Journey to the West: Starting by taking Sun Wukong as my disciple!-Chapter 680 - 679: Shopkeeper Chen Argues with the Six-Eared Macaque
"Why did he leave in the middle of our conversation?" Xuanzang asked, "We were about to leave after exchanging a few words, so what did he mean by calling his wife over?"
"Who knows," Chen Nuo shrugged, "I had just said a few words when he went to find his wife. Perhaps he did not hear us knocking earlier, and he thought I was saying he was hard of hearing, so he went to find a solution for that."
Chen Nuo said this while casting a cold glance at the Six-Eared Macaque.
Startled by that look, the Six-Eared Macaque wondered if the mortal knew what he had done.
But it seemed impossible for him to know; after all, he was a mortal, and the macaque had used spiritual power, which the man would not have detected. It must just be a coincidence.
The three waited for a while before the farmer came over with a woman.
The woman initially did not understand, but after seeing the people standing there, she comprehended and apologized with some embarrassment.
"I’m really sorry, good folks. My husband is as stubborn as a mule and can’t stand losing. He doesn’t take well to people saying anything negative about him."
"No worries, madam, we understand, fully understand," Chen Nuo replied with a smile.
The farmer huffed and then said to the woman, "They claim they knocked for a long time last night, but we didn’t hear it. Can you confirm for me that indeed no one was knocking last night?"
After hearing her husband’s remark, the woman looked the group over and asked, "What’s the matter, was there some kind of trouble?"
"Oh, it’s like this. We are coming from Chang’an, heading to the Western Heaven for Scriptures. It was dark when we passed by here, so we wanted to stay the night, but there was no answer to our knocking, and we ended up sleeping in the haystack," Xuanzang said, bringing his hands together with a bow.
"Oh, I see," the woman nodded, then after recalling the evening before, she replied, "But indeed, I didn’t hear anything last night. Maybe your knocking was too soft?"
"Perhaps," the Six-Eared Macaque replied indifferently, not interested in arguing over such a matter, knowing that the longer the debate lasted, the more peculiar it would seem.
Especially because it was a situation he had caused, he had even more reason not to argue.
"I told you, the issue was on your end, and it has nothing to do with me," the farmer said joyously, quick to reply for fear they would come up with other excuses.
"Then it’s our fault," Xuanzang admitted, although he was unaware of the underlying issue. Yet he intended to hurry on their way, thinking if they lingered too long they might not reach the next destination before nightfall, and he did not wish to probe further into the trivial matter.
After bidding farewell to the farmer, the three set out on the road again, with two horses riding side by side and the Six-Eared Macaque leading the way.
"It really is strange when you think about it. We definitely knocked for a long time, but those two elders didn’t hear it," Chen Nuo remarked. "It’s quite the mystery. Could it be that we actually never knocked last night? Or was the sound of knocking somehow blocked?"
"But didn’t Wukong say there were no demons causing trouble?" Xuanzang looked toward the Six-Eared Macaque.
"Indeed, then I’m at a loss as to why," Chen Nuo said.
Then he glanced at the Six-Eared Macaque again, with a detached tone, "I wonder where Master Wukong initially studied before joining Master Xuanzang. And I’m curious about his level of proficiency in his former disciplines; if his skills were not honed to perfection, it’s indeed possible to encounter situations without realizing it."
His words were indeed rather impolite; had he been facing the real Sun Wukong and not the Six-Eared Macaque, there would likely have been an explosive reaction by now.
Upon hearing Chen Nuo’s words, the Six-Eared Macaque tightened his grip and took a deep breath, gradually calming his anger.
"I hail from Bodhi Temple," the Six-Eared Macaque replied. "Though I joined late, I am nevertheless a direct disciple and my skills are not lacking."
His words carried a hint of modern-day bragging, a misplaced sense of Versailles, yet such glory, deemed unsurpassable by others, was trivial in Chen Nuo’s eyes.
"Impressive for someone so young, Master Wukong," Chen Nuo asked nonchalantly, and then, feigning surprise, continued tentatively, "but if things were so good at Bodhi Temple, why did you leave? You weren’t driven out, were you?"
It wasn’t that he had been driven out, he had simply pledged himself to Buddhism, working for them in return for a promise—accompany the monk on this journey and he would attain Buddhahood.
Which being in this world does not aspire to become a Buddha?
Achieving Buddhahood would grant the ultimate glory, and he could step out from Sun Wukong’s shadow, becoming his true self.
And now, a mere mortal dared question him.
The Six-Eared Macaque was really angry; how dared he, how dared he speak to him—who was on the brink of achieving Buddhahood—like that.
"Of course not," said the Six-Eared Macaque. "I just felt that I had nothing left to learn at Bodhi Temple and wanted to try my luck in the world. That’s when I met my current master, who taught me the Dharma. I feel this is what I want and seek, so I took him as my master, and now I am to accompany him to the Western Heaven for Scriptures."
He wasn’t exactly lying; whatever he did now was per the arrangements set by his superiors. His response was not only beyond reproach, but made him seem like a man of ideals and aspirations.
"I see," Chen Nuo nodded, feigning a sudden realization. "But Master Wukong, despite all you’ve said, I still don’t feel like your skills are that refined."
"The fact that the entire village can’t hear knocking is indeed very strange, but you’re so certain it isn’t a demon. Could it be someone deliberately causing mischief?"
"Who are you suggesting is doing it deliberately?!" the Six-Eared Macaque challenged Chen Nuo loudly.
Chen Nuo spread his hands and shrugged his shoulders. "I don’t know, I’m just asking. What’s with the overreaction?"
Xuanzang also intervened, "Wukong, do not be angry. The Great General is here to protect us. How can you be unreasonable towards him?"
"It’s not like I asked him to protect us!" the Six-Eared Macaque protested. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢
"Besides, look at him; has he been of any help to us on this journey? Not only has he been no help, but he has also been a hindrance, claiming to have seen ghosts before even nightfall. Who does that?"
"I’m sorry, did I upset Master Wukong when I held you back on the road?" Chen Nuo asked, looking genuinely hurt.
"I really wanted to help you, and had no idea I was holding you back. If that is the case, then it’s better for me to leave."
"Great General, no, don’t be upset. Wukong is just speaking out of anger, he doesn’t mean what he says," Xuanzang hastily tried to soothe.
While the Six-Eared Macaque was initially furious, the moment the mortal mentioned leaving, his anger dissipated instantly.
He had been trying to find a way to make this person leave, and never expected that causing him to depart could be so simple. Just a quarrel was enough; so what was all his previous effort for?
