but had a woeful expression.

    What really stunned him was that she seemed even younger than him…

    Yi Ping stammered, “Senior…Youxue, why did you pretend to be mute and deaf?”

    She replied softly, “No reason…”

    Yi Ping was puzzled, “No reason?”

    Xiao Youxue averted her eyes, “There must be many maidens that like you. I don’t want to be one of them.”

    Even though this was a lame reason but was also a reasonable one.

    Yi Ping could only nod as he said, “If Lingfeng knows you are not an old lady and can even hear, I wonder what she will say.”

    Xiao Youxue shifted her captivating eyes and said, “You seem to care a lot for her and even mind what she will say.”

    Yi Ping was speechless. He said, “I only treating her like a sister…”

    Xiao Youxue said, “But she may not think of you as just a sister…”

    Yi Ping said, “A captivating maiden like her will surely have many good suitors for her to choose. Moreover, I am just a poor and out of luck wanderer…”

    Xiao Youxue asked, “Did you ask her?”

    Yi Ping said, “I don’t have to ask her to know. She has told me she dislike me on many occasions. Moreover, she is like a sister to me.”

    Yi Ping had only said that because he was shy but when he named Ji Lingfeng as his sister, his heart was aching…

    Xiao Youxue said, “How do you not know she did not mean the opposite what she is saying? Or else why did a lofty maiden like her talks so much to someone she dislikes?”

    Yi Ping said, “We are friends…”

    Xiao Youxue said, “So now you are calling her your friend instead of sister. How heartless. You are nothing but a flirt.”

    Yi Ping stammered, “I…I…” He was confused himself.

    All of a sudden, Xiao Youxue turned eerily cold and said, “What if I ask you not to see her again?”

    She raised the White Emerald Phoenix Sword in front of her as she said coolly, “Don’t forget that you have personally told me you will do anything for me. I want you to not to see her ever again.”

    Yi Ping was speechless. It was true. He had promised her…a hero that went back on his words did not have honor and was to be despised!

    But Yi Ping replied firmly, “Anything but that!”

    Xiao Youxue said coldly, “What a hero.”

    All of a sudden, Xiao Youxue smiled and her eyes softened, “Don’t you worry. I am only teasing you. I won’t ask you not to see Lingfeng. That is because we are friends…”

    Yi Ping was confused as he asked, “The two of you are friends?”

    Xiao Youxue smiled, “That’s right. Therefore you don’t have to worry what she will say when she ‘discovers’ that I am not a deaf and mute person. That is because she already knows.”

    Yi Ping was startled as he began to rub his nose. That was because he had not expected Ji Lingfeng to lie to him about this as she was the one that told him that Xiao Youxue was a deaf and mute person.

    Xiao Youxue looked at him with her mesmerizing eyes and said, “What are you thinking? Didn’t you just say that you have found a man-made secret passage? What are we waiting for?”

    Yi Ping could only smiled bitterly as he said, “I am still trying to adapt to someone whom I have been addressing as a senior and now becomes my junior.”

    Xiao Youxue walked past him quickly as she said alluring, “Who…is your junior! Since you have already addressed me as your senior and I have saved your life, you have to listen to me. Let us go now.”

    Yi Ping was startled. He was not startled by her words but when he saw her walking away, her mannerism and back view looked like the mysterious yellow dressed maiden. Even her voice bears some resemblance.

    If she was the mysterious yellow dressed maiden, why would she save him? Surely she would have recognized him and killed him…

    But Yi Ping thought, “No. That is not her. I recognized her voice and her mannerism…”

    Yi Ping remembered that the mysterious dressed maiden was always very cold and gave off a cold forbidding aura. He could always remember her cold stinging words…but Youxue was affectionate and gave him a comfortable feeling.

    Yi Ping did not know how wrong he had been! Xiao Youxue had been suppressing her affections. When it was suddenly released, she became the most gentle, most affectionate and most captivating person. Moreover, after she had killed Shui Yixian, the torments that she had been suppressing was also lifted.

    So if Yi Ping thought that he could identify the yellow dressed maiden by her cold forbidding tone and mannerism, he would never find her! But of course, he would never know as he had never seen her face before…



    Ch20 End
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    Last edited by Avidfan; 11-07-14 at 09:30 PM.

