The Scum Is A ***

Heilong Realm.

After memorizing the city where they arrived in Heilong, which they found out called 'First City', Cheng Sheng, Fei Yin and Wu Yuan left the city, since if there's a first city, then there must be second, third and so on.

"Just how vast is this Heilong?" Fei Yin asked as they rented horses. They can't just keep walking, much less ride on their sword since it'll expose them. Thus, they decided to rent horses. Some demonic cultivators also ride on horses when they saw them pass by them.

Yesterday, they met a demonic cultivator mounted on a horse that passed by them. He is arrogant and ridiculed them for being too poor that they can't even buy a horse. Wu Yuan's face darkened while Fei Yin smiled, but out of irritation. Cheng Sheng, the most level-headed and eloquent one, spoke some words of praise to the demonic cultivators to send the demonic cultivator away.

But, after the demonic cultivator left, Cheng Sheng retched in disgust. Fei Yin helplessly comforted him and he earned Wu Yuan's praise for enduring the disgust on talking with and praising the demonic cultivator, and also for managing to sending the demonic cultivator away, which saved them energy from almost engaging a battle with the demonic cultivator.

Although fights are common sightings in Heilong, but they should avoid it as much as they could so that they won't expose themselves as righteous cultivators. Or else, they would become like a piece of meat surrounded by the starving wolves whose eyes are green in greed. They won't even have a piece of a bone left on them if that happened, and not even a drop of blood.

Cheng Sheng smoothly mounted on the horse and patted the horse's neck where its long, shining black hair cascading down like a waterfall of ink.

"Hey, friends. Do you want to know how vast is Heilong?" they heard someone spoke.

Cheng Sheng, as well as Fei Yin and Wu Yuan who are about to mount on their horses, turned and saw a familiar person. In this strange land, seeing someone familiar should be a fortune. But, that is on the premise that it is a friend, and not an enemy.

This familiar person that spoke is sitting on a bench and is leaning on the trunk of the tree behind him. He is drinking leisurely, and has a relaxed smile on his face. His hair is braided, and has beads as ornaments. He looked like he's from an ethnic group.

"You're that…" Wu Yuan said as his brows knitted.

"Hm?" the person said and turned to them. He saw the displeased expression on their face. Question marks appeared on the top of his head. "Friends… did I offend you somehow?" he asked, a look of puzzlement on his face. "Have we… met?" he added.

It was Cheng Sheng's, Fei Yin's and Wu Yuan's turn to be puzzled. "We have met you yesterday." Fei Yin answered.

"'yesterday'?" the person said, looking confused.

Cheng Sheng, Fei Yin and Wu Yuan looked at each other. They started to doubt. Then, they turned to look back to the person, and observed him. At the same time, the person also looked at them.

"… there's something different." Cheng Sheng said when he noticed something.

"What is it?" Fei Yin and Wu Yuan asked.

"He has no demonic aura in him." Cheng Sheng answered.

"What?!" Fei Yin and Wu Yuan were surprised. They turned to look at the person more. Then, they also noticed. "An ordinary person?" they said.

"Yes." Cheng Sheng nodded as he dismounted from his horse.

Fei Yin helped him down. "Are you sure he is not masking his aura, or that he has no tool to hide his aura?" he asked.

"No." Cheng Sheng answered, his eyes never leaving the person while the person did the same. "Or else, the Shapeshifting Blanket would react." He told Fei Yin and Wu Yuan.

Fei Yin and Wu Yuan nodded. They trust Cheng Sheng, and so they lowered their vigilance.

"Are you done discussing?" the person asked.

"Yes." Wu Yuan nodded.

The person. "…" he's so straightforward! "… who are you, guys?" he asked. "And you said you saw me yesterday?" he added.

"We did." Fei Yin answered. "You were mounted on a black horse and even ridiculed us." He frowned.

The person's brows raised. "I ridiculed you?" he said. "Ridiculous!" he spat. "I've never left this place, nor I would offend anyone. I'm afraid my head will be cut off before I could even blink." He explained.

