The Scum Is A

"W-WHAT?! They, they killed a god?! The god of this palace… wait, is it the god of this world?!" they said, they stared at Tang Yun in shock.

If it was the usual Tang Yun, he would've snapped at them, telling them, "Why are you looking at me with that gaze?! It's not as if I'm the one who killed the god!". However, Tang Yun was affected by the emotions from what he seen in those images that appeared in his mind. That was the reason why he was unconscious for a long time.

He heavily sighed, his expression extremely sad. The images he has seen in his mind are obviously fragments of memories from the creature that touched him.

"There are three gods in this world: Bai Shen, the Light God of the Sky; Hei Shen, the Dark God of Destruction; and Hui Shen, the Impartial God of Creation." He said. "The kingdom where the Feng Hua Palace was located is the Bailong Kingdom. They worship Bai Shen. The Bailong Kingdom is Bai Shen's 'temple'. This Feng Hua Palace is Hui Shen's 'temple'. Meanwhile, Hei Shen doesn't have his own 'temple', since he is the god of destruction, completely opposite of the Light God and the God of Creation. Where there is destruction, there he is." He explained.

"Since the Feng Hua Palace was in ruins, was it his doing?" Shan Lu asked. "He is in the opposing party to the two other gods. Did he incite the humans to kill Hui Shen?" he added.

Guo Cheng pondered. "If it is, there might be a restriction to gods killing other gods, thus he borrowed a knife to kill Hui Shen?" he looked at Tang Yun.

To their surprise, Tang Yun shook his head. "It wasn't him." he said before he paused. "But, it was related to him." he looked at them. "Hui Shen was killed because of Hei Shen." He told them.

"What?!"

"Hui Shen is the god of creation. She made the world, and conceived the humans. Thus, she is treated more as their mother than their god. Bai Shen is the god of light; he gave light to the world. Meanwhile, Hei Shen is the god of destruction. Fear came from him, since he incites their fear to be destroyed." Tang Yun said. "However, although Hui Shen was depicted as a mother, but their image of her is pure. Untouchable. Thus, she was killed." He took a deep breath as if he experienced those memories himself. "She was killed, after they learned she was pregnant. And, the father of her child is Hei Shen." He said.

Their jaw dropped. "What… is that possible? Gods can procreate?" Shan Lu asked.

Everyone. "…" that's his point?! Well, he is a hopeless case, after all…

"Wait – " Guo Cheng said. " – how did they know Hui Shen is pregnant?" he asked.

"Gods can descend in this world." Tang Yun said. "However, that wasn't how they knew she was pregnant." He shook his head. "Contrary to her power of creation, when she conceived herself, her power will be absorbed by her child. Then, everything she created will also be absorbed in the process. When this happened, the flowers wilted. The land became dry, as well as the sea. The fruits harvested rotted, and the animals became sick. Only the humans, who have intelligence, are better compared to the other living things." He explained. "However, the effect of Hui Shen's pregnancy is unbeknownst to the humans. Thus, they associated this to Hei Shen. They thought Hei Shen corrupted Hui Shen by making Hui Shen bear a child for him." 

Their face is filled with disbelief. "So they killed her?!" Shan Lu said. "They really killed her?! Such ingrates!" he punched the wall in anger. "Hui Shen gave them everything. Yet, when it was Hui Shen who needed them, they not only turned their backs on her, but they killed her!" he gnashed his teeth in anger.

Tang Yun sadly and bitterly smiled.

"Xiao Yun." Tang Zhe called when he saw Tang Yun was low in spirits.

"I – I'm alright, ge." Tang Yun told him. "I, I need to vent these all out, or my chest would feel stuffy. Just, just let me tell you this story – " he told him.

Tang Zhe nodded as he patted Tang Yun's head.

Guo Cheng suddenly thought something. "Those creatures… that was their curse for killing her?" he asked.

