Chapter 336

The meat's inherent meaty fragrance, combined with the rich, fresh, and salty broth, creates a lingering flavor on the lips and teeth, leaving a fragrant aftertaste that invites reflection.

This red-braised pork rib is divine!

Maitreya couldn't help but praise it—truly, it's no wonder the Heavenly Court appointed him Head Chef; he's not just for show.

But what he's even more curious about is, if the disciple is like this, what must the master's culinary skills be like? Maitreya still remembers Sun Wukong saying his master's cooking far surpasses his own.

And there's an even more astonishing ability: it can awaken divine abilities in those who eat it!

His Great Capacity Divine Ability comes from this—just thinking about it makes him feel startled and unable to settle.

Someone who can casually awaken others' divine abilities must have what level of cultivation and magic power? Reaching Heaven-Penetrating and Earth-Penetrating? Anyway, even if he were stronger, it wouldn't matter—he has no ill will; all he has is a hungry heart.

Sun Wukong already told him the place; after this Dharma feast ends, he will definitely seek an opportunity to go see for himself!

"Formation Address, how does it taste?"

Maitreya was savoring it carefully when, out of nowhere, Jin Chanzi's voice came from behind, startling him so much his chopsticks trembled.

"Delicious!

Of course it's delicious!

Almsgiving Monk dares to promise, this dish in the Three Realms would surely rank among the finest."

Maitreya praised without stinginess.

"Great Chef Sun Wukong is the Head Chef of the Heavenly Court!

His ability surpasses the Food and Stove Gods to take the Head Chef position—how could it be simple?"

Maitreya spoke with conviction; before the Peach Banquet, he had visited the Imperial Kitchen and seen that the Food and Stove Gods only did menial work—if Sun Wukong's cooking were poor, could he have achieved this? This meal's praise even made Sun Wukong feel a bit embarrassed—what virtue or ability does he have to deserve top rank? He's far behind!

Moreover, surpassing the Food and Stove Gods... isn't that just casual talk? Isn't he exaggerating? If these two followed their master's culinary teachings, they'd only be at the initial stage—far behind.

Maitreya was praising on and on when he suddenly realized something, turned to look at Jin Chanzi, his plump face showing a hint of hesitation: "You wouldn't..."

"... also want to eat, would you?"

"Mm"

Jin Chanzi smiled at the corner of his mouth.

"No way"

Maitreya stared, mouth agape: "You really want to eat?"

"Of course"

Jin Chanzi nodded, laughing aloud.

"Hahaha, Almsgiving Monk doesn't care for anything else—just based on this Buddhist principle from Sun Wukong, I must try it once."

He has always been a practitioner of truth!

"Then here are chopsticks—try a bite."

Maitreya reluctantly handed over an extra pair of chopsticks from the table, emphasizing the words "try a bite."

"Thank you, Formation Address."

Jin Chanzi took the chopsticks, his gaze fixed on the plate of red-braised pork ribs before him.

The meat pieces were uniform in size, neatly arranged, their reddish-brown appearance extremely tempting.

Jin Chanzi hesitated no more, directly picking up a piece.

As the meat entered his mouth, in an instant, the flavor captivated Jin Chanzi.

Such a taste—let alone having eaten it before, he hadn't even dared to imagine it previously; it's simply too delicious!

Jin Chanzi's mind wandered, one piece went down, his chopsticks reached for the plate again, making Maitreya frown deeply.

This is what Sun Wukong made for him—eat one piece, there's one less.

Others eating beef, and eating his flesh, are no different—same pain in the meat.

Seeing Jin Chanzi finish the third piece and still reaching for more, Maitreya could no longer hold back, quickly lifting a plate and shifting his body to dodge.

Jin Chanzi picked up an empty piece, his whole body came back to awareness, his eyes showing a few more points of confusion: "Formation Address, why is this?"

"Why"

Maitreya glared, anger rising in his heart: "Do you really taste like this? If Almsgiving Monk didn't do this, I'm afraid the whole plate would be gone by you."

