CHAPTER 384: CHAPTER 378: SOWING DISCORD [SEEKING SUBSCRIPTIONS AND MONTHLY TICKETS]_1

Maitreya Buddha had arrived.

Even before he drew near, the Buddha Light bathed everything.

All the Immortals and Buddhas were greatly alarmed, and the hordes of demons scrambled to hide.

Sha Chen frowned and, without a word, dove straight into his cave abode, with no intention of lingering outside.

After all, this was Maitreya Buddha, rumored to have reached the Peak Quasi-Saint level; Sha Chen had no desire to confront him head-on.

Just as Sha Chen entered his cave, Maitreya Buddha had already arrived before him.

A palm strike descended. Its boundless force seemed capable of turning the heavens to ashes, but when it struck the gates of the Flowing Sand River Cave, it merely caused them to tremble, unable to budge them in the slightest.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Maitreya Buddha continued his onslaught, ceaselessly striking the cave’s gates.

He bellowed, "Sha Chen, release the people of Buddhism! You dare to capture our sect’s mountain-protecting divine beast and Acala Vajrabodhisattva? This is an offense warranting ten thousand deaths!"

"Hand them over quickly! Repent and be saved! Do not sow evil karma that will lead to your irreversible doom."

But Sha Chen completely ignored him.

Maitreya Buddha continued his fierce assault, causing the various Immortals and hordes of demons outside to be terrified beyond measure.

Maitreya Buddha’s divine power was immense. He was only slightly inferior to Zhenyuanzi from before, but even more domineering.

The Flowing Sand River was whipped into surging waves, with dark clouds amassed from all directions, as if signaling the apocalypse.

Countless living creatures trembled with fear.

「Inside the cave abode.」

Sha Chen dragged in the Green Lion and Bai Xiang, binding them together with the Dragon Binding Rope; he then used the Undefined Flying Rings to bind the Golden Winged Dapeng’s wings.

Next, he cast the Drawing Ground as Prison technique, then with both hands formed incantations, invoking the Nine-Character Mantra to lay down an inescapable net, ensnaring the three Great Demon Kings layer by layer.

Having dealt with them, he dusted off his hands, completely disregarding Maitreya Buddha outside.

The Green Lion and Bai Xiang were wounded and bound by Sha Chen, utterly unable to escape.

However, as they looked around, their eyes betrayed panic, though their words remained arrogant.

"Sha Chen, you’re finished! Let us go! Maitreya Buddha is right outside. If he breaks in here, you will have no way out!" said the Golden Winged Dapeng.

The Six-toothed White Elephant bellowed fiercely, "We are followers of Buddhism! Buddhism is currently as radiant as the midday sun. How dare you bind us? Can you bear the consequences?"

The Green Lion roared, "Sha Chen, you’ve already defeated us. Rationally speaking, we admit defeat. You should release us; dragging us in here is going too far, isn’t it!?"

The Golden Winged Dapeng, the most rebellious, yelled, "Let us go, quickly, or you will regret it! Do you know who I am? I am Tathagata’s own maternal uncle!"

Sha Chen picked up his wine cup, chuckled, and said, "You’ve all been captured, and yet you dare to be so arrogant. It seems I was right to capture you."

The Golden Winged Dapeng was somewhat confident. He considered himself Tathagata’s own maternal uncle and a Quasi-Saint divine beast, believing Sha Chen wouldn’t dare kill him.

And so, he was very defiant.

However, the Green Lion and Bai Xiang were terrified, worrying Sha Chen might kill them. Thus, they were panic-stricken and fearful, and began to invoke their powerful backing.

Sha Chen said, "You’re followers of Buddhism? Didn’t you two claim you weren’t Manjushri’s and Samantabhadra’s mounts? That you wished you could kill them? How come now you’re saying you’re followers of Buddhism again?"

The Green Lion said, "Regardless, we have joined Buddhism, so we are considered followers of Buddhism."

Bai Xiang said, "Sha Chen, as long as you let us go, everything is negotiable."

Sha Chen chuckled again, then he picked up the Yin-Yang Eye Qi Vase he had snatched from the hands of the Golden Winged Dapeng.

