"Cheng-shidi?" Feng Mo, Li Tian and Lei Qing were surprised. They have just been told by Lei Ling and You Rou to not see Cheng Sheng. But, seeing Wu Bai's expression, they know that it must definitely be something important.

"Yes." Wu Bai nodded as he held Feng Mo's hand and interlocked their fingers.

"Since it is urgent…" Feng Mo looked at Li Tian and Lei Qing. The two nodded. "Then, let's go see him." He turned and told Wu Bai.

"Thank you." Wu Bai sighed in relief.

The four of them headed to the pavilion Lei Ling and You Rou told them where Cheng Sheng is.

"What happened?" Feng Mo asked Wu Bai. "Did something happen in Xinfaxian?" he asked as his expression changed.

Li Tian and Lei Qing looked at each other.

"Nothing happened in Xinfaxian." Wu Bai answered. "But, around the Xinfaxian, there is." He said.

Their expressions turned grave. Even though they live in Xinfaxian, but they also care for the surrounding areas. Just like last time when the demons attacked the east and they spread their forces to eradicate the demons.

But now, something happened again.

"I have placed puppets all around the east as a surveillance." Wu Bai spoke.

Feng Mo, Li Tian and Lei Qing already know this.

"But, something happened to those puppets." Wu Bai said as he frowned.

Feng Mo's chest tightened in fear. "You are fine, right?" he asked as he held Wu Bai's hand tight.

Wu Bai smiled and nodded. "If I'm not, I wouldn't dare touch you right now." He said as he took a deep breath.

Feng Mo's eyes reddened. "What about the puppets?" he asked.

"Remember when Cheng Sheng once brought Er Zi south?" Wu Bai asked.

The three of them nodded.

"This is related to south." Wu Bai spoke. "Cheng Sheng also have already told me about what happened in the south, so he had me prepare the puppets. Now…" his eyes narrowed. "His premonition is right. Something really happened to the puppets." He said and stopped in front of the bridge.

Feng Mo, Li Tian and Lei Qing also stopped and saw Cheng Sheng standing in the middle of the bridge.

Cheng Sheng turned and smiled when he saw them. But, the smile on his face froze when he saw Wu Bai. "So, you've come." He said as his smile disappeared.

Feng Mo, Li Tian and Lei Qing felt their hearts sank when they saw Cheng Sheng's expression. It was rare for Cheng Sheng to show this expression. "Cheng-shidi." They called.

"Li-shixiong, Feng-shixiong, shijie… sorry, but may I ask you to call founder, shifu, father, uncle Wu, senior Wu, senior Sun, elder brother, elder Fei, elder Xi, Xi Ming, Xi Ning, Shu Mu and Xiao Le?" Cheng Sheng asked. "Also, elder Zheng, elder Pai, sect leader Jing, Jing Cheng… the rest. If they could, sect leader Qian, sect leader Tang, Tang Zhe, sect leader Li and Kang Ce, too." He added.

Hearing this, their eyes widened in shock. They felt alarm. Something big has happened! "Okay!" they answered and immediately fled in all directions to call everyone.

Now, only Cheng Sheng and Wu Bai are left. Wu Bai walked towards Cheng Sheng but stopped when he saw the box on top of the table inside the pavilion. "So, it also reached here." Wu Bai spoke.

Cheng Sheng nodded. "Yes. A whole family died." He said. His voice sounds heavy.

Silence fell.

"I already felt the Eating Worms drilling in the nape of my puppets and them eating inside their head. Fortunately, they can only eat cotton." Wu Bai grimly laughed as he clenched his fists. "They all died, as well as those who has the father worms on them." He told him.

Cheng Sheng coldly smiled.

"Xiao Sheng!" Xie Lan called when he, Fan Wen, Chen Jing and Wu Fan arrived together with Fei Lin, Xi Ling, Xi Ming, Xi Ning, Shu Mu and Xiao Le who immediately rushed after they were called.

Cheng Sheng and Wu Bai turned and forced a smile. "Let's all wait for everyone to gather first." He spoke as he walked down the bridge. "Sun Rong." He called when he saw he and Qie Shi also came. "Gather everyone in the Tianyun Pavilion. You can't be impolite to your guests." He told him as he left.

