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

Chapter 127 A Precious Tree in the Heart, Entering the Path of Alchemy

Jiang Yi circled around in the woods before slowly returning to the front yard.

As soon as I stepped onto the stone steps of the courtyard gate, a youthful voice rushed towards me, its lively and cheerful tone whistling through the air.

Jiang Feng was sitting cross-legged with an air of nonchalance.

He gestured with one hand, describing the splendor of the previous night, while in the other hand he held a piece of chilled fruit, crunching away noisily, his lips never stopping.

The person they were referring to was, of course, that "divine being".

How can one move with such grace, with clothes fluttering in the wind, as if stepping not on paving stones but on clouds, and even a turn of the body exude an ethereal aura?

Then, they also found out the background of the little white girl.

The writing is patched up with minor additions and embellishments, with seven parts added on and three parts based on hearsay, yet it is presented in a seemingly logical and serious manner.

When he got to the point of being proud, he naturally patted his chest and said:
"If it weren't for my careful care, how could this good fortune have fallen into our family's lap?"

At one end of the courtyard, Jiang Rui was still standing by the herb field. He was small and still very young, but his eyes lit up and his mouth was slightly open.

It was as if they had even forgotten to breathe, and were just short of looking up and writing their worship to the heavens.

Jiang Yi shook his head, a smile playing on his lips, and glanced lightly at Li Wenya.

She moved with controlled ease and composure, her breath flowing smoothly and naturally, exuding a calm and steady aura.

After a brief moment's thought, I realized that this woman had been living in the village for six or seven years, so she was already firmly rooted in the community.

Now, nourished by the spiritual rain, his energy channels are open, and his energy is abundant and complete. It can be considered a natural outcome, as expected.

He glanced up at Liu Xiulian and her two grandsons.

They all looked radiant and healthy, with even their eyes shining brighter than usual, clearly having reaped tangible benefits.

Only then did he smile and step forward, raising his hand to give Jiang Feng's head a light rub.

"Hmm, not bad, capable."

His words were three parts praise and seven parts teasing.

Jiang Feng's hair was ruffled and sticking up in the air, but he grinned and bit into the fruit in his hand. With a crisp "crunch," he chewed it with great relish, clearly still savoring the taste.

Jiang Yi stopped laughing, turned to look at Liu Xiulian, and his tone softened:
"Did your meditation last night produce any results?"

Liu Xiulian paused for a moment, her brows furrowing slightly, as if the image had not yet taken hold in her mind.

"It's like... there's a shadow, swirling around in the void."

She said softly, "It's not real, it's not stable, it's impossible to grasp."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi simply nodded, his expression unchanged, but a hint of dark approval appeared in his eyes.

Even though it has not yet taken shape, being able to see its shadow is enough to signify that one has already stepped into the threshold.

This step is the most difficult.

As they were talking, the eldest son and the youngest daughter came out of the house one after the other.

He asked the same question as before.

The eldest son answered honestly, much like Liu Xiulian, both of them trying to see things clearly through a fog or gazing at the moon's reflection in water.

Jiang Xi, however, tilted her head, bit her finger, and thought for a long time before slowly saying:

"I think I saw a tree with lots of branches."

"The trees are also laden with fruit, some red, some green... and some glistening, as if they're shimmering."

She spoke with utmost seriousness, as if she were carefully piecing together a picture that was about to slip away from her dream.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi's eyes flickered slightly, and his previously relaxed expression became somewhat more composed.

He took a slight step forward and quietly pressed for more details.

This time the question was answered clearly.

Although it is completely different from his own Yin-Yang dual-element theory, it is well-defined and complete in form and meaning, neither an illusion nor a wild creation.

That is undoubtedly a soul image.

Moreover, it comes from visualization, without borrowing any object, purely relying on the mind to reach the door.

This step is both easy and incredibly difficult.

He was naturally delighted that the Jiang family had produced such a descendant, and he felt his anger subside a bit.

What's even more amazing is that this soul image happens to be a spirit tree with lush branches and abundant fruit.

