9 Day 8: The Scum Is Influential (1/2)

”A – Ah Sheng...?” Chen Han called, his voice shaking. The voice is dangerous but it sounds familiar.

”Yes.” Chen Sheng answered and let go of Chen Han's arm. ”Don't move, brother.” He told him and he took out an Evil Dispelling talisman.

He slapped it in Chen Han's back, both checking if he has been infected and protecting him from the malevolent energy.

”Go.” He told Chen Han.

”W – where?” Chen Han asked, puzzled by what his younger brother just did.

”Round the remaining disciples.” Chen Sheng told him and fished out of his dimensional pocket the Heaven's Touch blanket.

Seeing this, Chen Han nodded and ran towards the Newfound Sect's disciples, slashing the corpses on his way. ”Gather, you all!” he yelled at them as a wave of blue light flowed out of his sword when he swung it.

A group of corpses was split.

”Y – yes!” the still terrified disciples immediately followed and hugged each other, not daring to move away from each other. If they'll really die, then better die together with their friends.

”We're ready, Ah Sheng!” Chen Han called as he grouped himself with the scared disciples.

”'Ah Sheng'?” the disciples said, puzzled, and turned.

Chen Sheng didn't answer and just threw the Heaven's Touch blanket to the sky. As soon as the Heaven's Touch stretched out, a blinding light flowed out and the corpses cried as they burned, together with the malevolent energy inside them.

The corpses in the West side were all wiped out after a few seconds.

”Ngh - !” a disciple cried and fell on his knee. His leg was bitten by a corpse earlier. ”Aaarrh - !” He screamed as the malevolent energy was sucked out of his leg and flew towards the Heaven's Touch blanket.

This lasted a few minutes.

”It's fine now.” Chen Sheng said and turned to them, his face blank. The light from the Heaven's Touch now died down.

They all opened their eyes and looked around. The entire area is wiped clean, not a single bone or skin left of the corpses. ”A – amazing...” they muttered, disbelief.

”Ah Sheng – ” Chen Han called and ran towards Chen Sheng.

The disciples looked at each other, then followed Chen Han. They don't want to get isolated and be eaten again.

”Brother.” Chen Sheng said and hid the Heaven's Touch.

Chen Han looked at the pure white blanket. Even after sucking an enormous amount of malevolent energy, it is still as white as snow. ”That's...” he said and looked at Chen Sheng.

”... so what Senior Brother Fei said about Chen Sheng defeating that fierce corpse's body...” the disciples said and looked at each other.

Chen Han smiled and nodded, then looked at Chen Sheng.

But, Chen Sheng didn't react. ”I didn't.” he said.

They all looked at him. The smile in Chen Han's face disappeared.

”True, it is my item that defeated that corpse. But, I didn't directly defeat the corpse.” Chen Sheng said. ”How can I, a low – level cultivator, defeat the corpse that even the elders of the Promising Sect are having a hard time about?” he asked and hopped on the beast who's silently waiting for him.

Silence fell on the disciples. Chen Han's mood isn't any better.

”Brother.” Chen Sheng called. ”We have to go and help the others.” He told him.

Chen Han's face went serious. ”So this is really a trap?” he asked.

Chen Sheng nodded. Chen Han's eyes narrowed, gritting his teeth.

”I'll explain everything on the way.” Chen Sheng told him.

They all stepped back when the beast flapped its enormous wings and flew away. They all looked at Chen Sheng, their eyes mixed of awe and disbelief.

”Let's go.” Chen Han said and hopped on his sword, then flew following his brother.

”Yes!” the disciples immediately said and followed the brothers.

”Ah Sheng.” Chen Han called as they flew in the air.

Waves of light flashing can be seen in the three directions afar.

”The founder of the sect you saw is a fake. He's the impostor.” Chen Sheng started.

Their eyes went wide.

He ignored them and continued. ”I don't know what they're planning. When everybody left I was forced to stay there by them. Luckily, my desire to help my brothers are strong and so I escaped. Turned out these all were just a trap...” he said and shrugged.

'lucky'? You're too lucky, Chen Sheng! They all thought.

