There were little guards that were at the Golden Ascension Hall. When Ye Jing had arrived at the mountain peak that the Golden Ascension Hall was located, there were many protégés that were rushing to bet on the duel outcome between Saintess Yuqing and Saintess Huiyin.
Ye Jing signaled to Chu Yunfeng, Li'Er and Luo Bihua to hide themselves and to fire a flare if things went terribly wrong. They were not to engage anyone but to cook up an excuse if anyone was to ask.
Ye Jing then sneaked into the Golden Ascension Hall with the Celestial Liege, Confession Lady, Xiaofang and Gong Nanyan.
Xiaofang whispered to Ye Jing, "How do you know there isn't anyone?"
Ye Jing laughed softly, "I can sense minute aura that is nearby. Xiaofang, my intuition sense is way better than you, don't you think so?"
Xiaofang said softly, "Jing'Er, you never fail to amaze me."
Ye Jing then whispered to the group, "We need to wait a little while first. There are some guards that are moving along the underground passage now. That person is always at the array core that is under the Golden Ascension Hall. I have never sensed him leaving the place not even once. Usually there will be at least two other golden celestials in the place as well but today, we are really lucky. It is only him and we have five."
The Celestial Liege shook his head, "If he is really the one that I know then we must be wary."
Ye Jing laughed softly, "Didn't godfather defeat a peak monarch like Beitang Ze?"
The Celestial Liege shook his head as he laughed, "Beitang Ze uses an unorthodox mean to elevate his cultivation level to the peak monarch level. Although a peak monarch level is also equivalent to a peak sacred saint level but his cultivation level is only a temporary state. My Celestial Force happens to be his cultivation art nemesis. Therefore I am able to suppress his evil cultivation art to that of the Immortal Celestial."
Ye Jing said weakly, "Back then I've thought that it is because my godfather is really formidable. Now I am a little afraid of the Devil Isle Xiao Shuai and Han Shaodong."
The Celestial Liege laughed, "Don't worry I can still hold one of them off."
Ye Jing sighed, "I wonder who can fight the two of them…"
The Celestial Liege said slowly, "There was once a man that had fought the two of them at the same time."
Ye Jing giggled softly, "Then he must have a death wish."
The Celestial Liege laughed, "No, he won. He had actually fought Xiao Shuai, Han Shaodong and many others that are on the same level at the same time."
Ye Jing was startled, "He is so formidable?"
The Celestial Liege smiled, "He is unique. He isn't afraid of death. By the time he had fought with Xiao Shuai, Han Shaodong and the rest, he had already gone through tens of life and death battles. If a person isn't afraid of death and isn't afraid of fighting back when he is almost at near death, you can imagine how formidable his fighting spirit is and his ordeals only tempered his martial willpower."
Xiaofang had overheard them and he could not resist saying, "Usually when a person is near death, they will start to cherish their lives more and may even be afraid of fighting again. That was what my mum said. My mum said this; always avoid two types of people. The desperate and those that isn't afraid of death."
The Celestial Liege nodded, "It takes a lot of courage to face death itself. No wonder I had also lost to him…"
Ye Jing was startled, "Waa, godfather…even you are not his match?"
The Celestial Liege nodded as he laughed, "Our first fight is a draw. I won on the second fight but I lost to all the subsequent fights. The reason why I won the second fight was because I had his baby hostage and several extra help. Hahaha…"
Ye Jing, Xiaofang and Gong Nanyan: …
Gong Nanyan muttered, "That is a little too dishonorable…"
Ye Jing frowned lightly, "I agree as well."
Even Xiaofang had a look of displeasure, "Taking a baby hostage is a despicable act."
The Confession Lady was smiling, "I was there too. Taking the baby hostage isn't his idea but the baby's grandfather idea. That baby is someone that you know, Jing'Er."
Ye Jing was startled, "I know the baby?"
The Confession Lady smiled, "She is none other than your Celestial Teacher Yi Si."
Ye Jing was truly startled as she laughed jovially, "Waa. I didn't know that my Celestial Teacher Yi Si's father is so formidable…"
All of a sudden Ye Jing countenance was frozen as she suddenly thought of something, "Wait a minute. That man…don't tell me it is my Ancestor Yi?! I remember that he said he is the father to my Celestial Teacher Yi Si…"
She had only met Ancestor Yi only once but he had left behind a deep impression on her. The first time she had seen him, he was fighting with the Goddess Isa and she was completely astonished by their battle. What happened next was she worked in cahoots with the Goddess Isa to take the Blue Aura Divine Pill out of sight from Ancestor Yi. Before he departed, he had actually advised her not to go to the Empyrean Warrior Labyrinth asked if she wanted to follow him into seclusion for a hundred years to wait out the forthcoming divine calamity. She had rejected his offer and his last words to her were, "Child, go in peace and experience the world with your boldness. I remember that I have once explored the world with nothing but my guts and fighting spirit."
