Journey to the West: Signing in for 500 Years-Chapter 289 - 283: Strong Opportunity, Too Bullying (Seeking Subscriptions, Monthly Tickets)_1
While they were talking, a streak of flowing light flew in from beyond the Flowing Sand River.
Yang Jian and the others were greatly alarmed. They hurriedly looked over, only to see Sha Chen reach out and catch the flowing light in his hand.
The crowd hurriedly looked over, only to see that Sha Chen was holding a Shariputra the size of a fist.
At the sight of that Shariputra, they all gasped in shock.
Yang Jian, with his broad knowledge, exclaimed in astonishment, "This Shariputra actually contains the essence of Dao, and it somewhat matches my granduncle master’s Dao essence. It must be from my granduncle master’s lineage."
Sha Chen said, "You’re right. However, it’s not your granduncle master’s; it’s the Shariputra of your granduncle master’s eldest disciple, Taoist Duo Bao."
HISS!
Yang Jian was shocked.
So were the others.
Jin Chanzi hurried forward and said, "This aura is very familiar; it truly is the Shariputra of Elder Duo Bao."
Tathagata was Jin Chanzi’s master, and Taoist Duo Bao was Tathagata’s previous incarnation.
Even though Jin Chanzi had become a disciple of Sha Chen, he still respectfully referred to Taoist Duo Bao as his teacher.
Sha Chen didn’t mind; in fact, he even approved of it.
The White Bone Demon asked excitedly, "Master, how did you come to possess this Shariputra?"
Sha Chen replied, "When did you become blind? I just got it. It came flying to me on its own."
The White Bone Demon was both shocked and overjoyed. Her eyes darted around as she seemingly concocted a plan to get her hands on the Duo Bao Shariputra.
The Jade Rabbit was also pleasantly surprised; she could tell how powerful the Duo Bao Shariputra was.
If one were to refine it, one’s natural talent would surely be enhanced.
Jin Chanzi also coveted it.
In fact, such a treasure was coveted by everyone, including the three Phoenix sisters.
Yang Jian was thoroughly shaken. He had thought that so many magical tools and divine objects couldn’t possibly seek Sha Chen out on their own, only to be proven wrong instantly.
Treasures really did seek Sha Chen out.
Even this Duo Bao Shariputra had actively sought him out.
Sha Chen, however, held the Shariputra and fretted, "Ah, this is troublesome. I wonder if this Shariputra’s arrival attracted Buddhism’s attention. I hope it doesn’t cause me any trouble!"
Yang Jian and the others were nearly driven mad. Can you stop showing off already? You’re acting coy after gaining an advantage. We yearn for the Duo Bao Shariputra yet can’t obtain it, and when it comes to you willingly, you still find this and that to complain about! If you don’t want it, give it to us!
Seeing the yearning in everyone’s eyes, Sha Chen said, "Don’t even think about it. My talent is ordinary, so I definitely need to keep this Duo Bao Shariputra for myself."
The White Bone Demon rolled her eyes. "Master, you still call your talent ordinary? Advancing from the Initial Stage of True Immortal to the High Order of Daluo Golden Immortal in two hundred years... even Erlang God couldn’t do that, right?"
Yang Jian spoke from experience, "That’s right, I can’t."
The Jade Rabbit added, "With talent like yours, unequaled in this world, where else could one find such a person? Yet you claim your talent is ordinary. Should the rest of us even bother living?"
Sha Chen, however, said, "I just worked a tiny bit harder than you all. While you were out enjoying the treasure hunting process, I was using every minute and second to refine resources and strengthen myself."
The White Bone Demon and Jade Rabbit exchanged glances, on the verge of tears.
Yang Jian felt even more like crying. This is too much!
He was renowned as the top prodigy of the Divine Enthronement era, even called the Little Saint. Seemingly glorious and unparalleled, yet compared to Sha Chen, I’m nothing! Sha Chen is just too much of a show-off!
Noticing their strange expressions, Sha Chen asked, "What’s wrong? You aren’t thinking of beating me up, are you?"
The crowd shook their heads.
Sha Chen let out a sigh of relief. "Good, you should never entertain such dangerous thoughts."