  12. #112
    Senior Member szfong's Avatar
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    She seemed to regret killing Yixian, so will she become tormented again if Yixian is alive? Yixian should have an nice discussion with her, about how it was Youuxue's ancestor's bad choices and unfounded jealousy that created the feud in the 1st place. It seems heaven is giving her another chance to prevent her from making an irreconcilable feud with Yi Ping.
    A short chapter... Will we get chap 21 later today?

  13. #113
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    Riveting. I like the way the story is unveiling like an onion.

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    Quote Originally Posted by darkcser View Post
    What do you do there out of curiosity? Does anyone make single player RPGs or any other type of single player game anymore in China or the vicinity?
    Yes...

    Add me on facebook if everyone wants =)
    click to show/hide spoilers


    [Quote Szfong]
    A short chapter... Will we get chap 21 later today?

    No....*___*

    [Quote: Geraldsaw]
    Riveting. I like the way the story is unveiling like an onion.

    Me too xD It actually takes more than two years to develop...^^;;

  15. #115
    Senior Member szfong's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Avidfan View Post
    [Quote Szfong]
    A short chapter... Will we get chap 21 later today?

    No....*___*
    Darn it, only 1 chapter this week... we were spoiled last week w/ 3 chapters.

    Enjoyed this chapter immensely... I wonder if you'll be introducing any more new female characters... Is the demure maiden going to fall for Yi Ping as well while dumping her distant cousin? In my opinion, as long as Yi Ping has fewer "companions" than Wei Xiaobao, then it'll be fine..
    Last edited by szfong; 09-07-13 at 11:07 AM.

  16. #116
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    Chapter 21: The Absolute Spirits Intricate Formula



    The secret passage led to another larger passage with many winding paths.

    Yi Ping led the way with a burning torch and Xiao Youxue followed him.

    They walked for some time but there were still no end to it.

    Yi Ping expressions were solemn as he said, “We should turn back now. This passage way is too big. We may easily get lost in this passage and never turn to the outside. And the cave is getting colder by the minute.”

    Xiao Youxue said, “Let us go back then…”

    Yi Ping nodded at her and said, “Maybe we shouldn’t enter this passageway in the first place.”

    It was because they were walking too rapidly in the dim cavern. When he looked back and shone the torch at where he had come from, he realized that there were many other passageways.

    He sighed, “I think we are lost…”

    All of a sudden, Xiao Youxue called out for him, “Yi Ping, take a look at this…”

    Startled by her voice, he looked back panicky.

    Xiao Youxue was examining a section of the passage wall. There were inscriptions carved onto it. The inscriptions were not too obvious but Xiao Youxue and Yi Ping was able to read every single inscription clearly.

    Yi Ping was astonished, “This seems to be a martial intricate formula but is not. What a weird thing. It is a poem?”

    Xiao Youxue read it out, “The most powerful act is thought, the highest function is focus, the most positive mind is the absolute will, the universe is beneath the subconscious, nothing is impossible, enable the motivation, inspire the spirits… ”

    All of a sudden, Xiao Youxue said in utter surprise. “Yi Ping, this is indeed a martial intricate formula. It is the ‘Absolute Spirits Intricate Formula’, the most powerful mind intricate formula. To think we would have accidentally found it.”

    Yi Ping was delighted as he said, “I have heard of it too. Among the many famous martial skills, the ‘Absolute Spirits Intricate Formula’ was said to be created by an elderly priest more than two hundred years ago. It is said that his willpower was so absolute that he was able to resist the Heavenly Temptress and even in the most dire of all situations, he was able to remain absolute calm and was able to overcome obstacles that seemingly impossible to overcome.”

    Xiao Youxue smiled enthrallingly as she looked at him in his eyes, “You should really learn it. In this way, you won’t be tempted anymore.”

    Yi Ping began to fluster when he noticed that Xiao Youxue was looking at him as she teased him.

