Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Zulong Fragrance [Looking for collection and recommendation votes]_1
Sha Chen was utterly confused.
What did the Pixiang Jade Maiden mean by this? Giving up her immortal status for him, to live a life together with him!? Is this some kind of joke!?
He chose to ignore it.
But the Jade Maiden kept shouting from the shore, and even collapsed onto the ground weeping, as if Sha Chen had committed some unforgivable sin against her.
Sha Chen was somewhat at a loss for words, but he still hadn’t figured out what exactly was happening.
In the Heavenly Realm, he and the Jade Maiden had only ever exchanged three sentences.
"General, the Jade Emperor summons you."
"The Jade Emperor summons you, General."
"What are you looking at? Scram!"
Sha Chen could hardly remember any other exchange with this Jade Maiden.
That was an inherent disdain for a rough man like him. How could she suddenly give up her immortal status for him at a time like this?
Moreover, Sha Chen knew the story of *Journey to the West*; he was aware that the Jade Emperor had promised the Pixiang Jade Maiden to Kui Mulang. She later descended to the mortal realm to become Princess Bai Huaxiu of the Treasure Elephant Country, a character embroiled in one of the calamities of the *Journey to the West*. Kui Mulang became the Yellow Robe Fiend for her, and their entangled love and hate were disrupted by Sun Wukong’s intervention.
Sha Chen had a nagging feeling that there was a conspiracy afoot.
He didn’t want to pay attention to it, but the Jade Maiden’s crying on the shore even disturbed the nearby Earth God and the God Riyou passing through the sky. Each of them pointed and commented on the situation.
Sha Chen, annoyed, wanted to see how long she would cry before leaving.
As it turned out, she cried for three days and nights. Then, disheartened, she attempted to jump into the river to find Sha Chen. But once in the water, she was not accepted by the Flowing Sand River; she sank all the way to the bottom and almost drowned.
"General, save me! Save me, I’m going to drown!"
"This young lady cares not if she dies, but it is unbearable to not see the General one last time before dying."
Sha Chen furrowed his brow, conjured a water-repelling shield, enveloped her in it, and stopped her in front of his dwelling. He then manifested a giant image of himself, enormously towering, and looked down upon the Pixiang Jade Maiden.
Seeing Sha Chen, the Pixiang Jade Maiden paused briefly, and then tears streamed down her face.
"General, you finally deigned to see me," wept the Jade Maiden.
Sha Chen said, "Miss, we were colleagues decades ago, but now we are worlds apart. Why are you tormenting and trying to frame me?"
The Jade Maiden replied, "I have not framed the General; I truly admire you, General. I argued with High Official Li Changgeng, was overheard by the Jade Emperor, and then he stripped me of my immortal status and banished me from the Heavenly Realm."
Sha Chen said, "Why did you speak up for me? We were colleagues before, but I don’t even know your real name."
The Jade Maiden quickly responded, "My secular name is Ningxiang. You can call me by my nickname, Xiaoxiangxiang."
Sha Chen said expressionlessly, "There’s no need. We’re not that familiar."
Then he added, "Your admiration for me is one thing, but your demotion is your own affair. Don’t expect me to take responsibility for it. Please leave."
He was wary of anyone now, all the more so for a high-ranking attendant maiden from the Jade Emperor’s side, and one of the participants in the future calamity of the *Journey to the West*. It was best to stay far away from such women.
The Jade Maiden Ningxiang felt a bitter sadness in her heart and said, "Does the General still not believe me? I suppose it’s to be expected; I was too harsh and cold to the General before, naturally unendearing and undesirable."
She cried, "But I was trying to get the General’s attention, to make the General remember me."
Sha Chen laughed mockingly. A childish trick!?
He wasn’t going to fall for it and said, "Don’t say anymore. Go back."
The Jade Maiden said, "I have nowhere to return to now. Please take me in, General."
"The host has discovered that the Lucky Person, Pixiang Jade Maiden, is requesting shelter. You have the following choices."
"Choice one: Accept her and keep her, receiving the Magical Tool [Sword of Sevenstars] as a reward. Sword of Sevenstars: Under the illumination of the Big Dipper’s seven stars, this Sword of Sevenstars, 20% forged, cuts through iron like mud and possesses immense power."