After fiddling with it, he said, "Let you go? You were quite arrogant at first, and now you are begging for mercy? Or should I put you all inside and refine you into bloody pus?"

The Green Lion and Bai Xiang were aghast, their terror peaking as they repeatedly begged for mercy.

Clearly aware of the Yin-Yang Eye Qi Vase’s power, they no longer dared to be arrogant and hurriedly pleaded.

"We were wrong! We were wrong! Please, let us go! It was us who didn’t recognize your greatness, who overestimated our own abilities! Please, River Lord, be magnanimous and don’t lower yourself to our level!"

"As long as you release us, everything is negotiable."

The Golden Winged Dapeng, however, said, "First Brother, Second Brother, don’t be afraid! Don’t beg him! The Yin-Yang Eye Qi Vase was personally refined for me by that old fellow, Tathagata. It contains his great will. He can’t erase it, and he certainly can’t refine this vase!"

He then laughed smugly, "Sha Chen, you should never have taken out the Yin-Yang Eye Qi Vase in front of me. If I recite the incantation, it can turn around and capture you instead! Believe it or not?"

He then began reciting the incantation.

Sha Chen, meanwhile, was claiming his system reward, which was precisely the Yin-Yang Eye Qi Vase.

As expected, the reward from the system was this very Yin-Yang Eye Qi Vase.

It directly erased the spiritual imprints of Tathagata and the Golden Winged Dapeng, turning the vase into an ownerless item!

After the Golden Winged Dapeng lost his connection with the Yin-Yang Eye Qi Vase, he was utterly dumbfounded.

He looked utterly stupefied, his face a mask of disbelief.

Then he frantically said, "Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Why have I lost my connection with the Yin-Yang Eye Qi Vase?"

"You erased the imprint? Absolutely impossible! How could you erase the imprint? That was left by Tathagata! He might be a bit of a scoundrel, but he still has some skill. You couldn’t possibly have done it!"

Sha Chen replied indifferently, "Nothing is impossible. This Yin-Yang Eye Qi Vase is now mine. Now tell me, can I not refine you all into bloody pus?"

Then, in front of the three Great Demon Kings, he directly refined the Yin-Yang Eye Qi Vase. Then, facing them, he prepared to call out their names.

The Golden Winged Dapeng still clenched his teeth; his eyes showed fear, yet he refused to admit defeat.

The Green Lion and Bai Xiang, however, were terrified. They hastily begged for mercy, pleading ceaselessly and kowtowing to admit their mistakes.

Sha Chen said, "I detest the followers of Buddhism the most. They forced me to join Buddhism, ruining my reclusive peace. Since you are followers of Buddhism, you deserve to die."

The Green Lion hurriedly said, "A misunderstanding! This is a misunderstanding! We are not followers of Buddhism; we are victims too!"

Bai Xiang also nodded and said, "Yes! During the Great War of Divine Enthronement, we were ambushed by Manjushri and Samantabhadra. Furthermore, the Ancient Buddha Ran Deng’s divine power locked our heart meridians, forcing us to submit and become their mounts."

Both of them kept kowtowing, saying, "Actually, we never wanted to join Buddhism at all, and we have never truly integrated with them. They never truly acknowledged our status either, treating us like mere beasts they kept in pens. We hate them to death!"

The Green Lion and Bai Xiang continued to beg for mercy in succession.

Sha Chen said, "You also hate Buddhism? Then, as you seek mercy now, is it with the identity of the Sect of Interpretation, or your own?"

The two of them were stunned.

The Sect of Interpretation?

It had been a long time since they had heard that name; it seemed to reside only in the deepest recesses of their memory.

Sha Chen said, "If you are begging as disciples of the Sect of Interpretation, then go ahead. I’m listening. If your pleas are pleasing enough, perhaps I’ll spare you."

This time, however, the Green Lion and Bai Xiang did not beg for mercy; instead, they were extremely angry.

"Sha Chen, you’ve gone too far! If you have the guts, then kill us! You’re pushing us too far! Who do you take us for?"

"We would rather die than submit! Besides, even if we beg you, you wouldn’t let us go anyway. Just kill us! But be warned, if you kill us, the Sect of Interpretation will not let you off either!"

