Chapter 113: Chapter 112 Red Boy’s Challenge [Sixth Update Please Subscribe]_1
The Boy Sage was making a racket above the Flowing Sand River.
From within the Formation, Sha Chen looked out and indeed saw a child-like great demon with an intense demonic aura, holding a long spear, surrounded by flickering flames, displaying unimaginable defiance.
Sha Chen frowned upon seeing this.
The Boy Sage was none other than Red Boy, the son of the Bull Demon King.
This scoundrel should either be at the Flaming Mountain or in the Fire Cloud Cave of the Kusong Stream. How did he end up here? From his tone, it seems he wants to challenge me.
Sha Chen felt a headache coming on; this was precisely the sort of thing he dreaded the most.
The White Bone Demon had mentioned before that his fame had spread across the four seas. Countless people wanted to challenge him to make a name for themselves.
He yearned to keep a low profile, but some people apparently did not want him to do so.
First, there was the White Bone Demon’s provocation, and now an even fiercer challenger had arrived: the son of the Bull Demon King, Boy Sage King Red Boy.
It’s never-ending. What am I to do?
Sha Chen gave a wry, silent laugh. I just want to cultivate in a low-profile manner and not become famous. Why does everyone keep coming to my door?
Red Boy was still causing a commotion on the riverbank.
Sha Chen chose to ignore him. This annoying brat will probably leave once he gets tired of yelling!
He started to read the Dan Scripture and found it obscure and difficult. However, since it was a reward from the system, he could grasp it without too much difficulty.
This was the advantage of system rewards. Whether it was Cultivation Techniques, Divine Powers, Dao Techniques, or Formations, they were all made convenient for him, the host, to cultivate.
Although the Dan Scripture was abstruse, he could still understand it by virtue of being the host.
He stood under the osmanthus tree, accompanying himself with peach wine and osmanthus wine, then, with a pot of wine amidst the flowers, began to read his book by the moonlight.
As he perused the Dan Scripture, he gradually entered a state of contemplation.
On the shore, Red Boy cursed and ranted for a long time but received no response at all.
In a furious rage, he utilized his Divine Powers to part the waters, trying to locate Sha Chen.
Alas, the Flowing Sand River was simply too vast and boundless. His Mana was only at the mid-level of Greater Primordial Golden Immortal, and he couldn’t completely part the waters.
In his anger, Red Boy planned to use the Samadhi True Fire to evaporate the Flowing Sand River.
"A mere minor deity dares to disregard this young master? Then I’ll dry up the Flowing Sand River and boil you alive!" he exclaimed.
With his hands forming seals, he recited the incantation.
A surge of fiery red energy gathered rapidly within his abdomen, then rose to his chest, passed his throat, and with his body leaning back to build up power, he exhaled a breath of Samadhi True Fire.
The entire Flowing Sand River was engulfed in flames.
The Samadhi True Fire scorched the heavens and boiled the seas.
Although it was intended to evaporate the Flowing Sand River, the land for hundreds of miles around the riverbanks was dominated by the fiery will.
Everything was blistering hot, and countless birds and beasts fled from their territories, running into the distance.
Some that couldn’t escape in time were directly roasted or died from the heat.
If this was the situation on the periphery, one could only imagine the state of the Flowing Sand River itself. One-third of its water was directly evaporated, generating steam that rose to Yunxiao, forming dark clouds accompanied by thunder and lightning.
The world turned dark. The sun and the moon lost their light.
The Roaming Gods of day and night and the various celestials, including Jia Lan, were utterly horrified at such a spectacle.
Upon closer inspection, they recognized it was the great demon Red Boy trying to evaporate the Flowing Sand River. They swiftly reported this to the Heavenly Court.
After hearing the news, the Jade Emperor instructed the denizens of the Heavenly Court to stand down and take no action.
The reason given was that Red Boy was not harming anyone else.
Everyone was shocked beyond measure, yet they strictly followed the command, remaining on standby but keeping a close eye on the situation with the Flowing Sand River and Red Boy.
「In the Heavenly Court.」
Great White Plane sought out the Jade Emperor. Actually, he did not want to come because he felt ashamed to face the Jade Emperor.
The Jade Emperor glanced at him and said, "It seems the resources you sent to Juanlian last time have gone to waste, like a meat bun thrown to a dog."
