Journey to the West: Signing in for 500 Years-Chapter 300 - 294: Golden Dragon Scissors and Primeval Chaos Gold Funnel [Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets]_1
"A choice has been detected: the Grand Destiny Carrier, Fairy Yunxiao, demands access to your cave abode. You have the following options."
"Option One: Open the cave abode and receive the reward ’Golden Dragon Scissors.’ Golden Dragon Scissors: A treasure from primeval times, an Innate Spirit Treasure. Taoist Ancestor Hongjun crafted it at the time of his sanctification by slaying true dragons to establish his might. Melded from two Quasi-saint True Dragons into a pair of scissors, it possesses boundless power."
"Option Two: Refuse to open the cave abode and receive the reward ’Primeval Chaos Gold Funnel.’ Primeval Chaos Gold Funnel: The Spiritual Treasure of San Xiao, it harbors infinite lethality. When deployed in combination with the Nine-Curve Yellow River Array, its force is immense, enabling one to punch above their weight and triumph in adverse confrontations."
Faced with the choices, Sha Chen found himself stunned for a moment.
He remembered that San Xiao possessed two extremely formidable Magical Tools: one was the Primeval Chaos Gold Funnel, and the other was the Golden Jiao Scissors. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦
Now the system was rewarding him with the Golden Dragon Scissors, which sounded very domineering. He had no idea what relation it had to San Xiao’s Golden Jiao Scissors.
Seeing these choices, Sha Chen hesitated, unsure which one to select.
Deep down, I don’t want to open the cave doors; otherwise, wouldn’t I be at their mercy?
However, if he didn’t open it, San Xiao would employ a strategy of courtesy before force, implying Yunxiao herself might take action next time.
This woman, an ancient being, had emerged after the creation of heaven and earth. Already possessing considerable skills, she had become a disciple of Tongtian Hierarch, leader of the Sect of Interpretation. She had long since stepped out of the Five Elements, transcended the Three Realms, severed her Three Corpses, and cast aside her Five Qi.
Her strength traversed heaven and earth, shaping the cosmos in enigmatic ways.
Even if she wasn’t at the Quasi-Sage Peak, she was definitely a High-rank Quasi Saint.
If it were Bi Xiao, it wouldn’t be so bad. She had already made her move and was unable to breach the Flowing Sand River, which gave Sha Chen a sense of security regarding her.
Even if it were Qiongxiao, the second sister, Sha Chen would be somewhat relieved, as she wouldn’t be significantly stronger than Bi Xiao.
Combined, the two of them could at best raze the Flowing Sand River Cave to the ground, causing only tremors inside.
However, during the Apocalypse Epoch, Yunxiao had an illustrious record of battle achievements. Her strength spanned heaven and earth, making her more formidable than Qiongxiao and Bi Xiao combined.
She had far surpassed the level of her two sisters. If she were to attack forcefully, Sha Chen truly lacked the confidence to withstand her onslaught.
At this moment, Sha Chen was completely at a loss.
Tongtian Hierarch clearly intended to take him as a disciple, yet here were his disciples threatening him, insisting that if he didn’t join the Sect of Interpretation, they would slay him.
Indeed, this is devoid of righteousness, he thought.
Sha Chen was unsure if Tongtian Hierarch knew about this situation and, if he did, whether he tacitly approved of San Xiao’s actions.
If Tongtian Hierarch did indeed approve, Sha Chen felt he truly had no other option.
It seemed he had no choice but to accept discipleship.
However, being coerced into discipleship was something Sha Chen disliked the most. It had reached the point where he even thought Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad might be a better option.
Sha Chen thought, If they really push me into a corner, I’ll choose Laozi.
After all, Laozi was also the mightiest among the Saints. During both the Divine Enthronement Cataclysm and the Journey to the West turmoil, the sage Laozi had emerged a winner.
The Sect of Interpretation had already been defeated once, and Tongtian Hierarch had been reprimanded by the Daoist Ancestor. Returning now, he would surely wage wars everywhere, with dangers lurking on all sides.
Moreover, Tongtian Hierarch loved to teach and had numerous disciples. Sha Chen feared that by entering his tutelage, he would have to compete with other exceptional martial siblings for resources.
