Chapter 131: Chapter 125: The Sword in the Kind Father’s Hand【Seeking Subscriptions】_1
Sha Chen ultimately did not ask Red Boy for another bag of resources as a filial gift.
After all, he had a thin skin.
It was mainly because Red Boy was being tight-fisted.
After glancing at the Qiankun Bag, even Sha Chen was shocked for a moment.
So much!
The resources Red Boy gave him were so abundant and varied.
They were packed to the brim, even more than what he had previously scammed from the Dragon Girl.
Sha Chen was immediately very satisfied; he now had resources for Cultivation again.
He tentatively asked, "Boy Sage, were most of these resources obtained through plundering?"
Red Boy replied, "Half and half, I guess. Actually, half of them were tributes paid to me by other Demon Kings."
Sha Chen was stunned. Tributes?
Red Boy said with some pride, "As the king of Fire Cloud Cave in Kusong Stream, I rule over thousands of miles. Some of the mountain spirits, tree demons, and other strange creatures around me revere my character and send gifts on every festival and birthday."
Sha Chen was utterly amazed. Is it really that good!?
He naturally didn’t believe that these monsters admired Red Boy’s character; it was clearly Red Boy collecting protection money. For the sake of staying alive, those monsters had to make offerings. And that was a long-term and hugely profitable enterprise.
It was a pity. Sha Chen wouldn’t do it because he disliked showing his face in public, nor did he want to claim a mountain as his own and attract karma. It was just too dangerous.
Red Boy dared to be so arrogant, charging protection fees everywhere, solely relying on his dad, the Bull Demon King, and Princess Iron Fan being powerful enough. If he dared say he was a child the Bull Demon King picked up, that his dad didn’t care for him anymore, those monsters would probably band together to attack him, teaching him not to be too arrogant. Of course, Red Boy’s own strength was indeed part of the reason, but a big part of it was his dad.
However, although Sha Chen wouldn’t go out, most of his followers were outside, and he wondered if they knew how to claim a mountain as king and collect tributes. However, Sha Chen wouldn’t meddle too much in how they acted. As long as they could bring him resources, that was enough.
Moreover, through this simple exchange, Sha Chen discovered that Red Boy was typically wealthy. Not only did his family control a vast territory with the Bull Demon King having numerous underlings and receiving countless tributes, but Red Boy himself probably also received a substantial allowance. Secondly, Red Boy himself could claim a mountain as king and collect protection fees. All signs pointed to Red Boy being wealthy.
That made things easier.
Favors like an initial meeting gift can happen once but not be expected again; Sha Chen didn’t anticipate Red Boy giving him another initial meeting gift next time. And he couldn’t possibly ask Red Boy to gather resources for him; that wasn’t realistic. It had to be his followers, those who had received great boons from him, who would voluntarily collect resources for him—that was reliable. Just like the Black Bear Demon and the Spider Demon, along with Lady Di Yong and the Jade Rabbit, and one could also count the White Bone Demon.
As for the Dragon Girl, Tianpeng, and Ao Lie, these individuals had never explicitly offered to collect resources for him. They were merely gifts given after not seeing each other for many years. And since Sha Chen had shown them kindness, they repaid him. But this was unreliable. Who knew, one day they might feel too familiar with Sha Chen to bring gifts and simply arrive empty-handed. Wouldn’t Sha Chen suffer a huge loss if he went to the trouble of warmly preparing a feast only to get nothing in return?
Red Boy was the same as these individuals, not having clearly stated he would collect resources for Sha Chen, and Sha Chen wouldn’t bring it up. After all, it wasn’t realistic. These individuals all had independent personalities, their own territories, and forces; how could they possibly serve Sha Chen alone? Their relationship was more akin to allies.
So Sha Chen didn’t expect Red Boy to help him gather resources next time he came, nor did he hope for another initial meeting gift.
However, since Red Boy was rich, Sha Chen definitely wouldn’t let this opportunity pass.
After a moment’s thought, he said, "Boy Sage, ruling as a mountain king in Fire Cloud Cave, you must have many subordinates, right?"
Red Boy replied, "They’re alright. I have a few thousand under my command."
Sha Chen was inwardly astounded. He had only just begun to establish his own power, and already several thousand demons had gathered to him!?
He then smiled and said, "You must be planning to expand further, right?"
Red Boy replied, "Of course! I want my domain to be even bigger than my father’s. I want my name, Red Boy, to resound throughout the Demon World."
His ambition was sky-high, as though he could swallow rivers and mountains with his energy.
Sha Chen applauded. "Worthy of being my son! With such spirit and ambition, your father is proud of you."
Then he added, "But all this fighting and killing inevitably leads to injuries. If you don’t recover quickly when injured, wouldn’t that invite enemies to your doorstep?"
Red Boy nodded and said, "That’s true. I’m worried about this too, so I’ve had people collecting Healing Pills and various special items."
SMACK!
Sha Chen clapped his hands. "Isn’t that a coincidence? I happen to have a large batch of Healing Pills here, plus all kinds of Elixirs, most suitable for a person of great vision like you."
Red Boy exclaimed with delight, "I had no idea that apart from your Cultivation, Father, you are also so skilled at Alchemy!"
Sha Chen chuckled, "Keep it low-key, low-key."
Red Boy stretched out his hand and said, "Thank you for the gift, Father!"
Gift!? Hmm!? What gift!?
Sha Chen was bewildered. Then, seeing Red Boy reaching out his hand, he warily took two steps back, his cheeks twitching uncontrollably.
Awkwardly, he stammered, "Boy Sage, actually, actually..."
"Boy Sage, those Elixirs are not... haha, those Elixirs are for sale... Ahem, right, let’s not talk about this now. I almost forgot to give you a meeting gift."
