ATPnovel Chapter 329 - 323: Buddha Fights for a Stick of Incense, Humans Fight for a Breath【Ask Subscription Ask Monthly Ticket】_1
Chapter 329 - 323: Buddha Fights for a Stick of Incense, Humans Fight for a Breath【Ask Subscription Ask Monthly Ticket】_1
"San Niang, please have some self-respect."Sha Chen still sternly rejected Three Holy Mother. Women had to be rejected; they only affected his cultivation.
Sha Chen said, "If you want me to lecture you on the Dao, I will. But if you think I have other expectations of you, forget it. It’s impossible."
Three Holy Mother was stunned. This was the first time she had encountered someone as blunt as Sha Chen.
At Nuwa Palace, she didn’t know how many young and talented individuals wanted to pursue her, yet she didn’t spare them a glance. At Guanjiangkou, countless divine immortals and venerable sages yearned for her, desperate with longing. But she looked down upon them all. Now, she had humbled herself, offered to serve Sha Chen—she even hinted that marrying him wouldn’t be a problem. She had thrown herself into it, agreeing to everything. Yet, Sha Chen not only declined but did so decisively. It was truly excessive.
Three Holy Mother said, "What kind of man are you, to not seize the opportunity placed before you?"
Sha Chen answered, "San Niang, my manhood is beyond doubt. However, I am engrossed in cultivation. The distractions of worldly pleasures will only hinder my spiritual progress, so naturally, I must refuse."
Three Holy Mother had initially proposed that she’d do anything Sha Chen wanted, more as a bold attempt to win him over than anything else, and she regretted saying it afterward. But after Sha Chen’s refusal, he kept finding reasons to decline repeatedly. She couldn’t stand it. Monks strive for a stick of incense; humans vie for a breath of pride. She initially regretted her immodest words, but now she was determined to make Sha Chen fancy her. And then she would spurn him. In any case, only she could reject Sha Chen, not the other way around. She was a proud daughter of heaven, a disciple of a Saint, with the Treasured Lotus Lantern in her hands. How dare Sha Chen reject her!? Was she not good enough, or not beautiful enough?
Three Holy Mother was very dissatisfied and couldn’t accept it, so she snapped angrily, "Sha Chen, if you married me, my Second Brother would be your Second Brother too, and my Treasured Lotus Lantern could assist your cultivation. What’s the downside for you?"
Sha Chen replied, "If your Second Brother were my Second Brother, then I’d have to address him as such. But now, he has to address me respectfully as River Lord and follow my orders. Tell me, wouldn’t marrying you be asking for trouble? Most importantly, you would only use the Treasured Lotus Lantern to help me cultivate my Primordial Spirit. After marrying you, I’d have to provide for you, take care of all your needs. Do you think I’m that lowly?"
Three Holy Mother was dumbfounded. This was some invincible, steel-hearted man, rejecting her, a great beauty, for such reasons! Who was she? She was a disciple of a Saint, one of the four great beauties of the Three Realms, ranked alongside Chang E herself. Moreover, Chang E was an older woman who had been married before, whereas she was chaste and pure, still a young maiden whose virtue was intact. In terms of appearance, stature, background, and her untouched purity, she considered herself superior to Chang E. So why would Sha Chen not be interested?
Sha Chen, seeing she still wanted to argue and feeling somewhat annoyed, said, "Enough. I’ll lecture you on the Dao, and you’ll lend me the Treasured Lotus Lantern for cultivation. Let’s both live in peace without interfering with each other, okay?"
Three Holy Mother raged, "Not okay! If you don’t explain today why you won’t marry me, I won’t forgive you, and don’t even dream of using my Treasured Lotus Lantern."
Sha Chen responded, "Can’t we be reasonable? I’ll explain the so-called truth to you, and then you’ll use the Treasured Lotus Lantern to help me cultivate. That was agreed upon. Are you going back on your word?"
His gaze turned somewhat threatening, as if he wouldn’t be polite if Three Holy Mother dared to admit to reneging.
Three Holy Mother’s brows furrowed, a shock jolting her heart. Only then did she recall that this place was not Guanjiangkou. Sha Chen was not her Second Brother, nor was he one of the Meishan Six Friends. He wouldn’t indulge her. She finally understood: Sha Chen was a straightforward man, prioritizing benefits above all, with women coming last. Act spoiled? He’d punch every spoiled brat he met.
