Chapter 209 - The Scum Is Spooky

The Huakai Sect, and Wu Xi, who went missing, as everyone had guessed, really had 'luckily' entered the underground palace. But, it was through another entrance and not the entrance where the others had camped. Or else, they would have all already met each other.

Their entrance to the underground palace was all thanks, again, to Shan Lu who stupidly followed another impostor inside the entrance. By the time the others had managed to pull him back, mysteriously, the entrance behind them closed and they were trapped inside without properly preparing themselves against whatever that will attack them when they went inside.

"Shan-shixiong…" Guo Cheng speechlessly looked at Shan Lu.

Shan Lu's face was wrinkled from frustration of having been 'deceived' by an impostor once again. And again, the impostor copied Guo Cheng's appearance. Since he wouldn't leave Guo Cheng no matter what, naturally, he followed the impostor Guo Cheng when Guo Cheng took his sight away from Shan Lu for a second. And that second almost made him lose Shan Lu. Fortunately, he immediately found Shan Lu.

The reason why he was inattentive of Shan Lu earlier was because he 'finally' felt Wu Xi's presence and found out that Wu Xi was following them. His initial reaction is to attack Wu Xi, whether it was the original Wu Xi or not. However, before he could make a move, Wu Xi pointed the place where Shan Lu has been earlier.

Yes – 'has been earlier', since Shan Lu disappeared to follow an another impostor Guo Cheng. Guo Cheng's face couldn't be any darker than Wu Xi's clothes. With the help of Wu Xi, they found Shan Lu. He was followed by Tang Zhe and Tang Yun after they saw him going towards a hidden entrance.

Tang Zhe didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He doesn't know whether this was a good luck or bad luck, since their sect has been followed by misfortunes one after another ever since they joined the Intersect Competition.

While Tang Zhe was pondering with their current predicament to make plans, Tang Yun who was idle glanced at Wu Xi.

Wu Xi… when did he join them? He's too quiet (that's because he is a mute!) that they didn't notice him following them! His presence is miraculously too low even though he has a flashy appearance.

Guo Cheng who knows it was because of him Shan Lu was enticed by the impostors finally let Shan Lu off. He turned to Tang Zhe. "Da shixiong, what should we do now?" he asked.

Tang Zhe spoke. "Don't lit up any fire, nor take out a night pearl for now." he answered.

"Why?" Tang Yun, who's about to take out a night pearl because it was dark, asked when he heard what Tang Zhe said.

"Even though it'd be convenient for us to light our way, but we are in an unknown and unfamiliar place that is filled with dangers." Tang Zhe answered. "We don't know if there will be creatures that would be attracted to light. The same goes to fire talismans." He said and turned to Guo Cheng. "We're in an enclosed space, and lighting up a fire would make the air decrease more. Furthermore, lighting a fire talisman would require spiritual energy. We'd better conserve our strength and avoid using spiritual energy, even if it is to heighten our senses." He explained. "We will have each other's back, so do not hide your difficulties and do not be ashamed to ask for help." He added.

"I understand." Guo Cheng nodded while Tang Yun obediently followed Tang Zhe's instruction and kept the night pearl inside his qiankun pouch.

"How should we go on from here, then?" Shan Lu asked.

"Maybe we can feel up the walls?" Guo Cheng suggested.

Tang Yun frowned. "What if there will be bugs? Or carnivorous plants?" he asked. Even if there was no light, they know that Tang Yun's face is filled with disgust.

Not towards Guo Cheng's suggestion… or maybe, a little of it, but it's more towards the bugs.

(A/N: *shivers. Crawlies! I hate crawlies! >.<!!!)

Just as Tang Zhe was thinking, he felt someone tapped him on his shoulder. He opened his mouth and was about to speak when he suddenly froze.

Tang Yun was standing on his left side, and Shan Lu was standing on his right side. Meanwhile, Guo Cheng was standing across him. However, the one who tapped his shoulder is behind him.

Who touched his shoulder?

He suddenly felt a chill ran down his spine and he shivered. Goosebumps appeared on his skin and the hairs all over his body rose. Just as his face started to turn pale from horror, he saw something shone beside his cheek.

