CHAPTER 2: CHAPTER 2: BETTER TO GO HOME AND PLANT SWEET POTATOES THAN TO BE A MONSTER【PLEASE COLLECT】_1

Guanyin calculated several times and confirmed she had made no mistake. Sha Chen had indeed endured the Thousand Swords Piercing The Heart thirty times, yet he showed no signs of going mad. There was even a hint of joy in his demeanor.

Facing the Thousand Swords Piercing The Heart and still daring to provoke... such audacity! Guanyin thought.

Muzha said, "Master, why don’t I personally visit the Flowing Sand River and force him to become a demon?"

Guanyin replied, "Such matters should not be handled personally. Let’s observe for a while longer. If it still doesn’t work, we’ll ask the Jade Emperor to intensify the power of the Thousand Swords Piercing The Heart. I don’t believe he can withstand it."

At that moment, within the bamboo forest of Luo Jia Mountain, Jinmaohou, who had been crouching on the ground, stood up and murmured, "Who would have thought that even Master has her troubles? Isn’t it better to be a demon and roam freely than to stay on Luo Jia Mountain, fasting and chanting prayers? If I manage to handle this matter for Master, she will surely see me in a new light, and I will obtain great fortune."

And so, Jinmaohou left the bamboo forest and descended to the mortal world.

Muzha stepped out from the forest, a smile on his face.

「In the mortal world.」

Once Jinmaohou descended, he wiped out several demon enclaves near the Flowing Sand River, burning down their lairs. Then, he deliberately left a message at the entrance of these demon lairs, warning them not to disturb his ’brother’ Sha Chen at the Flowing Sand River. Afterward, he headed to Zhu Zi Country to find a cave to rest, waiting for these demons to carry out his plan to force Sha Chen’s demonization.

After he left, a lesser demon from one of the lairs reported the matter to the Demon Kings who had rushed back. The Demon Kings were immediately enraged.

Meanwhile, within the Flowing Sand River, Sha Chen had endured another bout of the Thousand Swords Piercing The Heart, and the Mana inside his body grew stronger. He had already refined the Purple Gold Immortal Pill, and his cultivation had advanced further, reaching the high-level True Immortal realm.

"Host cultivation breakthrough detected. You have the following choices:"

"Choice One: You’ve had a breakthrough in cultivation, so why confine yourself to such a small world? You should demonstrate your strength and potential to the Jade Emperor. Ask him to revoke his decree and end this divine punishment. Reward: [West Sea Mixed Iron Stick]—the Magic Cudgel of the West Sea, the magical tool of the Six-Eared Macaque."

"Choice Two: Your cultivation is still not profound enough. You should remain cautious and continue to train in secret. Reward: Two [Purple Gold Immortal Pills]—an Immortal Pill concocted by Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad, one of which can increase cultivation by ten thousand years."

Sha Chen unhesitatingly chose to continue his secret training, and he also received two Purple Gold Immortal Pills.

After a cultivation breakthrough, the rewards become even more substantial. Just two Purple Gold Immortal Pills can add another twenty thousand years to my cultivation.

However, my Cultivation Method is truly terrible. My physical body and innate potential are also of the lowest grade. Without Immortal Pills, relying solely on my diligent cultivation, reaching the Peak True Immortal realm would probably take at least thirty thousand years.

I must find a way to obtain better Cultivation Methods, elevate my potential, and acquire more cultivation resources. Since I cannot leave the Flowing Sand River, I can only rely on the system.

It seems that with each breakthrough, I can make a choice and receive a reward. Next time, I should be able to choose again. I hope it will be helpful!

Thinking of his next choice, Sha Chen was filled with anticipation and once again immersed himself in arduous training. He did not even consider going to the Jade Emperor; that idea had long been discarded.

「Three days later.」

Chaos erupted above the Flowing Sand River. Someone was throwing stones into the river—an unending barrage of stones of all sizes. Even a small hill was tossed down, nearly hitting Sha Chen.

Who is up there, disturbing my cultivation?

Sha Chen was puzzled. Sweeping his Divine Consciousness over the area, he discovered a group of demons strutting about outside the Flowing Sand River.

