Journey to the West: Signing in for 500 Years-Chapter 443 - 437: Captured into the Heavenly Prison [Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets]_1
"Sha Chen, you’re playing me!?"
Zhao Gongming was furious, his eyes wide with anger as he bellowed, "Do you know what the consequences of playing me are?"
Sha Chen replied, "At worst, it’s just thoroughly offending you, the God of Wealth. But what of it? Do you think if I hadn’t said these things today, I could have changed your attitude towards me?"
His eyes brimmed with mockery as he said, "Zhao Gongming, we’re both wise enough to understand. With my cave-dwelling between us, I am not afraid of you."
"Though your cultivation is profound and your skills are superior, you still can’t do anything to me. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be wasting so much time talking with me; you would have just attacked directly. Don’t think I’m unaware. You, along with all the deities and Buddhas of the heavens, would love for me to leave. You want to take over my cave, plunder my secrets, and finally kill me."
After saying all this in one breath, he stared coldly at Zhao Gongming.
Zhao Gongming, however, was stunned. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂
He truly was stunned, finding it both unexpected and unbelievable.
As a highly esteemed and dignified person, he was supposed to be subtle in his speech. Even if everyone was aware and in agreement, such things were to remain unspoken. He considered himself such a person: one who understood without needing to point things out, thereby allowing friendships to continue despite knowing the truth.
However, Sha Chen had seen through his intentions, or rather, through the hearts of all the immortals and Buddhas of this world. He didn’t conceal anything or feign ignorance; instead, he bluntly stated it.
For a moment, Zhao Gongming was at a loss for words. And when he regained his composure, he felt extremely embarrassed and extraordinarily angry at Sha Chen for daring to say it out loud and put him in such an awkward position.
Indeed, all the immortals and Buddhas were extremely eager to discover his secret to strength, and all were eager to enter the Flowing Sand River Cave and make it their own. Killing Sha Chen, in the end, was rather secondary.
Such matters were a consensus. This understanding could be changed or maintained, but it was not good to voice it.
Sha Chen not only said them out loud but did so to his face, and with such mockery.
Naturally, Zhao Gongming found it hard to sit still, but for the moment, he couldn’t find the words to rebut Sha Chen. This was because Sha Chen was merely stating a fact. Moreover, it was a fact disadvantageous to himself—so why wouldn’t he speak of it!?
Since it was already destined for them to turn against each other and be on opposing sides, why should he still give you face!?
Watching the tumultuous expressions crossing Zhao Gongming’s face, Sha Chen’s own face filled with even greater mockery. He didn’t speak to mock. His cold expression, however, was the best sort of mockery. It made Zhao Gongming’s face turn various shades of green, white, and red with unbearable embarrassment and immense anger.
Taking a deep breath, Zhao Gongming then continued, "Sha Chen, you’re far too sensitive. Moreover, your demands are simply excessive and unreasonable."
"There are indeed many who are more powerful than you, but what grievances do they hold against you that you would so wish them dead?"
"Zhao Gongming, don’t try to trap me," Sha Chen said straightforwardly. "I certainly don’t wish for them to die. I just want you to create a safe environment for me so that I can undertake the Journey to the West."
"Wasn’t it you who told me to state my conditions? I did, and now you won’t agree. What do you expect me to do?"
Zhao Gongming was beside himself with anger. Sha Chen was being utterly unreasonable.
He felt there was no point in wasting more time with Sha Chen.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Sha Chen could tell that Zhao Gongming’s true trump card was about to be played. After all, he didn’t believe Zhao Gongming was a fool who would come here thinking that with some smooth talk, he could persuade him to leave.
Zhao Gongming wasn’t foolish; he was actually very smart. If Zhenyuanzi and the others couldn’t convince Sha Chen to leave, how could he possibly manage it?
Zhao Gongming certainly understood this, but he still came. Surely, he had another ace up his sleeve.
Sha Chen had been waiting for Zhao Gongming to reveal his ace, although he felt that no matter what it was, he wouldn’t leave. But for some reason, he felt a bit uneasy.
When Zhao Gongming opened his eyes again, a smile graced his features, exuding confidence and composure as he said, "Sha Chen, I truly didn’t want to lay my cards on the table with you so soon, nor did I want to completely fall out with you. But you really do not know what’s good for you."
Sha Chen furrowed his brows; Zhao Gongming was too confident. Once revealed, this trump card could probably scare people to death. He felt uneasy but was still waiting for Zhao Gongming to show his hand.
With a faint, confident smile on his lips, Zhao Gongming said, "Master Sha Chen, haven’t you noticed that several of your followers haven’t made their offerings to you for many years?"
BOOM!
Sha Chen felt as if struck by lightning; his heart turned icy cold, but he put on a façade of composure. He had considered many things, yet this was something he had not anticipated. What exactly does Zhao Gongming mean by this?
"I’m sorry, I don’t understand what you mean. I, Sha Chen, have always preferred solitude, working hard on my cultivation here alone without forming alliances or factions. Where would followers come into this?" he said expressionlessly.
Zhao Gongming laughed. "You really are stubborn. Denial is useless. If it weren’t for followers making offerings, how could you have cultivated to your current level in the modest Flowing Sand River?"
