Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Want the Horse to Run [Seeking Collection and Recommendations]_1
His Illusion-Breaking Divine Eye peered beyond the Formation. Indeed, it was the sneaky Black Bear Demon. Sha Chen checked repeatedly, even using the Spirit Contract to test him. Only after confirming it truly was the Black Bear Demon did he let the bear in.
After the Black Bear Demon entered, he wore a look of deep resentment. To test him, Sha Chen had tormented him fiercely with the Spirit Contract.
"Master, why be so cautious? The Nine-headed Saint didn’t even follow me," the Black Bear Demon said with grievance.
Sha Chen paused, then asked, "Who?"
The Black Bear Demon said, "What?"
Sha Chen asked, "Why do you say the Nine-headed Saint didn’t follow you?"
The Black Bear Demon scratched his head. "Didn’t you ask me to go and kill King Guangling? I twisted his head off and then set his cave residence ablaze."
Sha Chen nodded. "And then?"
"Master, you also know that King Guangling was one of the Nine-headed Saint’s men. When the matter was exposed on Luanshi Island, I was pursued by people sent by the Nine-headed Saint for over a dozen years."
A muscle in Sha Chen’s cheek twitched. "Since you were being pursued, why did you come back?"
The Black Bear Demon replied, "Master, rest assured, no one followed me; I shook them all off. This was also thanks to the Eight Diagrams Immortal Clothes you gave me, which saved my life several times."
The Eight Diagrams Immortal Clothes could render a person invisible and shield their aura. The Black Bear Demon’s survival owed much to them.
However, what Sha Chen wanted to say was not this. Instead, he wondered: if the Black Bear Demon caused trouble, could he perhaps not flee *here*?
If he brought trouble, Sha Chen would surely strangle the Black Bear Demon to death.
Just as Sha Chen was contemplating how to punish the Black Bear Demon, who could potentially attract a Daluo Golden Immortal-level demon to him, the creature seemed to sense Sha Chen’s anger. He quickly took out a Qiankun Bag, presenting it respectfully.
"Master, this is what I obtained after killing King Guangling and looting his cave residence. Inside, there are many Elixirs and Immortal Herbs, as well as some demons’ Golden Cores—enough to cultivate a Greater Primordial Golden Immortal," he said with a fawning smile. "In these dozen-plus years, apart from taking some Healing Pills for my injuries, I haven’t touched a single herb."
Sha Chen paused, glanced inside, and secretly gasped.
Quite bountiful. King Guangling had accumulated a vast fortune from his plundering overseas, and now it had all fallen into his, Sha Chen’s, lap.
Sha Chen could no longer rightly blame the Black Bear Demon. He patted him on the shoulder, offering a few words of comfort. "You’ve worked hard these years. You got into trouble while working for me; I should have smoothed it over for you, but then you wouldn’t grow. After you leave, just lead any pursuers away," Sha Chen instructed.
He then reached into the Qiankun Bag, grabbed a handful of Elixirs and several demon Golden Cores. He felt a twinge of reluctance, let some slip through his fingers, and then took them out.
"You’ve had a hard time. I am one for clear rewards and punishments. Take these for your Cultivation and raise your cultivation level quickly to be a useful bear," Sha Chen said.
The Black Bear Demon was tearfully grateful. He had actually secretly taken quite a lot over the years. To still receive more now filled him with gratitude towards Sha Chen, mixed with a bit of guilt. After a brief show of refusal, he tearfully accepted the gift.
Sha Chen always felt this Black Bear Demon was exceptionally cunning. He knew how frugal he himself was, so for the bear to be this moved, it undoubtedly meant he had secretly taken quite a lot before. Still, what was given would not be taken back.
However, the way he treated the Black Bear Demon from then on wasn’t as warm as before.
Looking at the food on the table, the Black Bear Demon was confused.
Baffled, the Black Bear Demon asked, "Master, why so meager this time?"
Sha Chen replied, "Can’t help it, nothing’s grown from the land yet."
The Black Bear Demon said, "But last time at least there were some dishes. This time it’s straight to steamed buns and noodles, not even a clove of garlic. This is worse than a monk’s fare!"
