"What the heck…!" the audience exclaimed, shocked, when they saw that none of the points of the participants have dropped! Even if xiao Bao and xiao Ling are currently 'hunting' them!
"What the fck!" someone cursed in awe. "Neither the Chen brothers' nor Wu Lian's points dropped even if xiao Bao and xiao Ling have attacked them!" he said. "And there are even four of them!" he added.
Someone nodded in agreement. "En. Neither did Wu Tie's nor Jin Yu's." he said.
"This is already expected of the Xinfaxian Sect, Youxiwang Sect and their alliance, including Wu Tie and Jin Yu, since they have already figured out the conditions for xiao Bao and xiao Ling to steal points." Pai Lie spoke. "But, what is surprising is the Shanliangde Sect…" he muttered and glanced at Sun Yu who was similarly surprised as them, but he also couldn't hide his joy.
Finally! My disciples have left the pit! Sun Yu almost cried as he grinned widely. He is in a good mood so he didn't glare at Xie Lan nor Cheng Sheng.
Xie Lan turned to Sun Yu. "Congratulations to sect leader Sun." he said.
The other sect leaders. "…" fck! This Xie Lan just can't sit still on his seat and has to mock Sun Yu! They thought and coldly sweated, afraid that Sun Yi would finally snap.
Fortunately, Sun Yu is in a very good mood today, and he doesn't want to ruin his mood due to Xie Lan so he nodded at Xie Lan and started ignoring him. He resumed watching his disciples, can't hide the pride in his eyes as he looked at them farm for points, now all of them together.
"How… how did it happen?!" Tang Yun was shocked.
"They have figured out the conditions, too?! So fast?!" Lei Ling exclaimed.
"It seems that Sun Yan is in a high spirit today?" Jing Cheng spoke.
"It seems that he became sharper overnight?" Qian Lin muttered.
"En… Xi Bing and Fei Huo looked absent-minded." Fan Wen muttered. "Fortunately, Sun Yan is very energetic today. Even Fei Luo isn't moving much today." He said as his brows knitted.
The other elders were also puzzled. To protect the participants' privacy, naturally, the participants can close off their Cleansing Stones any time they want. So, last night, they didn't know what happened to the Shanliangde Sect disciples. They were gloomy yesterday after their sect's ranking, as well as themselves, fell to the bottom of the leaderboard.
But, right now, Sun Yan looked very sharp. Fei Luo, although doesn't move much, his expression is better now compared yesterday. Xi Bing and Fei Huo, though, are obviously absent-minded. Fortunately, they are able to kill the demons so they look after themselves.
"Sun Yan must have instructed Xi Bing and Fei Huo to hide first from xiao Bao and xiao Ling and follow him and Fei Luo from a certain distance." Cheng Sheng spoke. "That way, xiao Bao and xiao Ling won't include the two when deducting Sun Yan's and Fei Luo's points." He explained.
"Oh! That is smart, indeed!" they exclaimed when they understood.
"Sun Yan's mental state today played a big role." Cheng Sheng continued. "But, what was the key is that they learned the tactic that time when they fought against Ke Lu." He turned to them. "One would attack and one would observe." He told them.
"Ah!" they exclaimed when they recalled it. "You are right!" they said as they closely watched the four Shanliangde Sect disciples fight against xiao Bao and xiao Ling.
"But… we still don't know what are the conditions." Jing Bai said. Then, he turned to look at Zheng Yi who giggled.
The others started. That's right… the participants have all now figured out the conditions of xiao Bao and xiao Ling deducting the points but them, the audience, don't know.
Cheng Sheng didn't answer. "Look closely at their fight." He just told them.
They all did as he say. They watched at Sun Yan and Fei Luo attack xiao Bing and xiao Ling while Xi Bing and Fei Huo would defend. "Wait…" they muttered when they noticed something. Their eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "They… they… they took the initiative to attack?!" they exclaimed.
"Wait… wouldn't this make their points drop?" Kang Ce asked.
"But, their points didn't drop…" Guo Cheng's brows knitted in puzzlement. "So – " he said.
" – attacking doesn't necessarily mean a deduction." Lei Qing frowned in confusion.
"So… what did they exactly do?" Chen Han asked in bewilderment.
