The Scum Is A

"I can only foresee something in a short amount of time. I can't save everybody." Xie Lan gritted his teeth as Fan Wen wrapped his wounds.

"Lan…" Fan Wen sighed and didn't speak more. He concentrated treating Xie Lan's wounds.

Chen Jing silently watched Xie Lan and Fan Wen who has harmonious atmosphere around them. Then, he looked at Wu Fan. Wu Fan sensed his gaze and looked at him. "What?" Wu Fan asked when he saw Chen Jing's weird gaze. He ignored him and turned to Xie Lan. "Xie-shidi." He called. "What happened?" he asked.

Xie Lan turned to him. "It was the time when Chen Han arrived." He answered. "After Chen Han left when I and Wen made our decision to aid you, I had a vision." He said. "I saw the Xinfaxian was bathed in blood and covered with corpses." He closed his eyes tight. "So, I decided to let Xiao Sheng… Xiao Yin… Xiao Tian… Xiao Mo… to go. However, I should have known – " he said and opened his eyes. His pupils are glowing. " – no matter whichever I choose – " he said. " – my visions never go wrong."

Dongxin Town.

Feng Mo's eyes are bloodshot while Li Tian closed his eyes. Sun Yi covered his mouth and gasped while Wu Yuan's expression is serious. Chen Han balled his fists, seething in anger. Ming Ye and Luo Shi's face remained calm. Fei Yin's face is blank. He glanced at Cheng Sheng whose face is in shock.

Cheng Sheng felt his mind go blank when he saw countless corpses in front of them. The ground was watered by blood and the houses and stalls were painted red. "What…" he said, breathless. He covered his mouth, his wide and round eyes stared at the Dongxin Town. The Dongxin Town that they knew before can't be seen. In front of them is the result of carnage.

"The Dongxin Town…" Feng Mo said, his knuckles turned white.

"Let's go." Ming Ye calmly said and walked first. Luo Shi followed him. Wu Yuan, Sun Yi and Chen Han walked behind the Xinfaxian sect disciples to protect them from behind while Ming Ye and Luo Shi protect them in the front. Fei Yin was on Cheng Sheng's right side while Feng Mo and Li Tian were on Cheng Sheng's left side.

They walked through the Dongxin Town that now became a ghost town. The broken paper lanterns swayed in this foul wind that carries the rustic and fishy odor of blood and rotting corpses. Their footsteps are hurried, making crunching noises as they stepped on the ground. Unknown are the things they step on. Suddenly, they saw a thin of black strip in the air. It was neither cloth nor a thread. For the first time, they saw the demonic qi. It was denser than the negative qi.

The moment they heard something growled in the dark, they knew their fight is about to start.

Xiwang, Youxiwang Sect.

"Even if we send a message to them right now, it is futile." Xie Lan said. "One, our message cannot go out of the Xinfaxian. Two, the messages outside Xinfaxian cannot go inside." He looked at Wu Fan. "The message you received is our first and last message." He added. "If only I had known that it was Xiao Sheng their target…" he balled his fists.

"How do you know it was Sheng-er?" Chen Jing asked.

Xie Lan looked at Chen Jing. "I met the enemy." He said and frowned.

Wu Fan's eyes went wide. "You've met them?!" he said, shocked.

Xie Lan nodded. "However – " he frowned. " – he's stronger than me." He said, displeasure in his voice. Fan Wen chuckled and patted his shoulder, calming him down.

"What's his level?" Chen Jing asked.

"When we exchanged blows, I surmised his level must be in the middle or high level of Immortalization Stage." Xie Lan answered. "But…"

"But what?"

Xie Lan turned to them, his face serious. "I am thinking… he was still holding back at that time." He answered.

Chill ran down their spine. Wu Fan and Chen Jing looked at each other. "The only cultivator who reached the peak level of Immortalization Stage – " Wu Fan said.

"Fei Huang." Chen Jing said.

Xie Lan stared at them, then he looked at Fan Wen. In order not to alarm them, he didn't tell them one thing. It was what the man had told him.

"Cheng Sheng will come back once he heard that the Xinfaxian was attacked. To save him, you have to save him. However – " the man said, his eyes narrowed. " – you can't save the people here." He said and looked around the Xinfaxian where the residents are laughing. The man laughed under his mask. "Now, what will you choose?" he asked, then without warning, kicked him.

