The Scum Is A ***

"This concludes the third stage of the 102nd Intersect Competition." Zheng Fu Gong said after Cheng Sheng's speech and his and Jing Cheng's group left the stage. "Tomorrow, we will give the contestants a day of rest as per scheduled. The fourth stage will start the day after tomorrow." he said. "Now – " he looked at the contestants below the stage. " – the fourth stage will be three times more dangerous than the third stage. You will be thrown in a maze and you have to reach the Cave of Retribution. The one who reached it first will be declared as the champion. But – " he said. " – there are many dangers in the maze. Deception, confusion… all of your fears will be present as the maze bring it out of your consciousness." He explained. "No walking corpses there, nor any monsters. Your opponent will be yourself." He told them. "The other contestants might also become your opponents, so be aware. It might actually just the maze playing tricks on you." He said. "You shouldn't develop a heart demon, or you can never enter the Cave of Retribution, nor bathe in the Spring of Life where the Cleansing Stone was born since it will kill you." He told the contestants.

The audience paled when they heard what Zheng Fu Gong said. "That's too harsh!" they exclaimed.

"However, if one has enough resolve then, they will definitely continue." Someone said. "The benefit of the cave is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. They will definitely reach the Nascent Soul Stage!" he said. "If one is naturally talented, they might touch the Immortalization Stage!" he added.

"'naturally talented'…" they said as they all looked at Cheng Sheng whose expression is serious.

"Like in the third stage, you can back out." Zheng Fu Gong said.

"Shall we go?" Fei Yin asked Cheng Sheng.

"Your Highness. It's as you will." Yu Sheng told Cheng Sheng.

"Go." Cheng Sheng said. Fei Yin and Yu Sheng nodded.

Zuo Zhe worriedly looked at them. Things are now different from the original plot. He thought. I can't predict what will happen to them in the maze. He sighed in anxiety.

Chen Han naturally will go since his younger brother will go. As for Sun Yi… he looked at Wu Yuan and saw Wu Yuan's gaze filled with fear. Wu Yuan has reached the Immortalization Stage after he drank the water from the Spring of Life, making him qualified as the sect leader of the Youxiwang Sect. His talent cannot be overlooked, too. The Spring of Life can actually kill you if it wouldn't be compatible with your body. 

"I'll go." Sun Yi said, but his gaze is on Wu Yuan.

The armrest of Wu Yuan's chair cracked when Wu Yuan saw Sun Yi's expression. He wasn't provoking him, nor he was fooling around.

"Sect leader Wu…" they called and saw Wu Yuan's anxious expression. It's a given he'd worry for his husband's welfare since the fourth stage is life and death. However, he cannot overrule Sun Yi's decision since the rules of the competition states that if the contestant is willing, then no one can make other decision for him.

"Sun-shidi…" Chen Han called when he heard what Sun Yi said. He looked at Wu Yuan and saw Wu Yuan's betrayed expression. "Did you have a fight?" he asked.

"No." Sun Yi said and sadly smiled when he saw Wu Yuan's defeated expression. "I… just have some things to do." He said and grinned at Wu Yuan.

Wu Yuan's eyes widened when he saw Sun Yi's smile. Ah Yi… he thought and closed his eyes. 'Don't worry for me.', right? He thought and opened his eyes. Then, he smiled back at him.

The sect leaders' eyes widened in shock when they saw Wu Yuan smiled, though only for a second.

"Wow…" the audience muttered. "Is it already spring?" they asked. The youngest sect leader and his husband are really in love for the cold Wu Yuan to smile for him.

"It's a pity sect leader Wu already has Sun Yi…" a woman said and sighed.

"You'll find one for you soon." her friend told her.

"I'll be going, too." Li Tian said.

"Me, too." Feng Mo said.

"Ah Tian…" Chen Han called and he pressed his lips tight. "I don't want to lose you." He told him.

Li Tian patted his shoulder to comfort him. "You'll be there. Everyone will be there. How can I not go?" he asked. "I'll immediately withdraw if things get more dangerous." He told him.

"Ah Tian…" Chen Han bit his lips and hugged Li Tian tight.

