Journey to the West: Tang Monk Conquers Everything-Chapter 546: Did He Dilute the Meng Po Soup He Drank?

In his previous life, "Journey to the West" was one of the Four Great Classical Novels, and uniquely, it was a mythological tale, with countless film and television adaptations derived from it.

The so-called ninety-nine trials of Journey to the West were also well-known to many.

Thus, Jiang Liu was familiar with all the places mentioned in the original work, such as the Treasure Elephant Country, Black Chicken Country, Jisai Country, and Women's Kingdom.

However, he had never heard of Mingji Nation; thus, to Jiang Liu, it seemed to be just another small and inconsequential country on the path of the westward journey, unlikely to encounter any significant troubles.

Having traveled thirty thousand miles westward, he had seen many such small countries and cities.

Since they had arrived, naturally, resupplying essential supplies was necessary, and so, Jiang Liu had Sun Wukong change Sha Wujing's appearance.

Naturally, Zhu Bajie also transformed himself into a large-bellied man, and the group entered the royal city of Mingji Nation.

"Hmm? What's happened in Mingji Nation?" However, upon entering, Jiang Liu was somewhat surprised. As the royal city of a nation, it seemed too sparsely populated.

It wasn't bustling with noise, but it should have been lively and noisy.

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However, upon entering, he found it exceptionally deserted. Looking around, he noted that on the streets, seven or eight out of every ten shops were closed.

"What's going on? Could it be that there's a demon disturbance in this royal city, scaring everyone away from opening their shops to do business?" Jiang Liu quietly mused at the deserted scene in the city.

It seemed like the only plausible explanation.

However, although the city seemed deserted, it was not entirely devoid of people; there was an old man, initially selling vegetables by the street, who was now hastily packing up his stall.

"Old man, Amitabha, this monk is from the Great Tang in the Eastern Land, traveling to the Western Heaven to worship Buddha and seek scriptures. Passing through your land, I noticed it's rather deserted here. What is the reason for this?"

Jiang Liu approached the old man with a modest and respectful demeanor and asked.

"So you are a monk from the heavenly empire above!" Seeing Jiang Liu's handsome and courteous appearance, the old man, despite being in a hurry, did not show impatience and said, "You, little monk, have come at an interesting time. Today just happens to be the annual Incense Offering Ceremony at the Great Luo Temple, so everyone is rushing to attend it!"

"The Incense Offering Ceremony?" Hearing the old man's words, Jiang Liu's heart paused slightly, filled with a touch of melancholy.

If there was anything Jiang Liu regretted, it was attending the Incense Offering Ceremony initially, which resulted in him receiving a total of twelve Scar of Precepts!

Of course, Jiang Liu knew that given his status, even if he chose not to attend the Incense Offering Ceremony, the Bodhisattva and Buddha would surely find a way to set him on the journey to the West.

Thus, this regret was completely pointless.

However, he hadn't expected that the Incense Offering Ceremony in Mingji Nation would fall on today of all days.

"But even so, should the Incense Offering Ceremony really be this lively?" Although he understood what was happening, Jiang Liu immediately pointed around him and spoke with a puzzled expression.

Indeed, the Incense Offering Ceremony was indeed a grand event, a spectacle in ancient times when there were few other forms of entertainment.

But even the Incense Offering Ceremony in Chang'an City wasn't as deserted as this. Why did Mingji Nation place such importance on the Incense Offering Ceremony that even the street shops were closed, seven or eight out of ten?

"This little monk, you don't understand. The Incense Offering Ceremony happens once a year and usually isn't anything special, but this year is different!" As Jiang Liu spoke, the old man shook his head.

"Different? How is it different?" Jiang Liu asked curiously.

"It's said that the abbot of Great Luo Temple, when he was lost, came across an infant lying on a lotus, his body visible with protected by Buddhist light, so he took the baby in and has been raising him personally. Now the child is three years old, and this year's Incense Offering Ceremony, the abbot will personally perform it!" the old man explained.

"Incense Offering? Isn't it usually only done at age fifteen?" Jiang Liu was even more astonished, Incense Offering at three years old? What was going on?

"Ordinary people, of course, wait until they are fifteen. But this child is different. It's said he retains innate wisdom from past lives and, born with knowledge, has already mastered the major Buddhist scriptures at the age of three! Thus, Master Puhui of Great Luo Temple is keen to perform the Incense Offering for him!" the old man said, his face showing astonishment.

Clearly, the emergence of a Buddhist prodigy at Great Luo Temple was even discussed by ordinary commoners with great familiarity.

"I see, no wonder this royal city is so deserted!" Hearing this, Jiang Liu nodded, suddenly enlightened.