After this question, they all turned to look at Cheng Sheng.
But, Cheng Sheng still didn't answer. "Look closer." He told them.
And so, they can only follow. Fei Yin chuckled. He isn't watching the competition but watch Cheng Sheng instead.
"Da shixiong. If you continue to look, I will melt!" Cheng Sheng helplessly whispered. But, there is a smile on his lips.
Fei Yin laughed and kneaded Cheng Sheng's hands before he reluctantly looked away.
"Wait… wait!" Feng Mo spoke. "They… their attacks aren't landing on xiao Bao and xiao Ling!" he exclaimed.
Everyone's eyes widened and they also saw it. Feng Mo, although a simple-minded person, is a martial arts enthusiast thus he saw it.
"Look! When Sun Yan attacked, xiao Ling twisted his hand so that Sun Yan's sword would graze him." Feng Mo continued. "But, fortunately, Sun Yan retracted in time so he didn't touch xiao Ling!" he told them.
"You are right!" they exclaimed when they saw it, too.
"So… xiao Bao and xiao Ling are deliberately making the participants attack them so they can deduct the points of the participants?!" Jing Hei exclaimed as he looked at xiao Bao and xiao Ling in disbelief. "So cunning!" he said.
"En. No wonder we didn't see anything… this move of theirs is too subtle." Jing Kang said.
They all sighed in admiration. This trick of xiao Bao and xiao Ling is truly deceptive, but very effective. See? Everyone was very confused all this time. The participants even have gone on the defensive. But, their points were still deducted.
"Between Wu Tie and Jin Yu… it must be Wu Tie who figured this out." Sun Yi rubbed his chin.
"No. It was Jin Yu." Cheng Sheng said.
They all looked at him.
"Why?" Li Tian asked.
"Jin Yu has better eyes." Cheng Sheng answered. And that, Jin Yu is also a spirit servant thus he is more perceptive towards xiao Bao and xiao Ling than Wu Tie does.
"Oh." They muttered.
"How about the Xinfaxian Sect and Youxiwang Sect?" Xi Xing asked.
"Could it be Chen Wu?" Chen Han asked.
"No, no! It must be Lian-er!" Sun Yi objected.
"No! It is my nephew!" Chen Han said.
"No! My son!" Sun Yi said.
The other elders felt helpless. Fan Wen, as the eldest one among them, stopped the two idiots.
"It is Er Zi and Ling Yun." It was Fei Yin who spoke.
They all looked at him.
"Er Zi has been suspicious of xiao Bao and xiao Ling that last time when he, Tang Li and Li Yan tried to suss xiao Ling out." Fei Yin said. "So, he has been carefully observing xiao Bao and xiao Ling. As for Ling Yun, he was too terrified of the two sword spirits but after he has overcome his fear, he finally noticed what he should have noticed since the start." He explained.
"Oh!" everyone exclaimed with widened eyes. They now understood.
"Then, why was it Chen Wu and Wu Lian that spoke out?" Shan Lu asked.
"Because Er Zi is low-key. And Ling Yun also doesn't like being on the spotlight." Fei Yin answered.
"… oh." They all muttered, then subtly glanced at Cheng Sheng before they all looked away. The disciples are completely the opposite of their master! They all inwardly exclaimed.
Cheng Sheng, as if having guessed their thoughts, shrugged. "It is not that I want to be on the spotlight." He told them.
Everyone. "…" well, we can't refute this… they thought and wryly smiled. Cheng Sheng really was low-key. But, due to circumstances, he was forced in the middle of the storms. Thus, at first, everyone thought that he was just too eye-catching and always like being on the spotlight.
But, the reality is the exact opposite of it. No wonder his disciples also are very low-key. They took it after their master.
"But, even if the Shanliangde Sect are back on their feet now, they still can't chase back their ranks." Li Tian sighed in pity.
Xi Ming nodded in agreement and smiled. "It is fine. What is more important is that they have learned their lesson now on not to be arrogant." He said. "And to focus on what is the most important before them, and not on anything else.." he sighed as he watched the Shanliangde Sect disciples finished fighting against xiao Bao and xiao Ling and now are on their way to look for demons to fight against with.