The Scum Is A

Feng Mo remembered that they took longer than they could to reach Zhongyang is because they were attacked by thieves. Fei Yin, Cheng Sheng, Feng Mo and Li Tian fared well dealing with the thieves, but this was the first time for Lei Qing, Lei Ling and You Rou to be outside Xinfaxian – which is a haven for them.

Lei Qing managed to defeat some, but was overpowered and almost got injured had it not for Li Tian helping her when three thieves joined forces to deal with her. Cheng Sheng was protecting You Rou while Feng Mo protected Lei Ling. Fei Yin was their vanguard.

After the thieves ran away, Cheng Sheng suggested an idea for You Rou and Lei Qing to protect themselves more. "You are women. I am not misogynist, but we can't say for others." Cheng Sheng said when they camped that night. "Shimei." He called.

"Yes, Cheng-shixiong?" You Rou answered.

"Do you know how to dance?" Cheng Sheng asked.

You Rou blushed. "Y-yes…" she shyly answered and lowered her head to avoid Cheng Sheng's gaze.

Cheng Sheng seemed to have guessed her thoughts. "I'm not planning for you to dance before us." he told her. "I've just thought of an idea." He said.

"What is it?" Feng Mo curiously asked. If it is Cheng Sheng, it would be something... unique. For sure. 

"Last time we passed by a town celebrating the feast for their deity, an idea came up to me when I saw the women dancing." Cheng Sheng explained. The town is like the Dongxin town, but smaller. Everyone in the town are related to each other. Like them, they also live in a valley. The mountains surrounding their place is more than the number of mountains surrounding Xinfaxian. Thus, it looked like hidden from everything. Fortunately, someone from the town passed by them and gave them a ride when he found out they were looking for a place to stay. Then, he told them they were celebrating a feast for their deity. 

Unanimously, everyone turned at Fei Yin, whose face had gone blanker than his usually blank face. "Cheng-shidi." He called. His voice is too calm, but everyone could guess he's shaking in panic inside. 

"I'm not having impure thoughts!" Cheng Sheng immediately said when everyone turned to look at him like he's a scum... ah. He is. "I'm more attractive than them, how can I lower myself for them?" he said as he smiled and raised his chin too high, making him missing to see them rolling their eyes at him. "Well, I thought of shimei." He continued. "Shimei is a young mistress of their household. She must have learned the arts?" he looked at You Rou who immediately nodded, her head like it's pounding a garlic.

"Cheng-shixiong is right." She said. "My parents thought, aside from the arts, I should also learn how to dance to entertain my future in-laws. However…" she smiled. Xie Lan and Fan Wen arrived in Xinfaxian, and she became a mage cultivator.

Cheng Sheng nodded as he turned to everyone. "I saw the dancers' long sleeves. I think it's really beautiful." He said and stood up. "Shimei. You follow my actions." He said and raised his hand.

"Yes." You Rou said as she stood and also raised her hands. Their wide sleeves are hanging in their arms, and the others were closely watching them.

Cheng Sheng raised his heel, then leapt towards one of the boulders near the pond. They remembered, this is one of the steps of the dance. The dancers were standing on the poles, then turned on their heel at the top of the pole with their arms raised, making their sleeves flutter beautifully.

Cheng Sheng did as what the dancers did. "See? It's beautiful." He said.

"How can it help shimei?" Lei Ling asked.

"Her sleeves need to be longer." Cheng Sheng answered.

"… huh?" they said. Longer? They thought, feeling confused. Well, they're always confused of Cheng Sheng's actions, but will understand them later. Also, Cheng Sheng wouldn't harm any of them, thus they trust him. 

"Shimei's sword skill is poor. Thus, she needs to supplement it with her body." Cheng Sheng said. "The pills can't directly harm her opponent, thus she needs to use her fists when she failed in her sword." He explained. "When we fight using our fists, our sleeves would interfere with our opponent's vision. Thus, many take it as an opportunity and use them to blind their opponent." He said and turned to You Rou. "Shimei can use her dancing skill to fight." He said. "However, our sleeves are limited in length, to which the extent of its use varies from. It's not a long-term use to block the opponent's vision" He explained.

