The Scum Is A ***

After Tang Li's match this afternoon, the sect elders got nothing to watch for and disciples to cheer on so they chatted, whiling the time away until the afternoon finishes before they return to their homes and inns for the night.

"The solo battle shall be held for three days, with three matches this afternoon, six matches tomorrow and another six matches the day after tomorrow." Li Tian spoke as they entered the Yunxiao Inn with their disciples following behind them.

"Yes. Three matches in the morning and three matches in the afternoon." Feng Mo nodded in agreement.

"The double battle will be held for four days, then." Lei Qing spoke.

"Yeah. Five matches in each day, with two matches during the morning and three matches in the afternoon."

"For next week, the group battle… there are eight teams." You Rou said. "That makes it four matches." She said.

"The battle will last for a week though, so it should be a battle of attrition." Fan Wen spoke. "The time allotment should be a day and a half." He said.

"En." Xie Lan nodded. Then, he turned to Cheng Sheng who is walking beside them while Fei Yinzi who is walking behind Cheng Sheng is staring ay xiao Bao who is also walking behind Cheng Sheng and walking beside him.

"Shizun…" Fei Yinzi called as he retracted his gaze form xiao Bao whose face is stiff from maintaining the indifferent expression. "This… child. Is he really your new disciple?" he asked.

Everyone looked at this pair of master and disciple and is expecting the drama.

Cheng Sheng naturally is aware of what they are thinking since he is the one who started all this. "Hm? And what will you do if he really will be my new disciple?" he asked back as he turned to Fei Yinzi.

Fei Yinzi's eyes widened in disbelief, and he looked like he had been betrayed. Xie Lan, Fan Wen, Li Tian, Feng Mo, Lei Qing and You Rou felt their hearts softened and throbbed seeing Fei Yinzi's expression. Unfortunately for Lei Ling he can't see this drama tonight because Jing Kang took him home, leaving Wen Wen with them.

"Cheng-shibo?!" Wen Wen, Cui Xiang and Cui Xiao who were silently listening exclaimed in shock when they heard what Cheng Sheng said.

"Cheng-shishu…?!" Wen Yan, Zhu Xi, Su Yi and Su Mi were also shocked.

But, Fei Yinzi ignored them. "I… I - !" he clenched his fists as he glared at xiao Bao who is the most innocent of them all. "I don't accept!" he finally answered.

Cheng Sheng's brows shot up. "Are you the master, or am I?" he calmly asked as he crossed his arms on his chest.

"It's shizun." Fei Yinzi answered as his expression turned docile. "But… but… I can't accept him!" he said and pointed xiao Bao.

Cheng Sheng naturally could see through his disciple's thoughts. "Is it him you don't accept, or is it the idea of me having a new disciple and you will have a shidi?" he asked.

"I – " Fei Yinzi froze. "I… I don't want a shidi…" he answered and lowered his head.

Everyone fell silent and felt their hearts were stung and their eyes are misty as they looked at Fei Yinzi's defeated figure.

"But, xiao Bao is here now." Cheng Sheng doesn't feel the least bit guilty or sad. "What will you do?" he asked Fei Yinzi.

"I will challenge him!" Fei Yinzi answered and looked at xiao Bao who wryly smiled and hid behind Cheng Sheng, only to stoke Fei Yinzi's anger when he saw this act.

"Pft." The elders covered their mouths to prevent themselves from laughing while the disciples are worried to death so they didn't notice their masters' sly smiles.

"Sure, then." Cheng Sheng spoke. "Since you want to challenge him, you can tell xiao Bao the stakes. Xiao Bao." He called as he turned. "You also can tell Er Zi your condition." He told him.

"Master Cheng… I just want to xiao Ling!" xiao Bao told him instead.

"You can't have xiao Ling but I can let him play with you." Cheng Sheng winked.

Xiao Bao's eyes brightened. "Deal!" he said and came out behind Cheng Sheng to face Fei Yinzi.

"Oh? What is this? What is this?" Sun Rong asked as he welcomed the Xinfaxian Sect that just arrived. The other sects have already gone before them because the Xinfaxian Sect accompanied Cheng Sheng to resupply his inventory for alchemy.

