Chapter 124: Chapter 118 There is no turning back in front of Buddhism【First more subscription request】_1
Sha Chen was somewhat astonished. He hadn’t expected the Dragon Girl to not bargain at all.
The Dragon Girl, worried that Sha Chen might change his mind, quickly extended her hand and high-fived him as a pledge. Only then did she ask, "General, are you regretting only asking for ninety percent of my resources?"
Sha Chen said, "Yes, I’m regretting it to the point of my guts turning green."
The Dragon Girl felt somewhat smug. It’s a good thing I had the foresight to accept the deal in advance! Otherwise, if I had delayed, Sha Chen would definitely have demanded all of it.
Then, the Dragon Girl organized her belongings and actually took out resources worth a Ninth Execution First-grade Immortal Elixir. Some were treasures of the Dragon Clan, and some were rarities from the depths of the sea. Most of them were aimed at strengthening the physique; there were virtually none for improving cultivation. After all, the Dragon Clan was committed to enhancing the physical body, so naturally, their cultivation resources were all standardized accordingly.
Sha Chen was momentarily stunned and blurted out, "Didn’t you say you were poor? Then how come you have so much with you?"
The Dragon Girl’s face flushed as she said, "I ran away to escape my marriage. I was already planning to leave home, so I took quite a lot of things with me."
Seeing her shy demeanor, Sha Chen knew. I still asked for too little.
How careless.
I was still duped by her.
The Dragon Girl, fearing that Sha Chen might go back on his word, said, "General, we struck a deal with a high-five. You can’t go back on it now."
Sha Chen naturally had no intention of reneging. It wasn’t just for the sake of these cultivation resources, but also to complete the system’s choice and obtain the Tao Te Ching.
That’s what really matters—the key to whether I can cultivate to the Da Luo Golden Immortal Realm or not.
The insights from a Saint’s personal notes are far more precious than the resources the Dragon Girl has brought—worth more than ten thousand times over!
Seeing how wealthy the Dragon Girl was, Sha Chen was already scheming. Murder for loot is out of the question, but playing Zhou Bapi is still doable.
"Ahem, Princess, since you’ve run away from your marriage, you must have no place to go. I could offer you shelter here for a while."
The Dragon Girl was immensely grateful and said, "General, you are truly a good man."
Sha Chen said, "It’s only right. After all, you are Ao Lie’s sister. However, if you’re going to stay, you have to pay rent. It’s not much, just one First-grade Immortal Elixir a year. That’s not too much, is it?"
The Dragon Girl looked at Sha Chen with a complicated expression, causing him to laugh awkwardly.
"One elixir for two years? Three years is also fine, but I can’t go any lower than that. Otherwise, I’d be at a huge loss."
The Dragon Girl said, "General, I’ve run away to escape marriage, I’m so pitiable, and you’re still charging me so much."
Sha Chen replied, "Princess, I’m taking a big risk here."
The Dragon Girl thought about it and suddenly felt he made a lot of sense. He makes a lot of sense. After hesitating for a while, she agreed.
Then, she again took out resources worth one First-grade Immortal Elixir and said, "I’ll pay for three years in advance."
Sha Chen delightedly accepted and said, "Just to be clear, if you leave early, the rent is non-refundable."
Then, he went to pick vegetables and cook, took out some ordinary First-grade immortal liquor, and said with a smile, "Princess, here’s to your grand escape from marriage."
The Dragon Girl, who had been feeling sad, smiled and nodded upon hearing Sha Chen’s words. She drank a cup.
Then, she glanced at the dishes. Although they were rather plain, they looked quite appetizing, so she dove in heartily.
Sha Chen asked, "Princess, are you satisfied with the meal?"
The Dragon Girl nodded and said, "It’s delicious, quite good in fact, even better than what the Dragon Palace chefs prepare."
Sha Chen’s eyes lit up. "Princess, look, since you find it tasty, and it’s the same effort for me to cook for one as for two—just adding another pair of chopsticks—why don’t we just dine together? I’ll count you in."
The Dragon Girl, moved, said, "General, you’re a good person."
Sha Chen chuckled. "I dare not claim such a thing. But here’s the deal: these dishes of mine all carry a hint of immortal energy, and the liquor is brewed with Immortal Rice. They’re all treasures; in other words, they’re resources..."
