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

Chapter 105 Foresight and a Great Victory

After hearing these words, Jiang Ming's expression remained unchanged, and there was not a trace of surprise in his eyes.

It didn't feel like listening to news; it felt more like confirming a pre-existing conjecture.

Just as he was about to respond, he heard footsteps behind him.

Looking back, one could see Jiang Yi approaching with his hands behind his back, his steps composed and his expression calm.

"Father," he called softly, his tone calm.

Jiang Yi nodded slightly, skipped the pleasantries, and went straight to the point: "What exactly happened?"

Jiang Ming's answer was simple, his voice low but steady:
“There has been some unrest on the mountain lately, and I am suspicious. I am thinking of making some preparations as soon as possible.”

After speaking, he paused, then added:

"I was thinking of going to tell Uncle Liu, but I didn't expect... he wasn't in the manor."

He stopped there, seemingly not intending to say another word.

He appeared calm and composed, as if he had everything under control.

After hearing this, Jiang Yi remained silent for a moment, only glancing at his son as if pondering or confirming something.

He didn't ask any more questions, but turned to look at the tall, thin servant, gave a slight bow, and said:

“Since the manor lord is not in the manor, why not take refuge in the village for the time being? At least there are more people and more support.”

The servant smiled slightly upon hearing this, but his tone remained remarkably calm:

"Thank you for your kindness, Patriarch Jiang. However... the manor has its own laws."

He spoke politely, but his intentions were extremely firm.

Jiang Yi nodded slightly, stopped trying to persuade him, and simply patted his son's shoulder twice.

"Let's go."

The two walked down the mountain side by side, their steps unhurried, their expressions both composed and measured.

A mountain breeze rustled the pine branches and made the grass tremble slightly, carrying a lingering chill that seeped into the bones through the fabric of clothing.

After walking about ten steps, Jiang Yi finally spoke, his voice low and flat, as if asking casually:

"Is there any serious problem this time?... Should we make some arrangements as soon as possible?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ming raised an eyebrow slightly, but his expression remained calm, and his tone carried a casual lightness:
"It should be nothing serious. If you really want to talk about it, it's just some practice in the gang, stretching and loosening up."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi simply hummed in agreement and said nothing more, already understanding the situation in his mind.

This eldest son is a man of few words; though he speaks little, he is very discerning.

If he hadn't already thoroughly investigated the situation from the back of the mountain, he would never have been so composed.

Back at the village entrance, Jiang Ming went straight to the blacksmith's shop to put his final arrangements into practice.

Jiang Yi went back home, and without catching his breath, he first reassured his wife, but still wouldn't let Jiang Xi go out.

He knew in his heart that although his eldest son spoke prudently, even the most meticulous plans could be subject to unexpected changes.

He lowered his voice and carefully instructed Liu Xiulian:
"If you really sense something is wrong, or if the commotion is too great, take the maid and head to the back mountain immediately. Don't wait for me; I will take Ming'er to the back mountain to meet you."

Always leave yourself an escape route; that's what gives you peace of mind.

After giving his instructions, he turned around and went to the corner of the room, where he took out a long stick from the usual spot.

His expression remained unchanged, his steps unhurried yet extremely steady, as he pushed open the door and stepped out.

The blacksmith's furnace had been extinguished, but the charcoal ash was still warm, and the lingering smoke had not yet dissipated.

All the disciples of the Ancient and Modern Gang who are twelve years of age or older have now received their real weapons.

Although it was just a rough draft, it was still cold and hard, and holding it in your hand gave off a sense of menace.

As dawn broke and night fell, darkness seeped in inch by inch.

As if they had rehearsed beforehand, everyone took their positions, divided into several teams, and moved nimbly, like night birds, silently blending into the shadows of the forest.

Jiang Ming led a few people straight to the main road in front of the mountain.

Jiang Yi remained silent, holding his long staff horizontally, and followed closely behind him.

The group climbed up the mountain pass, found a place hidden among the rocks and branches, and lay down.

Jiang Yi held his breath, his mind spreading out like silk, slowly probing.

The night wind swept across the mountaintop, rustling the grass and the chirping of insects, intermittent and without end.

The entire mountain seemed to hold its breath, leaving only the silence of the surrounding wilderness.

Everyone remained motionless, even swallowing back their coughs.

As the moonlight deepened, a chill crept in, and drops of dew clung to the grass, heavy as if about to fall.

Suddenly, Jiang Yi frowned slightly.

A chaotic yet persistent aura was creeping along the mountain ridge, slowly making its way towards the village entrance.

It is hidden very deep and kept very low; unless one's mind is extremely meticulous, it would be impossible to detect.

Jiang Yi narrowed his eyes, clenched his fist slightly, leaned forward, and whispered in his eldest son's ear:

“There’s a rustling sound in the grass on the front slope.”

Jiang Ming heard it clearly, his expression immediately tightened, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes. His lips moved slightly, and his voice was already quietly transmitted.

The teenagers held their breath, their feet sinking, and their eyes darkened.

Jiang Yi did not move, but he knew that the aura was already approaching.

