Journey to the West: Signing in for 500 Years-Chapter 440 - 434: The Second Disciple of This Sect [Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets]_1
Sha Chen was truly cooking.
However, the ingredients he was using were completely different from what Six-Eared Macaque had imagined.
He was using top-tier Immortal Herbs and Fairy Plants as vegetables and the meat of supreme spiritual beasts for the meat dishes.
The Fairy Plants were pulled from Sha Chen’s fields, and the meat of the top-tier spiritual beasts was brought back after a chase, especially by Ao Lie and his sister, who brought back a particularly large amount.
There were even dried seafood delicacies.
As for the meat of spiritual beasts, Six-Eared Macaque was not surprised; as a powerful magical creature himself, he had eaten such meat before. It was quite normal.
But those Fairy Plants were something he had only heard of and had neither seen nor tasted.
The resources he had handed over to Sha Chen weren’t even qualified to be used as ingredients in his master’s cooking.
This made Six-Eared Macaque feel somewhat inferior, and he suddenly realized that the meager benefits he offered were nothing in Sha Chen’s eyes.
Even his Fire Spirit Stones and various divine stones were merely used by Sha Chen to prop up table legs.
Sha Chen used Magical Tools to start a fire for cooking, and they were no ordinary Magical Tools.
Have you ever seen someone use the Nine-dragon Divine Fire Cover to light a fire? Have you ever seen someone use the Panlong Divine Tripod to boil soup? Have you ever seen someone use Pan Peach Wine as cooking wine to remove unwanted flavors?
Scenes that Six-Eared Macaque had never heard of nor seen before unfolded before his very eyes.
Top-tier divine items and various divine-level resources he yearned for yet could never obtain were, to Sha Chen, merely ingredients for cooking.
He had always coveted a Magical Tool but had never been able to obtain one, yet here he saw such tools casually scattered around Sha Chen’s place.
The sight of these Magical Tools filled him with envy; any single one of them would be treasured by him.
Although intensely eager, Six-Eared Macaque did not dare to bring it up.
He could only pretend not to care but would "accidentally" step on one of the Magical Tools lying around when passing by.
Six-Eared Macaque’s heart skipped a beat. Are these top-tier Magical Tools really just lying around like this? This is outrageous!
Then, he saw Sha Chen go to the fields several times to pick Elixirs for cooking. Because he had retracted his Divine Consciousness, he dared not scan carelessly.
Following Sha Chen this time, as far as his eyes could see, countless Elixirs and Immortal Herbs grew on both Innate Earth and Post-Heaven Earth.
Wait a minute, he thought, his eyes widening. Innate Earth? Post-Heaven Earth!?
When Six-Eared Macaque saw these, he was so astounded his eyes almost rolled back into his head. Then he also saw Pan Peach trees, Osmanthus trees, Ginseng Fruit trees, Phoenix trees, and Oblivious Willow trees.
These Innate Spiritual Roots were rare treasures, each one capable of causing countless powerhouses to vie and scramble desperately for them.
And all of them were here, in Sha Chen’s possession.
He also saw a large number of First-class Immortal Elixirs planted in the Innate Earth; as far as he could see, there were only First-class Immortal Elixirs.
Fields upon fields of First-class Immortal Elixirs stretched out before him, their fragrance alone nearly causing Six-Eared Macaque to faint from bliss.
There were at least ten thousand such plants. HISS.
Six-Eared Macaque was astounded. With so many First-class Immortal Elixirs, does he still need my discipleship tribute?
Indeed! Master is the most considerate person, he realized. He wasn’t after such paltry profits; it wasn’t about my discipleship fee at all. He purely wanted me to become his disciple with a clear conscience. My meager possessions are nothing to Master!
At this moment, Six-Eared Macaque felt guilty and ashamed for his previous baseless suspicions about Sha Chen’s intentions.
What he had offered was truly insignificant. Sha Chen had accepted it to maintain his dignity and to allow him to cultivate with an easy mind.
Thinking this, Six-Eared Macaque felt even more remorseful and resolved to repay Sha Chen generously, determined not to disappoint him.
Sha Chen glanced at Six-Eared Macaque. Seeing his expression, he knew what the macaque was thinking.
What’s more, with his ability to discern thoughts, he knew Six-Eared Macaque felt guilty. Such a person, Sha Chen mused, is easier to win over, and it will be easier to establish my image in his heart.
Sha Chen smiled faintly and quickly prepared a table laden with delicious dishes.
He brought over several jars of fine wine—all Pan Peach Wine and Osmanthus Wine. The exquisite food and drink made Six-Eared Macaque’s eyes gleam.
After sniffing the fine wines, he was utterly astonished.
He had originally seen Sha Chen use just a tiny bottle of Pan Peach Wine to remove unwanted flavors from food, but he never expected that there were older and even more delicious reserves of Pan Peach Wine available.
Just a whiff was enough to intoxicate, going straight to one’s head.
