Chapter 206: Chapter 206

The evil force inside Red Boy was howling and roaring, but it still couldn’t defeat Sha Chen. Sha Chen’s cultivation level seemed to be only at the Early Stage of Da Luo Golden Immortal, yet his physical body was terrifyingly strong. Coupled with his numerous Magical Tools and overwhelming Divine Powers, when Sha Chen unleashed his full strength, the evil power controlling Red Boy’s body was instantly overwhelmed.

Sha Chen trapped Red Boy on the lightning summoning platform, with the Undefined Flying Rings hovering over his head and the Dragon Binding Rope securing him completely. The Nine-dragon Divine Fire Cover descended, engulfing Red Boy in a great fire, while the Imperial Gods’ Thunder struck down relentlessly. Assailed by all kinds of Divine Powers and Magical Tools, Red Boy was beaten into utter helplessness, and the evil force within him was equally powerless.

It was already incredibly potent; if its strength were completely unleashed, it would be formidable. However, it hadn’t expected to encounter Sha Chen, an even mightier opponent. If Sha Chen were to keep attacking , it would rather perish along with Red Boy.

But then, the evil force discovered that Sha Chen was devouring its power.

"Damn it, you accursed thief! You’re stealing my power! Give it back!" the evil voice roared furiously, sounding as if it wanted to claw its way out from within Red Boy.

Sha Chen retorted, "Keep dreaming."

As he devoured this evil force, the Mana within his own body surged, growing seemingly infinite and boundless, while the evil aura surrounding Red Boy grew progressively weaker.

The Bull Demon King arrived at the Flowing Sand River. Without a word, he took out his iron rod, pointed it at the Flowing Sand River, and patted the Aquatic Golden Eye Beast he was riding.

With a furious roar from the Aquatic Golden Eye Beast, the Flowing Sand River parted instantly, revealing the Black Tortoise Cave.

The Bull Demon King bellowed, "You insignificant god! Hand over my son, and I’ll spare your life! Otherwise, I’ll smash your cave, flay your skin, pull your sinews, dismantle your bones, and crush your heart!"

Sha Chen heard the bellow but, naturally, couldn’t attend to it.

Lady Di Yong, however, was terrified by the Bull Demon King’s roar. "What should I do? The Bull Demon King has truly come! Now that he’s here, what am I to do?" she fretted. "Master, why aren’t you ready yet? Please hurry! The Bull Demon King is here, and he’s terrifying!"

Even though her cultivation had improved significantly, Lady Di Yong still shuddered at the mere mention of the Bull Demon King’s name, so notorious was he in the Demon World. A man’s reputation indeed precedes him, like a tree’s shadow. The Bull Demon King’s fame was immense; his title as the Flat Heavenly Saint was renowned throughout the Three Realms. Now that he was coming to attack the Flowing Sand River, it was no wonder Lady Di Yong was afraid.

The Bull Demon King’s approach to the Flowing Sand River was an earth-shattering event that also alerted the Heavenly Court and Luo Jia Mountain. The Heavenly Court hastily dispatched personnel to investigate, but they dared only observe from a great distance. Only after the brothers Thousand-mile Eye and Downwind Ear gathered intelligence did they report back.

Inside the Heavenly Court, Li Jing asked, "The Bull Demon King has suddenly gone mad and is attacking the Flowing Sand River. What’s the reason? Has this been figured out?"

Downwind Ear replied, "Reporting to the Great Marshal, from snippets of the Bull Demon King’s furious declarations, it seems Red Boy has been trapped by Sha Chen in the Flowing Sand River, and some misfortune has befallen him."

Li Jing mused, "It’s said that Red Boy was previously besieged by seventy-two Demon Kings and was almost beaten to death, but Sha Chen saved him. Since then, Red Boy hasn’t emerged from the Flowing Sand River." He then added, "At first, we thought Sha Chen had stooped so low as to be in cahoots with Red Boy. Could we have misunderstood?"

Li Changgeng interjected, "That may not be the case. Perhaps it’s a deliberate act, a ruse by Sha Chen and the Bull Demon King."

Li Jing then asked, "Should we report this to the Jade Emperor?"

Li Changgeng advised, "There’s no need to bother His Majesty with every single matter."

Wang Lingguan spoke up, "I’ve just performed a divination. I believe there’s a very small chance that the Bull Demon King is colluding with Sha Chen." He looked around at the assembled officials and continued, "Therefore, it’s highly probable that Sha Chen is indeed causing trouble for Red Boy, and the Bull Demon King, having sensed this, has come to demand his son’s return."

