"That old person said that the place got its name because the land is corrupted." Fan Wen said.
"You're suspecting, this lord of Wuran is leading the demonic cultivators to reclaim his land?" Tang Teng asked.
"Yes." Xie Lan answered.
"If what you're saying is true, we only had to know who this leader is." Zheng Fu Gong said.
"That's what old Fei said before." Xie Lan said.
Zheng Fu Gong shut up.
"However, who that person is, is already obvious, isn't it?" Xie Lan asked.
Everyone fell silent. There's only one answer: Ming Ye.
"But, based from what you said, that kingdom should be more than five hundred years." Yu Sheng spoke. Before they could speak, he spoke again. "Ming Ye is only more than a hundred years old." He told them.
Silence. "Things have become more confusing." Li Nanzi scratched his head.
"Could he be a descendant of the ruler of the kingdom?" Tang Teng tried to guess.
"That's not likely." Xie Lan spoke.
"Why?" Zheng Fu Gong asked.
"Because the old man said that everyone in the kingdom died from the slaughter." Xie Lan said.
"WHAT?!" everyone was shocked.
"Who slaughtered the people?" Li Nanzi asked.
"Themselves." Xie Lan answered, his voice indifferent.
"Wha – " they all gasped in shock as they felt their heart go cold.
"'land of the corrupted', 'wuran'…" Zheng Fu Gong muttered. "They are all depraved?" he asked as he looked at Xie Lan.
However, Xie Lan didn't answer, since the answer is obvious. They all killed themselves because of depravity.
Silence fell. No one dared speak because of the apprehension in their heart. Just earlier, they all felt great danger. Everyone is smart and connected it to Cheng Sheng. Cheng Sheng is in danger! With the information they heard just now, it was obvious that Cheng Sheng is going to the South, which is the most dangerous, to find Chen Jing and Wu Fan who went to look for the Wuran Kingdom and find some answers from it.
"Why did he go South?", was what they wanted to ask. However, the only man himself who can answer the question has already gone South. But, from that, they deduced more guesses.
"Luo Shi can't be resurrected." This is a conclusion. And everyone understood.
Cheng Sheng isn't a god, and even gods aren't omnipotent to bring back a life that was lost. Cheng Sheng himself knew this the most, but even so, he went to Youxiwang Sect to relieve Ming Ye's anger to buy them all more time to live longer, before Cheng Sheng went to South to find his father Chen Jing, and Wu Fan, before Ming Ye could discover the truth that Luo Shi can't return to life.
Since Cheng Sheng didn't tell them his plan, he must be confident Ming Ye wouldn't attack them and kill them… right? He won't pit them, right? Suddenly, they can't help but doubt Cheng Sheng.
However, if Cheng Sheng is sure that Ming Ye won't attack them, then, Ming Ye must have his hands full and his attention diverted from killing them all. Then, what is this diversion? Going to Youxiwang Sect, there's only Wu Yuan, who made a deal with Ming Ye to bring Cheng Sheng; Cheng Sheng, who was planned to resurrect Luo Shi; Fei Yin, to guard Cheng Sheng; and –
"Chen Han!" Li Tian exclaimed as his pupils constricted and he clutched his chest when it ached.
"Li-shixiong!" the Xinfaxian Sect disciples cried as they helped Li Tian who suddenly collapsed and face pale.
Everyone also felt their chest thud when they realized it. "Cheng Sheng… used Chen Han as a diversion for Ming Ye…?" they muttered under their breath, a look of disbelief on their face. "That can't be, right?" they all laughed, but obviously it was a fake and forced laugh.
Among the four men that went to Youxiwang Sect, indeed, Chen Han is the best pick to divert Ming Ye, since Chen Han is Ming Ye's disciple.
Wu Yuan is Luo Shi's disciple, but Luo Shi is now dead, and Wu Fan who might possibly alive is more important to Wu Yuan right now, since the living is more important than the dead. Cheng Sheng, before, is the most valuable, but after finding out he doesn't have a power of resurrection, he is useless. Fei Yin doesn't have any connection to Ming Ye, Luo Shi, Chen Jing, Wu Fan, nor the Youxiwang Sect, aside from Cheng Sheng. Thus, Chen Han as the diversion for Ming Ye is the most rational decision.
But, like Wu Yuan, Chen Han also has to save Chen Jing, his father.
