Chapter 179 - The Scum Is A Devil

"He'll drive them to madness." Jing Xian said.

"He will." Qi Ling said.

"Definitely." Su Yuan nodded.

Zheng Fu Gong and Pai Lie. "..." 

The sect leaders who knew nothing comes good when Cheng Sheng threw an olive branch at them. "..." this psychological shadow is one they won't ever get rid of. They thought as they looked at Tang Teng and Li Nanzi. 

Tang Teng immediately paled, fearing for his disciples' fate while Li Nanzi gnashed his teeth in anger. Meanwhile, Qian Shan looked like he's watching a good show. Jing Rui's attention was caught while Fei Huang glared at Xie Lan.

Lei Ling, Lei Qing and You Rou. "..." 

Zuo Zhe who felt he was scammed. "..." He really thought Cheng Sheng would be a white lotus again. He should've known…

Inside the secret realm, Cheng Sheng waited for their answer. "So?" he asked them.

"H-hungry…" they weakly replied.

"I guess so." Cheng Sheng said.

"…" if you know, why still ask? They thought.

"But, I just can't easily give you food." Cheng Sheng said. "Don't you think we owe each other nothing anymore, since yesterday?" he asked them.

"What do you want us to do?" Jing Bai asked.

"We've got no money now to buy the food." Tang Zhe said. "We've got no magic pills left, nor potions." He added. Xi Ming sighed and nodded in agreement.

"I know." Cheng Sheng said. "However, the rule of business states that, in order for everything to be fair and square, one has to give something in return." He told them as he squatted in front of them. "As I've said earlier, if you'll go out to hunt for your food, you'll just die. Not to mention you'll waste time and energy, making you feel hungrier and weaker." He explained. "I didn't imprison you here just to make a fool out of you. It's as I said, I want to prevent you from going out. Your reason will be clouded because of hunger." He told them.

"Cheng Sheng…" they called as they stare at him before their eyes widened when they felt their energy coming back.

"I casted a simple Healing Spell to talk to you properly." Cheng Sheng told them as he lowered his fingers. "You think you have nothing in you now. But, there still is." He said.

"What is it?" Jing Kang asked.

"Your points." Cheng Sheng told them.

Their eyes widened in shock. "What?" they said.

"If I hadn't healed you a bit just now, you would've attacked me." Cheng Sheng said. "The Healing Spell is in return for my safety. So – " he said as he looked at them one by one. " – in exchange for food, will you give us your points?" he asked them. "I won't overcharge, since this is still a competition." He added.

"Is this possible?" Jing Hei asked.

"It is." Zheng Yi answered. "Every competition, there's a hidden rule of exchanging points for something. For example, a weaker person will give his points to the stronger person in exchange of protecting him." He explained. "Some strong people exchange their points for… ehem – " he coughed and looked away. "After all, they'll be staying here for seven days." He added.

Their eyes widened in shock after they heard what he said.

Zheng Yi frowned. "Anyway, points can also be exchanged for food." He told them.

"Then – " Xi Ming said as he looked at Cheng Sheng. " – how much a meal would cost?" he asked. He can't bear to watch Xi Xing become hungry.

"A walking corpse's head costs 50 points." Cheng Sheng said. "Then, a meal for 50 points." He told them. "It's just easy for you to kill a walking corpse, right?" he asked.

Xi Ming nodded. "It's cheap enough." He said and turned to Ruo He. "Give him three hundred points." He told him. That costs for six meals.

"Six meals for us, too!" Jing Cheng said.

"That's ten meals for us." Tang Zhe said and turned to Xin Xin.

"Two meals." Kang Ce said. One for him and the other one for Xin Xin.

Xin Xin sighed in relief as she, Zheng Yi and Ruo He transferred their points to Cheng Sheng.

Cheng Sheng smiled as he looked at his score in satisfaction. "Thank you." He told them and smiled brightly before he returned to their group. The next second, his teammates served them food. "I keep my words. I'll release you after we leave this place. After all, who knows when you'll suddenly attack me, or my teammates?" he said.

