Chapter 66: Chapter 66 Let Tongtian Hierarch Carry This Burden [Seeking Collection and Recommendations]_1
After returning to the Formation, Sha Chen finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Home is still the most comfortable place; venturing out is fraught with danger.
Then he became overjoyed because he had acquired the [Congenital Duo Wen Decision], a Taoist Cultivation Technique. With it, controlling his avatar would be much easier. Sha Chen couldn’t wait to cultivate this Dao Technique.
However, Tianpeng was still there. Tianpeng looked dispirited, having nearly lost his life. Moreover, Fuling Mountain had been burned, and Yunzhan Cave had been raided.
Sha Chen comforted him, saying, "There are countless cave residences to be found everywhere, why fret over one? And why care about a pig?"
Tianpeng replied, "I’m not sad about that roast suckling pig. It’s that all my young attendants were devoured by that demon, my cave residence is gone, and I have nowhere to go."
Sha Chen suggested, "There’s a Huanghua Temple outside. Why don’t you settle there?"
Tianpeng replied, "It’s not safe."
Having followed Sha Chen for a long time, he had become very wary of the deceptive outside world.
Sha Chen listened, feeling quite pleased. Tianpeng finally gets that the outside world isn’t safe. He’ll lie low properly and shield me from Buddhism.
Tianpeng then said, "Old Sha, as the saying goes, ’Brothers for life, through thick and thin, what’s yours is mine.’ So, instead of you worrying about my safety, why don’t I just stay here?"
Sha Chen said seriously and sternly, "I’m not worried."
The two stared at each other for a long time.
Tianpeng conceded, "Alright, I’ll go back and see if there’s anything to salvage, tidy up a bit. Maybe it’s still habitable."
Sha Chen said, "Cultivate diligently, and remember, always hold true to your innermost self."
Tianpeng then requested, "In that case, let me take two jars of Pantao wine back with me, and some Immortal Rice seeds as well. That demon burned all of mine."
Sha Chen winced internally at the request but still nodded in agreement. He fetched a jar of Pantao wine and packed some Immortal Rice, handing them over.
Tianpeng asked, "Old Sha, wasn’t it two jars?"
Sha Chen took another empty jar, uncorked it, poured half of the wine from the first jar into it, sealed the second jar, and gave it a shake. He handed both jars to Tianpeng, saying, "Two jars."
Tianpeng remained silent for a moment. He didn’t dare say more, fearing that if he complained the jars weren’t full enough, Sha Chen would dilute the wine with water.
They stepped out of the Formation.
Tianpeng said, "Old Sha, I’m afraid I won’t be able to cultivate peacefully. I’ll have to disappoint you."
Sha Chen immediately moved to take back the wine jars and Immortal Rice, but Tianpeng, with swift hands and sharp eyes, quickly stored them away.
He sighed, "It’s not that I don’t want to, but circumstances won’t allow it. The troubles overseas aren’t over yet. The Nine-headed Saint probably won’t let me off easily."
With that, he strode away.
Sha Chen fell silent for a moment, muttering to himself, "It seems that Nine-headed Saint is quite troublesome. But he’s a Daluo Golden Immortal, perhaps even a Quasi-Saint. And with him being so far away, there’s nothing I can do about him for now."
After a moment of reflection, he immersed himself in Cultivation again.
He was eager to master the [Duowen Formula], only to find this Dao Technique surprisingly easy to grasp. However, becoming proficient was not easy, and mastering it was extremely difficult.
But once he grasped it, he found it allowed him to multitask with ease, enter a state of meditation without distraction, and focus more singularly. This made him less likely to be disturbed by others. Moreover, it had some effect in dispelling and shielding against inner demons, making it an essential technique for meditative cultivation.
Sha Chen also discovered that after practicing these techniques, he had more resistance to various temptations!
He was delighted. Indeed, to multitask effectively, one’s inner core had to be indestructible! It turned out that the [Duowen Formula] not only enabled multitasking but also greatly reinforced one’s determination in following their Daoist path.
Sha Chen was pleasantly surprised. He had always feared his conviction wasn’t strong enough. Now, with the enhancement from the Wide-hearing Decree, he could cultivate with even greater peace of mind. Plus, it allowed him to control his avatars.
