Chapter 150: Chapter 144 Flowing Sand River is Once Again as Solid as a Golden Soup [Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets]_1
Wen Zhong was defeated.
And it was with a single palm strike from Sha Chen that he was suppressed.
He fell into the pit, unconscious. The waters of the Flowing Sand River poured in, and with him unconscious, he was likely to be submerged.
He might drown in there, Sha Chen thought with a frown, then reached out and pulled him out.
Wen Zhong and the dark Qilin were both beaten black and blue. Like a chick and a kitten, they were pinched between two of Sha Chen’s fingers and lifted out.
The Celestial Gods of the Thunder Department witnessed this, their expressions complex and unsightly.
Fearing Sha Chen would harm Wen Zhong, they shouted loudly for him to release their colleague.
But no matter how fierce their shouting, they didn’t dare to approach.
Sha Chen said, "I have no intent to harm anyone. I only wish to reflect upon myself thrice daily by the Flowing Sand River. Please report back to the Heavenly Court that I, Sha Chen, accept today’s punishment."
"But I also implore the Heavenly Court to discern right from wrong, and for the Jade Emperor to see through deception. The flesh can recover from wounds, but a broken heart is not so easily mended."
Having said this, he threw Wen Zhong and the dark Qilin up into the sky, and the immortals hurried to catch them.
They were also shaken by Sha Chen’s words, and for a moment, they were somewhat disbelieving and astounded.
Far away in the Bright Palace, the Jade Emperor stood up abruptly upon hearing these words.
Li Changgeng said, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Sha Chen’s arrogance has reached a peak! Daring to threaten you is a grave crime. Please allow your old servant to go now and capture him."
The Jade Emperor pointed at him and scolded, "Silence! It was because I listened to you that I issued the order to Wen Zhong to capture Sha Chen. The reasons given were nothing more than high-sounding nonsense, making us the laughingstock of others!"
"Had it succeeded, I wouldn’t mind being the butt of a joke or two. But now, not only has Wen Zhong failed, I’ve also been labeled a tyrant who punishes without teaching. Was what he said truly arrogance? Those are words that could only be spoken from a place of extreme grievance and humiliation."
Li Changgeng was stunned. Then, humbly and fearfully, he apologized.
He carefully pondered Sha Chen’s words. Indeed, they held a double meaning; the interpretation depended on one’s perspective.
Clearly, Li Changgeng felt Sha Chen was being insolent and threatening the Jade Emperor.
But the Jade Emperor valued loyalty and introspection. Besides, Sha Chen truly had been his personal guard and was demoted to the Flowing Sand River due to his unswerving loyalty.
It was all a plan to have him infiltrate Buddhism as an undercover agent.
But now Sha Chen was shouting that the Heavenly Dao was unjust, claiming physical wounds could heal, but emotional scars could not.
How deeply must he have been wronged to let out such a cry? the Jade Emperor wondered. He felt that Sha Chen truly was aggrieved.
Because only those who had wronged Sha Chen knew just how wronged he truly was.
The Jade Emperor, being the one who had wronged him, naturally knew the depth of the injustice Sha Chen had suffered.
Breaking the Liuli Lamp was just a conspiracy. Enduring the daily punishment of Thousand Swords Piercing The Heart was one thing.
But now they wanted to add insult to injury and have him struck by lightning.
They even issued a decree demanding the dismantling of his Formation and the destruction of his cave dwelling, exposing everything to the world.
In my eyes, if Sha Chen were still submissive, willing to be punished without any complaint, then he truly could not be kept around, the Jade Emperor thought. Such a scheming and unfathomable nature would definitely become a serious internal threat. Even if Sha Chen were to enter Buddhism in the future as my spy, I wouldn’t fully trust him. After all, if a person could suffer such great injustice and still harbor no grievances, no one would believe it. Especially not me, given my suspicious nature. From a human perspective, it’s perfectly reasonable for Sha Chen to cry out like this.
The Jade Emperor pointed at Li Changgeng, scolded him a few more times, and then said, "Issue a decree. On my behalf, send him some Healing Pills and Cultivation Elixirs, along with a pair of jade Ruyi scepters as compensation for the Formation."
Li Changgeng’s eyes widened in astonishment. "Your Majesty, you’re giving him more items? He shows no gratitude whatsoever!"
The Jade Emperor replied, "That’s because he didn’t need them before, and he wasn’t mentally broken. Now, it seems a string has snapped within him; otherwise, he wouldn’t have cried out so grievously."
It seems the Jade Emperor is planning to employ a soft approach once again, Li Changgeng thought, furrowing his brow. He didn’t wish to follow the decree. But since the Formation around the Flowing Sand River is gone, we can enter at any time. If Wen Zhong couldn’t enter, can I, Li Changgeng, really not manage it? As long as I can get in, I can threaten Sha Chen’s safety and plan accordingly. No matter how cautious and fearful of death Sha Chen is, he will have to endure extreme torture and eventually degenerate into a demon. Then, Buddhism will arrive and subdue him. I will have completed my mission, and the Jade Emperor can also be satisfied. It will be a happy resolution for all.
With that, Li Changgeng accepted the command and went to carry out his task.
「Flowing Sand River.」
The Celestial Gods from the Thunder Department had left, and the river had returned to its original state.
Sha Chen, inside his cave dwelling, looked up at the empty sky. If the thunder punishment doesn’t come tomorrow, what should I do? he wondered with some worry.
If others knew his current thoughts, they would probably cough up three liters of blood in frustration.
Many were terrified by the thunder punishment, which countless people avoided at all costs. Sha Chen, however, was worried it wouldn’t come.
This wasn’t due to some peculiar habit of Sha Chen’s; rather, he planned to use the thunder punishment to temper his physical body and strengthen his power.