He continued, "You’d feel uneasy eating for free, wouldn’t you?"
"So, how about this: from now on, each meal will cost you one Third-grade Immortal Elixir. See, that price is very reasonable, right?"
The Dragon Girl put down her chopsticks and even tried to spit out the food she had just eaten.
Sha Chen hurriedly stopped her. "There’s no need, really no need! You can bargain, you know. Spitting it out looks terrible, it would spoil the mood, not worth it, not worth it at all."
The Dragon Girl looked at Sha Chen with an incredibly complex expression, feeling as if she, a sheep, had wandered into a wolf’s den and was about to be fleeced. She was already so pitiable, yet he still wanted to fleece her.
Seeing her complex look, Sha Chen tentatively said, "One Fourth Grade Immortal Elixir? Or at most, three Fifth-grade Immortal Elixirs. Any less, and it wouldn’t even cover the cost of ingredients."
The Dragon Girl glared fiercely at Sha Chen but eventually nodded in agreement: three Fifth-grade Immortal Elixirs per meal. Her only conditions were that each meal had to include at least one jug of liquor, and the quality of the food could not be lower than this time.
Sha Chen "tearfully" agreed.
The liquor he served was diluted with water beforehand; it wasn’t worth much. As for the dishes, they were mostly vegetables that grew wild in the fields, hardly different from weeds. As for meat, he had plenty; it came from animals lured to the shore and drowned.
Sha Chen quickly did the math. One meal for three Fifth-grade Immortal Elixirs. Every meal I serve is pure profit.
A huge profit!
The Dragon Girl seems to have plenty of resources. After fleecing her dry, I’ll kick her out, only to have her bring more resources to rent the place again.
Excellent.
The Dragon Girl had no idea that in Sha Chen’s eyes, she had become the very symbol of an easy mark.
After several rounds of drinks and various dishes, she began to pour out her sorrows, telling Sha Chen her entire situation.
It turned out she really had run away to escape marriage. Gifted from birth, she had been doted on by her clan and her reputation had spread far and wide. Finally, when she came of age, the Heavenly Court issued a decree: a marriage proposal for Wu Qu Xing, requiring the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea to marry her to him. The Dragon King naturally didn’t dare offend the Jade Emperor. Moreover, Wu Qu Xing was a renowned figure in the Heavenly Court, holding high position and power. So, the Dragon King agreed, hoping to secure a spokesperson for the Dragon Clan in the heavens.
However, the Dragon Girl did not agree. She had heard that Wu Qu Xing had a violent disposition, was extremely disrespectful towards women, and indulged in debauchery. He was even worse than Ao Lie. Naturally, she didn’t want to marry him and begged in every way possible to be spared, but the Dragon Clan refused all her pleas. The Dragon Clan needed a spokesperson, and Wu Qu Xing, while not comparable to those above him, was more than adequate among those below; he fit the bill perfectly. Any stronger, and the Dragon Clan wouldn’t be able to control him. Any weaker, and he would have no say.
It could be said that the Heavenly Court was intentionally trying to win over the Dragon Clan. Simultaneously, the Dragon Clan wanted to increase its influence in the Heavenly Court. Thus, the Dragon Girl became the sacrifice. Marrying Wu Qu Xing was her ultimate fate.
The Dragon Girl, of course, was unwilling. She tried everything to escape into the abyss as the Heavenly Court was about to send emissaries for the marriage proposal, and there she encountered Ao Lie. She then saved the distressed Ao Lie and heard him speak of Sha Chen with words full of admiration and worship, as if Sha Chen were omnipotent.
She had decided to seek Sha Chen’s help, but before he could even begin to help, she was fleeced.
At this point, the Dragon Girl looked at Sha Chen with pitiful, tear-filled eyes, as if hoping he would take pity on her for being fleeced.
But Sha Chen, on the other hand, was quite troubled.
Rash.
I asked for too little.
So the marriage was decreed by the Heavenly Court! If I intervene and the Heavenly Court finds out, won’t that bring endless trouble?
Sha Chen said, "Princess, actually, marrying Wu Qu Xing isn’t so bad. He’s violent, and your temper isn’t the best either. You’re two of a kind."
The Dragon Girl said anxiously, "General, are you going to abandon me? You’ve taken my money! If you refuse now, you must return it tenfold."
