Yunxiao Inn.
"Xiao Sheng/Sheng-er?!" Xie Lan, Fan Wen, Chen Jing and Wu Fan exclaimed when they saw Cheng Sheng sitting inside the pavilion alone while drinking tea. There were two cups across him indicating that he was chatting with Sun Rong and Qie Shi earlier.
Cheng Sheng turned and smiled at them. "Founder. Shifu. Father. Uncle Wu." He greeted and slightly bowed.
The four elders' heart melted by his smile. They saw that he wasn't wearing his hat today, and his long and white hair was exposed. So, he must have casted a barrier around the pavilion to prevent anyone from seeing him. But, since the cultivation of the four of them are now higher than his, they naturally can see him.
"Sheng-er, you…" Chen Jing spoke and coughed as they approached him. "You're here today. Why didn't we see you earlier?" he asked, striking up a conversation.
"Father. I went to cure the daughter of an unfortunate family and dawn is the most suitable time for me to treat her." Cheng Sheng answered as he took out four new cups after setting aside the two other cups used by Sun Rong and Qie Shi earlier. Then, he poured them tea. "You wanted to ask me about elder Su, right?" he asked.
Xie Lan, Fan Wen, Chen Jing and Wu Fan have just seated when they froze on their seats after they heard what Cheng Sheng said.
Fan Wen coughed hard and blushed. "Xiao Sheng, it's not…" he spoke, then stopped. He heaved a sigh and looked at Cheng Sheng before he nodded. "Yes." He answered.
"It's fine." Cheng Sheng spoke.
"What do you mean?" Xie Lan asked.
"Sun Rong, Qie Shi and I have spoken earlier." Cheng Sheng spoke. "They encouraged me to tell you about my problem." He told them before he placed the teapot on the side after he served them tea.
Xie Lan, Fan Wen, Chen Jing and Wu Fan fell silent.
"I also have hit a wall, so I feel considering what they have suggested." Cheng Sheng looked at them. "The reason why I went to see elder Su is to ask him about the Five Elements Formation." He told them.
Their eyes widened in shock. "The Five Elements Formation?" they muttered, didn't recognize the name.
Cheng Sheng nodded. "It is a formation using the five elements, and elder Su is the only one who knows the best about the five elements." He explained.
"… where did you know of this?" Wu Fan asked with a complicated expression. Even they don't know about this.
"I found it in our sect's library." Cheng Sheng calmly answered as he sipped his tea. "The sixth floor, eighth shelf from the window and on the third level." He said.
Xie Lan, Fan Wen, Chen Jing and Wu Fan. "…"
Fan Wen, Chen Jing and Wu Fan turned to look at Xie Lan whose lip twitched. "Lan! Why didn't you say something?!" Fan Wen asked as he pulled Xie Lan's ear.
"Because I also don't know!" Xie Lan answered.
"Founder really doesn't know." Cheng Sheng spoke, preventing Fan Wen from murdering Xie Lan. "The book is so old and the writings are almost fading, so I thank founder that he didn't use it to fuel the fire." He explained.
Fan Wen, Chen Jing and Wu Fan. "…" his mouth is as poisonous as always!
Xie Lan. "…" can't you open your mouth less?!
Cheng Sheng coughed and avoided their gazes. "The Five Elements Formation, as I have said, is using the five elements to make a formation." He spoke. "The five elements make up the nature, and using its formation, it makes one to be able to harmonize with the nature." He explained.
"Okay… so what happens after you harmonize with the nature?" Chen Jing asked.
"I don't know." Cheng Sheng answered.
"Huh?" they muttered, taken aback.
"Elder Su didn't tell me, since he also doesn't know." Cheng Sheng told them.
Xie Lan, Fan Wen, Chen Jing and Wu Fan. "…" what is this feeling of being deceived? They thought.
"Elder Su went to cultivate to seek more answers." Cheng Sheng spoke.
Xie Lan, Fan Wen, Chen Jing and Wu Fan nodded in understanding. Not only Su Yuan wanted to regain his strength, but he also wanted to help Cheng Sheng.
"Xiao Sheng. What about xiao Yin?" Xie Lan asked.
Silence fell.
