Chapter 82: Chapter 82: This Woman is Not a Good Person [Seeking Recommendation Tickets]_1
She hastily said, "General, rest assured, I can use the Substitution Technique to lure the pursuers away in my stead."
Sha Chen said joyfully, "You’ve mastered the Broken Shoe Substitution Technique so quickly? Good, use it now."
Lady Di Yong’s heart trembled. He knew everything; how terrifying!
After casting the spell, she saw another ’Lady Di Yong’ appear by the riverside, leading the pursuers away.
Sha Chen clicked his tongue in wonder, saying, "Impressive. If you cultivate this Substitution Technique well, even ordinary divine eyes won’t spot any flaws."
He remembered that Sun Wukong had been fooled by this move twice and hadn’t seen through it. One could imagine that even Fiery Golden Eyes were insufficient.
Lady Di Yong was also shocked. Sha Chen’s words implied that he could discern the true from the false, making her dare not harbor any disrespect towards him. Sha Chen knew everything about her and had seen through her once-prided divine abilities. Aside from engaging in direct power confrontations, she had nothing else to be proud of.
The pursuers were gone.
Sha Chen, after several tests to ensure safety, finally allowed Lady Di Yong to enter the Formation. He knew the double created by the Substitution Technique likely wouldn’t last long before being exposed and traced back, so she had to be let in.
Once Lady Di Yong entered the cave dwelling, she witnessed its splendor: the glittering cave, the dazzling array of Immortal Herbs and Elixirs, and even osmanthus and flat peach trees. Her eyes widened with desire.
She quickly bowed to Sha Chen. "Thank you, General, for saving my life. I have nothing to repay your kindness with. Though I wish to offer myself to you, I fear I might taint you. Instead, let me cook you a couple of my signature dishes."
Sha Chen said, "Some other day."
Lady Di Yong was taken aback and then said, "That’s also fine."
Then she thought of undressing.
Sha Chen held her hand, saying, "Something’s not right about you."
Lady Di Yong’s face flushed. "General, you’re mistaken. My clothes are wet, and I intended to change."
Sha Chen directed her to go to the palace to change.
However, she didn’t close the door and even started dancing gracefully inside.
Sha Chen frowned. He quickly sat upright with a serious demeanor, closed his eyes to meditate, and waited for her to finish.
Indeed, Lady Di Yong had been watching Sha Chen all along. Originally, when she loosened her clothes and danced gracefully, Sha Chen had taken a few glances, but later, he remained unmoved.
She felt somewhat disappointed, yet her eyes also gleamed. Her gaze turned towards the immortal fields and the warehouse Sha Chen used to store cultivation resources, and she licked her lips.
Sha Chen’s placid voice came through. "Once you’re done changing, come out quickly. It doesn’t matter if you’re not dressed; to me, you are but a beautiful skeleton."
Lady Di Yong’s body shivered. She hastily finished dressing before coming out to bow to Sha Chen.
On closer inspection, Sha Chen saw that Lady Di Yong truly was a famous beauty from the Journey to the West. Her hasty dressing endowed her with a captivatingly disheveled charm. Her delicate features, fair as flowers under the bright moon, could make countless men raise their spears to the moon.
However, he remained unmoved, for he was always on guard. After all, Lady Di Yong’s nature was not endearing. She was not easy to deceive, with a glint of mischief in her eyes. If she had good intentions, it would be one thing, but if she harbored malice, she could certainly cause quite a headache.
Sha Chen understood her well. Such a woman needed to be sufficiently intimidated to elicit absolute fear; only then would she show absolute loyalty.
In the original story, Li Jing and his son pursued her across the heavens and into the seas. They captured and had her punished on Lingjiu Mountain, but Buddha showed leniency and released her. She then paid daily homage to Li Jing and his son in the Bottomless Cave with incense and worship. This showed her true fear of them, to the point of acknowledging Li Jing as her adoptive father and Nezha as her adoptive brother.
Indeed, it was all driven by fear. Also, because Li Jing and his son had interceded for her on Lingjiu Mountain after her capture, she acted out of gratitude.
Sha Chen felt that by saving Lady Di Yong, he had already done enough to earn her heartfelt gratitude. Secondly, by repeatedly revealing his knowledge of Lady Di Yong’s origins, history, and Divine Powers, he appeared profound and inscrutable, which was enough to shock and frighten her. As long as these two conditions are met, I’ll gain another little resource collector, Sha Chen thought.
However, he didn’t know what exactly constituted Lady Di Yong’s complete submission, so he decided to test her. I need to deepen the intimidation, enhance her terror and fear of me, and engender absolute respect, he mused.
Lady Di Yong was still flirtatiously fixing her hair, oblivious that Sha Chen had become wary of her and intended to make her absolutely terrified to ensure her absolute obedience. Otherwise, she probably wouldn’t even have considered entering the Formation, effectively seeking her own suffering.
Lady Di Yong said, "General, let me go cook for you."
Then she rolled up her sleeves and went to the kitchen on her own, transforming into a beautiful chef, moving with apparent great familiarity.
Sha Chen watched from the side, his eyes flickering as he contemplated how to instill fear in her.
Should I cut off one of her arms? Chop off her head and then reattach it? Destroy her cultivation and then teach her a new Cultivation Technique? Dismember her, then restore her to her original state?
Sha Chen was greatly troubled, uncertain of the best course.
Meanwhile, Lady Di Yong, while cooking, kept looking back and smiling coyly, constantly batting her eyelashes. He must be captivated by my beauty, watching me cook, unable to bear leaving, she thought. And it’s in my nature to want to enchant Sha Chen, to make him my obedient admirer. That way, I’ll get everything I want, and perhaps even this cave dwelling will become mine! Ever since arriving, I’ve taken a fancy to this blessed land of cave heaven. It’s truly a wonderful place, rich in resources. I don’t want to leave.
While cooking, she deliberately let her shoulder strap slip. Her hands were busy with the vegetables, making her unable to adjust it.
"General, could you help me with my clothes? My hands are full," she asked pitifully, her eyes brimming with seduction, her breath as fragrant as orchids.
She was truly a woman whose allure was embedded deep in her bones.
Seeing her act this way, Sha Chen tentatively asked, "You said your hands are full? Let me ask you, if you truly had no hands, would you be happy? Would you feel terrified?"
Lady Di Yong was stunned. Why is he asking such strange questions? The issue at hand isn’t whether I have hands, but whether he’ll help me with my clothes!
Nevertheless, she still said coyly, "Of course. Without hands, I wouldn’t be able to do anything. I couldn’t make the bed or clean for you, General. I couldn’t warm your bed or wash your clothes, nor could I cook for you or give you a massage."
Sha Chen stroked his chin, deep in thought for a moment. "What else, if missing, would make you feel scared?"
Lady Di Yong was taken aback. Why is he so insistent on making me feel scared? Does he want to frighten me, then play the big, comforting man? Such a typical man, she thought.
However, she still said, "Losing you, General, is what I cannot accept. It is also what would terrify me the most."
Sha Chen paused for a moment. "That’s also what terrifies me the most."
He muttered to himself, "Could it be that this woman has seen through my intention to frighten her and is deliberately turning the tables on me?"
After hesitating for a long time, he grabbed a sword and slowly approached Lady Di Yong.
Lady Di Yong was stunned. He’s just helping me with my shoulder strap; is there any need for a sword? Something’s off, she thought.
"General, what are you doing with a sword behind my back?" Lady Di Yong asked in panic.
Sha Chen said, "I’m going to help you cut a melon. What, did you think I was going to stab you?"