The Scum Is A ***

A melodious voice of a woman can be heard in the surroundings. Her melodious voice is accompanied by a pipa that the strings are vibrantly plucked, creating a wonderful tone that is perfectly blending the woman's singing voice. 

The port where they boarded off the boat is slightly far from the place where they have seen the beggar. Cheng Sheng, Fei Yin and Wu Yuan, during the three days they have stayed in the Heilong, have wandered around in the bustling city where they arrived. Fortunately, they have memorized the different places and have created a map in their brain in case an accident happens and they will be put in a disadvantageous position if they didn't familiarize the place. Worse comes to worst, they'll die. 

But, although they have familiarized themselves in the city, but there's still a problem remained: the large crowd. Heilong has become popular, not only to the demonic cultivators, but also to the ordinary people. That is why there are many people wanting to go to the Ni Lai Gate and enter Heilong. They did it not only for the treasures left by the Wuran Kingdom, but also because they want to see what Heilong truly looks like. 

However, because of the dense demonic qi in the Ni Lai Gate, it restricts not only the ordinary people, but also the demonic cultivators. If even the demonic cultivators can't go in, how can an ordinary person do? Thus, only a few people can go inside the Heilong. But, because of the restriction of the Ni Lai Gate, the people that became the residents of Heilong are strong people. 

But of course, there would always be some exceptions happening. If an ordinary person really has entered Heilong, then, either they are very lucky, or that they used a special trick or a special device for them to be able to enter Heilong. The former is possible, since luck has always been seen a form of strength. As for the latter, if it really happened, then the 'ordinary' that is labeled to the person is a sham. Since an ordinary person can't know any trick, or have a special device, since these tricks and devices will make him not ordinary anymore. 

Thus, the other way an ordinary person can enter Heilong is that someone let him in using a special trick or a special device that could help him bear the pressure of the dense demonic qi in the Ni Lai Gate. But, for an ordinary person to live in Heilong that is rich in demonic qi? Naturally, they are just seeking their death. Thus, their purpose for coming in Heilong is to be converted to a demonic cultivator. As long as one takes in the demonic qi poison in their body, and endured and manage to live in the end after the torture of their body being transformed by the demonic qi poison, then they will become a demonic cultivator. 

This is what happened to Qie Zi. Fortunately, Cheng Sheng managed to save him from becoming a demonic cultivator. Qie Zi is also tenacious in nature, thus he managed to stay alive under the torture of the demonic qi poison transforming his body. The result, his body became sturdier. 

Cheng Sheng, Fei Yin and Wu Yuan looked at the people around. The reason they didn't dare approach anyone here is because they don't know the real situation and condition of the people living around. 

Of course, even though everyone are demonic cultivators, but there is a difference in the level of their strength. Take for example an ordinary person that managed to live after taking the demonic qi poison. Although there's a demonic qi poison in his body, making him a demonic cultivator, but since he was once an ordinary person, naturally, he could choose to remain an ordinary person and not pursue the demonic cultivation, which will only increase the demonic qi in his body. As an ordinary person, naturally, his body couldn't handle a large amount of demonic qi. Thus, even if he became a demonic cultivator, but only in name, since he remained living as an ordinary person. 

Ordinary people like this aren't what Cheng Sheng, Fei Yin and Wu Yuan are worried about. They are worried about if there might be some high-leveled demonic cultivators lurking around. Although with Cheng Sheng's cultivation he could distinguish a righteous cultivator from a demonic cultivator, but with the demonic qi in the atmosphere, it obscures his Sight. 

"That beggar is extremely suspicious." Wu Yuan spoke. 

Cheng Sheng and Fei Yin looked at him. 

"Each and every person around has a demonic qi poison in their veins." Wu Yuan said. "How come I sense something strange in him?" he asked and turned to looked at Cheng Sheng. "Junior Cheng. Can you sense if he has a demonic qi poison in his body?" he asked him. 