Under such circumstances, he might be better off joining the sage Laozi, who had fewer disciples.
As for Lord Yuan Shi, Sha Chen didn’t even consider him.
That one’s just an old trickster, he mused.
While Sha Chen was still hesitating, Yunxiao called out from outside once more. He could tell that even the composed and dignified Yunxiao was beginning to lose patience.
Sha Chen’s projected mana avatar also looked hesitant and said, "Esteemed predecessors, may I refuse?"
Yunxiao replied, "You may. But as I’ve said, if you refuse, we will proceed with courtesy first, then force."
"Refusing means you’re dishonoring us. If we’re dishonored, we’ll just make our own way in. Your Flowing Sand River may be stable, but upon close inspection, I found it still has some flaws."
A master of Formations herself, she had derived the Nine-Curve Yellow River Array solely from the Primeval Chaos Gold Funnel.
Although the Flowing Sand River was guarded by the Magical Tools Black Tortoise Armor and Apricot Yellow Flag of Wuji, many formations were also deployed.
Nevertheless, these two items were just Magical Tools. For all their repute as the strongest defenses in the Three Realms, they were just that—reputed.
Whether they could withstand San Xiao depended on the circumstances.
Gauging from Yunxiao’s confident demeanor, Sha Chen was certain they most likely would not hold.
Previously, Yang Jian, using the Seal of Fanning the sky, had nearly blasted open the Flowing Sand River. Now, an even more formidable figure, the great Quasi-Saint Yunxiao, could probably shatter the Flowing Sand River without even needing the Primeval Chaos Gold Funnel!
Chen Sha’s alter ego looked visibly troubled, wanting to offer persuasion and make one last effort. However, Xianhe Yunyao restrained him, preventing him from speaking, and transmitted a message, "Our Martial Aunts are serious. Don’t stop them, or they’ll get angry and might attack you."
The alter ego Chen Sha immediately dared not make a sound.
After hesitating, Sha Chen said, "Esteemed Fairy Sisters, I welcome your desire to enter. However, your divine might is too overwhelming, and your strength formidable. Moreover, my humble abode is quite rudimentary. Would it not be better to send just one among you instead?"
San Xiao was taken aback. Bi Xiao said, "We all want to come in."
Sha Chen responded, "Fairy Sister, by saying that, you put me in a difficult position. The Flowing Sand River is basic and truly cannot accommodate the simultaneous presence of all three distinguished Fairy Sisters."
"If it weren’t for the fact that the three of you seem sincere, I initially had no intention of letting you in," Sha Chen continued. "After all, I strive to live in peace with the world."
Bi Xiao snorted, "How can one live in this era and remain aloof from worldly affairs?"
Sha Chen played his trump card, "Where else can you find someone as coercive as you, Fairy, forcing someone to join like this? Could this be a bandit organization?"
Bi Xiao was immediately furious.
Yunxiao, however, stopped her, saying, "Third Sister, he has a point. We win people over with virtue. If we want him to join the Sect of Interpretation, we should treat him courteously."
Bi Xiao said, "He’s too infuriating! When I tried to recruit him earlier, he refused without even thinking. He’s so dismissive!"
Sha Chen replied, "Fairy Bi Xiao, am I not opening the door now to let you in? This shows my sincerity, and I hope you can show yours as well."
Bi Xiao was stunned, a sense of frustration welling up inside her.
Qiongxiao, who had always been rather aloof, now looked deeply at Sha Chen.
She whispered, "I’ve never seen such a shameless person."
Yunxiao was also bewildered.
Even though the Sect of Interpretation had declined, countless people still eagerly sought to join. Yet here they were, personally extending an invitation, and Sha Chen still repeatedly refused.
Now, it seemed they were the ones pleading for Sha Chen to join, and they even had to prove their sincerity!
However, Sha Chen’s words did hold some truth. They had come to recruit someone into the Sect of Interpretation. While it might not call for the utmost deference, they should at least show the earnestness of making a sincere effort.
Yet, after he merely refused once, they had threatened to kill him.