The Confession Lady nodded, "The same man."
Ye Jing bitterly said, "Crap. I think I have joined the wrong faction. I should have join Ancestor Yi instead of the Goddess Isa."
Gong Nanyan suddenly asked, "Did you just say the Goddess Isa?"
Ye Jing curiously replied, "Yes?"
Gong Nanyan inhaled softly, "You have met with the Goddess Isa?"
Ye Jing nodded as she gave a wryly smile, "Yes. I have not only met her but I am also her goddess envoy."
Gong Nanyan asked curiously, "The Goddess Isa is also in charge of the Goddess Palace?"
Ye Jing shook her head, "She claims that there are other goddesses that are higher in status than her in the Goddess Palace but I have never met them."
Gong Nanyan smiled weakly, "Then do you know that the Goddess Isa is also the Ruler of the Celestial Realm?"
Ye Jing looked thoughtfully for a while, "I think so as well. Why?"
Gong Nanyan ask weakly, "Do you know what the Ruler of the Celestial Realm really signifies?"
Ye Jing asked, "Isn't it just a title?"
Gong Nanyan said uncomfortably as she looked earnest into Ye Jing, "All celestials have to bow down before her because we are inhabitants of her realm. She is this powerful."
Ye Jing suddenly remembered that her godparents had told her that even they had to bow before her and had asked her to be polite in her presence, "I thought she is just an immortal. Well a greater immortal."
Gong Nanyan looked curiously at Ye Jing, "I can't believe you have really met the Goddess Isa." She sighed softly, "I really wish that I can get to meet her…"
Ye Jing stole a glance at her two godparents and said, "Well, the Ruler of the Celestial Realm is actually afraid of the Devil Isle. Funny right? I wonder who are the ones that are in charge of the Devil Isle…"
The Celestial Liege smiled weakly, "We don't know anything about the Devil Isle. So it is pointless to ask us."
Ye Jing smiled weakly as she thought, "I am sure that they must be hiding something but I can't point a finger yet."
Then she suddenly looked up and said, "It is safe to enter the interior now. The guards have left."
Immediately Ye Jing had flashed to the interiors of the Golden Ascension Hall and she was followed by Xiaofang, Gong Nanyan, the Celestial Liege and the Confession Lady.
It took them a few turns into the winding passageways before they had reached the inner halls of the Golden Ascension Hall.
A fine looking man in white robe was sitting in meditation in the middle of the vast inner hall and above him were two encircling hovering objects, a silver metallic light and a bright globe of light. The silver metallic light was the heavenly relic while the bright globe of light was the array spiritual core that was coalesced into the Heavenly Profound Pill.
Ye Jing gasped as she saw the two divine lights that were encircling above the fine looking man.
The fine looking man was looking at them but he did not look surprise at all. It was because the minute that they had entered the inner chamber, he was already aware of their presence.
He merely said, "I am at the array center of the Hundred Celestials Killing Array. Right now, you are at the core of the Hundred Celestials Killing Array. This is a hundred times deadlier than encountering it at the outer array. If you dare to approach within three hundred paces of the core center then you will surely be pulverized into dust even if you are a golden celestial."
Then he smiled as he looked at the Celestial Liege and the Confession Lady, "Why are you wearing a veil over your faces? It is not that I can't recognize you."
The Celestial Liege laughed as he pulled down his veil, "Haha, Priest Dong Sheng or should I call you the Right Ascendant Custodian Dong Sheng? Do you really think that we won't dare to seize the array core just because you are here?"
Dong Sheng smiled as he pointed at Ye Jing, "You are the only one that does not have golden eyes in this group but your aura is unmistakably that of a saintess and you seem to be the leader of this group. I can hear you from here."
Ye Jing was started as she thought, "Waa, this man is really formidable. He can hear us even from here?! No wonder godfather says he is not to be underestimated."
She pulled down her veil and said politely, "Junior Ye Jing pays my respect to Senior Dong Sheng."
The fine looking man looked intently at her as he said indifferently, "So you are Ye Jing. I have heard of you. You are indeed a beautiful maiden that can move numerous men. If you are wise enough, you can choose to quietly leave and no one will know of this matter. But if you insist on attacking the Hundred Celestial Killing Array then I shall have no pity for your demise."