Cheng Sheng went still for a moment before his eyes slowly widened. 

"Sheng? What's wrong?" Fei Yin asked when he saw Cheng Sheng's strange reaction. 

"That's it…" Cheng Sheng muttered. 

"What is it?" Fei Yin asked, worry in his eyes since he rarely sees Cheng Sheng's panicked expression. 

Cheng Sheng looked at him before he turned to Wu Yuan. "No wonder why I always overlooked him, if not forgot him." He said. "It's because I had deemed him as someone ordinary, even if the things I got from him are very not so ordinary. All this while, I thought I am just too lucky to have found such rare treasures like the Recollection Bell and Shapeshifting Blanket. But, that's not it." He shook his head. 

"Sheng, what do you mean?" Fei Yin asked. 

Cheng Sheng turned to him. "Da shixiong, think." He said. "If you found a treasure, what would you do?" he asked. 

"Investigate." Fei Yin answered, before he froze. 

"That's right." Cheng Sheng said. "Founder and shifu also have doubted my luck before. But, with my personality, I always brushed their words off." He said. "However, it should also be with my personality – my innate curiosity, that I should have investigated the beggar. As founder and shifu said before, how can a beggar possess rare treasures? And also, exchange them for just three meat buns? This is why founder and shifu are very suspicious." He explained. 

"Then, why didn't you investigate the beggar?" Wu Yuan asked. 

"This is where the problem lies." Cheng Sheng said. "I overlook him. However, not because I am too arrogant that I look down on him. It's because he has such a very low presence, which makes him easily overlooked, that even I always forgets his existence unless I meet him again." He explained. 

Wu Yuan sighed. "Very problematic indeed." He said. 

However, Fei Yin has another thought. "Sheng." He called. 

"Hm?" 

"It's not that I overestimate you and underestimate him, but – " Fei Yin said. "I always have an absolute faith in you. I don't doubt your judgement. So – " he took a deep breath. " – you're not in the wrong, but the beggar is. Think, your abilities are exceptional. How can you overlook such a person?" he asked. 

Wu Yuan thought about it and he nodded in agreement to Fei Yin's words. He is convinced that Cheng Sheng is a genius. Not because he trusts his judgement, but because Cheng Sheng has always proved to them that he is one – a genius. Thus, he also doesn't believe Cheng Sheng could make such an error. 

Cheng Sheng, who started to doubt his own judgement, was pulled back by Fei Yin and Wu Yuan. "That's right…" he muttered. "How can I make such a mistake?" he asked himself. 

"Thus – " Fei Yin held Cheng Sheng's shoulders. " – I have a guess." He said. 

"What is it?" Cheng Sheng and Wu Yuan asked. 

"This beggar must have something on him that could deceive Cheng-shidi, clouding Cheng-shidi's judgement." Fei Yin said. 

"Hallucination?" Wu Yuan said.

Fei Yin nodded. "Could be, but not necessarily." He said. 

"What do you mean?" Cheng Sheng asked. 

Fei Yin looked at him. "There's always two sides in a coin." He said. "Either the problem lies in you, or in him." He told him. 

"Huh?" 

"It's either he has done something to you, or that he has done something to himself." Fei Yin said. "He might have put a spell on you to cloud your mind. Or – " his lips were pulled into a frown. " – he masked himself." He said. 

Wu Yuan started. "The former is impossible." He said. "Junior Cheng's cultivation method is unique. Even if junior Cheng was poisoned, but his cultivation can purify it." He explained. "So, what's left is…" 

"The latter." Cheng Sheng said as he raised his head while they slowly approached the area where they have seen the beggar. "He is disguising himself." He said as he looked at the familiar figure sitting still afar. His wide, conical hat is conspicuous, but it seemed that the people around can't notice it. 

"Aio." Fei Yin exclaimed. "I thought he has run away." He said when they saw the beggar sitting in the same spot they have seen him a moment ago.