The fully revised English translation:
Tongtian Hierarch felt sowhat displeased. Sha Chen had once again rejected him, despite Tongtian Hierarch having granted him hundreds of thousands of years’ worth of Golden Immortal cultivation.
Sha Chen also felt sowhat uneasy, worried about offending the Saint. He said, "Please forgive , Saint, but this junior truly does not wish to leave this place."
Tongtian Hierarch said, "Although your cultivation is insignificant, you are still sowhat capable in this era. Not going out—isn’t that a waste?"
Sha Chen replied with a smile, "Cultivation is for longevity and safety. Going out and causing trouble could lead to death, which is not safe, nor conducive to long life. *That* would be the real waste."
Tongtian Hierarch was angered. However, his emotions did not show on his face as he simply said, "With your fear of death and greed for life, it’s likely that the Da Luo realm is as far as you’ll go."
Sha Chen replied, "This junior is apprehensive."
Tongtian Hierarch snorted. "Your recent breakthrough was all thanks to the resources that pig-headed fool gave you; otherwise, you would have regressed rather than progressed. If you do not fight or seize, where will your resources co from? Can you rely on those little demons you’ve trained? What capabilities do they have? They can only bring back a small amount of resources for you each ti."
Although the Hierarch spoke angrily, it seems he isn’t actually angry after all, Sha Chen thought. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Quickly, he added, "The Saint has a broad perspective. This junior believes that what they bring back, though perhaps not abundant, is enough to live on."
Tongtian Hierarch was truly displeased now. Sha Chen was truly obstinate, and so terrified of death. He hid here, never going out, never stirring up trouble. When others caused trouble, he would simply hide. He had never seen such a cowardly person.
Tongtian Hierarch waved his sleeve and said, "This Seat is very disappointed in you. Since you don’t want to leave, then don’t leave."
Sha Chen replied with a smile, "Thank you, Saint, for indulging ."
Tongtian Hierarch snorted. "It’s not indulging you. Rember the old saying: if you leave Flowing Sand River, apart from joining my Sect of Interpretation, you’ll have nowhere else to go."
He spoke with deep aning, "Don’t think that when the ti cos, you can join Buddhism and have soone to protect you. Even if it were Jieyin and Zhunti, This Seat would strike them down all the sa."
Then, he disappeared. He made no ntion of the previous encounter with Ran Deng Buddha.
Sha Chen quickly shouted into the air, "Rest assured, Saint! This junior has never thought of joining Buddhism, nor of leaving this place!"
Tongtian Hierarch, having already vanished into the void, was quite satisfied with Sha Chen’s initial words. However, the latter part of the statent nearly drove him to erge and give Sha Chen a beating. It’s fine not to join Buddhism, but why emphasize that last part?!
Tongtian Hierarch left.
Sha Chen breathed a sigh of relief. At the sa ti, he felt that the Black Tortoise Armor wasn’t very secure; he needed even safer protection. At least, sothing that even a Saint could not penetrate. However, he knew that might be wishful thinking, at least sothing that couldn’t be resolved in the near future.
"Old Sha, Old Sha, save ! Save ! This lightning is going to kill ! I didn’t even swear any oaths!"
"Save ! Just how much hatred does that old scoundrel Wen Zhong hold against you to send so much lightning?!"
Seeing Tongtian Hierarch leave, Tianpeng hurriedly called for help.
Sha Chen glanced over, his heart aching at the sight. Three years’ worth of accumulated lightning, including many tenfold and even hundredfold thunder punishnts, were all being squandered by Tianpeng. If it had fallen on him, it would have refined his physical body and bolstered his Mana from within. Now, Tianpeng had wasted a tenth of it.
With the Saint present earlier, he hadn’t dared to act rashly. Now that the Saint was gone, he couldn’t wait to rush over, grab Tianpeng, and throw him off the Lightning-Inducing Platform.
Tianpeng, as if granted a great amnesty, patted his nearly charred skin. Seeing Sha Chen bathing in the lightning, he was moved beyond words.