Yep. They all went together to accompany Cheng Sheng. There are still enemies lurking in the shadows so they went together.

"Oh. You're just in time to hear this, Sun Rong." Cheng Sheng spoke. "Er Zi and xiao Bao are gonna duel. It is a warm-up before Er Zi would be up for the stage tomorrow or the day after that." He explained.

Fei Yinzi. "…" I didn't hear of this matter? He thought but still glared at xiao Bao.

"Oho? What a good way to train your disciple." Sun Rong grinned. "But, everyone should eat first before anything. You can even the other sects to watch!" he suggested.

The Xinfaxian Sect elders. "…" what a good way to make this a big deal. They thought and wryly smiled.

The Xinfaxian Sect disciples. "!!!" what?! They felt more worried for Fei Yinzi.

"Oh! Nice suggestion!" Cheng Sheng agreed and turned to them. "Come, everyone! Let's not waste any more time! Eat, then fight!" he told them.

The Xinfaxian Sect. "…" is he this happy to pit his disciple? As expected of the scum… they thought but followed after him nonetheless.

They all went to the dining area and Qie Shi arrived along with the waiters bringing the dishes for the Xinfaxian Sect.

"Congratulations to sect leader Tang. Your disciple Tang Li has won." Xie Lan spoke to Tang Teng who is grinning from ear to ear.

"Congratulations, on behalf of our sect." Fan Wen spoke to Tang Li.

Tang Li's face flushed, feeling flattered. "T – t – thank you, elder Fan!" he said and bowed but then he was sitting so his forehead hit the table, making a loud sound.

The Huakai Sect. "…" ugh… they all covered their faces because of shame.

The Youxiwang Sect, Shanliangde Sect, Qianxu Sect and Huli Sect. "…" let's all act like we didn't hear that… they all tacitly looked away to not make the Huakai Sect more embarrassed.

The Xinfaxian Sect disciples who just sat down so they didn't see what happened but heard it. "???" what was that? Something fell? They thought, puzzled.

The Xinfaxian Sect elders who saw everything. "…" why is the Huakai Sect still so unlucky even after all these years? They thought and glanced at Cheng Sheng before they looked away to turn to the clumsy Tang Li whose face, ears and neck are as red as an apple.

They can even see a small, red bump on Tang Li's forehead.

Tang Teng. "…" hehe. He drily laughed.

Tang Zhe, Tang Yun, Guo Cheng and Shan Lu can't help but recall their unlucky days. "…" it seems like our disciples also inherited our bad luck. They thought and wryly smiled, feeling guilty inside.

"Ehem." Xie Lan coughed, breaking the awkward atmosphere. "Aside from congratulating you, sect leader Tang, we also are here to invite you, as well as the other sects present – " he said and turned to the others who are eating dinner.

"For what?" Sun Yu asked as he suspiciously looked at Xie Lan, wondering what is he and his sect up to again.

Xie Lan smiled. "Xiao Sheng is accepting a new 'disciple'. But, Er Zi, his current disciple is unable to accept this so – " he turned to Fei Yinzi who is glaring at xiao Bao, who is calmly eating the dishes before him as if Fei Yinzi doesn't exist. " – Er Zi challenged xiao Bao to a duel." He told them.

"HUH?!" everyone was surprised, though after a second, realized that this is to be expected since they are aware that Fei Yinzi is very attached to his master Cheng Sheng.

Fan Wen helplessly sighed. "Xiao Sheng already approved of this, so…" he didn't continue and just shook his head.

As expected, they saw Cheng Sheng urging Fei Yinzi to eat. "Come on, eat! The more you eat, the more you'll have energy to fight later!" he told his disciple. "Look at xiao Bao's appetite. Don't cry later if you'll lose to him and just accept him as your shidi." He said.

Fei Yinzi started and started wolfing down the dishes before him.

Everyone. "…" Cheng Sheng really knows how to rile up people, especially his disciple. They all thought, then resumed eating while feeling excited for the duel between Fei Yinzi and xiao Bao later.

Meanwhile, the elders and sect leaders already know xiao Bao is a sword spirit so they can't help but click their tongues because Cheng Sheng is really using everything around him just to train his disciple, taking every chance to make Fei Yinzi stronger!