The Scum Is A

It was facing them, but it still hasn't pounced on them so Chen Han guessed that the creature is blind. Fortunately, they were talking in low voices earlier since they were vigilant with their surroundings and thus had their guard up to what might possibly happen, so the creature did not hear their voices.

"Ah Tian… Ah Tian, calm down – " Chen Han said, his voice soothing to pacify Li Tian when he felt Li Tian is as stiff as a board and almost barely breathing because of the fright he had felt when he came face to face with the creature earlier. His eyes are round and wide, and his pupils are shrunk. His face is deathly pale and his lips are quivering. "Ah Tian, it didn't notice us. It didn't see you – " he said as he hugged him tight and closed his eyes to feel Li Tian's heartbeat.

"Ch… Chen Han…" Li Tian called when he came to. His voice is shaking. He raised his hand and held Chen Han's hand in a death grip. "It… 3 big eyes are staring at me. It has many limbs, and has wings!" he exclaimed, breathless. His heart that is beating wildly inside his chest almost leapt out of his mouth earlier when he had gotten a scare.

"It's fine, it's fine – " Chen Han told him as he patted Li Tian's back. "It must be blind, or can only see during the day where there is light, so it didn't see us." He explained.

"H-ha… haaa…." Li Tian breathed as he clutched his chest. He was heavily sweating.

Chen Han couldn't bear to see the pain on Li Tian's face. He gently wiped the sweat off of Li Tian's forehead and spoke to him in a soothing voice. "Let's wait here for now." he told him. "Let's rest, and then resume looking for Ah Sheng and the others, or the cave and the spring, later." He said.

Li Tian immediately nodded as he collapsed on the ground and he leaned his back on the wall. Chen Han's heart almost melted seeing his wife's obedient look. He smiled as he sat beside Li Tian, then pulled the other into his arms.

Li Tian felt the warmth emanating from Chen Han, giving him security and his heart immediately calmed down. He closed his eyes as he leaned his head on Chen Han's dependable shoulders.

While the two basked in a momentary peaceful atmosphere, not far from them, the Huakai Sect, whom went missing, are under a great pressure as they watched the gigantic insects swarming in front of them. Their number makes one's hairs rise on its ends as they watched them scuttling here to and fro, while there are some who are flying.

The Huakai Sect's face is as dark as the bottom of the pot. Tang Zhe, their eldest disciple, turned to Tang Yun. "Xiao Yun, are you sure… it's really here?" he asked with a difficult tone in his voice.

Tang Yun solemnly nodded. "Based from the memories I seen of that cursed creature, it was here where Hei Shen threw each one of them. Then, when they emerged, they already couldn't be recognized anymore." He said. "But, it isn't just an ordinary abyss. There's a cave down there, and a spring inside." He looked at Tang Zhe, since it was already obvious that it's the cave and the spring which they are looking for is what Tang Yun was talking about.

"So, if we'd go inside the cave, we will also be cursed?!" Guo Cheng said.

Tang Yun turned to Guo Cheng and shook his head. "I don't know." He answered. "The Alliance wouldn't endanger us, right? They wouldn't send us to our death?" he asked as he looked at Tang Zhe.

Tang Zhe shook his head. "They wouldn't." he answered. "They exist for the peace and order between all of the sects. Thus, they wouldn't do something that would endanger us, worse, kill us." He explained.

Tang Yun naturally understood, but he asked Tang Zhe for reassurance, and so he nodded. "Mn."

Tang Zhe patted Tang Yun's head before he turned to Guo Cheng and Shan Lu… and Wu Xi, whom they almost forgot his presence again. "Do you have an idea how can we break through these insects so we can reach the cave?" he asked.

"Da shixiong, are we really going in that cave? Didn't xiao Yun just say about what happened to those cursed creatures?" Guo Cheng nervously asked.

"But, if we don't do it, then what should we do?" Tang Zhe asked back. "We're already here." He added.

Guo Cheng helplessly sighed. Their leader already said it, and so they'd do it. "I noticed something." He said.

"What is it?" Tang Zhe asked.

Guo Cheng pointed. "These insects might be swarming, but they aren't coming from that hole." he said. "Instead, they looked like they are voiding it." he added.

Tang Zhe's eyes widened when he also noticed it, as well as Tang Yun, Shan Lu and Wu Xi. "You're right." Tang Zhe said when they saw that in the mouth of the abyss, there aren't any insects and it was clear. There are only thick, old vines knotting around the mouth of abyss, as well as… a broken swinging bridge?

"A bridge?" Gong Xian muttered when he also saw it with his keen eyesight.

"Yes. I also see it. And it's a broken one." Guo Cheng said.

"What does it look like? When was it there?" Tang Yun curiously asked.

Tang Zhe was deeply pondering. "Whether the bridge was already broken, or whether it was still usable and others recently used it, but then it broke…" his voice faded.

They all looked at each other. If it was the former, then they can ignore it. However, if it is the latter, it must mean that the other contestants must be hear.

"… shall we try calling out if there are others present?" Guo Cheng asked. 

"We can't make noise. It might be noticed by the other contestants if they really are here, but it will also alert these insects." Tang Zhe said.

"Then, what should we do? We can't kill all these insects with just alone." Guo Cheng said.

"Let's think what signal should we use."