Cheng Sheng didn't answer and just started eating. Fei Lin, seeing that the other started to eat, didn't speak again in order to not disturb the other while eating.

It was Xi Ling instead who couldn't stand the silence. "Are you really not going to show your face to your sect members?" he asked. "And your disciple?" he added. Seeing that Cheng Sheng didn't answer, he pursed his lips. "You could just give your disciple some motivation." He said. "After all, he would be fighting for your sake, right?" he looked at him.

Cheng Sheng chewed the noodles and swallowed it before he spoke. "If he will be fighting for my sake, then all the more reason that I shouldn't appear in front of him." He said.

"Why?" Xi Ling asked.

"Because he should be fighting for himself, instead." It was Fei Lin who answered.

Cheng Sheng nodded and resumed eating.

Xi Ling felt anxious. Since he couldn't outtalk Cheng Sheng, he turned to his lover, instead. "But… but won't Er Zi lose because of this?" he asked. "He wanted to show his strength to his master the most, after all." He said. "What's the point of fighting if the person that he wanted to see isn't there?" he looked at Cheng Sheng.

"What's the point of me acknowledging his strength when he can't make others acknowledge him first, then?" Cheng Sheng asked.

This time, Xi Ling fell silent.

"If he can't make other people acknowledge him, then there is no point of me acknowledging him." Cheng Sheng said. "I'll just treat it as my lack of judgement, a mistake." He spoke.

Xi Ling started at him. "… aren't you too… strict?" he can't help but say. He wanted to say 'harsh', but then it sounds so offensive so he changed his word.

"Which teacher isn't strict?" Cheng Sheng asked. "Not only will this be to disciple him, but this would also make him be more careful of the world." He said.

Xi Ling felt helpless and didn't speak again. He really doesn't know how to encourage him more to see his disciple even just for a second. But, he also knows that Cheng Sheng is right. The cultivation world has never been easy. If one would be arrogant, then the next hour someone can collect his corpse. Cheng Sheng is doing this for Fei Yinzi's own good.

But, Xi Ling couldn't help but also feel that Cheng Sheng is also strict towards himself, if not too strict. He doesn't believe that Cheng Sheng didn't develop paternal feeling towards Fei Yinzi. He did, but he is just hiding it. He must not want to be too attached to something else… to someone else again.

Xi Ling can't help but sigh and then look at Fei Lin. He is one of the two people who resembles Fei Yin. The other one is Fei Yinzi, Cheng Sheng's disciple. Just how cruel fate can be towards Cheng Sheng? Not only did his cultivation weakened and lost his lover, it also continues to torment him using Fei Yinzi, and Fei Lin.

Xi Ling and Fei Lin met Cheng Sheng five months ago after Cheng Sheng sent them a letter asking them to meet him in the Stop By Town, which is the place where they last have seen him. It is also the place where Fei Lin entrusted Fei Yinzi to Cheng Sheng, since he doesn't trust anyone who are remaining in the Fei Clan. This is also why he left with Xi Ling, wandering around the world to see more of it.

Xi Ling didn't know at first why Cheng Sheng summoned them. He only knew of Cheng Sheng's intention after they met with him, and heard the first sentence that Fei Lin told him.

"You want to go to the Abyss to look for Yin-er's corpse?" Fei Lin asked as he looked at Cheng Sheng with a serious face.

"Yes." Cheng Sheng answered. His voice is firm and his gaze is determined.

"I object." Fei Lin spoke.

Cheng Sheng didn't answer and just looked at Fei Lin. Fei Lin just stared back at him. Meanwhile, Xi Ling was stunned by what he heard. Fei Yin's corpse should have been in the bottom of the Abyss now, if not already eaten by the demons in it! Going to the demon-infested Abyss… this is just seeking death!

In the end, it was Fei Lin who spoke again. "As Yin-er's older brother, I should be looking after you, his lover. But, I…" he heaved a sigh.

