Journey to the West: Starting by taking Sun Wukong as my disciple!-Chapter 489 Another Wave of People Arrives

At his call, everyone present had their attention drawn, and they followed his gaze towards the entrance. A glance was all it took to startle them to their feet.

Those with quicker reflexes immediately dropped to their knees and worshiped, "Goddess Nuwa!"

Almost everyone present knelt down, except Chen Nuo and Sun Wukong who remained standing; though Wukong also bowed deeply from the waist, while Chen Nuo merely clasped his hands together in greeting.

"Stand up, everyone," Nuwa was quite afraid of such scenes unfolding before Chen Nuo, as it emphasized the gap between them too obviously. The more they acted this way, the more it seemed to age her, and a sense of seniority arose.

"Goddess Nuwa graces us with her presence, may I inquire the purpose of your visit?" It was Tian Peng’s banquet, so it was natural for him to come over and greet Nuwa.

Nuwa nodded, "Earlier, Sun Wukong mentioned that you were hosting a banquet here, and said there were few guests, wishing to meet more friends. However, my mount Xuan Feng felt too shy to come alone, so I accompanied her."

Tian Peng looked at Xuan Feng with amazement. She? Shy around people?

Xuan Feng herself felt that Nuwa’s reason was a bit far-fetched, but she wouldn’t publicly contradict Nuwa. With her hands on her hips, she assumed a matter-of-fact stance, "I only show my true colors in a familiar nest and do not blush before those I know well."

"Oh, I see," Tian Peng said with the corners of his mouth twitching, as he made a welcoming gesture towards the table, "Please take your seat, Goddess Nuwa."

A new table had been added at the back with ten empty seats, but no one dared to suggest Nuwa sit there. As Nuwa approached, the guests at the front packed themselves further back, managing to make room for a ten-seat table at the front.

Chen Nuo remained in his original spot, unmoved. They revered Nuwa, but his respect did not equate to fear.

He waited until Nuwa came over before lifting the wine pot to pour her a cup, "Your presence at the banquet set up by my store’s staff is a great honor indeed."

Nuwa took the wine cup to her lips, "Shopkeeper Chen, your words are too kind. Had I not known you were here, I wouldn’t have come."

Her words were ambiguous and tinged with innuendo, understood only by Chen Nuo and herself. The other guests assumed that Nuwa was saying Chen Nuo’s presence meant the food would be delicious.

"Goddess Nuwa, you seem somewhat different from before," Nezha expressed with surprise.

Nuwa looked at Nezha, who was dressed even more beautifully than a True Immortal Fairy, with pure and handsome features. Had it not been known that he was male, his standing next to Chen Nuo might have provoked a great sense of crisis in others.

"Oh? Tell me, how do I differ from before?"

Nezha’s almond eyes sparkled as he spoke, "You seem even more beautiful than before, I can’t quite put my finger on it, but you are indeed extremely beautiful. Your clothes are also lovely, truly enviable."

Nuwa’s heart bloomed with joy at Nezha’s flattery, her eyes shining with laughter, every move displaying her nobility, "You really know how to flatter."

Even Nezha, with his proud disposition, couldn’t help but feel delighted by Nuwa’s praise.

He smiled obediently like a child commended by an adult, "It’s the truth. If Goddess Nuwa doesn’t believe me, you can ask anyone else; I think you indeed look much better than before."

Jin Zha added his agreement, "My third brother is right. Not only does Goddess Nuwa look more refined than before, even your complexion seems particularly healthy. If I didn’t know you were already so beautiful, I’d really want to ask you for a secret to becoming more attractive."

Nezha gave Jin Zha a scornful look, "What a thing to say; you’re a man, why do you need to become that beautiful? You’re even better at flattery than I am."

"Third brother, you’re wrong to say that. If a guy like you can wear a skirt, what’s wrong with me praising Goddess Nuwa for being beautiful? You’re just jealous because I’m better at giving compliments than you!" Jin Zha retorted without giving in.

Nezha wanted to reply, but Chen Nuo stopped him, "Enough, you two. Anyone who knows you would think you’re brothers, but those who don’t might mistake you for enemies with the way you start squabbling the moment you meet."

With Chen Nuo’s intervention, the two who were planning to continue bickering stopped talking. They shot each other a glare and went off to chat with the Immortal Officials they were familiar with.

Although Jin Zha and Nezha were good with words, their actions were honest. Even after bickering, neither of them took a seat next to Nuwa.

In the Immortal Realm, unlike the mortal world, there is no differentiation between male and female seating arrangements during meals — men and women can dine together at the same table.

However, they both sat a little farther away. Even at the same table, there were three or four seats between them, and only Xuan Feng, who served as Nuwa’s mount, dared to sit beside her nonchalantly.

Nuwa and Chen Nuo clinked glasses and drank together before Nuwa looked towards the door and asked, "Sun Wukong told Xuan Feng that Fairy Baihua and the siblings Yang Jian and Yang Chan would also come. How come they still aren’t here?"

Chen Nuo didn’t know who Sun Wukong had invited. He wasn’t interested in these things and thought Wukong had invited people from the Imperial Kitchen he was familiar with. He didn’t expect the monkey to have also called Yang Chan and Fairy Baihua.

He glanced at Sun Wukong, who, in response, gave him a knowing smile, making it abundantly clear that he had done it on purpose — he wanted to see a battlefield unfold.

Chen Nuo gave Sun Wukong a warning look and then turned his attention away, taking another drink.

It seemed he had been too nice to this monkey, who dared to make a joke out of his master. He would have to give him a hard time in the future.

Just as he was about to reply to Nuwa, voices at the entrance drew Chen Nuo and Nuwa’s attention toward it, and, sure enough, Fairy Baihua and the siblings Yang Jian and Yang Chan came in together.

As soon as Yang Chan and Fairy Baihua entered, they were startled to see Nuwa there. They hadn’t expected Goddess Nuwa to show up here and, moreover, be sitting next to Chen Nuo.

Fairy Baihua had only recently developed a liking for Chen Nuo and was unaware of Yang Chan and Nuwa’s affection for him. Being the closest to the Jade Pool, she also resented Nuwa for always stealing the spotlight whenever she made an appearance.

Even though Nuwa, as a God of Ancient Times, had both seniority and cultivation far surpassing those from the Jade Pool, the Jade Pool was still the domain of the Queen Mother of the West.

But whenever she appeared in the same event as Nuwa, all eyes would inevitably turn to Nuwa.

Fairy Baihua had been dissatisfied with this situation for a long time but could do nothing about where others directed their gazes, so she directed all her dissatisfaction towards Nuwa.

Now, seeing Nuwa sitting next to Chen Nuo, her feelings were a mix of surprise and anger: anger that Sun Wukong had allowed her and Nuwa to be in the same place and that Nuwa had arrived so early.

Her presence here made it impossible for others to look elsewhere. They were all notified at the same time, so how could she arrive so much earlier? She was truly adept at making a show.

Fairy Baihua had spent a long time getting dressed after receiving Sun Wukong’s message, planning to outshine everyone else. She didn’t expect that Nuwa’s arrival would attract all the attention to her.

After entering, she pretended to be surprised but actually seemed to be reproaching Sun Wukong, "Goddess Nuwa is here too? Chef Wukong, you should have given us a heads-up!"

Sun Wukong thought to himself that if he had told her earlier, she might not have come after all. Smiling, he replied, "What’s the matter? If I had told you that Goddess Nuwa was coming, would you have come or not?"