Cheng Sheng, Fei Yin and Wu Yuan continued to search in the oasis city and, after ensuring that there was no any survivor left, or Nan Pingan wasn't there, they left and returned to the town. They left the town in three, and returned now with a child in the arms of one of them. Fortunately, the demonic cultivators aren't busybodies, nor there was someone who remembered them three before, and so they didn't look suspicious when they returned with a child.
Cheng Sheng is careful by nature, and so, he had the Shapeshifting Blanket cover Nan Lang. Surprisingly, the Shapeshifting Blanket could also turn to any color, so Cheng Sheng had it turn to black, and change into a hooded cloak like theirs.
"Where should we head first?" Fei Yin asked as they entered their room. They didn't return to the inn they had stayed in before since the people there saw there were only three of them and there was no child tagging with them.
Although they could make up an excuse of refining the child if they were questioned, but Nan Lang is a smart kid and he grew up with a sect in his hometown so he definitely knows what 'refinement' meant. So, if he'd hear them say those words, the trust Cheng Sheng earned from him would instantly disappear and, while eaten by his fear, he would definitely expose their identities.
They can't afford to risk it, so, even if they wasted money by not going back to the inn, Cheng Sheng could only bitterly bite his lip and rent for two rooms in another inn.
Cheng Sheng carefully placed Nan Lang on the bed. "Right now, the only place left we haven't checked is the town." He said. "Nan Pingan must be somewhere in here… mixing with the crowd to avoid catching the demonic cultivators' attention." He looked at Fei Yin and Wu Yuan.
"You're right." Fei Yin said. "The more the people, the more he can hide." He said.
Wu Yuan nodded in agreement. "I just thought of something." He said.
"What is it?" Cheng Sheng asked.
"We just killed Zhu Yang's group. The other demonic cultivators might know that they are looking for the Nanli Sect's survivors, most especially the escaped Nan Pingan." Wu Yuan said.
"Senior Wu's point is?" Cheng Sheng stared at him.
"We can act as Zhu Yang." Wu Yuan answered. "Although it is Zhu Yang's perverseness the reason he is hunting down the Nanli Sect's survivors, as well as Nan Pingan, but…" he stared back at Cheng Sheng.
Cheng Sheng's eyes lit up. "Hiding the truth with lies!" he exclaimed.
Fei Yin also finally understood. "No one would care about others' matters, anyway. These are the demonic cultivators' rule. By acting as Zhu Yang, we can do whatever we wanted with regards to the Nanli Sect's survivors!" he said.
Wu Yuan nodded. "That's right." He said.
Cheng Sheng is beaming. He immediately took out a magic pill. "This is a Voice Changing Pill. You can change your voice to the voice you desire to use. To be more careful, we can also use a Body Transforming Pill." He said and took out another pill. None of them looked like the beefy Zhu Yang. "The problem is – " he looked at Fei Yin and Wu Yuan. " – who will act as Zhu Yang?" he asked.
Silence fell upon them. "Let me." Wu Yuan spoke after a while. "I am the one who fought with Zhu Yang, so I can still remember some of his actions." He said. "Also, my father – "
Cheng Sheng cut him off. "Then, I should also act as Zhu Yang." He said. "My father's life is also on the line." His spoke in a hard tone. Wu Yuan looked at him.
Fei Yin coughed. "Let me, let me." He said as he took the two magic pills from Cheng Sheng's hand. Wu Yuan turned to him. He grinned at him. "Senior Wu, you're too rigid. You definitely can't act as Zhu Yang." He told him. He held Cheng Sheng's hand while taking the magic pills from him. "Sheng. As your husband, I should be able to solve your problems, right?" he winked at him. "I have Jing Xian pull up Zhu Yang's information from the database in the Ten Thousand Dimensions. He must be one of the characters in this novel." He whispered when he kissed Cheng Sheng's cheek.