Its refreshing and gentle nature perfectly aligns with the characteristics of plants.

If one were to cultivate in that misty treehouse, where water and wood complement each other and the soul and spirit resonate with the land, it would be no exaggeration to say that it is a match made in heaven and earth.

Such a blessed place is probably hard to find even with a lantern.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, Jiang Xi finished speaking.

A smug smile still lingered on his lips as he pondered whether he should turn back and offer a few words of comfort to his older brother, who hadn't yet seen the soul image, and perhaps show off a little.

But out of the corner of my eye, I saw that my older brother had somehow gotten hold of a fruit basket.

He crouched low, tiptoed, and kept looking back as he slipped into the woods behind the house.

This posture makes him look like a thief about to pull off a big heist.

Her eyes darted around, and she immediately realized what was going on.

Without even finishing a polite remark, she lifted her skirt and dashed after him.

Before the person even rushed into the woods, their voice had already traveled out.

A clear, crisp voice echoed high in the treetops:
"Brother! You're not allowed to eat alone!"

Jiang Yi stood there, watching his two children disappear into the woods one after the other, a smile unconsciously creeping onto his lips, but he didn't stop them.

He simply raised his voice and gave a casual instruction: "Be careful not to ruin that precious fruit that only grows once."

Today, all my family members have benefited, so it is a good day.

With the right timing, location, and people, a grand and lively celebration is essential for a complete success.

Jiang Yi also cooked the food himself, without relying on anyone else.

He casually scooped up one of the plump and strong chickens that flew more merrily than birds on the top of the hill.

He then rummaged through the bottom of the cabinet and found several old herbs that he usually couldn't bear to use. He washed them, soaked them, and stewed them in a large pot. He also picked some perfectly ripe, brightly colored spiritual fruits from the woods behind the house. The green and red fruits were scattered about, and their aroma filled the air.

A pot of soup and a table of dishes, combined with the spiritual energy filling the courtyard, made the whole family eat until their mouths watered and they were sweating profusely.

But after the meal, when everyone had left and the hustle and bustle subsided, the courtyard gradually quieted down.

Jiang Feng seemed to have lost his spirit all at once; the boastful enthusiasm he had in the morning vanished, leaving only an empty shell.

The energy I've built up from running around every day for the past three months has left me feeling a bit breathless after taking a break.

He sat alone on the threshold, holding a half-eaten piece of dried fruit in his hand, but he was too lazy to even chew it, just staring blankly at the chicken coop at the end of the yard.

Occasionally, his eyes would flicker, glancing towards the woods, as if he were thinking about something, or perhaps not thinking about anything at all.

Jiang Yi witnessed that scene and already had a plan in mind.

This grandson has been in a better mood lately, and his spirits have become a bit stronger.

It's time to try a different approach and add some new ideas, so he won't be idle and just sitting around doing nothing.

Without further ado, he shook his sleeves and strolled alone toward the Liu family's house.

At this moment, Liu Zian was practicing with his fork in the yard, shirtless. The fork tip flashed with a cold light, but his movements were not hurried.

Seeing Jiang Yi arrive, he smiled and took half a step to greet him, casually leaning the fork against the wall.

Jiang Yi didn't beat around the bush; after a few pleasantries, he quickly got to the point:

"Next time you open that furnace of pills, would you be willing to let that kid Jiang Feng come along and take a look? He could even lend a hand."

Upon hearing this, Liu Zian raised an eyebrow and laughed heartily:
"We've been running out of Qi-boosting pills these past few months, and we're thinking of starting another batch. We'll call them all together when we do."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Jiang Yi mentioned Jiang Xi's observation of phenomena and his understanding of forms, and his smile stretched even longer.

Time flies, and half a year has passed in the blink of an eye.

Jiang Feng will be seven years old soon.

With a foundation in cultivating both body and mind, this child is more mature and composed than other children his age in the village, both in stature and temperament.

In the past six months, he followed the villagers around the alchemical furnace, learning the basic techniques of alchemy.

