Journey to the West: The Immortal Clan Begins by Feeding Monkeys at Five Elements Mountain

Chapter 104 Rushing to Forge Weapons, Not Returning from Mountain Patrol

As dawn broke and the chill lingered, a large circle of people sat on the cold ground in the Jiang family home.

Dew clung to the tips of the grass, and the air was damp and cold. Yet, tables and chairs had already been set up on the cleared land.

The entire Jiang family was present, including the young man from the Liu family, who was dragged along by Jiang Xi and sat upright, looking as if he was afraid of missing out.

The one giving the sermon was still Jiang Ming. His voice wasn't loud, but it had a steady and powerful quality.

Although Erlang had already gone to take up his post, he did not miss a single morning lecture.

The night before his departure, Jiang Liang was given a reading list by his older brother, who gave him detailed instructions:

"If you come across a bookstore or stall while you're out, buy any books with familiar titles and bring them back with you."

However, it was also made clear: "Do your best, but don't force it. Many scriptures are simply not available on the market, and no amount of money can buy them."

Jiang Ming clearly had a plan: to pave the way for this book-lecturing business.

Jiang Yi sat on the edge of the ground, listening intently.

Even though I couldn't understand the sentences after reading them a hundred times, my eldest son's few words of guidance made me feel like I had gained some insight.

The logic is clear and the flow of energy is smooth, as if a hidden thread has suddenly opened in the meridians, making the book that was originally hard to swallow suddenly much easier to read.

Jiang Yi had already made a mental calculation.

With his limited ability to painstakingly study and analyze, it would probably take him more than two hundred years to finish reading all these scriptures page by page.

But now, with one lesson a day and one lecture every morning, I hear it clearly and remember it thoroughly.

If we continue down this path, we might be able to grasp most of the classic texts within a hundred years.

After listening to these lectures for the past few months, not only did he benefit from them, but his eldest son Jiang Ming's ability to explain and interpret scriptures also visibly improved.

His words and sentences became clearer and clearer, his reasoning became more and more illuminating, and even his demeanor became more and more composed each day.

Sometimes Jiang Yi would even have some ulterior motives.

If one truly follows this path, perhaps in this lifetime one will actually have a chance to benefit from it and glimpse the legendary "realm of the gods" high in the sky.

According to that Master Liu, by cultivating both body and mind, and unifying spirit and form, one can hope to unlock the door to "refining essence into qi".

Once you step inside, you are no longer an ordinary mortal. Not only can you fly and escape into the earth, but your lifespan will also increase accordingly.

Living for three to five hundred years is not an exaggeration.

Therefore, Jiang Yixue paid extra attention to it, and also pressed Liu Xiulian and Jiang Xi into the cold ground.

Everyone must listen to scriptures upon waking up and copy books at their desks; no one can afford to be lazy.

That little girl used to be the most restless, unable to sit still, and would wander off after only a couple of sentences. But these days she's slowly calmed down.

His face was tense, and his eyes were more focused than before.

Although he still occasionally gets distracted, he will sometimes make a few strokes on the table and silently recite the scriptures to the rhythm.

Jiang Yi felt a sense of relief as he watched, thinking to himself that his daughter had finally made some progress and knew how to be obedient.

The party ended when the sunlight bathed the hillside.

The family members each got up, washed up, and went about their own business.

Jiang Yi's steps were always very disciplined.

I walked around the herb garden, scattered some herbs by the chicken coop, picked a few fruit from the orchard, my hands and feet never stopped, and after finishing the whole round, I didn't feel tired at all.

By evening, bowls of rice and dishes were already laid out in the house, waiting for Jiang Ming to return so they could eat together.

The eldest son has been acting quite methodically lately.

After returning from school in the afternoon, without even changing his shoes, he would disappear into the mountains behind the school.

They didn't emerge from the woods until the last rays of the setting sun had begun to slant downwards.

Jiang Yi did not ask, assuming that his eldest son had other cultivation methods.

Otherwise, his lecture style and demeanor would not have improved so rapidly.

It wasn't long before Jiang Ming's figure appeared from the twilight.

Stepping into the courtyard, his pace was quicker than usual, carrying a gust of wind.

Before he could even stand properly, he raised his voice and asked, "Dad, where did we put our money?"

Jiang Yi was picking at the food with his chopsticks when he heard this, his hand paused, and his eyebrows twitched slightly.

This eldest son has always been aloof and indifferent to worldly desires, and he's usually too lazy to even buy a few robes. Why is he suddenly thinking about money today?
Although he found it strange, he didn't ask any questions. He simply put down his chopsticks, got up, and led the people into the inner room.

He bent down, lifted the cabinet, and pulled out several heavy money bags.

