Chapter 197: Chapter 197

Later, Tongtian Hierarch no longer needed the Ignorant Willow Tree, but it was said that the two Saints, Zhunti and Jieyin, were always in search of such innate spiritual roots. After all, such innate spiritual roots are extremely important for Buddhism disciples who cultivate their physical bodies. Buddhism disciples cultivate their Dharma bodies, so most of them also cultivate their physical bodies. If they had innate spiritual roots, Buddhism disciples could save themselves many detours and tens of thousands of years of struggle.

Therefore, both Saints Zhunti and Jieyin personally went out to search for tens of thousands of years, but they never found it, allowing the Ignorant Willow Tree to slip away several times. Unexpectedly, it had now taken the initiative to go to the Flowing Sand River. Tongtian Hierarch was naturally taken aback. However, upon further thought, he relaxed. It must have been attracted by the Innate Earth of the Flowing Sand River; that’s why it went there. There are still a few pieces of Innate Earth, but they are all very small. A piece as vast as the one at Flowing Sand River is likely unique. It was also understandable that the Willow Tree would seek it out.

Tongtian Hierarch thought to himself, What a lucky kid! Chosen by the Innate Earth, he then used Post-Heaven Earth to conceal it. Later, it automatically separated, attracting the Ignorant Willow Tree as well. Tongtian Hierarch saw through everything at a glance and was amazed at Sha Chen’s fortune. After all, he hadn’t possessed such fortune when he was young.

But before he had time to marvel, he saw Sha Chen get sent flying by the Willow Tree and couldn’t help but laugh. The Ignorant Willow Tree, being an innate spiritual root, was incredibly proud; it was quite normal for it to show Sha Chen no respect. But what he didn’t expect was what happened next: Sha Chen, without a second word, moved to destroy the Willow Tree. He was startled. That was an innate spiritual root that even Saints were searching for, and Sha Chen was ready to destroy it without any mercy. After observing for a long time, he held back the urge to go to the Flowing Sand River. After all, he was a Saint; going to the Flowing Sand River time and again wouldn’t that be giving Sha Chen too much importance?

Luckily, Sha Chen fought with the Willow Tree for a long time before the battle ended. Sha Chen was the undisputed victor. The Willow Tree was no match at all, bombarded by the Imperial Gods’ Thunder until it was battered and bruised, its bark charred, and its leaves scorched by the Samadhi True Fire. Sha Chen still wanted to chop it down, which frightened it into begging for mercy and surrendering. The tree’s body trembled, and Sha Chen could sense that the Willow Tree had surrendered; only then did he cease his attack. But he also imposed three strict conditions on the Willow Tree, forcing it to sign a humiliating and unequal treaty before he completely stopped. In summary, he would need a willow leaf every so often to refine into Immortal Pills to temper his physical body. The Willow Tree had to cooperate. In return, he would provide a habitat for the Willow Tree, along with Mysterious Heavenly Water. The Willow Tree capitulated. Sha Chen then began to ’raise pigs’—no, to plant trees.

Tongtian Hierarch couldn’t help but find it amusing. This fellow is really lucky, encountering a damaged Willow Tree with greatly diminished strength. And because it was rooted in the Innate Earth and refused to move, it ended up losing to him. It seems that in the future, I can go there to collect some willow leaves to temper my disciples’ physical bodies.

「Flowing Sand River.」

Sha Chen also knew that subduing the Willow Tree was a stroke of luck. This Willow Tree, an innate spiritual root, was obviously not ordinary. Clearly, it had been damaged and had stubbornly rooted itself within the Innate Earth, refusing to come out, which restricted its movements. Even the Innate Earth was on his side; it seemed to detect the Willow Tree’s resistance to Sha Chen and thus also rejected the Willow Tree. The Willow Tree naturally panicked and quickly surrendered.

Sha Chen was very pleased; obedient children are good children. Those who do not listen are dead children. If he truly had to destroy the Willow Tree, Sha Chen would not be upset about it. He could refine it all at once, temper his physical body, and that would be the end of it. It was just a pity he couldn’t ’raise pigs.’ Now, with the Willow Tree willing to cooperate, he could take willow leaves whenever he wanted and have a long-term supply.

Sha Chen immediately cut off several willow leaves. He used part of them to brew immortal wine, and the rest he refined into Immortal Pills for tempering his Legal Body. After settling everything, Sha Chen spent three months concocting the Immortal Pills, and then consumed and refined them.

One year later, Sha Chen’s physical body finally made a breakthrough. The Da Luo Dharmakaya was minimally realized, his physical body comparable to a Great Witch, equivalent to the middle level of the Da Luo Golden Immortal Realm. Sha Chen felt the robust power coursing through his body, and his muscles were even more impressively built, making him feel as if he could prop up the sky. He was overjoyed and quickly tested the strength of his physical body. Now my physical strength has at least doubled compared to before breaking through, and using the Sky Shaking Bow and Giant Que Sword has become even more effortless. He casually drew the Sky Shaking Bow, indeed finding it easier to pull back. The Giant Que Sword felt weightless in his hand, creating a gusty wind as he swung it around.

At this moment, Red Boy emerged from seclusion. Upon seeing Sha Chen’s impressively built muscles and powerful aura, he was utterly dumbfounded. He exclaimed, "Foster Father, I feel your physical body has strengthened so much! You’re almost as formidable as my Father King!"

