Journey to the West: Signing in for 500 Years-Chapter 448 - 442: Acting out the Whole Show [Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets]_1
Kui Mulang was already contemplating murder to silence them.
Fairy Chang E was quite angry at first, but upon careful consideration, she actually felt this wasn’t a bad idea. It was much simpler to silence someone by murder than to save them. Moreover, after the murder, they could force Sha Chen to rebel. Then, once Sha Chen had killed the Jade Emperor and become the ruler of the Three Realms, they could be sickeningly sweet with each other every day. Upon reflection, Chang E couldn’t help but press her legs tightly together. The air even felt somewhat damp.
Seeing Chang E’s demeanor, Kui Mulang knew she was indulging in wild thoughts. He said with a smile, "It seems the Fairy also agrees with my idea. Why not just decide on that? We can find a way to kill the people in question and then force the gentleman to rebel, assisting him in becoming the ruler of the Three Realms."
Fairy Chang E’s eyes wavered with hesitation. Although she still very much agreed in her heart, she also felt that doing so seemed a bit like unearned enthronement. She was afraid that Sha Chen would be angry. If Sha Chen got angry and ignored her, what would she do then!?
As she was hesitating, Fairy Yunlou, Li Zhenying, requested an audience. The message transmitted to her by Su E from below stated that Li Zhenying really wanted to see her, claiming they had already made an appointment. Chang E originally wanted to refuse, as she hadn’t made any appointment with Li Zhenying. Their relationship was even a bit hostile, but Chang E remembered once having Li Zhenying pass a message to Sha Chen. Li Zhenying showing up at this time was most likely related to Sha Chen. She felt it was necessary to meet.
Chang E glanced at Kui Mulang and said, "Let’s decide on this matter later. I’ve decided to meet Li Zhenying. She’s somewhat of an outsider; I had her pass a message to my Brother for me."
Kui Mulang nodded.
Soon, Li Zhenying also entered the private room, similarly shielded from the outside.
Su E, wanting to eavesdrop, couldn’t, much to her vexation. She constantly tried to stay close, even finding excuses to listen in, but Chang E refused her every time.
Wu Gang was still glaring at Kui Mulang, wishing he could kill him. But he had already tried and failed.
Li Zhenying arrived. She gave Kui Mulang a puzzled and questioning look.
Chang E said indifferently, "He’s one of us; don’t worry."
Li Zhenying was taken aback, then somewhat disappointed. "So that’s how it is," she said. I actually thought you had ended up with him. If that were the case, she would have one less competitor.
Chang E glared at Li Zhenying. "If you came here just to say this, then you can leave."
Li Zhenying said calmly, "I need to know what you two are discussing. Are you trying to save someone?"
Chang E shook her head. "No, we want to kill someone."
Kui Mulang added, "You must know that the Black Bear Spirit and the Spider Spirit are the gentleman’s people. We don’t plan to let them spill his secrets, so we’re planning to kill them to ensure their silence."
Li Zhenying snorted. "General Sha Chen was right. You really are dim-witted—long hair and short sense, brains full of muscle, only capable of causing trouble."
Kui Mulang and Chang E were furious, but they paused when they considered the implication of Li Zhenying’s words. Sha Chen’s meaning?
Chang E poured Li Zhenying a cup of tea. "Did Brother send you with a message?"
Li Zhenying looked a bit smug and pleased. "Yes," she said. "He foresaw your intentions and believed you might not save them, but rather kill them to ensure silence. He sent me to stop you." Then, her face full of admiration, she added, "As expected of the General for Folding the Curtain, he’s truly ingenious! He even figured out that you’re fools."
The two were furious, but they suppressed their anger. Everything was for Sha Chen’s sake.
Chang E snorted. "If you came here just to mock us, don’t bother. We’ve had such thoughts, but we haven’t acted on them yet. If Brother has any instructions, speak quickly and don’t delay things."