This further solidified his Dao heart’s resolve to lie low and endure until the very end of time!
Sha Chen continued his Cultivation, determined to break through to the middle stage of the Greater Primordial Golden Immortal realm soon and secure the next reward.
Moreover, it seemed he had been schemed against this time. His reputation was out, instilling in him a sense of crisis. He feared that many figures, more formidable than the White Bone Demon, would seek him out for trouble. To prevent being harmed by them, he had to become stronger.
Fortunately, he currently had sufficient resources for Cultivation; his supply of God Source Stones was still ample. Therefore, he could cultivate without distractions.
「Three years later.」
「At the Matchmaker Temple.」
Great White Planet entered, had a brief conversation with the Matchmaker, and then departed.
Once he was gone, a Disciple of the Matchmaker asked, "Master, should we discuss this matter with our Elder Ancestor?"
The Matchmaker replied, "No need. My Master is actually dissatisfied with the way our Senior Martial Uncle is assisting Buddhism with the scripture-fetching journey; we must do something on his behalf."
The Disciple inquired, "Master, Great White Planet is clearly doing this to help Buddhism. If we help him, aren’t we indirectly aiding Buddhism as well?"
Earlier, Great White Planet had come to request the Matchmaker join two individuals with a red thread of fate, creating a karmic tie between them. One was Kui Mulang of the Twenty-eight Constellations, and the other was a Pixiang Jade Maiden serving the Jade Emperor. The Jade Emperor intended this move not only to win over the Twenty-eight Constellations but also for the pair to compel Sha Chen to leave the Flowing Sand River. This was because Great White Planet had also mentioned that the Pixiang Jade Maiden had agreed to descend to the mortal realm and force Sha Chen out of the water. The Jade Maiden, named Bai Huaxiu, possessed a flower-like beauty and a moon-like grace. She was born with a natural, captivating fragrance that was fatally alluring to men.
Great White Planet had not given up on his plan to use her to seduce Sha Chen. After all, Bai Huaxiu was not a demon but a celestial sprite, one of the Jade Emperor’s own Pixiang Jade Maidens, holding a prestigious status and considerable power.
She could be as gentle as water to a man; he didn’t believe Sha Chen could resist her. And even if Sha Chen did resist, that was fine too. That was precisely why Great White Planet had approached the Matchmaker—to set up the next part of his scheme.
The Matchmaker said, "Li Changgeng wants the Jade Maiden to seduce Juanlian. If successful, all the better. If not, it can still incite dissatisfaction among the Twenty-eight Constellations toward Juanlian, prompting them to pressure him."
The Disciple listened and nodded repeatedly.
The Jade Emperor had only recently consolidated his control over the Heavenly Court. The Twenty-eight Constellations, all renowned generals from the time of the Divine Enthronement, formed their own clique and did not always fully obey the Jade Emperor’s commands. Therefore, to win them over, employing a combination of enticement and coercion, the Jade Emperor planned to use this incident to thoroughly subdue the Twenty-eight Constellations.
The Disciple questioned, "But Master, how does this benefit us?"
The Matchmaker answered, "My Master does not wish to see the scripture-fetching journey proceed so smoothly. If we intervene directly, it could easily lead to gossip. Kui Mulang was once a disciple of our Junior Martial Uncle, Tongtian Hierarch. It would be best if Kui Mulang disrupts things, and then Tongtian Hierarch takes the blame."
He stroked his beard with a smile, looking rather pleased with his scheme.
The Disciple, perplexed, said, "However, Kui Mulang might not listen to us."
The Matchmaker laughed. "Don’t worry. I’ll tie a one-sided red thread of fate for Kui Mulang, making him fall into unrequited love with the Jade Maiden. Then, I’ll tie a red thread for the Jade Maiden to Sha Chen, making her fall in unrequited love with him. This way, Kui Mulang is bound to despise Sha Chen to the core."
He laughed heartily, proud of his arrangement, and said, "Li Changgeng wants Sha Chen to be forced out and exposed as a demon; I want him dead."
"Buddhism wants Juanlian alive? Well, I, this old man, simply won’t let them have their way!"