Sha Chen slapped his forehead as if awakening from a dream.
I had intended to save some money, but now it seems I can’t avoid some expense. If I said these Elixirs weren’t directly for Red Boy, but for sale, it would greatly damage our father-son relationship. I’m a loving father; I absolutely won’t allow an unharmonious scene. If I give him a meeting gift, he shouldn’t be thinking about these Elixirs anymore, right?
Sure enough, Red Boy’s attention was diverted. His eyes lit up as he asked, "Father, what meeting gift do you plan to give your child?"
Sha Chen said, "You already have your Cultivation Technique, but your Divine Power is only the Samadhi True Fire, which is really too monotonous."
Red Boy immediately felt indignant and said, "Your child can also use the Forty-nine Variation Art, can summon the wind and call for rain, ride the clouds and drive the fog; it’s not monotonous!"
Sha Chen laughed and said, "If I were to teach you the Thug’s Seventy-two Variations, what would you think?"
Red Boy was overjoyed and asked, "Father, really? Why do you want to teach me the 72 Polymorphic Transformations?"
THUMP.
Without hesitation, he immediately knelt down and kowtowed.
Sha Chen laughed. "Of course! You are a filial son, and I am a loving father. Yours is mine, and mine is... still mine. Isn’t it perfectly normal for me to teach you the 72 Polymorphic Transformations?"
Red Boy was so grateful that he was in tears, saying, "Father, you’re truly a good person."
Sha Chen laughed heartily and began to teach the 72 Polymorphic Transformations to Red Boy.
Red Boy’s talent was indeed extraordinary; in only three months, he had already mastered the basics and learned it all. But to achieve Great Accomplishment, he still needed more time to slowly hone his skills.
While Red Boy was engaged in Cultivation of the 72 Polymorphic Transformations, Sha Chen was Refining the Gong Gong Essence Blood.
His physical body became even more powerful, and he moved a step closer to the Da Luo Dharmakaya. Once he formed the Da Luo Dharmakaya, Sha Chen’s strength would undergo an earth-shattering change.
At the same time, his control over the water element became even more powerful. The waters of Flowing Sand River were completely under his control and became extensions of his body, moving as he desired.
Red Boy, who was deep in his Cultivation, also sensed that Sha Chen had become even more formidable, and his admiration for him grew.
When Red Boy finished his Cultivation, he had forgotten all about the matter of the meeting gift.
Moreover, during this time, Sha Chen would often mention to Red Boy how he could brew Immortal Pills but was lacking ingredients. These ingredients were all painstakingly cultivated by him. He raised them with his blood, sweat, and tears. Therefore, he planned to sell the Elixirs he made, or if Red Boy knew some people, he could help him sell them.
While saying this, Sha Chen deliberately glanced at Red Boy.
Sure enough. Red Boy pounded his chest and said, "Father, why not sell them to me? I just happen to need these kinds of Elixirs too. If you want materials that can increase Cultivation and the Primordial Spirit, or strengthen the body, I can exchange them with you."
Sha Chen secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Red Boy didn’t bring up the matter of gifts again. He really had his father’s interests at heart and was a complete filial son.
Sha Chen said, "The quantity is ultimately a bit much for you alone, Boy Sage, and I can’t take your money; I’ll give them to you at cost."
"However, your father has worked hard and can’t make no profit at all. So, the best approach is for you to take a portion, and you can help sell the other part. What do you think?"
Red Boy’s eyes shone as he said, "What Father said makes sense. Your child knows not one hundred but at least eighty Demon Kings. They’ll spread the word, and that will surely increase sales."
"Then, Father’s great name will echo throughout the Three Realms, and everyone will come to Father to buy medicines."
HISS!
Sha Chen took a sharp intake of breath and quickly stopped Red Boy from speculating further.
Seriously and solemnly, Sha Chen said, "Boy Sage, remember one thing: we can forgo making money, but we absolutely cannot let anyone know that I am the one selling these Elixirs."
Red Boy was baffled. He asked again, "Why? If you become famous, won’t they sell even better!?"
Sha Chen said, "The pursuit of fame and fortune is to me as fleeting clouds; these Elixirs are just casually brewed by me and not intended for profit-making. As long as they can be sold, I don’t seek a large quantity."
Red Boy was awestruck, repeatedly clenching his fists in admiration and feeling deeply ashamed.
Sha Chen waved his hands repeatedly, feigning excessive modesty.
He continued, "Remember, I want to keep a low profile. The Elixirs should only be sold to willing buyers; never force a sale on anyone."
He feared karmic retribution, so he had to emphasize this point. The Dragon Girl was alright; being a wealthy princess, she was definitely reasonable. But Red Boy was a typical spoiled rich kid, a young tyrant on the Journey to the West route, already collecting protection money at such a young age. If Sha Chen didn’t specifically remind him, he would undoubtedly resort to forced sales. When widespread anger and resentment arose, and they discovered he was behind the sales, they would definitely come looking for trouble with him.
That would be very troublesome. Sha Chen had to emphasize this point.
Red Boy also assured him repeatedly that he would absolutely not engage in forced sales.
But Sha Chen was never truly at ease with his assurances, always feeling that Red Boy was just being perfunctory.
In the end, he could only hope that Red Boy truly was a filial son and would heed the admonitions of his loving father.
Otherwise... A loving father’s sword for a wandering son’s hide.
My adoptive father is so short on money, yet he’s indifferent to fame and fortune, Red Boy thought. I can’t just watch him live in poverty. Even if I can’t force sales, if someone asks for the price and then tries to haggle it down, they’ll definitely have to buy it then, right!?