Six-Eared Macaque’s eyes sparkled as he said, "Master, just how much of this fine wine do you have? A single jar must already be incredibly valuable, mustn’t it?"
Sha Chen responded indifferently, "There’s enough wine to go around, but we must not waste it, and certainly can’t drink it like water. As for its value, I’ve never cared about that. I drink it simply because it tastes good."
Upon hearing this, Six-Eared Macaque’s admiration for Sha Chen surged like an endless river. Is he showing off too much?! he thought. But then again, he couldn’t accuse Sha Chen of merely showing off. Sha Chen was genuinely that formidable and truly had the right to say such things.
Sha Chen had Six-Eared Macaque eat and drink, and even poured the wine for him with great gentleness.
Trembling with apprehension, Six-Eared Macaque took the wine, stepped back three paces, knelt on the ground, and said, "Disciple is grateful that Master does not despise me and has taken me as a disciple. Today, I formally pay homage and implore Master to take me in."
Then, he handed the cup of wine to Sha Chen with sincerity and respect.
Sha Chen nodded in satisfaction. He had been testing Six-Eared Macaque to see if he would lose his head over such benefits and forget the proper etiquette. Fortunately, Six-Eared Macaque withstood the test.
Despite the dazzling benefits, Six-Eared Macaque had not been lost in greed; instead, he showed restraint and immediately knelt to acknowledge his master.
Sha Chen took the cup of wine, drained it in one gulp, and then said, "Rise. Today, I accept you. From now on, you are the second disciple of this school."
Overcome with joy and then surprise, Six-Eared Macaque asked, "The second disciple? Then, who is my senior brother?"
Sha Chen thought of Jin Chanzi. That unfortunate soul, manipulated by Buddhism like a pawn, became my disciple over two hundred years ago, he mused.
He had taught Jin Chanzi the Divine Powers of reincarnation and various Dao Techniques, enabling him to comprehend the essence of life through his cyclical rebirths.
Sha Chen said, "You should have heard of him. The pilgrim of the Journey to the West, the reincarnation of Buddhism’s Jin Chanzi—he is my foremost disciple."
Six-Eared Macaque’s eyes widened instantly; he was dumbfounded.
His face went blank with astonishment, utterly disbelieving. HISS. He drew in a sharp breath of cold air and stammered, "This... this... this! To think... to think he’s actually Master’s foremost disciple, and my senior brother!"
Sha Chen smiled. This was indeed something few could have anticipated, he thought. After all, Jin Chanzi was a disciple of Tathagata Buddha and the key figure in Buddhism’s plan for the Journey to the West. More importantly, Buddhism had originally intended for Sun Wukong, Marshal Tianpeng, myself—Sha Chen—and Ao Lie to become disciples of Jin Chanzi. Yet, Jin Chanzi had become my disciple instead! Who could one even complain to about such a twist of fate!?
Sha Chen looked at Six-Eared Macaque and said, "He has already undergone several reincarnations, and this is the eighth. Moreover, his eighth reincarnation is nearing its end. After he dies in his ninth life, his tenth life will begin. That will be when the calamity of the Journey to the West starts, and his merit will be complete."
"However, at such a critical juncture, we must be more cautious. Buddhism is watching closely. I must fully guide him to true enlightenment in this final stage; otherwise, he will still end up as a mere pawn of Buddhism, completely at odds with my path."
Six-Eared Macaque, seeing the grave expression on Sha Chen’s face, wasn’t sure what to say.
So, Master secretly took on a disciple, Six-Eared Macaque realized, and he’s planning something big. Jin Chanzi’s reincarnation is crucial, but it could also fail.
As he was lost in thought, Sha Chen suddenly smiled and said, "As your master, I’ve accepted your discipleship gift. Now, it’s only fitting that I give you a welcoming gift."
Six-Eared Macaque was pleasantly surprised but demurred, "Disciple dares not accept."
Sha Chen asked, "You seem quite interested in all the Magical Tools scattered about. Do you own any?"
Six-Eared Macaque hadn’t expected Sha Chen to see through his thoughts and blushed slightly, but considering Sha Chen’s power, he quickly composed himself.
Then, he replied with a bitter smile, "Disciple is poor and destitute. I’ve relied on secretly learning techniques to reach my current level. Even the few possessions I had were obtained by fending off and killing those who discovered and pursued me."
"As for Magical Tools, all I’ve ever had were common weapons like sabers, spears, swords, and halberds—basically scrap metal, completely useless to me at my current stage."
Sha Chen said, "In that case, let me give you a Magical Tool."
He began to extract the freely transformable iron staff from the system rewards.
Six-Eared Macaque was filled with joy, his mind racing as he began to wonder which of the Magical Tools here Sha Chen would gift him.
But then, he was stunned.
A beam of light appeared outside the cave dwelling. He could hear a powerful tremor originating from the West Sea; then, the light itself, seemingly from that direction, pierced into the dwelling.
It manifested before Sha Chen, and also before Six-Eared Macaque.
To his astonishment, it was an iron rod.