Sha Chen was stunned. "Is that a condition?"
The Dragon Girl said, "Yes, we sealed it with a high-five."
Sha Chen furrowed his brows. I don’t remember that condition.
Fearing that Sha Chen would truly renege, the Dragon Girl stopped eating and drinking and knelt. "General, as long as you can prevent my marriage, from now on you’ll be my brother. I’m willing to serve you faithfully, like an ox or a horse."
Sha Chen said, "Forget it, just be my tenant."
My sister? I’d have to feed and house her. She wishes!
The Dragon Girl said, "General, please help me find a way. I do not wish to marry Wu Qu Xing. He’s not a good person."
Sha Chen was also very troubled. Wu Qu Xing was a favorite of the Jade Emperor, who had personally arranged the marriage, and even the Dragon King had agreed. If he were to meddle, he would deeply offend both parties. Fortunately, this place shielded heavenly perception, and except for Saints, no one knew the exact situation. And Saints wouldn’t be bored enough to concern themselves with his affairs here, much less care about what he did.
Sha Chen said, "You’re right not to marry Wu Qu Xing. Otherwise, you’ll only have a solitary lamp for company, spending your nights alone."
The Dragon Girl was shocked. "Wu Qu Xing will die, and I will become a widow?"
Sha Chen said, "No. Rather, with your fiery temper, you likely wouldn’t tolerate Wu Qu Xing’s violence. Then, when he wasn’t paying attention, you might commit a terrible mistake."
The Dragon Girl nodded deeply, finding his words true. She indeed wouldn’t be able to tolerate it. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have fled the marriage merely upon hearing rumors of Wu Qu Xing’s poor character. Such a personality was, in fact, related to being spoiled since childhood. It was too late to change now.
Sha Chen actually knew what happened to the Dragon Girl after she married Wu Qu Xing. In the original story, the Dragon Girl was brutally beaten by Wu Qu Xing on their wedding day. Harboring deep resentment, she later killed his entire family while he was drunk and asleep. Afterwards, she fled and was hunted by the Heavenly Court. This even implicated the East Sea. Consequently, the Jinghe Dragon King, who had a decent relationship with the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas, was killed, yet they didn’t dare utter a word of protest. In fact, one of the Heavenly Court’s reasons for killing the Jinghe Dragon King was to intimidate the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas.
Later, having offended the Heavenly Court and implicated the Four Seas, the Dragon Girl found herself an outcast, neither side accepting her as a dragon. Utterly disheartened, she encountered Guanyin. She naturally became Guanyin’s disciple. Guanyin then smoothed over all the negative repercussions, appeased Wu Qu Xing and the Heavenly Court, and won favor with the Dragon Clan. Because of this incident, Guanyin’s status within the Dragon Clan became very high.
This was also why Sha Chen wanted to help the Dragon Girl; he didn’t want her to be so easily won over by Guanyin and become a pawn.
Since Guanyin wants to manipulate me, then let Guanyin be the one with the headache!
He believed that Guanyin must have started scheming the moment the Heavenly Court’s marriage decree was issued. Even this marriage was very likely orchestrated by Guanyin herself.
Sha Chen probed, "Princess, may I ask, have you been in contact with anyone from Buddhism recently?"
The Dragon Girl said, "No."
Sha Chen frowned. Have I guessed wrong?
The Dragon Girl said, "However, when I was younger and exceptionally talented, the Ran Deng Buddha and Guanyin Bodhisattva once gave me some guidance."
Sha Chen’s expression turned to one of realization. So that’s it.
He then tentatively asked, "What if, hypothetically, you were asked to join Buddhism? Would you be willing?"
The Dragon Girl replied without hesitation, "Of course not! I dislike being bound by strict rules and precepts. Besides, I love to eat meat—feasting on meat and gulping down wine."
Sha Chen grinned. It’s true. Without experiencing profound enlightenment and great upheaval, no one would willingly join Buddhism.
No wonder Buddhism orchestrated Sun Wukong’s suppression, Tianpeng’s transformation into a pig, my suffering of the Thousand Swords Piercing The Heart here, Ao Lie’s burning of the Dragon Ball, and Red Boy’s interception of the scripture pilgrims.
All of it was merely to make them err, to ensure they had no path of retreat.
Their only way forward was Buddhism.