”Could this be the work of the demonic sect?” Chen Han asked after a while.

Chen Sheng didn't answer and just told the beast to go North where Luo Shi is. The beast followed and they all flew towards the North.

North of Newfound Land.

The situation at the North is direr than the West. Luo Shi is fine but the remaining disciples with him are wounded. Some of them are about to turn mad – one effect of being infected by the malevolent energy. Luckily, Chen Sheng, together with Chen Han and his group, arrived.

Chen Sheng took out the Heaven's Touch and the Heaven's Touch immediately flew towards where the dense malevolent energy is and sucked it.

”Heaven's Touch...” Luo Shi said, shocked, as he stared wide – eyed at the pure white blanket feeding on the malevolent energy.

”It's my brother's.” Chen Han answered, pride in his eyes as he looked at Chen Sheng.

Luo Shi looked at Chen Sheng, his eyes complicated. ”The rumored second young master of the Chens...” he said, then turned to the disciples who are now healed.

The Heaven's Touch, after it sucked all the energy, happily went inside Chen Sheng's dimensional pocket.

”To make it recognize you as its master...” Luo Shi said and looked at Chen Sheng.

”The Heaven's Touch?” a disciple said. ”That blanket is divine yet malevolent.” He said.

”What do you mean?” the other disciples asked.

”The Heaven's Touch sucks the malevolent energy. The more it feeds from malevolent energy, the brighter and purer its light is.” The disciple explained. ”That's why it's both divine item yet malevolent, too. How it isn't malevolent when it sucks malevolent energy, like the corpse?” he asked.

A deafening silence fell. Even Luo Shi, the Elder, didn't have anything to say to that thought.

”I don't care if it's divine or malevolent.” A disciple in Chen Han's group said. ”Experiencing this nightmarish and hellish...” he drew a sharp breath. ”... how can I not hold on to that thing to save my life?” he asked.

”You - !” the disciple earlier said and glared.

But, what the other disciple said is right. Even them are saved by the Heaven's Touch, too.

Silence fell.

”Elder Luo.” It was Chen Han. ”You must've realized by now these all are a trap by that impostor 'Xie Lan'.” He told him. ”We must go now and help the others.” He said.

Luo Shi sighed and nodded. ”Everyone, move. Let's save your other fellow brothers.” He told them.

”Yes...” they said, weak. This is really a frightening experience for them.

The group, added with a new one, now head on to the East.

”I hope Senior Brother Fei is alright...” a disciple said as they flew East.

Chen Sheng, who's riding on the beast's back, stiffened.

”Yes. Now that our founder and shifu is missing... how will the sect manage if Senior Brother Fei...” they sniffed.

”Oh, come on!” Chen Han said, frowning. ”Don't act as if he's already dead! He's your head disciple, right? How can he be if he's not tough? Tsk!” he said, frowning. He'd never said those if it isn't just for this situation.

”We're here.” Chen Sheng said and saw one wave light continuously attacking the fierce corpses.

There's a barrier in the middle of the area, clearly stating that they've been ambushed on all directions and can't move on the spot.

”Elder Ming!” Luo Shi yelled and immediately flew down the group, waving his sword relentlessly, killing the corpses.

”Elder Luo!” Ming Ye exclaimed and opened the top of the barrier to let Luo Shi enter.

”Ah Sheng.” Chen Han called.

Chen Sheng nodded and let his dimensional pocket fly, shaking. This time, the Heavenly Touch flew out to the sky on its own. It stopped just above Ming Ye's group, together with Luo Shi, and sucked all the malevolent energy.

Chen Han and the others had their jaw drop as Chen Sheng caught his dimensional pocket, then tied it back on his waist.

Everybody covered their eyes as a blinding light flowed out of the Heaven's Touch, at the same time the blanket sucked the malevolent energy with its 'mouth'. After a few minutes, when it had its fill, its light died down.

Their jaw dropped again when they saw only Ming Ye, Luo Shi, and the disciples are the only ones left on the area. No signs of any corpses that're surrounding the group earlier.

”Heaven's Touch?” Ming Ye said and his eyes followed the blinding pure white blanket making its way back to its master.