Chapter 164: Chapter 158: Has Guanyin Met Red Boy? [Looking for Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets]_1
Kui Mulang was terrified, pale as death. How could Sha Chen be so powerful, with seemingly endless strength? Ordinary people, let alone draw the Sky Shaking Bow, could not even lift it. Even he probably could not draw the Sky Shaking Bow more than a few times, but Sha Chen not only drew it but did so tens of thousands of times. How could one person’s qi and blood be so strong? Just how formidable was his physical body to be able to draw it so many times and become so fearsome?
Kui Mulang was terrified.
Initially, he thought Sha Chen would be easy to bully and kill at will. He even prepared to take over the Flowing Sand River after killing Sha Chen, claiming it as his own. After all, the renown of Flowing Sand River had spread far and wide. Everyone knew that Sha Chen had managed it to be as impregnable as an iron barrel, easy to defend and hard to attack. It is said to contain pavilions, towers, and countless courtyards. Many demons considered it an honor to make the Flowing Sand River their domain, and he was no exception.
The grudge of a stolen wife was just his excuse. According to the original Journey to the West texts, Kui Mulang was not particularly devoted to Bai Huaxiu; he had many concubines and maidservants. In Bai Huaxiu’s mortal palace, he ravished palace maids and would frequently beat and scold Bai Huaxiu herself, even though she was bound to him for life but had lost her memory of him. All of it, merely excuses.
Now, Kui Mulang never imagined that Sha Chen would be so powerful and terrifying, with extraordinary abilities and a terrifying physique. To be able to draw the Sky Shaking Bow tens of thousands of times, his physique must rival that of a Great Witch! Could it be that Sha Chen has already condensed the Da Luo Dharmakaya!?
Kui Mulang was terrified out of his wits.
He fled ten thousand li away, yet still felt unsafe. More than a hundred years ago, he had been frightened by Sun Wukong. Now, he had been scared by Sha Chen. He thought that by descending to the mortal realm, he would be swaggering and sure of success, that capturing Sha Chen would be a trivial matter. But he hadn’t expected to be no match for Sha Chen at all. In close combat, he was thoroughly beaten. In ranged combat, his very life was in peril.
Kui Mulang retreated far away, still terrified. At this distance, he was so far that he couldn’t possibly arrive in time if Sha Chen opened his cave dwelling.
The divinities of the Thunder Department were also stunned, each one terrified. Sha Chen’s Sky Shaking Bow was more effective than their thunderbolt Magical Tools. The light arrows it shot were more dreadful than their thunderbolts.
Heavenly Master Bi exclaimed in shock, "To think that he obtained Hou Yi’s Sky Shaking Bow and could draw it tens of thousands of times! His physique must rival that of a Great Witch. This is a matter of great importance; it must be reported to the Heavenly Court. Everyone’s strategy towards Sha Chen must change."
Heavenly Master Gou trembled, hiding behind the others, yet still feeling unsafe. His heart quaked. "How can he be so terrifying, so powerful? It doesn’t make sense; it’s impossible! It’s over. I promised Li Jing I’d make trouble for Sha Chen, but this time, I fear even Li Jing won’t be able to save me." Heavenly Master Gou lamented, his heart filled with terror and despair.
Originally, he was Li Jing’s man.
Tianpeng, also astonished by Sha Chen’s strength, gasped in amazement, "Old Sha, where did you get that Sky Shaking Bow? Let me try it!"
He reached out to take it but was slapped away by Sha Chen. Then, drawing his bow and nocking an arrow again, Sha Chen aimed at Kui Mulang in the distance. This scared Kui Mulang so much that he dared not linger and hurriedly fled.
But Sha Chen still shot three arrows. Kui Mulang dodged two, but the last one hit him in the buttocks.
Kui Mulang howled in pain, roaring, "Sha Chen, I cannot live under the same sky as you! I swear vengeance for this wound to my backside!"
Then he fled, disappearing without a trace.
Sha Chen looked up at the sky again, watching the divinities of the Thunder Department with wariness. Frightened, the divinities of the Thunder Department also backed away. Gone was their initial arrogance and condescension. Now, all they felt was fear. Sha Chen’s strength was beyond imagination. They no longer dared to provoke him lightly, even fearing retribution from Sha Chen.
However, Sha Chen had spared Kui Mulang, so he certainly wouldn’t kill them either. He hadn’t killed Kui Mulang, primarily because he wasn’t absolutely certain he could. Secondly, Kui Mulang had other Star Deities backing him, as well as the support of the Jade Emperor. The Jade Emperor had gifted Bai Huaxiu to Kui Mulang, which showed just how much the Jade Emperor wanted to win him over. The consequences of killing Kui Mulang would have been quite severe. Sha Chen didn’t want to completely fall out with the Jade Emperor yet, so he spared his life.
