Journey to the West: Signing in for 500 Years-Chapter 211 - 205: The Saint Invites to Join Buddhism!? [Seeking Subscriptions for Monthly Tickets]_1
Sha Chen was completely baffled. He became extremely cautious and hastily stood up, fully on guard.
Lord Lao Zi entered the dwelling and went straight to Sha Chen’s side, a smile on his face. "Fellow Daoist," he said, "since you knew I was knocking, why did you not make a sound?"
Sha Chen’s cheeks twitched slightly. "This junior did not know it was Lord Lao Zi who had arrived," he replied. "I thought it was some crazed Daoist causing a disturbance."
He then hurriedly invited Lord Lao Zi to sit and busied himself preparing a lavish dinner.
No matter the purpose of Lord Lao Zi’s visit, and regardless of whether this was the Sage Laozi himself or an External Incarnation, Sha Chen knew this was far beyond his ability to handle. Not offending such a person was the greatest gain. If he could also glean some benefits from Lord Lao Zi, that would be even better.
Sha Chen bustled about, pouring tea and water, and lighting a fire to cook.
Suddenly, he considered waking Lady Di Yong. As flirtatious as she was, she excelled at such tasks. However, Sha Chen didn’t know if Lord Lao Zi would disdain Lady Di Yong for being a brocade-furred mouse. If he angered Lord Lao Zi, who then killed her outright, wouldn’t Sha Chen have wasted immense effort nurturing her? It was better to handle the hospitality himself and play it by ear.
Sha Chen was also puzzled. Now that Lord Lao Zi had arrived, did the Tongtian Hierarch know? If so, would he also come? The Divine Enthronement War had ended not long ago; had they truly resolved their enmity? Could they start fighting here? If they did, wouldn’t his dwelling be torn apart?
Thinking of this, Sha Chen felt a headache coming on and secretly prayed that the Saints would not start fighting here.
Sha Chen had planted some tea trees in the Post-Heaven Earth for medicinal purposes and occasionally brewed tea. After all, tea made from the leaves of these divine trees could refresh the mind and strengthen the Primordial Spirit. Thus, Sha Chen had some reserves, which he brought out to entertain Lord Lao Zi.
Although the tea leaves were good, they were not considered top-grade, not even high-grade.
After taking a sip, Lord Lao Zi said, "Fellow Daoist, you have fine wine in your residence. Why offer such ordinary tea to this humble Daoist?"
Sha Chen mentally grimaced. Another gluttonous Saint! And what was with that repeated self-reference as ’this humble Daoist’?
But on the surface, Sha Chen forced a smile and replied, "This junior thought the Saint preferred tea to wine. My apologies for the oversight; please forgive me, Saint."
Lord Lao Zi smiled without a word. Sha Chen frowned inwardly, unable to probe the truth. His deliberate statement was an attempt to test if Lord Lao Zi was truly a Saint. If he addressed him as a Saint and Lord Lao Zi was not one, he wouldn’t dare accept the title. If he was indeed a Saint, he would naturally accept it. However, Lord Lao Zi remained silent, merely smiling mysteriously, leaving Sha Chen baffled.
Was that an acknowledgment or a refusal?
Nevertheless, Sha Chen obediently brought out his stored peach wine and osmanthus wine—one pot of each—along with seven or eight other pots of immortal wines. These were all concoctions he had started brewing in recent years. Although not aged for long, their flavor had improved due to the variety of ingredients he could now add.
There were even better and tastier ones, which Sha Chen stored in the Innate Earth, not to be brought out lightly.
These were originally intended for entertaining important guests and major figures, and Lord Lao Zi certainly qualified. But Sha Chen couldn’t get a clear read on Lord Lao Zi and dared not play his trump card too soon.
He also employed a bit of cunning. He offered Lord Lao Zi high-quality wine from previous years that seemed faultless. This way, he kept the truly top-tier wine—the king of wines—buried in the Innate Earth. If the Tongtian Hierarch visited later and inquired, he could present it then.