"…" can someone also worry about me? Feng Mo thought as he felt depressed. Wu Bai… he thought and cried in his heart.

"Will Wu Xi also go?" Cheng Sheng asked. "We don't know if the Cleansing Stone can cure you…" he said and lowered his voice. "You might also take some spring water for Qie Shi." He told him.

Wu Xi nodded. Yu Sheng patted his shoulder in comfort. "How about Xiao Le?" Yu Sheng asked and they looked at the Huli Sect's side which was covered in silence.

Xiao Le was standing farther than it should from his fellow disciples. They could see their sect has an internal conflict. "Shu Mu might advise him not to." Cheng Sheng said. They can see Xiao Le listens to Shu Mu. "We will meet up with them tonight. I'll tell Shu Mu to relay my message to Xiao Le." He said and looked at Li Nanzi who was looking at Xiao Le and is itching to talk to the youth.

The others also noticed and their expression became serious. "Xiao Le is smart not to be deceived again." Fei Yin spoke.

"Da shixiong…" Li Tian and Feng called. They were obviously worried for Xiao Le.

"Like Lei-shidi, Xiao Le has to face his problem alone." Fei Yin said and looked at Lei Ling who's with Lei Qing, You Rou and Zuo Zhe in the audience's side.

"Huh? Did da shixiong and the others looked at us?" Lei Ling asked and his face brightened. "Da shixiong! Cheng-shixiong! Li-shixiong! Fei-shixiong! Chen-shixiong! Sun-shixiong!" he and You Rou called. "Yu-ge! Wu-ge!" he added when they saw Yu Sheng and Wu Xi.

Lei Qing looked away in embarrassment while Zuo Zhe made his face looked blank when the people looked at their way. They're too excited. They thought and lowered their head in shame.

"The contestants can also withdraw like in the third stage. You will use your Cleansing Stone to withdraw if you will it. It will take you back here." Zheng Fu Gong said. "This time, there will be no Alliance's disciples to accompany you. Your Cleansing Stones with you also acts as your key to enter the maze, and as your map to navigate inside the maze." He explained as they watched the contestants wore the Cleansing Stones on their neck. "However, since it is a maze, the terrains might easily change. So, be careful." He told them.

In Cheng Sheng's team, all of them will be going. Likewise with the Zunjingde Sect, Qian Lin, Shanliangde Sect and the Huakai Sect. Xiong Si and Fu An withdrew. Xiao Le's decision has yet to be known, as well as Kang Ce's. Kang Ce's strength isn't inferior to Tang Zhe's. As well as Xiao Le isn't inferior to Guo Cheng. Li Nanze has yet to speak with them.

"Well, then, everyone – " Zheng Fu Gong said as he looked at them all. " – we'll now be going back to Zhongyang. Please prepare yourself." He told them before he, Jing Xian, Su Yuan and Qi Ling disappeared as well as the sect leaders.

Having learned from before, everyone immediately closed their eyes as Pai Lie teleported them back to the Righteous Alliance's headquarter.

"Bleaurgh!" Lei Ling and You Rou still can't adapt to teleporting and felt the familiar vertigo. Lei Qing was better compared to the two. She only has a slight pale complexion and her eyes are unfocused for a few minutes.

"Urgh…" the audience groaned as they felt dizzy.

"Everyone, please proceed to the dining hall. The Alliance has prepared a banquet." Zheng Fu Gong told them as the Alliance's disciples together with Zheng Yi gave a Calming Pill to the people to remove their vertigo.

"Elder Pai…" Zheng Fu Gong called and sighed.

"What?" Pai Le pouted. "This is how the arrays are. You wouldn't understand – " he said before he paused. " – but Cheng Sheng can!" he said and looked at the sea of people to look for Cheng Sheng's figure. He sighed in defeat when he didn't see Cheng Sheng. He runs fast, huh. He thought and helplessly smiled. "The reasons why one would feel vertigo when teleporting are that one, they are weaker than the array and its master. Two – " he said. " – time and distance are compressed and they will feel the speed of the travel, and also would see it in their mind. So, the weaker you are, the stronger the vertigo you'll feel." He explained.

Zheng Fu Gong and the others just sighed as they all walked towards the dining hall for dinner.

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