Journey to the West: Signing in for 500 Years-Chapter 400 - 394: A Heavenly Immortal Appears [Year Thirty, Peace All Year Around]_1
Even when Sha Chen repeatedly tried to console him, the Jinghe Dragon King still felt a deep sense of guilt.
Sha Chen thought about it but didn’t try to persuade him further. People are often contrary; the more you try to persuade them, the more contrary they become. If you stop persuading, they tend to get over it.
Indeed, when he stopped trying to counsel, the Jinghe Dragon King settled down and stopped wallowing in self-pity. Instead, he just waited patiently for Sha Chen to make a decision.
He was anxious inside. Because he was uncertain whether Sha Chen would open the doors to the secret grotto and let him out, severing ties with him. Or if he would tie him up and then go to the Heavenly Court to claim credit and seek rewards. Or perhaps, Sha Chen would simply ignore the Heavenly Court. He felt the first two possibilities were likely, but the last one seemed improbable—who would have the audacity to oppose the Heavenly Court and Buddhism? Now it wasn’t just a matter of the Heavenly Court; the followers of Buddhism had also arrived, meaning both the Heavenly Court and Buddhism were involved. That worried him even more.
If Sha Chen were to hand me over, the Jinghe Dragon King thought, it would be somewhat understandable, although disappointing and disheartening. Still, I wouldn’t blame Sha Chen. After all, my fate had nothing to do with Sha Chen. He should have captured me ten years ago, yet I’m still alive and even managed to advance in my cultivation. In truth, if I were really captured, with my strength as a Daluo Golden Immortal, if I groveled to the Jade Emperor, there might be a chance for me to survive. So, I’m not utterly despairing.
Seeing Sha Chen silent, the Jinghe Dragon King thought Sha Chen was troubled but would definitely hand him over, so he decided to take the initiative to avoid awkwardness. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "River Lord, why not hand me over? It would ensure the safety of Flowing Sand River."
Ao Lie and the Dragon Girl were startled and became anxious, then they looked at Sha Chen. But neither of them tried to persuade him. They had to consider not only the Dragon Clan but also Sha Chen. If Sha Chen offended the Heavenly Court and Buddhism because of this, it would be like playing with fire, truly not worth it.
Sha Chen glanced at the Jinghe Dragon King and said, "The safety of the Flowing Sand River isn’t obtained like that. It has always been impregnable, not by any other means."
The Jinghe Dragon King was stunned. Sha Chen continued, "If I handed you over and the Heavenly Court and Buddhism actually withdrew, I would be quite happy, just to have them off my back. But do you think that’s possible? The moment I open the doors to the grotto, they would rush in without hesitation. Let me tell you, don’t overestimate yourself. The secrets within this grotto are far more important than you."
The Jinghe Dragon King blushed, feeling deeply moved. Sha Chen is saying this just to put my mind at ease, trying to reassure me by deliberately striking at my pride.
Ao Lie and the Dragon Girl were also deeply moved. The Dragon Girl’s eyes welled up with tears, and she threw herself onto Sha Chen’s arm. "Brother General, you are truly good-hearted, you’re a good person."
Sha Chen glanced at her and said, "You’re the good person. Your whole family are good people."
The Dragon Girl was taken aback, sensing for some reason that Sha Chen’s words were meant as an insult.
Ao Lie pulled the Dragon Girl away and then said, "Brother, what should we do now? Are we just going to watch the people from the Heavenly Court and Buddhism strut around outside?"
Sha Chen replied, "Otherwise, why don’t you go out and drive them away?"
Ao Lie’s face turned red; he didn’t dare go out. He could only nod meekly and then gave an awkward smile.
The Jinghe Dragon King said, "The Heavenly Court is indeed despicable to convict me with trumped-up charges."
Ao Lie then said, "Even though the Golden Winged Dapeng is indeed related to us, they don’t know that, and yet they used it to convict us—it’s truly excessive."
Everyone felt anger rising within them, an anger that was difficult to contain.
Sha Chen nodded but remained noncommittal.