"…" they looked at the bowls filled with food that was sent inside the Jail Array through the Moving Talismans.

"We're not that low and ungrateful." Xi Ming helplessly said as they started to eat.

"Is that so?" Cheng Sheng said. "That can't be said for me." he told them and laughed.

"…" they felt the food was stuck in their throat. This has no poison, right? They thought and suspiciously looked at Cheng Sheng.

"But, I play fair, since games and competitions are also a business." Cheng Sheng said. "Now, please enjoy your food while we prepare ourselves. By the time you're done with your dinner, our preparations should be done. Then, I'll release you." He told them.

Jing Hei curiously looked at them. "What preparations are you doing?" he asked.

Cheng Sheng placed a finger on his lips. "That's a secret." He told them before he and his teammates went inside the forest.

"What could it be? I'm really curious…" Jing Hei pouted.

"Just eat." Jing Cheng told him.

Outside the secret realm, the sect leaders who saw their disciples were knocked out cold after they had their fill. "…" so there's really poison in it? They thought. Their face is dark.

"Cheng Sheng must have mixed in a sleep-inducing pill in their food that has a slow effect." Jing Xian explained. The moment the three groups finished eating, they immediately felt sleepy and then fell asleep. Meanwhile, they saw Cheng Sheng's group are very lively and they killed the walking corpses around the area.

In another way, it can be said they were indirectly protecting the three groups who were asleep and weakened.

"Brilliant." Zheng Fu Gong said and smiled. "This is the camaraderie I'm talking about!" he exclaimed as he looked at Cheng Sheng's group. His eyes are filled with appreciation.

… elder Zheng, are you really sure this is 'camaraderie' and not 'fishing in troubled waters'? They thought. Cheng Sheng sure knows how to grab opportunities and profit from it.

They just sighed and waited for the last day of the third stage to arrive.

Inside the secret realm, everyone was awakened by Xin Xin's startled scream.

"What is it?" Tang Zhe asked as he rubbed his eyes and turned to the direction of her voice.

"… my back slipped from the tree's trunk…" Xin Xin answered in a small voice.

Everyone who were disoriented. "..." 

Gong Xian turned and saw the Jail Array has disappeared. "We can go out now." he told them as he walked towards the steaming food left for them as their breakfast.

Everyone followed and was surprised by the foods prepared. There're even the bottles of magic pills and potions and also talismans on the side that was packed for each of them. "… they're surprisingly thoughtful." They muttered and felt warm in their chest.

They immediately sat down, only to feel their body suddenly can't move. A trap?! They thought and remembered the Full Gravity Array used by Cheng Sheng yesterday on the walking corpses.

"Yo! Good morning, gentlemen… and lady." Cheng Sheng's voice can be heard from the Alliance's disciples' Cleansing Stone. "Don't be surprised of the Full Gravity Array. I set it to activate the moment you all have entered it." He explained.

How can we not be so surprised if our body was suddenly held as a hostage like this?! They thought.

As if sensing their thought, Cheng Sheng laughed. "Now, now." he said, his voice patient to appease them. "Those who do not work cannot eat. We've left you breakfast to fill your stomach. Of course, you have to pay for it." He told them.

Them who was about to pick up the chopstick to eat what they thought as a free food. "..." the warmth they felt earlier was gone and was replaced by coldness. Such a black-hearted businessman! They can talk peacefully. No need to lure them then hold them as hostages! 

"Of course, I know that you don't have magic pills left on you as well as potions and talismans, so I already prepared them for you in advance. Aren't I considerate?" Cheng Sheng asked. "Of course, you have to pay for them, too. I'll give you the same price as before – in the form of points. Those who are kind are abused, so I don't dare remain kind for you anymore since I know you might abuse my kindness in the future." He explained. "Oh, by the way. Pay first before you eat, okay? You can talk to tell your Alliance disciple to transfer your points to me, or else you cannot move for half a day." he told them. "So, I'll be expecting your payment! Later~!" he said before his voice disappeared.

"…" their stomach grumbled again and their face darkened more. "CHENG SHENG, YOU DEVIL!" they yelled. They're one step away from madness.