"Martial arts, array, spells…" Qian Shan stared at Cheng Sheng in shock. "Sect leader Xie, your disciple is really a prodigy!" he exclaimed. "Wha… also talismans?!" he said when he saw countless talismans flew out of Cheng Sheng's sleeves without him moving from his place.
"There're also the magic pills and potions." Jing Xian said as he, Qi Ling, Su Yuan and the sect leaders finally arrived. Jing Xian was frowning because of what Cheng Sheng did to him before, but there's admiration in his eyes.
"Then, the first place in the ranking list will be going towards him." One of the sect leaders said.
"Not necessarily." Another one said. "The ranking list is point-based. No matter how strong Cheng Sheng is, but if Jing Cheng or Xi Ming has more points than him, then he'll fall behind them." he explained.
"That's fair." Xie Lan said. But, his expression is smug. "Xiao Sheng doesn't care about the ranking, anyway." He said and looked at Cheng Sheng who was simultaneously manipulating the talismans and throwing spells on Jing Yu.
Suddenly, there was a loud explosion on the stage and the ground shook. "What the… an earthquake?!" someone exclaimed.
"No – " Jing Rui said as the smoke cleared on the stage and they saw a large pit between Cheng Sheng and Jing Yu. "It was a magic pill." He said when they saw Cheng Sheng threw a magic pill towards Jing Yu.
"Hii!" Jing Yu gasped and immediately jumped away. His face paled when he saw another large pit appeared from where he stood earlier. He finally learned how to be frightened. This guy… he's really terrible! He thought as he immediately jumped on all fours to increase his mobility.
"WHA – " Jing Xian gaped at Cheng Sheng. "How can he make magic pills like that?!" he asked. However, no one answered him since they don't know, and would like to know.
"Exploding Pills." You Rou said. Everyone looked at her when they heard what she said. "In short, 'bombs'." She said.
It was definitely Cheng Sheng who told her that! They thought and looked at the countless pits that appeared on the stage. "… will it collapse?" they asked as they looked at each other. The stage is completely destroyed.
"Array, spells, talismans, magic pills…" Zheng Fu Gong said. "The last one is – "
"Potion." Xie Lan said as they watched Cheng Sheng took out a bottle from his qiankun pouch. The talismans and silent spells are controlling Jing Yu in his place.
"What is he doing now?" Gong Xian asked when they saw a blanket flew out of Cheng Sheng's qiankun pouch and covered his face, acting as a mask.
"An artifact?" one of the sect leaders gasped.
"Wait – " Xie Lan said and his face paled as they watched Cheng Sheng opened the potion's bottle. "RUN!" he told them.
"Why?" Zheng Fu Gong asked. When he saw the disciples on the other side also ran, he had a bad feeling.
"That potion is lethal!" Xie Lan said as he started to run when he saw smoke came out of the mouth of the bottle. "It can't kill you, but it'll make you want yourself to die!" he said as he ran as fast as he could.
The audience exclaimed when they saw smoke came out of the stage's barrier and they also started to run.
"What potion is it?!" Xi Ning asked. She's being carried by Xi Ming.
"The Stinky Feet and Mouth Potion." You Rou answered. She's carried by Lei Qing. "Cheng-shixiong said it smells worse than the Dark Swamp." She explained. The Dark Swamp is a foul swamp and can be smelled from far away. It can make one faint just by sniffing it.
"Can you talk after this?" Xi Ming said as they all blocked their sense of smell when they reached outside the venue.
Jing Kang turned and took out talismans from his sleeves. "I have to prevent the smell from going into the manor." He said as he and Qi Ling placed talismans all around the venue.
"Ah." Zheng Fu Gong said when he remembered something. "We forgot to warn the disciples." He said. He's referring to the Alliance's disciples.
"I already laid down enchantments for the disciples who are in closed-door cultivation." Zheng Yi spoke.
"Good work." Zheng Fu Gong told him.
"Huh?" Lei Ling suddenly said as he looked around. "Where's Yu-ge and young master Zuo?" he asked.
"They must have already escaped." Lei Qing told him.
Inside, Yu Sheng and Zuo Zhe passed through Cheng Sheng's barrier and climbed up the stage. Jing Yu was lying on the stage, unconscious and his mouth is foaming.