Li Zhenying felt somewhat smug that Chang E was seeking her help. However, she also felt a pang of guilt, because not long ago she had shared the same thought as Chang E and the others—to kill and silence. She had even been more extreme, already preparing to use her connections to take action. Fortunately, Sha Chen had sent someone to find her. He communicated with her directly in the mortal realm, warning her not to act rashly and to tell Chang E and Kui Mulang to stay their hands as well.
Li Zhenying said, "The General for Folding the Curtain didn’t specify what to do. He just told us not to be impulsive and definitely not to think about murder to keep them quiet, saying that was even more difficult than saving them."
The two were startled. Upon careful thought, they broke out in a cold sweat. Sha Chen didn’t even need to tell them why; having been enlightened, they too realized the terrifying possibility. If Zhao Gongming and the others were indeed waiting for them to attempt murder for silence, it would be exceedingly dangerous. Perhaps Zhao Gongming had already conceived countless countermeasures for any move they might make, and anticipated countless things they might do. In short, everything was likely under his control.
Chang E, drenched in a cold sweat from alarm, quickly asked, "Does Brother really want us to stand down and do nothing? If so, what if they lose control and spill the secret? What should we do then!?"
Kui Mulang, also shocked, said, "Yes, we absolutely can’t let them divulge the secret."
In fact, Kui Mulang feared that if they exposed Sha Chen, he would be implicated, as he too had pledged allegiance to Sha Chen. Nevertheless, having received many benefits from Sha Chen, betraying him was out of the question. But if it came to self-preservation, he was capable of harming others’ interests to protect himself.
Li Zhenying looked at them both and said, "The General for Folding the Curtain knows you might act foolishly. That’s why he had me come to tell you not to do anything rash. He has already arranged for someone to handle this."
The two were stunned and somewhat puzzled.
Afterward, Li Zhenying spread her hands. "Don’t ask me," she said. "I don’t know who he has arranged, or even what he has arranged."
The two frowned, a thoughtful look flashing in their eyes. Ultimately, they shook their heads, both feeling it was unlikely.
Li Zhenying asked, "What have you thought of?"
However, the two did not intend to tell her, which greatly angered Li Zhenying. She snapped, "I’ve told you so much, and you won’t even tell me what you’ve thought of? That’s too much!"
Then she slammed her hand on the table, rose indignantly, and turned to leave.
After she left, Kui Mulang also rose. Since Sha Chen was against murder for silence and had instructed them to hold their positions, there was no need for them to continue their act.
The two went their separate ways. However, Kui Mulang did not directly give up his pursuit of Fairy Chang E; doing so would have seemed too fake and could easily mislead others.
For outsiders, they put on a complete act: Kui Mulang pursued Fairy Chang E but was rejected by her. He publicly declared that he would not give up and would continue to visit frequently. This incident spread throughout the Heavenly Court, becoming its laughingstock.
「At this very moment.」
In the Heavenly Court, there was a Dragon Palace bestowed by the Jade Emperor upon the Jinghe Dragon King.
A visitor arrived: Li Zhenying. She had received orders from Sha Chen to convey his message to the Jinghe Dragon King.
The Dragon King was pacing anxiously within his Dragon Palace. He knew from Sha Chen that the Black Bear Spirit and the others were indeed Sha Chen’s followers. And he had received many benefits from Sha Chen and felt obliged to repay them, but he sensed he was being watched, rendering any action futile. For this reason, he was agitated, not knowing how to repay the favor, and also worried that Sha Chen might suddenly send someone to ask for his help in a rescue. If that happened, it would truly mean gambling the entire Dragon Clan. He had been agonizing these past few days, unsure whether to take the gamble.
Li Zhenying’s arrival left the Jinghe Dragon King somewhat at a loss, for he did not know she was one of Sha Chen’s people, nor her purpose in coming.
When Li Zhenying told him to refrain from any reckless actions, he breathed a sigh of relief. So, she was one of them, and here to deliver a message! What moved him most was that she was telling him not to be impulsive; he couldn’t have wished for it more, as he had no desire to act rashly himself.
