Tongtian Hierarch's words shocked everyone, and their scalps tingled.
They hadn't anticipated that Tathagata already had the chance to gain the Heavenly Dao's recognition and was on the verge of becoming a Saint.
Moreover, after becoming a Saint, his strength might very well surpass that of the other Saints.
This left Yang Jian and the followers of the Three Holy Mother deeply shocked and incredulous.
However, they all knew that what Tongtian Hierarch said wasn't false.
As a Saint himself, if Tongtian Hierarch had made such a judgment, it absolutely couldn't be fake.
They then turned their worried gazes towards Sha Chen.
Sha Chen smiled faintly. "Since I first stayed at Flowing Sand River, opponents have appeared one after another, each stronger than me. But once I surpassed them, not a single one could catch up."
"I couldn't defeat Tathagata before, and not long ago, Tathagata couldn't defeat me. The current Tathagata is still cornered by me with no escape. Only at the last moment did he obtain the Heavenly Dao's compassion, thus gaining a chance to step into the Saint Realm."
His eyes brimmed with confidence as he laughed heartily. "Someone I've cornered with nowhere to run—even if he grows stronger, how powerful can he truly become?"
"Since I've defeated him, I won't give him any further chances to catch up. He isn't even qualified to fight me to a draw, let alone pose a threat."
Upon hearing Sha Chen's impassioned words, the crowd was profoundly stirred and subsequently filled with confidence.
Tongtian Hierarch was taken aback for a moment, then also smiled slightly. "If anyone else dared to utter such arrogant words, I'd be the first to strike them dead. But with you, I believe you."
He continued to smile. "That you could threaten the Heavenly Dao—forcing it to act defensively, bolster its own power, and even create an additional Saint position just to guard against you—is enough to show how strong you are and how vast your potential is."
Sha Chen said, "Actually, I'm not that strong. But for some reason, the Heavenly Dao doesn't seem to permit my existence."
Tongtian Hierarch replied, "Your current strength is likely on par with Saint Zhunti. Yet, you're not even a Sub-Sage, and still, you can threaten Saints. This puts the Heavenly Dao's status in jeopardy, so naturally, it wants to erase you."
Sha Chen smiled faintly. He hadn't told Tongtian Hierarch that his current strength was even greater than when he faced Tathagata. He had already reached the Complete Realization of Space and only lacked Power Great Perfection. Once he achieved that, all his cultivation laws would reach the Great Perfection Realm, equivalent to the fusion of the twelve Ancestral Witches. It's known that the twelve Ancestral Witches, when united to form the Celestial Shen Sha Array, are capable of slaying even Saints. And he wouldn't even need to form the Celestial Shen Sha Array; he could directly concentrate all the powers of the Ancestral Witches within himself. The strength he could unleash then would undoubtedly surpass that of the Celestial Shen Sha Array. Not only that, but he also had mastery over the Zhou Tian Xingchen Formation. He also possessed the River Diagram and Luo Chart, as well as the Chaos Bell—these two magical tools served as the formation's eyes. Once he harnessed all the capabilities of the twelve Ancestral Witches, refined his physical body to its strongest state, and mastered the Law of Power—which even the Ancestral Witches had never possessed—his strength would absolutely surpass that of the Celestial Shen Sha Array. By then, it wouldn't just be about defeating Saints. Killing them wouldn't be a problem either. However, this was too astonishing to disclose. Given that Tongtian Hierarch was himself a Saint recognized by the Heavenly Dao, bringing this up in his presence would certainly provoke the Heavenly Dao's opposition. He might earn Tongtian Hierarch's appreciation, but the Hierarch might not be able to control the Heavenly Dao. If the Heavenly Dao were to then control Tongtian Hierarch and seek to kill him, that wasn't an outcome Sha Chen wished to see.
Therefore, Sha Chen did not reveal the entire truth to Tongtian Hierarch, who then continued, "With your strength, you are already a threat to the Heavenly Dao, so it must erase your existence to prove its own transcendence over all."
Suddenly, Sha Chen asked, "May I ask an impertinent question, Saint? After you've refined the Heavenly Dao, can it still control you in turn?"
Seeing Tongtian Hierarch momentarily stunned, Sha Chen added, "The Heavenly Dao, by sensing my existence, has defensively increased its own power, which in turn has greatly augmented the strength of the Saints."
"If that's the case, does it mean the Heavenly Dao is sentient? You Saints refined the Heavenly Dao, and it lends you its power. You can control this power, but if necessary, could the Heavenly Dao use that same power to control you?"
Yang Jian and the others were immensely shocked and incredulous at these words.
They all looked towards Tongtian Hierarch somewhat fearfully, worried that he would become angry and clash violently with Sha Chen.
However, after a moment of silence, Tongtian Hierarch didn't seem angry. Instead, he explained calmly.
"You're not wrong. Those of us who used the Heavenly Dao to step into the Saint Realm—though we're called Saints and possess cultivation seemingly invincible in this world—are, in reality, borrowing the Heavenly Dao's power."
"Naturally, the Heavenly Dao could also use this power to control us, but that's merely hypothetical. Ever since I ascended to the Saint Realm, I've never been controlled by the Heavenly Dao, though I admit I've had the same doubts as you."
With that, he fell into a long silence.
Sha Chen said no more but instructed the others to go and meditate on their own cultivation.
The crowd dared not disturb them and left to cultivate on their own.
Only Sha Chen and Tongtian Hierarch remained, a table laden with untouched dishes between them.
After a long while, Tongtian Hierarch saw that everyone else had dispersed, leaving only Sha Chen drinking by himself. He gave a bitter smile. "Since becoming a Saint, I always considered myself invincible. It was only after Divine Enthronement that I had the time to ponder the question you've raised."
"Banished to the edges of the universe by my mentor to reflect, I often thought about this question. It wasn't until a few hundred years ago that I decided to let go of my doubts and return to the Three Realms. Then I met you."
"But I never expected that today, after all these years, you would ask me this question again. Yet, even I cannot give you a precise answer, for I too am puzzled."
He seemed somewhat frantic, clutching his disheveled hair, completely lacking a Saint's usual dignity.
Sha Chen too smiled bitterly. "It seems even Saints have their own troubles, huh."
Tongtian Hierarch said, "I had already decided to stop thinking about this issue, but then you reminded me. Truly a calamitous bond."
Sha Chen also responded with a wry smile, repeatedly apologizing.
Tongtian Hierarch waved his hand. "Enough. This question needs to be answered sooner or later. And for some reason, I feel we'll have that answer soon."
Sha Chen, struck by a realization, looked shocked. "Senior, does this mean you've also sensed the Heavenly Dao's agitation? Or perhaps that the Heavenly Dao intends to control your body and will?"
Tongtian Hierarch replied, "The Heavenly Dao cannot control my will or body, but I have a feeling it can change my stance."
