Journey to the West: Starting by taking Sun Wukong as my disciple!-Chapter 397: Do You Wish to Achieve Buddhahood?
Chen Nuo cut to the chase, "Do you want to achieve Buddhahood?"
Tian Peng didn’t expect to hear such an intense question right after coming over, which took him by surprise.
Speaking of achieving Buddhahood, like Maitreya for instance, probably very few divine officials wouldn’t aspire to it. Although Tian Peng wanted to say he desired it in his heart,
he thought about how Sun Wukong had just tripped up those in Buddhism, and knew he had to carefully consider his answer.
Sun Wukong, although he found Tian Peng a bit annoying, still didn’t want to see him join Buddhism.
At this moment, waiting for his answer, he didn’t expect this fool to just stand there motionless. So, he kicked him in frustration, "What’s wrong with you, idiot? Is it that hard to answer yes or no?"
"Ouch, Mr. Monkey, don’t kick me, I’ll speak, I’m speaking now." Tian Peng jumped up from his seat due to Sun Wukong’s kick.
Sun Wukong drew back his foot, "Alright, do you want to become a Buddha or not? Tell the truth, I won’t kick you."
"Really?" Zhu Bajie rubbed his backside and then said with a naive smile, "To be honest, I do think about it a bit. Not just me, but a few others who are close to me, they think about it too."
Sun Wukong’s mood, just calmed, was agitated again in an instant.
"Hmph, you’ve finally spoken the truth. I was even thinking about opening a store with you in the future, but I didn’t expect you to have such grand ambitions. Well, if you want to achieve Buddhahood, go ahead, I won’t stop you. Go find Tathagata yourself."
Tian Peng ran around the room with his head in his hands, crying out as he went, "No, how did things turn sour again? Weren’t you the ones who asked me if I wanted it? And you told me to be honest. So now being honest means waiting to be kicked? Ouch, stop hitting me, Shopkeeper, save me, save me!"
"You’re still calling me Shopkeeper? From the moment you wanted to achieve Buddhahood, you can’t call me master any more. My master definitely wouldn’t keep a Buddha as a helper. Besides, if you want to become a Buddha, there’s no need to stay at Chaos Residence. We have meat here; aren’t you afraid of breaking your precepts by staying?"
Tian Peng was completely baffled: "What’s going on? You call me over to hit me for just any question, Mr. Monkey, are you venting your frustrations on me because of grievances at Heavenly Court?"
"Enough, Wukong, take your seat." Before Chen Nuo could finish speaking, Sun Wukong leapt up and started hitting Tian Peng, interrupting what Chen Nuo had intended to say next.
Since Chen Nuo had spoken, Sun Wukong didn’t hit Tian Peng anymore and sat at the table, staring at Tian Peng with a huff.
Tian Peng also sat down very cautiously, maintaining a defensive posture in case Sun Wukong wanted to hit him, so he could run away quickly. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚
"Shopkeeper, what’s the matter exactly? Why are you asking me this?" Tian Peng asked.
"You still dare to call me Shopkeeper? Didn’t I just tell you not to?" Sun Wukong slapped the table.
"Wukong!" Chen Nuo said with some annoyance, "Can you not rein in your temper? Wait for him to finish speaking. He doesn’t know the situation and you’re just beating him senselessly. What’s the meaning of this?"
Unable to ignore the master’s words, Sun Wukong obediently sat down, waiting for Chen Nuo to continue.
"You know about Buddhism’s Journey to the West plan, right?" Chen Nuo asked Tian Peng.
Tian Peng nodded, "Of course I know about it, but isn’t that plan just targeted at Wukong? Why are you asking me?"
"I’m asking for my own reasons." Chen Nuo initially didn’t disclose that Tian Peng was also part of the Journey to the West, instead posing other questions.
"Do you know what reward comes after completing the Journey to the West?"
"Ah?" Tian Peng was confused, "I really don’t know. Going or not, you’re forced to go, so there probably isn’t much of a reward. At most, you get a few magic artifacts or a promotion?"
"Hmph," Sun Wukong snorted, "It’s much better than that."
"Better than that?" Tian Peng pondered and then asked, "What is it, then?"
"When the Journey to the West is over, everyone who partook in the journey will Achieve Buddhahood on the spot," said Chen Nuo, observing Tian Peng’s reaction.
"Oh, that’s quite nice," Tian Peng was somewhat surprised. "At least there’s some conscience there. If you can achieve Buddhahood after this ordeal, it wouldn’t be a wasted trip."
"I hear you’re quite keen," Sun Wukong said sarcastically. "You really want to go, don’t you?"
"Ah? Whether I want to go or not isn’t up to me, is it? The Buddha Ancestor didn’t choose me, did he? Didn’t he choose you, Mr. Monkey?" Tian Peng didn’t understand. "Why do I feel like you’re all hinting at me?"
"We are hinting at you," Chen Nuo stated from the main seat as he watched Tian Peng, realizing that Tian Peng had indeed comprehended the true intention.
To Tian Peng, Achieving Buddhahood was merely a thought; he believed it was totally unrelated to him.
He never considered that one day he might Achieve Buddhahood. Even if a path to Buddhahood were presented to him, he would just take a look and never choose it. He was content with his current state, and that was just fine.
"What do you mean?" Tian Peng looked up at Chen Nuo. "Do you think that if the Buddha Ancestor doesn’t choose Mr. Monkey, he would choose me?"
"Sun Wukong has long been designated, of course, and naturally, you are included," Chen Nuo said. "I’m not forcing you to make a choice. Whether you go or not is entirely up to you."
"No, I’m still a bit confused. How could the Buddha Ancestor choose me?" Tian Peng was baffled.
"There is nothing exceptional about me. To put it bluntly, I am well aware of what I am like; I’m lazy and lack ambition. To choose me for the Journey to the West - that must be a joke."
"It seems you have a clear self-awareness," Sun Wukong snorted coldly. "So, are you going or not?"
"Ah, you’re not joking? I’m really included?" Tian Peng was shocked. "How could I be involved? Gee, that’s strange."
"Stop playing cute, give me and my master a straight answer," Sun Wukong said. "If the Buddha Ancestor comes to you and asks if you want to go on the Journey to the West, what will you choose?"
"Just by going on one trip, I can Achieve Buddhahood?" Tian Peng inquired.
"So you really want to go?" Sun Wukong was about to kick him again.
"Of course, it won’t be that simple," Chen Nuo interjected.
"Not just a simple journey? Then what could it be?" Tian Peng was confused.
"With your current identity as a divine official, naturally, you won’t be allowed to Achieve Buddhahood in that capacity."
"What will it be then?"
Chen Nuo gave a cold laugh. "You will make a big mistake, be punished by the Jade Emperor to be sent to the mortal world, and then undergo reincarnation."
Chen Nuo spoke slowly about the events Tian Peng would experience in the future.
"How could I possibly make such a big mistake?" Tian Peng was slightly shocked. "Although I’m a bit lazy, I would never do anything outrageous. How could I possibly make such a grave error, so grave as to be stripped of my immortal status?"
"You wouldn’t, but what if someone wants you to?"
"What do you mean?"
Chen Nuo didn’t plan to explain; he had already seen from Tian Peng’s eyes that he understood the meaning of his words.
"My master has already made it so obvious. Don’t tell me you don’t understand at all," said Sun Wukong as he placed his hand on the table to suppress the urge to kick him. "Just give a definitive answer. The Journey to the West is right in front of you. Are you going or not?"
