The Scum Is A

"Xiao Sheng?" Fan Wen called as he entered Cheng Sheng's room while Lei Qing and You Rou returned to the venue of the Intersect Competition to inform Xie Lan and the others while Chen Jing, Wu Fan, Fei Lin and Xi Ling will rest.

He helplessly smiled when he saw Cheng Sheng curled up on the bed. "Da shixiong…" he heard Cheng Sheng called in his sleep. "Yin… Fei Yin…" he called again as a tear fell from his closed eye.

Fan Wen felt his heart ached and he leaned down to wipe Cheng Sheng's tear. But, it woke Cheng Sheng.

"Shifu…?" Cheng Sheng called when he saw Fan Wen standing beside the bed. "Did they leave?" he asked, referring to Li Tian and the others.

Fan Wen nodded and informed him of the groups. "Are you okay?" he asked as he sat beside the bed. Then, he touched Cheng Sheng's back and gave him his spiritual energy. "You know… I really feel useless." He said.

"Shifu shouldn't feel that way." Cheng Sheng refuted and frowned.

"No…" Fan Wen shook his head. "As your shifu, I should have looked after you more." He sadly smiled.

"Shifu…" Cheng Sheng muttered before he sighed. He then sat up the bed. "This is my choice." He said and looked at Fei Yin inside the Shapeshifting Blanket's space.

Fan Wen also turned and saw Fei Yin inside. His eyes reddened and his tears can't help but fall. "I really blame myself…" he said. "Xiao Yin died…" he sobbed.

Cheng Sheng turned and saw him crying. Now, he realized how sad Fan Wen is. He can't help but hug his second parent. Because he was already in Xinfaxian after he transmigrated, he felt closer to Fan Wen rather than Chen Jing since it was Fan Wen he first met and grew up under Fan Wen's care even though the father of the original owner's body is Chen Jing. Although Xie Lan also acted as a parent to them, but Xie Lan has been absent for ten years, and it was Fan Wen who raised him, Fei Yin and Li Tian. Feng Mo has his parents.

"I supposed to protect you all… but I let xiao Yin die… I also let you sacrifice your cultivation…" Fan Wen cried. "Xiao Sheng… I am sorry." He said as he hugged him tight.

"Shifu…" Cheng Sheng muttered and lowered his head as he patted Fan Wen's back to comfort him. His eyes reddened and his tears also fell. He didn't realize… Fan Wen had hide deeply his emotions, but all this while…

Cheng Sheng closed his eyes tight as he clenched his fists. "I also shouldn't have been selfish…" he said as he buried his face on Fan Wen's shoulder and, finally, he cried.

Fan Wen's lips quivered when he felt Cheng Sheng's tears fell on his shoulder. All these years… Cheng Sheng cried only once. And that was when the other half of the Millennium Ship fell in the Abyss, bringing along Fei Yi's corpse. After that, he didn't cry. He only insisted to go down the Abyss to find Fei Yin.

And now, he finally succeeded bringing Fei Yin back. Yet, all the sadness he felt these years knowing that he can't save Fei Yin by himself… he also actually felt sad, unwilling, to sacrifice his cultivation that he earned hard in exchange of his life. Yet, in exchange for thousands of lives remaining in the continent, he let go of his cultivation just to lower Wu Ran's guard. It is also uncertain whether he would succeed or not. Fortunately, luck was on their side.

"I knew it." They heard Xie Lan's voice spoke. "Finally… both of you cried." He said and smiled when he saw Fan Wen and Cheng Sheng crying.

He has already noticed that Fan Wen was holding back his tears to not let their children… ehem, disciples be affected of what happened to Fei Yin and Cheng Sheng. If even Fan Wen cried, how about Li Tian, Feng Mo, Lei Ling, You Rou and Lei Qing? Most especially Cheng Sheng. Thus, Fan Wen restrained his grief over Fei Yin's death, as well as Cheng Sheng's sacrifice, as to not add to their disciples' depression and sadness.

Yet, he still has to shed tears. As well as Cheng Sheng. So, when he noticed that Fan Wen didn't return with Lei Qing and You Rou, he left and went to Yunxiao Inn. And he was right that both people that he cared most about finally let go of their emotions.

"You two have worked hard." He spoke as he patted their heads.

