15 Day 14: The Scum Is A Gambler (1/2)

It was Fei Yin who broke the silence. ”I refuse to accept this!” he said and glared at Xie Lan.

”Why is it me you're glaring at? It should be Sheng – er.” Xie Lan said coolly and looked at Chen Sheng.

Fei Yin looked away, but refused to look at Chen Sheng. Instead, he looked at Wu Yuan. ”Please change the plan – ” he said.

Wu Yuan frowned. ”Look somewhere else.” He told Fei Yin, displeased.

Fei Yin tightened his lips, irritated. He looked at the floor. ”Brother Chen.” He called, his back on Chen Sheng. ”Please... anything but this...” he said, then took a deep breath.

Li Tian and Feng Mo looked down, dejected. Ming Ye and Luo Shi sighed. Chen Han balled his fists, gritting his teeth.

Of course, even if it's just in words, but death is death. Who would want to walk around when his death has been announced?

Only Chen Sheng.

”I won't.” Chen Sheng answered.

Fei Yin gritted his teeth and finally turned to Chen Sheng, angry. ”I told you to stop this!” he said, glaring at him. Purple sparks appeared around his body.

”I don't remember asking for your permission.” Chen Sheng calmly answered, his face blank.

Fei Yin's eyes narrowed. ”Then I order you to stop this - !” he said.

”You're not shifu, nor founder.” Chen Sheng said. ”You're not Elder Ming nor Elder Luo, either.” He added.

Fei Yin turned and glared at the two elders of the Promising Sect.

They smiled, awkward. Why should Younger Chen have to mention them...? Ming Ye and Luo Shi thought, then sighed.

Fei Yin turned back to Chen Sheng, glaring at him but he is pained. ”Please...” he said, then lowered his head. He gives up. ”Don't do this. I can't stand, even if it's just in words, but still... your death...” he said, gritting his teeth as he balled his fists.

Chen Sheng looked at him. He wants to tell him he's just feeling guilty of what happened 15 years ago, but this isn't the time. ”Brother Fei.” he called, his voice soft and slow.

Fei Yin didn't answer.

Chen Sheng sighed. ”I'm not doing this for my sake.” He said. ”If a low level cultivator, after their sect was attacked and was almost wiped out, was alive after that... what do you think will the people say?” he asked, calm.

Their eyes went wide.

”Of course. People will think the sect is dubious.” Sun Yi answered. ”What happened is too much for people would think that low level cultivator surviving is just luck.” He explained.

Silence fell. Of course, luck won't gloss over the fact of that low level cultivator's survival from the surprise attack on their sect. They'd think he colluded with the attacker.

Worse, they'd think he was the attacker himself and betrayed his sect.

”It's just as Brother Sun said.” Chen Sheng calmly said. ”It's not like the people wants me dead. But, this is reality.” He explained, almost biting his tongue when he said the word 'reality'.

Nobody answered.

He continued. ”But, this is just one reason for my plan.” He said.

They looked at him.

He nodded. ”Like I've already said, I want to see the course of the action of that person if he hears about my death.” He explained.

”What about it?” Luo Shi asked.

Chen Sheng turned to him and bowed, then answered. ”If he'll give up on me after hearing of my death, then – ” he said and looked at them, his face serious. ” – probably, the thing in my soul that he's after... it could be found in someplace, too.” He said.

Their forehead knotted.

”You mean...?” Ming Ye asked.

Chen Sheng turned to him. ”That thing... aside from my soul, could be found either in another thing. Like... also in a soul.” He answered, his voice low.

Silence fell.

”So... you're saying...” it was Wu Yuan, joining the talk for the first time. ”... that that person might go after other cultivators?” he asked, his face mad.

Chen Sheng silently nodded. ”Yes.” He answered.

A deafening silence fell as gloom filled the room.

”But – ” Chen Sheng said. ”This thing... could only be found in a broken soul, like me.” he continued.

They all looked at him, their face brightened.

”Also... this is just a conjecture.” He added, then sighed. ”This can be false, you know...?” he said, then blew out air.

