Journey to the West: Signing in for 500 Years-Chapter 485 - 479 My Master is Sha Chen [Subscription & Monthly Ticket Requested] _1
Sun Wukong decided to yield. But he still didn’t know what he had said wrong.
The Black Bear Spirit glanced at him and said, "Do you really not know what you said wrong?"
Sun Wukong replied, "I really don’t know."
The Black Bear Spirit said, "You can slander me, you can get angry with me, you can even insult me, but you cannot insult my master."
Enraged, Sun Wukong said, "This is the first time I, Old Sun, have met you. I’ve spoken to you frankly and enjoyed our conversation. How could I have insulted you?"
"As for your master, that’s even more absurd. I, Old Sun, have always been kind to others and never made enemies. I’ve never even met your master, so how could the question of insulting him even arise?"
No sooner had he finished speaking than his expression changed.
The Black Bear Spirit’s power was vast and penetrating, a High-order Da Luo.
His master must be transcendental and saintly, at the very least a Quasi-Saint, and probably not an ordinary Quasi-Saint at that. Power vast and penetrating.
And they had been talking for so long, it seemed they had only mentioned one outsider: Sha Chen from the Flowing Sand River.
HISS. Could it be him?
Sun Wukong was stunned, his face completely blank.
Impossible. Hundreds of years ago, when Li Bai came here, he did mention Sha Chen. But at that time, Sha Chen was merely a Golden Immortal, insignificant. I, Sun Wukong, even held him in disdain. How could he now have a High-order Da Luo demon as a follower, one who calls him ’master’ with such humility?
Seeing the look on Sun Wukong’s face, the Black Bear Spirit knew he had guessed Sha Chen’s identity.
With a snort, he said, "Now you know what you said wrong, don’t you?"
Startled, Sun Wukong exclaimed, "Impossible, absolutely impossible! Sha Chen is just a minor deity, how could he..."
Seeing the Black Bear Spirit about to leave again, Sun Wukong quickly changed his tune. "So it’s Sha Chen! Then there’s no mistake. I have a good brother who mentioned him to me. Indeed, he is an extraordinary man, capable of supporting the heavens and the earth, a truly great individual."
"You haven’t followed the wrong person. Sha Chen is remarkable. There aren’t many people I, Old Sun, admire in this life, and Sha Chen is certainly one of them."
The Black Bear Spirit also knew that Sun Wukong was merely flattering him for his own benefit, but he found it gratifying all the same.
Ever since he had started following Sha Chen, he had benefited immensely and was extremely protective of Sha Chen’s interests and reputation. No one was allowed to slander Sha Chen.
He then asked, "You’ve heard of my master too?"
Sun Wukong smiled bitterly inwardly but said aloud, "Of course! I even consider him a good friend, heh heh. I’ve longed to meet him for ages but never had the chance."
The Black Bear Spirit rolled his eyes. A good friend he’s never met?
He continued, "You foolish monkey, you really don’t know what’s good for you. My master sent me to help you, yet you slandered him. Now you’re only saying all these nice things to save your own skin."
"But it doesn’t matter anymore. The master sees potential in you and thinks you’re a talent worth nurturing. He sent me to assist you. As for what you choose to do, that’s up to you."
Sun Wukong furrowed his brows and said, "So Sha Chen knows about Old Sun too? Heh heh, it seems Old Sun’s reputation is quite resounding after all."
He felt somewhat proud. Initially, he had considered Sha Chen a target, planning to challenge him after escaping Five Finger Mountain.
But now, seeing that one of Sha Chen’s followers possessed the strength of a High-order Da Luo, he knew he was certainly no match for Sha Chen.
Towards powerful individuals, Sun Wukong had always been respectful and would seek to be on good terms with them. For instance, figures like the Tathagata who defeated him, or Guanyin who displayed boundless mana—Sun Wukong became much more subdued towards them after his suppression, remaining completely obedient to them throughout the Journey to the West. It was also like when he was on the Mountain of Flower and Fruit; after achieving true power and boundless mana, he still formed sworn brotherhoods with the Bull Demon King, the Bird Demon King, and others, and he was the youngest among them. Given Sun Wukong’s strength, being the youngest wasn’t due to a good temper, but because his strength was inferior to the other Demon Kings.
Sun Wukong was like a powerful, unruly character. He sometimes acted irrationally, yet he was also very shrewd, knowing how to pursue advantages while avoiding harm, and understanding the importance of being flexible. Especially after the uproar in the Heavenly Palace and his suppression under Five Finger Mountain, his understanding of flexibility and self-preservation had deepened significantly.
