Chapter 63: Chapter 63: The White Bone Demon Strikes [Seeking Collection and Recommendations]_1
After three rounds of drinks and five varieties of dishes, Sha Chen and Tianpeng, filled with merriment and warmth from the wine, also began to speak heart-to-heart.
Sha Chen said, "Tianpeng, tell me about your venture across the sea this time. I always feel that the appearance of the White Bone Demon was unusual."
Tianpeng replied, "Didn’t you ask the Seven Immortal Maidens of the Cave of the Silken Web to find me to deal with some problems? After I went there and returned, they came again, and then I went back and ran into trouble..."
He then recounted the details.
It turned out that the spider demons’ search for resources wasn’t an honest quest for wild ones; they took a two-pronged approach. One group searched for wild resources, while the other directly robbed demon lairs, specifically targeting other demons to plunder. Originally, there was no problem; they were all Golden Immortals, preying only on those weaker than themselves through deception and trickery.
But the overseas demons were intricate and complex, and they quickly robbed a den with connections. The powerful demon behind it struck back, almost killing them.
While being pursued, the spider demons sent for Tianpeng’s help.
Then, Tianpeng, who had not yet reached the realm of Greater Primordial Golden Immortal, was also chased and battered by that Taiyi demon, ending up in a most pitiful state. During this period, Tianpeng also stumbled upon some opportunities and raided a few dens, but this also attracted even more and stronger demons.
The Nine-headed Saint from Bi Bo Tan was a very well-known figure overseas, with many forces under his command. As a result, it was inevitable that conflicts arose with him. There was even an occasion when the Nine-headed Saint personally made a move, leaving Tianpeng with no escape to the heavens or earth.
Tianpeng said, "Fortunately, that Nine-headed Saint encountered another guy whom he hated to the bones and went after him instead."
Speaking of this, he could not help but revel in another’s misfortune, "Old Sha, you have no idea, that guy was a Bear King, as black as charcoal, engaging in the same trade as us."
Sha Chen’s face twitched, silently mourning for the Bear King.
Tianpeng continued, "However, overseas these days is not peaceful. Buddhism is on a quest for scriptures, and Penglai is being rebuilt; it’s all chaotic and rife with mixed forces."
He then spoke of some other matters from overseas.
Sha Chen’s expression turned a bit solemn, his gaze contemplative.
Given his understanding, the quest for scriptures was merely a minor catastrophe with a limited scope. How had it spilled over to overseas?
Sha Chen murmured in his heart, If it wasn’t for the butterfly effect of my arrival, there must have been a significant event in these five hundred years before the Journey to the West began, but it must have subsided.
He felt that both possibilities existed. However, as long as it didn’t affect him, it was fine; he didn’t plan to venture out and didn’t care how the outside world changed.
But Tianpeng had some unstable thoughts, revealing a longing for the overseas in his speech.
Sha Chen patted his shoulder and said earnestly, "Tianpeng, you must stay steadfast in your conviction, focus on improving your Cultivation without distractions."
This fellow is one of my shields, Sha Chen thought. If he’s breached, the full force of Buddhism will concentrate on me.
Tianpeng declared, "Don’t worry, my conviction is unshakable."
Then he added, "It’s just that Miss Bai saved me after all. She said she would come to see you and then return to the Three Corpse Cave. I promised to escort her back."
Sha Chen asked, "Why doesn’t she go back by herself?"
Tianpeng responded, "Old Sha, you really don’t understand women. By escorting her back, if I can even go in for a drink, then there might be something between us; she’s giving me a chance."
He winked and said, "It’s a case of mutual affection."
Sha Chen felt a chill and sternly advised, "Tianpeng, you’re on the path to ruin. With these desires, Buddhism will be able to make their move. Be careful, it’s best to control your passions. Buddhism can make you love deeply and then hate thoroughly, finally achieving complete enlightenment and descending into emptiness."
Tianpeng was somewhat frightened, "Really? Buddhism is meddling with my love life too? They’re too nosy," he said, somewhat skeptical.
Sha Chen felt a headache coming on. This guy has already forgotten the pain once the wound healed, he thought, then said, "Have you forgotten what I’ve told you before? Buddhism wants you to join them, so of course, they’ll meddle in your affairs."
Tianpeng asked, "How will they meddle?"
Sha Chen answered, "Have you forgotten about Fairy Chang E?"