Truly the conduct of a bandit lair; no wonder others despise it, Yunxiao thought.
Yunxiao considered for a moment, then said, "Alright, we can agree to your proposal. However, allowing just one person in is not enough."
Sha Chen said, "I’ve heard that this Daoist Friend Chen Sha is responsible for inviting me to join the Sect of Interpretation, so he can enter."
"This Fairy Xianhe sticks to him like a shadow; she can come in too. But since the three of you possess such profound mana, why don’t we come to an agreement first before discussing anything else?"
Bi Xiao objected, "What a joke! Their strength is inferior to yours. Once inside the Flowing Sand River, wouldn’t they be at your mercy?"
Sha Chen retorted, "With the power the three of you hold, if I dared to harm them, you could invade in an instant. I have no intention of losing my life."
Bi Xiao insisted, "Regardless, we can’t trust just the two of them to go in."
Yunxiao nodded in agreement, "Exactly. General Juanlian’s mana is boundless. They are just juniors with average strength. Once inside, they’ll be like fish on a chopping board, completely at your disposal."
She thought for a moment, then suggested, "Let’s do this: Third Sister will go with them. Regardless of the outcome, it will ensure their safety."
Sha Chen grumbled inwardly, I’m the one who’s unsafe!
Chen Sha, standing beside them, said, "Great Martial Aunt, you needn’t worry about me. Master Sha Chen is very kind. My Martial Sister and I will face no problems entering. If there really is trouble, with your capabilities, it would be easy for you to forcefully make your way in, wouldn’t it?"
Yunxiao, however, shook her head, "You’re too naive. The world is perilous. Even though Master Sha Chen is trustworthy, I cannot gamble with your lives."
She looked at Sha Chen and asked, "River Master, what do you think of my proposal?"
Sha Chen glanced at Bi Xiao. He saw her feigning composure, but she was inwardly snickering, clearly up to no good.
Sha Chen felt a headache coming on.
Bi Xiao was clearly hot-tempered. Having her pride wounded by his repeated rejections, if she really entered the Flowing Sand River, she would definitely do something detrimental to him.
Moreover, with Yunxiao not present, there would be no one to restrain her. If Bi Xiao, unable to control herself, were to injure or even kill him in her anger, what then?
However, Sha Chen knew that allowing Yunxiao or Qiongxiao into the Flowing Sand River Cave was also out of the question.
If all three sisters entered, it would be truly dangerous.
He felt he had a fighting chance against just one of them.
After some thought, Sha Chen nodded, "Very well. Fairy Bi Xiao’s mana is boundless, and I am far from her match. You can rest assured with her accompanying them inside, can’t you, Senior?"
Seeing Sha Chen agree, San Xiao nodded in satisfaction.
They then looked at Sha Chen, waiting for him to open his cave abode.
Sha Chen, however, simply looked back at them, making no move.
Bi Xiao demanded, "Why aren’t you opening the cave abode? Stop dawdling! Are you serious about this or not?"
Sha Chen looked embarrassed and said, "Could you all please step back a bit first? It’s not that I mistrust Fairy Yunxiao and Fairy Qiongxiao, but it’s a precaution."
Everyone immediately understood: Sha Chen was worried that San Xiao might rush in all at once as soon as he opened the door.
Even the usually aloof Qiongxiao was somewhat annoyed. Yunxiao, however, smiled, nodded, and pulled Qiongxiao back with her.
They retreated to Huanghua Temple and settled in, no longer paying attention to the situation at the Flowing Sand River.
Only a message was sent back: "This venerable one shall await good news here."
Sha Chen said, "Seniors, please wait a moment. Regardless of whether I agree or not, I will ensure their safe return."
Then, he opened the Flowing Sand River Cave and led the individuals inside.
Qiongxiao chuckled. "Big Sister, Sha Chen is truly audacious, isn’t he? Claiming he’ll return them safely whether he agrees or not. Does he really think he can defeat Third Sister?"
"Or perhaps, does he dare to refuse Third Sister? Big Sister sent Third Sister personally to use her fiery temper to deal with Sha Chen and pressure him into agreeing, right?"