The Heavenly Court’s actions this time are indeed intended to eliminate the Jinghe Dragon King, and also to slander him and secure his conviction. Regardless of whether the Jinghe Dragon King was involved with the Golden Winged Dapeng, Wu Qu Xing deserved to die for attacking the Crystal Palace, bullying men and women, and acting tyrannically. But the Heavenly Court completely ignored this. Instead, they’re fixated on whether the Golden Winged Dapeng’s killing of Wu Qu Xing was connected to the Jinghe Dragon King, and whether the Jinghe Dragon King colluded with the Golden Winged Dapeng to eliminate Wu Qu Xing. If so, given the Heavenly Court’s ability to twist right and wrong, they would definitely convict the Jinghe Dragon King, accusing him of conspiring with demons and killing a Heavenly Court official. Buddhism would probably also shift blame, claiming the Jinghe Dragon King lured and coerced their Acala Vajrabodhisattva to descend as a demon, wreak havoc, and commit wrongdoings. In short, all blame will fall on the Jinghe Dragon King. Of course, if I shelter him, that’s harboring a criminal, and they’ll convict me too.
While the Heavenly Court has always wanted to win me over, it’s a last resort. If they can’t deal with me and prevent me from emerging from the water, they’ll find a way to convict me, force me to fall from grace, and do everything they can to make me emerge. As long as they can convict me, as long as there’s an accusation against me, then the Heavenly Court will have a reason to increase the punishment or add karmic obstacles, making life difficult for me in any case. But, in fact, it’s just their wishful thinking; if they truly had the means to make me suffer, they would have taken action long ago. The Thousand Swords Piercing The Heart Formation now has no effect on me; if I’m not willing, it can’t exert any influence. As for the erosion of the Flowing Sand River, it’s hardly significant to me. The Flowing Sand River is already completely under my control, at my beck and call. With the Xuan Yuan Water Control Flag in hand, along with my mastery over water, the Flowing Sand River is truly a part of me. Which is to say, the current Flowing Sand River poses no threat to me at all; as long as I wish, I can leave at any time. No one can bind me, nor can anyone suppress me.
If there were to be any suppression, it would be the Heavenly Court’s decree, convicting me and suppressing me under the Flowing Sand River for five hundred years. But my relationship with the Heavenly Court is also dispensable, purely dependent on whether I want to completely offend them. If I’m willing, I can directly disregard their decree. Heavenly laws mean nothing before absolute power. The Jade Emperor’s commands are not something I’ve resisted for the first time. Of course, the previous resistance was against becoming an appointed official, an act that, in defiance, could still earn a good reputation. But opposing the heavenly mandate would mean infamy. The Heavenly Court is orthodox and can easily slander me, turning me into a vile person whom everyone would want to strike down! Even if I wasn’t a demon, I would be a villain, unquestionably standing opposite justice. Even if I had never done anything bad. Claiming black is white, mistaking a deer for a horse—such things are all too simple for the Heavenly Court. The Heavenly Court isn’t yet intent on wrongly accusing me or deliberately misrepresenting me because doing so would completely cut off their ability to rein me in. The Jade Emperor still wants to use me, whether I end up with Buddhism or remain with the Heavenly Court. In any case, he hopes to control my heart. If they slandered me directly, they would definitely push me to the opposing side. That’s why, when dealing with me, they absolutely need to catch me by the tail first.
But the Jinghe Dragon King is different. The mere Jinghe Dragon King, whom the Jade Emperor has always wanted to kill—what would an unfounded accusation count? Twisting facts and calling a deer a horse is par for the course for them!
The Jinghe Dragon King was troubled and in a difficult position. He hated the Heavenly Court and Buddhism to the bone, yet he was powerless to oppose them. For a while, he genuinely did not know what to do.
Mo Liqing started calling out again outside. After probably the seventh or eighth time with no response, he returned to report to the commander.
Atop the Dragon Chariot, Emperor Zhenwu furrowed his brows.
Wang Lingguan, seeing this, spoke up, "Your Majesty, this Sha Chen is quite proud yet very low-profile. He was once surrounded by a million soldiers of the Heavenly Court but remained unmoved, practicing a scorched-earth defense and refusing to come out.
"This time, he’s probably staying hidden because he sees our large-scale mobilization; it seems he’s afraid."
Emperor Zhenwu said, "If he keeps hiding and doesn’t come out, am I supposed to just wait here?" Then he added, "I have the Sword of Exorcising Evil, capable of splitting mountains and parting seas. Take it and break through his Flowing Sand River for me."