But! Doesn't Cheng Sheng also Chen Jing's son? One son's presence is enough. Chen Han has to avenge his clan while Cheng Sheng is useful in tracking Chen Jing's and Wu Fan's traces. This is the most logical approach!
However, why does it feel strange…? Li Tian clutched his chest as his tears fell. "Chen Han… Chen Han!" he cried. "Shifu! Founder!" he called as he pulled himself from Feng Mo's grasp and he ran to Fan Wen and Xie Lan. "Shifu! Founder! Chen Han… something must have happened to Chen Han!" he told them.
Everything fell into silence as they stared at Li Tian in shock. "Li-shixiong…" Feng Mo muttered as he watched Li Tian knelt before Fan Wen and Xie Lan. "How did you…" become like this? He can't finish his words as his eyes reddened when he saw the always rational Li Tian cried before Fan Wen and Xie Lan's feet.
They have always seen Li Tian being composed and rational. It was their first time they have seen him being overemotional. Yet, if they were to be given a chance to choose, they'd rather not see Li Tian like this.
"Xiao Tian…" Fan Wen called as he knelt beside Li Tian and hugged him tight. Li Tian is an orphan, and he and Xie Lan are Li Tian's fathers. They are the only ones Li Tian could rely on, aside from his fellow disciples who are his brothers and sisters.
"Shifu…" Li Tian cried as he clutched Fan Wen's sleeves tight. "Something happened to Chen Han! I can feel it!" he said. "Lovers have a special connection, you should understand." He said as he looked at Fan Wen before he looked at Xie Lan. "I can feel Chen Han is sad right now… very sad, and very angry!" he told them. "Something must have happened to him! He's in deep pain! He's anguished!" he sobbed. "Let me… let me go to Youxiwang Sect to see him!"
Everyone gasped as they looked at Li Tian in shock. Is he planning suicide?! Going to Youxiwang Sect means going to die! Everybody became even more tense because of Li Tian. They could see, from Fan Wen and Xie Lan's expression, as well as the Xinfaxian Sect disciples, that Li Tian began doubting Cheng Sheng!
Earlier, they were guessing that Cheng Sheng used Chen Han to divert Ming Ye's attention. Then, Li Tian just said that something happened to Chen Han. Could it be, because something happened to Chen Han, Cheng Sheng used him as a cannon fodder so that he, Fei Yin and Wu Yuan could escape and then go to Wuran?
But, this doesn't make sense. Even if Cheng Sheng is a scum, he values kinship and friendship the most. He would never use them just to save himself. Instead, he would harm himself rather than harming his family and friends, which leaves his family and friends feel helpless of his selflessness.
"Xiao Tian…" Fan Wen sighed as he pulled the crying Li Tian. "Everything lately have been so stressful to everyone. You should learn not to overthink and overreact. You know that. But, you just become muddled. Rest." He told him before he pressed a point on the back of Li Tian's neck.
Feng Mo immediately caught Li Tian whose body became limp after Fan Wen rendered him unconscious. Feng Mo's eyes are red. "Shifu, Cheng-shidi…" he said.
"You of all should know what is your shidi." Fan Wen said. "You've all grown up with him. No matter how bad xiao Sheng's personality is, he would never harm anybody unless they would harm him first. Your shidi would definitely retaliate if his bottom line has been touched." He explained.
Feng Mo fell silent before he lowered his head and nodded. He knew, in his heart, Cheng Sheng would never use Chen Han, his blood brother. However, the recent happenings are clouding their judgement, thus they doubted Cheng Sheng.
They all should know. They were just making guesses. Their guess may be true, but they also may be false. They are all smart people. And Cheng Sheng have saved them many times! How can they doubt Cheng Sheng?! They are all ingrates!
Feng Mo carefully carried the unconscious Li Tian inside to his room. "Li-shixiong… if only Chen-shixiong was here, how great would it be. How happy will he be if he heard you saying you are lovers." He said as he placed Li Tian down in the bed. "I know, one can meet their fated partner just once in their life. However, I hope you won't disregard your friendship with Cheng-shidi just because you have found him – Chen Han." He sighed. "Cheng-shidi is doing his best, even wanting to risk his life in exchange for everyone's life. Yet, what he got is us doubting him. We don't deserve his kindness."