Chapter 117

This scene's impact on Maitreya Buddha was greater than the shock of learning that Sun Wukong was a chef.

Who could believe that the Buddhist Sect's designated protector against demons would actually take up cooking?

Moreover, judging by this posture and the attitudes of the other three, this monkey is still a head chef.

The monkey's focused demeanor, standardized movements, and superb techniques while cooking left him finding no fault at all.

And as head chef, that means all these dishes outside were made by this monkey!

Good heavens, has he read too many Buddhist scriptures and hallucinated? Where did this monkey disappear to at that moment, and what did he experience?

How is it that he not only possesses extremely high cultivation but also has such awesome cooking skills?

After a while, Sun Wukong finished the Palace Guardian Chicken Ding, divided it into plates, evenly distributed, making eleven plates in total, though he still left a bit in the pot at the end.

He served it in small bowls, picked up his chopsticks, came before Maitreya Buddha, and said: "Try this."

Smelling the pungent aroma, Maitreya Buddha lowered his head, gazing at the alluring Palace Guardian Chicken Ding in the bowl, greatly stirred, yet reason still held the upper hand.

Maitreya Buddha shook his head and said: "Those who leave home do not touch meat and wine, eating only vegetarian food."

"Nonsense!" Sun Wukong snapped: "Without meat, is it still called a soul?"

He is an unequivocal meat-eater; although he also prepares vegetarian dishes, they are usually used as side dishes.

"No, no, this is the Buddhist Sect's rule, it cannot be broken!" Maitreya Buddha spoke solemnly, yet his eyes still could not bear to look away.

"Your Buddhist life like this is incomplete." Sun Wukong shook his head, appearing as one who has been through it.

"Before, I, Old Grandson, also thought peaches were the most delicious thing in this world, but after eating meat, I realized those were all nonsense!"

Sun Wukong began to earnestly instruct Maitreya Buddha, as if their identities had been swapped.

For ten years of flattering Chen Nuo, Sun Wukong's eloquence was also quite extraordinary; truly speaking made Maitreya Buddha's stance waver.

"But... but this rule..." Maitreya Buddha still hesitated a little, after all, this has never changed.

"Ah, you fatty, really ink-stained, not the least bit refreshing." Sun Wukong spoke with a dry mouth, a face of impatience.

He still had to keep cooking, ink-stained for so long.

"All day Buddha Buddha Buddha, that's in the heart, not constantly hanging on the lips, eating some meat, what's there to fear? Passing through the gut settles it."

"Stubborn!" Sun Wukong hated iron for not becoming steel.

Right!

Maitreya Buddha's eyes instantly brightened; what this monkey said was too correct!

The Food and Stove Gods were all stunned, that was Maitreya Buddha, actually being lectured by the Great Immortal Sun Wukong.

Moreover, Maitreya Buddha still appeared humbly accepting.

Great Immortal Sun Wukong is awesome!

However...

The Food and Stove Gods twitched the corners of their mouths, urging the Buddha ancestor to eat meat—how could this scene look so strange?

The more Maitreya Buddha thought about Sun Wukong's words, the more reasonable they seemed; why did he cling so rigidly to rules without knowing how to adapt?

He had already harbored no thoughts for the position of Buddhist Sect Leader; could he not pursue something in the realm of cuisine?

Buddha, as long as it's in the heart, is enough.

"Alcohol and meat pass through the intestines... the Buddha ancestor retains in the heart." Maitreya Buddha whispered word by word.

"Huh? Unexpected that you're still quite cultured." Sun Wukong was somewhat surprised.

This fatty actually condensed his words, and moreover so profoundly.

Having realized these, Maitreya Buddha's heart had no more scruples; he took the bowl and chopsticks, holding his excited heart, and pinched up a meat chunk.

If it's not tasty, he would still continue eating vegetarian.

Maitreya Buddha thought in his heart, sending the meat chunk into his mouth, yet before he could chew finely, he was already immersed in it.