In the first few days, it was all new and exciting. Every time the stove was lit, my eyes would light up, and even rummaging through the medicine cabinet felt like a treasure hunt.

However, the Liu family was not a family of alchemists. All they had left behind were a few old prescriptions, which were nothing more than Qi-boosting pills and meridian-soothing pills.

There aren't many tricks to controlling the heat, and the techniques aren't particularly fancy either.

After practicing for a while, the novelty wore off, and Jiang Feng's thoughts drifted elsewhere.

Nowadays, I sometimes flip through medical books in my spare time, frowning as I ponder the meridians and acupoints.

When he got excited, he went to teach his younger brother how to practice stances and boxing with a stern face.

But after all the comings and goings, I eventually felt a bit disheartened.

Jiang Rui didn't have that many twists and turns.

This kid is only four and a half years old, but he has already learned all the basic martial arts, including fist, footwork, and stance training. Although his movements are still a bit raw, his posture is quite neat.

He was happiest when someone accompanied him in practicing martial arts. They would fight until they were panting and their faces were flushed, but they never complained of being tired.

On this day, Jiang Liang returned to the village to rest as usual.

The meal was still just hot soup and soft rice, nothing out of the ordinary.

After the meal, however, he unusually waved his hand, ignoring his son's enthusiasm for practicing boxing, and simply gave a brief instruction:

"Have your brother accompany you to drive a pile."

After saying that, he went around in circles, turning from the courtyard into the main room, and looked for his father and elder brother.

This man was usually taciturn, and before he even spoke, his expression turned somber, and his lips were pressed tightly together.

"I've been assigned a new post in the government office," he said. "I'm afraid I'll be away for a while and won't be able to come back often."

Jiang Yi was holding the tea lid and stirring the floating leaves when his fingers paused, and his eyes swept over.

This kid has been quiet since he was a child. He would never have brought this up unless he had something on his mind.

He also stopped smiling, set his teacup steady, and looked up to ask, "What's the matter? Is there any danger?"

Jiang Liang shook his head, but his brows remained furrowed. He lowered his voice and replied:

"The details haven't been explained yet, but... the captain said that it was someone from Crane Cry Mountain who specifically requested that I accompany them."

The moment the words "Crane Cry Mountain" were uttered, the atmosphere in the room seemed to freeze.

Jiang Yi's eyebrows remained motionless, only his eyes were slightly furrowed.

If the Celestial Masters were to personally appoint a general, it's highly likely they weren't after Jiang Liang's meager cultivation.

More likely, it's aimed at his old manhood.

It looked ordinary, a dull gray, but when it actually got going, it was especially effective at dispelling evil spirits and malevolent energy.

It's something we rarely use on a daily basis, but once we need it... it's no ordinary matter.

Jiang Yi picked up the teacup, gently tapped the lid against the floating tea leaves, turned it slightly, and then took a sip.

As wisps of steam rose, he didn't rush to speak, as if using this sip of tea to warm his mind back to its proper place.

After a moment, he said slowly, "Can I push it?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Liang's fingers twitched as if he wanted to argue, but he ultimately remained silent.

After a moment, he said, "If you insist on pushing it away... you can push it away."

His voice was lowered, but he didn't follow through on his words. He just circled around in place for a moment before turning away on his own.

His gaze drifted to the side, unconsciously passing over the doorway to look at the two figures, one large and one small, in the courtyard.

After gazing for a while, he finally looked away, a faint glimmer of light flashing in his eyes, and his voice lowered even further:

"I've heard that the lineage of Crane Cry Mountain is most skilled in talismans and alchemy. The alchemy room in the mountain has had its flames burning for thousands of years, and it has always been guarded by someone."

He paused, as if considering his words, and then said:

“I still recognize a few old acquaintances on the mountain. If this trip goes smoothly, I might be able to find a way to get Feng’er up there.”

"It would be good to become a lay disciple and learn some real skills in alchemy."

(End of this chapter)