The White Bone Demon said, "Master, if I could, I’d want to take you down a peg. You’re too much!"
Sha Chen promptly patted Jin Chanzi on the shoulder. "Jin Chanzi, remember to protect me."
Jin Chanzi gritted his teeth. "Master, you’re really too much! You’re clearly so excellent and talented, yet you call yourself average. You leave no way for others to live!"
Sha Chen gave him a dismissive glance.
Having witnessed Sha Chen’s power and luck, any pride Yang Jian had previously felt instantly vanished.
Compared to Sha Chen, what do I have to be proud of?
He even became a bit anxious. Now, although my cultivation level is above Sha Chen’s, if I don’t make an effort, I fear I might be surpassed by him.
Yang Jian resolved that upon returning, he must cultivate diligently and strive to enter the Quasi-Saint Realm as soon as possible.
Furthermore, he must continue to work hard even after entering the Quasi-Saint Realm.
He could see that Sha Chen was both diligent and talented—someone who likely wouldn’t emerge from seclusion even after reaching the Quasi-Saint Realm.
If someone more talented than you also works harder than you, what reason do you have not to strive?
Sha Chen put away the Duo Bao Shariputra, planning to refine it later when fewer people were around to enhance his own talent.
Over the past few days, Yang Jian had tasted plenty of Pan Peach wine and Osmanthus Wine, even drinking quite a bit of Dao Comprehending Tea and eating some Willow Fairy Pills.
He had even meditated before the Tai Chi Diagram and beneath the Taiqing Colored Glaze Cup, significantly advancing his comprehension of the Dao.
He desperately wanted to stay. He had a strong premonition that cultivating here could shorten his cultivation journey by a thousandfold! This place is too comfortable! Cultivating here feels like having divine assistance!
He also came to understand why Sha Chen’s strength had improved so rapidly; after all, with such excellent conditions, my own improvement would be even quicker!
The reason everyone outside wanted to know, he now knew, but this reason was simply impossible to replicate. Only at Flowing Sand River can one find this, and no other person can imitate it even if they know about it. To walk Sha Chen’s path, one would have to seize the entire Flowing Sand River and claim it as their own. However, would that really be useful? It would be too presumptuous to think so.
Besides the abundant resources here, Sha Chen also had followers who provided him with vast amounts of cultivation resources.
Just as Sha Chen had said, while others struggled outside, fighting to the death for cultivation resources, he was here, devouring them. The gap between them would naturally widen.
While others might spend hundreds of years fighting for a single First-class Immortal Elixir, Sha Chen had thousands here, ready for refining at any moment.
Others tried every means to comprehend Dao Techniques, desperately seeking opportunities to listen to the teachings of the powerful.
Sha Chen’s situation was different. He had Dao Comprehending Tea, the Phoenix Tree, the Taiqing Colored Glaze Cup, and the Tai Chi Diagram to assist his comprehension of Dao Techniques.
With these advantages, the gap was as wide as that between heaven and earth.
Things that others spent hundreds of years fighting to obtain were abundantly available to Sha Chen, refinable in just three to five days.
Yang Jian himself couldn’t even begin to calculate the sheer magnitude of this difference.
He couldn’t imagine the envy, jealousy, and utter despair others would feel if they knew about Sha Chen’s cultivation methods. For the prodigies of the same era as Sha Chen, this is truly despair-inducing. Unless they had the unconditional support of a Saint, they simply couldn’t compare.
In the past, disciples of Saints received their teachings and had the backing of sect resources, allowing them to advance rapidly.
Sha Chen, on the other hand, had the support of his followers’ resources and various divine objects to enhance his Dao Techniques, also allowing for rapid advancement.
Moreover, Sha Chen’s situation here was even slightly better than that of a Saint’s direct disciple. In past eras, such disciples faced life-or-death trials, Saints wouldn’t always be available for teaching, and disciples had to spend time serving their Saint.
Here, Sha Chen only needed to focus on cultivation.
Yang Jian truly felt both envious and jealous, and he wanted to stay here. But I know it’s impossible, he thought. My talent is too strong. Staying here would consume too many of Sha Chen’s resources. I came to seek Sha Chen’s help, not to become a burden.