Li Changgeng found this puzzling. "Red Boy has been captured for a long time. If the Bull Demon King was going to come, he would have done so much earlier. His arrival now is truly strange."

Just then, an immortal official arrived to invite the ministers into the Lingxiao Palace for a discussion.

The assembled ministers entered the Lingxiao Palace and saw the Jade Emperor already seated upon his throne. In a position of high esteem below him sat a figure towards whom even the Jade Emperor displayed a trace of reverence. This was none other than Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad from the Tushita Palace in Paul et Virginie, rumored to be an External Incarnation of the sage Laozi and a spokesperson for Daoism in the Three Realms. What could have happened to alarm such an eminent figure?

Seeing the ministers arrive, the Jade Emperor announced, "Presumably, my cherished officials are already aware that the Bull Demon King is attacking the Flowing Sand River."

The ministers saluted and nodded in acknowledgment.

The Jade Emperor continued, "There’s no need for speculation. Let Lord Lao Zi explain the situation."

Lord Lao Zi smiled faintly. "In truth," he began, "the divine punishment within Red Boy has dissipated, and the great demon, Fire Evil, that it was suppressing has been released. Consequently, the Bull Demon King, deeply anxious for his son, has rushed to the Flowing Sand River to retrieve him."

The ministers gasped, a cold dread washing over them. They all knew of Fire Evil, a formidable power from the Primordial Era who had dared to provoke the sage Laozi himself, only to be slain by a single slap from the Saint. How could such an entity be sealed within Red Boy?

Luo Xuan, the Star Lord of Fire Virtue, stepped forward. "Lord Lao Zi," he asked respectfully, "if I may be so bold, is Fire Evil still alive?" As the Star Lord of Fire Virtue, also known as the Flame Immortal, he naturally had a keen interest in ancient, powerful fire entities like Fire Evil.

Lord Lao Zi replied, "He is dead. He is indeed truly dead." He then elaborated, "After I struck him down, I sealed away his power, intending to leave it for a worthy successor to refine in the future. However, during the Apocalypse Epoch, the Bull Demon King approached me, seeking to become my Disciple. I had no desire to accept him, but I couldn’t withstand his persistent entreaties. In the end, I gave him the seal just to make him leave."

"But later," Lord Lao Zi continued, a slight smile playing on his lips as he shook his head, "the Bull Demon King sought me out again. He claimed his son, being young and mischievous, had accidentally ingested the jade pendant containing the sealed divine punishment, thereby allowing the calamity to enter his body. He implored me to resolve the issue." Lord Lao Zi chuckled softly. "Although I possessed three methods to resolve it, the time was not yet ripe, so I refused."

Recalling these past events, Lord Lao Zi added, "Now, the divine punishment has vanished, presumably because it was overcome or neutralized. Fire Evil’s lingering consciousness has seized control of Red Boy’s physical body and is likely engaged in a fierce struggle against Red Boy’s own spirit."

Hearing this, everyone felt their minds reel; this was a grave predicament. If that were the case, it would indeed be a colossal problem. Should Fire Evil succeed in fully possessing Red Boy’s body, an ancient and formidable power might be reincarnated, potentially adding another great demon to the Three Realms—an event that would be extremely detrimental to the Heavenly Court’s rule.

Moreover, the most urgent matter at hand was the Bull Demon King. If he, in a fit of rage, were to break into the Flowing Sand River Cave and kill Sha Chen, it would completely derail the carefully laid plans for the Journey to the West. Everyone understood the gravity of the situation, exchanging uncertain glances, unsure how to proceed.

Li Jing, Li Changgeng, and Wang Lingguan looked at each other, stunned. They had indeed misunderstood. This wasn’t a conspiracy between Sha Chen and the Bull Demon King; there were genuine, complex reasons behind it, even involving an ancient Saint.

Li Jing then proposed, "Since this matter involves Lord Lao Zi, and arguably only he can resolve it, why not request his intervention to subdue Fire Evil and repel the Bull Demon King?"

The ministers all nodded in agreement, as it seemed the simplest solution.

However, no sooner had Li Jing spoken than Lord Lao Zi vanished without a trace, his parting laughter echoing behind him. "I am but an old man who practices Alchemy, content to remain untouched by worldly dust."

Everyone’s face twitched. He started this mess, yet he expects us to clean it up! they thought, frustrated. Yet, they dared not voice their discontent.

The Jade Emperor also felt a throbbing headache. Lord Lao Zi personally intervening would indeed be the easiest way to resolve this. But he has declined, and I understand his reasons. He likely wishes to avoid any suspicion of interference and the karmic entanglements that would inevitably follow. After all, both Sha Chen and the Bull Demon King are pivotal figures in the impending calamity of the scripture pilgrimage. Sha Chen, in particular, is a chosen pilgrim. These individuals are all critically important.