Sun Rong smiled. "It is still you who are considerate." He said and chuckled. "I'll bring you all your breakfast immediately." He said and then left with Qie Shi.

Everyone left are still puzzled but seeing that Wu Bai is here, their expressions changed and know that something grave has happened. Together with Wu Bai, they all followed Cheng Sheng to Tianyun Pavilion – the largest pavilion of the Yunxiao Inn, and of the entire Zhongyang.

…

Seeing the familiar faces, Cheng Sheng heaved a sigh of relief. Since they have finished their breakfast, he then started.

"One year ago, I brought my disciple south to broaden his horizon and for him to gain experience." He spoke. "But, one day, I didn't expect to encounter a bizarre incident." He frowned. "Passing by a residence of an ordinary family, I saw a worm atop their doorframe. I was about to resume walking when my disciple told me that the house is strange, since, compared to the other houses, only them have a talisman stuck atop their doorframe." He said.

"A talisman?!" they exclaimed.

Jing Kang, Xie Lan, Fan Wen, Lei Ling and You Rou who already heard this looked calm. Though, even they are calm but they still can't help but feel terrified of this incident.

"Yes. Everyone here already knows about my cultivation method which makes my senses above any others." Cheng Sheng spoke until here and then paused. He turned to look at Yu Wen, Ling Xi and Ling Yun whom he also invited. "Everyone. I want you all to look at something. Then, disciple Ling Yun. You tell them what you see." He said and took out a bottle before he opened it.

"Eh? A talisman?" they all said as they looked at the bottle. "Cheng Sheng, why are you placing a talisman inside a bottle?" they asked as they looked at him.

But, Ling Xi who was standing beside Ling Yun noticed his nephew's face paled. "Yun-er? What's wrong?" he asked.

"W – worm… it's a worm!" Ling Yun exclaimed and hid behind his uncle. His whole body trembling in fear.

Everyone's expression changed and they turned to look at Ling Yun.

"A… worm?" Qian Shan frowned as they all turned to look at the 'talisman' inside the bottle again.

Jing Kang who was also deceived looked more uncomfortable.

"Everyone, I want to ask you if you sensed anything strange when I opened the bottle?" Cheng Sheng asked as he closed the bottle again.

"… right! I smelled something!" Li Nanzi spoke.

"Me, too." Tang Teng said.

"That's the deceptive ability of the worm." Cheng Sheng said and opened the bottle again.

Everyone turned and their expressions changed when they saw that this time, it was really a worm! Strings of curses were uttered and Cheng Sheng just smiled as he stored the worm.

"Humble me asked for everyone's presence to tell you about this matter." Cheng Sheng spoke as his smile disappeared. "This worm… has reached the south, east and central." He told them.

Their eyes widened, stunned.

"It should be the southeast, sect leader Qian." Cheng Sheng told Qian Shan whose eyes flashed in alarm. "Your sect, as well as sect leader Shu's sect, is in the south west, so you all should still be safe." He said.

Qian Shan sighed in relief and thanked him.

Cheng Sheng nodded and finally told everyone what he told the others earlier this morning. "Wu Bai." He called.

Wu Bai rose from his seat and told them about the puppet.

"Jing Kang." Cheng Sheng called.

Jing Kang nodded and then rose from his seat. "Yesterday…" he spoke and narrated to them about what happened, including the worms that they found inside the heads of the corpses of the deceased family. "Ling Ling and I are both talisman masters, but we are still lacking from Cheng Sheng. So, I had Ling Ling consult with his shixiong while I took care of the aftermath of the incident. How shocked was I of what I heard from Cheng Sheng." He made a heavy sigh. "Then, after I left, and as instructed by Cheng Sheng, I really did find a corpse of a man behind a tree. His skull is empty, and there was also a corpse of a worm." His face darkened. "That was the father worm of the mother worm I found, which was failed to be eaten by the father worm and also failed to eat its children from the corpses of the family because I found it and took it back for Cheng Sheng to see." He explained. "I investigated the man who has the father worm on him… but he isn't from Zhongyang." He told them.