Cheng Sheng blushed and lowered his head. "Mn." He answered. He felt embarrassed when he saw Wu Yuan was staring at them. He coughed to hide his embarrassment. "Then, let's have Fei Yin act as Zhu Yang. Senior Wu is indeed rigid, and would look awkward if he acted as Zhu Yang." He said.
Wu Yuan just nodded, no more arguments. "Then, while Fei Yin act as the bait and lure out Nan Pingan, I and Cheng Sheng will go around to look for him." He said.
Fei Yin nodded before he smiled. "I already got an idea how to lure him out." He said.
"Hey, hey. I've heard Zhu Yang's group has found a child." Someone said as he turned to his friend beside him.
"Really?!" his friend exclaimed as he stared at him, wide-eyed.
"That's right, that's right." He said as he raised his hand and drink. "Zhu Yang and his group has been waiting in the Nanli City for days, waiting for the remaining survivors there to come out because of hunger. It is a battle of attrition!" he said.
"So, the survivor they found is a child?!" his friend said.
"That's right. It is very unexpected, but the child's parents must be very heartbroken and truly regret to have their child die while being young. And so, they hid him in someplace." He said. "However, what can a child do? It will definitely go hungry! Thus, the child came out. Then, that's when Zhu Yang's group caught him!" he told him.
His friend looked at him in marvel as if he is Zhu Yang who caught the child. "Then, Zhu Yang must have killed the child?" he asked.
To his friend's surprise, he shook his finger at him. "Tut tut. No." he answered before he grinned. "When one caught a child, there are only two things that will happen: one, the child will be his servant or a catamite. Two, he will refine the child!" he said. "Guess which it will be?" he asked.
His friend pondered about it. "Zhu Yang is a barbarian. He only knows how to kill." He said. "He must have that child as his servant!" he guessed, his eyes are bright in anticipation.
However, again, he saw his friend shook his finger while grinning widely. "Wrong. Zhu Yang will refine the child!" he said.
"WHAT?!" his friend exclaimed as he rose up from his seat in shock. His chair overturned and their table shook, causing their plates and bowls to clatter. The other customers turned their head to him. "What?! What are you looking at?!" he asked. The other customers just clicked their tongue before they resumed eating. Meanwhile, he looked at him. "Are you sure he'll refine the child?" he asked him, doubt in his eyes.
He frowned in dissatisfaction. "How long have we been friends? Why would I lie to you?!" he asked as he glared at him. "Instead, you should be grateful I am telling you these things so that you can avoid the ones whom you should avoid to not get into trouble after you accidentally provoked them!" he said as he also rose from his seat in anger and hit their table. Their plates and bowls violently shook and the foods were wasted.
If the people around were the righteous cultivators, they would be alarmed as a fight is about to happen. However, they were all demonic cultivators. They indifferently rolled their eyes while some even watched with amusement, wondering who is stronger between the two.
Suddenly, a voice spoke as the tension reached its peak. "These brothers, it was just a rumor. No need to fight over something unsure." The voice said.
"Who is it?!" the two demonic cultivators turned. Then, they saw a person in black hooded cloak facing their way. Most probably, he was the one who spoke.
The one who heard the news spoke. "Are you saying I'm a liar?!" he asked, obviously anger.
The man in a black hooded cloak laughed. "I said 'unsure'. It is yet to be proven right or wrong. I never said it is false, right?" he asked and turned to the other people in the table beside him.
"You - !"
"Also, I actually can prove whether it is right or wrong, this rumor going on." The man spoke again.
"How?!" they asked.
"Because I am Zhu Yang." The man said and pulled down his hood, revealing a face wearing a wide grin.
"Oh! So Zhu Yang is here!" the people exclaimed and immediately walked over to greet 'Zhu Yang'. The two friends who almost fought also walked over to greet 'Zhu Yang' and apologize.
They didn't know, a pair of eyes filled with loathing is glaring at 'Zhu Yang' in a hidden place.