Tian Peng's breath hitched as he intently stared at the largest flat peach tree in sight.
Throughout all the years, he had only eaten a three-thousand-year-old peach once—this truly was a treasure trove of the immortals!
Tian Peng lifted his foot and couldn't help but walk inside.
"Have you not seen enough?" Suddenly, a calm voice rang out from behind Tian Peng. Although he hadn't heard it many times, the timbre was deeply etched in his mind.
The muscular body involuntarily shuddered. He turned stiffly, and with a goofy smile, said, "Shopkeeper Chen, you've arrived?"
Chen Nuo hooked a finger, and the back door slammed shut as he walked towards the hall.
"This is my restaurant—where else would I go?"
"You're absolutely right, Shopkeeper Chen!" Tian Peng scurried after him eagerly.
He wanted to ask about the flat peach tree; after all, only the Queen Mother owned such a tree under heaven.
But upon seeing Chen Nuo's serene face, Tian Peng's doubts instantly vanished.
It's perfectly normal for a big shot like him to have such things, right?
"Why are you here so early, what for?"
Tian Peng blinked, ingratiatingly saying, "Naturally, to eat!"
No sooner had he spoken than Tian Peng patted his waist and added in a hearty voice, "I have money!"
Seeing Tian Peng, who had been stingy just the day before, now utterly different, Chen Nuo nodded thoughtfully. It seemed Bajie had come thoroughly prepared this time.
Having money made things much smoother—Chen Nuo got right to the point: "What will you eat?"
"Braised pork!" Tian Peng replied without hesitation.
Chen Nuo didn't move but instead tossed a menu to Tian Peng and said, "I advise you to choose something else."
"Each person can only have an awakening with the same dish once. If you're not merely fading into the enjoyment of the delicacy, I'd still urge you to pick something different."
Tian Peng was taken aback, "You know about my awakening of divine skills?"
"Hmm." Chen Nuo nodded, saying plainly, "I know even how many times you fart in a day."
Despite the absurdity of the statement, Tian Peng believed it. Shopkeeper Chen truly was a divine figure!
Murmuring in his heart, Tian Peng obligingly opened the menu.
Fried rice with egg, beef noodles, braised pork... Mapo tofu, and so on.
Having glanced at the menu and merely reading the names already made Tian Peng hungry. He originally intended to order another meat dish, but then he remembered the peach blossoms he saw in the backyard and quivered at the thought—could it be...?
"Shopkeeper Chen, give me a serving of this Peach Blossom Porridge!" Tian Peng said excitedly, pointing at the menu. He then very expertly placed a magical treasure inside the crystal ball.
Upon the system's successful payment notification, Chen Nuo was slightly surprised. He hadn't expected Tian Peng to be so discerning.
"One moment." Chen Nuo went straight to the kitchen to start cooking.
Porridge was different from other dishes; it required slow cooking. Moreover, since Chaos Residence was not yet well-known and had no visitors, Chen Nuo hadn't prepared anything in advance.
Setting the ingredients and timing them, Chen Nuo then exited the kitchen.
With the coming and going, Tian Peng also felt he was getting somewhat familiar with Chen Nuo; he realized that as long as you paid, the big shot didn't put on airs.
So, he behaved much less reservedly.
"Shopkeeper Chen, thanks to your braised pork, I truly displayed my divine might yesterday. I aggressively slaughtered a Taiyi Golden Immortal's Carp Spirit; it was crisp and neat, effortless!" he boasted, "Directly resolving a critical situation in the South Sea."
As Tian Peng recalled the divine skills he had exercised the previous day, he became more animated; his dramatic omission of his ignominious flight turned into an excited, gesticulating recollection.
The corners of Chen Nuo's mouth curled up. Bajie was standing right here, so the outcome must be correct.
Yet, why was Bajie's account of the events so hard to believe?
Are terms like "distinguished, valiant, commanding presence, and calm composure" really applicable to Bajie?
"Since you've acquired divine skills, don't let them go to waste," Chen Nuo instructed.
"Of course," Tian Peng confidently slapped his chest, "With the opportunity you've provided, Shopkeeper Chen, I, Bajie, am sure to make a splash in the Three Realms!"
In the past, those who heard of Tian Peng either didn't recognize him or thought of him as a lazy glutton.
He never said it, but it was clear as day in his heart.
He simply lacked the power to prove himself before, but now things were different, Tian Peng was about to turn over a new leaf!
Chen Nuo nodded, "Hmm, not bad."
After a pause, he continued, "Apart from that, has there been any major event in the Three Realms lately?"
Chen Nuo really had no interest in listening to Tian Peng boast any longer.
"Speaking of big events, there really is one!" Tian Peng said seriously, "Yesterday, in Buddhism, that settled monkey appeared in two forms, and they even fought on Huaguo Mountain!"
Chen Nuo's mind stirred, the monkey settled by Buddhism, that should be Sun Wukong, right?
"Those two monkeys looked exactly the same, only dressed differently. One of them was thrashed by the other wielding a kitchen knife, and then, Shopkeeper Chen, guess what happened?" Tian Peng spoke, teasingly holding back the details.
"What happened?" Chen Nuo raised an eyebrow.
"The monkey that was being chopped suddenly changed its appearance, growing six ears, but for some reason, it was eventually let go."
Recalling the images presented by the Jade Emperor in the grand hall, Tian Peng couldn't help but shrink his neck— that monkey was too fierce.
A monkey wielding a kitchen knife, a monkey with six ears?
Chen Nuo was slightly taken aback, weren't those Sun Wukong and the Six-Eared Macaque?
Besides his own disciple, Wukong, what other monkey would wield a kitchen knife?
However, Chen Nuo still furrowed his brows, puzzled, why was the Six-Eared Macaque appearing at this time?
Chen Nuo, shrewd and insightful, suddenly thought of a major conspiracy theory from his past life's Journey to the West.
Was the real Monkey King who died the true Sun Wukong, could it be that due to Wukong's disappearance, Buddhism had no choice but to let Six Ears take his place?
Then his lips curved into a slight smile, how could Six Ears, using the original tactics, be a match for Wukong now?
After so much talk, Tian Peng was a bit thirsty and asked, "Shopkeeper Chen, do you have any water here?"
"Yes, I have water, for a price," he said nonchalantly.
Tian Peng gaped, "Even drinking water costs money?"
"It's slightly inferior to a meal, so a True Immortal level magical treasure will suffice," Chen Nuo stated coolly.
Tian Peng nearly spat out blood, water for a magical treasure? Was this a robbery?
He thought about going to a river to quench his thirst but then realized that Shopkeeper Chen's items were expensive for a reason.
"Then give me a cup," he conceded.
A True Immortal magical treasure was nothing to fuss over.
Seeing Tian Peng earnestly handing over the payment, Chen Nuo went to the kitchen and brought back two cups of Flat Peach juice.
Years of lucky draws had made his kitchen fully equipped, even for juicing.
Tian Peng took the cup from Chen Nuo, eyeing the Flat Peach juice suspiciously, wondering why it looked like poison. But, he didn't possess anything that Shopkeeper Chen would covet.
The only trump card he had came from eating Shopkeeper Chen's cooking.
Bottoms up!
Tian Peng steeled himself and took a big gulp, his eyes brightened instantly. The juice was cooling on entry, instantly soothing his parched mouth.
The initial spicy kick awoke his drowsy soul. The spice faded upon contact, leaving an endless aftertaste on his tongue.