    Xiao Youxue said, “Yi Ping. Let’s spend some time to memorize the ‘Absolute Spirits Intricate Formula’. When we use our skills in combination with the ‘Absolute Spirits Intricate Formula’, we will surely see a marked improvement in our martial progression.”

    Yi Ping nodded. He could not agree more with her.

    When he had committed the ‘Absolute Spirits Intricate Formula’ into his memory, he noticed that Xiao Youxue was quicker than him and was looking at the surrounding of this cavern keenly so he asked, “Youxue, what is wrong?”

    Xiao Youxue said coolly, “Don’t you find that it is weird that someone will crave such an epitome intricacy formula in such an isolated place? It is as though it is meant never to be discovered. We can barely read some of the characters too…”

    Yi Ping asked, “What do you mean?”

    Xiao Youxue said, “Over time, the cravings on the wall will fade or erode. If that person really wants the Absolute Spirits Intricate Formula to be known by future generations, wouldn’t he at least try to preserve or hide it carefully first?”

    Yi Ping saw what she was trying to say as he said, “So you are saying that this intricacy formula is left by someone hastily?”

    Xiao Youxue said, “Very hastily in fact. It was as though he was in his final moments and only wrote it on the walls here so that this skill won’t be forgotten by future generations.”

    Yi Ping too, began to look keenly around. “Alas, I think he was lost in this cavern too and eventually die of starvation.”

    Xiao Youxue said, “If he had died here, then his corpse will surely be around here…”

    All of a sudden, she said. “Yi Ping, there is an opening on top of this cavern and it looks like a dry place. Let’s investigate the cave opening.”

    Yi Ping nodded.

    It took them considerable efforts to find a path up the cavern; they had lost much of their internal strength and were not confident to scale the slippery walls of the cavern with their lightness movement skill.

    The interior of the cave was much warmer but was still very cold.

    What greeted them was another surprise and startled them!

    When they had just entered the small cave, they saw a pale looking maiden in a mediating posture.

    Yi Ping asked, “Is she alive?”

    Xiao Youxue flew towards the maiden and examined her, she got a shock. It seemed that this dead maiden here was trained in a type of skill that was similar to the Golden Impervious Body that preserved her body.

    After a while, she said. “She still has a vital breath in her body but is as good as a dead person.”

    Yi Ping asked anxiously, “What do you mean?”

    Xiao Youxue sighed, “It seems that while she was alive, she had suffered grievous internal and external injuries as evidenced by her scarred body. At her most critical moment, she had slowed down her heartbeat and now she was in a suspended death animation.”

    Yi Ping nodded and saw her gray skin. Indeed, she had been dead for a very long time.

    Besides her was a black sword.

    Yi Ping examined the black sword and saw two characters as he read it aloud, “Perpetual Darkness”.

    Xiao Youxue gasped aloud softly, “This sword is an ancient sword and is famed for its extreme sharpness and craftsmanship. This sword is one of the seven most coveted swords of the martial fraternity…”

    Yi Ping said, “Who is this maiden and how come she is in possession of such a precious sword.”

    She added, “My guess is that she is waiting for someone else to revive her in time but that never happened.”

    Yi Ping asked, “Can we revive her?”

    Xiao Youxue shook her head, “Nothing short of a miracle can revive her now. Even if she could receive a miracle herb now, the odds are so low that it is not even worth trying.”

    Yi Ping sighed, “What a pity. It seems that the Absolute Spirits Intricate Formula was left behind by her and we have no way to thanks her.”

    Xiao Youxue looked at him weirdly as she said softly, “We are now lost in this cavern and yet you are thinking of repaying others?”

    Suddenly, Yi Ping exclaimed excitedly, “The Divine Dragon Pill! What if we give her the Divine Dragon Pill? I have heard that it has the ability to revive even the dead.”

    Xiao Youxue was flabbergasted, “That is just hearsay. No one knows if that is the true and there is only one in the world. Surely you are not thinking of giving her something so rare and precious? Do you know how many lives have been spilled over the Divine Dragon Pill?”

    Yi Ping said coolly, “This Divine Dragon Pill requires the practitioner to have sixty years of internal strength and it is of no use to me now. Moreover we are all trapped in this ice cavern. Even if we have the Divine Dragon Pill, what good would it be for me if I cannot make out alive?”

