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

Chapter 111 The momentum follows the stick, and we re-enter the deep mountains.

After Liu Xiulian and her daughter left, the Jiang family courtyard immediately fell silent.

The bustling atmosphere seemed to have faded as the carriage left the village, leaving even the morning breeze feeling less lively.

The window frames were silent, the stove was smokeless, and the old wind chimes hanging crookedly under the eaves tinkled softly, as if they too were feeling a little lost.

In the small courtyard, only the Jiang father and son remained, each preoccupied with their own quiet cultivation.

Jiang Ming, on the other hand, remained the same as always.

He went to the cold region to give a lecture early in the morning. Even though there were only two and a half listeners, including the hunting dog, he still put on a serious face and lectured in a very proper and methodical manner.

After finishing his lecture, he went to the school, and in the afternoon he would go into the woods behind the mountain, where he would stay for most of the day. Regardless of the cold wind or the scorching sun, he always seemed unwilling to slack off.

When he returned, it was already dark. The crows had returned to their nests, and there was no smoke from the chimneys. The whole village seemed to have been softened by the night.

As for Jiang Yi, he lived a very orderly life ever since he sent his wife and daughter away.

I take a walk through the orchards and medicinal herb gardens every day, then cook a pot of rice on the way back, dividing it into three bowls to serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner all at once, saving me the trouble of going back and forth.

The rest of the time was spent practicing that staff technique.

His foundation is not bad; although his "determination" is still lacking, he already has the basis for "mental tranquility."

He couldn't control the qi as easily as he moved his arm, but he could clearly and perfectly understand the rise and fall of that qi, as it traveled along his meridians and collaterals.

When wielding the stick, the movements and stances naturally possess a sense of fluidity and balance, rising and falling with measured rhythm, conforming to the principles of Yin and Yang.

Compared to ordinary martial artists who train hard, he has a more transparent and refined sense of qi.

In just over a month, he had mastered the staff technique to a high degree of proficiency.

When he strikes, his energy flows with his momentum, the shadow of his staff flashes, and a single sweep can crush tender grass several feet away.

It's not uncommon for a well-prepared close-range strike to break wood and shatter rocks.

During this period, Master Liu has been coming frequently.

Each time, he would bring a food box with a smile on his face, saying that his wife had cooked too much food and was worried that the Jiang family father and son might be careless, so he brought some vegetables over to make up for the meal.

His words were gentle and considerate, as if they came from a poor family in the past.

But who doesn't know that Liu Family Manor has a long line of servants, and if it really comes to delivering food, he might not even get to hand it over a note in person?

Jiang Yi knew exactly what was going on.

The manor owner visits every few days, probably to check on the progress of his staff technique.

He didn't refuse, and every time someone sat down, he would raise his stick and start fighting in the courtyard.

The stick whistled in the wind, its energy as swift as a thread.

After finishing the routine, I returned to the starting point and then politely asked Master Liu for some pointers.

Master Liu was never polite, explaining the flow of energy and the arrangement of internal strength in great detail, offering extremely precise guidance.

But when it comes to the stick technique itself, he just keeps praising it, exhausting all his words, and can't find a single fault with it.

Although Jiang Yi did not say it aloud, he had already figured it out in his heart.

For some reason, this manor lord clearly cared about his own cultivation progress.

That day, Jiang Yi ate a simple meal, finishing his hot rice and dishes in a few bites, and just as he picked up his stick, intending to practice for a while longer.

Outside the courtyard gate, several figures turned the corner at the village entrance; from a distance, they were all familiar faces.

It was indeed Master Liu, with his two old servants following behind, both with solemn expressions.

As Jiang Yi entered, the tea had just been brewed and was still steaming when Master Liu, without beating around the bush, got straight to the point:

“After that attack, I was always uneasy and felt that I should go to the deep mountains.”

As he spoke, he gently stroked the teacup with his fingers, his tone becoming more subdued:

"Firstly, it's to get an explanation for what happened last time. We can't let evil spirits play tricks on us and then just pretend it's all over and never happened."

"Secondly, I always felt that those few things cultivated in a very strange way. In the first few years, they were just small evil creatures that were just starting out, but in the blink of an eye, they became invulnerable to swords and spears and could come and go like the wind..." "If we don't investigate them, they will reappear, and it won't be us choosing the day to find them, but rather they choosing who to eat."