Ye Jing smiled alluringly, "Since I am here, I won't be giving up so easily."
She looked at Xiaofang and Gong Nanyan, "Please stay put here."
Xiaofang pulled his veil off and said, "Jing'Er, why don't you let me try first?"
Without waiting for Ye Jing to say anything, Xiaofang had already taken out his immortal sword and had dashed toward Dong Sheng.
Dong Sheng looked a little startled when he saw the heaven-step immortal sword that was in Xiaofang's hand but other than that, he did not even move from his position.
It was because as soon as Xiaofang had made his move, dozens of beams of light had materialized all around Xiaofang as he entered into the Hundred Celestial Killing Array.
Xiaofang did his best to evade the beams of light that was coalesced into deadly destructive energies. Those destructive energies that he could not evade, he raised his sword that was imbued with his sword energies to block it.
Dong Sheng was frowning lightly when he saw that Xiaofang could actually block the deadly destructive beams of light with his immortal sword. Every time Xiaofang had blocked the deadly destructive beam, a subtle five element array would envelop around his immortal sword to provide a small defensive barrier that diffuses the attacking beams.
He thought, "It seems that this immortal sword of his is an array breaker type of sword…"
Now Xiaofang was mid-way of the Hundred Celestial Killing Array and the intensity of the beams had also increased tremendous as dozens more additional beams of light began to barrage onto Xiaofang…
Ye Jing shouted panicky, "Xiaofang watch it!"
Even Gong Nanyan was gasping, "Xiaofang…"
Xiaofang gasped as he immediately displayed the Lofty Empyrean Sword Energies as a long wave of sword energies began to split the dozens of attacking light beams into many different directions. But because there were too many light beams, Xiaofang was suddenly struck by half a dozen of light beams and were sent flying out of the formation array!
Ye Jing and Gong Nanyan had immediately caught Xiaofang in mid-air as Xiaofang coughed out blood and he was convulsing nonstop. The light beams had burnt through his protective aura and had even scorched his golden body. If he was not a golden celestial then he would have already been dead by now.
Xiaofang was still struggling to speak as he gripped Ye Jing's hands, "Jing'Er, did you…see that?…" Then he was unconsciousness.
Ye Jing nodded slowly as she trembled lightly. Xiaofang had risked himself to tell her that this celestial array was not easy to trifle with.
Even the golden eyes of the Celestial Liege and Confession Lady had told her that while Dong Sheng was in the center of the array, there was no need for him to even move from his position to strike at them.
Ye Jing unsheathed her divine sword and said, "I will try alone then."
The Confession Lady was startled, "Jing'Er, why don't we leave for now? That old fool Dong Sheng is too cowardice to fight us anyway."
Dong Sheng: …
The Celestial Liege knew what Ye Jing was thinking so he quickly cautioned her, "Even if you can reach the array center but defeating Dong Sheng won't be easy."
Ye Jing inhaled lightly as she said slowly, "I cannot allow Xiaofang's sacrifice to be in vain."
She whispered to Gong Nanyan, "Please take care of Xiaofang for me…"
There was a hidden meaning to her words. If she could not survive the famed Hundred Celestial Killing Array then it was up to Gong Nanyan to be with Xiaofang.
Gong Nanyan pursed her lips, "Sister Jing, remember your promise. Don't die before I do!"
In her mind Ye Jing had already worked out the tractions of the beams of light that Xiaofang had sacrificed to show her. She muttered silently, "Thank you Xiaofang…"
Then she had taken a leap toward the center of the array.
Almost immediately dozens of light beams had materialized throughout the array and were flying straight at Ye Jing.
To the astonishment of everyone, Ye Jing moved unhurriedly as she took small steps toward the center of the array where Saint Dong Sheng was and the dozens of light beams seemed to fly past her as though she was not there!
Even Saint Dong Sheng was startled as he watched Ye Jing moved from the outer formation to the middle of the formation.
Even when the number of light beams had increased and looked like it was seemingly impossible to dodge it, Ye Jing continued to evade the increased number of light beams as though she was like a phantom.
In no time Ye Jing had reached the inner array formation and this time Saint Dong Sheng could not sit still as he muttered with disbelief, "This…this is impossible…how could anyone have evaded the Hundred Celestial Killing Array in a manner like this…"
Before he knew it, Ye Jing's divine sword was suddenly upon him.
