Chapter 391: Tianpeng's Wind-Bearing Message

"How can you be so calm? Is it really such a big deal?"

Tianpeng looked at Chen Nuo's calm and composed demeanor, growing even more anxious—this was a matter of burning urgency.

"How big?"

Chen Nuo asked lightly.

"It's huge, truly huge. Oh no, I don't have time to explain—come with me quickly!"

Tianpeng said, reaching to pull Chen Nuo, but Chen Nuo dodged him. "Speak plainly—with this time, the matter could already be settled. If you won't speak, then get lost—I still need to study dishes."

"Really? You're researching new dishes? What is it? Can I have a taste?"

Upon hearing about new dishes, Tianpeng's interest sparked, but he quickly recalled the more pressing matter and shook his head frantically. "Ah, Chen the shopkeeper, now is not the time for this—it's truly a huge matter. Your disciple, Sun Wukong, is about to face great calamity."

Chen Nuo originally thought it was something else, never expecting this. In his view, this matter wasn't even worth breaking a table or stool over. "Hmm, I understand. You may leave now—don't disturb me."

Tianpeng stared at Chen Nuo in shock—this Chen Nuo was far too calm.

Such a major matter, and it concerns his chief disciple—how could he not even frown? "Chen the shopkeeper, won't you ask what it is?"

He didn't say it, but Chen Nuo already knew what it was—he just didn't want to waste time arguing with Tianpeng here. "Don't ask—get lost, or don't come back at all. I'm still busy."

Who would have thought Tianpeng didn't even hear Chen Nuo's words, just kept talking to himself: "This Monkey Brother is quite a formidable figure—he actually made that group of bald donkeys eat Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. That dish is meat-based, you know—I nearly had a headache just hearing about it, so I rushed back to tell you."

"Oh."

Chen Nuo nodded. "What's the fuss over eating a dish? He should be back by now, shouldn't he?"

"How could it not be? My household staff just told me this, and they whispered it secretly—few people know. You must come with me to resolve this now, or if the Buddha and Jade Emperor find out, it won't be so easily settled."

Tianpeng said, then reached again to grab Chen Nuo.

Chen Nuo slapped him away with one palm, then asked, "Still only a few people know?"

"Exactly—only a few know. Hurry up, or it'll really be too late."

Chen Nuo let out a cold laugh—Sun Wukong's efficiency was truly slow. He had thought everything was already resolved when Tianpeng first told him, but it turns out the matter has only just reached this point.

Seeing Chen Nuo unmoved, Tianpeng assumed he was thinking of a solution for Sun Wukong and said, "Chen the shopkeeper, I know you've never left Chaos Residence, but this is no small matter—one misstep and you truly won't be able to return."

"Don't worry."

Chen Nuo patted Tianpeng's shoulder. "If he can't handle this, then I've wasted all these years raising him."

"What should we do? Otherwise, I'll rush over now, first bring Monkey Brother back, then we'll deal with the rest..."

Tianpeng was still anxiously pondering solutions when he heard Chen Nuo's words and suddenly froze. "What? What do you mean?"

"Just what you're thinking."

Chen Nuo said.

"What you're thinking?"

Tianpeng blinked blankly. "Are you testing Monkey Brother? But even if you want to train him, this isn't the matter to do it in, Chen the shopkeeper. This is truly a major affair—so many celestials present, and I heard ten Buddhist monks ate the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. This is no small thing."

Chen Nuo pressed his forehead—was Tianpeng truly stupid or just too naive? "I'm saying, I anticipated this long ago."

Tianpeng still didn't catch the meaning in Chen Nuo's words. "Yeah, don't blame me for saying it, but I've felt it too—your dishes are so delicious, even the Jade Emperor loves them. How could those monks resist such temptation?"

"Actually, it's their weak willpower—no wonder they've cultivated for years and still haven't earned a name. How could such feeble resolve lead to Buddhahood?"

Chen Nuo sighed, having explained it once—Tianpeng still didn't understand, and he really didn't feel like explaining again.

"Actually, this isn't really Monkey Brother's fault—I should have attended that Buddhist Dharma Feast myself back then, so I could have intervened if anything happened. Now it's too late—those monks insist they were drugged, but how could that be? This dish is so delicious—why would it need drugs? Isn't this just slapping Chaos Residence in the face?"

Tianpeng was still muttering to himself—originally he'd been flustered, wondering what to do if the Buddha blamed them and dragged Chaos Residence into it—but Chen Nuo's calm ease gave him some confidence. He was still worried, but not panicking as before.

Chen Nuo was so resolute—this matter would surely be resolved peacefully, only Monkey Brother would suffer.

To make a good dish and still be blamed—who knows what Monkey Brother will think of cooking after this? He still hopes to follow Monkey Brother someday.

Doing a good dish properly also gets blamed by others; I don't know whether after experiencing this Divine Event, Monkey Brother can still keep his original intention toward cooking. He still wants to follow Monkey Brother in the future.

Tianpeng said, "Monkey Brother still hasn't told anyone the dish's name—is it because the name isn't good, and he can't bring himself to say it to those monks?"

Tianpeng said, "Monkey Brother seems not to have told anyone yet that this dish's name is Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. Is it that this name isn't good, and Monkey Brother can't say it out to those monks?"

Chen Nuo was a little surprised, but knowing Sun Wukong as he does, it definitely isn't for that reason—he's not telling them the name.

"Exactly—given Monkey Brother's nature, he should have announced the dish's name as soon as it was served. How has it come to this? They've finished eating, and he still hasn't said the name."

Tianpeng also seemed puzzled. "Or is Monkey Brother saving up some great move?"

This thought matched what Chen Nuo had been thinking—since he'd already told Sun Wukong to publicly embarrass the Buddhist Sect, Sun Wukong certainly wouldn't defy him; he'd likely go even further.

"Chen the shopkeeper, you really aren't worried about Monkey Brother at all?"

Tianpeng asked. "Monkey Brother's nature is such that he never suffers a loss—though there are so many celestials present, one never knows when he might rebel. If he truly did, how should he handle it?"

Chen Nuo glanced at Tianpeng with mild surprise—he knew the original story, where Sun Wukong constantly bullied Tianpeng, yet the two shared a bond forged in hardship.

Unlike now, in the original, that bond developed gradually along the Journey to the West.

Now they're barely considered friends—why does Tianpeng still care so much about Sun Wukong?

Tianpeng was still worrying about Sun Wukong, while Chen Nuo began calculating other matters.

Since arriving in this world and taking Sun Wukong as his disciple, he has largely altered the course of this world.

Even the beginning of the Journey to the West has been delayed considerably—but upon close observation, one finds that although major plot points have diverged from the original, many minor events still unfold as they originally did.

Sun Wukong hasn't met Tang Xuanzang, but he has met Jin Chanzi, and the Six-Eared Macaque plot has already played out early. Also, there's Zhu Bajie and Sun Wukong.

Zhu Bajie is no longer called Zhu Bajie—he's still Tianpeng, and Sun Wukong's name wasn't given by Bodhi Patriarch, but by himself.

Zhu Bajie is no longer called Zhu Bajie—he's still Tianpeng, and Sun Wukong's name wasn't given by Bodhi Patriarch, but by himself.