"I have a rope with me. We could tie each other to not lose each other." 

… ghost? Tang Zhe thought and his heart skipped a beat. However, just as he was about to speak, Guo Cheng spoke.

"We can do that." Guo Cheng said, approving the idea of tying themselves. "Wu-xiong is clever." He said.

It was then Tang Zhe remembered that Wu Xi was following them. Oh, my god. His presence is very low! Might as well he be a ghost! He thought when he remembered Wu Xi creeping behind him earlier to tap his shoulder. He's too spooky. Fortunately, he didn't have a heart ailment, or he would've been scared to death by Wu Xi!

He cleared his throat to hide his discomfort and adjusted his mood. "Good." He said and nodded. When he remembered there is no light so they couldn't see him nodding, he spoke again. "I agree with Wu Xi." He said.

"Where should we tie the rope?" Tang Yun asked as he took the rope from Wu Xi who has the other end of the rope.

"Definitely not on our neck." Guo Cheng said and grimly smiled at Tang Yun.

"Of course not!" Tang Yun retorted. Does Guo Cheng think he Is stupid?!

(Guo Cheng: definitely. You don't have a brain inside your head, and you filled it with da shixiong.)

Tang Zhe sighed, his handsome face full of helplessness as he pinched the space between his brows. Not only he has to look after the stupid Shan Lu, but he also has to act as a mediator of Tang Yun and Guo Cheng.

If Cheng Sheng and Fei Yin would have been present and saw the current scene, they would think that Tang Zhe is the kindergarten teacher and Tang Yun, Guo Cheng and Shan Lu are the preschoolers. Tang Yun and Guo Cheng always fought, while Shan Lu stirs everything in the classroom into a mess.

"Shall we tie it on our leg?" Shan Lu, the local tyrant of the nursery classroom, asked.

Everyone. "…" he's really too stupid! How can they walk properly if they'd do that?! They all tacitly ignored him. Wu Xi silently (because he is a mute!) tied one end of the rope on his wrist.

Tang Zhe took a long and deep breath. "We can tie it on our wrist." He said as he took the rope from Tang Yun's hand and tied it around Tang Yun's wrist.

Tang Yun felt the warm coming from Tang Zhe's fingertips that grazed on his skin and his cheeks started to heat up. It is a pity that there is no light so he can���t see Tang Zhe carefully tied the rope not too tightly to prevent the rough texture of the rope aggravating his skin and bruising it.

"Done." Tang Zhe, who didn't notice Tang Yun's stillness, said. He tied his wrist with the rope then passed the rope to Shan Lu.

Guo Cheng, who is worried that Shan Lu would tie the rope too tight on his wrist, thus would limit his movements later, took the rope from Tang Zhe and tied it on Shan Lu's hand before he finally tied the other end of the rope on his wrist.

Wu Xi is at the first end of the rope, followed by Tang Yun, then Tang Zhe, Shan Lu, and the last one who will lead them on the road is Guo Cheng.

Tang Zhe positioned Tang Yun in between him and Wu Xi since Wu Xi is strong, so they can protect Tang Yun on both sides of Tang Yun. Since he is worried Shan Lu would lead them to nowhere or to their demise, he had Guo Cheng on the last end of the rope.

Since mages use more spiritual energy than the sword practitioners because of their alchemy, they naturally have more spiritual energy reserved in their body. Added to the fact that Guo Cheng is more meticulous than him, he had Guo Cheng lead them.

Guo Cheng, who knew Tang Zhe has a deep trust in him, felt pressured, but also gratified. "I'll use a night pearl and roll it on the ground for us to see the way even just for a few seconds." He said. They got no other choice but to do this, since the fire can agitate the creatures hiding in the dark than the light from the night pearl.

"Okay." Tang Zhe nodded and took a night pearl from Tang Yun before he gave it to Guo Cheng.

Guo Cheng took the night pearl and placed it on the floor. They breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the walls around them, although looked old, but normal. However, they couldn't relax long when Guo Cheng pushed the night pearl and it rolled forward, gradually illuminating everything it passed.

They saw countless eyes staring at them!