Moreover, if Sha Chen could defeat Kui Mulang once, he could do it a second time and countless times more. By defeating Kui Mulang this time, he had shattered the demon’s courage. Sha Chen believed Kui Mulang would steer clear of him in the future. Furthermore, Sha Chen’s forceful display was also a warning to others not to target him or his Flowing Sand River again.
Clearly, the fear among the divinities of the Thunder Department showed its significant effect.
Only when Sha Chen had seen the divinities of the Thunder Department retreat in terror for ten thousand li did he open the cave dwelling, taking Tianpeng back with him. Once the door was closed again, the waters of the Flowing Sand River merged.
Upon entering the Flowing Sand River, Tianpeng spurted out a mouthful of blood.
Sha Chen glanced at him and went straight to take a seat, pouring himself a pot of water.
Tianpeng followed suit and sat down, saying, "Old Sha, I’m coughing up blood and badly injured; I’m about to die! Can’t you even lend me a hand or pour me a cup of water?"
Sha Chen said indifferently, "If you can still ask for a drink, it proves you’re not going to die. I’m drinking plain water. If you want some, have some. If not, you might as well drink your own blood."
Tianpeng felt like crying but had no tears. He then said, "Old Sha, stop kidding. I’m really in a bad way. I was injured by those demons. They obviously came prepared. I was careless and didn’t dodge, allowing them to land a successful sneak attack."
He grumbled, "That Li Xiong, utterly lacking in martial decency!"
Sha Chen merely glanced at him, reached out his hand, and the door to the storage room flew open from afar. A gourd flew out. The gourd landed in Sha Chen’s hand. He poured out an Immortal Pill and then tossed the gourd back into the storage room.
Afterwards, Sha Chen placed the Immortal Pill in front of Tianpeng and said, "Eat it."
Tianpeng exclaimed in astonishment, "HISS! Post-Heaven Top-Grade Healing Immortal Pills! Old Sha, how do you have this?"
Sha Chen replied, "I just do."
Tianpeng, shaken, asked, "Did a peddler actually bring goods to sell here in the Flowing Sand River? Otherwise, how would you have Immortal Pills?"
Sha Chen chuckled. "These aren’t from a peddler. I refined them myself."
Tianpeng vigorously shook his head, refusing to believe it. "What skills do you have that I don’t know about? Besides farming and planting, you also know alchemy?"
Sha Chen reached for the Immortal Pill to take it back, but Tianpeng quickly grabbed it and ate it. "Look at you, so stingy! You offer it, then want to take it back."
Sha Chen said, "It’s useless for you to eat it; I can make you spit it back out."
Tianpeng immediately conceded, laughing placatingly. "Old Sha, I was just joking! Just joking! Oh, this Immortal Pill is really good. My injuries are almost completely healed!"
Sha Chen said impassively, "Well, if you’re healed, then leave. Don’t come here again."
Tianpeng, however, stood up, picked some ingredients from the ground himself, and started cooking. Believe it or not, it was quite delicious.
Then he said, "Old Sha, don’t be shy, eat up."
Sha Chen’s face twitched. This pig, does he think this is Fuling Mountain?
While eating, Tianpeng suddenly laughed. "Old Sha, speaking of Immortal Pills always makes me laugh. You know why?"
Sha Chen wasn’t interested and didn’t even want to respond.
Tianpeng continued, "That Bull Demon King, the sworn brother of the Stable Minister who almost killed all you divine generals during the Havoc in the Heavenly Palace—you know him, right? His son, Red Boy, recently got into the business of reselling Elixirs. Then he got robbed by Jinmaohou, which led to a fight. That damn kid is ruthless! He tricked his own father, pretending to be dead so that the Bull Demon King would seriously injure Jinmaohou. Then Red Boy seized the opportunity to kill Jinmaohou himself."
Sha Chen gasped, rising to his feet in shock. "What happened after that?"
Tianpeng said, "See, Old Sha, you’re interested."
Then he continued, "What happened after that? Well, Buddhism started hunting Red Boy worldwide. Muzha is so busy with the pursuit that he hasn’t had time for me. It’s said that Guanyin herself has already visited the Flaming Mountain three times."
Shock and concern radiated from Sha Chen’s eyes.
It’s over. That rebellious son! He didn’t just trick the Bull Demon King; he ensnared me too! Whether the Elixir business can be kept secret is one thing... If Guanyin seizes this chance to subdue Red Boy, then all my efforts will have been in vain!
He quickly asked, "Has Guanyin seen Red Boy yet?"