Sha Chen earnestly explained, "Even the landlord’s house runs out of surplus grain. Old Bear, bear with it. After this year, when the harvest comes, we’ll have plenty to eat."
The Black Bear Demon said, "But I’ll be leaving soon."
Sha Chen said with feigned tears, "That would truly be wonderful... COUGH. COUGH. What a pity. In the future, if there’s a chance... a chance, eh?"
A moment of silence followed.
The Black Bear Demon asked, "Master, do you have any wine?"
Sha Chen replied, "We’re out."
The Black Bear Demon glanced at the orderly array of hundreds of urns of different kinds of wine stored in the palace behind Sha Chen and fell into deep thought.
Sha Chen coughed, walked over, picked up a jar of Osmanthus wine, then put it down. He then picked up a jar of Immortal Peach Wine, only to put it down as well. Finally, he brought over two jars of white wine.
"You really have a keen nose. This wine hasn’t been cellared for long, and the flavor isn’t perfect yet. But since you’re back, we should at least drink to our heart’s content. Come, let’s drink up."
If you want the horse to run, you must let it graze. Sha Chen still expected the Black Bear Demon to continue working for him, so he couldn’t be too stingy.
However, after thanking him, the Black Bear Demon downed it in one gulp. This wasn’t enough, and he fixed his gaze on the wine cellar again.
A twitch appeared on Sha Chen’s cheek. "If you want to drink, drink to your satisfaction," he said.
The Black Bear Demon clasped his fists in thanks, then dashed over, returning with several jars of white wine. Among them, he had even mixed in a jar of Immortal Peach Wine.
It pained Sha Chen to see this. He quickly snatched it back, poured himself half, and only then reluctantly tossed the rest to the bear.
After drinking, the Black Bear Demon was overjoyed. "Master, this wine is delicious! What’s it called?"
Sha Chen answered, "It’s brewed from Immortal Peaches, mixed with Mysterious Heavenly Water and other Elixirs..."
Overjoyed, the Black Bear Demon drank it all and once again eyed the wine cellar.
Sha Chen said, "Stop looking. Once you distinguish yourself with a great deed, you can drink as much as you want. This time, although you did defeat King Guangling, you also incurred the wrath of the Nine-headed Saint. The good and the bad cancel each other out, so half a jar is enough."
The Black Bear Demon was stunned.
Sha Chen indeed practiced clear rewards and punishments. He dared not covet the fine wine any longer, though it still lingered in his thoughts.
"Master, during these past dozen years or so of fleeing, I did not encounter this Chen Sha person you spoke of, nor was I able to give him the Eight Diagrams Immortal Clothes."
Sha Chen said, "You don’t need to give them to him anymore."
The man was already doing hard labor on Jinao Island; giving them to him would be a waste.
Sha Chen took back the Eight Diagrams Immortal Clothes and then asked, "In those dozen-plus years, what else have you discovered?"
The Black Bear Demon replied, "I discovered that many overseas cultivators are heading to Penglai Island."
Sha Chen nodded. That must be the Sect of Interpretation recruiting forces.
"Besides that, I also found some blessed lands, but my ability is insufficient and I lacked the manpower to secure them," added the demon.
When Sha Chen heard "blessed lands," he immediately thought of cultivation resources, and his eyes lit up.
"I will pass on the remaining 72 Polymorphic Transformations to you. Cultivate diligently and improve your strength. Wouldn’t that solve the problem?"
The Black Bear Demon was overjoyed and knelt on the ground, kowtowing incessantly.
In the following half-year, he studied under Sha Chen, showing extreme diligence, and his cultivation level gradually reached the peak of the Golden Immortal realm.
This made Sha Chen exclaim in admiration. This fellow’s talent is truly remarkable! Previously, he was self-taught, following a wild path, but now with proper guidance, his talent truly shone.
Before, Sha Chen had taught the Eight-Nine Profound Art and some of the 72 Polymorphic Transformations to the Black Bear Demon, which had already benefited him greatly. Now, by teaching him the rest, he made the Black Bear Demon even more unwaveringly loyal to him.
Sha Chen, for his part, figured that the stronger the Black Bear Demon became, the better he could serve him. To get the donkey to turn the mill, you can’t just dangle a carrot in front of it.