Moved, he said, "Old Sha is so good to ! The Saint had barely left, and he couldn’t wait to save , preferring to bear the thunder punishnt himself rather than let suffer even a little."
I must trick him a little less in the future, he secretly resolved.
All three years’ worth of thunder punishnt fell upon Sha Chen. While terrifying, his Da Luo Dharmakaya perfectly withstood it. He didn’t transform it using the Five Elents, but directly used it to temper his physical body, making his Da Luo Dharmakaya sowhat stronger.
「Three days later.」
The thunder punishnt ended. The lightning that subsequently fell was rely the daily routine of the Thunder Departnt. For Sha Chen, it was nothing more than a drizzle.
Tianpeng imdiately sidled up to him. "Old Sha, you’re really great, taking all this for ! Good brother, for life!"
Sha Chen said, "Just as long as you don’t bring up helping break through to the Daluo Golden Immortal realm again."
Tianpeng chuckled. "Heh-heh, that’s not going to happen. I want you to learn the aning of gratitude."
Sha Chen said, "Because of , you received the Saint’s gift, which is worth a hundred tis more than all your resources. Besides, I’ve expounded on the Dao for you and even guided the Saint to do so as well. You’ve made a massive profit, and you’re still not satisfied?"
Tianpeng knew this reasoning was sound. But to feel that this was enough? That wouldn’t be Marshal Tianpeng.
So he said, "That was all the Saint’s own doing. How can you take credit for it?"
Sha Chen said, "The Saint might co again. If so, don’t even think about listening to his discourse."
Tianpeng imdiately softened. "Old Sha, my good brother! A Saint’s discourse is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity! You can’t be so petty." Then he added, "Alright, alright, I won’t ntion it, I won’t ntion it. But I feel there are still so aspects of the Dao Techniques that I don’t quite grasp. It should be fine for to stay here and continue discussing them with you for a while, right?"
Sha Chen didn’t refuse. After all, once one’s cultivation broke through, advancing further wasn’t rely a matter of accumulating Mana; it also required comprehension of the Dao. Pondering alone wasn’t as effective as discussing with soone else. At least Tianpeng had also listened to the Saint’s discourse and might have his own insights that they could use to corroborate each other’s understanding.
So, Sha Chen discussed the Dao with him again, and Tianpeng would occasionally offer his own opinions. However, in Sha Chen’s view, Tianpeng’s insights were quite superficial, and the benefits he could gain from their discussions were minimal.
「Three months later,」 he sent Tianpeng away.
The fellow had beco a pauper. Staying there, he eyed Sha Chen’s immortal fields, thinking only of enjoynt without any intention to work. Sha Chen himself hadn’t even had a chance to enjoy them, so naturally, he kicked this "master" out. He told him to go out, earn enough money, and then he could co back to enjoy VIP treatnt.
Although Tianpeng didn’t take any of Sha Chen’s refined Elixirs this ti, he did receive so tasks from Sha Chen. He was to gather information about Flaming Mountain and Red Boy, and to help if he could, but not to force it if he couldn’t. Several years had passed. If sothing bad were to happen, it would have happened already. He was just seeking so peace of mind.
After seeing off Tianpeng, Sha Chen began to extract the system’s reward: the Shilong Zhenyuan. Only, after a long while, it still hadn’t appeared.
Sha Chen frowned. Just as he was thinking the system was backing out on its promise, soone outside requested an audience.
"Brother, I’m here! Open the door."
From the voice, it was Ao Lie, Bai Yulong, the Third Prince of the West Sea. His voice was still spirited and bold, but now carried a hint of world-weariness.
Sha Chen’s divine eye swept out. Indeed, he saw a white jade dragon in the water outside his cave dwelling. It was noble and majestic, a hundred tis larger than before, and even more imposing. But he didn’t open the door imdiately. Instead, he activated his divine eye and Downwind Ear, listening, observing, and verifying if it was truly Ao Lie, Bai Yulong.
Only after multiple checks confird it was Ao Lie, and ensuring no one else was around, did Sha Chen let the dragon in.
