Journey to the West: Signing in for 500 Years-Chapter 259 - 253: This Tathagata is Pixelated (Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets)_1

Chapter 259: Chapter 253: This Tathagata is Pixelated (Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets)_1

Sha Chen was already on full alert. With various magical tools in hand and his six arms displaying the Wind Fire Thunder God Wings, he was also making a Daoist seal with his fingers. If anything went wrong, he would flee immediately.

However, he had to at least let Tathagata attack the Flowing Sands River before deciding to give up. Simply surrendering would be giving Tathagata too much credit.

It was just that Sha Chen couldn’t understand why Tathagata regarded him so highly as to personally take action. Hadn’t the task of dealing with him been assigned to Maitreya Buddha?

While he was puzzling over this, the Tathagata outside spoke again, "Amitabha. I know you are inside, Benefactor, and have heard my words. Please open the gates of the Flowing Sands River and allow me to come in for a visit."

Sha Chen furrowed his brow and looked outside.

Indeed, he saw a portly, large-eared monk standing on a golden lotus platform, with Buddha light radiating behind him. Behind the monk followed eight hundred Arhat attendants. Such a formation was world-shaking and terrifying.

This terrifying scene left Sha Chen completely flabbergasted.

Surely not?

Have they emptied the entire Monastery of Thunder Sound? One Tathagata is one thing, but bringing so many Arhat Buddhas? They’re giving me far too much credit.

Sha Chen was bewildered. He frowned. Something feels off.

Tathagata wouldn’t arrive with such fanfare. If he were to come, he should be accompanied by many other Ancient Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Why would only Arhats be with him? And for Tathagata himself to descend to the Flowing Sands River instead of observing from high above seemed illogical.

It wasn’t that Sha Chen underestimated himself, but Tathagata was proclaimed as the foremost figure of Lingjiu Mountain, an invincible Quasi-Saint. It seemed impossible that he would personally come here. Even if it was to recruit him as a scripture pilgrim for the journey west, he wouldn’t make such a grand entrance.

Unless Buddhism had exhausted all other options, or he had caused such unbearable chaos that Buddhism had lost all face—only then might Tathagata personally intervene. Otherwise, Sha Chen couldn’t imagine any other reason for Tathagata to act personally. Yet here he was, appearing in such a grand manner before Sha Chen had even made his position clear. It just didn’t add up.

Sha Chen suspected that this Tathagata might be a fake.

He activated his Illusion-Breaking Divine Eye to observe the Tathagata, scrutinizing him. However, he found Tathagata’s body suffused with Buddha light. On closer inspection, everything was a blur, making it utterly indiscernible whether he was real or fake. It was as if he had been pixelated.

Sha Chen’s mind had not yet achieved the clarity to see through such ’pixelation,’ so he naturally couldn’t determine if it was real or fake.

He knitted his brows. It seems my Illusion-Breaking Divine Eye needs further cultivation. I’ve been too focused on my physical body, cultivation level, and Primordial Spirit. My various Divine Powers are too numerous and diverse; I haven’t become proficient in any of them. My Illusion-Breaking Divine Eye is so formidable; I can usually see through truth and falsehood at a glance. Now I’ve encountered something I can’t penetrate, yet I suspect it’s fake. I’m completely stumped.

Even though this Tathagata appeared obscured, Sha Chen still felt he was a fake. Somehow, his intuition insisted it was so.

At that moment, the three Phoenix sisters stealthily made their way to him, flying onto his shoulder and arms as if they were little human-shaped fruits clinging to his body.

Sha Chen grew anxious and snapped, "Stop fooling around! Quickly go back to the tree."

The eldest sister, Bai Luan, said, "Father, is someone outside bullying you? We’ll help you bully them back."

The second sister, Qing Luan, said, "No, the one outside isn’t a person; it’s a big rat."

The youngest, Hong Luan, rebutted, "No, no, it’s not a big rat; it’s a big wolf-dog."

Sha Chen stared in astonishment and asked, "Can you see the true form of that big bald head outside?"