With a complicated look in her eyes, Three Holy Mother, though aggrieved, reined in her petulant and temperamental nature. She then said, "You have to lecture me on the Dao first. Only then can I use the Treasured Lotus Lantern to assist your cultivation. Otherwise, even though I’ve agreed to help you, I never agreed for how long."
Sha Chen said, "Fine, but I will decide the duration of the cultivation period."
Three Holy Mother agreed.
Only then was Sha Chen satisfied. This woman thought to threaten him? Or act spoiled? He wouldn’t indulge her in the slightest. He didn’t care whether she would be a virtuous wife and good mother in future lives, or whether she could give birth to Chen Xiang in this life. If she dared to throw a tantrum, then sorry, he was the type to strike down anyone acting spoiled. One must keep their word.
Sha Chen then lectured Three Holy Mother on Dao Techniques for a month, naturally focusing on the Da Luo Chapter of the Tao Te Ching. He had lectured on this so often he felt he could wholesale it. Yet, to Three Holy Mother, it was like obtaining a precious treasure, and she was overjoyed. Nuwa had taught her step by step, but due to Three Holy Mother’s insufficient strength, she hadn’t revealed more than necessary. Now, though not yet a Da Luo herself, Sha Chen taught her the Da Luo Method, which naturally delighted her. Studying and comprehending under the Phoenix Tree, with the Tai Chi Diagram to aid her understanding, she benefited even more.
Three Holy Mother found that after spending a month with Sha Chen, her insight into Dao Techniques had surpassed a hundred years of cultivation at Nuwa Palace. After all, Nuwa did not offer continuous, hands-on guidance, and since Nuwa didn’t have high expectations for her, she didn’t teach too profoundly. Sha Chen, however, didn’t care; he employed a cramming method of imparting knowledge. With the right tools and the will to learn, one could certainly gain understanding. Three Holy Mother, being a disciple of a Saint, was unlike self-taught cultivators such as the Spider Demon or White Bone Demon; her innate talent was far superior. She learned quickly, and her strength broke through after a month, reaching the mid-stage of the Greater Primordial Golden Immortal realm. She was overjoyed.
Then, looking at Sha Chen’s Immortal Elixirs, she planned to borrow some for cultivation, but Sha Chen flatly refused. Sha Chen had always been on guard. He hadn’t agreed to Three Holy Mother’s expressions of affection precisely to prevent her from coveting his wealth. Left with no choice, Three Holy Mother tried every possible means to exchange other items for them, but she was penniless and couldn’t afford anything. Even when she offered herself, Sha Chen didn’t want her. Borrowing the Treasured Lotus Lantern for a longer period was purely at Sha Chen’s discretion, so that was useless too. With no other option, Three Holy Mother activated the Treasured Lotus Lantern, first aiding Sha Chen’s cultivation while looking for another opportunity to borrow some cultivation resources.
The Treasured Lotus Lantern, an artifact from before the dawn of chaos, with its wick emitting a faint glow, indeed had the power to enlighten all beings. Basking in the radiance of the Treasured Lotus Lantern, Sha Chen felt at ease, as the power of his Primordial Spirit grew robustly.
「Three months later.」
Sha Chen awoke from his cultivation. He had solidified his Primordial Spirit and secured his foothold at the Quasi-Saint level. However, when he planned to advance further, he stopped.
Sha Chen opened his eyes, looked at the weakened Three Holy Mother, and said, "What’s the matter? Didn’t we agree that I would lecture you on the Dao for a month, and you would help me cultivate my Primordial Spirit for a year with the Treasured Lotus Lantern? It’s only been three months, and you already can’t hold up?"
Three Holy Mother replied weakly, "River Lord, you’re too intense; I can’t keep up."
Sha Chen’s cheek twitched; that statement sounded a bit off. But he knew what Three Holy Mother meant: his cultivation level was too profound, and the Primordial Spirit he needed to cultivate was too powerful. Three Holy Mother was indeed quite weak, and continuously using the Treasured Lotus Lantern for three months had drained her considerably.
Sha Chen said, "You’re really useless. Do you still want to follow me like this?"