The might of the thunder punishment was still decent, and he intended to use this opportunity to break through his current physical realm and condense the Da Luo Dharmakaya.
Having returned to his cave dwelling, Sha Chen didn’t immediately start cultivating.
Although the Formation was gone, he still had the Apricot Yellow Flag of Wuji, which would provide even stronger defense.
But he did not wish to expose the existence of the Apricot Yellow Flag of Wuji so soon. It’s my defensive trump card, he thought.
Setting up another array might lead to accusations of defying imperial orders again.
Therefore, Sha Chen directly accessed the system’s reward.
Within the deep pit Sha Chen had blasted into the Flowing Sand River, a bright light suddenly burst forth.
Then, a giant, pitch-black Black Tortoise emerged from it. Upon closer inspection, that black Black Tortoise had no physical body, only a pitch-black and enormous shell.
The light blazed, reaching up to the heavens.
The Black Tortoise Shell flew up, expanded, and eventually enveloped Sha Chen’s cave dwelling before the light dissipated.
Without a word, Sha Chen began the blood-binding ritual to claim ownership and immediately started refining it.
After half a month, the Black Tortoise Shell had completely become his divine object, obeying only his commands.
By this time, the Flowing Sand River Cave was no longer as hidden as it had been before; the original dwelling was now essentially gone, replaced by a majestic, pitch-black Black Tortoise Shell. It resembled an ancient ferocious beast lurking beneath the Flowing Sand River. Anyone who approached would feel a suffocating presence. It was now visible to people.
But it was more domineering, more indestructible.
The Tongtian Hierarch, who was at Zi Zhi Cliff imparting teachings to his disciples, suddenly paused.
A peculiar expression appeared on his face as he mused, "Interesting. The Black Tortoise died in the Flowing Sand River, and he has refined its hundred-million-year-old shell."
The matter of the Black Tortoise startled many people.
It was reported to the Heavenly Court. Just as Li Changgeng was preparing to descend to the mortal realm to ’console’ Sha Chen’s wounded heart, he suddenly felt a sense of foreboding. This trip will likely be in vain again, he thought.
He cursed under his breath, "How is he so lucky? He lost the Formation, yet he happened to get the Black Tortoise Shell. Now, he’s even more like a turtle retracting into its shell!"
「Flowing Sand River.」
After refining the Black Tortoise Shell, Sha Chen considered his next move. I had intended to set up an array and rehide my cave dwelling. As long as I don’t set up a defensive formation, I won’t be defying orders, and no one can find an excuse to trouble me.
But, after careful consideration, he gave up the idea. Those who should know of my presence here probably already do, and they wouldn’t simply leave because I’ve shielded the area with a formation. Besides, the Black Tortoise Shell is imposing enough to scare away weaker opportunists. I’m just worried the Heavenly Court will once again punish without instruction and force me to remove the Black Tortoise Shell. However, the likelihood is small. Firstly, the Jade Emperor won’t repeatedly punish without instruction; it would tarnish his reputation as an unjust ruler. Secondly, even if blame is placed on me again, at worst it would mean increased punishment, but it’s unlikely they’d force me to remove the Black Tortoise Shell’s defensive capability. Previously, setting up a formation was akin to claiming territory. Now, I’m hiding within my divine object, not claiming territory. If they want me to leave, I can even let the divine object float in the Flowing Sand River. It definitely won’t occupy any land of the Flowing Sand River. If they still accuse me of occupying space in the Flowing Sand River, I can leave. After all, this is my place of exile; I was banished here, so the claim of occupying space simply holds no ground. In other words, I no longer have to worry about being caught for ’claiming territory.’
Moreover, during the process of refining the Black Tortoise Shell, Sha Chen discovered that the thunder punishment had not disappeared; he could continue to use it to temper his physical body.
Additionally, the punishment seemed to be gradually intensifying. After forty-nine days, there would be a tremendous thunderbolt, ten times stronger than usual.
Under that thunderbolt, Sha Chen found his physical body rapidly expanding and growing stronger.
He was overjoyed and began to look forward to the arrival of the next tremendous thunderbolt.
「A few more days passed by.」
Li Changgeng arrived.
He did not want to come. Things are unlikely to go smoothly, he felt. But I have to come.
Sha Chen was in the midst of cultivation, strengthening his physical body, when Li Changgeng arrived.
After shouting from outside for a long time, Sha Chen initially didn’t want to respond. But Li Changgeng resorted to his old trick, drawing his sword and threatening to destroy Sha Chen’s Black Tortoise Shell dwelling.
There was no other way. Sha Chen had to appear. He said, "Sir Li, what brings you here? I am spiritually exhausted from being punished night and day and failed to notice your arrival. Please forgive me."
Looking at the vibrant projection before him, Li Changgeng thought, The Sha Chen hiding inside the dwelling is certainly not as drained as he claims to be! Before I could even speak, he already tried to fool me! This irritated him greatly.
He said, "Open the door of your dwelling. This old man wants to come in, sit down, and have a cup of warm tea."
Once the Black Tortoise Shell was established, the openings for its four limbs and tail were all blocked by huge, door-like walls covered in complex patterns, likely even sturdier than the rest of the shell.
Li Changgeng couldn’t break through them, so he wanted Sha Chen to open them so he could enter.
But Sha Chen said, "Sir Li jests. This place is humble, unfit to entertain someone of your stature. As for warm tea, I have none. I can only drink water from the Flowing Sand River."
Grinding his teeth, Li Changgeng replied, "You remain as slippery as ever. I don’t understand what you fear from me. Surely, this old man wouldn’t actually attack you?"
Sha Chen responded hauntingly, "Sir, every time you come, you seem eager to tear this place down. It truly unsettles me."