As soon as he entered, Bai Yulong pounced at Sha Chen, transford into his human form, and hugged him fiercely.
"Brother, your little brother has missed you to death!"
Sha Chen said, rather dryly, "He should exercise so restraint."
Ao Lie chuckled. "Brother, you jest! Your little brother has missed you so much he can’t pull himself away. How could I possibly restrain myself?"
Sha Chen didn’t want to continue this topic. He simply pushed him away and said, "It seems you’ve beco sowhat stronger than before. Gained quite a bit in the abyss, have you?"
Ao Lie laughed heartily. "HA HA HA! Brother, you don’t get it, do you? Your little brother isn’t just ’sowhat’ stronger; I’m a *lot* stronger than before!" Then he winked and said, "Your little brother is now so powerful, his abilities reach the heavens and pierce the earth, startling the universe and making ghosts weep! I’m afraid, brother, even you might not be my match anymore, you know."
He was rather smug, winking and making faces. However, he was still very respectful towards Sha Chen. Seemingly to display respect, he even made a point of showing off his strength, yet tried to be sowhat ’restrained’ about it.
Sha Chen chuckled. "Heh. Becoming stronger is a good thing. It proves you’ve made progress with the True Dragon Body Forging Technique."
Ao Lie quickly said, "That’s all thanks to what Brother taught ! Otherwise, your little brother wouldn’t be where he is today." He wiped away a cold sweat. Showing off in front of Sha Chen had earned him a rebuke. If Sha Chen hadn’t taught him the True Dragon Body Forging Technique back then, his physical body would likely have been ruined. Forget about powerful cultivation; even surviving the abyss would have been questionable. He had been reckless earlier; now, having been rebuked, he instantly beca more subdued.
Sha Chen nodded slightly. It seems that although Ao Lie is a bit more arrogant than before, he at least still listens to and knows when to be afraid, he thought. If he didn’t respond to the rebuke, I would have had to suppress him by force. I have no use for an ungrateful cur.
Ao Lie said, "Brother, it’s rare for your little brother to visit. Aren’t you going to prepare so good food and drink? HISS! Brother, have you beco this destitute?!"
He went ahead and opened the cellar, only to find it surprisingly large and desperately empty. A mouse would probably starve to death in there. The fine wines once cellared were nearly all gone, and the mountains of ingredients had dwindled to almost nothing. It looked as if it had been plundered.
Sha Chen just said "Oh," then added, "It’s all gone."
Tongtian Hierarch had stayed for three years, and Tianpeng had also lingered for several years; it would have been a miracle if anything was left. Thus, everything had been gradually eaten and drunk. The wine was finished by Tongtian Hierarch, and the food was devoured by Tianpeng. He wasn’t one for excessive eating or drinking. After seeing off the Saint and then Tianpeng, he hadn’t yet had the chance to replenish his ingredients or brew more wine. And then, Ao Lie had arrived.
Ao Lie picked up the few remaining ingredients but, in the end, couldn’t bring himself to use them. He put them back down, taking only a single jar of wine instead.
Sha Chen nodded in satisfaction. This boy has learned to be frugal, he thought.
Ao Lie ca out, poured a few cups, and couldn’t stop his tears from falling like pearls onto a jade plate. "Brother," he choked out, "your little brother deserves to die! For decades in the Dragon Palace and the abyss, I feasted lavishly, while you, Brother, had to suffer hardships again, practically eating grass!"
Sha Chen was about to correct him, to say that he wasn’t actually suffering.
Then, with a CLACK, Ao Lie slapped three Universial Rings from his fingers onto the table. He then unfastened two Qiankun Bags from his waist and pulled another Qiankun Bag from his pocket. A total of six spatial storage items, all laid out on the table.
He choked up, "Brother, your little brother ca in haste and didn’t bring many fine things. These few storage spaces are filled with so Immortal Elixirs and treasures. Please use them for now, Brother. When your little brother visits next, I’ll definitely bring even better things."
Hearing this, Sha Chen decided not to offer any explanation.
He sighed deeply. "Good brother, your elder brother truly is suffering!!"
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