Sha Chen was furious! With his current cultivation, he had already sensed the beings on the riverbank—a group of demons!

The strength of these demons was mediocre. The two most powerful among them were at the Peak True Immortal realm, just one minor realm stronger than him. The demons were boisterous and foul-mouthed, clearly very dissatisfied with him.

Sha Chen frowned. Judging by the attitude of those demons, it seems they know I’m in the Flowing Sand River and are trying to force me out! But this eight-hundred-li Flowing Sand River, where not even a goose feather can float, is a place nearby demons dare not approach. No one should know I’m in here!

The demons on the riverbank were shouting and yelling, led by the Blue-Eyed Wolf Demon and the Iron-Backed Bear Demon. Both at the Peak True Immortal cultivation level, they stood on the riverbank, bellowing. They too wanted to enter the water and drag Sha Chen out, but they couldn’t swim. This Flowing Sand River wasn’t ordinary water; even goose feathers couldn’t float on it. Their combat power would surely be greatly diminished if they entered the water. They also didn’t know the level of the immortal within the river, so they dared not enter rashly.

"Insignificant god, hurry up and roll out of the river! We know you’re in there!"

"Come out! We’ve always minded our own business, so why did you have someone destroy our lairs?"

"Roll out, you insignificant god! Come out if you have any courage!"

The demons on the riverbank yelled, continuously throwing stones into the water. Some even hurled long spears.

Sha Chen, at the bottom of the river, merely willed it, and the Flowing Sand River swept all the stones and spears away.

He frowned. When have I ever sent someone to destroy the demons’ lairs? Surely someone is framing me, wanting to incite a bloody conflict between me and the demons to disturb my peaceful cultivation. How malicious.

As Sha Chen was lost in thought, the system’s voice rang out.

"Detected that the host is being schemed against by Jinmaohou, who is forcing you to become a demon. You have the following choices:"

"Option One: Succumb to fate, emerge from the water as a demon, and become an outlaw. Reward: [Three Thousand Scrolls of the Greater Buddhist Law]. Greater Buddhist Law: Scriptures from the Journey to the West that can save sentient beings and persuade them to do good."

"Option Two: Defy fate. Becoming a demon is too dangerous. Do not fall for the trap. Adhere to your true self and continue deep cultivation. Reward: [Eight-Nine Profound Art]. Eight-Nine Profound Art: An upper-tier Cultivation Technique that accelerates cultivation speed."

Sha Chen’s eyes lit up; it was a case of being handed a pillow just as one was getting sleepy. He had been worrying about Cultivation Techniques and hadn’t expected a choice with such a reward. The Eight-Nine Profound Art was a Cultivation Technique known to both Yang Jian and Yuan Hong. It was countless times more formidable than the commonplace Cultivation Technique he was currently practicing.

Without any hesitation, he chose to adhere to his true self and continue his deep cultivation. As for emerging from the water as a demon, he had never considered it. He wasn’t even willing to return to the heavens to become an immortal, let alone become an outlaw demon!

Moreover, from his knowledge of the Journey to the West, he knew Jinmaohou was Guanyin’s mount. On the Journey to the West, he became a demon in Xie Zhi Cave on Qilin Mountain in Zhu Zi Country, abducting Lady Jin Shenggong and leading a carefree, dissolute life. That this mount of Guanyin was covertly scheming against Sha Chen aroused his suspicions.

With my understanding of the Journey to the West, for Buddhism to convert someone, they must first lead them to fall. If they want me to join Buddhism, they’ll surely want me to degenerate into a demon first. Jinmaohou’s scheme against me must also have been sanctioned by Buddhism. And if I were to join Buddhism, at most I’d be an Arhat with no future. I’m not willing.

Become a demon? Even less promising!

Continuing my cultivation until the end of time, persevering until the seas dry up and the stones decay—that’s more suitable for me!

So, he paid no mind to the demons outside. After they had made enough noise and left, he once again immersed himself in cultivation. This time, he discarded his previous Cultivation Technique and switched to practicing the Eight-Nine Profound Art. As expected, his cultivation speed increased by leaps and bounds, as if traveling a thousand li in a single day.