"Choice two: Reject her and convince her to leave, receiving the Divine Item [Zulong Fragrance] as a reward. Zulong Fragrance: Made from a type of dragon saliva wood irrigated with the saliva of Zulong during its cultivation, it contains immense divine power. Its aroma helps enhance mental power and prevent distraction during cultivation."
Without any hesitation, Sha Chen chose to refuse her. However, to receive the reward, he still needed to make her leave.
Seeing her so resolved, Sha Chen felt a headache coming on.
Killing her is impossible, for I still don’t know if someone is pulling the strings behind her. Moreover, Kui Mulang is her lover. It’s very likely that Kui Mulang has already developed feelings for her. If I killed her, and Kui Mulang came to fight me, then it would be troublesome. Kui Mulang is still very formidable; in the original story, the scripture-seeking team, except for Sun Wukong, couldn’t beat him even if they combined forces. Sha Chen didn’t want to bring that much trouble upon himself.
He had no choice but to persuade her to leave.
Sha Chen exhausted his eloquence, but the Jade Maiden still refused to leave, only wishing to enter. Sha Chen, of course, couldn’t let her in.
Both parties were thus deadlocked.
"Miss, acting like this, where does that leave General Li Xiong?" Sha Chen played his trump card.
Li Xiong is Kui Mulang.
The Jade Maiden said, "What does he have to do with me? I have no feelings for him."
Sha Chen furrowed his brows. It seems they indeed haven’t developed into lovers yet, but from her words, it appears there has been some interaction between them.
The Jade Maiden continued, "The General must have heard something. Kui Mulang indeed wishes to pursue me, and he even mentioned it to His Majesty the Jade Emperor, but I have clearly rejected him."
Sha Chen’s expression changed slightly.
So Kui Mulang was indeed interested, and the Jade Emperor had probably even tacitly approved. But why wasn’t she interested then!? In the original story, the two of them were supposed to be deeply in love, even agreeing to descend to the human world to be husband and wife for a lifetime. Yet later, the Jade Maiden forgot her past life’s memories and had no feelings for Kui Mulang whatsoever. They haven’t even become mortals yet, so why is there no affection?
Hmph. What a fickle woman.
The Jade Maiden cried outside the Formation, "General, I’m so cold, I feel so empty, I’m so lonely, I’m so frightened. Let me into your cave dwelling. I’ll just have a cup of tea and then I’ll leave."
Sha Chen said, "I don’t have tea here. You should just leave."
"If you’re cold, go to the Flaming Mountain. If you’re feeling empty, go to the Treasure Elephant Country. If you’re scared, you might as well just die, but please don’t do it here."
The Jade Maiden looked devastated. "General, why are you so heartless?"
Sha Chen said, "My heart is set on the Dao, unbreakable. Worldly affections are nothing but a burden to me."
The Jade Maiden said, "I don’t believe it. How can there be a man who isn’t lustful? What kind of man would that be?"
Sha Chen’s cheek twitched slightly. After a moment of deep thought, he said, "I just don’t like you, that’s all."
The Jade Maiden was stunned, her eyes brimming with tears. "As I thought... I’ve bothered you, General. Take care."
Then she turned and left, transforming into a stream of light and disappearing without a trace.
Sha Chen snapped his fingers and began to tally the rewards he had earned.
After the Pixiang Jade Maiden left the Flowing Sand River, she kept looking back from time to time, wanting to see if Sha Chen had followed her.
But he had not.
Does he really not like me? Impossible! Back in the Heavenly Realm, whenever I spoke just a few words to him, his face would turn red.
She began to reminisce about her time in the Heavenly Court.
"General, the Jade Emperor summons you."
"The Jade Emperor calls for you, General."
The first two times, Juanlian was rather calm, but by the third, "What are you looking at? Get lost!" he would glare and blush. Isn’t this the behavior only mutual affection could elicit!?
As the Pixiang Jade Maiden recalled the past, her eyes grew misty.
「Meanwhile, in the Heavenly Realm.」
「White Tiger Star Palace.」
Celestial God Hei Shisheng entered and reported, "General Li Shuai, Fairy Ningxiang has descended to the Flowing Sand River. The God Riyou and the Earth God saw her crying as she left, seeming to have suffered a great injustice."