Chapter 191: Chapter 191

"The system has detected that you, the host, have been proposed a marriage by the Lucky Person, Pagoda-carrying Heavenly King Li Jing, to marry his daughter. You have the following choices."

"Option One: Accept Li Jing’s proposal, take Li Zhenying as your wife, and receive the reward: the Linglong Tower. The Linglong Tower is the magical tool of the Pagoda-carrying Heavenly King, Li Jing. It possesses an immensely powerful suppressing ability and is renowned as the magical tool with the strongest defense in the Three Realms."

"Option Two: Refuse Li Jing’s proposal, do not take Li Zhenying as your wife, and receive the reward: the Wanli Soul Chasing Mirror. The Wanli Soul Chasing Mirror is a magical tool similar to the Qiankun Mirror. It can project a real-time image of the person the caster wishes to locate onto its surface, allowing for monitoring from ten thousand miles away. The monitoring range is linked to the caster’s mana and cultivation level."

Sha Chen was stunned for a moment. He really wanted the Linglong Tower, which was renowned for having the strongest defense in the Three Realms. Its defensive capability was even above that of the Apricot Yellow Flag of Wuji. If he could obtain it, that would be best. Indeed, Li Jing’s great reputation in the Heavenly Court was ninety percent due to the Linglong Tower, with his sons contributing the remaining ten percent. Li Jing’s own cultivation was average, and his strength was even weaker, but with the Linglong Tower, he could fight beyond his level. Originally, as a mere mortal, he had been able to counter Nezha, an exceptional being, all thanks to the Linglong Tower. Now, he still had unresolved issues with Nezha. Every time Nezha came to see him, he felt secure only by holding the Linglong Tower in his hand.

Sha Chen indeed wanted to obtain the Linglong Tower, but to also be saddled with Li Zhenying, and have Li Jing as his father-in-law?He refused without hesitation.

What a joke! Fairy Yunlou was such a hot-headed woman, completely unreasonably aggressive. She was neither as gentle as the Spider Demon nor as soft as Lady Di Yong, not as beautiful as Chang E nor as seductive as the White Bone Demon, nowhere near as pure as the Jade Rabbit, and even less resolute than the Dragon Girl. Absolutely useless in all aspects, but always the first to cause trouble. Marrying such a woman would mean someone dying every day.

Sha Chen would absolutely not agree. Besides, Li Jing was clearly using his daughter for his own ulterior motives, which made him even less likely to accept.

Getting the Wanli Soul Chasing Mirror was also a great prize. In fact, for his current situation, it was something he needed. His Downwind Ear was no longer of much use, and he could only rely on his Divine Sense for detecting dangers from the outside. But he was just a Daluo Golden Immortal. If there were beings stronger than him lying in ambush outside, he might not be able to detect them at all. Therefore, having this Wanli Soul Chasing Mirror would allow him to discover many circumstances unknown to others.

Seeing that Sha Chen did not respond, Li Jing thought he was ecstatic, so he became even more confident, standing with his hands behind his back, waiting for Sha Chen to come out, to be carried in on an eight-bearer palanquin, and to kowtow thrice and bow nine times, calling him ’Father-in-Law.’

However, after waiting for a moment, Sha Chen said, "Sky King Li, please go back. I have not yet thought of marrying and having children. Please seek another suitable son-in-law, Sky King."

He asked incredulously, "Sha Chen, do you know what you’re saying? My daughter, Li Zhenying, is barely a thousand years old and is already a Greater Primordial Golden Immortal with unparalleled talent and cultivation that reaches the heavens. She is no less beautiful than Chang E. Marrying you would be your good fortune, and yet you refuse?"

"Most importantly, becoming my son-in-law, Li Jing’s son-in-law, would be the fortune of three lifetimes of cultivation for you! Why would you refuse?"

He was somewhat indignant and shouted, "If we were to form an alliance through marriage, from now on, you would live freely, enjoying endless glory and wealth in the Heavenly Court. What reason could you possibly have to refuse?"