"Disciples, since we've encountered this, shall we go take a look?" After mulling it over for a moment, Jiang Liu then suggested.

"Master, whatever you decide is fine, no need to ask us!" Upon hearing Jiang Liu's inquiry, Sun Wukong waved his hand and said.

An assembly of bald monks for Incense Offering? That's of no interest to Sun Wukong.

But since his master wanted to go, he naturally couldn't disagree.

Seeing that none of his disciples objected, Jiang Liu and his group moved toward the direction of the Great Luo Temple.

Goodness, the old man was indeed not mistaken—Great Buddha Temple was bustling with people, crowded with roughly a hundred young boys, all with shaved heads, quietly waiting for the Incense Offering Ceremony.

At Great Luo Temple, of course, there were monks maintaining order, and as Jiang Liu and his group arrived, the monks in charge of maintaining order inquired about them.

Upon hearing that Jiang Liu was a high monk from the Great Tang in the Eastern Land and after checking the Travel Permit Plaque and verifying his identity, they personally arranged for someone to receive and lead Jiang Liu and his group inside.

Moreover, they arranged sufficiently good seats for them to observe the ceremony.

A high monk from the Heavenly Empire of Great Tang had arrived, and furthermore, he was the Imperial Brother anointed by the Emperor of Tang. This news quickly reached the upper echelon of Great Luo Temple.

However, as the Incense Offering Ceremony had already begun, the abbot of Great Luo Temple had no time to receive Jiang Liu himself.

Jiang Liu had experienced the Incense Offering Ceremony himself, and upon careful observation, there wasn't much difference from the ceremony he participated in at the beginning.

One by one, each Novice Monk took their turn to offer incense. Those who failed to light the incense scar looked visibly disheartened, some even crying uncontrollably.

Those who successfully lit the incense scar, however, were overjoyed.

Nearly a hundred Novice Monks participating in the incense offering seemed like a large number, but it did not take up much time.

Everyone watched closely; the elimination rate was extremely high. After all the young Novice Monks had finished lighting their incense, only eight were successful.

Among them, only one had two Scars of Precepts on his head.

"Truly a place deficient in Buddhist connections!"

Seeing the scene of the Incense Offering Ceremony and comparing it to the one at the Great Buddha Temple in Chang'an, Jiang Liu internally shook his head—the Mingji Nation was never mentioned in the original work; was it really so inconspicuous?

As the Incense Offering Ceremony for these young Novice Monks concluded, the entire courtyard suddenly fell silent.

All the spectators held their breath consciously, knowing well that the highlight of the ceremony was about to commence.

"Disciple, come forward to offer incense!" the abbot instructed, pointing to a Great Incense with a "卍" Buddhist symbol engraved on it.

Following his words, a child walked out.

Only three years old, the child looked extremely young, with a shaved head and dressed in monk's robes, giving off an adorable appearance.

However, despite being only a three-year-old, the way the child walked out barefoot conveyed a sense of maturity that belied his age, and his demeanor did not seem childlike at all.

What surprised people even more was that this child had a small gourd of wine hanging at his waist and was even holding and nibbling on a chicken leg with his other hand.

As he walked out, the child monk wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his robe, leaving an oily stain, and hurriedly quickened his steps, "Master, I'm coming, I'm coming…"

"Is this the rumored favorite disciple of Master Puhui?"

Seeing the child emerge, only three years old yet drinking alcohol and eating meat, many spectators exchanged glances before bursting into discussion.

"You mischievous disciple! Put that down!" Hearing the surrounding murmurs, Master Puhui's face turned red with embarrassment.

The monks from Great Luo Temple beside him covered their faces with their hands, too ashamed to show their faces.

Although the child always liked to steal drinks and meat, the monks from the Great Luo Temple had not expected that during the public spectacle of the Incense Offering Ceremony, he would appear in such a state.

"Come over here quickly!"

Master Puhui, who had been maintaining a dignified demeanor until then, hurried forward and snatched the chicken leg from the child's hand; naturally, he also took down the gourd of wine from the waist and set it aside.

Reluctantly watching the monk put away the chicken leg and wine, the child, still with a babyish voice, said, "Brother, be sure not to lose them!"

At this, Zhu Bajie couldn't help but burst into laughter, saying, "Master, this is really interesting! This kid is quite amusing!"

"So young, and already drinking and eating meat? Who taught him this!?"

Even Jiang Liu, witnessing this scene, slightly twitched the corners of his mouth, feeling his worldview starting to collapse.

No wonder people say the child has Inherent Wisdom; it's impossible for the people of Great Luo Temple to teach him to drink and eat meat.

So, could it be memories carried over from a previous life?

It seems the Meng Po Soup the child drank was perhaps watered down!?