Three Holy Mother said, "Can’t you console me a little? If it were my Second Brother, he would definitely have praised me."
Sha Chen chuckled. "I’m not your Second Brother. Anyway, you must fulfill your promise. Alright, rest for a day. Once you’ve recovered, we’ll continue."
Three Holy Mother said, "I can’t recover in a day; I need half a month."
Sha Chen exclaimed in astonishment, "What a joke! It will take you half a month to recover the mental strength consumed by the Treasured Lotus Lantern?"
Three Holy Mother’s eyes shifted cunningly. "Well, that’s how it is. If you want me to recover faster, you could try coaxing me. Maybe if I’m happy, I’ll recover more quickly. Otherwise, give me some Elixirs; taking those would also speed up my recovery."
Sha Chen thought for a moment, then said, "Alright then."
Three Holy Mother was delighted—had Sha Chen agreed?
Sha Chen continued, "In that case, recover for half a month. I’ll cultivate my Mana during this time."
He then began to meditate, ingesting large quantities of Elixirs to enhance his cultivation. The most update n0vels are published on novel•fire.net
Watching Sha Chen, Three Holy Mother was so angry she almost exploded. Clenching the Treasured Lotus Lantern, she managed to hold back her fury. But seething inside, she stomped her foot and cursed under her breath, "Miser! You have no sense of romance! Hmph, serves you right for being single! I bet no woman likes you, except for a fool like me!" Three Holy Mother was fuming.
「At this time.」
"Who are you?"
From within the Eight-Treasure Water Tower, Seventh Mother emerged. Seeing Three Holy Mother, she frowned, looking wary. Three Holy Mother was exceptionally beautiful and exuded an aura of sanctity that made Seventh Mother feel inadequate by comparison. She felt like an ugly duckling seeing Snow White.
Three Holy Mother asked, "And who are you?"
Seventh Mother replied, "I am the lady of this place."
Three Holy Mother was taken aback. "Sha Chen has a woman?"
Seventh Mother’s face turned red. Seeing Sha Chen cultivating, she didn’t dare to speak nonsense, so she said honestly, "I am Seventh Mother, one of the Seven Immortal Maidens from the Cave of the Silken Web. Sha Chen is my eldest brother."
Three Holy Mother was first stunned, then shocked. She then asked, "If you’re his younger sister, why did you say you are the lady of this place?"
Seventh Mother blushed. "I’ve liked my eldest brother for a long time, but he doesn’t reciprocate. I was just talking nonsense; I’m not the lady here yet."
Three Holy Mother was speechless. She had just been thinking that no other women liked Sha Chen, and then one appeared—and she wasn’t a bad match either! Well, it’s just one more, after all.
Seventh Mother continued, "I also have six sisters cultivating inside the Eight-Treasure Water Tower. They’re all like me—secretly in love with our eldest brother, but none have succeeded."
Three Holy Mother was dumbfounded. Seven more, all at once!
Seventh Mother then asked, "But really, who are you?"
Since the other had already introduced herself, Three Holy Mother couldn’t very well hide her identity. So she said, "Yang Chan of Guanjiangkou, disciple of Saint Nuwa from Nuwa Palace."
HISS.
Seventh Mother was startled. She had divulged so much, partly out of a sense of inferiority, hoping to assert her position and scare Three Holy Mother away. But she hadn’t expected Three Holy Mother to have such a significant background. She was shocked.
Seventh Mother took a closer look, then frowned. "Are you really a disciple of a Saint? Impossible. How could a Saint’s disciple be so weak?"
Three Holy Mother was angered. "Me, weak? Dare to fight me?"
Seventh Mother, half-believing and half-doubting, actually took up the challenge.
And then, Three Holy Mother was defeated.
Her face was filled with disbelief. The spider spirits from the Cave of the Silken Web—she had heard of them. Were they really that strong?
Seventh Mother, looking at Three Holy Mother, gradually became more confident, though still dubious. "Are you really a disciple of a Saint? You’re too weak, aren’t you?"
Three Holy Mother, unwilling to concede, retorted, "I just couldn’t beat you, that’s all. Others would definitely not be my match."
Seventh Mother then said, "But I’m the weakest among our eldest brother’s followers."