Fragrant!

This rich aroma is something vegetarian dishes cannot possibly reach; for the first time tasting meat, Maitreya Buddha felt nothing wrong, instead feeling extremely comfortable.

Eating meat, it actually felt like an instinct.

Savoring carefully, first the tongue tip felt slight numbness and mild spice, then the impact on the taste buds was a wave of sweetness.

The chicken chunks wrapped in numbness, spice, and sweetness made one unable to stop.

With the first bite came the second; this time Maitreya Buddha pinched up a bit more.

The chicken chunks combined with dried chili peppers, cucumber chunks, and peanuts entering the mouth—this taste, divine!

These dried chili peppers he merely picked up by accident.

The reddish appearance he did not want to touch, but facing such delicious food, how could he retreat?

So he also ate it in, but just this one time, it made him utterly lost; the dried chili peppers red but not spicy, spicy but not fierce.

Moreover, it brought a hint of roasted aroma, elevating the entire dish's flavor by one tier.

The appearance of peanuts was not abrupt, but rather echoed with the roasted aroma and meat aroma, you in me, me in you, indistinguishable.

Having them, it counts as complete.

The chicken chunks' texture is smooth, the meat quality tender and fresh—no need to say more; finally, the cucumber is the finishing touch, crisp and refreshing.

Although the surface carries the dish's aroma, its inner integrity must not be ignored; that refreshing taste is like adding the eyes to a dragon, lingering in the mouth.

It dispelled all greasiness.

At this moment, Maitreya Buddha felt himself like a small boat drifting aimlessly on the sea, without goal, without power, only having follow-one's-desire, yet he was not sorrowful, for he knew, no matter what, the arrival is the other shore.

Unconsciously, a small bowl of Palace Guardian Chicken Ding had already disappeared.

"Buddha... Buddha ancestor... really passed away?"

The Food and Stove Gods stared, speechless; they were still seeing for the first time Buddhist Sect members breaking street to eat meat, and moreover it was the Buddha ancestor!

Great Immortal Sun Wukong, awesome!

After setting down the bowl and chopsticks with lingering aftertaste, Maitreya Buddha silently recited a few lines of penance in his heart, and also performed a supernatural liberation for this chicken with a few lines.

"Any more?" Maitreya Buddha said after pursing his lips.

Sun Wukong, upon hearing this, grinned: "That's all; those are meant for use at the banquet."

He smacked his lips once, Maitreya Buddha felt a bit disappointed, but after thinking it over, he instantly became invigorated.

Now the monkey is the Imperial Kitchen Head Chef, the Peach Banquet fundamentally cannot cause trouble, can proceed as usual, so does that not mean, after he finishes eating here, he can eat again?

Perfect!

The Buddha's heart instantly filled with hope.

Smiles ever open, good fortune comes naturally!

"I'm going to make other dishes; if you want to keep eating, just stay here." Sun Wukong said casually.

For his own guests, Sun Wukong doesn't mind giving some preferential treatment.

Anyway, the quantity is so large, leaving a bit is no problem.

Maitreya Buddha quickly nodded, is there still this good thing?

He cannot shirk his duty!

With so many living beings ignored, he must properly perform supernatural liberation.

Seeing this, Sun Wukong also stopped paying attention to Maitreya Buddha, and continued to rush the dishes as before.

Dish after dish appeared in Sun Wukong's furry hands, each with its own merits, yet none inferior to the others.

It can be seen that Sun Wukong's cooking skill is so high.

And as the Future Buddha, Maitreya Buddha looked like a country bumpkin entering the city, staring intently at the new dishes Sun Wukong made.

So much that he was overwhelmed.

And the flavor, moreover, made him forget himself, his heart drifting in divine fullness.

Maitreya Buddha felt he had lived in vain before, even falsely claimed to be the greatest eater in Ling Mountain Buddhist Sect, and compared to this monkey's dishes, those made by Ling Mountain people are simply filthy!