    Xiao Youxue looked at Yi Ping with a wondrous expression…

    The Divine Dragon Pill was a lot far more precious than the Prolonging Vital Purity Pill that he had given her. When he had given to her the Prolonging Vital Pill, she was stunned and extremely touched at the same time.

    But this Divine Dragon Pill was so precious that its very whereabouts would spark a furious struggle for it in the martial fraternity. Especially for the super exponents who were all struck at a martial progression level, the power of this pill would create a breakthrough for them and even eradicated some of their training mistakes!

    And he thought of nothing about giving it away?

    Yi Ping had already decided as he said, “We have already learnt her ‘Absolute Spirits Intricate Formula’ so even if this attempt fails to revive her, it is still a fair trade off.”

    Xiao Youxue was about to say more but Yi Ping had already taken out the Divine Dragon Pill, forcibly smashed it into powder as he mixed it with water from his water skin and forced it down the maiden’s throat!

    She sighed to herself, “That isn’t even a fair trade-off. Even a generous person would never give away something so precious without a very good reason. He is so generous…”

    But to Yi Ping, that was a good enough reason.

    Xiao Youxue liked him more and more as she loathed her selfish father.

    She broke into a smile as she exclaimed urgently, “We must immediately transfer our vital energies into her and dispersed the potency of the Divine Dragon Pill into all her vital channels.”

    Yi Ping nodded immediately and they did not hesitate for a moment longer as they immediately transferred their vital energies into all her vitality channels.

    After some time, the ‘Dead Maiden’ began to cough out and she had actually revived!

    Xiao Youxue was astonished as she thought, “This is really a miracle. The Divine Dragon Pill can really revive a person? No wonder so many had fought over it…”

    Yi Ping was startled too. There were now some white and pink colors on her face as she started breathing once more!

    The ‘Dead Maiden’ fluttered open her eyes and looked at Yi Ping and Xiao Youxue in complete astonishment.

    When Yi Ping and Xiao Youxue saw the pupils of her eyes, they were startled. It was because her eyes colorings were red! They had never seen anyone with such an eye coloring before!

    Xiao Youxue said, “She is still far too weak. Just the Divine Dragon Pill alone isn’t sufficient to replenish her health. She is in a suspended animation for far long.”

    Yi Ping nodded and slashed his wrist slightly with the White Emerald Phoenix Sword and dripped his blood into her mouth.

    Both Xiao Youxue and the ‘Dead Maiden’ were caught by surprise by Yi Ping’s action.

    Yi Ping said, “I hope that my blood can replenish her…”

    Xiao Youxue said, “Yi Ping, you are making too much sacrifices for her…”

    After some time, the ‘Dead Maiden’ seemed to be breathing normally as she said weakly, “I…I am still alive?”

    Xiao Youxue said, “It all thanks to him that you have swallowed the Divine Dragon Pill that you are now able to talk to us. I didn’t expect it to work.”

    The ‘Dead Maiden’ was even more startled as she looked at Yi Ping keenly, “You actually have the Divine Dragon Pill?”

    Yi Ping smiled gently at her, “I was lucky. A senior gave it to me.”

    The ‘Dead Maiden’ still could not believe what she was hearing, “Do you know how precious that Divine Dragon Pill really is?”

    Yi Ping said coolly, “It can boast the internal strength of the practitioner and can save lives.”

    The ‘Dead Maiden’ sighed, “More than that and you have just given it to me…”

    Yi Ping said coolly, “At least it works. I was afraid that it does not work…”

    The ‘Dead Maiden’ nodded slowly as she stared at Yi Ping, “The odds are very low. I…I can’t believe that you would seriously try it on me?” She was in tears now as her voice trembled uncontrollably…

    Xiao Youxue looked at the ‘Dead Maiden’ as she gasped to herself, “Is she…”

    The ‘Dead Maiden’ said to Yi Ping, “I am Lie Qing, what is your name?”

    Yi Ping said, “I am Yi Ping and this is Maiden Xiao Youxue.”

