The Scum Is A

"Why did they stop?" the audience asked in puzzlement when they saw Fei Yinzi and xiao Bao stopped.

"They… are evenly matched?" Fei Luo spoke as he stared at Fei Yinzi, then at xiao Bao on the stage.

"'evenly matched', you say…" Sun Yan muttered. "Fei Yinzi indeed became stronger than the last time we fought with him in our sect. Even I am unsure now if I could defeat him the next time we'll fight." He chuckled. "To be evenly matched with him… who is this xiao Bao?" he asked.

"This xiao Bao is undeniably strong. We have met him last time at the entrance, brother." Sun Ri reminded him.

"Oh.. You're right." Sun Yan muttered. "And granduncle even got mad at uncle Rong… hahaha." He laughed.

"But, as your uncle said, this xiao Bao has unknown origins…" Fei Huo said.

"This xiao Bao isn't simple." Xi Bing spoke. "Is he really gonna be the new disciple of elder Cheng Sheng?" he asked.

Xi He sneered.

"We have yet to witness that. Tonight's event is to decide whether this xiao Bao will become a disciple if he wins against Fei Yinzi." He Shun answered. His father was also roped in tonight and took him and his fellow disciples to watch the liveliness, and told him to learn from tonight's event.

It has to be said that tonight is an eye-opener for all of them disciples, since they saw that one of their peers became stronger, and also that there are mountains beyond mountains. There would always be someone stronger and they haven't known them yet.

"But, this child… he is just this young yet he is equally strong with Er Zi?" someone spoke.

"Qi Lan-ge!" Zhu Xi exclaimed when they saw Qi Lan.

"Good evening." Qi Lan nodded at them.

"Last time, everything's in a rush so we didn't get to ask you. Where are you currently staying at?" Su Yi asked.

"At the Guhe Sect." Qi Lan answered. "As a guest." He added.

"Guhe Sect?" they all looked at He Shun.

"After the banquet, I saw young master He lagged behind his similarly drunk fellow disciples so I helped him." Qi Lan explained.

"Oh. That's great, then!" They said.

"But, you're right. This xiao Bao is just a child yet he is equally strong with Er Zi." Su Mi rubbed her chin as she pondered.

As if to prove their words, Fei Yinzi and xiao Bao moved and fought against, exchanging a hundred of blows in just one collision!

"Er Zi… he's being suppressed." Zheng Yi spoke when they noticed a sudden change in the battle.

Jing Bai and Jing Kang nodded in agreement. Fei Yinzi is now being suppressed by xiao Bao!

"A sword spirit is this strong?" Qian Tian asked.

"You forgot that Chen Han, the Chen patriarch and Fei Lin gave him spiritual energy before." Qian Shan reminded him.

"But, that's just for xiao Bao to maintain his human form, right?" Qian Tian asked.

"That's true." Qian Shan shrugged.

"Experience…" You Rou muttered. "Xiao Bao has more experience than Er Zi." She said.

"You're right." Qian Su nodded in agreement. "Not to mention that xiao Bao is copying Fei Yin…" she didn't continue when they saw that xiao Bao flipped in the air and made a roundhouse kick to send Fei Yinzi away.

Fei Yinzi blocked the strike with his sword, but his feet slid back, creating some dust.

"Fck! This child xiao Bao is strong!" someone in the audience exclaimed.

The cultivators watching on the side can't help but show solemn expressions. Naturally, they root for Fei Yinzi who is a cultivator.

"I didn't set up this event just to show you all this and then despise sword spirits." Cheng Sheng spoke as he appeared before them. "Our sword spirits are our next most intimate after our other halves and families." He explained. "They won't betray you so why should you fear them? They aren't your enemies but instead your most loyal allies." He added.

They all fell silent.

"I set up this event to show you that sword spirits can be as strong as us, and so we will gain more allies – strong allies." Cheng Sheng continued. "But, of course, I am not forcing you to call upon them." He shrugged.

"How can this sword spirit be this strong?" Jing Rui asked.

Cheng Sheng knows what he wanted to say. "Xiao Bao already has a knowledge from Fei Yin." He spoke. "He only needs a human body and be supplied by spiritual energy, so…" he glanced at Chen Han.

Everyone looked at Chen Han, who is one of the people who gave xiao Bao spiritual energy.