He could then claim it was a wine so special only the Tongtian Hierarch was worthy, a wine he hadn’t even dared offer Lord Lao Zi. If the Saint was pleased, Sha Chen mused, it might save him hundreds of thousands of years of struggle.
Becoming a disciple was out of the question, but he still wanted to freeload, so he had to resort to such tricks.
Sha Chen served the fine wines and prepared the dishes.
With the Nine-Dragon Divine Fire Stove—Huh? Something feels off, he thought briefly. In any case, with the aid of this fire-controlling Magical Tool, Sha Chen quickly prepared delicious dishes.
Lord Lao Zi did not wait long, beginning to pour himself drinks as Sha Chen served the dishes. But he was very polite; since Sha Chen, the host, had not yet sat down, he refrained from picking up his chopsticks.
When Sha Chen arrived, Lord Lao Zi gestured for him to sit, then picked up his own chopsticks and began to try a few dishes.
Sha Chen watched Lord Lao Zi’s expression with apprehension, noticing no sign of displeasure, but also unable to see any sign of approval.
He couldn’t help but feel nervous, internally complaining, The Tongtian Hierarch is much better. He’s straightforward and generous, not like these inscrutable old masters, whose minds are terrifyingly deep.
Although the Tongtian Hierarch was undoubtedly cunning, he didn’t feel the need to be overly reserved with a junior like Sha Chen. He was always direct, his emotions clear on his face.
Lord Lao Zi, however, was different: completely inscrutable, making it impossible to guess his thoughts. This left Sha Chen quite uneasy.
For a moment, he didn’t know what to do.
Finally, after Lord Lao Zi had tried a few dishes, he seemed to remember Sha Chen and said, "Fellow Daoist, why aren’t you eating? Let’s eat together, don’t be reserved."
He laughed heartily. "This humble Daoist is the guest, and you are the host; please don’t let me usurp your role."
Sha Chen chuckled along, but inwardly he thought, You uninvited old immortals never act like guests when you show up. What kind of guest arrives uninvited, and walks right in without the door even being opened? Isn’t that the definition of overshadowing the host?
However, he would never dare voice these thoughts.
He picked up his chopsticks, intending to taste a few dishes, but before he could take a bite, Lord Lao Zi had already put down his.
Sha Chen also laid down his chopsticks and looked at Lord Lao Zi. "Saint," he asked, "does the meal not suit your palate?"
Lord Lao Zi said, "This humble Daoist is accustomed to a plainer diet; these dishes are too greasy. However, Fellow Daoist, don’t worry about inadequate hospitality. Please, enjoy your meal. This humble Daoist will just have some vegetables."
How careless of me, Sha Chen berated himself. I completely forgot Lord Lao Zi prefers plainer, vegetarian fare.
He wanted to prepare a few lighter, vegetarian dishes, but Lord Lao Zi stopped him, telling him to eat as he pleased.
Sha Chen could only sit back down and continue his meal. But no matter what he ate, it all tasted bland.
Dining with the Tongtian Hierarch was somewhat better, he thought. Even with some restraint, at least one could eat and drink without this constant anxiety.
Now, accompanying Lord Lao Zi for a meal felt like chewing wax. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖
The dishes he had prepared were genuinely delicious, yet he couldn’t taste a thing.
Sha Chen simply moved his chopsticks a few times, then stopped eating and just drank wine instead.
Even drinking felt tedious. When drinking with the Tongtian Hierarch, Sha Chen could drink deeply and eat heartily. Although they generally observed the principle of not speaking during meals, it was still an enjoyable experience.
Now, drinking with Lord Lao Zi, a two-liang cup of wine had to be finished in three tiny sips.
Moreover, once the cup was put down, Lord Lao Zi just looked at him with a smile, occasionally nodding slightly, sometimes with that same mysterious smile.
This made Sha Chen extremely uncomfortable, unsure of what to do.
In a word—awkward.
Lord Lao Zi, however, seemed to feel no discomfort at all, enjoying himself as he drank and poured his own wine.