Xie Lan then landed on the entrance of the Xinfaxian Sect. There was a mountain of bamboos that were cut before him. Xie Lan knew, then, that he can't beat the man. It was the third day after Cheng Sheng and the others' departure. It was also the dreaded time of Xie Lan. The corpses finally arrived. He can only lead the residents to the sect. However, the demonic qi appeared and transformed the residents. Xie Lan could only bitterly fight them and kill them.

"We thought we could catch up and stop Xiao Sheng and the others from going back to Xinfaxian." Fan Wen said. "I regret the letter has been sent." He lowered his head.

"Wen." Xie Lan called and pulled Fan Wen into his embrace. "It's not your fault." He told Fan Wen and hugged him tight.

Chen Jing's face became blank while Wu Fan blushed. Feeding us dog food? They thought. Wu Fan cleared his throat. "How do we save Xiao Sheng, then?" he asked. "Do you have an idea?" he added. After all, Cheng Sheng is a part of the sect since he belongs to the Chen family. And also, Cheng Sheng helped them curing the affected people of the demonic qi.

"My wounds are not that really serious – " Xie Lan said. "We can still catch up with them." He said.

Chen Jing spoke. "They left through the array." He told Xie Lan.

Xie Lan turned to him. "But we just used the array." He said. An array cannot be used if others are still using it – from both sides. Since Xie Lan used the array to go to the Youxiwang Sect, Cheng Sheng and the others cannot use it until Xie Lan and the other arrived, finishing their use of the array. They also need to wait for an incense time before they could use it. That is why Xie Lan better he can catch up with Cheng Sheng and the others' departure, even if they could use the array.

"Sheng-er created another array." Wu Fan answered. "The array connects to the Dongxin Town." He said. The reason why he didn't let Ming Ye and Luo Shi used their sect's array to send the Xinfaxian sect disciples despite it is safe is because their array uses a big amount of power to be activated. This is also the reason why Xie Lan collapsed when he arrived in the Youxiwang Sect. He also had to borrow Fan Wen's power, making Fan Wen like a spent arrow. The reason for the big consumption of power is because of not only the distance, but also the barriers. The Xinfaxian Sect has also their own barrier, thus the additional amount of power to be spent on the array. That is why no one uses the array. It is power-consuming. Cheng Sheng creating an array is a talent. And he and Chen Jing doesn't need to spend much power to send them to Dongxin Town since there are no barriers to be crossed through there.

"That's…" Fan Wen said, speechless. They, of course, as Cheng Sheng's second parents, already noticed Cheng Sheng's talent. Suddenly, he gasped when a thought came into his mind. "Lan!" he called and turned to Xie Lan. "Don't you think… the reason why they want to take away Xiao Sheng – "

Chen Jing, Wu Fan, and Xie Lan, their expression sank. "Xiao Sheng's/Sheng-er's talent." They said. This can be called as the darkest place under the lamp. Even though they acknowledged Cheng Sheng's talent, but they overlooked it because, at the end of the day, Cheng Sheng's cultivation is stuck at a low level. They became overprotective of Cheng Sheng because of this. Now, Cheng Sheng's in danger.

"We can directly go to the Xinfaxian Sect to save him." Wu Fan decided. "We still have the elders of the Wu and Chen family." He said.

"If you will go, who will be left protecting the sect?" Chen Jing asked.

Wu Fan froze. Then, he turned to Chen Jing. His eyes narrowed. "Sheng-er is your son! Why are you stopping me from saving him? And why are you not volunteering yourself?!" he asked as he pointed Chen Jing's chest.

"He is my son and I am worried. But I am trying to be calm here!" Chen Jing retorted.

"So you're saying I am not calm?!" Wu Fan said, his voice raised and thundered in the gigantic pagoda.

The disciples and the elders around cowered in fear. Aia… our sect leader and the Chen patriarch are fighting again. They thought and sighed. Xie Lan and Fan Wen looked at the two men before them. Wu-shixiong, you don't look calm at all! They thought, but held themselves back from saying it. "Wu-shixiong." Fan Wen called, mediating between them. "What you said is correct. We can use the array to go to Xinfaxian. But – " he said.

"But what?" Wu Fan said.

"There's demonic qi surrounding the Xinfaxian, and the other towns near the Xinfaxian." Xie Lan answered. "We can't use the array. We use it to transport, then the demonic qi will also be transported and pollute the Youxiwang Sect." he explained.

Wu Fan shut up. He turned to Chen Jing who shrugged. "Then, what do you suggest?" he asked Chen Jing, raising his chin. He looked like challenging him.

"How about – " Chen Jing said. " – asking help from the Shanliangde Sect?" he asked.