Chapter 51 - The Scum Is Special

"I mean 'special' – " Fei Huang coughed and he looked away. Xi Ling blankly stared at him. Fei Huang cleared his throat as he continued. "Cheng Sheng's soul, its origin is unknown." He said, his chin high looking like a mystic. "I heard you brought them to ask me some questions." He stopped and turned to Xi Ling who was secretly rolling his eyes. "I am hoping I could also get some clues from Cheng Sheng's questions." He sighed and shook his head. Unfortunately, Fei Yin took Cheng Sheng away before they could begin. Fei Huang set up the barrier to sound out Cheng Sheng's soul. He had set up the Spirit Infiltration Barrier to detect if the people coming in his territory is an ally or an enemy. As to Cheng Sheng, when the barrier hit his soul, Cheng Sheng felt inexplicable pain, rooting from the point that connects his soul and dantian. It was because the spiritual veins of Cheng Sheng's soul took a direct hit. Even though the qi is flowing to Cheng Sheng's spiritual veins, but there seems to be something blocking Cheng Sheng's soul, making his soul unseen by the spiritual eyes. This thing that blocks Cheng Sheng's soul from being seen was the reason why Cheng Sheng's soul detached from Chen Sheng's body. "What is this thing…?" he muttered.

"Hm? Did you say something, sect leader?" Xi Ling asked.

Fei Huang shook his head and turned to him. "You can now go and help Lin-er. The sect is still under attack by the strange corpses. They seemed endless." He sighed. "It is not good to be missing for long." He told Xi Ling.

"Yes, sect leader." Xi Ling bowed. "How do we arrange the Youxiwang Sect and the Xinfaxian Sect's departure?" he asked.

"I heard that Cheng Sheng is a prodigy." Fei Huang said. "He is well-versed in alchemy – making talismans and arrays." He said. "Tell Lin-er to arrange a hidden space for them to set up the array. Who knows, we can use this array in the future." He told Xi Ling and finally left.

"Yes, sect leader." Xi Ling answered and also left to go to Fei Yin to report.

Northeast Peak.

"Xiao Yin, what happened to Xiao Sheng?!" Xie Lan asked as he rose from his seat. Cheng Sheng is lying on Fei Yin's embrace, unconscious.

"I didn't expect for uncle to act sooner." Fei Yin said as he brought Cheng Sheng to the next room, Ming Ye and Xie Lan following behind him. "He set up a barrier to probe Cheng-shidi's soul. Cheng-shidi was affected." He said and gently laid down Cheng Sheng on the bed.

"Probe the soul…" Ming Ye said and looked at Xie Lan. "What did elder Fei say?" he asked as he turned to Fei Yin.

"… Cheng-shidi's soul changed." Fei Yin answered.

Xie Lan and Ming Ye fell silent. It's as they expected. Chen Sheng's body was possessed. And Cheng Sheng is the soul that occupied Chen Sheng's body. Where did Chen Sheng's soul go, then? Who is Cheng Sheng? Why can't they see his soul? So many questions, but only Cheng Sheng could answer them. And they don't know if Cheng Sheng will answer them. They looked at Fei Yin. "Xiao Yin." Xie Lan called. But, before he could say anything, Fei Yin spoke.

"Cheng-shidi is Cheng-shidi. If founder will kick him out of the sect, I'll leave the sect with him." Fei Yin said.

Xie Lan and Ming Ye was stunned. They don't know why Fei Yin was so attached to Cheng Sheng. Xie Lan only met Fei Yin the same time Cheng Sheng appeared in the sect. Ming Ye only knew that Fei Yin and Chen Sheng met during when they were young in the Xili Town – the border between the west and the north. "I know." Xie Lan said. "I never intended for Xiao Sheng to leave. We are all a family. As I have said, no matter who will you become in the end, your shifu and I will always be on your back to support you." He told Fei Yin.

"Chen-xiong will also say that." Ming Ye said. "Once a family, will always be a family to the Chens. Chen-xiong will treat Sheng-er the same." He said.

Fei Yin nodded and bowed to them. "Many thanks, founder. Elder Ming." He said.

The two nodded. "What did elder Fei say about Sheng-er's soul?" Ming Ye asked. "Why is the man after Sheng-er's soul?" he added.

"Sect leader Fei said that Cheng-shidi's soul is strong." Fei Yin answered as he passed on Fei Huang's words to them.

Xie Lan and Ming Ye's face became serious. "Refining a soul… so they know the truth about Sheng-er's soul?" Ming Ye said.