Tang Yun nodded. "Hui Shen gifted them warmth, but they killed her so she took it back, making their body feel cold." He said s his lips quivered when he felt that bone-chilling cold. "She gave them their appearance, but they betrayed her trust, so she erased their face. She made their body, but they let her down, so she ridden their body with holes, making their body useless. She made them humans, but they turned they abandoned her, so she made them no longer human." He explained. "However, since her power is creation, she cannot take back their life. Now, the once humans are still living, but not completely."

They now finally understood how those creatures came to be. "What about the other gods?" Tang Zhe asked. "What did they do? What about Hei Shen?" he added.

"Hei Shen was completely enraged." Tang Yun answered. "Since he wasn't restrained to life unlike Hui Shen, and his power is destruction, he killed everyone and destroyed everything. The humans who survived… it's better for them to not survive, since they turned into monsters." He said. "Bai Shen was also heartbroken of what happened. To punish the foolish humans, he took back the light he gifted to them. Thus, the once humans and now monsters live underground. In order to make his punishment severe, Bai Shen made them be harmed by the light, any light. Thus…" he said and turned back.

They all remembered to the arm that Wu Xi cut. The arm melted after being exposed to light.

"It was the right choice to not make a light earlier." Wu Xi said. "Although we can make our light, but it was only too little thus not enough to protect ourselves. It might really aggravate them and attack us, who are in the disadvantageous position for being in the light while they are in the dark. Thus, the bigger the light, the better." He said.

They remembered the hidden torches behind the head of the tall statues earlier. The torches must have been hidden by those cursed creatures to protect themselves from the light.

"If I have lit up a talisman myself, and made it bigger, I would've exhausted myself and my qi." Guo Cheng said.

They nodded. Only Guo Cheng is the alchemist, and could make the fire talisman. It would've been hard for Guo Cheng if they lit a fire in the beginning. Worse, they might have to sacrifice Guo Cheng. Their heart chilled from the thought, and they looked at Guo Cheng.

Guo Cheng felt his hair raised from their gaze. "W-what?!" he asked.

They all looked away. No matter what happens, they wouldn't sacrifice anyone! "Xiao Yun, don't hide anything again, alright?" Tang Zhe said as he held Tang Yun's shoulder and made him face him.

"Ge…" Tang Yun called. Then, he lowered his head. "Earlier, there was a voice in my head telling me, urging me to call you. However, I don't want to. I'm scared. I was scared of what will happen. I feel that something bad will happen if I'll call you… any of you. I didn't dare. I wouldn't dare harm you, ge!" he said as his tears, which he was holding back since earlier, finally fell. He sobbed as he stared at Tang Zhe with reddened eyes.

"Xiao Yun…" Tang Zhe felt his heart ached when he saw his younger brother's tear-stained face. He wiped Tang Yun's tears with his hands, feeling more pain on his chest. In the end, he pulled him into his embrace.

"Ge…" Tang Yun called, his voice choked with sobs.

"Hush… hush now – " Tang Zhe whispered as he kissed Tang Yun's forehead.

Tang Yun's sadness suddenly dispersed when he felt Tang Zhe's warmth. Ge… he thought and wrapped his arms around Tang Zhe's waist. He buried his face on Tang Zhe's chest, staining Tang Zhe's clothes with his tears.

Guo Cheng smiled when he saw the brothers are hugging while Shan Lu scratched his head. "What does he mean? What would happen if you'll call someone's name?" he asked.

Wu Xi tilted his head as if he was thinking before his neck straightened and he raised his Thought Talisman. "I heard somewhere that if you'll call someone's name somewhere, that someone will be replaced." He said.

"Huh? Who will replace them?" Guo Cheng asked.

"… I think it might not be limited to 'who'…" Wu Xi said as he scratched his head.

Guo Cheng felt his hairs raised and goosebumps formed on his skin when he finally realized what Wu Xi's words meant. That is really scary! Horrifying! Terrifying! Not only will someone, or something, will replace you; not only will your friends not know you were replaced, but you won't know where you will be sent to after you were replaced!