    Lie Qing muttered, “Yi Ping…Xiao Youxue…”

    Lie Qing smiled sweetly at Yi Ping and Xiao Youxue, “You are both my benefactors. If you have anything that you require of me in the future, feel to ask of me.”

    Xiao Youxue was quiet for a moment before she said, “We may have saved your life but your injuries are too severe. I am afraid that much of your former internal strength had been exhausted to maintain this suspended animation.”

    Lie Qing smiled weakly, “It is alright. I can re-train again. After all, I am alive now and have plenty of time.”

    Xiao Youxue said, “Why are you here? Who was the one that had injured you?”

    Lie Qing smiled weakly, “Good sister, this place is my forbidden ground where I practiced my skills. As for the second question, no one had injured me.”

    Yi Ping was startled, “No one? Is your enemy so powerful that you are unwilling to tell us?”

    Lie Qing sighed softly, “Really no one. I was merely injured by the ‘Divine Calamity’ and it is much more powerful than I have expected. Out of desperation, I took ten potent pills and entered into a suspended death animation hoping my injuries would recover by the time that I had awakened.”

    She looked around the cave and said, “This place isn’t always this cold. This is the result of the ‘Divine Calamity’. In the end, I still couldn’t escape from it.”

    Yi Ping had heard of the ‘Divine Calamity’ on numerous occasions now but no one was willing to tell him about it.

    Xiao Youxue had never heard of the ‘Divine Calamity’ before. So she asked, “What is that? I have never heard of it.”

    Lie Qing looked in bewildered at them before she finally said, “You really do not know? How long have I been in suspended animation? No wonder, you can give me the Divine Dragon Pill so freely. If I have the Divine Dragon Pill before I fought with the ‘Divine Calamity’, then I might have translucent to a higher divinity level. I have failed…”

    Yi Ping asked her, “Maiden Lie Qing, what exactly is the ‘Divine Calamity’? We really do not know.”

    Perhaps she would tell him because she looked like an easy-going person…

    Lie Qing sighed, “I cannot tell you.”

    Yi Ping and Xiao Youxue were stunned.

    Lie Qing smiled weakly, “Don’t be upset. If you ask me what the Divine Calamity is before I have fought with it, then I could tell you. But if I tell you now and prepare you for it, then I would surely die now, at this very instant. Since I cherish my life and I don’t want the both of you to die along with me, let’s not talk about this, alright?”

    Yi Ping could tell that she was a kind hearted maiden and he did not want to force her. Therefore he nodded.

    Xiao Youxue took a quick glance at Lie Qing suspiciously as she sighed silently, “Yi Ping, you are really too gullible. Can’t you tell that she is only putting on an act? How can you trust anyone so easily in this fraternity? She has the face of an angel but do you really know what really is in her heart?”


    Ch21 End
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    Last edited by Avidfan; 11-07-14 at 09:31 PM.

  17. #117
    Senior Member szfong's Avatar
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    Thanks for the update and fulfilling my wish of introducing another maiden into Yi Ping's circle of female companions.

  18. #118
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    I must reread the swordsman. seems certain similarities are cropping up. divine temptress rings a bell. also the hero ended up with several wifes.

  19. #119
    Senior Member szfong's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by geraldsaw View Post
    I must reread the swordsman. seems certain similarities are cropping up. divine temptress rings a bell. also the hero ended up with several wifes.
    Do you mean The Swordsman Journey, by Gu Long? Even in his story it can be traced to other's works or asian myths. I really didn't like Gu Long's later works as he seemed to have "outsourced" it or pieces of it, out to struggling student writers while he gets the credit and spend more time with his liquor bottle.

    When you have many maiden liking the main character, most contemporary writers, does it best by breaking their hearts and/or making them "leaving home" and/or pairing them with someone inferior to their original love and/or leave the scene altogether with a broken heart and/or death. Jing Yung often use one of these methods in his works. The best conclusion was in the Duke of Mount Deer or The Swordsman Journey or Huang Yi's XSL in Step into the Past.
    Last edited by szfong; 09-08-13 at 12:47 PM.

  20. #120
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    Hi Avidfan,

    Can't wait to see some action in chapter 22 or 23... . Please update soon....

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