Sha Chen could tell that Li Jing was truly angry. Although he was not afraid of Li Jing, he did not want to offend this powerful and influential official of the Heavenly Court. Otherwise, if this fellow returned to the Heavenly Court and stirred up trouble, life might become difficult for him here.

Therefore, he spoke bluntly, "I do not care for women."

Li Jing was stunned for a moment, and Sha Chen could see the shock in his expression.

He furrowed his brows, feeling that Li Jing might have misunderstood him.

However, he did not intend to explain; as long as he could drive this fellow away, that was enough.

Li Jing was indeed stunned. However, after a moment, he said, "This commander also has some men with... similar inclinations among my subordinates. If General for Folding the Curtain truly..."

Sha Chen’s face turned dark.

This Li Jing was truly shameless. All he wanted was to refuse the marriage, but Li Jing apparently didn’t care who Sha Chen was with, as long as he could bind Sha Chen to him. He could even say such things!

Sha Chen felt disgusted and said, "Sky King Li, you misunderstand. I do not have a preference for men; I simply do not wish to be tied down by a cultivation partner."

"My heart is set on the Dao, and I cannot turn away from it."

Li Jing was taken aback. There were actually people in the world? Countless beings in the heavens longed for the mortal realm, yet Sha Chen cared not for matters between men and women, wishing only to cultivate. It was incomprehensible.He didn’t believe it; a man not interested in beauty?

Li Jing said, "That’s because you haven’t seen my daughter. She is truly a nation-toppling beauty. When she fully matures, she will be three parts more beautiful than even Chang E."

Sha Chen gave a hollow laugh. He really wanted to tell Li Jing that he had already met Fairy Yunlou. But it seemed that Li Jing was unaware of Fairy Yunlou’s previous presumptuous visit. Thinking of how unreasonable Fairy Yunlou had been, telling Li Jing might bring her trouble. Then, if that woman came looking for trouble with him, it wouldn’t be pleasant. Better not to mention it.

Li Jing felt that Sha Chen’s laugh was mocking him and his self-praise. Thus, he became very angry and said, "My daughter is indeed beautiful, dignified, graceful, and elegant—a perfect, virtuous wife. Don’t fail to recognize what’s good for you."

"What’s more, the alliance between our two families is paramount; women can be set aside for now. She is the bridge between us. Do you understand?"

This was the first time Li Jing had spoken so directly in a conversation. He realized that if he didn’t make things clear, Sha Chen might genuinely turn him away. So, he laid his cards on the table, hoping Sha Chen couldn’t refuse. After all, he could help Sha Chen escape his current predicament. With him as a father-in-law, Sha Chen could move unhindered throughout the entire Three Realms.

Sha Chen, however, just chuckled. He wouldn’t even become an inner disciple of a Saint, yet Li Jing expected him to become his son-in-law!? What a joke.

Sha Chen said again, "Sky King Li, please return. Our paths differ; we cannot conspire together."

Li Jing frowned and asked, "And what is your path?"

Sha Chen replied, "Sky King Li enjoys political maneuvering and is skilled at social networking. However, I only enjoy cultivation, keeping my head down and not venturing out. I cannot be of any help to Sky King Li."

Li Jing said, "There is no man in the world who doesn’t covet power. Even in Buddhism, which claims to have its six senses purified, there is a strict hierarchy, and power is omnipresent."

Sha Chen said, "That is why I live in seclusion."

Li Jing gritted his teeth in frustration. Sha Chen was impervious to persuasion, leaving him helpless. This was the first time he had encountered someone like Sha Chen, who was so elusive and utterly devoid of any desire for power.

In reality, Sha Chen wasn’t devoid of ambition for power. He just believed that even the greatest power, if not matched by corresponding strength, would ultimately be lost. If one possessed great strength, even minor power could be held securely, and there would be opportunities to gain even greater power. He would not cooperate with Li Jing. A family that was so adept and skilled at navigating all sides might indeed endure for a long time. However, such a family was also highly susceptible to problems. Once trouble arose, it would face complete disintegration.

Li Jing tried persuading Sha Chen for another hour, but received no response. In utter helplessness, he still didn’t sever ties completely. Instead, he told Sha Chen to consider it carefully, saying his doors would always be open to him.