"Thus, shimei needs to lengthen her sleeves." Li Tian said.

"Yes." Cheng Sheng nodded.

"I can also sew!" You Rou said, her eyes shining in worship as she looked at Cheng Sheng.

And here's another brainless fan of Cheng Sheng. They thought and glanced at Lei Ling who was listening attentively to Cheng Sheng. "Can't it be applied to my jie?" he asked.

"Can't." Cheng Sheng said as he walked back to them. "The Billowing Sleeves Technique needs a nimble body." He explained.

Lei Qing grimaced. Her muscles are hard because she always trains. "I really can't." she said and looked at You Rou with a complicated gaze.

"For shijie, her sleeves needed to be cut shorter." Cheng Sheng said and looked at Lei Qing's sleeves.

"Huh?" they said. He has another technique he came up with?

Lei Qing smiled. "Indeed, my sleeves are restricting me when I fight." she said and flapped her arms.

"How?" Feng Mo asked.

"She uses her fists more when it's close combat." Fei Yin explained.

Lei Qing nodded. "Yes." she said. "I actually wanted to use my fists than my sword. I can control my movements more if I'd use my fists than my sword." She explained. Her fists are part of her body, thus she knew well how to move them. 

Isn't this just barbaric? They thought. "Shijie. I'll help you cut your sleeves!" You Rou told her.

"Thank you." Lei Qing smiled.

After that, You Rou sewn her and Lei Qing's extra uniform. The next day and Cheng Sheng taught them the new techniques he came up with. As for Lei Ling and Li Tian, Fei Yin and Feng Mo helped them train their body more to endure more physical attacks from their future opponents.

"Right." Feng Mo said as he pulled out from his thoughts. "We haven't seen it." He said. Cheng Sheng would secretly leave with You Rou and Lei Qing to teach them. He acts both as their teacher and opponent. If they would have crooked thoughts, they would think differently of Cheng Sheng's behavior. However, even though he's a scum, but he's a gentleman. And, You Rou and Lei Qing are his family, too. Thus, he won't have lascivious thoughts towards them.

"That's right." Lei Ling said. "Tomorrow is the Solo Stage – the one-on-one fight. Jie and shimei would finally use the Billowing Sleeves and Five Palms Technique." He said. Only the name of the techniques was what they knew after Cheng Sheng told them.

"It's as they said. It'd be really a surprise." Feng Mo smiled.

"Cheng-shixiong!" they heard You Rou called as she and Lei Qing stopped before Fei Huang and Chen Jing to look for Cheng Sheng. Xie Lan is still floating in the pond.

Fei Yin stopped not far from them and waited if Chen Jing and Fei Huang would let You Rou and Lei Qing see Cheng Sheng. They did. And it broke his heart. He would have almost wanted to duel with the two!

"Where's Cheng-shidi?" Lei Qing asked as she tried to peek inside the room behind Fei Huang and Chen Jing.

"Xiao Sheng is still resting – " Chen Jing said.

"I'm fine now." Cheng Sheng appeared behind them. "Shijie. Shimei." He called. "I'll help you train." He walked towards them.

"Are you really fine now?" Lei Qing asked.

"Yeah." Cheng Sheng answered as he picked up his sword lying beside Chen Jing. "I just forgot to regulate my temperature back to normal earlier." He explained. "Let's go." he told You Rou and Lei Qing as he passed by them. 

Fei Huang and Chen Jing watched Cheng Sheng left with You Rou and Lei Qing. "Yin-er." Fei Huang called. "Go after them. We don't know about the Spiritual Awakening Method. But knowing his stubbornness, he must be pushing himself." he explained.

Fei Yin nodded and silently followed Cheng Sheng's group. "That kid…" Chen Jing sighed.

"You'll just be surprised, someday, to find out they have all grown up." Fei Huang said. "Whether for better or for worse, it's yet to see." He picked up his cup and took a sip.

"I can assure you. They're all better children now." Xie Lan said.

"Knowing you raised them, we can't feel assured." The two said and looked at Xie Lan happily floating in the water. I hope he'd catch a cold. They thought.