"Da shixiong is alive. He is still alive." Cheng Sheng spoke after a while.
Fan Wen sighed in relief. Although they have already guessed this, but it is still different when it was confirmed. "Then, why is he still asleep?" he asked.
"He also isn't breathing." Wu Fan added.
Cheng Sheng placed down his cup, making a crisp sound that touched their hearts. "… I don't know." He answered.
Xie Lan, Fan Wen, Chen Jing and Wu Fan fell silent. They know that Cheng Sheng was lying. But, since they don't want to hurt his feelings more, they didn't ask him again.
"Da shixiong… is favored by the heaven, so he didn't die." Cheng Sheng spoke after a while of silence.
Xie Lan, Fan Wen, Chen Jing and Wu Fan "…" what Fei Yin is the one favored by the heaven?! They thought and almost spat out their drink. Shouldn't it be you?! They looked at Cheng Sheng. You should have just said that Fei Yin is the heaven and he favors you! This is more believable! They added in their hearts.
Cheng Sheng is a genius. No doubt about this. On the other hand, although Fei Yin is strong, but he is low-key so he was always overshadowed by Cheng Sheng, who is in the limelight. So, how can Cheng Sheng say that Fei Yin is the favored one by the heaven?!
But… they thought and looked at each other. They can't deny that Fei Yin is still alive. This must be the will of the heaven. And they are very grateful about it, since it returned Fei Yin to them. Especially to Cheng Sheng.
"So, this Five Elements Formation… what does this have to do with Fei Yin?" Wu Fan asked.
"Ah! When did you find this formation anyway?" Xie Lan asked.
"Ten years ago." Cheng Sheng answered and sipped his tea.
Xie Lan. "…"
Fan Wen, Wu Fan and Chen Jing. "…"
"AAAAH! Wen! Wen! I was wrong, okay?" Xie Lan cried after Fan Wen pulled his ear.
Wu Fan and Chen Jing just looked to the side while Cheng Sheng's eyes flashed with schadenfreude. Who told you to bully me before? Now, who told you to seek death? He thought before he coughed to stop Fan Wen in the middle of murdering his husband.
"This Five Elements Formation… I just remembered this after I found da shixiong in the Abyss." Cheng Sheng spoke.
Xie Lan, Fan Wen, Chen Jing and Wu Fan turned to him.
"The book where I have found the Five Elements Formation said that the Five Elements Formation is able to move the life…" Cheng Sheng spoke. "… as well as death." He said.
A deafening silence fell.
"Because this formation uses the five elements that makes up the nature… well, it can be said that the nature is the five elements itself." Cheng Sheng continued. Only his voice can be heard. "And since life and death is also a part of the nature, so…" he looked at them. "I think that the Five Elements Formation is able to… bring… da shixiong back." He finished. He lowered his head when he saw them looking at him.
"Xiao Sheng…" Xie Lan called and sighed. "Why bring him back, since he has been here all along?" he asked.
Cheng Sheng raised his head and looked at him.
Xie Lan smiled, as well as Fan Wen, Wu Fan and Chen Jing. "Xiao Yin is alive, so there is no need to bring him back." Xie Lan spoke.
Cheng Sheng's eyes widened, then reddened. He smiled as he lowered his head. His tears fell. "Thank you, founder. Shifu. Father. Uncle Wu." He said and sobbed. As well as elder Su, elder Zheng and elder Pai. They know that he shouldn't do this, but they didn't say anything and just let him be, closing one eye on what he is about to do.
He knows that this could be forbidden, but how can he just let everything go? He did his all to find Fei Yin. Now that Fei Yin is back, how can he just give up? And as Xie Lan said, Fei Yin is still alive. So, why shouldn't he save Fei Yin? Even if there is only one percent, or even less than one percent, chance that Fei Yin would return, but he definitely wouldn't let go of him. He wouldn't give up on him, even if it turns to zero!
"Cheng-shidi?" they heard Li Tian called.
The people inside the pavilion turned and saw the Xinfaxian Sect members returned with the disciples.
"Shizun… shizun is here?!" Fei Yinzi exclaimed as his eyes widened in shock. He turned to look at the pavilion.