"You… you!" Li Tian pointed at Chen Han who felt wronged. "If Er Zi loses tonight, I won't talk to you! Hmph!" he turned his back on Chen Han and scooted closer to Feng Mo.

"Ah Tian!" Chen Han cried. Seeing no response from Li Tian, he turned to look at Cheng Sheng, feeling aggrieved. "Ah Sheng… help me talk to your sister-in-law!" he told him.

"Li-shixiong is right. You, father and elder Fei Lin will be responsible if my disciple loses." Cheng Sheng spoke as he looked away.

Chen Han. "…" I am wronged! QAQ

Everyone laughed in schadenfreude. But, when they turned to Cheng Sheng, they don't know whether to laugh or cry. "…" you are also one of the people responsible if your disciple loses! Why did you make your disciple fight xiao Bao?! They thought.

As if reading their thoughts, Cheng Sheng smiled. "Don't you know who is his master?" he asked them. "If you don't have faith on me, then you should have faith on Er Zi, shouldn't you all?" he turned back to the stage.

"You mean…?" they all also turned to the stage, just in time to see a sudden reversal!

"What the fck?!" the audience exclaimed when they saw that xiao Bao was the one being currently suppressed while Fei Yinzi's attacks are getting fiercer, as if his strength is inexhaustible… or should they say, he was preserving his strength earlier by being passive, just for this opportune moment!

"The opportune moment has arrived!" Tang Yun exclaimed as he held Tang Zhe's hand tight in excitement.

Tang Zhe grimaced as he endured the pain, but also feeling happy since Tang Yun is holding his hand.

"What… what just happened?!" the disciples were all puzzled.

"Children – " Cheng Sheng called as he jumped down and landed beside them.

"Elder Cheng!" they all exclaimed and can't help but feel excited in seeing Cheng Sheng up close. That name-calling and jump are so cool! They thought as they stared at Cheng Sheng.

"Since one of the reasons why I set up this event is to not make the second stage of the Intersect Competition boring – " Cheng Sheng spoke.

Zheng Fu Gong, Pai Lie, the sect leaders and sect elders. "…"

Zheng Yi just laughed while Jing Bai smiled. Anything for his entertainment, Cheng Sheng will do. But, we can't deny that many have benefited from it. He thought.

" – and also to enlighten you youngsters." Cheng Sheng continued as he opened his fan.

"Elder Cheng means…?!" the disciples excitedly asked, especially Ling Yun.

"Tactics, child. Tactics." Cheng Sheng told them. "Strength isn't the only way to win. Even an ant can topple an elephant." He said. "A weaker person can defeat someone stronger than him if he can use his brain." He explained.

"Oh!" the disciples exclaimed.

"For example, Er Zi." Cheng Sheng pointed the stage with his fan. "Earlier, you have seen him equally on par with xiao Bao, right?" he asked.

They nodded. "Yes!" they answered.

"For now, we can't say if he is really of equal strength with xiao Bao." Cheng Sheng smiled.

"Huh?" they were dumbfounded.

"Deception. Deception, children." Cheng Sheng said.

"Oh!" the disciples nodded in understanding.

Meanwhile, the elders and sect leaders, as well as the audience eavesdropping. "…" Cheng Sheng, you are teaching them crooked ways again?! They all thought when they remembered Cui Xiao's bluff before.

But, they can't say that this is not helpful. In fact, this is very helpful! Thus, they can't refute him.

"Let's say Er Zi is weaker than xiao Bao. For him to look like he is of equal to xiao Bao, he has to match xiao Bao's strength. Thus, he had to go beyond his limits!" Cheng Sheng told them.

"So, that's why Er Zi suddenly looked stronger." Sun Yan muttered.

"You can't say that he won't become stronger from this, can you?" Cheng Sheng winked.

The disciples. "…" fck! This event is an opportunity to get stronger! They realized.

"As to how Er Zi suddenly looked weaker, then looked stronger again, gaining the upper-hand now – " Cheng Sheng smiled. " – it is to lower one's guard, then strike him decisively until he can't strike you back!" he told them. "Also, it can contributed to – " he looked at the stage. " – xiao Bao." He called. "You've become complacent." He told him as they all watched while holding their breaths xiao Bao fell on the stage.

Fei Yinzi won.