Dong Sheng was startled as he raised his sword to send Ye Jing to fly off. With his martial strength, he was not worried that Ye Jing could be a threat to him.
As Ye Jing was send flying off into the deadly light beams, the Celestial Liege, the Confession Lady and Gong Nanyan were gasping with shock…
All of a sudden Ye Jing had let go of her divine sword and she had flashed forward to the top of array center and she had grabbed the two floating lights with her hands.
This immediately caused the Hundred Celestial Killing Array to be dismantled and her divine sword to fly harmlessly into the air!
Just as Saint Dong Sheng was about to attack Ye Jing, the Celestial Liege and the Confession Lady had rushed at him with a startling speed and they had sent him to take several steps back while Ye Jing landed softly on the ground.
Ye Jing inhaled softly as she smiled, "Godparents, thank you!"
The Celestial Liege grinned, "Now we shall take over from here. Old fool Dong Sheng, your opponents are us."
Dong Sheng smiled, "I actually don't look so old. Frankly speaking, I may not lose to the two of you if I am really serious."
The Celestial Liege returned a smile, "Is it? You never know unless we have really fought for real."
Dong Sheng laughed, "Then you will never know. Please leave."
"What did you say?" The Celestial Liege had a perplexed expression…
Even Ye Jing was startled, "You are asking us to leave?"
Dong Sheng hummed before he said, "My duty is to guard the Hundred Celestial Killing Array and I have failed."
Then he smiled at Ye Jing, "Maiden Ye Jing, you are really a matchless fighter. You will rather let go of your sword to negate my martial force and then slyly seize the array core right in front of me. In term of your wits, I must say that you are matchless."
Ye Jing chuckled softly, "That is because I know that I am not your match."
Dong Sheng nodded, "You may go now."
Ye Jing took a glance at him before she asked curiously, "Are you sure about this? These two are your sect most precious treasures. I am really taking them away. What about your reputation? Will you get punished?"
Dong Sheng smiled, "You are not afraid that I will change my mind?"
Ye Jing shrugged her shoulders as she said weakly, "I am sure the words of a Great Saint are trustworthy. I am just curious."
Dong Sheng looked intently at her before smiling, "I quite like you."
Ye Jing: …
Ye Jing smiled weakly as she hurried away, "That's not a good reason. I am not going to talk to you anymore…"
Dong Sheng was laughing jovially as they left.
Then he started to look at the empty array and the hundreds of fallen swords, "This is going to take some explaining."
In the meantime Fan Yuqing was squaring off with Mu Huiyin.
She had torn off her long skirt as the strength of her golden aura had suddenly doubled in strength. What used to be a wavering golden tinge of aura was now a rich golden and it was like a column of light that had even reached out to the ceiling!
Everyone was startled at the sudden strength of the aura of Saintess Yuqing. Only when a Great Saint was about to ascend would their golden aura be this formidable. It was because the Great Saint would be burning all the reservoir of his spiritual sea in his cultivation inner core to ascend to the immortal realm.
"This outpouring of her aura…"
"Is the Saintess Yuqing trying to make an attempt to ascend to the immortal realm now?!"
"It will be dangerous for her if she continued to burn her spiritual force like this…"
"This is too reckless…"
The golden aura of Fan Yuqing had slowly given shape to the image of a golden lotus that was spreading its blossoms around her…
"What is this…"
"Did I just see a golden lotus?"
"I have never seen anything like this before…"
"Is this a divine martial skill or an artifact that she is using…"
Fan Yuqing had dared to burn her spiritual sea because she had just completed the refining of the array core of the Celestial Annihilation Array that she had taken from the Divine Dream Monarchy. What she was burning now was the Golden Lotus, which she refined into a newly artifact core in her inner cultivation core as part of her newly acquainted ability.
Usually it would take years and even centuries to refine an array core into spiritual force for the celestial practitioner to use and it was even more difficult to refine it into an artifact core. But Fan Yuqing was able to accomplish within a month of acquiring the array core of the Celestial Annihilation Array.
Mu Huiyin was startled as she increased her celestial energies to her limits to envelop herself in her own protective aura. She did not dare to make an attack because she did not want to be suppressed within Saintess Yuqing's formidable golden aura. The longer that Fan Yuqing had continued to burn her celestial energies, the more advantageous it was to her.
She did not need to wait long for Fan Yuqing to make her move as she had suddenly attacked with her fingers stance.
Mu Huiyin raised her sword to fend off her attack but an overpowering force caused her to take three steps back as she gasped softly.