It was Fei Yin's turn to raise his brows. "It's not you?" he said. "Why should we believe you?" he asked.

"Why should I believe you?" the person asked back. "You're just slandering me." He said.

Fei Yin. "…" his face darkened. Not only was he defeated, but he also lost his face in front of Cheng Sheng.

Cheng Sheng. "…" da shixiong was countered?! And he was rendered speechless?!

Wu Yuan. "…" fortunately, it wasn't I who quarreled…

The person noticed the change in their mood and, maybe he is casual, he spoke. "Alright, alright. Let's not fight." He said, placating the atmosphere. "I'm just an ordinary person. You all definitely know how to fight. I'm the one who will be suffering." He said.

Cheng Sheng patted Fei Yin's back to comfort him before he faced the person. "It's not that we want to slander you. We came to rent some horses." He explained.

"Are you saying the truth, that you really have seen me yesterday?" the person asked.

After exchanging words with the person, Cheng Sheng already was familiar with the person's temperament. This person is really casual, and not arrogant. "We have no reason to lie." He answered.

The person nodded. "This must be a misunderstanding." He said.

"I believe so." Cheng Sheng spoke. Fei Yin and Wu Yuan didn't agree nor disagree. After all, it was Cheng Sheng who spoke with the demonic cultivator yesterday who looked so much like this stable owner.

The stable owner smiled, looking pleased with Cheng Sheng's gentlemanly manner. "I am Bai Yun." He said. "You friends are…?" he asked as he looked at them three.

"Shen Shen." Cheng Sheng answered.

"Yin Jun." Fei Yin answered.

"Qiu Yuan." Wu Yuan answered. The three of them has already made a plan before to use an alias when they arrive in the Heilong.

"No. I mean – " Bai Yun said as he took out a fan from his sleeve and opened it. His eyes narrowed into crescents as he looked at them. " – you are righteous cultivators, right?" he said.

Their pupils shrank and the vigilance they lowered earlier raised once again. Wu Yuan flashed behind Bai Yun, his hands formed into fists while Fei Yin took out a dagger and pointed it to Bai Yun's neck. "How did you know?" Fei Yin asked.

Contrary to their expectation, Bai Yun just glanced at the dagger beneath his chin before he ignored it. "If you were demonic cultivators, you would've acted arrogant and just stole my horses away." He smiled as he fanned himself. He couldn't be anymore relaxed.

Cheng Sheng's eyes narrowed. "Indeed." He said. "Did that demonic cultivator yesterday steal your horse?" he asked. "There's one missing in the stable." He explained.

Bai Yun chuckled. "You're so perceptive." He said and nodded in admittance. "Demonic cultivators are known to be insidious. Not only are they thieves, but also impostors." He closed his fan and, using it, he pushed the dagger away from his face. "There's only one stable ahead of this road – mine. So, he must have used my face to trick you and so, when you've arrived here, you would get into a quarrel with me." He explained. "I am just an ordinary person, and you know martial arts. Added to the fact you outnumber me, even if just one of you would fight, my death is certain." He sighed. "After that, you would take three of my horses, while five remained. Then – " he turned to look up at the roof. " – someone would come back, either to replace me as a stable owner, or to steal my remaining horses and sell them. Am I right – " he said and his smile disappeared. "- horse thief?" he asked.

Cheng Sheng, Fei Yin and Wu Yuan looked at each other. In fact, they have already noticed another person's presence when they arrived. Thus, they reacted normally when they saw the 'arrogant demonic cultivator' they met yesterday. They are just waiting for the right time to act and capture the arrogant and impostor demonic cultivator.

And the time is now. Fei Yin and Wu Yuan, in half a second, jumped and landed on the roof. One behind and one in front of the startled demonic cultivator. His face is still that of the stable owner's. He thought that the stable owner would die in them three's hands, and thought that the three would be weaker than him after he saw Cheng Sheng's ingratiating performance yesterday.