Sha Chen chuckled. "My physical body has just broken through, and now I have achieved minor success in my Da Luo Dharmakaya." ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ novel·fiɾe·net

Red Boy sucked in a breath of cold air, saying excitedly, "Congratulations, Foster Father! With such strength, if we go out, we will surely be able to sweep all opposition."

Sha Chen instantly became alert. "Hold your tongue. I’m not going out."

Red Boy stuck out his tongue, only then remembering that Sha Chen preferred to keep a low profile and didn’t like to show off. He quickly corrected himself, "It’s also fine if you don’t go out, Foster Father. One day, I’ll tie up that new ’mother’ of mine and send her to your bed, Foster Father. With your physique, you’ll definitely be able to handle her."

Sha Chen’s cheeks twitched. "Leave that fox spirit for your Father King. Don’t cause your father such trouble." Then he asked, "How’s your cultivation going?"

Red Boy smiled again, then sighed. "I’ve just broken through to the peak realm of Greater Primordial Golden Immortal. I originally thought I was one step closer to you, Foster Father, but I didn’t expect the gap to widen even more." He had ascended a level, but Sha Chen had also ascended a level. And Sha Chen’s improvement was to the Da Luo Golden Immortal level, a thousand, no, ten thousand times harder than his advancement to Greater Primordial Golden Immortal. The disparity between them naturally grew even more significant. The joy Red Boy initially felt dissipated considerably in that instant.

Sha Chen said, "There’s no need to compare yourself to me. Just compare yourself to your past self."

Red Boy uttered "Mm," then knelt and said, "I owe what I am today to your grace, Foster Father. Thank you, Foster Father."

Sha Chen asked him to get up, but he didn’t rise, batting his eyes and saying, "Foster Father, didn’t you say you were going to teach me the Da Luo Method?"

Turns out, he was waiting for Sha Chen to impart the Da Luo Method. Sha Chen had also broken through and, being in high spirits, he nodded in agreement. He spent three months explaining the Da Luo Chapter of the Tao Te Ching to Red Boy and also passed on a bit of the Green Duckweed Scripture to him. Red Boy benefited immensely and was exceedingly grateful. Then he plunged back into cultivation again, and Sha Chen did not disturb him. He loved cultivating the most. With Red Boy cultivating, he could cultivate too. No one disturbed the other; how perfect.

But while he wanted to cultivate, others were not pleased. Outside the Flowing Sand River, someone else had come. Sha Chen didn’t want to pay attention, but the person who came was an old acquaintance, shouting at the top of his lungs outside, creating quite a fuss. It was Kui Mulang; he had come. This time, not only did he come alone, but he also brought a bunch of underlings—all the demons he had gathered over the years. Sha Chen didn’t want to bother with him, figuring he would leave once he’d made enough noise.

But this time, Kui Mulang had brought two people Sha Chen couldn’t ignore. The two people were none other than Lady Di Yong and Bai Huaxiu. These two women were in a sorry state, tied to stone columns, and escorted over by Kui Mulang’s subordinates. Sha Chen frowned.

In the far distance, Kui Mulang shouted, "Sha Chen, do you see these two women? They dared to defy my will and even plotted to harm me! What do you say, how should they be dealt with?"

Sha Chen didn’t utter a word, while Lady Di Yong and Bai Huaxiu were filled with terror.

Kui Mulang yelled, "I’ve heard you’ve become a Daluo Golden Immortal! Now, by a stroke of luck, I too have stepped into the Daluo Golden Immortal Realm! Let’s have another match! Do you dare come out and face me?"

Sha Chen understood. So Kui Mulang had broken through; no wonder he was so arrogant. However, he still didn’t respond. Instead, he took out the Wanli Soul Chasing Mirror to check his surroundings for ambushes. On the ground, there were none. In the sky, however, there were people spying. Sha Chen discovered several figures in the clouds, one of whom had a powerful aura—it was Matchmaker.

He froze for a moment. Why is Matchmaker here? That’s a disciple of Lord Yuan Shi, existing on the same level as the Chan Sect’s twelve Golden Immortals like Guang Chengzi and Immortal Taiyi. What is he doing here?! Could he be here to back up Kui Mulang?! Looking back and forth between Kui Mulang and Bai Huaxiu, Sha Chen felt it was very likely.

Could it be that Matchmaker tied the red string between Kui Mulang and Bai Huaxiu, but something went wrong, so he came in person to make it happen? But that’s not likely. I didn’t interfere with the red string, so how could things have gone awry? Bai Huaxiu liked him; he knew that. If Matchmaker paired Kui Mulang and Bai Huaxiu, then why would Bai Huaxiu have an affair and fall for me?!

In an instant, Sha Chen understood. His expression turned furious. It must have been Matchmaker’s trickery! He tied the red string to me to make me fight Kui Mulang! He’s a disciple of Lord Yuan Shi; I didn’t expect him to be as despicable as his master! Hmph. It seems he doesn’t want to see Buddhism expand and wants to sabotage the Journey to the West.

Sha Chen felt very troubled and wished to declare his innocence. I don’t want to go on the Journey to the West either! Why can’t we join forces to sabotage it together, instead of targeting me?!

At the same time, Sha Chen also felt helpless and anxious. It seemed he was now being targeted by the Chan Sect. Trouble... That’s a Sage School!