In Lu Bei's mind, the Peacock and the Golden Winged Roc were brothers, the former being the elder and the latter the younger, both eggs borne by the Phoenix.
In the complex evolution of versions, the abilities of the two brothers either got enhanced or weakened. The only constant was their innate passion for devouring humans.
The Roc gobbled up the entire Lion Camel Country, while the Peacock was even fiercer, accidentally swallowing a Field Snail Head while consuming humans, and ended up joyfully giving birth through C-section to a hefty boy.
The Peacock became the Buddha Mother, working by day to recruit believers for her son, and at night...
Considering the abbot's petty mind, when no one was around, the old lady certainly didn't lack for riders.
In another version, the Peacock didn't use swallowing; he scammed instead, but unexpectedly, a Taoist named Zhunti was even better at scamming than he was, revealing his true form with a big bluff and riding him straight to the West.
