Journey to the West: Starting by taking Sun Wukong as my disciple!-Chapter 717 - 716: Xiong Daoren Reluctant to Part with the Kasaya
It’s true, even though Xuanzang is the reincarnation of Jin Chanzi, he’s still just a mere mortal after all. Where could he have gotten such a powerful magic artifact? It must have been a gift from Bodhisattva Guanyin, which would explain its formidable power.
"Have you decided yet, do you want to keep this kasaya, or do you want to return it?" Chen Nuo asked.
Daoren remained silent. The kasaya was indeed too tempting to own, but the thought of facing Bodhisattva Guanyin if he were to keep it took away all his interest. Even though death was certain either way, one way led to immediate death, while the other still offered a chance to survive. Of course, he preferred to live a little longer.
"Forget it, I’d rather choose to live longer," Daoren said helplessly. "I had thought about it. Such a powerful magic artifact falls into my hands just like that, where did such luck come from."
Chen Nuo being his shop assistant, offered comfort, "I’m not saying I won’t help you, but it’s just that standing against the entire Buddhism is quite troublesome."
"If you really wanted it, I could have let you have it. But since you’ve made your choice, you might as well return the kasaya."
Daoren nodded dejectedly, intending to speak, but suddenly remembered what Chen Nuo had said earlier and suddenly looked up.
"No, Shopkeeper, did I just hear you say that, if I really wanted it, you could help me keep it?"
"Yes," Chen Nuo replied. "But you’ve already made your choice, haven’t you?"
Chen Nuo smiled, "Since you’ve made your choice, I’ll definitely respect it. This way, I can avoid some trouble. You don’t need to worry about your Tribulation, with me here, do you think I’d let you get struck to death by lightning?"
After hearing Chen Nuo say ’yes,’ Daoren couldn’t take in any other words. Whatever else Chen Nuo was saying, it sounded to him like it had been censored.
"Shopkeeper, I want to keep that kasaya!" Daoren blurted out, remembering that he had already sent out invitations to the Buddhist Robe Assembly. Now, it wasn’t just a matter of surviving the Tribulation, his reputation was at stake.
If people showed up to the Buddhist Robe Assembly and there was no Buddhist Robe, where would Shopkeeper Chen put his face?
"But didn’t you just say..."
Before Chen Nuo could finish, Daoren immediately said, "Just now, I thought Shopkeeper had no way to keep the kasaya, and I didn’t want to cause you any trouble, which is why I answered that way. Of course, if you could let me keep the kasaya, I would certainly be willing."
"Are you sure you want to keep it?" Chen Nuo asked.
Daoren knelt down, looking at Chen Nuo with a face full of longing, "Shopkeeper, please. I really want this kasaya. If you could help me keep it, I’d do anything you ask of me."
"You were originally my shop assistant, of course you’d do anything I ask," Chen Nuo said casually. "Besides, as your boss, it’s only right that I help you out."
"Shopkeeper!" Daoren looked at Chen Nuo, moved, "The best decision I have ever made in my life was to follow you. I will always follow you!"
"Alright, enough of that mushy talk," Chen Nuo said, feeling goosebumps with his sappy tone.
"Since you’ve decided to keep the kasaya, listen to me. I will find a way to let you keep it."
Daoren nodded vigorously, "Shopkeeper, don’t worry. As long as you can let me keep this kasaya, I will do anything you tell me to, even kneel down and call you Grandpa."
Chen Nuo glanced at him, "Why would I want so many grandchildren? Just do as I say. Now go back and prepare two identical kasayas."
"Alright Shopkeeper, I’ll listen to you!" Xiong Daoren immediately went back to his cave abode to search for a kasaya.
He had been cultivating the Tao and had never taken a life, even when he occupied Black Wind Mountain, he never did anything bad.
The nearby Taoist temples and Zen monasteries didn’t consider him a demon; instead, they became friends with him.
Over the years, his friends visited often, and naturally, they exchanged gifts from time to time.
Moreover, the kasaya wasn’t rare in appearance; it was only because of the mana contained within that made this garment look particularly scarce. In fact, if one searched, they could find quite a few with a similar design.
Xiong Daoren rummaged through his cave abode and soon found one that was almost identical to the kasaya, then handed it to Chen Nuo, "Shopkeeper, I found one that looks similar, do you think this will work?"
Chen Nuo took it and looked it over; it was indeed very similar in style to the other kasaya. Except that this kasaya was a normal one, its style and color were almost identical to the other.
"Good, this will do," Chen Nuo nodded, "What about the treasure kasaya?"
Xiong Daoren did not hesitate to hand over the precious kasaya to Chen Nuo, "Here’s the kasaya, Shopkeeper."
Chen Nuo took the kasaya, then knocked on the system, "System, help me check the energy on this kasaya."
"Please wait, checking now," the system beeped, then replied, "Report to the host: Brocade Kasaya, superior heavenly treasure, belongs to Bodhisattva Guanyin, can withstand ordinary fire and water, lightning strikes and electrical shocks."
It seemed the kasaya was indeed a treasure. Chen Nuo asked again, "Is there a possibility of making this ordinary kasaya look exactly like that one?"
"Possible," the system answered, "But since it’s a counterfeit, it can be made broadly similar, but the details might not be as precise as the original."
"Okay, roughly the same is fine. It’s a knockoff, after all; if it were exactly like the original, it would be a clone."
Chen Nuo didn’t really care about these details. After all, the dangers that the kasaya could protect against weren’t something Xuanzang would encounter. In the original story, whenever he faced danger, he was rescued. This thing was just like decoration; it made no real difference to him.
"To infuse the ordinary kasaya with energy, it will cost a thousand Merit Points for the energy conversion. Please decide whether to proceed with the transformation," said the system.
"Do it," Chen Nuo didn’t hesitate for a second, then said to Xiong Daoren, "However, I have one condition you must meet. If you can’t, I won’t handle the kasaya for you."
"Shopkeeper, just say it. As long as I can agree, I will definitely agree," Xiong Daoren immediately responded.
"You’re right, this kasaya is indeed a treasure."
Chen Nuo looked at the kasaya. Although now it was just a robe, after some modifications to make it a normal style of clothing, that, too, was possible. After all, Xiong Daoren only needed it for his Tribulation, and after that, it would be of no great use to him.
Xiong Daoren felt a jolt of alarm, ’Could it be that the Shopkeeper wants my kasaya?’
Chen Nuo was still waiting for Xiong Daoren’s answer but didn’t expect that he had fallen silent, "What’s the matter, are you reluctant to part with it?"
"It’s not that I’m reluctant, but Shopkeeper, I need this kasaya to protect my life," Xiong Daoren pleaded pitifully.