Like an old snake crawling out of the grass, it stays close to the ground, unhurried and calm, yet carrying a fierce determination to never let go.

He focused his mind and carefully discerned the aura; it was chaotic yet orderly, disjointed yet not mixed.

There were about seven or eight wild beasts, each with a different appearance; some lay like tigers, others stalked like wolves. Their ferocity was yet to be unleashed, and their killing intent was still latent.

But it lay extremely low, almost blending in with the rocks and vegetation.

What's even stranger is that although the wild beasts each have their own unique aura, they don't clash with each other. On the contrary, they seem to cooperate very well, as if they were born together.

Several wild animals walked down the slope and suddenly stopped, their movements slightly paused, as if they had smelled something.

Perhaps it was the stench of kerosene, or perhaps it was the warmth of human presence.

Jiang Ming lay prone in the grass, his clothes fluttering slightly, but his eyes were as deep and still as an ancient well.

Suddenly, he uttered a low shout: "Light the fire."

The words were not loud, yet they were like cold iron striking stone, bursting forth with a cold light that instantly split the night in two.

With a hiss, the tinderbox pierced the darkness, scattering sparks everywhere.

The torches suddenly lit up, their flames like tongues, licking away the darkness inch by inch, illuminating the hillside in front of them as bright as day.

The wind rustled the grass, and the gravel creaked softly. The stealthy figures froze instantly.

Like a ghost sneaking in the night, he was caught red-handed by the firelight, his steps faltered, and his killing intent dissipated by three-tenths.

Before the beast-like creatures could react, Jiang Ming had already stepped forward.

With a flick of the long staff, a gust of wind was stirred up. The figure moved like lightning in the firelight, yet the momentum was heavy, as if a thousand pounds of force were enveloping him.

He went straight for the beast that pounced first and smashed it with his club.

Before the stick even arrived, the wind broke through, the grass blades bent down, and a muffled thud seemed to burst forth from the night.

The others had also been lying in wait, all of them hardened by years of training in the ancient and modern gangs. At this moment, they all moved silently.

Hooks, sticks, fists, and palms all swept out at once.

The grass rustled, the stones moved, and the dark shadows trembled wildly.

The lurking beasts clearly hadn't expected that this slope held such deadly danger, and that the firelight would arrive so ruthlessly and viciously.

They immediately lost their composure, their screams filled with panic as they either scrambled or fled.

Some were about to leap up when they were struck by the stick hooks, their skin torn and blood splattered.
Some were blinded by the flames and couldn't even tell which way was which. They ran straight into the firelight, fell into a heap, rolled around and cried out in pain.

He had planned to sneak up to the village entrance at night and ambush them for food, but before he could even muster his strength, he was beaten black and blue by a blow to the head.

This movement was like a stone thrown into a forest at night, stirring up waves all around.

The sound suddenly rose from the front mountain, and moments later, sounds also came from the other mountain passes.

A faint flame flickered, sometimes bright and sometimes dim.

There were also sounds of clashing weapons and the roars of beasts, like a sudden rain hitting tiles, shaking people's hearts and minds.

These cowardly beasts, as expected, all walked right into the ambush laid by the young men of the Ancient and Modern Gang.

Jiang Yi did not rush to make a move, but stood aside, squinting as he observed the battle.

These wild beasts, though possessing some rudimentary intelligence, are ultimately thick-skinned and strong creatures, more ferocious than clever.

When it comes to a real fight, they are only a few times more cunning than ordinary mountain beasts, and are not considered formidable opponents.

On the other hand, this group of teenagers, with a solid foundation and the advantage of terrain, are well-suited to use this nighttime respite to hone their skills and fight a real, bloody battle.

Jiang Yi's concern was for the three demons: the tiger, the bear, and the ox.

Those three ferocious creatures were already sentient and could not be compared to ordinary beasts.

If he were to actually appear, I'm afraid I wouldn't be a match for him. I could only lead my men to run towards the back of the mountain, and go as far as we could.

Jiang Yi moved swiftly, leaping behind the slope and blocking the retreat of the wild beasts.

With his long staff flying, he either deflected or swept, driving all those trying to escape back into the battle circle, while still listening carefully to the movements on the mountain in front.

There were also some noises coming from the direction of Liujiazhuangzi, which meant that it had also been attacked.

Fortunately, the intelligence Jiang Ming obtained was accurate.

Apart from these few wisps of blood energy in front of them, there were no stronger fluctuations in the forest, nor was there any demonic aura that could suppress one's soul.

Under the firelight, the shadows of sticks flew and the grass swayed, and in an instant, the wild beasts were all surrounded and killed.

Jiang Ming tapped the ground with his long staff, took a breath, but didn't rest for long. He whispered a few instructions, then led his men to turn around and run towards another place without losing their footing.

The activity at the mountain passes ahead gradually subsided, leaving only low breathing and chaotic footsteps mingling in the wind.

The wind rises and the forest rustles, the sounds of battle subside.

Jiang Yi squinted, glanced into the depths of the night, and remained silent. He simply slammed the old stick in his hand on the ground and stood there leaning on it.

(End of this chapter)