They sighed, relieved.

Wu Yuan's face relaxed, too. Sun Yi, seeing this, laughed at Wu Yuan and pinched his cheeks. Wu Yuan's expression softened, then he back hugged Sun Yi.

”Sheng – er.” It was Xie Lan. ”What about the other course of action?” he asked.

As soon as his voice died down, everybody froze. There's always the other option. Everybody thought, their face grim.

Chen Sheng turned to Xie Lan and bowed. He calmly answered. ”If he'll still pursue me... my 'corpse' – ” he said.

They all flinched when he said 'corpse', but nobody dared try to react. Except Chen Han and Fei Yin.

”Ah Sheng!” Chen Han called, mad.

”Brother Chen!” Fei Yin called, as mad as Chen Han.

These two... everybody thought, don't know whether to laugh or cry.

”I knew it! Stop this! Now!” Chen Han told him, mad. ”I'll take you back home and guard you from day till night so that that sick, pervert and maniac cultivator – ” he said, gritting his teeth as he said those three similar words. (Yes. He said three with the meaning of one.)

”No!” Fei Yin objected. ”He'll be going with me! I'll take him to the Upright Sect, even if it meant dragging him with me – ” he said and glared at Chen Han.

Everybody frowned. If this is some other situation, they'd be smiling while laughing at the two (Chen Han and Fei Yin) overprotective of Chen Sheng (they're not as overprotective as the two). But, since this is a grave serious matter, they could only feel pissed.

They were about to hit the two when somebody spoke.

”Continue, and I'll drag you two out.”

They all turned. It was Xie Lan. Chen Han and Fei Yin froze, then lowered their head.

Xie Lan just glanced at them coldly then turned to Chen Sheng. ”Continue.” He told Chen Sheng.

Chen Sheng bowed, then nodded. ”Yes. This disciple will now continue.” He said and stood straight. ”If that person will pursue me, even after my 'death' – ” he said.

They all winced again when they heard 'death'. Chen Han and Fei Yin were about to react again but saw Xie Lan. They could only grit their teeth as they bear the pain.

Chen Sheng continued. ” – then... that means that this disciple's soul... only the one that person wants and nothing else.” He said and bowed. He then looked at Xie Lan directly. ”And as for why is this disciple's broken soul is valuable to them... ” he said, then paused. ”This disciple doesn't know.” He finished.

A long silence fell.

Chen Sheng's eyes turned deep and he looked at the blue sky. It was a lie. He thought. He actually somewhat has an idea why that person wants his broken soul.

First: there really is something in his soul and that it could be a cure to a sickness or something. Or second: the something in his soul could be an ultimate weapon against a large group of enemies and that person that's looking for him is planning to use his broken soul as a trump card.

(Okay. He just watched too much drama.) But, whatever reason it is... this is his soul, and, of course, if his soul is taken away then he dies! He doesn't wanna die! And, who wants to? That person must be freaking tired of his fucked up life.

He told the two (Li Tian and Feng Mo) to continue to update him. The two nodded and left.

Days passed by and the news about the Newfound Sect and Newfound Land being attacked now spread all over the continent. That includes the death of some of its disciples. That includes, of course, Chen Sheng. But, only close 'friends' and the Chen family know the truth – that 'Chen Shen' is still alive.

Right now, the said person is inside in his room, as usual, and thinking over some things.

”Master.” Xia Di called inside his mind.

Chen Sheng turned to him. He knows that Xia Di is aware that, aside from playing around – drinking and extorting, his whole time is spent on thinking (since he can't cultivate).

”The blanket.” Xia Di said and turned.

Chen Sheng turned and saw the Heaven's Touch is floating around his room aimlessly. The pure white blanket flew out of his dimensional pocket again.

Chen Sheng is thinking, the blanket is getting restless the past few days since it's been sneaking out of his dimensional pocket. He knows there's nothing inside in his dimensional pocket that would harm the Heaven's Touch, like beasts and such, since it's only Xia Di that's inside Chen Sheng's dimensional pocket, other than the blanket.