Fan Yuqing raised her legs and attacked with both her lotus stance fingers relentlessly and causing Mu Huiyin to take more steps backward…
Half of the onlookers were actually not paying any attention to Saintess Yuqing's attack stances but were looking at her legs…
By the time Mu Huiyin had exchanged ten strokes with her, she was already dizzy and she had reached the limits of her martial strength as beads of perspiration could be seen on her forehead.
After attacking for twenty strokes, Fan Yuqing shouted aloud. "Fall!"
Mu Huiyin was struck several times on her body, coughing out blood as she fell onto the ground!
As she struggled to speak, she coughed out another mouthful of blood as her vital energies were all erratic and she was unable to gather her vital energies together. She simply could not believe that she had lost just like this. She had never expected that Fan Yuqing's mobility could suddenly accelerate so much and moreover she was striking with all her profound strength. She was totally suppressed by Saintess Yuqing and was not even able to counter attack at all…
Mu Huiyin did not know that she was under the unique suppression might of the Celestial Annihilation Array that oppressed anyone that was weaker.
Fan Yuqing asked with a soft smile, "So do you concede?" At the same time, she was thinking, "The array core of the Celestial Annihilation Array is indeed formidable. I've gained much strength from refining it…"
Mu Huiyin tried to move her fingers to continue the fight but it was too numb. Finally she gritted her teeth before she gasped out, "I've lost."
Tie Nansen had quickly flashed to her side as he helped her up, asking her. "Are you alright? Are you seriously hurt?"
Mu Huiyin looked at him and her eyes were wet, "I…am…good…let go of me…"
Saintess Ziyue had suddenly stood up as she walked toward Fan Yuqing while saying, "Saintess Yuqing has won."
There were some mutterings why the Saintess Ziyue had suddenly walked toward Saintess Yuqing.
"Don't tell me that Saintess Ziyue is going to challenge Saintess Yuqing?"
Saintess Ziyue nodded gently as she appraised Saintess Yuqing for a while, "The duel is over. You may withdraw your aura. Isn't this too tiring for you?"
Then she loosened her cloak and wrapped it around Saintess Yuqing as she whispered, "You are too revealing. Be wary of the lecherous looks of these men…"
Fan Yuqing smiled as she withdrew her bright golden aura, "Thank you."
Saintess Ziyue smiled while nodding lightly, "Saintess Yuqing, I am here to look for you specifically."
Fan Yuqing was surprised, "Huh?"
Saintess Ziyue smiled gently, "To be more specific, I am here on behalf of my direct disciple Lin Wucheng. I will like to make a marriage arrangement between the two of you. What do you think?"
Not only was Fan Yuqing stunned but everyone else was also stunned.
Almost immediately loud commotions could be heard in the hall as everyone who had overheard the Saintess Ziyue began to talk at the same time!
"So that is the reason why Saintess Ziyue is here?"
"Is our goddess going to marry Lin Wucheng then?"
"This marriage proposal is made by Saintess Ziyue herself. It will be too awkward to say no."
Grandmaster Yun Xinghe had grown very pale and so did Celestial Liang Ni…
Ascension Master Tie Nansen was also stunned for words as he stammered, "This…"
Even Lin Wucheng was feeling a little awkward because there were now many eyes that were staring at him now…
Originally when he had heard that Fan Yuqing was dueling with Mu Huiyin, he was a little afraid that Fan Yuqing may lose the duel and that she would be driven out of the Unmoving Mountains. Therefore he had specially asked his protégé mistress to help Fan Yuqing. If Fan Yuqing could marry him then she would be allowed to stay in the Ancient Ascension Sect even if she had lost the duel.
And of course, the most important reason was that Lin Wucheng had already known that Fan Yuqing was the Devil Goddess herself and that he hoped that she may turn over a new leaf and had a place to stay.
Fan Yuqing muttered almost incoherently as she looked panicky at Feng Minyue and Xuan Danfeng for help, "This…can I say no?"
Then she looked at Lin Wucheng, "Can you say something?"
Lin Wucheng bowed with his hands to Saintess Yuqing and Saintess Ziyue, "I will like to take Saintess Yuqing as my celestial partner."
Fan Yuqing almost fainted on the spot as she gasped, "You…you…"
Saintess Ziyue took her hands tenderly and said gently, "I really like you a lot. My good disciple here has never married and he is a good man."
Fan Yuqing cursed silently, "Then why don't you marry him yourself? Lin Wucheng, you…instead of helping me, you are adding to my troubles. Why don't you die now?"