Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Taming the Black Bear Spirit [Seeking Collection and Recommendations]_1
Sha Chen had already decided to kill them.
However, he remained cautious. He didn’t plan to leave the Flowing Sand River to make his move; instead, he intended to lure the Black Bear Demon and his followers into the river.
Otherwise, leaving rashly might play into someone else’s cunning scheme.
Moreover, with the battle imminent, the Black Bear Demon and the other two Great Demon Kings were formidable opponents. He had to act swiftly and decisively.
The White Flower Serpent and Ling Xuzi were still manageable, being just ordinary early-stage Golden Immortals.
The Black Bear Demon’s strength, however, had reached the high-tier Golden Immortal stage, only a notch below Sha Chen, forcing him to proceed with extreme caution to avoid any potential ambush.
Sha Chen donned both the Eight Diagrams Immortal Clothes and the Purple Illuminate Immortal Robe, secretly clutching several Magical Tools.
He held the Parent-child Sword in one hand and the Crescent Shovel in the other.
Then, he activated the Formation.
The White Flower Serpent was furiously attacking the Formation. Unable to break through, he grew tired and considered retreating to the surface.
Suddenly, he noticed the Formation opening and was immediately overjoyed.
With a sinister sneer, he said, "Well, well, minor god, so you finally decided to come out?"
He then planned to utter some harsh words and drag Sha Chen ashore.
However, without warning, Sha Chen’s Parent-child Sword slashed out, and his Crescent Shovel instantly chopped the serpent into eighteen pieces.
He was slain on the spot.
As the White Flower Serpent died, his eyes bulged in disbelief, seemingly unable to accept his sudden demise.
After killing him, Sha Chen stamped his foot. From within the Formation behind him, earth condensed into a human shape, taking on the White Flower Serpent’s appearance before walking out.
It then smeared itself with the White Flower Serpent’s fresh blood, took the Parent-child Sword Sha Chen tossed to it, and headed towards the river surface.
Soon, the earth-made White Flower Serpent emerged, bathed in blood.
Showing only its head above the water, the Black Bear Demon and Ling Xuzi hurriedly approached it.
"How did it go?" the Black Bear Demon asked anxiously.
The ’White Flower Serpent’ replied, "Brother, I’ve injured that cur. This is his Magical Tool, which I seized from him."
"However," he continued, "he’s naturally cautious and doesn’t dare to come out. How about we go down together and drag him out?"
The Black Bear Demon said, "I heard he has an impregnable cave dwelling. What if he hides and refuses to come out?"
The ’White Flower Serpent’ said, "I’ve taken his Magical Tool. He won’t dare to stay hidden."
The Black Bear Demon and Ling Xuzi nodded, thoroughly convinced. "Good," they said, "let’s go down immediately and drag him out."
Then, the two of them also dove into the water, following the ’White Flower Serpent’ as they descended.
However, neither of them were skilled swimmers. The deeper they went, the more panicked they became, and their discomfort grew.
The Black Bear Demon asked, "Brother, how much longer?"
The ’White Flower Serpent’ didn’t utter a word, merely continuing to dive deeper.
Ling Xuzi followed silently, while the Black Bear Demon grew increasingly uneasy. Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he thrust his black iron spear at the ’White Flower Serpent’!
PUFF!
The ’White Flower Serpent’ disintegrated into a pile of mud, scattering in the water.
Ling Xuzi was shocked. "Fake?"
The Black Bear Demon’s expression turned grim. Without a word, he turned and swam back towards the surface.
But Sha Chen, already poised for action at the riverbed, was prepared. Controlling the Parent-child Sword with his mind, he fatally stabbed the unprepared Ling Xuzi.
As for Sha Chen himself, he surged towards the Black Bear Demon like a charging whale.
Just as he was about to close in, the Black Bear Demon sneered and spun around. "You really think I’m easy prey? Taste my retreating thrust!"
The spear thrust was incredibly fast; Sha Chen hadn’t anticipated the Black Bear Demon’s cunning.
It had seemed like a retreat, but it was actually a setup for this deadly counter-attack.
Sha Chen, having less combat experience and moving quickly, was caught off guard and struck by the spear.
However, the Black Bear Demon had no time to celebrate before his expression changed dramatically.
He saw his black iron spear strike Sha Chen’s chest but fail to penetrate even an inch. Instead, a numbing shock jolted his arm.
HISS!
After drawing a sharp, cold breath, he exclaimed in horror, "Your body... it’s that strong?"