Tianpeng’s face changed, and he broke out in a cold sweat, muttering to himself, No way, no way, it can’t be. It really shouldn’t be like that.
However, even as he said it, he started to doubt himself.
Sha Chen said, "If you were in a normal relationship and she were willing to share weal and woe with you, without any desires or demands, Buddhism wouldn’t be able to do anything to you. But since you covet her body, that’s different. It makes you easily exploitable."
Tianpeng looked somewhat dejected and still a bit unwilling to accept it.
He shook his head and said, "If you want to find out whether the White Bone Demon has any ulterior motives, just test her."
Tianpeng immediately asked, "How should I test her?"
Sha Chen said, "If you don’t escort her back to the Three Corpse Cave, do you think she’ll be angry?"
Tianpeng said, "She won’t be. It was I who insisted on escorting her. She refused several times, actually. She only wanted to see you."
Hearing this, Tianpeng felt a touch of melancholy.
Why is the White Bone Demon so eager to see Sha Chen? Tianpeng wondered. Is he more handsome than me? Does he have more profound Mana than me? DAMN IT!
All of a sudden, Tianpeng realized that Sha Chen’s Cultivation had actually reached the level of a Greater Primordial Golden Immortal, much stronger than himself.
He exclaimed in shock, while Sha Chen appeared indifferent.
"I simply used the time you spent chasing girls for Cultivation," Sha Chen stated calmly.
Tianpeng’s expression was complex. So, besides not being as handsome as me, Sha Chen is wealthy and has profound Cultivation. No wonder the White Bone Demon wants to see him. But still, how did the White Bone Demon know this? Is she really here for that reason!?
Tianpeng gradually started to doubt the White Bone Demon.
「After that.」
Sha Chen told Tianpeng to stay and focus on his Cultivation, but he had to provide for his own Cultivation needs.
This guy definitely has hidden stashes, Sha Chen thought, annoyed that Tianpeng had only turned in a portion. It makes me want to grab it all!
However, Sha Chen didn’t forcefully take them, nor would he let Tianpeng use his God Source Stones. Moreover, to cultivate there, Tianpeng had to pay rent, roughly equivalent to the value of the resources he consumed during Cultivation. In other words, Tianpeng’s Cultivation here meant he had to pay an equivalent value in rent in addition to his own consumption. If it weren’t for the fact that Sha Chen also provided food and drink, and had taught him the 72 Polymorphic Transformations, he would have run away.
Sha Chen passed on the 72 Polymorphic Transformations to Tianpeng, giving him more means to save his own life. As long as Tianpeng was strong enough and had plenty of tricks up his sleeve, he could better resist the erosion of Buddhism.
「About three months passed.」
The White Bone Demon couldn’t wait any longer and came to challenge them. Initially, she spoke softly, inquiring about Tianpeng’s whereabouts. Sha Chen stated that Tianpeng had already left, which the White Bone Demon refused to believe. She wanted to come in and check but was denied access.
Then, a month later, the White Bone Demon came to ask again. Sha Chen gave the same response, prompting her to fly into a rage.
"It’s impossible, I’ve been watching on the shore. There’s no way he could have left without my noticing. Don’t lie to me," she said. Then she roared furiously, "You must be plotting against him, hand over the pig right now, or I won’t let you off the hook!"
Sha Chen said, "Believe it or not, that’s up to you."
Then he went back to his closed-door meditation, leaving the White Bone Demon to curse and attack the Formation from the outside.
After a while, Sha Chen had his clone, Li Bai, find someone to impersonate Tianpeng and return to Yunzhan Cave. The news reached the White Bone Demon quickly.
She came directly to the Flowing Sand River and cursed furiously, "Damn pig demon, actually went back to Fuling Mountain. You must have badmouthed me to him! Come out and fight me one-on-one, if you dare."
Her fierce appearance was truly intimidating as she displayed her Legal Body, a huge white skeletal frame. She continuously bashed against the Formation from the outside. The Formation’s golden lotuses were invincible, unbreakable by anything.
Tianpeng, inside, watched this spectacle, utterly stunned by the White Bone Demon’s fluent and creative cursing.
Then, with a complicated expression, he said, "Old Sha, I almost wronged you."
Sha Chen patted his shoulder, also secretly relieved. At last, he sees the truth and won’t be so easily swayed.
However, if the White Bone Demon continues to make trouble outside, disrupting my Cultivation, that won’t do either.