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

Chapter 136: A Benchmark for the Team, Hidden Sharpness

Jiang Liang stayed in the village for more than two months without realizing it.

Before the rooster crowed each day, he would light the lamp and go out, leading his group of teenagers into the woods to practice their martial arts.

The morning breeze is cool, the shadows of the trees are slanted, and the fallen leaves underfoot rustle softly. One can only stop practicing when the sun is setting and hangs on the treetops.

After two months, the rustic air of those teenagers had been worn away by about 70-80%.

When they stood in a row again, their clothes were neatly tucked in, and their eyes no longer wandered around; they even had a hint of military discipline.

They were called soldiers, but they weren't quite up to par yet. However, they weren't just wild kids who knew how to chase chickens around shirtless anymore.

Li Wenya, on the other hand, had a quieter life.

He would wear plain clothes every day, sit in the cold ground, and not move much.

With those few batches of calming pills as a foundation, her mind gradually became more stable.

When sitting quietly, one is like autumn water, undisturbed and serene. Even if a breeze rustles the hem of one's skirt, it only causes a slight movement before returning to stillness.

When it was time for the twins, Jiang Qin and Jiang Jin, to have their first birthday celebration, a feast was set up in the courtyard early on.

The banquet not only congratulated the baby, but also celebrated the victory over the Qiang bandits and Jiang Liang's promotion.

The old willow tree at the village entrance was wrapped in red silk, and the sound of gongs and drums rang out all day long.

Unfortunately, no matter how lively it is, it will eventually come to an end.

Just a few days after the first birthday banquet.

A transfer order arrived by galloping horse from Liangzhou Prefecture and landed on Jiang Liang's desk.

Before the paper was even opened, my heart sank a little.

These days, transfer orders don't wait for anyone. Even if you're reluctant to leave, you have no choice but to pack your bags and set off.

Jiang Liang didn't bring any of his three children with him on this trip.

The house is currently filled with spiritual energy, which is beneficial to the children's spiritual practice.

The child is still young and his bones are still soft, so it's the perfect time to solidify his foundation.

On the day of his departure, Jiang Yi didn't say much, only seeing him off at the courtyard gate. His words were soft, but his eyes held a deeper meaning:

"That kid Arui is a good prospect. He's got strong bones and his breathing is smooth. If he can train for another two or three years, he'll be ready."

“Once he has a solid foundation, and his family can't teach him anything new anymore, we'll send him to you to learn some real skills.”

Jiang Liang listened and simply nodded.

The mountain road was bathed in sunlight, and the wheels of the car creaked as they rolled over fallen leaves.

He pulled his wife, whose eyes were full of reluctance, and looked back at the old locust tree at the entrance of the village.

Several chickens were scratching for food under the tree, children were chasing butterflies in the distance, and when the wind blew, the cloth clothes drying on the bamboo poles swayed gently.

In the end, it's difficult to have everything in life.

The carriage swayed and left the village, leaving only a trail of tracks hidden in the dust.

Once the person left, the courtyard immediately became much quieter, and everything returned to its old appearance.

Jiang Ming is still the same as always.

He would appear precisely at dawn, lecture for half an hour, and then disappear into the back mountain.

He became a hands-off leader, while Jiang Xi was extremely busy.

They spend all day in the gang, rushing around like crazy, their feet seeming to be on fire, never having a moment to rest.

He practiced that old stick routine by himself, striking with great force;
On the other hand, he used all the training methods he had learned from his second brother, one move at a time, to train the new recruits.

The newly initiated disciples, despite their aching backs and weak legs, gritted their teeth and persevered, sweating profusely, yet none of them uttered a sound of complaint.

Just because there was a little kid about their age standing next to them.

He wasn't very tall, and he was only six or seven years old. At first glance, he looked just like them, but upon closer inspection, he was completely different.

If someone else practices three times, he has to practice ten times.
While others carried bricks, he had to carry millstones;
Even taking a breather requires watching the vice-leader's expression.

After a lot of crawling and rolling, my face was covered in mud, I had three bruises on my body, and I was soaked in sweat as if I had been pulled out of the water.

But this kid is surprisingly resilient.

He plopped down on the ground, catching his breath, then turned around and grinned, revealing two bright white teeth.

It was Jiang Rui.

The boy is now a little over six years old, his bones are starting to harden, and his eyes are shining like a morning star.

He inherited his father's temperament; his eyes would light up whenever he saw the way they were training their muscles and preparing for battle.