"Your Highness." Yu Sheng called as he knelt on his knee before Cheng Sheng.
Cheng Sheng stared at him. "… I don't know what you're talking about." He told him.
Yu Sheng fell silent before he sighed and stood. "Let me take care of him. It was him who shot my horse, making me fall to this world." He said and murderously glared at Jing Yu. Without waiting for Cheng Sheng's response, Yu Sheng snapped his fingers and a blue fire appeared. Then, he flicked the fire towards Jing Yu and Jing Yu's body immediately was burned.
"… I'll tell the Alliance that he committed suicide." Cheng Sheng said when there's not even an ash left of Jing Yu's body.
"His Highness is wise and kind." Yu Sheng told Cheng Sheng.
"…" Cheng Sheng was speechless. "As I've said, I don't know what you're talking about." He sighed and fell on his butt. He's exhausted. "I can't walk nor use my array. Give me some qi." he told Yu Sheng.
"Yes." Yu Sheng said as he carefully placed a finger on Cheng Sheng's arm. His face filled with respect. Zuo Zhe silently watched them two converse.
"I have traveled to other worlds before I arrived here." Cheng Sheng said as he felt the qi run inside his body. The Spirit Awakening Method can replenish his qi but it'll take some time.
"Your Highness…" Yu Sheng called. He didn't continue what he's about to say.
"Yes." Cheng Sheng said as he looked at his hands. "That must be why I was so weak." He said.
Zuo Zhe spoke. "That's not it." He said. Cheng Sheng looked at him. "This world restrains your strength." he told him. "It was Yu Sheng who freed you from your restraints." He explained. Then, he thought of what Cheng Sheng had said. He has been to many worlds… could it be, after I crossed over my novels, Cheng Sheng's soul drifted to different worlds before it arrived in xianxia world? He thought. It must be the space and time turbulence? He thought.
Cheng Sheng stared at Zuo Zhe but he didn't ask anything. "I hate troublesome things the most. Especially the ones that requires my time and efforts." He said as he stood up with the help of his sword. "Thus, I won't ask anything. I won't investigate something. I will ignore everything." He swung his sword and it turned to a jade pendant before it tied itself to his waistband. "Don't bother me with these things. I'll kill you." He said, his eyes narrowed as he looked at them. Then, he looked at his fellow disciples who arrived together with the Alliance elders and the sect leaders. "My peace has already disrupted as it is." He said and smiled brightly at Yu Sheng and Zuo Zhe.
Yu Sheng and Zuo Zhe knows. Although Cheng Sheng was smiling, but he's totally irritated. "I understand, Your Highness." Yu Sheng answered and bowed.
Zuo Zhe stared at Cheng Sheng. How can he change so much? He thought and remembered he wrote Cheng Sheng as a Mary Sue character who is playful but filled with sense of justice. The Cheng Sheng that is before him is not as what he had designed him before.
How he greatly changed… to a scum character.
"Cheng-shixiong!" Lei Ling and You Rou called as they ran towards Cheng Sheng. "Cheng-shixiong!" they cried as they climbed up the stage and pulled him then jumped around him as they checked if he has wounds. "You're alright!" they exclaimed in delight when they saw he was fine.
Yu Sheng and Zuo Zhe watched Cheng Sheng smiled at his fellow disciples before they went back to the audience's seat. "Did you tell him?" Fei Yin asked when they passed by him.
"No." Yu Sheng answered. "You can guess why based on your shidi's character." He told him before pulling Zuo Zhe with him.
Fei Yin turned and saw the two sat and then chatted normally as if nothing has happened. Then, he turned and saw Cheng Sheng being surrounded by everyone – most especially Xie Lan who was nitpicking on him.
"You could've escaped from the demonic cultivator using your array after you trapped him, right?" Xie Lan asked as he frowned.
Cheng Sheng just laughed. "Founder – " he called as he looked at Xie Lan. His eyes are shining. " – how was my performance?" he asked.
"Huh?" they said.
"Based on my performance just now, we'd rake in a large amount of money, right?!" Cheng Sheng asked, his voice excited.
"… eh?" they blinked before looking at Cheng Sheng with a dumbfounded expression. He… unleashed all his skills just to score more points and earn money?! Suddenly, they felt pity for the demonic cultivator who was used by Cheng Sheng as a cannon fodder.