Nevertheless, Yang Jian had already decided to visit more often in the future. Besides the sense of security this place gave him, it also allowed his strength to advance rapidly.
Sha Chen didn’t lecture Yang Jian on the Dao, nor did he impart techniques like the 72 Polymorphic Transformations or the 36 Transformations to him.
Because Yang Jian had already comprehended Da Luo Dao Techniques and was on the cusp of breaking into the Quasi-Saint Realm. Sha Chen’s own ’rudimentary’ knowledge, as he might call it, was of no use to someone like Yang Jian.
Furthermore, regarding techniques like the 72 Polymorphic Transformations and the Eight-Nine Profound Art, Sha Chen had merely reached Great Accomplishment, while Yang Jian had already achieved Great Perfection.
He was on the brink of comprehending something entirely different!
Preaching to him would be like teaching a fish to swim—brandishing an axe before Lu Ban. I’m not that foolish. Letting Yang Jian comprehend things on his own from the Taiqing Colored Glaze Cup and the Tai Chi Diagram will naturally make him develop an attachment to this place. Since Yang Jian can’t gauge my true depth, seeing so many wonders here will make him perceive me as unfathomably profound, thereby fostering admiration in his heart.
And indeed, Sha Chen could feel that Yang Jian had developed a genuine reverence for him.
Initially, Yang Jian had sought his help primarily to avoid provoking him. Now, genuine reverence had taken root.
A significant shift in mindset had occurred.
Yang Jian stayed at Flowing Sand River for about half a month. During this period, he meditated several times and felt his comprehension of the Dao deepen significantly.
He felt that breaking through to the Quasi-Saint Realm was imminent.
Yang Jian even shared some of his own Dao insights, from which Sha Chen also benefited.
After all, Yang Jian was a true prodigy, possessing exceptional talent and potential, with a unique approach to comprehending Dao Techniques.
As a disciple of a Saint, he had listened to several of their lectures, particularly those by Lord Yuan Shi—teachings Sha Chen himself had never heard.
He had his own unique understanding of Dao Techniques.
Yang Jian shared some of his Dao insights, and Sha Chen, in turn, shared some of his own understanding.
Although Sha Chen’s mastery of the Three Pure Ones Taoism had only reached Great Accomplishment, texts like the Qingping Scripture and the Tao Te Ching were new to Yang Jian.
Consequently, they still offered some benefit to Yang Jian, further deepening his foundation.
Another half a month passed. Having stayed at Flowing Sand River for nearly a full month, Yang Jian decided to leave.
Upon leaving Flowing Sand River, he took Jin Chanzi with him.
Jin Chanzi, in this reincarnation, had already received Sha Chen’s teachings and had numerous arrangements made for him by Sha Chen. Leaving at this juncture provided a convenient pretext.
「Outside Flowing Sand River.」
Yin Jiao, along with some individuals from Buddhism and the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals of the Heavenly Court, had already gathered. All were under Li Jing’s command.
They were all looking down from above, apparently discussing an assault on Flowing Sand River.
Beside Li Jing stood a Chinese Rural Dog—none other than Roaring Sky Dog, who had previously disguised himself as Yang Jian, deceiving many.
However, Yin Jiao had quickly seen through the deception. For the past month, Yin Jiao, the Heavenly Court, and the Buddhist contingent had been discussing how to reach Yang Jian.
They believed Yang Jian had entered Flowing Sand River using some stratagem, undoubtedly intending to deal with Sha Chen.
Li Jing declared, "If Erlang God doesn’t emerge soon, we will order an attack on Flowing Sand River. We can also rescue the Journeying Monk then."
He then shook his head and sighed. "Who would have thought Sha Chen could be so depraved as to capture both Erlang God and the Journeying Monk."
The assembled immortals and Buddhas all nodded in agreement, but internally, they were scoffing. They had clearly been the ones to provoke Sha Chen first; he was merely acting in self-defense. Yet now they were blaming him for wrongdoing? Regardless, right or wrong was determined by them—after all, they were the ’righteous’ ones!
