Chapter 363: Yang Jian's Shock

You're surprisingly open-minded about it.

The Buddhist disciple glanced at his companion, "I came not because of this."

"Then why is it?"

"The Tathagata Buddha is preparing for the Journey to the West; you should know that, right?"

"I naturally know."

The companion nodded, "Wasn't it just a while ago that we brought over a monkey, seemingly called Sun Wukong?"

The companion said this, paused, recalling something, "I heard that before, when seeking a master from the Bodhi Patriarch, it wasn't just one monkey, could it be...?"

"Exactly, lucky you still remember this matter."

Seeing the companion knew a bit about this, the Buddhist disciple felt relieved, making the explanation not difficult.

"Actually, when paying respects to the Bodhi Patriarch as a disciple, it was first this Sun Wukong, but later, for some unknown reason, he disappeared, so the Buddha brought another monkey, namely the Six-Eared Macaque, intending to replace him."

"Then let it be so."

The companion shrugged, "This monkey no longer pays respects as a disciple; the Six-Eared Macaque didn't learn in vain at the Bodhi Patriarch's place—this isn't a win-win situation. Weren't we just talking about whether we should fear or not? How did we circle back to the Six-Eared Macaque?"

"I wasn't just about to explain this to you."

The Buddhist disciple glared at his companion resentfully, as if wishing iron could become steel, "Why are you in such a hurry?"

"Ah, I'm just like this—you hurry up and speak!"

The companion lifted the teapot and poured a cup of tea toward the Buddhist disciple as a gesture of goodwill.

"Fine, then you explain it to me slowly."

The Buddhist disciple began explaining to his companion.

In short, the substitute isn't as good as the original; although the Six-Eared Macaque didn't learn poorly at the Bodhi Patriarch's place, compared to this Sun Wukong in terms of innate talent, it falls short by more than a notch, so ultimately the Tathagata Buddha still decided to switch back to this original Sun Wukong.

But just as the companion said earlier, this Sun Wukong's aspirations are no longer here; he has no grand ambitions anymore, as if, to him, cooking is more important than anything.

This Buddhist feast, though called a banquet, is actually a Hongmen Banquet.

Not for any other reason, but to persuade this Sun Wukong to go on the Journey to the West.

If he agrees, good; if he disagrees, then we can only resort to force.

The companion was shocked, "So there's actually so much more to this, so just now..."

"Exactly."

The Buddhist disciple nodded, "Actually, I'm not afraid of him; mainly, if I now clash with him, letting this Sun Wukong become furious over this small matter, causing this banquet to not proceed smoothly, then I'd have caused a great disaster—I couldn't bear that."

"Now I understand."

The companion nodded, pondered carefully for a while, agreed with the Buddhist disciple's words, "Still, you're more considerate of the bigger picture—look at my elm-headed self, I nearly caused you a great mistake."

"Ah-choo!

Ah-choo!

Ah-choo"

In the Imperial Kitchen, Sun Wukong rubbed his nose hard, "Which damned bastard dares to scheme against me behind my back? If I catch that grandson, I'll chop him into mincemeat and feed him to dogs."

The dishes had already been served more than halfway, and the banquet had reached its climax.

Many immortals had also drunk plenty of Peach Blossom Wine; though the wine is delicious, after all it's alcohol, and drinking too much will get one drunk.

The Buddhist side hadn't drunk alcohol, but unable to resist the enthusiasm of that group of old drunkards, both sides had already begun moving about, exchanging pleasantries.

Zhenyuanzi had also drunk a bit too much, pulling Erlang Shen Yang Jian along, talking nonstop.

Yang Jian does have some self-control; he estimated his own alcohol capacity and hadn't drunk too much.

Although he indeed wanted to drink two more cups, thinking that drinking would cause trouble, even if he didn't get drunk and wild, if he accidentally said something inappropriate while drunk, it wouldn't be good either.

Zhenyuanzi kept chattering on that side, Yang Jian's head ached from listening, just about to stand up, when he saw people coming from the Buddhist side.

"Yo, this isn't Erlang Shen Yang Jian—everyone's in high spirits, what are you going to do?"

The newcomer was exactly Maitreya Buddha, who came over with a big belly, laughing heartily.

Yang Jian didn't want to chat much with Buddhist people, especially this Maitreya Buddha, who, though appearing to laugh heartily, seemed approachable at first glance, but upon closer inspection, one would know this fellow is a laughing-faced tiger.

He is also a formidable person; what he ought to do will certainly not be done with leniency.

"Nothing much, just drank too much wine, going out for a walk."

"I see you don't look like you've drunk much at all."

Maitreya Buddha reached out and pressed down on Yang Jian, who was about to stand up and prepare to leave.

"Come, come, come—such a chance to gather is rare; let's also drink two cups."

Although Yang Jian was somewhat unwilling, folk tradition has long held a saying: don't strike a smiling face. Even if he were unwilling, since the other party was smiling and speaking, if he refused, it would seem like his fault, so he could only pick up the wine cup before him.

"Come on."

The Peach Blossom Wine is fragrant and icy cold; upon entering the mouth, it first feels slightly cool, then a sweetness rises back up; after drinking one cup, his mood improved considerably.

Yang Jian's tightly furrowed brows relaxed a little, but suddenly he felt something was off, "You, you this..."

"What?"

Maitreya Buddha didn't understand his meaning.

"You're a Buddhist person—how can you drink alcohol?"

Yang Jian's brows, just relaxed, furrowed again, "Isn't this breaking precepts?"

"Hehehe"

Maitreya Buddha laughed lightly, "I thought it was something else—turns out it's this."

Yang Jian looked doubtfully at Maitreya Buddha; he hadn't had much contact with him, but aside from his mother's matter, his impression of Maitreya Buddha was still decent; he hadn't expected such a great figure to actually break precepts.

"I, a drinker, don't mind—how come you, Erlang Shen, look even more concerned than I am?"

"For you Buddhist people, isn't breaking precepts a big deal? How could you not care?"

Yang Jian stared fixedly at Maitreya Buddha, even wondering if he had been possessed by some monster or was simply an impostor, after all, even an ordinary Buddhist disciple, no matter how great the temptation, would think of not breaking the precepts, yet he... Maitreya Buddha smiled lightly, shook his wine cup, and said happily the words he had been muttering lately: "Wine and meat pass through the intestines, the Buddha remains in the heart."

Wine and meat pass through the intestines, the Buddha remains in the heart.

Yang Jian carefully pondered these words; at first hearing they seemed to have some truth, but standing from his own standpoint he felt something was off.

What level of cultivation does Maitreya Buddha have, and what level do the other Buddhist disciples have?

For Maitreya Buddha, he indeed has the qualification to say these words, and when he says them they indeed carry a certain persuasive force.

But for those of low cultivation who have just entered the Buddhist Sect, to say these words is to make excuses for their own behavior.

Yang Jian looked at Maitreya Buddha's flushed face from drinking and said, "Is this your excuse for breaking the precepts?"

"No, to me this does not count as breaking the precepts."

Maitreya Buddha denied Yang Jian's words.

"Then what do you mean?"

"As long as I have Buddha in my heart, whatever I do, I am wholeheartedly toward the Buddha."

Saying this, Maitreya Buddha raised his wine cup and sent another sip into his mouth; the Peach Blossom Wine entered his mouth, and Maitreya Buddha involuntarily let out an exclamation, "Truly fine wine."

"Isn't this just your words to cover up your breaking the precepts?"

Yang Jian said solemnly, "I originally thought you were also a rule-following Buddhist, but now it seems you are no different from the others."