As he said this, his tone softened, but a faint, ambiguous smile appeared at the corner of his lips:
"Thirdly... if we really have the right time and place, we can kill a few evil creatures in the mountains, and bring back their bones, flesh and blood to nourish the young and strong in the village. That would be a way to offset one's own gains with the other."

These words were spoken slowly and deliberately, amidst the wafting aroma of tea, yet the tone carried a sharp and decisive edge, as if a blade had just been sharpened the night before.

Jiang Yi had no doubt about Master Liu's abilities, but as he listened to him say this, he couldn't help but recall the demon attack from last time.

Although it was a close call without any real danger, it inevitably caused some worry.

Master Liu, however, seemed to have anticipated his thoughts, and smiled lightly, his tone quite composed:

“This time it’s different. I’ll explore the mountains slowly, and I won’t make a move until I’m seven or eight tenths sure of what’s going on.”

After saying that, she glanced at him seemingly casually, her tone so light it was almost inaudible:
"Besides, with Brother Jiang in charge of the village now, I can travel further with peace of mind."

The words were not harsh, and the tone was light, yet they still startled Jiang Yi.

As Master Liu spoke, he turned around and pointed to the two attendants behind him, continuing:
"These two are my long-time servants. They're not exactly prodigies, but they're solidly trained in martial arts and have a calm and composed mind."

"If we encounter a single monster, two against one, we can hold out for a while and not be defeated as soon as we turn around."

As he said this, his eyebrows furrowed, his tone paused, and a hint of regret was revealed:
"It's a pity that he ultimately didn't reach the Divine Prosperity level. He can't use his aura to hurt those spirits whose divine souls are condensed. He can only hold them off for a while, and he will eventually be defeated."

After saying that, he turned around, looked at Jiang Yi, and spoke in a tone that was neither too loud nor too soft, but with a touch of heartfelt sincerity:
"Brother Jiang, your spirit is now in its initial stage of formation, and you have that set of staff techniques at your disposal. Your energy follows the staff, and when you generate momentum, you can unleash your true intent."

"If you are willing to lend a hand, and support my two old acquaintances, the three of us working together to deal with a demon should not be a problem."

At this point, he immediately bowed with his hands clasped in a respectful gesture, his tone very solemn:

"I have come here to ask for your help, Brother Jiang. I only ask that you look after me so that I can leave without worry."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi immediately felt a bit clearer-headed.

He had not received confirmation of the extent of the three-headed demon cultivator's cultivation, but the manor lord before him was always composed and not one to act rashly.

If someone dares to venture deep into the mountains, they must be at least 70-80% confident of success.

Jiang Yi was originally doing his best for the safety of Liangjie Village, and he was not one to make excuses.

He immediately agreed, simply raising his hand and smiling:
"If there is any trouble, just send someone to call."

He speaks frankly and remains composed.

However, Jiang Yi kept a lingering thought in his heart despite his words.

If he were to be invited to take action, it would mean that the Liu family estate still had the resources to send a message, and although the matter was urgent, they could still manage to keep it under control.

If they don't even have the strength to send a message, then it's likely that disaster is imminent and everything will collapse.

If I were to plunge headlong into it again, I fear I would not be helping others, but rather walking into a trap.

When that time really comes, he will have no choice but to take his whole family and flee to the back mountain to avoid disaster.

Master Liu, of course, had no idea of ​​the complicated thoughts running through his mind.

Seeing that he readily agreed, she beamed and repeatedly praised his "great sense of righteousness".

He also said that once he had successfully hunted some fresh and vigorous mountain products in the mountains, he would send some to the Jiang family first to let them taste them.

Jiang Yi just smiled and didn't take it to heart.

After exchanging a few more words, Master Liu got up to take his leave, and with his two attendants, he left the courtyard and headed into the depths of the mountain path.

In the days that followed, Jiang Yi would pay more attention to the movements at Liu Family Village in his spare time from practicing his martial arts.

But as we waited and waited, winter turned to spring, and the trees began to turn green, yet we still didn't hear any news.

The absence of unusual activity does not necessarily mean there is nothing wrong.

Even without wind or rain, life goes on.

(End of this chapter)