The Jiang family is not what it used to be; they have built up some wealth. The youngest son brought back several gold ingots from Luoyang as a reward, and the monetary gifts received at the wedding banquet have not yet been touched. These bags are filled with valuable goods.

Jiang Ming didn't even look at them. He reached out and picked up all the money bags, then turned to leave.

They walked so fast that they even carried a bit of the wind with them.

Just as the figure was about to be discharged from the hospital, he turned back and shouted, "Dad, keep a close eye on my little sister these next two days, don't let her run around!"

Without waiting for a reply, he vanished in a flash.

Only the lamp on the table remained, trembling in the wind, its light flickering in the night.

For some reason, the village was in an uproar that night.

From near and far, people were shouting, running, dogs were barking, and roosters were crowing, creating a noisy scene.

A shout came from the east and a commotion from the west, as if the entire Liangjie Village had been turned upside down, its sleep disrupted before it could even wake up.

As dawn broke and the chill lingered, the old house of the Jiang family was unusually quiet.

At this time of day, the air would usually be filled with the sound of students reading aloud, and morning classes would have just begun. But today, there is not a sound at all.

Jiang Ming did not return home all night, and naturally, the courtyard was also missing that clear and melodious voice telling stories.

Jiang Yi got up early, without even bothering to get dressed or wash up. He simply told Liu Xiulian and Jiang Xi, "You two don't wander around today. Stay home and guard the house."

He then put on an old jacket and went out, walking a little faster than usual.

As I walked to the village entrance, I indeed heard that there were already people gathered there.

Several old men squatted by the edge of the threshing ground, pipes in their hands, chatting animatedly.

"Last night, Gu Jin helped those kids practice their boxing like crazy, they were up all night!"

"I think this isn't boxing practice, it's military drills! They've even booked the Tang family's blacksmith shop, and they're making real weapons—knives, spears, halberds, you name it!"

"Normally, when we practice boxing, we just use a wooden stick to fool around. But today is different. Even Old Tang's stove has been burning all night..."

"This doesn't seem like acting. It's likely that the youngest son of the Jiang family is really going to take his men out to make a name for themselves!"

Jiang Yi stood at the other end, hands in his sleeves, listening with a slight frown, but he didn't say a word.

You know your own son's personality best.

That's a very methodical place; they never tolerate rash actions.

The thought came to mind, and without delay, he took a step and headed straight for Tang's blacksmith shop.

Before even turning into the intersection, one could hear the distant, resounding sounds of hammers and chisels, crisp and rhythmic, making one's heart tighten and relax in turn.

Smoke was billowing in front of the blacksmith's shop, and a wave of heat hit us. The smell of scorching wrought iron was so strong that it made us squint.

Tang the blacksmith, shirtless, sat in the middle, hammer in hand, shouting orders at the top of his lungs.

He was directing a group of teenagers as they hammered and pliers, creating quite a lively scene.

Those guys were really something. They rolled up their sleeves high, sweat dripped down their chins, and their faces were burning red, but not one of them backed down.

It wasn't for exquisite craftsmanship, but to meet the deadline. The swords, spears, and halberds were crudely made, but they were all presentable.

Jiang Yi walked around the shop, but couldn't find his eldest son.

Meanwhile, the big ox stood to one side, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his face flushed as he directed the boys to swing the hammer and pliers.

This is Jiang Ming's childhood playmate who used to catch fish and insects with him. Now he has the title of "Left Protector," and he puts on quite the airs.

Jiang Yi didn't beat around the bush, taking a few steps forward and getting straight to the point: "Where's Jiang Ming?"

Upon seeing that it was Jiang Yi, Da Niu immediately dropped all his airs of being the "Left Protector".

His face was beaming like a New Year's painting, and he was even two inches shorter than usual: "Uncle Jiang, the gang leader went to Liu Family Village early this morning."

Before he could finish speaking, his voice rose, and he yelled at the group of young men carrying knives and guns standing nearby:
"Listen up! Those south of the village, those west of the ridge, and those over at Chishong Road, keep a close watch! Don't forget to keep your knives on your belts, and keep your eyes peeled!"

After yelling and screaming, he finally turned around.

Seeing that Jiang Yi was expressionless, he flicked his sleeve, shifted his feet slightly, and floated out of the blacksmith shop as if walking on wind and clouds.

He was not heavy, but he landed steadily, taking three feet per step, and rushed straight towards Liu Family Village.

In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, we had already arrived at the door.

From afar, one could see the tall, thin servant whispering to Jiang Ming:

"The manor lord went out to patrol the mountains three days ago and has not returned since."

His tone was flat, but his expression betrayed a hint of worry.

(End of this chapter)