The sisters chattered away, all claiming they could discern it, then they began to describe it. Although their descriptions varied—wolf, dog, or rat.

However, listening to their descriptions, Sha Chen could tell they were describing a yellow weasel.

His expression turned odd. It seems Phoenixes can see through many illusions. True Dragons and Qilins are probably similar. But these three sisters hatched from ancient Phoenix eggs. Their bloodline is likely closer to the Yuanfeng, much purer than that of True Dragons like Ao Lie. So it’s understandable that they can see the true form of the fake Tathagata outside.

Since it was confirmed to be fake, Sha Chen was relieved. He sneered inwardly. A mere fake Tathagata thinks he can stir up trouble?

The fake Tathagata outside called out again, asking Sha Chen to come out and meet him, or to open the gates of his Cave Manor so that they could come in.

"Detected: Host has been invited by the East Incoming Laughing Buddha Ancestor’s Bell-Striking Attendant, Buddha Huangmei, for a meeting outside the water. You have the following choices."

"Choice One: Open the gates of the Flowing Sand River Cave and go out for a meeting. Reward: [Post-Heaven Human Seed Bag]. Post-Heaven Human Seed Bag: The Magical Tool of the East Incoming Laughing Buddha Ancestor, which can contain all things, even living people, and is hard to break into."

"Choice Two: Ignore the invitation. Reward: [Bell-Striking Golden Chime]. Bell-Striking Golden Chime: A golden chime used by Buddhists to strike large bells; its weight is immeasurable, and with great momentum, it can shatter mountains and rocks."

Sha Chen saw the choices and frowned.

It really is the Huangmei Monster.

It’s true: when one person attains the Dao, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven. Maitreya Buddha became a top figure in Buddhism, and now even his bell-striking attendant, Huangmei, is dignified as Buddha Huangmei.

He had no intention of paying him any mind but was curious to see what tricks this yellow weasel was up to.

The Post-Heaven Human Seed Bag could trap people and also contain them. Sha Chen already possessed the Dragon Binding Rope and had mastered the Divine Power of Drawing Ground into Prison, both capable of trapping people. As for containment, he also had numerous Qiankun Bags and mustard seed bags. However, these were just ordinary containment Magical Tools, insignificant, with limited space, and incapable of holding living creatures. The Human Seed Bag could trap and contain living people. It was said that once its opening was unfurled, it could hold hundreds of thousands of people without feeling crowded.

Sha Chen murmured to himself, "With the Post-Heaven Human Seed Bag, whether it’s for my followers to use to increase the amount of resources they bring back, or for my own use to pack up and escape, it would be incredibly useful."

He had already made up his mind to obtain that Post-Heaven Human Seed Bag.

Moreover, he also wanted to see what the Huangmei Monster was up to and probe the reality of the situation to respond with ease. Otherwise, if he disregarded him this time, the next to come might be Maitreya Buddha. That smiling Buddha had been a smiling tiger during the Divine Enthronement War, and his strength surpassed even Guanyin’s. Sha Chen didn’t want to provoke Maitreya Buddha; it would be best if he didn’t come at all.

The fake Tathagata, the Huangmei Monster, still unaware that Sha Chen had seen through his disguise, continued his pretense as Tathagata Buddha outside. Standing on the lotus platform, he waited for a long time but received no response from Sha Chen.

He frowned secretly, somewhat displeased. The rumors are true indeed. He’s just a coward who refuses to see anyone. But I didn’t expect him to be so arrogant as to refuse even Tathagata! Hmph! In that case, I’ll let him taste my power.

The Huangmei Monster was planning to take out the Bell-Striking Golden Chime to launch a direct attack. That Magical Tool was considered a Post-Heaven Supreme Spirit Treasure, possessing some might; it couldn’t compare with the best but was more than enough for lesser tasks. The Huangmei Monster, not expecting Sha Chen’s Cave Manor to be particularly formidable, planned to use it to smash open the gates.

