Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons

A large white croaker was steamed and placed in a long white jade dish, its skin was silvery white and the soup was bright red. The chicken stewed with small flower mushrooms was extremely fresh and fragrant, and it was smooth and tender. There was also a fish head tofu soup with a milky white soup and soft and tender tofu. With a few side dishes and delicate snacks, it was a delicious meal.

Madam Yin personally picked up a piece of fish for Wen Jiao and said with a smile, "Eat more. I thought about the recipe of this dish carefully a while ago and improved it. You are used to eating good food outside, so come and try the flavor of home."

Wen Jiao chewed it carefully, swallowed it, and then smiled and said, "No matter how many delicacies he has, they are not as good as the fish my father caught and the recipe my mother prepared."

Yin Kaishan smiled and stroked his beard when he heard this: "When are you leaving? If you are in a hurry, dad will catch a few more for you. You can take them back and ask Fengchun from Yuan Lang to cook for you."

Madam Yin smiled until her eyes narrowed into slits: "You are the only one who is so sweet-talking. Can my improved recipe be better than the chef in Heaven? I am afraid it is far inferior to Fengchun."

Wen Jiao and Yuan Tiangang's affairs had been made clear to the two elders after she came to the mortal world. Although Yuan Tiangang had been busy with the Shanhe plan in recent years and wished he could split one person into ten people, he would always come to Wudang to reunite with Wen Jiao and Yin Kaishan and his wife during the holidays. On weekdays, if he got rare treasures and delicacies, he would also ask the carving spirit Fengyu to carry them to them. Therefore, Yin Kaishan and his wife knew that Yuan Tiangang had a capable flower demon cook named Fengchun.

Skills are important, but the most important thing is the thought.

Wen Jiao lowered her eyes and sighed in her heart.

Seeing her dazed expression, Yin Kaishan thought she was about to leave, and said immediately, "Dad will go fishing with you now." As he said that, he went to carry the fish basket and get the fishing rod.

Wen Jiao held him back and said, "Father, please don't be in a hurry. Mother, please sit down. In fact, my daughter did not come here on a whim. She made a vow in front of the two Bodhisattvas, Manjusri and Samantabhadra, in the West. I need to explain it to the two elders."

"Manjusri? Samantabhadra?" Madam Yin took a deep breath, her face slightly changed. "Isn't this a great bodhisattva on par with Guanyin Bodhisattva and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva? Why did you go to swear in front of them?"

When Madam Yin was still a noblewoman in Chang'an, she often followed her friends to burn incense and worship gods, and donated money to various palaces and temples. These gods naturally included various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in Buddhism, and she was familiar with great Bodhisattvas such as Manjusri and Samantabhadra. When she heard Wen Jiao's words, she felt that there was a lot of secrets in it.

Wen Jiao started from the calamity of the sky-covering disaster in Jiadi Kingdom, and went on to talk about the revenge of Agoncuo in Lion Country, how she had a verbal battle with two Bodhisattvas, and finally made a vow for Mingzhi: "If it does not hurt others, it is natural to be kind. If it hurts others, one should be ruthless and give up desire to prove the clear distinction between clear and turbid."

The more she talked, the heavier her heart became, and she lowered her head unconsciously. Yin Kaishan and his wife were also distracted by what she said, and they did not come to their senses immediately after she finished speaking. For a while, the three of them sat in silence, and only the sound of bamboo leaves swaying and birds chirping could be heard outside the pavilion.

Madam Yin was the first to break the silence. She took a sip of wine, her eyes sparkling, and asked with great interest: "What about those two boys? The two boys who ward off evil and suppress evil, how are they and the little queen Agoncuo doing now? How beautiful is the little queen? How come they are used to seeing fairies in heaven, but still can't help themselves in front of the little queen?"

Wen Jiao was speechless for a moment, and then she said, "Of all the women I have ever seen, in terms of beauty, the only one who is beautiful is Taiyin Zhenjun in the East Heaven, the only one who is beautiful is the goddess Minaga in the West Heaven, and the only one who is beautiful is her biological mother, Queen Chiji, in the Wuliang Plateau. Her appearance is better than that of Queen Agoncuo."

Madam Yin slammed her chopsticks and immediately became angry, saying, "I just don't believe it. Can she be more spoiled than my family?"

Yin Kaishan also nodded: "Our Mantang Jiao is the most beautiful woman in the world. As for Agongcuo, I don't believe she can compare with our daughter's beauty."

Wen Jiao really didn't know whether to laugh or cry this time. She said all these words, explaining the tricks in the verbal battle, but who knew that in the end, her parents were interested in the love triangle between the two boys and Agongcuo, as well as the ranking of their daughter's appearance.

Let's not talk about the emotional entanglement of the three little ones. As long as nothing happens, she will just let it go. Let's talk about the appearance ranking. Although Wen Jiao has always been proud, she is not the kind of person who will compete regardless of the facts. She knows that she is outstanding in appearance and can be considered a first-class beauty, but not a stunning beauty, let alone a peerless beauty who can turn a country upside down with a glance. Her parents insist on treating her as a stunning beauty, which is somewhat mixed with some personal feelings.

Wait, is this the point? How come she was also led astray by them?

Wen Jiao shook her head: "After sending Xuanzang and the others away, my daughter told Pixie and Zhen'e to send Agongcuo back, and then she came to find you. I don't know what will happen to the three of them. Anyway, the two boys have been taught by me over the years and their character is not bad. Although Agongcuo has a deep heart, he is not a vicious person. The younger generation has their own destiny, so let them be. As for my beauty... my parents really love me deeply, that's why they think I am an unparalleled beauty."

"Of course the ones you raise yourself are a hundred times prettier than those raised by others! I'm putting my words here. My daughter Mantangjiao is the most beautiful girl in the world. No one is as pretty as you." Madam Yin said righteously, "If you don't believe me, ask your father?"

Yin Kaishan nodded seriously, as if "Mantangjiao is the most beautiful woman in the world" was a natural truth like the sun rising in the east and setting in the west and the four seasons coming and going in spring and autumn.

Wen Jiao sighed, feeling that all the hidden depression in her heart was completely dispelled by the two elders' jokes. She smiled slightly: "Dad, Mom, I understand your intentions, please don't make fun of me anymore."

Madam Yin looked at her deeply and said, "It's good to know. Don't you feel that since you have made a vow, you should not be partial to others and feel sorry for me and your father? You said it yourself that the younger generation has their own fate. Why do you feel so upset when it comes to the elders?"

Even though Yin Kaishan and his wife were dull in the way of immortality, they were once the top nobles of the Tang Dynasty, and the top talents who were immersed in the minds of many people. How could they not think of the consequences of Wen Jiao's vow? The reason why they talked about this and that was just to use this gossip to reduce the guilt in Wen Jiao's heart.

Wen Jiao felt warm in her heart, and her eyes felt bitter: "That's different. They are the boys I took in, and you are my biological children. They have entered the path of immortality and have their own destiny. Although you have drunk the nectar, you are still mortals. The thunder tribulation after five hundred years, the fire tribulation after a thousand years, and the wind after fifteen hundred years are all inevitable."