"Now, it’s been quite a while since your followers have made offerings to you. Haven’t you ever wondered why?"
Sha Chen fell silent.
Zhao Gongming continued, "The earliest ones who followed you—the seven spider spirits, Blind Bear from Black Wind Cave, Red Boy from Kusong Stream, and Lady Di Yong from the Bottomless Cave—none of them have made offerings to you after all this time. Don’t you find that curious?"
Sha Chen listened silently, a heavy feeling settling in his heart.
Indeed, these were the ones who had already been exposed. The addition of Lady Di Yong, however, was unexpected. But it wasn’t surprising. When Lady Di Yong first came here, she was being hunted by Li Jing and his son from the Heavenly Court. She also had ties to Buddhism. After arriving here, she disappeared. It would have been strange if no suspicions arose. When she reappeared, Lady Di Yong’s strength had skyrocketed so dramatically that anyone would be suspicious. At first, it might have seemed unrelated. But after piecing everything together, anyone would suspect her connection to Sha Chen. Anyone linked with Sha Chen grew substantially stronger and possessed formidable abilities. Most importantly, they all practiced the same Dao Techniques and Cultivation Techniques. It would be odd if they weren’t suspected. However, Sha Chen hadn’t expected that all of them—the spider spirits, Lady Di Yong, Blind Bear, and Red Boy—would have run into trouble.
Taking a deep breath, Sha Chen tried to appear unconcerned as he calmly said, "These individuals you speak of, I’ve heard of them. But why would you associate them with me?"
Zhao Gongming chuckled. "Master Sha Chen, you really won’t cry until you see the coffin. Their relation to you is common knowledge. Are you still trying to deny it?"
"What is denial? Why would Zhao Xuantan think I’m connected to them? If it’s common knowledge, why am I not privy to it?" Sha Chen replied calmly.
Zhao Gongming snorted. "Do I really need to spell it out? Fine, since you are so blind to your faults and refuse to repent, let me tell you."
"Those seven little demonesses probably acknowledged you as their big brother. They were quite devoted, but sadly, they lacked real power. They even dared to defy the Heavenly Court and have been executed by me."
The spider spirits are dead!!?
Shock and outrage surged within Sha Chen, and he barely restrained himself from striking out. However, he silently calculated. Indeed, the spider spirits were in danger, but it wasn’t fatal yet.
This meant Zhao Gongming was lying to him. Yet, seeing Zhao Gongming’s emphatic demeanor, Sha Chen suspected there was something deeper at play. Perhaps Zhao Gongming believed the spider spirits were dead, but in reality, they were not.
Although Sha Chen had not made any particular agreements with the spider spirits, they had been together for a long time, and Sha Chen had been cautious when imparting Dao Techniques. He shared a certain tacit understanding with the spider spirits. Furthermore, with his access to innate calculations, top-notch predictive Divine Power, and acute intuition, he would have immediately sensed if the spider spirits had actually died. But so far, Sha Chen hadn’t sensed anything about the spider spirits’ life or death. A careful calculation now also revealed danger, but not death.
With this understanding, Sha Chen felt somewhat relieved. Still, Zhao Gongming’s confident assertions left Sha Chen slightly uneasy and inwardly worried.
"Why would the God of Wealth say such things?" he ventured. "I have no relationship with the spider spirits; whether they live or die is immaterial to me. Though in the past, they did pass through the Flowing Sand River, and I casually gave them a few pointers—there was a bit of a karmic connection. Now the God of Wealth claims they are dead. Is there any proof?"
Seeing Sha Chen finally relent and not outright deny his connection with the spider spirits, Zhao Gongming secretly sneered inside. He then arrogantly said, "Didn’t you just deny any association with them? Now you’re saying you’ve given them advice?"
Seeing that Sha Chen remained silent, Zhao Gongming went on, "Let me tell you the truth. I was ordered to capture the spider spirits and Blind Bear over a hundred years ago. With so many years having passed, naturally, I’ve captured them."
"As for the spider spirits, I actually ensnared them all ten years ago. I’ve been trying various methods to make them talk ever since, but unfortunately, they’re too tight-lipped."
The spider spirits were captured?
A heavy feeling settled over Sha Chen’s heart, his gaze turning grave. It wasn’t concern for the spider spirits’ welfare, but fear that they had exposed his secrets. What he had always feared most had happened: his followers had been captured by others. And now it had truly come to pass. Moreover, they had been captured ten years ago, and he had been completely unaware.
Sha Chen took another deep breath, then said, "Zhao Xuantan, your words are quite amusing. I only casually offered them a few pointers. Our relationship was merely like ships passing in the night. How could they possibly know my secrets?"
"But Zhao Xuantan, what is the profound meaning behind telling me all this today?"
Zhao Gongming smiled. "Actually, there’s no specific meaning. I just want to inform you, Master Sha Chen, that your followers—the spider spirits, Blind Bear, Red Boy, and Lady Di Yong—have all been caught by me."
"But rest assured, they haven’t revealed your secrets yet. However, given enough time, they will surely break under torture. If you wish to save them, feel free to try your luck at the Heavenly Prison in the Ninth Heaven."