After a while, Sha Chen couldn’t hold back any longer. "Saint," he asked, "what brings you to the Flowing Sand River?"
Lord Lao Zi said, "After the Divine Enthronement, a heaven-defying prodigy has appeared in the world, altering the course of destiny. It is only natural that this humble Daoist would come to see for himself."
Sha Chen frowned. "This junior is but a mere loach in the mud, as humble as can be. How can there be talk of a prodigy?"
Lord Lao Zi said, "You remain as cautious and prudent as ever, modest and unassuming too. But your strength and talent do not permit you to remain low-profile."
Sha Chen hurriedly said, "This junior is as insignificant as an ant, possessing no talent or strength to speak of. Those are merely baseless rumors from the outside world."
"Hahaha."
Lord Lao Zi laughed heartily and stood up. Sha Chen, startled, also rose, feeling as if spikes were pressed against his back.
Indeed, a man fears fame as a pig fears growing fat, he thought.
He wanted to keep a low profile, but the rumors about him from the outside were growing, causing him a great headache.
Lord Lao Zi rose and walked around the dwelling, stopping before the Post-Heaven Earth. He gazed at the endless fields stretching before him, inhaling the fragrant breeze.
He closed his eyes, stood with his hands behind his back, and said, "Sha Chen, you are really quite comfortable here, living in this hidden paradise, avoiding the world."
Sha Chen’s scalp immediately tingled. Lord Lao Zi had dropped all pretense of courtesy, addressing him directly by name.
Unable to discern Lord Lao Zi’s current attitude, he promptly replied, "This junior only wishes to focus on Cultivation, to pay no heed to the turmoil of the outside world, content to live a life picking chrysanthemums by the eastern fence, leisurely gazing upon the southern mountains."
Lord Lao Zi turned his head and looked deeply at him. Smiling, he said, "Who would have thought that a rough fellow like you has a higher cultural appreciation than those scholars."
Sha Chen quickly replied, "Those esteemed elders prioritize their Cultivation. When this junior encounters difficulties in training, I simply dabble in other trivial matters. Such musings are hardly worthy of a Saint’s notice."
Lord Lao Zi continued, "The world believes you live in poverty. Even His Majesty the Jade Emperor thinks you are destitute and has offered aid multiple times, yet you show no gratitude. The Jade Emperor has often considered you an ingrate. What he doesn’t realize is that he offered you mere grains of rice, while you possess an entire granary here."
Sha Chen’s cheeks twitched. He wouldn’t dare admit it; if Lord Lao Zi were to plunder some things from him, the loss would be heartbreaking. He quickly denied, "The Saint jests. What little this junior has was scraped together through humble means, barely enough for my own Cultivation. The treasures bestowed by His Majesty the Jade Emperor are truly rare in this world, and this junior cherishes them deeply."
"Do you truly cherish them?" Lord Lao Zi asked, a strange glint flickering in his eyes as he spoke.
Sha Chen sensed something was amiss and frowned, but nodded anyway. "Indeed, this junior cherishes them deeply."
Lord Lao Zi smiled. "Since you cherish them so deeply, if this humble Daoist were to tell you that His Majesty the Jade Emperor wishes for you to join Buddhism, would you be willing?"
The system prompts: You have learned that the Sub-Sage Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad, an External Incarnation of the Sage Laozi, invites you to join Buddhism. You have the following options:
Choice one: Agree to Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad’s request and join Buddhism. Reward: Magical Tool [Plantain Fan]. Description: From the plantain leaves upon the Innate Green Vine Spiritual Root, the Sage Laozi selected two to craft a pair of Plantain Fans. Each contains infinite power of wind spirits. This is Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad’s Plantain Fan.
Choice two: Refuse Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad’s request and do not join Buddhism. Reward: Magical Tool [Taiqing Colored Glaze Cup]. Description: An illuminating azure lamp from the palace of the Sage Taiqing Laozi. It contains infinite clarifying light, under which nothing can hide. It can also enhance the power of the Primordial Spirit.