Both Buddhism and the Heavenly Court have designs on the Bull Demon King, and both also want Sha Chen on their side. If Lord Lao Zi were to act, the karmic consequences would surely fall upon him. If he subdued Fire Evil and saved Red Boy, wouldn’t gratitude be owed? Knowing the Bull Demon King’s character—he once aspired to be a Disciple of the sage Laozi—if Lord Lao Zi saved his son now, he would likely bring his entire family to pledge allegiance as Disciples. Lord Lao Zi refused him once, indicating he doesn’t want the Bull Demon King and wishes to remain undisturbed.

Secondly, saving Red Boy would also resolve Sha Chen’s current crisis. Wouldn’t Sha Chen then feel indebted and express his gratitude? It’s even possible Sha Chen might wish to become Lord Lao Zi’s Disciple or at least harbor deep gratitude towards him. Such a development could disrupt the grand plans of both Buddhism and the Heavenly Court for the scripture journey. Imagine, a chosen pilgrim for a Buddhist quest feeling deeply grateful to a Daoist Saint, perhaps even wanting to become his Disciple! What would become of Buddhism’s prestige?

Furthermore, during the Apocalypse Epoch, the sage Laozi enlisted the aid of the Two Saints of the West to deal with the Tongtian Hierarch, thereby incurring a debt to Buddhism. This current scripture pilgrimage calamity was partly orchestrated by him as a way to repay that favor. Interfering too much now would not reflect well on him and could easily lead Buddhism to suspect he has ulterior motives. It might also provoke the Tongtian Hierarch, who has since returned. ’We are supposed to be martial brothers,’ he might think, ’so what is the meaning of you repeatedly siding with outsiders!?’

Thus, for Lord Lao Zi, avoiding this chain of karmic troubles by not intervening is indeed the wisest choice.

Left with no other recourse, the Jade Emperor issued his command: "Li Jing, I order you to lead one million heavenly soldiers and generals to descend to the mortal realm and await orders. Wang Lingguan and Wen Zhong will assist you. If the Bull Demon King manages to break into the Flowing Sand River and a conflict with Sha Chen seems imminent, you are to choose the opportune moment to intervene and prevent it."

Li Jing inquired, "Your Majesty, what would be considered an ’opportune moment’?"

The Jade Emperor glared at him. "Just act as you see fit!"

Li Jing accepted the command, a subtle smile playing on his lips. This was exactly what he was waiting for—the Jade Emperor’s instruction to ’act as he saw fit.’ When the time came, he could choose the perfect moment to save Sha Chen, thereby earning his profound gratitude. His own ’Old Tai Shan’ status would then be secure!

「In the Southern Sea, on Luo Jia Mountain.」

Muzha reported, "Master, the Bull Demon King is attacking the Flowing Sand River."

Guanyin replied curtly, "I am aware."

Muzha wanted to say more, but he clicked his tongue in surprise as Guanyin vanished before his eyes. Master is still overly concerned about Sha Chen, he thought. However, she didn’t seek assistance from the Venerable Manjushri and Samantabhadra this time. She must fear they wouldn’t be enough to handle the Bull Demon King.

Indeed, Guanyin had not sought out Manjushri and Samantabhadra. Instead, she went to find Kassapa and Ananda. The Tathagata had entrusted this entire matter concerning the Flowing Sand River to his two Disciples, Kassapa and Ananda, relegating Guanyin to a mere supporting role. She knew that Kassapa and Ananda were not particularly concerned about Sha Chen, and without a direct reminder, they might not intervene at all.

The elder Disciple, Kassapa, was not present; only Ananda was there, delivering a sermon to the assembly of monks.

After Guanyin reported the urgent situation, Ananda remarked dismissively, "Such a trivial matter. You may handle it as you see fit."

Guanyin frowned. "Honorable Ananda, the Bull Demon King is extraordinarily powerful. If he were to mistakenly kill Sha Chen, it would severely jeopardize our Buddhist stratagem." ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭•𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚•𝕟𝕖𝕥

Only then did Ananda respond, "In that case, simply prevent the Bull Demon King from doing so."

Guanyin stated, "With my strength alone, I fear I am no match for him in a direct confrontation."

Ananda glanced at her. "Is that so? You still haven’t overcome that particular tribulation of yours? Very well, I shall accompany you on this journey!" He then added, "And it will give me a chance to see for myself just what sort of remarkable individual this chosen pilgrim is, the one who merited the personal attention of the Buddha."