Originally, this plate didn't have much—directly finished three pieces, and he himself had only eaten one!

"No way around it"

Jin Chanzi shook his head, appearing as if it were only natural.

"Sun Wukong's dishes are indeed incomparably delicious, intoxicating; Almsgiving Monk still remembers this being the first time he knew meat could taste so wonderful, a moment of uncontrollable emotion—also perfectly reasonable."

Maitreya: "..."

These words he spoke, he actually couldn't refute, nearly identical to his own portrayal.

"Alcohol and meat pass through the intestines, the Buddha keeps them in heart."

Jin Chanzi murmured a sentence, nodding in praise.

"I didn't expect this Buddhist principle to be not only eloquent in speech, but even more wonderful in practice."

No wonder Formation Address became like this—if it were me, no, if it were others from Ling Mountain, they'd be the same!

Although he considers himself not someone greedy for mouth and belly,

but he cannot deny that, compared to this plate of red-braised pork ribs, what he previously ate was no different from weeds—bland and tasteless.

"Formation Address, may I taste again?"

Watching Maitreya eat heartily, Jin Chanzi ultimately couldn't hold back his resolve.

Or perhaps say, that Buddhist principle has already freed him from this restraint.

Jin Chanzi can eat—this meat has no spiritual energy, likely because it hasn't awakened spiritual intelligence.

The Buddhist Sect always says to hold compassion in heart, so only eat vegetables, not meat; for such sayings, he previously didn't really agree.

As the saying goes, all things have spirits; even if one eats vegetarian fare, what of it? Are those plants not living beings? Moreover, there are not a few cultivators who have taken plant form. Before, he did not quite understand, but now he does.

He feels that whether it be meat or vegetarian, there is no difference; as long as one does not kill sentient life, any sentient being capable of entering cultivation is acceptable.

Jin Chanzi is gifted and perceptive, having long dwelled in the Buddhist Sect, and has long perceived some indications.

The Buddha is not as perfect as proclaimed.

They speak with compassion in their hearts, yet once their own interests are touched, they no longer maintain their usual dignified and solemn appearance, nor do they harbor any compassion in their hearts!

May myriad prayers go unanswered by the Buddha; when the Golden Body is destroyed, all Buddhas appear.

How ironic this is! Jin Chanzi's heart can be said to be filled with utter disappointment; he now sees ever more clearly what the Buddha truly is.

They are merely ordinary people with a bright exterior, speaking fine words.

They have selfish motives, ambitions, and even malice; if the Buddha is such, then anyone in the world could be a Buddha.

Jin Chanzi knows these words must absolutely not be spoken.

If the Buddha is thus, then he has not the slightest desire to become a Buddha; remaining here, he is merely existing in search of truth.

"Do not dare think"

Maitreya's great head sways, his hands like a vicious dog guarding food, stationed before the plate.

"You have already eaten three pieces, yet you still want to eat; I am your Formation Address, after all, and I do not know to leave some for the Almsgiving Monk?"

This was prepared for him by Sun Wukong!

Seeing Maitreya so nitpicky, Sun Wukong's eyelids twitch; "Is it not just a vegetarian dish? Old Grandson will keep making it for you—you lot eat as you should."

He still has a great deal of ingredients left; is preparing them not as easy as lifting a finger? "Thank you, Sun Wukong; then the Almsgiving Monk shall obey rather than merely show respect."

Jin Chanzi smiles slightly, nodding toward Sun Wukong.

With the host speaking, Maitreya finds it hard to rebut, after all, the cooking is done by the elder; if he grows angry and stops cooking, would he not end up weeping to death? Let the portions be divided as they may; thinking thus, Maitreya, unwilling yet resigned, pushes the plate back to the center and leans it slightly toward his own position.

"Eat!

Your Formation Address I am not a stingy person"

Maitreya grips his chopsticks, gathering strength for release.

He merely guards beautiful things—nothing more.