The Black Bear Spirit said, "My master naturally knows of you. He even said he helped you before, you just weren’t aware of it."
Sun Wukong frowned. He genuinely didn’t know. Sha Chen helped me before?
He wanted to retort but worried about angering the spirit into leaving.
So he said, "I, Old Sun, am an upright being who repays kindness. However, my memory isn’t the best. I don’t recall when your master Sha Chen helped me. You must tell me, lest I unknowingly offend him."
The Black Bear Spirit said indifferently, "My master’s strength pierces the heavens and the earth; his abilities are supreme. Most importantly, he possesses the tremendous power to help others become powerful too."
"You’ve been suppressed here for so long, yet you were still able to continue your Cultivation. Do you think that’s because you’re exceptionally talented?"
Sun Wukong blurted out, "Someone did help me, that’s true, but it wasn’t your master. His name is Li Bai; he’s my good brother."
The Black Bear Spirit chuckled. "My master told me that Li Bai is his avatar, sent specifically to guide you. Don’t be ungrateful."
What!?
Sun Wukong was stunned. He was genuinely bewildered and shocked.
He exclaimed, How is that possible? Li Bai couldn’t be an avatar; he’s flesh and blood! I, Old Sun, have Fiery Golden Eyes—how could I not have seen that he was fake?
The Black Bear Spirit laughed. "You are just a mere monkey. So what if you have Fiery Golden Eyes? My master’s mana is boundless, his Divine Powers immense. His skill in creating avatars has long since reached a state of perfection. How could you possibly see through it?"
He continued, "Previously, your Great Celestial Secret and 72 Polymorphic Transformations were suppressed; all your Cultivation Techniques and Divine Powers were sealed here. You were able to resume your Cultivation because my master taught you the Eight-Nine Profound Art, the 72 Polymorphic Transformations, and an additional 36 transformations."
"If he hadn’t passed on those additional Divine Powers to you, do you think you could have started Cultivating again? By the time you were released, you’d probably still be just a minor Greater Primordial Golden Immortal, hardly worth mentioning."
Sun Wukong’s eyes flickered, his mind racing like lightning. At this moment, he seemed to understand many things.
No wonder Li Bai defended Sha Chen so vehemently before, often mentioning him and praising him greatly. So that was the reason. No wonder every time I spoke ill of Sha Chen, Li Bai would defend him so fiercely, preventing me from saying more, even getting very angry. Everything happened for a reason.
It was just that Sun Wukong truly found it hard to accept that Li Bai was an avatar, and that he himself hadn’t seen through the deception.
The Black Bear Spirit said, "My master instructed me to bring you some things. Once your strength reaches the Quasi-Saint Realm, you are to break out of Five Finger Mountain yourself. I will not actively release you. Although I could, I must not." 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮
Sun Wukong was taken aback, then overjoyed. "Old Li—no, what is Old Sha giving me?"
Now that he knew Li Bai was Sha Chen, he resigned himself to it. After all, he was being helped, so it didn’t matter. The most important thing was to get out, to leave this wretched place. Moreover, from the Black Bear Spirit’s words, it seemed he was expected to escape on his own, but first, he had to reach the Quasi-Saint Realm. And Sha Chen had sent the Black Bear Spirit to help him break through to that realm.
The Black Bear Spirit took out a Qiankun Bag and tossed it to him, saying indifferently, "Inside are peach wine and osmanthus wine, along with two ginseng fruits, all of the finest quality, enough to fully stimulate your talent."
"Besides those, there are also three seals. Each contains my master’s insights into the Da Luo and Quasi-Saint sections of the Three Pure Ones Taoism. You can comprehend them on your own. Whether you can break through to the Quasi-Saint Realm will depend on your own fortune."
Sun Wukong took the bag, his heart filled with joy. Opening it, he saw they were indeed wonderful treasures, all shining with a brilliant golden light.
He then asked, "Since Old Sha sent you to help me, does he have anything else to increase my Cultivation?"
The Black Bear Spirit said, "You truly are a greedy monkey. My master doesn’t even have enough for himself; how could he give you more?"
"The master also said that you have accumulated a vast amount of Nine Revolutions Golden Elixir power within you, enough to support you to the Quasi-Saint Realm. With your previous talent and potential, you would be utterly incapable of Refining it all."
Sun Wukong pouted. "One should see a good deed through to the very end, like escorting the Buddha all the way to the West. For him not to provide everything is truly a pity."
The Black Bear Spirit grew angry. "You foolish monkey! If you keep talking such nonsense, I’ll snatch it all back!"
With that, he reached out as if to grab the items.
