The Scum Is A ***

Lei Ling's knees are shaking and he almost tripped himself over when he came upstage. "Ah. Ugh!" he cried when he really tripped. He fell face first on the ground. "..." damn it! He wanted to cry! That hurt! He thought as he forced back his tears. He doesn't want to embarrass their sect further. I'm sorry, everyone.... he thought as he closed his eyes tight to keep his tears from falling and then he rose from the ground. 

"Hey! Where'd this guy come from? Is he really from Xinfaxian?" he heard the audience said and laughed.

This is bad. Cheng Sheng thought as he and Fei Yin looked at each other. Li Tian and Fei Yin won, giving the people an impression everyone from Xinfaxian Sect are strong. They are not undefeated. However, if Cheng Sheng could, he wanted to avoid it. Lei Ling losing will make the people think Lei Ling is weak, and he made the Xinfaxian Sect lose face.

If he could think this, Lei Ling also could. Lei Ling might be clumsy, but he isn't an idiot. Lei-shidi… he thought and looked at Lei Ling suffering in a stage fright. Founder! He looked at Xie Lan. His gaze is asking for help. 

Xie Lan noticed his gaze and he shook his head. He meant for letting Lei Ling overcome this event in his life. Only Lei Ling can help himself, not them. Even Lei Qing, his overprotective sister, says so too. But for Cheng Sheng… even though he said those words earlier, he still... 

"Cheng-shidi." Fei Yin called and patted his shoulder. Cheng Sheng raised his head and looked at Fei Yin. "Everyone has their own battle. We can't always protect them. This is this time." He said. "Lei-shidi should face this on his own." He told him.

"Da shixiong is right." Li Tian and Feng Mo said as they patted his back. They finally recovered themselves. "It hurts us to see, but this is inevitable." he told him. 

"Believe in my younger brother." Lei Qing said as she and You Rou stepped forward and watched Lei Ling. "It'll be painful for us, and it'll be more painful for him. However – " she said. " – I know Ah Ling will overcome this!" she said.

Cheng Sheng felt their situation earlier reversed. He said those big words earlier, but now... it was him endlessly worrying for Lei Ling. He had been too impulsive after seeing Lei Ling was determined. He wanted to hit himself. He also should've stopped Lei Ling earlier. He thought and looked at Lei Ling who's already on the stage. It is too late now. He thought and balled his fists. 

Sun Yi looked at the Xinfaxian Sect standing together as they watched their weakest member trying to put up a fight against Xi Xing. "It can't be helped to envy them." he said. "They may be a small sect, but their heart is bigger than others." He said and looked at Chen Han.

Chen Han smiled. "That's why I can't help but fall for Ah Tian…" he said as he remembered when Li Tian, although he hated him, but still secretly sent him food during the times he sneaked in the Xinfaxian Sect to observe Cheng Sheng. "They're all kind-hearted people." He said as he looked at Li Tian.

He can't help but boast about his lover. Sun Yi thought, but nonetheless nodded in agreement. He watched as Lei Ling took out his talismans.

In a fluster, Lei Ling's talismans fell on the ground. "AH!" he exclaimed and picked up the talismans in a panic, and his grip was stronger this time thus he had crumpled his talismans. "AH – " he cried, then his eyes watered. His hands are also shaking in fright and nervousness. 

"BOOO! Where did this rabbit come from? Look how frightened he is!" the audience said as they looked at Lei Ling. Their face is filled with dissatisfaction. 

"Can't believe he's from Xinfaxian Sect, too." Another one said.

Lei Ling's face is red because of shame. He steadied himself as he raised his talisman and faced Xi Xing. Even the emcee's eyes can't help but hurt watching Lei Ling. "B-Begin!" he said and immediately left the stage. He can't watch longer. The kid is too pitiful! He had seen countless battles before, but this one is the worst! He thought and sighed. He couldn't help but lament Lei Ling's situation. 

"Lei-shidi – " Cheng Sheng called out of worry when he saw Lei Ling was walking around the stage, but his steps are unsteady.

