Journey to the West: Starting by taking Sun Wukong as my disciple!-Chapter 380: Let Me Open Your Eyes

"Right, right, and what Chef Wukong said just now wasn’t wrong either—we’re really not using our heads, just blindly focusing on work and acting foolish. The fact that we can eat such delicious dishes is already plenty satisfying; honestly, we just can’t spare the brainpower to think about the names of the dishes."

"Exactly, that’s exactly it."

Having experienced the little episode moments ago, the Immortal Officials were quick to react, hurriedly disassociating themselves from blame, and even the Immortal Official who had earlier clamored about leaving had promptly changed his tune.

They were afraid of Sun Wukong, and not just afraid that getting on Sun Wukong’s bad side would lead to missing out on his cooking; more importantly, they feared the power behind Sun Wukong.

Behind him was Chen Nuo—a major figure whom even the Jade Emperor and Saint Nuwa treated with great respect. They couldn’t afford to offend such a person.

So, these Human Immortal Officials would rather scapegoat a lesser-known one, using him as a shield, rather than face the destruction of upsetting Sun Wukong themselves.

Sun Wukong, of course, understood all these twists and turns. Although he had always been brash, he wasn’t without his own cunning.

He knew that he could act so brazenly in the Heavenly Court only because of his master.

His master was an exceptionally kind person. Seeing that he had not a penny to his name, his master only asked for a single strand of hair as a fee. Considering those Immortals who were swindled of much of their cultivation, using just one hair to pay for a bowl of food was a breeze for him.

Sun Wukong stroked his thinning hair. Even though many years had passed and his fur was almost plucked bald by his master, this did nothing to diminish his master’s image in his heart.

Chen Nuo: It’s not that I don’t have any, it’s really just because Sun Wukong’s most precious asset is his fur, that’s why I ask for it, simple and direct without any roundabout reasoning.

By now, Sun Wukong and several Immortal Officials had reached the Imperial Kitchen.

An Immortal Official, seeing the shimmering golden barrier outside the door, asked, "Hey, Chef Wukong, what’s this?"

No one knew better than Master Zhenyuan what it was. He cut in before the other Immortal Official could continue, saying, "You can’t even recognize this, and you still have the gall to claim you’ve been following Chef Wukong’s footsteps? I would be embarrassed to admit that if I were you."

The Immortal Official was indignant, "What’s that supposed to mean? Is it a crime to not know, or what? If you know so much, tell me, what is this?" 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Obviously, it’s a barrier set up by Chef Wukong using a Magic Artifact. Didn’t Chef Wukong also cast spells back in the grand hall?"

Master Zhenyuan looked at him and scoffed, "Look, if it were something that happened a long time ago and you forgot, that’s one thing, but this happened mere moments ago and you’ve already forgotten? How should I even respond to you?"

Startled by his words, the Immortal Official hastily explained, "I—I was only paying attention to the dishes at the time; I wasn’t paying much attention to anything else. What, you remember because Chef Wukong’s dishes weren’t tasty so your focus wasn’t drawn to the food, and that’s why you noticed this?"

This Immortal Official wasn’t foolish, and he threw the accusation right back, topping it off with a cap for Master Zhenyuan.

Master Zhenyuan wasn’t one to take things lying down and immediately retorted, "You’re wrong there. Although the spell was cast while we were eating, didn’t we have a round of guessing the names of the dishes after that? The barrier was there at that time, too. It’s not my fault that you weren’t paying attention—how can you blame me?"

"I..."

The Immortal Official hadn’t expected Master Zhenyuan to be so formidable with words, and what surprised him even more was that this minor detail that no one else had noticed—how did Master Zhenyuan pick up on it? He didn’t remember Master Zhenyuan being particularly observant.

Could it be that he just didn’t understand him thoroughly enough?

Master Zhenyuan sneered inwardly, knowing this would be the response. He had prepared his answer well in advance in his mind. Out of luck now, aren’t you, kiddo? You think your little tricks can outwit me?

Watching the two still bickering, Sun Wukong took out the As-You-Will Kitchen Knife, swept it toward the barrier, and the barrier disappeared, leaving the entrance to the Imperial Kitchen looking no different than before.

Master Zhenyuan came to his senses, "It’s Chef Wukong’s divine skills that are vast. This magic artifact seems extraordinary, you must have gone through some trouble to obtain it, right?"

Sun Wukong loved hearing flattery, and besides, the As-You-Will Kitchen Knife had come smoothly from the Dragon Palace; it hadn’t cost him anything but a few Flat Peaches.

"You have a discerning eye. Do you know what this magic artifact is?"

Master Zhenyuan came closer to take a look but couldn’t make anything out.

He had just tossed out a flattery without much thought, not expecting Sun Wukong to get excited, "My vision is poor, I really can’t tell what this is. Chef Wukong, could you please enlighten me with what it is?"

Sun Wukong flipped the As-You-Will Kitchen Knife into the air and caught it, reciting an incantation, "Bigger, bigger, and even bigger!"

The As-You-Will Kitchen Knife grew larger and larger in accordance with Sun Wukong’s words, becoming a massive object thick enough to be embraced by five people.

The Immortal Officials present were stunned. "This, what is this? It can actually grow and shrink at will."

Sun Wukong, pleased with everyone’s reaction, chuckled and recited again, "Smaller, smaller, and even smaller."

The enormous object that had reached the clouds slowly shrank until it became the small kitchen knife it had been in Sun Wukong’s hand.

The Immortal Officials were even more shocked now. It turned out this thing was so ferocious. Thankfully, they hadn’t provoked him, for if Sun Wukong really got angry and made his magic artifact grow in size, wouldn’t he mince them into meat in no time?

The Immortal Officials hastily intensified their flattery toward Sun Wukong.

"Wow, Chef Wukong’s magic artifact is so powerful—it can change size according to his will. It truly is no ordinary thing."

"Indeed, this is really powerful. I must admit defeat. Even all the magic artifacts in my possession combined are not as formidable as a finger of this artifact. No wonder Chef Wukong can achieve such feats. You must be extraordinarily gifted!"

"Enough," Sun Wukong said with a smile as he put away his As-You-Will Kitchen Knife.

"Each one of you, don’t think I can’t see through your flattery, wondering if there’s any sincerity in your words."

"How could this not be sincere?" Seeing Sun Wukong’s expression, the Immortal Officials quickly tried to ingratiate themselves further. "I swear on heaven and earth, your magic artifact is the most powerful I have ever seen. If this isn’t sincere, then what is?"

"Hmph," Sun Wukong snorted disdainfully, "All right, now is not the time to show you the As-You-Will Kitchen Knife. I am here to demonstrate this dish."

"Demonstrate the dish?" The Immortal Officials became interested. "How will you demonstrate it?"

"Since none of you can guess what dish it is, I will make it in front of all you gods. Once I, Old Sun, have demonstrated the method for making this dish, you will naturally know what it is."

"Really? That would be wonderful." An eager Immortal Official rubbed his hands together. "Just in time, I hadn’t had my fill during the Buddhist Law feast and thought I might never see this dish again in this lifetime."

Sun Wukong gave him a cold look, "I merely said I’d show you how to make the dish again. I didn’t say anything about letting you eat it. Let’s get this clear now, so you don’t say the same thing after it’s made."