Sha Chen chuckled. "The Sect of Interpretation? It has long been scattered, and you two have become running dogs for Buddhism. Do you still have the gall to mention the Sect of Interpretation?"

The Green Lion angrily said, "Our Master has already rebuilt the Sect of Interpretation! Don’t you dare insult him or the sect!"

The Six-toothed White Elephant said, "Sha Chen, a true warrior can be killed but not humiliated! Killing us is one thing, but do not insult the Sect of Interpretation! Otherwise, we won’t let you off even as ghosts!"

"HUMPH!"

Just as the two were preparing to meet their heroic end, Sha Chen rose. At that moment, a cold snort echoed from the kitchen.

Then, the Green Lion, Bai Xiang, and Golden Winged Dapeng all turned to look. When they saw a Daoist in green robes, they were instantly dumbfounded.

The Green Lion and Bai Xiang, in particular, were so terrified they trembled uncontrollably. Their eyes bulged, and they were utterly aghast, shivering with fear and shock.

"Ma-Ma-Master... Master?"

"Are we hallucinating? Master, is it really you?"

The Green Lion and Bai Xiang’s eyes bulged, unable to believe what they were seeing, their faces full of shock. They blinked, thinking they had seen wrong.

Sha Chen stood up to welcome him, saying, "Saint, these two disciples of yours are truly unyielding. This junior is ashamed of his inferiority."

The Tongtian Hierarch glared at him and said, "Are you trying to mock me?"

Sha Chen said, "This junior wouldn’t dare."

The Tongtian Hierarch came and sat before them. Instantly, the Dragon Binding Rope loosened, freeing the Green Lion and Bai Xiang.

However, they didn’t dare to stand up; instead, they prostrated themselves on the ground, kowtowing ceaselessly, tears streaming down their faces.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

They kept kowtowing, crying out, "Master! Master! We finally get to see you again! BOO HOO HOO... Master, we’ve missed you so much!"

"Master, we finally have the chance to kowtow to you again! Master, this is wonderful! After thousands of years, we finally have this chance!"

The Green Lion and Bai Xiang, the two demons, kept kowtowing, sobbing uncontrollably.

The Tongtian Hierarch gazed at them with a placid expression, but Sha Chen could discern that the Hierarch’s heart was likely far from calm.

He remained silent, merely drinking his wine in silence.

The Golden Winged Dapeng watched from the side, his expression one of profound shock, unable to recover his senses for a long while.

The Tongtian Hierarch said indifferently, "Get up. Since you have joined Buddhism, you are no longer my disciples. There’s no need to kowtow to me."

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

The more he spoke this way, the more terrified and tearful the Green Lion and Bai Xiang became, kowtowing relentlessly.

"Master! Master! Please don’t give up on us! We know we were wrong! We were wrong!"

"Master, we’ve heard you are rebuilding the Sect of Interpretation! We are willing to follow you, Master, to rebuild the Sect of Interpretation, to heed your arrangements, and serve you faithfully!"

The Tongtian Hierarch shook his head and said, "There’s no need for that. You are no longer people of the Sect of Interpretation."

The Green Lion and Bai Xiang cried inconsolably.

Seeing this, Sha Chen’s eyes darted around. Adhering to the principle that anything causing trouble for Buddhism was a good thing, he spoke.

"Saint, with your permission, this junior believes that the Green Lion and Bai Xiang were forced by circumstances back then; they did not willingly join Buddhism."

"After all, they fought against the Chan Sect and Buddhism for the sake of the Sect of Interpretation. However, they were defeated by a sneak attack and ended up as mounts. Given a choice, they certainly would not have been willing."

The Green Lion and Bai Xiang were utterly shocked, not expecting Sha Chen to speak on their behalf.

They then cast grateful glances towards Sha Chen.

Sha Chen continued, "Their hearts lie with the Sect of Interpretation. Even if they were to return to Buddhism, they would not fare well. Conversely, they have always regarded you, Saint, as their Master, yet they serve as mounts for others. Isn’t this tantamount to letting Buddhism ride roughshod over the Sect of Interpretation?"

He calmly added, "Saint, this reflects poorly, doesn’t it?"

Such words were truly aimed at crushing the spirit.