Chapter 200 - The Scum Is Insightful

Xie Lan, Wu Yuan, Fei Huang, Qian Shan and Jing Rui all tightened their hold in their seat when they saw their disciples became injured. However, they couldn't do anything to help them. They had undergone in this before. 

"Founder…?" Lei Ling and You Rou looked at Xie Lan's dark expression. Li Tian and Feng Mo were injured, together with Xi Xing in their group. Only Sun Yi didn't have any injuries since his impostor hasn't appeared. 

"This is bad." Shu Mu said when he saw Fei Yin is injured. Kang Ce and Yu Sheng, whose impostors haven't appeared, weren't affected by this sudden change. But, Kang Ce has many injuries, too, like Fei Yin, since they were caused by Fei Yin. 

Qian Shan's face is grave when he saw Qian Lin collapsed and Jing Hei frantically called Qian Lin. "Ah Lin…" he called. 

"Jing Cheng…" Jing Rui called when he saw Jing Cheng's complexion turned better after Xi Ming had finally delivered the Cleansing Meridian Pills. Jing Bai and Jing Kang weren't affected by the change since they didn't have their impostors appear. Only Xi Ming, who had joined their trio, was affected. But, Jing Bai and Jing Kang aren't any better since they also suffered injuries from Jing Cheng earlier. 

"Xiao Yun…" Tang Teng called when he saw Tang Yun collapsed while Tang Zhe immediately cured his wounds. Guo Cheng and Shan Lu were also injured, and Wu Xi – who had been silently following them since, helped them despite his own injuries. 

"This Wu Xi…" the other sect leaders said while Li Nanzi fell silent as he stared at Kang Ce. 

"Da shixiong…" Wu Yuan called as he looked at Chen Han. Chen Han wasn't injured since his impostor didn't appear, but he still has a Heart Demon. 

"Gong Xian!" Fei Huang called when he saw Gong Xian doubled over and coughed out blood. "Look out!" he cried when he saw Chen Han's sword descended on Gong Xian. 

"NO - !" they all cried when, suddenly, a silver light struck Chen Han! "Who… Cheng Sheng?!" they exclaimed in joy when they saw Cheng Sheng finally reached Chen Han and Gong Xian and saved Gong Xian! 

Fei Huang's heart in his throat finally settled down. He doesn't know how he'd explain to Ho Yue if Gong Xian would die. He's thankful Cheng Sheng arrived. 

However, their calm didn't prolong when they heard what Cheng Sheng said. "Everyone – " he called through the Cleansing Stone, which surprised everyone, including the contestants who heard Cheng Sheng's voice through the Cleansing Stone. " – throw away your Cleansing Stone." He told them. 

"WHAT?!" they all said. 

"Cleansing Stone is convenient to us since it not only provides us a map, but it can also take us back outside the realm." Cheng Sheng said. "However, not all things are only good. The bad thing is, the Cleansing Stone is harming us, too. It creates the impostors for us." He explained. "If you still want to wear your Cleansing Stone, then be prepared to be hurt, or hurt others if your or their impostors would appear." He told them.

It's not as if they are stupid. The moment they were suddenly injured, they knew it must be those impostors! 

"How do we go back outside, then?" It was Tang Zhe who asked. He's holding Tang Yun in his arms. He might not have hurt Tang Yun since it was Tang Yun who killed his impostor, but still… 

Cheng Sheng held back his tongue that wanted to speak sarcastically again. "Our Cleansing Stone still has its main body." He said. He's referring to the Cleansing Stone in the Spring of Life. 

They all suddenly were enlightened.

"That's right." Cheng Sheng said as he fed the unconscious Chen Han with a Cleansing Meridian Pill while he gave Gong Xian another magic pill. "If you wanted to leave, everyone shouldn't have thoughts of giving up and do their best to reach the Spring of Life." He said as he crushed his Cleansing Stone, together with Chen Han's and Gong Xian's. 

Everyone saw the contestants simultaneously disappeared from their sight. "No way…" they muttered in shock. "How do we know what is happening inside the secret realm?!" they said. 

"There's no need to." A voice said. It resounded in the whole capital. 

Zheng Fu Gong, the Alliance elders and the sect leaders' face darkened and they rose from their seat. They have a bad feeling. 

As they had expected, the voice continued speaking. "Those disciples will die when we crush the Cleansing Stone. As for you all – " it said and the sky in the capital suddenly darkened. " – you'll be dying with them!" it said as a lightning descended from the sky and struck the Cleansing Stone in front of the Alliance elders and the sect leaders! 

"AAAAAA! A demonic cultivator! Run!" the people are not stupid to not associate the sudden change to the demonic cultivators. 