Cheng Sheng didn't speak, nor Xi Ling. Xi Ling knows that Fei Lin wanted to forget the pain of losing his family – his uncle and then his younger brother. That's why he left the Xi family to accompany his lover. In fact, he is very glad that Fei Lin didn't stop him from accompanying him, given that Fei Lin used to hide his sadness before and act tough. It was already fortunate that Fei Lin didn't push him away.

"Give me five months." Cheng Sheng spoke.

Fei Lin didn't answer while Xi Ling tensely watched them on the side.

"After that… I'll give up looking for him again." Cheng Sheng said. "This will be the last time." His eyes reddened. He took out something from his sleeve and showed it to them.

Fei Lin and Xi Ling where shocked to see the bamboo-colored tassel that was similar to the tassel attached on the jade hanging by Cheng Sheng's waistband.

"The Nanshu Sect found this from one of the demons that they killed and sent this to Shu Mu, and Shu Mu gave this to Qie Shi and Sun Rong for them to hand this to me." Cheng Sheng spoke. "I already have made a plan after I received da shixiong's tassel." His tears finally fell. "Fei Yin… he must still be in there... and is waiting for me." He told them as he sobbed.

Fei Lin was silent for a long time. "… let us call more people and then we will go down there." He spoke with a hoarse voice. The rims of his eyes are also red.

Xi Ling nodded. "We will call only those we can fully trust." He said.

…

"Geez! Why didn't you wait for us!" Xiao Le said and pouted, acting aggrieved as he sat beside Cheng Sheng while Shu Mu ordered food for them.

"You are too slow." Cheng Sheng answered.

"We just dropped by in our sects before we flew here in our fastest speed." Xi Ming spoke as he and Xi Xing sat across Cheng Sheng.

"How are those brats?" Xi Ling can't help but ask Xi Ming.

"Xi Shi's son was chosen, as well as Xi Ning's son." Xi Ming answered. "There are also two from the Fei Clan." He added as he looked at Fei Lin.

Xi Ling let out a sigh of relief while Fei Lin didn't react. Xi Ming helplessly smiled. When Shu Mu arrived with the food, all of them started eating while chatting. It was them seven who went down the Abyss, with Cheng Sheng leading while using the map that Qie Shi gave him after Qie Shi's people scouted around the Abyss.

The deeper you go, the darker the surroundings. You also have to evade the demons coming out of it. Fortunately, they came at sunrise since there were no demons, who hated the sunlight, came out of the Abyss at that time. They would then leave before the dark and update the map, before going back down the Abyss.

"So, where do we go next?" Shu Mu asked in the middle of the meal.

Everyone looked at Cheng Sheng, waiting for his answer.

Cheng Sheng wiped his lips before he raised his head and looked at them. "To the Righteous Alliance." He answered. "I will be able to find the answers that I seek there." He told them.

Yunxiao Inn, night.

Wen Wen was walking back to his room after he went to the bathroom when he suddenly stopped and froze on the spot after he saw a white figure flashed at the end of the hallway. His eyes widened in shock and his whole body trembled in fear. "W – what… what was that…?" he asked under his breath with his pale face.

"Wen Wen?" a voice spoke behind him, followed by someone touching his shoulder.

"WAH!" Wen Wen screamed and jumped in fright before he turned. "E – Er Zi?!" he exclaimed when he saw Fei Yinzi standing behind him.

"What's wrong with you? Did you see a ghost?" Fei Yinzi asked, puzzled.

Wen Wen stared at Fei Yinzi for a long time before his tears suddenly fell.

Fei Yinzi was startled. "W – what's wrong?" he asked in alarm and immediately took out a handkerchief to wipe Wen Wen's tears.

"Waaaah! Er Zi! I saw a ghost! There is a ghost!" Wen Wen cried and pointed at the end of the hallway.

Fei Yinzi helplessly sighed before he coaxed him and sent him back to his room.

Meanwhile, Fei Lin and Xi Ling who were going back to their room. "…" did someone cry? A child?