Great White Plane said, "Your Majesty, Juanlian only refuses to leave the water because he fears the dangers outside. However, since he has accepted our resources, he must be grateful to Your Majesty."
The Jade Emperor chuckled. "If he’s truly grateful, has he sent you back with a message to express his loyalty to Us?"
Li Changgeng said awkwardly, "That, he did not do. However, he did thank Your Majesty at the time."
The Jade Emperor chuckled. "Thanks? We have heard that word countless times. What We want is concrete action, not to be treated like a sucker."
Li Changgeng was so embarrassed he didn’t know what to do.
The Jade Emperor glanced at him and continued to review the memorials.
「After a while.」
Li Changgeng said, "Your Majesty, Red Boy is burning the Flowing Sand River. Sha Chen might be burnt to death."
The Jade Emperor said, "So?"
Li Changgeng said, "If we don’t intervene, Red Boy acts recklessly and doesn’t hold back. Sha Chen could indeed die."
The Jade Emperor said indifferently, "You could not break his Formation. Do you think the mere Red Boy could?"
Li Changgeng said, "But I used Swordsmanship and Divine Power, forcefully attempting to break the Formation. Red Boy is using Samadhi True Fire. His Formation might withstand the burning True Fire, but it may not withstand the heatwaves of the True Fire."
In other words, the fire might be blocked, but the heat would not be.
Like being in a steamer, he might be cooked alive.
The Jade Emperor said, "We want him to be unable to withstand it, to open his mouth and beg for mercy. When his dignity shatters in the face of death, when he begs for mercy, even kneels before Red Boy to beg, that’s when We shall save him."
Li Changgeng was stunned for a moment, then he nodded deeply in agreement.
Although it was somewhat cruel, it seemed to fit their strategy well.
To deal with someone like Sha Chen, they could not simply indulge him. They had to strike, to suppress, to make him feel a mix of love, hate, and fear towards them.
Besides, it was Red Boy who was taking action, not their Heavenly Court.
When the Heavenly Court eventually intervened to help, Sha Chen would have to be profoundly grateful to them.
「Southern Sea, Luo Jia Mountain.」
Guanyin was feeding the koi. Muzha walked out from behind, pressing his palms together in salutation.
"Master, Red Boy has gone to the Flowing Sand River and is burning it with heavenly fire, threatening to boil Juanlian alive."
Guanyin remained unfazed and continued feeding the fish.
「After a long moment.」
Only then did she say, "That’s good."
As if setting the tone for the matter, she added, "When the White Bone Demon went to him, I thought it was a sure win. I didn’t expect him to kill her."
Muzha asked, "Did he really kill the White Bone Demon?"
He was shocked. The White Bone Demon’s strength was not inferior to his. She even possessed an incredibly powerful physical body and Primordial Spirit. In an actual fight, he might not have been her match.
Yet she was killed by Sha Chen.
If he were to face Sha Chen, wouldn’t he too be doomed? He dared not ponder any further. The more he thought about it, the more complicated his feelings became.
Guanyin said, "Whether it’s true or not isn’t important. Even if it’s false, the White Bone Demon can no longer be allowed to exist."
"As for the matter with Red Boy, you don’t need to worry about it. How are things progressing with Ao Lie and Tianpeng, whom you are responsible for?"
Muzha hung his head in shame. "Ao Lie has entered the Abyss and is beyond reach. Moreover, he outrightly refused Dragon King Wan Sheng’s proposal to wed Princess Wan Sheng. He was likely advised by some expert."
Guanyin said, "All the Dragon Kings wish to ally with Dragon King Wan Sheng; the West Sea especially desires Princess Wan Sheng. Yet Ao Lie, this profligate, actually refused. It’s quite interesting."
Muzha asked, "Master, what should we do?"
Guanyin said, "After he emerges from the Abyss, continue to monitor him. He’s bound to make a mistake eventually."
Muzha nodded, deeply convinced.
Then he knelt down and said, "Master, Tianpeng was originally captured by the Nine-headed Saint, but someone rescued him before we could act."
Guanyin said, "Go on."
Muzha then recounted the events in great detail, even more so than what Guanyin had deduced.
Guanyin murmured, "Someone from the Sect of Interpretation?"