Sha Chen replied, "It’s not just my body."
His body, though strengthened by ingesting the Gluttonous essence blood, had only absorbed a single drop. This made it somewhat stronger than an ordinary Immortal’s body, but not strong enough to withstand the weapon-based killing blows of an opponent of nearly equal power.
The Black Bear Demon’s retreating thrust was highly skilled; it was thanks to Sha Chen’s Purple Illuminate Immortal Robe, impervious to blades and spears, that he had withstood the attack.
Once the Black Bear Demon realized his spear couldn’t penetrate Sha Chen, he no longer lingered in combat and turned to flee.
But Sha Chen sneered, "You’ve come all this way, and now you think you can just leave?"
Sha Chen rushed forward, unleashing a flurry of punches that sent the Black Bear Demon sinking continuously downward. The demon was left with little choice but to defend, hardly able to counterattack.
His cultivation was already inferior to Sha Chen’s, and being in the Flowing Sand River, he was at a natural disadvantage.
Furthermore, Sha Chen wore the Purple Illuminate Immortal Robe, which was impervious to weapons. He would also occasionally turn invisible, only to reappear suddenly.
The Black Bear Demon was tormented to the point of near insanity.
He couldn’t fight back, nor could he escape.
Didn’t the Bodhisattva say he was just a demoted, disgraced general with only early-stage Golden Immortal cultivation? Why is he at the peak of the Golden Immortal stage?! he screamed internally.
That wretched woman, the Bodhisattva, she tricked me! he cursed in his heart.
Sha Chen’s eyes flickered. He had initially intended to kill the Black Bear Demon outright, but as they fought, he hesitated.
The Black Bear Demon is quite powerful, and also remarkably astute for a bear demon. If I could subdue him to serve me, he would be a great asset.
But how can I make the Black Bear Demon submit willingly? And how can I determine if his submission is genuine? These questions troubled him.
As the battle continued, Sha Chen made his decision.
My system demands I resolve the struggle with the three Great Demon Kings completely. I’ve already killed Ling Xuzi and the White Flower Serpent, so the struggle is almost over. Only the Black Bear Demon remains. If I can subdue him, would that count as resolving the struggle? Yes, it’s worth a try. If it doesn’t work, I can always kill him later. My delay in finishing him off now is to make him fully understand the vast power gap between us. That understanding is the best way to ensure his submission.
「An hour later.」
The Black Bear Demon was weak, exhausted, and even beginning to choke on water, nearly drowning in the Flowing Sand River.
Sha Chen grabbed him and pulled him into the Formation.
Tossed to the ground, the Black Bear Demon coughed up water and surveyed his surroundings, his eyes wide with shock.
Weren’t they saying this minor god was suffering? How can he have such a splendid and luxurious cave dwelling? If this is suffering, I’d like to ’suffer’ here too! the Black Bear Demon thought. Amazed, he calmed himself and warily watched Sha Chen.
"Why have you brought me into your cave dwelling?" the Black Bear Demon asked cautiously.
Sha Chen stated, "You have two choices: submit to me, or I kill you."
Without a word, the Black Bear Demon knelt, kowtowed three times, and said, "I am willing to submit to you! Please don’t kill me!"
Sha Chen was taken aback. But the system hasn’t given me any reward, nor has it indicated the task is complete.
Sha Chen said, "You’re not sincere."
The Black Bear Demon insisted, "I am truly sincere! Please believe me! I don’t want to die! I’m willing to submit!"
Sha Chen replied, "I don’t sense your sincerity."
After a moment’s hesitation, the Black Bear Demon presented his rear.
Sha Chen’s face darkened. He raised his sword, intending to stab the demon to death.
The Black Bear Demon quickly said, "Don’t kill me! You can plant a Spirit Contract within me. If I ever betray you, you can take my life at any time!"
Sha Chen nodded. I have indeed heard of such Spirit Contracts. It’s a technique Immortals use to subjugate Spirit Beasts and prevent rebellion. And as it happens, I know how to do it.
He then proceeded to establish the Spirit Contract with the Black Bear Demon.
「Afterward.」
A mark of the Spirit Contract appeared on the Black Bear Demon’s rear, signifying the contract was formed.
Worried that Sha Chen couldn’t see it clearly, the Black Bear Demon raised his rear even higher.
Sha Chen’s cheek twitched as he received the system’s prompt and his reward.
Task complete. The Black Bear Demon is thoroughly subdued. Even if he’s resentful, he offered the Spirit Contract to save his life and is now bound by it.