Journey to the West: Starting by taking Sun Wukong as my disciple!-Chapter 411: Because of the Stones, The Two Are Too Annoying
"You don’t understand," Jin Zha glanced at the Mountain God, "Beauty has no limits. Although I don’t wear them, it doesn’t mean the clothes aren’t nice-looking."
Chen Nuo wanted to interject, but he held back for fear of revealing his identity. The clothes Nezha had bragged to him about had been provided by the Weaver Girl.
"You haven’t finished what you were saying. You made a deal for him to give you clothes, but what about his end of the bargain? What does he want?" the Mountain God asked.
Jin Zha stopped talking and looked at him with a mischievous smile.
The Mountain God had a bad feeling and then it dawned on him, "You didn’t promise him a meeting with me, did you?!"
"Yes, but also no," Jin Zha explained: "Don’t be so vain; he’s not here just to see you, he just needs you to do him a favor."
"Why should I!" the Mountain God roared, "I want his clothes, and he asks me for help? So, I help for nothing and get no benefits from this? Why is it that all the good things never come my way, but all the troubles are mine?"
Chen Nuo also looked at Jin Zha, ready to make him cancel the deal on the spot if the Mountain God refused.
"Oh come on, it’s not that big of a deal. The little guy just wants to find something on your mountain. I can’t really help, so it’s just a little effort on your part, why don’t you just help him out?"
"A ’little effort’ you say?" the Mountain God stared at Jin Zha, "That’s a term of modesty, do you even know what modesty means?"
"We’re such good friends, just do this favor for me," Jin Zha started to cajole, "He really wants those clothes, please, pretty please."
The Mountain God pushed Jin Zha away, fighting the urge to vomit and regretting ever having such a friend, "Get away from me, I’m afraid I’ll get sick just from looking at you one more time."
"So, are you going to help or not?" Jin Zha pouted.
"No, get lost!" the Mountain God shouted.
"Since the Mountain God can’t help out with this, our deal is off. I have my own things to tend to, so please undo this enchantment so we can go our separate ways," Chen Nuo said.
"Wait, don’t! I haven’t finished negotiating yet. Just wait a little longer, it’ll be sorted out soon," Jin Zha pleaded as Chen Nuo made to leave.
"You still want to negotiate? There’s no chance of that, let’s just leave it at that. Take this mortal and get out of here fast." The Mountain God issued an eviction order.
"Oh no, please don’t, why is everyone so heartless..." Jin Zha pleaded, then thought for a moment and said to the Mountain God, "I’ll trade you some Peach Blossom Brew, how about that?"
The Mountain God hesitated, "How many jars?"
Jin Zha pondered, "Isn’t one jar enough? I’ll sneak some of my old man’s Peach Blossom Brew."
"No deal," the Mountain God said as he turned to leave.
"Wait, two jars!" Jin Zha declared, "I’m risking a beating just by offering this. Take it or leave it; if you don’t agree, I’ll take this young man elsewhere."
"Deal," the Mountain God considered and eventually agreed.
He looked at Chen Nuo, sized him up, and then asked, "What is it on my mountain that you want?"
He didn’t have a good impression of Chen Nuo, perhaps because he was brought by Jin Zha and involved in the deal, making him appear like a greedy mortal. Moreover, the mortal had exploited Jin Zha’s weakness for pretty clothes, so his impression worsened.
He must be a mortal who is both greedy and cunning.
"I just want this," Chen Nuo pointed to the rock the Mountain God had been leaning on while drinking.
The rock was quite large and could make several pots.
"This?" The Mountain God and Jin Zha looked at the stone, "Just this?"
"Yes," Chen Nuo nodded, "I just want this."
"Really, what are you thinking? I’ve gone to great lengths to bring the Mountain God to you, and you want nothing but this stone?" Jin Zha was somewhat astonished, "Is there something wrong with your mortal brain?"
The Mountain God was even more surprised than Jin Zha, feeling slightly guilty for having duped his friend out of two jars of fine Peach Blossom Brew over this rock.
This mortal didn’t seem as influential as he had thought; there were many things on this mountain more valuable than this rock.
But for this mortal to want nothing but this one stone, it really was too strange; perhaps there was some treasure unknown to him within it.
The Mountain God used his Spiritual Power to carefully inspect the stone, but found nothing unusual.
"What do you want this stone for?" asked the Mountain God. "To make a pot."
Chen Nuo replied truthfully, his main purpose had always been to make a pot, though there had been some delays, mostly because Jin Zha was just too noisy. In fact, this item was quite easy to find.
"Make a pot?" Jin Zha was extremely surprised, "You’ve come all this way just to find a stone, and to use it to make a pot? Is your brain alright?"
"It’s your brain that has a problem," Chen Nuo shot Jin Zha a glance, "What’s trekking over mountains and rivers compared to ensuring the quality of food?"
"You’re a cook?" the Mountain God chimed in, "You don’t look like one; aren’t cooks usually burly? How come you look more like a scholar?"
"That’s a stereotype, Mountain God," Chen Nuo said, "When I encountered Jin Zha halfway up the mountain, I didn’t expect this lunatic to be an Immortal."
Although the Mountain God didn’t understand the exact meaning of ’lunatic’, he knew it was an insult.
Although he was friends with Jin Zha, sometimes he did find him annoying, and he agreed even more with Chen Nuo’s words, "Indeed, you make sense."
"How come you two find common ground on this subject?" Jin Zha was displeased.
"Little brother, since you’ve come for this stone, how do you plan to take it back?" the Mountain God asked.
How to take it back was indeed a problem; had he not been pretending to be mortal, he might have just put the stone into his Silken Pouch, but he was, though only pretending to be, a mortal now.
"I... I just want to have a look, to determine the stone’s location first, then hire someone to fetch it later." If only the Mountain God weren’t always lying around here.
"That’s easy, I can help you take it back," said Jin Zha.
"Ah, then I really must thank you," Chen Nuo said perfunctorily, not actually wanting Jin Zha’s help.
"No worries, it’s just a small favor. Besides, I still need you to make clothes for me," Jin Zha responded, about to stand and gather the stone into his pouch when the Mountain God stopped him.
"Wait a second."
"What’s wrong?" Jin Zha paused, "Come on, why are you stopping me? This little brother must be eager to get back. I’ll help him move the stone now."
"I’ve had this stone for many years, let me do it. It’s better I personally watch my pillow turned into kitchenware," said the Mountain God.
The words sounded odd, but Chen Nuo didn’t care about what they said. He just found them both a bit annoying.
"By the way, little brother, wouldn’t an iron pot do? Why insist on using a stone to make a pot? Is there a reason for it?"
"There’s no particular reason, it’s just that a pot made from this stone..."
Before Chen Nuo could finish, Jin Zha cut him off, "Ah, don’t bother asking. It must be that this little brother’s family is too poor to afford an iron one, so he has to search the mountains for the right stone to make a pot. Mountain God, why do you have to question everything so thoroughly?"
