Journey to the West: Starting by taking Sun Wukong as my disciple!-Chapter 527: Chen Nuo Appears, Advises Tian Peng

Chapter 527: Chapter 527: Chen Nuo Appears, Advises Tian Peng

"If she really hadn’t asked for anything back then, perhaps she would still be wandering without a clue where she is now; sometimes, you have to take what is given to you," the person said.

The child accepted the item from the person’s hand, puzzled. Although he didn’t understand why, he thought that since the "brother" said his family didn’t lack for steamed buns, taking it probably didn’t matter.

"All right, I’m off." Seeing the child accept the steamed bun, the person patted his hair and left.

Tian Peng was hoeing the ground in front of his little wooden cabin; he had just found a pack of pastries inside his house, a gift from Great Roc, then he went to town to exchange it for some seeds, intending to start his own garden.

He didn’t own any land and couldn’t go to the fields, but fortunately, there was a yard in front of his house where Tian Peng planned to cultivate his own plot.

Tian Peng had never farmed before and now, merely breaking ground in a yard, he was worn out.

He drank half a jar of water in one go before he could rest.

Looking at the neatly turned small patch of land, Tian Peng thought to himself, thankfully, he had helped the shopkeeper do this work before; if not, he wouldn’t even know where to begin.

But when it came time to sow the seeds, he was stumped. He really didn’t know how to go about it; was it enough to just dig a hole and place the seeds inside?

Just as Tian Peng grabbed a handful of seeds and was about to scatter them, a voice stopped him.

"Are you planning to throw all the seeds into one hole and hope they find their way out on their own?"

Tian Peng looked up; the voice was incredibly distant, as if he hadn’t heard it in a very long time.

"Shopkeeper!"

Chen Nuo stood at the entrance of the yard, smiling at him just as he used to, "Long time no see."

Tears were on the verge of spilling from Tian Peng’s eyes. As he looked at Chen Nuo, his voice choked, he said, "Why did you only appear now? I really don’t know what to do. Xiong Daoren left, Great Roc left, even Roc Demon King left, and now only I am left."

"I know about it," Chen Nuo said, "I was afraid you’d starve to death, so I rushed over."

"Shopkeeper, are you here to take me with you now?" Tian Peng asked.

"Do you want to come with me?" Chen Nuo asked, "Go back to Chaos Residence, continue selling milk tea, or be a clerk?"

Tian Peng paused. If he went back with Chen Nuo now, he would really just become a clerk selling milk tea.

Without the title of Marshal Tian Peng, and being a clerk in Chen Nuo’s store might not be as it was before.

Tian Peng didn’t speak, and Chen Nuo didn’t either.

He knew Tian Peng was hesitating. According to Tian Peng’s thoughts, if he returned, just being a mere clerk might not earn him respect in Chaos Residence, which certainly wasn’t what he wanted.

Of course, if he really chose to stay in Chaos Residence as a clerk, Chen Nuo wouldn’t say anything.

No matter which choice he made, it was Chen Nuo who had offered it, whether to stay in Chaos Residence or venture out. Chen Nuo would give him a hand either way. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"I’m sorry, shopkeeper. Although I’d very much like to return to Chaos Residence, I hope that when I work there as a clerk, I won’t be just any clerk. Besides, I’m aware that Chaos Residence doesn’t really need too many clerks. If you want, you could manage without any clerk at all, couldn’t you?"

He was telling the truth, and Chen Nuo did not deny it.

"I’ve made my decision, shopkeeper. Thank you for your kindness, but I would rather struggle a bit more in the human world. Rest assured, I rely on myself for ascension. Unless the Jade Emperor deliberately obstructs me, I will surely return to the Heavenly Court. However, this time, I will choose to remain by your side in a glorious state."

Marshal Tian Peng kneeled on one knee and clasped his fist towards Chen Nuo, speaking his sincere thoughts. Chen Nuo was an enlightened person who came to point out a path for him, and Tian Peng was aware of that. But this time, he wanted to rely on himself.

"You are indeed a wise man," Chen Nuo said. "I respect your approach. Since you’ve chosen the human world, then make the most of your time there. There’s still a long way to go, and I hope you’ll make a name for yourself soon."

"Don’t worry, shopkeeper. I will achieve it," Tian Peng said.

"I came to give this to you," Chen Nuo said, taking out a glowing magic artifact from the silken pouch and placing it in Tian Peng’s hands.

Tian Peng took it, and it was his weapon that had followed him for many years, the Nine-toothed Rake. He had not expected to see it again.

"I thought this thing had been confiscated by the Jade Emperor. I really didn’t expect it to be with you," Tian Peng said, holding his Nine-toothed Rake and not wanting to let go.

"I anticipated that the Jade Emperor would want to take your belongings. The moment they called you away, I had Sun Wukong transfer all the contents of your silken pouch," Chen Nuo admitted with a smile. "But I thought this artifact would be the most important to you now. I’ll keep the rest safe for you. Having too many magic artifacts might not bode well for your destiny."

Tian Peng knew this principle well, and he hadn’t expected Chen Nuo to be so thoughtful, to consider everything for him.

"Shopkeeper, I thought I was just a casual worker in your shop. I really didn’t expect you to treat me so well," Tian Peng said.

"It’s just a small effort on my part. How could I, as a shopkeeper, mistreat my own workers?" Chen Nuo said with an indifferent smile, as if it were nothing worth mentioning.

"Shopkeeper, this is no mere small effort," Tian Peng said, with tears in his eyes.

If this had been before he was demoted to the mortal world, Tian Peng would have only thought that both Chen Nuo and the Jade Emperor were his superiors.

To him, whether facing Chen Nuo or the Jade Emperor, he had to be respectful and careful not to make mistakes. Both positions were secure sources of livelihood, yet he knew the possibility of an overturn at any moment.

But now, he realized that being Marshal Tian Peng in the Heavenly Court was like having a thorn hanging over his head, never knowing when it might prick him.

Working for Chen Nuo was the true definition of a secure and treasured position.

"If you want to thank me, it’s not now," Chen Nuo said. "In your current state in the mortal world, you don’t have a single silver tael to show for it. What could you possibly use to thank me?"

Tian Peng stood up straight and wiped the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Shopkeeper, I understand. Rest assured, I certainly will make something of myself. When my destiny arrives and after I ascend, the first thing I will do is share the good news with you," he said.

Chen Nuo nodded. "Good, I understand. As long as you know that. My appearance here is one-time only. I will conceal your deeds from the Jade Emperor and Yama. Remember, unless it’s someone from the Chaos Residence, you should never reveal your identity to anyone in the future. Otherwise, if the Jade Emperor finds out, it won’t be good news."

"Don’t worry, shopkeeper. I definitely won’t disclose my identity," Tian Peng assured.

"Alright, that’s all I have to tell you. Everything in the human world you will have to handle on your own. I won’t interfere. If I do, it would affect your destiny," Chen Nuo said. "No matter how you do it, remember, you must follow the right path."

"Shopkeeper, rest assured, I definitely will make something of myself!" Tian Peng knelt before Chen Nuo. "I will not forget your kindness."