Xie Lan's brows knit. "That man… he is helping Xiao Sheng." He said when he finally learned about what the man did to Chen Sheng's body. Chen Sheng's body is acting as the container to Cheng Sheng's soul. The man strengthened Chen Sheng's body by making it develop a golden core using the Spirit Awakening Method. "He wanted to take Xiao Sheng… to refine him. But – " he frowned. " – in the end, he left Xiao Sheng to us. What is his real purpose?" he asked.

Ming Ye sighed. "Only that man knows…" he said. "But, now that we know Sheng-er's soul is special, we should – " he said and froze. " – protect him… more…" he said, then sharply turned to Xie Lan.

Xie Lan's eyes are wide as he stared at Cheng Sheng, also realizing Ming Ye's words. "That man wants us to protect Xiao Sheng more?" he muttered under his breath.

"Sheng-er's soul is strong, as elder Fei said." Ming Ye said, his face grave. They just discovered a secret. "If Sheng-er's soul will be refined…" he pressed his lisp tight. "Maybe, the man knows that the demonic cultivators will target Sheng-er?" he asked.

"The Youxiwang Sect was attacked first. The Youxiwang Sect sent Chen Han to fetch Wen and I. But, I sent Xiao Sheng and his shixiongs. Then, the Xinfaxian Sect was attacked." Xie Lan said. "Xiao Sheng and his shixiongs came back. But, the man appeared and stopped the corpses from attacking, and helped Xiao Sheng. Then, the Youxiwang Sect was attacked again and this time, Wu-shixiong went missing. The demonic cultivators wanted to kidnap Wu-shixiong, but Mu Jun intercepted them." He said. "So – " he looked at Ming Ye and Fei Yin. " – the demonic cultivators attacked the Youxiwang Sect to lure me and Fan Wen out of the Xinfaxian Sect in order to take Xiao Sheng. However, Xiao Sheng went to the Youxiwang Sect. When the demonic cultivators finally attacked the Xinfaxian, they discovered Xiao Sheng wasn't there." He turned to Ming Ye. "Then, you and Luo-shixiong accompanied Xiao Sheng and the others back to the Xinfaxian. However, Xiao Sheng was taken away by that mysterious man." He said.

Ming Ye nodded. "That man also dispersed the demonic qi. Then, when Wu-shixiong visited Sheng-er, they took advantage of this and tried to kidnap Wu-shixiong to weaken the Youxiwang Sect. They thought – " he looked at Xie Lan. " – Sheng-er was still in the Youxiwang Sect so they wanted to attack the Youxiwang Sect again." He frowned. "They guised their purpose of taking Sheng-er away, by making it look like they wanted to attack the Youxiwang sect." he sighed, tired.

Xie Lan nodded. "They didn't expect for Xiao Sheng to solve these problems they are creating." He said. "However, now, they are attacking the north. What are they planning?" he asked and frowned.

"Is it… really a conspiracy elder Fei had said?" Ming Ye asked.

"There's also the internal conflict in the sect." Fei Yin spoke. They looked at him. "Judging from my brother and uncle's behaviors, they think that there's a traitor in the sect. That's why they are being cautious." He explained.

Xie Lan and Ming Ye nodded. They listened to the roars of the strange corpses from afar. "So, this traitor is using the strange corpses to divert the sect's attention?" Ming Ye asked.

"I think – " Fei Yin said as his eyes narrowed. " – this is a real attack to the Shanliangde Sect." he said.

Xie Lan and Ming Ye sharply turned to him. "What?!" they said, shocked. "Who would dare make an enemy of the Shanliangde Sect?" Ming Ye asked, then froze. "Right." He said as he looked at Xie Lan. "There's one sect that would dare." He said.

"Zunjingde Sect." Xie Lan said.

"However – " Ming Ye said. " – do they need to collude with the demonic cultivators to attack the Shanliangde Sect?" he asked.

"Who knows." Xie Lan said as he looked outside the window. "Maybe it's the other way around – " he turned to Ming Ye. " – they are using the name of Zunjingde Sect to attack the Shanliangde Sect." he said. "Even though the relationship of every sect is rocky, but the hostility between the Shanliangde Sect and the Zunjingde Sect is known." He walked towards a chair and sat beside Cheng Sheng's bed. "The demonic cultivators might have calculated. That if the attack on the Shanliangde Sect is known, then the people would connect it to the Zunjingde Sect. The image of the Zunjingde Sect will collapse by conspiring with the demonic cultivators." He explained.