Upon seeing this, Jiang Xi naturally wouldn't let such a promising talent slip by. As soon as her second brother and sister-in-law left the village, she turned around and led the man into the gang.

Without a word, he threw him into the training ground and personally took to the drills, the intensity of which far exceeded that of ordinary gang members.

But this kid is incredibly stubborn.

It doesn't cry or make a fuss, and it doesn't even cry out when it falls and hurts itself. Its fierce determination is like a thorny weed that sprouts from the wild, unyielding to the wind and unbreakable by footsteps.

With such a role model standing there, the other new recruits no longer had the face to complain.

With flushed faces and gritted teeth, they pushed forward with all their might, their horse stances as firm as nails to the ground, afraid of losing face and being at a disadvantage.

As a result, there were fewer complaints and more defiant spirits on the training ground.

Those rows of small arms and legs swung like the wind, their fists flashing with a hint of ruthlessness and stubbornness, making them look quite impressive.

Jiang Xi stood to the side with her hands behind her back, looking at the group of sweaty boys, a slight smile playing on her lips, as if her plan had succeeded.

As for taking care of the two babies, the task naturally fell back on the shoulders of the elderly couple.

Fortunately, Jiang Yi and Liu Xiulian are in good health right now, so sweeping the courtyard and taking a walk around the fields is just a matter of course for them.

For the rest of his life, he stayed by the side of his two grandchildren.

You can sit quietly reading in the corridor, or leisurely practice your old-fashioned skills in the courtyard, watching the sunrise and sunset, and listening to the mountain breeze rustling through the forest.

They were able to enjoy their retirement and find contentment in their old age.

Those two exquisitely carved little figures were born with upright postures and a natural air about them.

Jiang Yi saw this and nodded repeatedly in approval.

When we first came back, the two kids weren't used to the spiritual energy of the mountain.

She didn't sleep well at night, tossing and turning with her little hands and feet, humming and making noises, not very peaceful.

Liu Xiulian felt sorry for him and suggested that they be sent back to their old house to rest for a few nights.

Jiang Yi shook his head and refused, preferring to get up several times during the night to carry the two little ones out and let them rest and get some fresh air under the porch.

Carefully supporting them and soothing them softly, watching the two wisps of mist dissolve under the light and their breathing gradually even out, I slowly carried them back to the bed.

Day after day, without finding it tedious.

The two younger ones are also quite promising.

In this place brimming with spiritual energy, it is nourished every day.

Without any instruction or verbal guidance, the rise and fall of that tender little chest revealed the rudiments of breathing techniques.

It is neither chaotic nor disorderly, but continuous and unbroken, as if it were meant to be this way from birth.

Jiang Yi saw this and knew exactly what was going on.

When Wenya was pregnant with these two little ones, her cultivation had reached a state of full and perfect energy.

That vital energy circulated in his abdomen day and night, like a spring or silk, slowly nourishing the two still-forming bodies.

Before being born, they knew nothing of the world, yet they had already been bathed in this gentle and nourishing energy. Over time, even the rhythm of their breathing became somewhat natural.

It wasn't taught by others, nor did I learn it myself; it just rose and fell silently in my chest and abdomen, like tides and wind, endlessly.

Jiang Yi thought about it and realized that this must be what people call "fetal breathing".

I've only been back in the village for a little over two months now.

The two younger ones were able to move to a room further away in the front, where they slept peacefully without crying or fussing, sleeping soundly until the sun was high in the sky.

After a good night's sleep, her face regained some color, becoming rosy and radiant, enough to melt anyone's heart.

The days slipped by little by little.

Spiderwebs under the eaves formed and broke again, moss in the corner of the yard grew thick and thin again, spring came and autumn went, silently, half a year passed in the blink of an eye.

Early that morning, before dawn, the roosters crowed, breaking the silence of the mountains.

Jiang Yi exhaled a long breath and slowly woke up from his meditation. He put on his clothes, got up, and pushed open the door as usual, ready to give that old punch.

Just then, the door across the hall creaked open and was gently pushed open.

Jiang Ming also came out of the house, wearing a short blue cloth shirt, his eyebrows and eyes were serene, and he stood in the morning mist.

Jiang Yi glanced at him, and the foot that should have landed paused slightly in mid-air.

The person was still the same, and their figure and attire were exactly the same, but the scent emanating from them... had changed.

It's not just stillness; it also carries a hidden sharpness and a profound, deep spirit.

Like an old sword with its edge hidden, lying quietly in its sheath.

(End of this chapter)