The Scum Is A

"This… elder Ho. When did you have a contact with xiao Sheng?" Fan Wen asked Ho Yue after the waiters took Ho Ting away.

Yes. Actually, everyone is just acting cool earlier and went with the flow when Ho Yue appeared so as to not let this Ho Ting who had an unknown origin notice that they actually don't know anything! Because they really don't! They just acted like they did earlier to not let the 'enemy' find out their weakness!

Ho Yue coughed and blushed in embarrassment. "Everyone… thank you for your help earlier." He said and cupped his fist before he bowed. "But, Ho Ting is indeed my nephew. And we are close like what you have seen earlier." He told them.

They all nodded in understanding. Although they now found out that Ho Yue is from another land, they believe in Fei Huang's judgement. He wouldn't take someone in who would become an enemy to them in the future.

Not to mention that Ho Yue also was one of the fighters during the battle five years ago and suffered heavier injuries than them.

Ho Yue knows their worries. "I am aware of your doubts thus I never told anyone about my origin." He spoke. "Not even my disciple." He added and looked at Gong Xian.

Gong Xian nodded. He just discovered his master's origin today.

Everyone. "…" we really couldn't tell. Your disciple has only two expressions, right? Indifference and sleepy. They thought but didn't voice it out.

"It was former sect leader Fei who brought me to the Shanliangde Sect. But, the person I met first was Jing Fu." Ho Yue spoke.

Everyone was stunned, especially the Zunjingde Sect.

Jing Kang stared wide-eyed at Ho Yue. "You… you met my father?!" he asked.

Jing Rui couldn't hide his shock, and neither the Righteous Alliance.

Ho Yue nodded. "Or else, where would you think he has learned the technique of making spirit servants?" he asked him.

"It was from you?!" everyone exclaimed.

Ho Yue nodded in confirmation. "As for your question about Cheng Sheng… it was because he caught me summoning a spirit servant during the battle five years ago against Wu Ran." He told them. "The spirit servant bore the brunt attack of Wu Ran, lessening the injuries of sect leader Jing. Although…" he looked at Jing Rui and sadly smiled. "It didn't bring much change." He sighed.

Jing Rui was surprised, then he bowed. "You helped me enough. If you didn't, I would've…" he spoke.

"Uncle." Jing Cheng stopped him from continuing.

Jing Rui smiled. "Thank you." He told Ho Yue.

"Thank you, elder Ho." Jing Cheng, Jing Bai, Jing Hei and Jing Kang spoke.

"So, that's how xiao Sheng found out about the spirit servants?" Xie Lan spoke.

"Yes." Ho Yue nodded. "The Chen patriarch, former sect leader Wu, elder Fei and elder Xi also know this and are consulting me while they are working for Cheng Sheng." He explained. "Eldest young master Xi, youngest young master Xi, young master Shu and young master Xiao also know." He added. "Oh. And Sun Rong, Qie Shi and Wu Bai." He said when he recalled.

Everyone's expressions cracked. "…" these people! So they actually already know! That's why Cheng Sheng always uses them! And they looked so used to the job! They thought.

The Xinfaxian Sect and Chen Han. "…" feel wronged! Why didn't Cheng Sheng tell them about this, too?!

"As for what I said earlier about coming to Xinfaxian Sect, it was under Cheng Sheng's instruction." Ho Yue continued.

"What instruction?" they curiously asked.

Ho Yue smiled. "To check on Wu Bai's puppets so that they could be more efficient than ever in protecting the Xinfaxian and Xinfaxian Sect, and could act faster in case of danger." He answered. 

"So, Wu Bai's puppets can also be called spirit servants?" they asked when they realized it.

"Yes." Ho Yue answered. "Though it was his own technique, which surprised me." He told them.

They now fully understood.

"Then, you are also working for Cheng Sheng!" they said.

"Because he promised me to keep my secret. And he did." Ho Yue smiled.

"Then, now, we all know this secret… are you still going to work for him?" they curiously asked.

