WHOOSH.
The three life-saving strands of fur instantly flew out and transformed into the true body of Guanyin Bodhisattva.
Guanyin Bodhisattva's face was filled with shock and disbelief. She truly could not fathom how she had been discovered. This move had worked countless times before.
Guanyin Bodhisattva asked, "How did you detect my presence here?"
Sha Chen replied, "With your strength, trying to play tricks under my watch is simply overestimating your abilities."
Only then did Guanyin Bodhisattva realize she was as insignificant as an ant in Sha Chen's eyes, which left her feeling somewhat conflicted. There was a time when I didn't take Sha Chen seriously, even thinking I could manipulate him at will. But now, before him, I'm like an ant. Even though I've reached the Quasi-Saint Realm, I'm still insignificant in his eyes. Even Sun Wukong dares to scorn me now, showing me no regard whatsoever!
Sun Wukong chuckled from the side. "Bodhisattva, if your little tricks can't even deceive Old Sun, how do you expect to deceive others?"
Then he took his seat without a care, picked up a bowl of wine, and guzzled it down. Seeing the dishes on the table, he reached out, grabbed some food, and began to eat.
"Good wine, good food! It has been a long while since Old Sun has tasted such delicious fare or drunk such refreshing wine."
Sun Wukong was so joyful that he danced and whooped excitedly.
Sha Chen also lifted his cup and drank it all in one go. Seeing Guanyin Bodhisattva sitting beside him, tense as though facing a formidable enemy, he couldn't help but laugh.
"Bodhisattva, if I wanted to kill you or didn't allow you in, you simply wouldn't have been able to enter. And if I wanted you dead, you would have died long ago."
Guanyin Bodhisattva's eyes flickered as she finally came to terms with it.
She then laughed, took her seat, picked up a cup of wine, and finished it in one gulp. However, she didn't touch a single dish on the table.
Sha Chen said, "Could it be that you, like Tathagata Buddha, fear I've poisoned the dishes, and are thus observing a silent fast?"
Guanyin Bodhisattva replied, "If I were afraid, I wouldn't have drunk the wine. Besides, having entered your cave abode, it would be far easier for you to capture me than to poison me."
Sha Chen laughed heartily. "You're right, Bodhisattva. With my abilities, capturing you would indeed be as easy as flipping my hand. But I haven't done so, because it's unnecessary."
The Bodhisattva asked, "So, will you let me leave?"
Sha Chen laughed again. "If you want to leave, you'll likely need some time. After all, you've entered and seen the state of my cave abode. It wouldn't be fair to me, or to those who trust and follow me, if I just let you go."
Guanyin Bodhisattva heaved a long sigh. "I knew it wouldn't be so easy. In fact, I came prepared for death."
Sha Chen also began to laugh, and Sun Wukong joined in, chuckling heartily.
Unconcerned with anything else, they began to feast heartily, emptying their cups with each pour, gobbling down meat, and quaffing wine from massive bowls.
Meanwhile, Guanyin Bodhisattva sat uneasily, as if on pins and needles. Never had I expected that one day, these two whom I once manipulated with ease would be laughing and chatting so merrily beside me, while I feel like I'm sitting on a bed of thorns! Though my heart is bitter, I have to accept reality. Now that the enemy is strong and I am weak, I have no choice but to bow my head.
As the wine flowed past the third round and the dishes spanned five flavors, Sun Wukong finally spoke up. "Old Sha, with the Journey to the West calamity already underway, what are your thoughts exactly?"
He spoke intimately with Sha Chen, disregarding everyone else. At that moment, Guanyin Bodhisattva realized, These two must have met before, or at the very least, had dealings with each other. I'm truly in the tiger's den, and perhaps the entire Buddhist faction has been played by them!
Sha Chen paid no mind to the Bodhisattva and said directly, "I certainly won't get involved in the Journey to the West calamity. However, I could consider taking a small share from it."
"As for you two, simply proceed with your Journey to the West in all earnestness, for I have high expectations and hopes for you."
Sun Wukong furrowed his brows. "Buddhism has treated you this way, yet you still want us to undertake the Journey to the West? Could it be that you wish to hand Jin Chanzi and me over to Buddhism on a silver platter?"
By now, he considered himself one of Sha Chen's own and was speaking out of concern for him. He owed a great deal to Sha Chen's kindness, especially during his toughest days. It was Sha Chen who had stood by his side, provided him with an abundance of resources, and helped him through his difficulties. Even if Sha Chen had ulterior motives in doing this, he wasn't too concerned about it. Compared to the Buddhist hierarchy of the West, Sha Chen was infinitely better.
Hearing this, Guanyin Bodhisattva's heart skipped a beat. This is terrible! she thought. They're completely ignoring me, or rather, treating me as if I'm not an outsider, openly discussing the Journey to the West calamity. This isn't good. If they don't silence me afterward, they'll surely try to assimilate me, or at the very least, confine me. Neither option is ideal. This realization sent a chill through Guanyin Bodhisattva's heart.
Sun Wukong frowned and said, "If that's the case, what benefit does our undertaking the Journey to the West bring to you? And how can you profit from it?"
Sha Chen said, "For you, the Journey to the West calamity will undoubtedly bring immense benefits. Whether it's the power gained during the process or the karmic empowerment after the calamity's conclusion, the advantages will far outweigh any disadvantages."
He smiled. "You and Jin Chanzi just need to use this calamity to enhance your strength, then successfully obtain the Mahayana Buddhist Law, and that will be your ultimate victory."
The usually silent Guanyin could no longer hold back. In astonishment, she exclaimed, "Could it be that you intend for them to be your insiders, to seize the Mahayana Buddhist Law from Buddhism?"
Sha Chen replied, "You guessed right. However, obtaining the Mahayana Buddhist Law is secondary. The most important thing is to use this Journey to the West calamity to propagate their own understanding of the Buddhist Law."
The more Guanyin Bodhisattva listened, the more uneasy she became. She hurriedly said, "The Buddhist Law belongs to the West. The West has Lingjiu Mountain, and Lingjiu Mountain has Tathagata Buddha. Behind Tathagata Buddha are the World of Ultimate Bliss and its realms, which belong to our two Saints of the West."
"The essence of the Buddhist Law must be spread by the mouths of our Buddhism's two Saints, and now including Buddha, it can only be spread through the mouths of these three Saints in total."
She had gleaned the subtext of Sha Chen's words. He plans to use Jin Chanzi and Sun Wukong's influence to spread their own version of Buddhist doctrines! This is utterly unacceptable. The teachings must be imparted personally by the Saints of Buddhism. Any distortion or misunderstanding by others won't do, let alone establishing a separate faction within Buddhism!
Sun Wukong also caught on, his eyes shining with anticipation and delight.
He smirked. "Old Sha, I understand what you're getting at. You want to upend all of Buddhism! But have you considered this? We have countless followers. Overturning their faith could lead to us being condemned by thousands."
Sha Chen replied indifferently, "I'm not upending their faith; I'm planning to replace the leader of Buddhism!"