Cheng Sheng's eyelids became heavy and he fell asleep. He was already exhausted. Fan Wen immediately helped him lie down before he turned and hugged Xie Lan tight.

"You jerk." Fan Wen whispered, but he still continued hugging him.

"I know that you just want to comfort xiao Sheng, but didn't find the time." Xie Lan spoke and turned to look at Lei Qing and You Rou who are wiping their tears, yet their tears can't stop falling.

"Come here." Fan Wen called, and the two immediately ran to hug him and cried.

Xie Lan faintly smiled as he let them three cry. Then, he looked at the Shapeshifting Blanket floating beside the bed. Fei Yin is lying inside, looking like he was just sleeping.

...

A day has passed and a new day arrived. The four groups who went in four directions returned empty-handed.

"Sorry…" they apologized and embarrassedly looked away from Cheng Sheng. After all, Cheng Sheng worked hard and exhausted himself just to produce four magic tools. He overexerted himself and might have suffered because of it.

Yet, they returned empty-handed.

But, they didn't expect for Cheng Sheng to be calm. "It's nothing. I already expected it." He spoke.

"Huh? 'expected it'?" they started.

Cheng Sheng nodded as an answer. "We tried to make tests. Do you think they are stupid?" he asked them.

They all fell silent. "… oh." They muttered, dumbfounded. That's right. The enemies are already vigilant and then found out that they were doing tests and they are treated as test subjects. Would they remain in their posts and wait for them and help them with their tests?

Fan Wen chuckled seeing everyone's dumbfounded expressions. Chen Jing, Wu Fan, Fei Lin, Xi Ling, and even Sun Rong and Qie Shi snickered and looked away to laugh.

"Ehem." Xie Lan coughed, breaking the awkward atmosphere. "Everyone is anxious and wanted to produce results so we have overlooked this fact. No one is to blame." He told them.

"Yes…" Li Tian, Feng Mo and the others listlessly and hesitantly agreed with what Xie Lan said. They know that Xie Lan made up an excuse for them but they still felt defeated.

Even the serious Jing Cheng's cheeks are flushed in shame. "Sorry." He apologized and looked at Cheng Sheng.

"We are also too excited to use the new invention…" Xiao Le pouted.

Xi Xing, Tang Yun and Feng Mo who were also excited blushed in shame. "…"

"Huh? What happened, everyone?" Lei Ling asked when he and Jing Kang arrived in the dining hall and noticed the strange atmosphere. They also saw that everyone looked listless.

"Hm? Ah Kang. Where did you and Lei Ling go last night?" Jing Bai asked when he noticed that Jing Kang and Lei Ling suddenly disappeared at some time last night.

"… didn't the author forget to write some lines for us since she has forgotten our presence?" Lei Ling asked and wryly smiled.

Everyone. "…" don't just casually break the fourth wall! We'll all be in trouble! They thought.

(Gray Dragon: lie! I didn't forget you and Jing Kang! >.<!)

"Sun Rong and Qie Shi called us while all of you formed groups." Jing Kang answered.

"Huh?" they all turned to Sun Rong and Qie Shi.

Sun Rong smiled. "Actually, Cheng Sheng gave the four of us a project. But, because there is a little time last night, he didn't tell you about this." He explained and glanced at Cheng Sheng who just sleepily yawned.

"What project?!" everyone immediately straightened up on their seats when they heard it.

Sun Rong slyly smiled seeing everyone turned enthusiastic. "It's about the Visual Origin Talisman." He answered. "I had Jing Kang and Lei Ling connect it with the mirrors in the inn so that we can see the spirit servants and other spiritual entities so we can see them and then defend ourselves from them in case they harm us." He explained.

"Oh…"

"Related to this, Cheng Sheng had Jing Kang make something." Sun Rong continued and turned to Jing Kang.

"He said that he wanted me to make a new talisman that can touch the spirit servant and trap it." Jing Kang answered.

Everyone's eyes brightened. "Really?!" they exclaimed.

Jing Kang nodded. "My knowledge about the spirit servants are inadequate so Cheng Sheng gave me some tips from the principle behind the Spirit Tracing Bell." His eyes narrowed. "I can't let the spirit servants harm the people.." He spoke.