"So they have appeared." Zheng Fu Gong said. 

Pai Lie's face is dark. "How did they get in?!" he gnashed his teeth as he glared at the dark sky that's covering their sight from the secret real in the sky. 

"Let's worry about that later. Let's deal with them right now." Su Yuan said as he threw spells to the demonic cultivators that suddenly appeared. 

"Contact the elders and the disciples on patrol!" Jing Cheng said. 

"Not good. We can't contact our disciples!" a sect leader said. 

"Same with our sect's elders." Another sect leader said. 

Li Nanzi gritted his teeth as he stormed through the demonic cultivators that appeared. "Sect leader Li?!" they called. 

"I won't dally here and have my disciples die!" Li Nanzi yelled as he flew away.

"Sect leader Li…" they muttered. 

"Everyone!" Shu Mu yelled to the crowd. "Calm down and stay together! The disciples will protect you!" he said as he killed the demonic cultivator that appeared. "Escort the crowd to safely leave the area! They are our priority!" he told his fellow disciples. 

"Yes, da shixiong!" they answered. 

"Hah! Hah!" Lei Qing said as she punched the demonic cultivators that attacked them. 

"Hiyah!" You Rou said as she turned mid-air and her skirt slapped the demonic cultivator's head. 

"WAAH!" Lei Ling cried as he threw a talisman on the demonic cultivator that attacked You Rou. 

You Rou smiled as she landed on the ground. "Great job, Lei-shixiong!" she patted his shoulder. "Young master Zuo?!" she exclaimed when she saw Zuo Zhe was casting spells. "You're also a mage?!" she said in surprise. 

"I only know a little." Zuo Zhe answered, but his heart is cursing as he glared at the system manipulating his hands. 

"You're amazing!" the Xinfaxian Sect disciples exclaimed. 

"Xiao Le…" Shu Mu wildly looked around. 

"Shu-shixiong. Weren't you with Xiao Le before?" Lei Ling asked. 

"He… he left earlier…" Shu Mu looked guilty. If only he had followed Xiao Le earlier… 

"Xiao Qing! Xiao Ling! Xiao Rou!" Xie Lan called as he and Wu Yuan approached them. Fei Huang, Qian Shan and Jing Rui along with Tang Teng and the other sect leaders had left to protect the capital. 

Zheng Fu Gong and the Alliance elders were left to protect the Alliance's headquarters. Zheng Fu Gong was fighting off against the enemies while Su Yuan and Pai Lie erected a barrier to protect the Cleansing Stone. Fortunately, it was a barrier that was struck by the lightning earlier but the barrier broke. The Cleansing Stone is still intact. If it'd be destroyed, the contestants cannot go back. 

"Founder! Wu-shixiong… sect leader Wu!" the Xinfaxian Sect disciples exclaimed. 

Wu Yuan nodded at them before he helped Zheng Fu Gong defend the Alliance headquarters. Meanwhile, Xie Lan patted their head. "You help the people, but prioritize your life first. Understood?" he told them and smiled. 

"…" founder, is that what a sect leader should say? They thought. However, since Xie Lan is holding their life – literally by holding their head that could explode anytime if they'd irk him, they were forced to nod. "Yes, founder." They answered. 

"Good." Xie Lan said before he left them to help Wu Yuan and Zheng Fu Gong. 

"You stay here. I'll go find Xiao Le." Shu Mu told them before he left the Alliance's headquarters. 

"… I guess it's only you who are left to defend the stronghold." Zuo Zhe told them. "Leave the demonic cultivators with your founder, Wu Yuan and Zheng Fu Gong. You go protect Su Yuan and Pai Lie. If they'll fall down, the contestants can't go back." He explained. 

"What about you, young master Zuo?" they asked. 

"I have something to do. I'll rejoin you when I had finished it." Zuo Zhe told them before he left. 

"… he's actually reliable?" they can't help but say. After all, Zuo Zhe looked ordinary and it was Yu Sheng who is high-profiled. 

They didn't dally anymore and they went to help Su Yuan and Pai Lie deal with the demonic cultivators attacking them. 

"They looked like they have prepared well this time!" Xie Lan said. 

Wu Yuan nodded. "They waited for the contestants to cut off their means to go back before they attacked." He said. 

Zheng Fu Gong's face is as dark as the sky above them and he cut down the demonic cultivators like he's cutting vegetables. "That voice…" he said. "The leader of the demonic cultivators." He gritted his teeth. 

"Do you recognize him, elder Zheng?" 

Zheng Fu Gong shook his head. "No. But, when I found out who he is, he'd better prepare to hand me his life!" he said.