"Isn't everyone working for him, too?" Ho Yue asked back.

They all shut up as their expressions changed.

Ho Yue laughed. "It doesn't matter for whom should we work for, right?" he spoke. "Since everything we do is for the common people's good." He told them.

A smile appeared on their faces. That's right. They thought. What Cheng Sheng did all these is for the common people's good.

"Elder Ho." Jing Kang called when the discussion about Ho Yue's relationship with Cheng Sheng has been closed. "About my father… he… turned into a…" he bit his lower lip.

Lei Ling held Jing Kang's hand tight, assuring him he's now with him. Jing Kang's heart immediately calmed down. That's right. He's not alone anymore.

"So, he…" Ho Yue's smile disappeared.

Jing Kang looked at him. "You know what happened to him, right?" he asked.

Ho Yue fell silent.

"Elder Ho." Jing Rui called with a shaking voice. "My elder brother…" he spoke.

Ho Yue looked at him and Jing Kang with a pity in his gaze. "Actually… Jing Fu was dying when I and Ting-er found him." He spoke.

"What?!" Jing Kang and Jing Rui exclaimed.

"'He was lost in the waves and accidentally drifted to our shore.' This is what Ho Ting told me earlier." Ling Yun spoke.

Everyone turned to him.

"That's right…" Ho Yue muttered and a nostalgic expression appeared on his face. "There was a heavy storm the day before we found him. The next day and we found a man who was bathed in blood along with the broken pieces of a boat. Ting-er and I thought that he was already dead. But, we felt a faint breath on him." He explained. "He was hanging for his life." He told them.

Everyone was silent as they quietly listened.

"Ting-er and I nursed him for many days we almost lost count of." Ho Yue continued. "Then, one day, he finally woke up. And the first thing he saw was one of my spirit servants." He told them. "Ting-er and I were shocked that he could see them. The first words he spoke were, "So many beautiful people are serving me, I should be happy. But, I only wish to return to my wife's and child's side.' Ting-er and I knew that he lost his way, and his is a loyal husband and father." He looked at Jing Kang.

Jing Kang's eyes are filled with tears that are silently streaming down his cheeks.

"But, I had to be the villain and break it to him that he can't return. Yet." Ho Yue spoke. "Fortunately, he is a smart person and knows his condition. He even said that he thought he was already in Heaven. He thought he had died during that storm." He explained.

"Brother…" Jing Rui's voice was hoarse.

"Then, days passed by he remained conscious, which I wished he shouldn't have." Ho Yue heaved a heavy sigh. "He noticed that the 'servants' in our house is strange. Finally, he told us that they aren't humans and that I am controlling them. After a long talk, I found out he is a cultivator and that he came from the big land beyond the seemingly endless sea which I and Ting-er never went to." He said. "He also found out that there are also 'cultivators' in our land, and I and Ting-er belonged to this kind of people." He told them.

Jing Kang clenched his fists as he now had a faint guess about his father's condition.

Ho Yue saw his eyes and his heart sank. "… I have vowed to never tell these to his family. I agreed since I thought I would never meet his family. Who would expect… I will meet you." He said and sadly smiled.

Jing Kang and Jing Rui are silent, but their eyes spoke volumes of sadness and pain for Jing Fu.

"Boy, you have already guessed." Ho Yue spoke in a low voice. "His injuries… it was a miracle that he has a breath left on him. But, it must be fate… yes, it should be fate…" he muttered. "He also realized his condition. He could never return to his family and would die in a foreign land." He looked at Jing Kang and Jing Rui. "But, our meeting… yes, it's really fate. Fate has given him a chance to return in your arms, and die in your land. And the chance is to turn himself to a spirit servant." He told them.

Everyone was shocked, but they didn't dare to breathe loudly.

"Before he died, I gave him some of my spirit servants to protect him after his death and become a spirit servant. For him to safely return to your land… to your side." Ho Yue continued. "And he did.." He smiled, both a mixture of happiness, since Jing Fu returned safely, and distress, since Jing Fu still died.