Xi Xing blinked his heavy eyelids and saw a rabbit vigilantly looking at him. … why do I feel guilty? He thought. He felt he became a bully.

He looked around and saw the audience are booing, glaring at Lei Ling. What the hell are they doing? He thought, his gaze bewildered as he looked at them. His eyes narrowed at them, then he looked back at Lei Ling. He saw his eyes are red and watery. He's about to cry. He thought. He's not an idiot to not realize Lei Ling was crying because of fear and humiliation. I salute you. He thought when he saw Lei Ling was putting up a brave front even though he wanted to run. He can see him trembling, and his grip in his talisman is tight.

That talisman… is already unusable after its ink was spread. He thought. He had a knowledge about talismans since it was taught in the Shanliangde Sect. "I'll help you!" he said as he ran towards Lei Ling.

"… huh?" Lei Ling said and his eyes widened when he saw Xi Xing suddenly moved and rushed towards him. "Wha…wai – what are you thinking of?!" he asked in panic and waved his hands to make Xi Xing stop. "Ah." he muttered when his talisman fell, and Xi Xing already appeared before him. Then kicked him. "..." he felt pain in his stomach. It was too late for his brain to react to the pain since he felt his body flew in the air. 

SLAM! A loud noise can be heard when Lei Ling's body hit something. 

"Ah." Xi Xing said and looked at his leg raised. "… I used a little more strength – " he said and watched as Lei Ling fell on the Zunjingde Sect's side.

"Lei-shidi!" Cheng Sheng and the others cried when they saw Lei Ling went flying.

"… sorry." Xi Xing said when he saw someone from the Zunjingde Sect fell together with Lei Ling. He turned to the Shanliangde Sect's side and saw Xi Ming's look of reproach.

"He didn't use that much strength." Fei Yin said as he looked at Xi Xing whose blank face registered guilt.

"Really?" Cheng Sheng said before he ran to the Zunjingde Sect's side.

"Oww…" Jing Kang cried as he sat up.

"Jing Kang!" Jing Cheng and the twins called after they saw him went flying together with Lei Ling. "Are you alright?!" they asked in a hurry. Qian Lin was following them.

"It was fourth young master Jing?!" Xi Ming exclaimed when he saw Jing Kang's usually dignified image was gone with Lei Ling, who is unconscious, sprawled on top of him. "… I'm really sorry…" he said and lowered his head. He knows how Jing Kang cares a lot of his image. But right now, it was destroyed. 

"Pft – " Qian Lin said can't help but look away. He covered his mouth with his hand while his shoulders are shaking because of laughter.

"Ah Lin...!" Jing Hei frowned as he turned to Qian Lin when he heard him laughed. 

"Lei-shidi!" they heard Cheng Sheng's voice called as he ran towards them. "Lei-shidi… is the person who was hit by him alright?" he immediately asked the group and took out a bottle of magic pills and potions from his qiankun pouch in a fluster. "Who is it?" he asked since the group was blocking his way so he can't see Lei Ling and Jing Kang.

The crowd gasped when they saw the shining magic pills inside the bottle. They can't help but their eyes shine and narrow with greed.

"Is he the one who made those pills?" Qi Ling asked as he stared at the shining magic pills inside the bottles. 

"And those potions?" Jing Xuan added.

The sect leaders all turned to Xie Lan who had a calm expression. "Yes, he is." He answered.

The sect leaders were shaken in fright. Did Cheng Sheng master each area of alchemy?! They thought and looked at Cheng Sheng as they felt stunned. 

"He did." Xie Lan said as if reading their thoughts. A smug smile appeared on his face after seeing their colorful expressions. "This isn't a secret, but Xiao Sheng has low cultivation before. Thus, he mastered the swordsmanship and alchemy to make up for his weaknesses." He said and turned to them. Then, he smiled brightly.

Their face turned dark. If he's this good, then why didn't he took the alchemy tests?! The answer: because Cheng Sheng is equally good with the sword. Now they can't help but feel excited seeing Cheng Sheng's performance when his match comes.