But at this very moment, the waters of the Flowing Sands River parted, and a phantom image materialized. A figure that seemed to touch the heavens and dominate the earth appeared. His physical body was like a dragon, and his aura pierced the clouds.

Sha Chen still did not appear in the flesh but manifested as a phantom image to engage in conversation, thereby fulfilling the first choice of the system.

When the Huangmei Monster saw Sha Chen’s phantom appearing, he was stunned for a moment, then he smiled.

I knew you wouldn’t dare to ignore me completely. Even if it’s just a phantom, it’s better than no response at all.

Still in his pretense, the Huangmei Monster brought his hands together in prayer and recited a segment of Buddhist Law, saying, "Amitabha. You certainly put on grand airs, Benefactor. This One has been waiting here for a long time to finally meet you."

Behind him, eight hundred Arhats crowded around, forming a strong pressure together with the Huangmei Monster’s fake Tathagata, as the Buddha light shone universally.

Sha Chen looked carefully. He couldn’t see through the Huangmei Monster’s disguise, but the eight hundred Arhats behind him were all too clear; he could see through them easily. They were nothing but a mob of demons and scoundrels.

He became even more convinced that they were merely rabble, and he paid them no mind. If it really came down to a fight, he was not afraid.

What did make him frown, however, was that the Huangmei Monster’s strength was not simple; he had reached the Early Stage of Da Luo Golden Immortal.

This is no small feat. Indeed, when one person attains enlightenment, even their poultry and dogs ascend to heaven; Maitreya Buddha is quite thorough in cultivating his own people. The Huangmei Monster is nothing more than a weasel that attained the Dao, yet he has the cultivation of a Da Luo Golden Immortal. If, as in the original story, he had absorbed the karma of the calamity, his strength might have risen to another level.

In normal times, an Early Stage Da Luo Golden Immortal might have caused Sha Chen a bit of trouble. But now, whether it was his physical body, his cultivation, or his Primordial Spirit, Sha Chen had reached the High Order of Da Luo Golden Immortal. A mere Early Stage Da Luo Golden Immortal was really no match for him, not even enough to cause him any trouble.

Thus, Sha Chen felt even more at ease.

He wanted to probe the Huangmei Monster’s true capabilities and Maitreya Buddha’s determination. If possible, it would be best to have the Huangmei Monster persuade Maitreya Buddha to give up.

Of course, the likelihood was not great. However, it was still worth a try.

Sha Chen said, "Buddha Ancestor, please forgive me. I was cultivating here and did not realize anyone was calling."

The fake Tathagata replied, "Having seen me, why do you not perform the disciple’s salute? Whether you are a Heavenly Court god or a mere mortal, upon seeing me, you should perform the disciple’s salute. Kneel down, and perform three bows and nine kowtows."

He wanted to intimidate Sha Chen and seize the initiative.

Sha Chen wore a strange expression, laughed out loud, and said, "Buddha Ancestor, you jest. Not to mention that I am neither a Heavenly Court god nor a lowly mortal, nor am I a person of Buddhism. Why should I perform a disciple’s salute to the Buddha Ancestor?"

The fake Tathagata was furious, saying, "I am the lord of Lingjiu Mountain in the West, the ancestor of ten thousand Buddhas, and I control the disciples of Buddhism in the Three Realms. I am the highest and most revered Buddha elder. In all of heaven and earth, I alone am supreme! Am I not worthy of a disciple’s salute from a junior like you?"

Sha Chen laughed again and said, "If the Buddha Ancestor insists, then I have a few things to say about that."

He raised a finger and said, "Firstly, I am not a person of your Buddhism. Even if you are as mighty as you claim, it has nothing to do with me."

"Secondly, Buddhism speaks of equality among all sentient beings. First off, I am not of Buddhism. If you can’t even grant me the ’equality of all beings’ by treating me as an equal, how can you speak of equality with others?" 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

As the fake Tathagata was about to argue in anger, Sha Chen continued, "Don’t speak just yet. Thirdly, no matter what grand theories you spout, they are useless on me."

"Because, I am not a person of your Buddhism."