Then, he returned to the Heavenly Court.

After Li Jing left, Sha Chen received the system’s reward, the Wanli Soul Chasing Mirror, and immediately took it out for refining. He tested it on the spot, forming a seal to track Li Jing’s whereabouts.

In the mirror, a figure appeared—it was Li Jing, tens of thousands of miles away among the clouds, gazing towards the Flowing Sand River. He hadn’t completely returned to the Heavenly Court but was hiding in the sky, spying, wanting to see if Sha Chen would regret his decision and come out to ask him to stay. The source of thɪs content is novel·fire·net

However, after waiting for some time without any sign, Li Jing cursed Sha Chen twice for his ingratitude before finally departing for good.

Sha Chen could no longer track him when Li Jing was probably about to reach the Ninth Heaven Southern Heaven Gate. His Divine Sense naturally didn’t have such a vast range, but the Wanli Soul Chasing Mirror could exert effects corresponding to his strength and cultivation. With his current Daluo Golden Immortal cultivation, he could survey the situation up to the Ninth Heaven Southern Heaven Gate from his location at the Flowing Sand River. Before, he wouldn’t have been able to cover even one percent of that distance.

Sha Chen exclaimed with joy, "Now with this mirror, the surroundings of the Flowing Sand River will be even safer. All evil spirits and demons will have nowhere to hide."

It’s just a pity that I can’t spy inside the Ninth Heaven Southern Heaven Gate; otherwise, I alone could monitor the entire Heavenly Court.

In fact, it could have covered a much wider range, but the Heavenly Court had its own shielding magical tools and formations that counteracted his Wanli Soul Chasing Mirror. It worked on the outside, but not on the inside.

Sha Chen didn’t press the issue. For now, his range of vision had expanded, making his territory much safer.

For the next three days and nights, Sha Chen used the mirror to survey the entire hundred-thousand-mile territory of the Flowing Sand River. He intended to thoroughly inspect the hundreds of thousands of miles of territory in and around the Flowing Sand River to eliminate all hidden dangers.

He saw Elder Jin Chi cultivating in the Guanyin Zen Temple, treating the demons who had seized the Black Wind Cave as sworn brothers. He could even see farther, encompassing the range of Five Finger Mountain, and even Chang’an City to the east was within his view.

However, the mirror had its shortcomings: if the spied-upon location experienced intense fluctuations, the image could become unstable, resulting in a screen of static.

Suddenly, while Sha Chen was surveying, he spotted a familiar figure on a mountain a hundred thousand miles west of the Flowing Sand River. It was Red Boy, and at that moment, he was being besieged by a group of various demons.

Sha Chen didn’t understand why Red Boy would be under attack by demons, but after listening for a while, he figured it out. It turned out that these demons were the seventy-two Demon Kings seeking revenge for Jinmaohou. They possessed formidable strength; individually, they were no match for Red Boy. But together, they had put Red Boy in an extremely difficult position. They had been hunting Red Boy for three to five years, and each time Red Boy escaped, they were able to precisely track him down. This time, Red Boy was healing his injuries when they caught up with him again. And at this very moment, he was close to despair, because these demons had grown stronger, while he was still wounded.

Red Boy had no idea how these demons were always able to locate him in time and corner him.

Upon seeing this scene in the mirror, Sha Chen’s expression subtly changed. He immediately cast a spell to observe the surroundings of Red Boy’s location.

Indeed, thousands of miles behind that mountain was a temple. Inside, among a group of monks, were several familiar figures. In the center was Guanyin Bodhisattva, with her disciple Muzha at her side. Another person, dressed in the robes of an immortal official, was the Pleiades Star Official. In front of them, the water in a pool inverted to form a screen, displaying the battle between Red Boy and the seventy-two Demon Kings. They occasionally gestured and commented on the scene.

Muzha said, "Master, by guiding these Demon Kings to besiege Red Boy, won’t we anger the Bull Demon King?"

Guanyin replied, "Red Boy killed my mount. I must take him as my attendant. If the Bull Demon King objects, he can have the position of my mount."